DEADLINES (Demo)

This is an early-access prototype built in under 40 hours: unpolished in places, but fully playable with a group.

A real-time office horror story for 3–8 players.

Play in your browser. Free to access. Suggested donation: $5.

Trapped on Floor 7. Something is very wrong.

The 7th floor of OmniCorp Solutions is under sudden lockdown. The lights buzz. Doors seal. Phones die. Something in the “Output Optimization Initiative” has gone sideways fast.

You and your coworkers try to survive long enough to figure out what’s happening… or escape before someone (or something) gets to you.

Barricade doors. Bleed out quietly. Turn into a zombie. Betray your friends.
It’s just another day at the office.

How to Play

• Each player opens the game in their own browser

• Join the same lobby code

• Move between rooms, craft items, talk to whoever’s in the room with you

• Try not to die at work

No downloads. No signups. Just a shared nightmare in Slack-colored lighting.

This Prototype Includes

Real-time multiplayer

Everyone plays simultaneously in their own browser.

Room-based proximity chat

You only see messages from people in the same room.

Barricades & lockdowns

Drag vending machines, filing cabinets, and office junk to block doors.

Infection & bleeding out

If someone bites you (or you take a bad hit), you’re on the clock.

Crafting

Combine everyday objects into improvised survival tools.

Playable from start to finish

It’s messy in places, but fully functional.

What’s NOT Here Yet

This is an in-development prototype, not a finished game.

Right now, it does not include:

• A complete narrative arc / satisfying story resolution

• Polished writing in every event 

• Proper balancing

• Instruction menus / tutorials

• Smooth UI transitions

But it’s already fun in the right group — especially if you enjoy the “chaotic early-access build” energy.

Development Roadmap (Short Term)

I’m currently working on:

• A full standalone story for DEADLINES

• Customization settings (These tools will also become the foundation for the future no-code creator system I’m building, so writers can design their own multiplayer games.)

• More items & events

• Better onboarding

• Increased narrative reactivity

If you follow the project here on itch, you’ll see updates as pieces ship. Because the engine is already built, new content ships fast. I’m actively updating the build as I work toward the full standalone story.

Pricing

Free to play.
Suggested donation: $5.

If you choose to donate, you’re directly supporting:

• new content

• more story writing

• the customization tools

• the long-term creator platform

Thank you to everyone who’s already contributed — it genuinely means a lot.

Who This Is For

This prototype is probably perfect for you if:

• You enjoy being early to experimental games

• You like social deduction, betrayal, or chaotic multiplayer

• You’re a DM / GM who loves systems and story tools

• You’re a developer or engineer curious about distributed multiplayer

• You have friends who enjoy yelling at each other over imaginary disasters

This is not for you yet if you're looking for a polished, finished, fully narrative product.

Note on the AI tags

I disclosed AI usage for both code and text & dialogue out of an abundance of caution, but I'll elaborate here in case some of you are on the fence. I built this logic by hand and used AI to translate syntax. 

As for writing, I've been a writer far longer than an engineer, and I'm building this platform to give writers tools to showcase their work. I'm using placeholder text fragments while I build out the conjugation logic, but you'd better believe that as soon as the wires are hooked up, I'm going to be adding my own writing. It's what I'm most excited for!

Behind the Scenes (For Developers & Curious Players)

DEADLINES runs on a custom engine I built that uses:

• Event sourcing
  The entire game state is derived from an append-only log of events.

• Data-driven gameplay
  Actions, outcomes, crafting rules, and status changes all come from templates.

• Client-side narrative generation
  The engine emits facts; the client renders them as story.

This prototype is the first public test of that engine. I built this out in just 40 hours, and I'm excited to keep adding to it based on player feedback.

If that’s the kind of thing you'd like to be a part of, I’m always happy to chat.