The Black Market Protocol

📝 A Note from Creator X

Hi everyone — Creator X here.
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out The Black Market Protocol.

This is my very first game release on Itch.io. Most of my previous work was built for educational purposes, so this is a new and exciting chapter for me. While I’m not an artist myself, a lot of the artwork you’ll see is AI-generated for now — but I do hope to bring talented artists on board as the project grows.

This demo is just the beginning. New versions and expanded content will drop over time, and I’ll do my best to keep you updated through the official site and social platforms.

If you enjoy the experience, please share it — it helps more than you know.
And if you have ideas, feedback, or just want to chat, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thanks again for playing — I hope you enjoy your time in the Neon Shroud.

— Creator X

🧠 The Black Market Protocol

Created by Creator X

"Same job. Same desk. Same city watching you rot under a thousand neon lies."

You are Cipher — a convict-turned-corporate pawn just trying to survive in the decaying sprawl of Neon Shroud.
That is, until a mysterious device lands in your hands and turns your life upside down.

Now you face a choice:
Conform to the system — or tear it down.

📖 Lore Drop: The Black Market Protocol – World Overview

Neon Shroud is a city built on secrets and silenced truths. Once a shining symbol of innovation, it has become a decaying network of corporate control, underworld deals, and whispered revolutions.

The megacorps run everything — commerce, surveillance, even your second thoughts. The streets run on digital currency, reputation, and data blackmail. It's a place where your loyalty is for sale... and your freedom is an illusion.

In this world, Cipher is a nobody — a former prisoner with no ties, no power, and no direction. Until one night, a device ends up in his hands. What is it? Why him? The answers may burn down everything.

• Derrick – Cipher’s former best friend, now tied to something far darker.
• Tatiana – A fast-talking data-runner with a conscience, and maybe a plan.
• Maria – Cipher’s childhood friend… and Derrick’s girlfriend. Torn between love and loyalty, she knows more than she lets on.

Your choices decide who Cipher becomes: a pawn of the system... or the spark that ignites something bigger.

🧍 Character Profiles

Character	Status
Cipher	Protagonist
Derrick	Corporate Affiliated
Tatiana	Data-runner Ally
Maria	Sneak Peek Coming Soon
Mr Stolz	Sneak Peek Coming soon

Character	Image
Cipher
Derrick
Tatiana
Sneak Peak - Maria
Sneak Peak- Mr Stolz

🗺️ Neon Shroud: City Districts Overview

A living, breathing city of code, corruption, and chaos.

⚠️ NOTE: This is a demo version of The Black Market Protocol. Not all areas are currently accessible — but expansion is underway. Future updates will unlock new districts, deeper interactions, and more choices.

🔹 Current Accessible Areas (Demo)

📍 Cipher’s Apartment

Status: Starting Point
A cramped cube apartment on the edge of the Mid-Level slums. It’s quiet. Too quiet. The city’s hum seeps through the walls. This is where Cipher’s story begins — and where the device first makes contact.

📍 Corporate Office

Status: Work Zone
Cipher’s day job: a glorified cage under synthetic lighting. Endless terminals. Watching data scroll while the Corp watches you. A representation of the daily grind, and the choice to break free from it.

📍 Nightclub District

Status: Social Hub
Bright lights, loud beats, and underground dealings. Tatiana first appears here — and so does temptation. Beneath the surface? Secrets. People disappear here, and sometimes, they don’t come back the same.

📍 The Docks

Status: Now Included in the updated Demo
Shadowy, industrial, and crawling with whispers. Cipher follows Derrick to a suspicious deal. This is where the demo cuts to black — and questions begin.

• Hacker’s Corner – NullNet’s domain. Digital warfare begins here. (Now added abit different from previou)

🔮 Coming Soon

• The Underground – Home to rebels, ghosts, and forgotten tech.

• The Market Zone – Illegal neural mods and black-market identities.

• Corporate HQ – Towering, untouchable. Until Cipher shows up.

🎮 What to Expect in This Demo

• 🧬 Narrative-driven gameplay with multiple paths

• 📊 Stat system: Street Rep, Corp Rep, Charisma, Tech, and more

• 🧩 Hacking puzzles and training sequences

• 🖼️ Dynamic scenes with backgrounds, music, and character portraits

• 🪙 Cinematic intro with a glitchy coin-flip animation

• 💾 Save system, responsive UI, and error handling

• 🧠 Real-life themes around betrayal, corporate disillusionment, and rebellion

🕹️ Why Play?

Every scene in The Black Market Protocol is a reflection of real choices and emotional truths from Creator X’s own life — from betrayal by friends to the pressures of modern work culture. This isn't just a game. It's a story that hits hard, wrapped in neon.

💬 From Cipher, to You:

“Thanks for stepping into the chaos. This is just the beginning. We’ve got more coming... and I hope you’ll be there when it drops. Stay sharp. Cipher out.”  

✅ What to do next

• ⭐ Add the game to your Itch.io collection

• 🐦 Follow for updates on socials

• 💬 Drop a comment — feedback is gold

• 🎮 Share it with someone who loves a good story