Before the Breakdown : visual novel
Project Overview
Before the Breakdown is a 30-day visual novel set in a messy 2000s high school, following Liam Whitlock—a cold, pansexual teen still haunted by his father’s death on his 10th birthday. When he finds his late dad’s old band gear in the garage, he decides to start a band of his own, dragging childhood friend Arthur and chaotic drummer Evie into the chaos. Between awkward cafeteria run-ins, basement rehearsals, hallway fights, and rising tension, Liam spirals—quietly. The more the band grows, the closer he comes to the edge. With multiple endings, daily choices, and a secret final week from Arthur’s POV, Before the Breakdown explores grief, identity, and the silence no one hears until it’s too late.
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Voice Type: Cold, flat, distant. Snaps under pressure. Rarely yells, but when he does, it's jarring. can sing. a big fan of grunge band :17 y.o
Role: Main character (Student)^Guitarist
Voice Claims: Ethan Winters : Resident evil 7
- male teen
“You talk too much. I don’t care what your cat did this morning.”
“I’m not angry. Just bored. There’s a difference.”
“Don’t touch my guitar. Don’t even breathe near it.”
Voice Type: Soft-spoken, sarcastic, anxious undertone. 17 years old, can sing
Role: Student (Bassist)
Voice Claim: Hajime Hinata: Danganronpa 2
- male teen
“That’s not a chord, Liam. That’s noise.”
“You didn’t text me back for three days. Not that I was checking. A lot.”
“I swear, if this ends with me on stage, I’m blaming you forever.”
Voice Type: Deep, assertive, deadpan humor. Doesn’t waste words. 17 y.o, can sing
Role: student (drummer)
Voice Claim: Nicole : class of 09
- female teen
“You got a band. Cool. Got a drummer yet, genius?”
“I don’t do ballads. If you want sad, write better lyrics.”
“Try me again and I’ll break your stick. The drum one.”
Voice Type: Bubbly, fast-talking, dramatic,Yaoi liker. 15 years old
Student, Liam's little sister
Voice Claim: Jecka: Class of 09
- female teen
“OHMYGOD did you just smudge my fanart with your forehead sweat?!”
“Liam, for real, have you showered since, like, Wednesday?”
“I’m not obsessed with yaoi! I just appreciate the art!”
Voice Type: Loud, chaotic, always teasing, Pervert, 15 y.o
Student
Voice Claim: Wendy: Gravity Falls
- female teen
“You looked at me weird. Now I’m obsessed with you. Sorry.”
“If I take a bathroom selfie and you’re in it… that’s your problem.”
“Can you cry slower? I’m trying to get the lighting right.”
Voice Type: Low, dreamy, rarely talks. Feels everything deeply. 21 years old. Grunge fan
Role: Cashier (NPC)
Voice Claim: Jax: The Amazing Digital Circus
- male adult
“Welcome to the store.. ”
“Sir, you forgot your change.”
"I hate my job..."
Voice Type: Loud, obnoxious, always joking, Clown class, Jerk. 17 years old
Roles: Student
Voice Claim: Floyd: Trolls 3
- male teen
“You dropped your lunch. I laughed. You’re welcome.”
“If I fail this test, that’s on the school. Not me.”
“Bro, you need to SMILE. Or snarl. Either one works.”
Voice Type: Nasal, smug, talks too clearly. 17 years old
Role: Student
Voice Claims: N: Murder Drones
“Technically, you’re not allowed to sit there.”
“I’m just trying to keep the rules… consistent.”
“No offense, but your eyeliner looks... kind of tragic.”
Voice Type: Snappy, biting, popular girl cruelty. 17 years old
Role: student
Voice Claims: Regina George: Mean girls
- female teen
“Those boots are a hate crime. Against my eyes.”
“Don’t talk to me unless your band’s on Spotify.”
“I don’t bully. I edit people in real life.”
Voice Type: Calm, low-key, neutral. 17 years old
Role: Student
Voice Claim: Dipper: Gravity falls
- male teen
“I don’t really care who you are. Just be decent.”
“If someone’s crying in the hallway, give them space.”
“It’s high school. Nobody’s cool. Not even me.”
Voice Type: Soft, fast, unstable energy. 17 years old
Role: Student
Voice Claim: Gumball: The amazing world of Gumball
- male teen
“I tuned this guitar with a knife. It works.”
“Music’s like sex. Sloppy but unforgettable.”
“Do I look okay or should I bleed more on stage?”
Voice Type: Flat, mellow, stoned but smart. 17 years old
Role: Student
Voice Claim: Wooly: Amanda the Adventurer
“You ever stare at the ceiling and just… vibe?”
“I liked your song. Kinda made me stop breathing.”
“No thoughts. Just feedback loops.”
Voice Type: Fast, high-strung, annoying. 17 years old
Voice Claim: Nickel: The power of two
“You call that bass? That’s mud, my guy.”
“I main rhythm. You main L’s.”
“Skill issue. Touch grass.”
Voice Type: Sultry, passive-aggressive.17 years old
Role: student
Voice Claims: Black Lemonade cookie: Cookie run kingdom
“Relax. I’m not trying to steal your girlfriend. Yet.”
“Leya copies my eyeliner. You copy my crush.”
“Drama’s more fun when I’m in the middle of it.”
Voice Type: Gruff, blunt, over it, Grumpy. 47 years old
Science teacher
- male adult
“If you light something on fire, it better be intentional.”
“Biology doesn’t care about your feelings. Neither do I.”
“Whitlock, take the headphones off before I surgically remove them.”
Voice Type: Sweet, scatterbrained, emotionally fragile. 29 years old
English Teacher
- female adult
“Poetry is just screaming on paper… with rhythm.”
“Can someone please stop Leo from—oh never mind, he’s dancing again.”
"If you hand me a story about murder again, I will… grade it fairly. But I’ll sigh.”
Voice Type: Dry, sarcastic, barely awake. 32 years old
History Teacher
- female adult
“Today’s quiz has two questions. Neither of them are multiple choice.”
“I once had ambition. Now I have tenure.”
“If I hear one more ‘Alexander the Grape’ joke, I’m retiring mid-period.”
Voice Type: Sharp, assertive, no-nonsense.35 years old
Math Teacher
- female adult
“If you cheat, I will see it. I have eyes in every corner of this room.”
“This isn’t just numbers. It’s survival.”
“And if you round π to 3 again, I’m calling your parents.”
Voice Type: Theatrical, expressive, lowkey unhinged.
Theater Teacher
- male adult
“Act like you mean it! Or at least like you’ve seen emotion once!”
“Shakespeare had fewer breakdowns than I had this semester.”
“I don’t care if you’re sad—channel it. Use it. Cry prettier.”
Voice Type: Warm, grounded, tough-love energy.
Art Teacher
- female adult
“This piece has potential. But right now? It’s giving… napkin doodle.”
“If your pain has color, put it on the canvas. If it doesn’t—make it.”
“You think I’m dramatic? I teach emotions for a living, sweetheart.”
Voice Type: Dramatic, eccentric, musical cadence.
Music Teacher
- male adult
“You’re not off-key. You’re emotionally misaligned.”
“Feel the rhythm like a panic attack in 6/8 time!”
“Music isn’t just sound. It’s the last thing people hear before they break.”
Voice Type: Rough but kind, classic old-school lunch lady sass. 41 years old
Cafeteria lady
- female adult
“You call that an appetite? I’ve seen raccoons eat better.”
“No running. No yelling. No flirting near the fries.”
“If you don’t like what’s on the tray, bring your own therapy.”
Voice Type: Stern, underpaid, pretends to be chill. 37 years old
Principal
“This school runs on three things: caffeine, duct tape, and fear.”
“We will not have another hallway drum solo. I mean it.”
“You’re not expelled. Yet. That’s the good news.”
Voice Type: Calm, thoughtful, secretly exhausted. 30 years old
School Counselor
- female adult
“I don’t need you to talk. Just… exist in this room for a minute.”
“Healing isn’t linear. Neither is high school.”
“We’re not fixing you. We’re helping you carry things better.”
Voice Type: Warm, thoughtful, artistic. A loving presence, can sing.
liam's father and is a leader of a band. he died
- male adult
“Promise me you’ll keep playing. Even if no one listens.”
“Happy birthday son.”
“You hear that? That’s what love sounds like… when you tune it right.”
Voice Type: Gentle but distant, emotionally numb,
Liam and Mira's mom.
“Breakfast is on the table. I’m late again. Don’t forget to exist.”
“You used to sing, Liam. Do you remember that?”
“I know it still hurts. I don’t know what to do with that.”
Voice Type: Working-class, rough hands, soft heart. 40 years old
Arthur's dad
- male adult
“You bend a string like that again, and the neck’s gonna snap.”
“You wanna build something? Start with your damn spine.”
“Proud of you, son. Even if you don’t hear it every day.”
Voice Type: Loud, sharp-tongued, big eyeliner.
Leya and Theo's mom
“If Leya takes one more bathroom photo, I’m deleting her life.”
“Theo, sweetie, you look like sadness in jeans. Fix that.”
“You two—no dating until you pass math. Especially you, Leya.”
Drawing characters in-game (different outfits, expressions, and full-body poses). the artstyle is like pyayansha, mikan_mgmgood, etc.
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Create classrooms, stores, room, house, buildings, garage, cafeteria, etc art for backgrounds in the game.
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Make songs for the game, i like those undertale songs. i hope you can make songs like that or like those visual novel songs.
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Write about the story of the visual novel for each days. depends on what day you want to write. i like those class of 09 writing tho lol. hope you can make it <3
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You can go and help us write the script for each days in the game!
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