I am hooked on this game! I believe in your created world, it feels real and colorful, full of life. All characters are well-ploted and deep. It's so interesting to interct with them. Oliver is totally my crash. Ezra is a sweetie bun. Elise (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡!!! I love them all and I'm torn between.
I often plays interactive text games from Choice of games and Hosted games, you did a great work. Please add an option for height, I feel so depressed when I reading I am much shorter than other characters. I imagine my MC same size as Sabine and Ezra but shorter than Oliver.
Oooh this is so good I didn't expect that 😂😂 the story is so much interesting and the characters I really liked Ezra he's so cute and supportive I wish I had a friend like him 💔 his friendship with the MC is so sweet they're supporting understanding be always with each other , Oliver too is so cute in his on way 😂 and by the way the MC (us 😂) is so hilarious 😂❤
a lot of the time in romance games i have to kind of force myself to pick someone because i equally dont care about everyone. this is NOT that kind of game. i genuinely think i will be worrying about who to romance up until the next chapter releases. this game is really, really great - the MC is hilarious and brave, and every single romance option has me excited and kind of blushing. the plot itself is fascinating and the world you've built feels incredibly real and vibrant. this game is like a fantasy sci-fi romance mystery ball of greatness and I LOVE IT.
I adore Ezra in every way. The sweetest and most loyal guy in all the world! But I also love Oliver. So protective, and considerate. But then you also gave us Gage, who's cheeky and friendly and super charming. I don't want to choose!!! Sabine I don't trust as much, but she seems well intentioned and could be a great bestie in the story... eventually.
Hey Anya! Congrats on your game. I played through all the available chapters in one sitting yesterday and I was hooked right from the beginning. You've created a cast of memorable, unique characters and I can't wait to see how their storylines play out . Elle is a sweetheart, Oliver fills that broody boy trope so wonderfully, Sabine's intriguing and Gage... I do not trust. (I am also so so so torn between Elle and Oliver! Ahh I DO NOT want to choose)
I love apocalyptic settings and I'm so fascinated by the world you've established here (it reminds me a little of Moira Young's Blood Red Road in terms of atmosphere and vibe). Your writing is entertaining, the MC has personality - I can't wait to see how things develop.
Your writing and characters are fabulous and sucked me in right away! I definitely look forward to more chapters, you've already built such a fleshed-out world inside my head that I can't wait to explore it more!
And I already love annoying Oliver, so thank you for that 😅
Okay, so I really love this story. I love the MCs personality, (especially their dynamic with Oliver), and I care about all these characters, and I feel strongly when things happen to them, which is a testament to your great writing ability that you can do that with a story that’s only three chapters in. I’m so grateful you took the time to write this, because it’s been one of my favorite stories recently ❤️ But there are some things in chapter three that felt weird to me, and I wanted to communicate those to you if you want to hear them? But only if you want to hear them, and I don’t want to post any criticisms on a public forum like Itch if you’d rather I message you privately ♥️
Thank you very much for your feedback! I'm happy to receive any comments you have either on this forum or privately. I'd only encourage you to read the other comments on this thread first and my replies as some of your concerns may already have been addressed. Thank you!
While the story is rather interesting, and characters well structured. I have to point out that you should add some more information to the save files ~ I mean "Slot x" does not really help, especially for someone that is used to save quite often and later wants to load the "last save file" ~ I can only see "slot x" ~ no date or time when it was saved.
This is currently a limitation of the coding software I use in Twine. Short of re-coding with a different software (which is still an option), I have to find a technical workaround. Believe me – it's on my to do list. Thanks for your input.
I just finished chapter three and I have to say this is amazing. I've been playing for hours without tiring at all. I love the writing and the way the mc behaves is very natural and believable. I often find with romance games that the mc's behavior and/or courses of action are so arbitrary and not relatable that it ruins the feeling of immersion, but this is a perfect example of the opposite. I truly enjoyed all of the characters as well. You gave all of them a distinctive charm. I'm surprised at how invested I already am with the story and all of the characters, including the mc. I truly love this! Thank you for sharing it <3
chapter 3 is great :D im really loving this i began to feel disoriented or a loss of immersion a few points (i think most during the scouting discussions and thought trains). mc can sometimes be so in their own head that i forget where we are, though that's probably intentional, i'd like more sensory detail- distracted observations, environmental awareness- casually mixed in with dialogue+progression to keep the long thought trains/exchanges grounded
Thank you for your review! I think this was the one that came in on Tumblr in pieces, so thanks for sending it in full! I love hearing that you like the setting and that the scouting missions feel dangerous.
In terms of the interactive part – I'm repeating myself from Tumblr a bit – but I hear you on the lack of interactive choice in some scenes. Particularly the Gage scene I think can be improved with another branch or making it clearer that his room is a romantic option. In terms of forgiving Sabine, I appreciate this commentary as I think it points out a weakness in my writing in terms of displaying why exactly the MC is such a forgiving personality (at least, in the beginning). The MC needs the social relationships in their life to be free of long-term conflict because they need them to survive. Making an "enemy" of Sabine or treating her openly badly is going to have some very serious consequences in this world, as opposed to a modern one. MC is forgiving (to Sabine and Oliver and Ezra/Elle) because they are required to be by their circumstances. At least...that is where we begin the story.
I'm attempting to strike a balance between being very open about the MC's motivations and personality arc and narrative and letting it unfold more naturally. I can completely understand how this can feel like railroading and not enough choice for the player. That's another balance I'm attempting to strike and hopefully improving on as I write and get more helpful reviews like yours!
I would love to answer your questions, but all of them have some if not all answers coming in the next few chapters so I will have to restrain myself for now. Thank you very much, again, for your comments and I haven't interpreted them as rude at all! Scout is a one woman project so I'm hoping for any and all feedback.
This story is super well-executed thus far! The MC is extremely relatable and all of the romance options are charming. The plot is also intriguing and I can’t wait for it to develop further! Seriously good job, I’d love to see more!
Thank you for making this interactive story, it is truly a delight to read and it makes me feel as if I am really going on an adventure with MC & the gang. You got the touch! Please keep creating for as long as you can! Stay safe out there!
Great new chapter! A lot of memorable scenes and moments in this one. Keep up the great work!
Published the prologue for my story, and it's certainly not as easy as it seems at first blush. Although, I do keep expanding the scope and the number of choices to be made which is making it quite complex. I certainly have a newfound level of respect for you doing so much of this by yourself.
It's posted here on Twitch, you should be able to find it under my profile, called 'Survival Games' as the working title. Mine has gotten crazy complex and I'm just in Chapter 1... I've lost track of the number of branches I've got to keep track of that split and intertwine several times over. I've even added in a framework for attributes and achievements, and a normal and "darker" world which has all added a bit more complexity to things. The Devlogs in the game break it all down.
I've got no hope of keeping up with your writing skills, so I've had to up my game in the GUI and interface. :-)
I loved the update! I absolutely adoooooreeeed Oliver's scene bc people grabbing a character's chin to make them look at them? It is a weakness of mine. Also, I found very curious that the MC did not write a letter for E, but that actually added more to the angst of doing their route. Can you imagine the angst after E basically turns their back on the MC's question about their feelings for them, only for the MC to be gone the next day without any explanation? E must be worried and feel guilty af. But yes, I live for that angst. OH AND GAGE?? I already love this man. Let the MC bite you again, please and thank.
How can you make me choose between Oliver and Gage T_T too cruel :( I love this game already, and it was such a nice surprise when I saw that it updated. The writing is amazing and so descriptive, I feel all the feels when I read through it, and I get such a vivid imagery in my head. I love you, keep going, and thank you for developing this game!
beautiful T_T I saw on tumblr that you'd updated and I rushed to play it. Gosh I'm being tugged in two directions between E and Gage. Like omg. E gives that best friend type of romance, they already know you and they're taking a step further. While Gage, observant Gage, wants to get to know everything about you, they wanna know your ins and outs, your dark gritty past, what makes you you. and i CANNOT. Gosh the fear of being known but craving it at the same time.
Question: will there come a point where we "lock in" to a romance path? Or is just kinda like points that stack the more we choose to hang out/think about a character?
Ahahaha so glad you liked Gage's introduction! Thank you so much for playing!!
You will be locked into a route next chapter! I wanted to give some time for everyone to get to know the characters and shape the narrative before making you choose.
I'm in love?? T_T this game is blissfully nostalgic for me. It's in the same genre and has a similar setting to Aloners, which was my first ever otome/visual novel/interactive fiction game when I was 15. It really set the bar high for me and only very rarely have any other games come close to that type of quality story-telling (not to mention where the characters are diverse).
Keep on writing! I'm sure there are many others out there like me who're thankful and excited to see your work and watch its progress unfold ^_^
On the page where you decide whether you are concerned with the electricity quota, does the Scout Profile jump ahead of itself? Bolded parts are for my emphasis.
If you select '“Don’t leave the pot on too long.” You don’t want to take more than your share.' then the Scout Profile updates to say "Scout <name> illustrates the value of a collectivist mindset in the Community. <Name> puts other Community members first and makes a significant effort to know and support all members.".
If you choose the oppose, '“Never mind.” You’ll be fine being over this month. Maybe next month too.' then the Scout Profile updates to say "Scout <Name> displays a worrying preference for individualist thought and behavior. Sometimes disconnected from the Community at large."
In the bolded parts, it feels to me like that part should be filled in based on your conversation with Grandpa Jones, or at least tweaked by it based on the three choices. On the one hand, it could be an odd mix to be individualistic and also support the community, but on the flip side, you could be community first, but just rule abiding and not wanting to go 'rogue' by doing something you aren't supposed to. I assume the conversation with Grandpa Jones is tracked for later, and just isn't shown as part of the character in the Scout Profile?
Anyways, as I said in my earlier post, great game!
Thanks for the feedback! The scout profile personality is based on general individualist vs. collectivist choices. As this is your first choice in the game, it's going to shift that personality trait even before you've necessarily talked to others in the Community yet.
The Scout profile changes on a dime, particularly in your first few choices, but it's based on general personality traits as opposed to specific actions.
Works for me! I really like watching the Profile develop as you begin to flesh out your character in-game. I also like that there are some conversations that just stay as conversations, even if you offer to do something (or Ezra/Elle does). There is no immediate requirements to do anything, it just gets lost/forgotten in the chaos and life of going on a scout.
Great start for a game! I'm really enjoying the story telling and am able to feel that I can visualize the different characters and world as things happen.
I don't mind that there are existing backstories between Ezra/Elle and the MC, that hint at a little more coming. It's heavily implied that there is an extensive intertwined background between them as two best friends. Things seem to be taking a slight twist with both very tentative and nervous about risking a step that might ruin the friendship.
Also, love the scout profile! A great way to build your character as you go.
One question though, and I've come across it on a few TWINE games thus far. I downloaded the HTML here on Itch and play it locally. I have my save that is the character I play to play through it from start to end. In order to not spoil things that character will be the first to go all the way from beginning to end and is built around the character/profession I like the most. However, I had a technical issue with my browser, and was required to clear the cache. This resulted in my saves being wiped. Is there a way in Harlowe to export the save games to a backup file? I'm not very familiar with twine other than a few google searches.
It's not a huge problem, as it's currently a short and very fun story. But as the chapter count starts to rise it'll be harder to remember and recreate all the options and choices my character made.
That aside, this is probably one of my favorite games thus far on Itch, and it's only at Chapter 2!
edit: removed incorrect information about another TWINE game for save exporting. Wrong engine. Sorry!
On the saves – this is something I'm in the process of working on. The Twine/Harlowe save mechanisms are...abysmal at best. The cache saving style of saves is definitely not my ideal setup. I'm considering a few workarounds for this that probably won't be implemented as soon as Chapter 3, but I'm hoping will be implemented by Chapter 4. This has been on my list for some time, but this comment is helpful in prioritizing next steps for improving the saves!
I'm so thrilled you like the story so far, and thank you again for playing!!
Started playing around with Twine and Harlowe. Not sure how good of a writer I am, I'm much more of a technical person. But figured I'd give it a go. I definitely see what you mean with Harlowe's limitations saving.
I decided to switch my effort over to Sugarcube. It certainly has it's own quirks, but I think I'm picking it up. Saving is magically easy, the exporting your saves to a physical file and (re-)import them at will is fantastic.
The lack of syntax highlighting makes it a lot easier to make a mistake in Sugarcube. Harlowe makes it really easy, say if you forget to close a macro to notice it before you've gotten too far. I've even had to add a custom story javascript to do some things that are already built into harlowe. For example, customizing the menu bar in Sugarcube takes a couple of lines in there. Also, I always store my variable as all lowercase, and then if needed uppercase the first such as a 'he/she' at the start of a sentence. In harlowe you just use the built-in '(upperfirst: $variable)' macro in-line and it's easy. In Sugarcube, I had to add a custom story javascript to do that, and then it's referenced as a function. Once it's implemented it's easy to use, but took a good bit of playing around to get it working... but now I have a good template I think.
I am building mine in Sugarcube now, but am also working on it in Harlowe at the same time. Been a good experience to figure out the pros and cons of each. Maybe I'm just sadistic.
If you get stuck I'm willing to try and help, if needed. No pressure, just an open ended offering.
Oh, this post has given me so much to think about. I think my preferences for coding are maybe...simpler is better for most things, but trickier is okay for things like saves/menus? Which Harlowe provides, for the most part. Thank you for your thoughts, this is fascinating.
I may genuinely take you up on that offer, if you don't mind! I don't see myself switching to SugarCube for this game since it's in Harlowe/I'm familiar with Harlowe and on a deadline already but...maybe for next time? Thank you so much, again.
if you like this game you might also like The Neptune Diaries and Perfumare. So maybe check them out if you like the creating your own story and choosing romance paths stuff.
although the game hasn’t proceeded very far yet, I really am enjoying the story and the overall vibe given off for the scenery. I was just wondering when you will have another chapter out? No pressure if you don’t know. Anyways, I really love this story so far and I’m excited to continue the Gage route. ( I always go for the mysterious edgy boys first) I will most definitely check out any future games if you do decide to make any. :)
Just throwing in my two cents, but I really enjoy how the romances have been introduced so far and personally disagree that the flirts were "too much too soon" for Oliver. While we've just gotten introduced to the characters as readers, the MC has clearly been working with him for some time. They at least know him well enough that they've (potentially) given Oliver a nickname and taken to teasing him, so it didn't feel out of place to me that feelings/attraction have already started to develop.
I was actually trying to go down a purely Ezra/Elle route my first playthrough and read all of the scenes available with them. When the cig rolling scene happened, however, I was immediately compelled to stop and restart and go through all of Ollie's instead, like 'oh my, hellooo.' I'm a sucker for Ollie flirty/sexy/romance scenes-and you write them so well! More, please! :)
Also, I'm not usually that interested in the "best-friend" RO in games, but Ezra/Elle is perfection. Every scene between them and the MC makes it clear how much history they have between them-so warm and natural (the added romantic tension is just hnnng!) Can't wait to flirt with see more of the other two!
Thanks so much for sharing this game-your writing style is *chef's kiss* and I'm looking forward to future updates! Sorry for the long-winded gushing, this game has just ticked all of my boxes. :)
Wow – thank you so much for this beautiful compliment. I am beyond grateful for your feedback and really, really struck by your words of support. Don't apologize for your wordiness, I love it!
It's really helpful for me to have these perspectives, and I know it's not always comfortable/easy to leave direct comments on someone's work, so know it is appreciated. Hope you will continue to enjoy Ezra/Elle and Oliver's routes in future chapters! Thank you again 💚💚💚
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I am hooked on this game!
I believe in your created world, it feels real and colorful, full of life. All characters are well-ploted and deep. It's so interesting to interct with them. Oliver is totally my crash. Ezra is a sweetie bun. Elise (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡!!!
I love them all and I'm torn between.
I often plays interactive text games from Choice of games and Hosted games, you did a great work. Please add an option for height, I feel so depressed when I reading I am much shorter than other characters. I imagine my MC same size as Sabine and Ezra but shorter than Oliver.
Oooh this is so good I didn't expect that 😂😂 the story is so much interesting and the characters I really liked Ezra he's so cute and supportive I wish I had a friend like him 💔 his friendship with the MC is so sweet they're supporting understanding be always with each other , Oliver too is so cute in his on way 😂 and by the way the MC (us 😂) is so hilarious 😂❤
I'm waiting for the update here ❤
a lot of the time in romance games i have to kind of force myself to pick someone because i equally dont care about everyone. this is NOT that kind of game. i genuinely think i will be worrying about who to romance up until the next chapter releases. this game is really, really great - the MC is hilarious and brave, and every single romance option has me excited and kind of blushing. the plot itself is fascinating and the world you've built feels incredibly real and vibrant. this game is like a fantasy sci-fi romance mystery ball of greatness and I LOVE IT.
I adore Ezra in every way. The sweetest and most loyal guy in all the world! But I also love Oliver. So protective, and considerate. But then you also gave us Gage, who's cheeky and friendly and super charming. I don't want to choose!!! Sabine I don't trust as much, but she seems well intentioned and could be a great bestie in the story... eventually.
Damn I couldn't stop playing once I started, the game is really interesting at this point and I can't wait to find more of the story on next chapters
can wait for chapter 4! any ideas when it will be released?
Hey Anya! Congrats on your game. I played through all the available chapters in one sitting yesterday and I was hooked right from the beginning. You've created a cast of memorable, unique characters and I can't wait to see how their storylines play out . Elle is a sweetheart, Oliver fills that broody boy trope so wonderfully, Sabine's intriguing and Gage... I do not trust. (I am also so so so torn between Elle and Oliver! Ahh I DO NOT want to choose)
I love apocalyptic settings and I'm so fascinated by the world you've established here (it reminds me a little of Moira Young's Blood Red Road in terms of atmosphere and vibe). Your writing is entertaining, the MC has personality - I can't wait to see how things develop.
Good luck on Chapter 4!
Hmm.. should I pick Gage or Oliver?? Other than that, We'll be waiting for the update in Mid Oct.
Hey when will the update come ?
Please tell :(
if you follow her on tumblr she has said it will most likely be out mid October. 🙂
okay
Is there any artwork for this game? Or is all text?
all text so far!
teamOliver-here!I-swear-that-i-will-never-stop-teasing-him
Ezra is a sweetheart. My MC just wants to protect him at all costs, lol!
AHHHH! Absolutely loved it! I'm so excited for any upcoming update c:
This was brilliant! Eagerly awaiting the next chapters
I am in love with this game. Hoping it would get an update soon.
Hey it's more than two weeks .
when will chapter 4 release ?
Check the author's Tumblr! She tends to post updates there. :)
Your writing and characters are fabulous and sucked me in right away! I definitely look forward to more chapters, you've already built such a fleshed-out world inside my head that I can't wait to explore it more!
And I already love annoying Oliver, so thank you for that 😅
I am obsessed with this.
I promise you I really said 'nooooooo' out loud when I reached the end of the last chapter.
You are awesome.
Okay, so I really love this story. I love the MCs personality, (especially their dynamic with Oliver), and I care about all these characters, and I feel strongly when things happen to them, which is a testament to your great writing ability that you can do that with a story that’s only three chapters in. I’m so grateful you took the time to write this, because it’s been one of my favorite stories recently ❤️ But there are some things in chapter three that felt weird to me, and I wanted to communicate those to you if you want to hear them? But only if you want to hear them, and I don’t want to post any criticisms on a public forum like Itch if you’d rather I message you privately ♥️
Thank you very much for your feedback! I'm happy to receive any comments you have either on this forum or privately. I'd only encourage you to read the other comments on this thread first and my replies as some of your concerns may already have been addressed. Thank you!
when is chapter five coming pleaseeeee
will you come back?
Hello,
While the story is rather interesting, and characters well structured. I have to point out that you should add some more information to the save files ~ I mean "Slot x" does not really help, especially for someone that is used to save quite often and later wants to load the "last save file" ~ I can only see "slot x" ~ no date or time when it was saved.
This is currently a limitation of the coding software I use in Twine. Short of re-coding with a different software (which is still an option), I have to find a technical workaround. Believe me – it's on my to do list. Thanks for your input.
The feels in elle's route. Cant wait for the next chapter ❤️
Thank you!
I just finished chapter three and I have to say this is amazing. I've been playing for hours without tiring at all. I love the writing and the way the mc behaves is very natural and believable. I often find with romance games that the mc's behavior and/or courses of action are so arbitrary and not relatable that it ruins the feeling of immersion, but this is a perfect example of the opposite. I truly enjoyed all of the characters as well. You gave all of them a distinctive charm. I'm surprised at how invested I already am with the story and all of the characters, including the mc. I truly love this! Thank you for sharing it <3
Thank you so much!!
chapter 3 is great :D im really loving this
i began to feel disoriented or a loss of immersion a few points (i think most during the scouting discussions and thought trains). mc can sometimes be so in their own head that i forget where we are, though that's probably intentional, i'd like more sensory detail- distracted observations, environmental awareness- casually mixed in with dialogue+progression to keep the long thought trains/exchanges grounded
Thank you for your feedback!
Thank you for your review! I think this was the one that came in on Tumblr in pieces, so thanks for sending it in full! I love hearing that you like the setting and that the scouting missions feel dangerous.
In terms of the interactive part – I'm repeating myself from Tumblr a bit – but I hear you on the lack of interactive choice in some scenes. Particularly the Gage scene I think can be improved with another branch or making it clearer that his room is a romantic option. In terms of forgiving Sabine, I appreciate this commentary as I think it points out a weakness in my writing in terms of displaying why exactly the MC is such a forgiving personality (at least, in the beginning). The MC needs the social relationships in their life to be free of long-term conflict because they need them to survive. Making an "enemy" of Sabine or treating her openly badly is going to have some very serious consequences in this world, as opposed to a modern one. MC is forgiving (to Sabine and Oliver and Ezra/Elle) because they are required to be by their circumstances. At least...that is where we begin the story.
I'm attempting to strike a balance between being very open about the MC's motivations and personality arc and narrative and letting it unfold more naturally. I can completely understand how this can feel like railroading and not enough choice for the player. That's another balance I'm attempting to strike and hopefully improving on as I write and get more helpful reviews like yours!
I would love to answer your questions, but all of them have some if not all answers coming in the next few chapters so I will have to restrain myself for now. Thank you very much, again, for your comments and I haven't interpreted them as rude at all! Scout is a one woman project so I'm hoping for any and all feedback.
This story is super well-executed thus far! The MC is extremely relatable and all of the romance options are charming. The plot is also intriguing and I can’t wait for it to develop further! Seriously good job, I’d love to see more!
Thank you for playing!!!
Thank you for making this interactive story, it is truly a delight to read and it makes me feel as if I am really going on an adventure with MC & the gang. You got the touch! Please keep creating for as long as you can! Stay safe out there!
Thank you SO much! Hope you're also staying safe and healthy!
Great new chapter! A lot of memorable scenes and moments in this one. Keep up the great work!
Published the prologue for my story, and it's certainly not as easy as it seems at first blush. Although, I do keep expanding the scope and the number of choices to be made which is making it quite complex. I certainly have a newfound level of respect for you doing so much of this by yourself.
Thank you so much! Would love to check out your story! Hoping (as with my experience) your coding gets easier as you go.
You can tell, I think, why my branching isn't crazy complex.
It's posted here on Twitch, you should be able to find it under my profile, called 'Survival Games' as the working title. Mine has gotten crazy complex and I'm just in Chapter 1... I've lost track of the number of branches I've got to keep track of that split and intertwine several times over. I've even added in a framework for attributes and achievements, and a normal and "darker" world which has all added a bit more complexity to things. The Devlogs in the game break it all down.
I've got no hope of keeping up with your writing skills, so I've had to up my game in the GUI and interface. :-)
Wow! The chapter 3 was excellent . Looking forward to chapter 4!!
Well please tell when it will be released ?
Thank you!!! I'm planning on 2-3 weeks, really aiming for that 2 week mark.
(Some spoilers up ahead <3)
I loved the update! I absolutely adoooooreeeed Oliver's scene bc people grabbing a character's chin to make them look at them? It is a weakness of mine. Also, I found very curious that the MC did not write a letter for E, but that actually added more to the angst of doing their route. Can you imagine the angst after E basically turns their back on the MC's question about their feelings for them, only for the MC to be gone the next day without any explanation? E must be worried and feel guilty af. But yes, I live for that angst. OH AND GAGE?? I already love this man. Let the MC bite you again, please and thank.
Keep up the good work, you are doing amazing!
Yes, definite angst incoming!! Thank you SO much for your support, it means the absolute world 💚
How can you make me choose between Oliver and Gage T_T too cruel :( I love this game already, and it was such a nice surprise when I saw that it updated. The writing is amazing and so descriptive, I feel all the feels when I read through it, and I get such a vivid imagery in my head. I love you, keep going, and thank you for developing this game!
Thank YOU so much for your support and lovely comment! So grateful you like the game and are keeping up with it!!!
beautiful T_T I saw on tumblr that you'd updated and I rushed to play it. Gosh I'm being tugged in two directions between E and Gage. Like omg. E gives that best friend type of romance, they already know you and they're taking a step further. While Gage, observant Gage, wants to get to know everything about you, they wanna know your ins and outs, your dark gritty past, what makes you you. and i CANNOT. Gosh the fear of being known but craving it at the same time.
Question: will there come a point where we "lock in" to a romance path? Or is just kinda like points that stack the more we choose to hang out/think about a character?
Ahahaha so glad you liked Gage's introduction! Thank you so much for playing!!
You will be locked into a route next chapter! I wanted to give some time for everyone to get to know the characters and shape the narrative before making you choose.
pls tell when will you release chapter 3 ?
this was the best visual novel i have played till now.
Thank you so much! Chapter 3 should be out by the end of July!
I'm in love?? T_T this game is blissfully nostalgic for me. It's in the same genre and has a similar setting to Aloners, which was my first ever otome/visual novel/interactive fiction game when I was 15. It really set the bar high for me and only very rarely have any other games come close to that type of quality story-telling (not to mention where the characters are diverse).
Keep on writing! I'm sure there are many others out there like me who're thankful and excited to see your work and watch its progress unfold ^_^
Thank you so much!! Aloners is also one of my favorites so I take even a slight comparison as a huge compliment.
Thank you for playing, and I am keeping up enough with my writing that Chapter 3 should be out by the end of July!
One bit of feedback/question:
On the page where you decide whether you are concerned with the electricity quota, does the Scout Profile jump ahead of itself? Bolded parts are for my emphasis.
If you select '“Don’t leave the pot on too long.” You don’t want to take more than your share.' then the Scout Profile updates to say "Scout <name> illustrates the value of a collectivist mindset in the Community. <Name> puts other Community members first and makes a significant effort to know and support all members.".
If you choose the oppose, '“Never mind.” You’ll be fine being over this month. Maybe next month too.' then the Scout Profile updates to say "Scout <Name> displays a worrying preference for individualist thought and behavior. Sometimes disconnected from the Community at large."
In the bolded parts, it feels to me like that part should be filled in based on your conversation with Grandpa Jones, or at least tweaked by it based on the three choices. On the one hand, it could be an odd mix to be individualistic and also support the community, but on the flip side, you could be community first, but just rule abiding and not wanting to go 'rogue' by doing something you aren't supposed to. I assume the conversation with Grandpa Jones is tracked for later, and just isn't shown as part of the character in the Scout Profile?
Anyways, as I said in my earlier post, great game!
Thanks for the feedback! The scout profile personality is based on general individualist vs. collectivist choices. As this is your first choice in the game, it's going to shift that personality trait even before you've necessarily talked to others in the Community yet.
The Scout profile changes on a dime, particularly in your first few choices, but it's based on general personality traits as opposed to specific actions.
Works for me! I really like watching the Profile develop as you begin to flesh out your character in-game. I also like that there are some conversations that just stay as conversations, even if you offer to do something (or Ezra/Elle does). There is no immediate requirements to do anything, it just gets lost/forgotten in the chaos and life of going on a scout.
Thank you!! I know I've said it before but your feedback has been really helpful!
Great start for a game! I'm really enjoying the story telling and am able to feel that I can visualize the different characters and world as things happen.
I don't mind that there are existing backstories between Ezra/Elle and the MC, that hint at a little more coming. It's heavily implied that there is an extensive intertwined background between them as two best friends. Things seem to be taking a slight twist with both very tentative and nervous about risking a step that might ruin the friendship.
Also, love the scout profile! A great way to build your character as you go.
One question though, and I've come across it on a few TWINE games thus far. I downloaded the HTML here on Itch and play it locally. I have my save that is the character I play to play through it from start to end. In order to not spoil things that character will be the first to go all the way from beginning to end and is built around the character/profession I like the most. However, I had a technical issue with my browser, and was required to clear the cache. This resulted in my saves being wiped. Is there a way in Harlowe to export the save games to a backup file? I'm not very familiar with twine other than a few google searches.
It's not a huge problem, as it's currently a short and very fun story. But as the chapter count starts to rise it'll be harder to remember and recreate all the options and choices my character made.
That aside, this is probably one of my favorite games thus far on Itch, and it's only at Chapter 2!
edit: removed incorrect information about another TWINE game for save exporting. Wrong engine. Sorry!
Thank you so much for your comment and question!
On the saves – this is something I'm in the process of working on. The Twine/Harlowe save mechanisms are...abysmal at best. The cache saving style of saves is definitely not my ideal setup. I'm considering a few workarounds for this that probably won't be implemented as soon as Chapter 3, but I'm hoping will be implemented by Chapter 4. This has been on my list for some time, but this comment is helpful in prioritizing next steps for improving the saves!
I'm so thrilled you like the story so far, and thank you again for playing!!
Started playing around with Twine and Harlowe. Not sure how good of a writer I am, I'm much more of a technical person. But figured I'd give it a go. I definitely see what you mean with Harlowe's limitations saving.
I decided to switch my effort over to Sugarcube. It certainly has it's own quirks, but I think I'm picking it up. Saving is magically easy, the exporting your saves to a physical file and (re-)import them at will is fantastic.
Ugh I definitely should have just learned SugarCube from the start. Ah well, lessons for next game!
The lack of syntax highlighting makes it a lot easier to make a mistake in Sugarcube. Harlowe makes it really easy, say if you forget to close a macro to notice it before you've gotten too far. I've even had to add a custom story javascript to do some things that are already built into harlowe. For example, customizing the menu bar in Sugarcube takes a couple of lines in there. Also, I always store my variable as all lowercase, and then if needed uppercase the first such as a 'he/she' at the start of a sentence. In harlowe you just use the built-in '(upperfirst: $variable)' macro in-line and it's easy. In Sugarcube, I had to add a custom story javascript to do that, and then it's referenced as a function. Once it's implemented it's easy to use, but took a good bit of playing around to get it working... but now I have a good template I think.
I am building mine in Sugarcube now, but am also working on it in Harlowe at the same time. Been a good experience to figure out the pros and cons of each. Maybe I'm just sadistic.
If you get stuck I'm willing to try and help, if needed. No pressure, just an open ended offering.
Oh, this post has given me so much to think about. I think my preferences for coding are maybe...simpler is better for most things, but trickier is okay for things like saves/menus? Which Harlowe provides, for the most part. Thank you for your thoughts, this is fascinating.
I may genuinely take you up on that offer, if you don't mind! I don't see myself switching to SugarCube for this game since it's in Harlowe/I'm familiar with Harlowe and on a deadline already but...maybe for next time? Thank you so much, again.
Stumbeled over this by accident, and now I've fallen in love with your writing, truly a joy to read. Thank you for sharing!
if you like this game you might also like The Neptune Diaries and Perfumare. So maybe check them out if you like the creating your own story and choosing romance paths stuff.
Thank YOU for playing!!! Really hope you enjoy the next chapter!
although the game hasn’t proceeded very far yet, I really am enjoying the story and the overall vibe given off for the scenery. I was just wondering when you will have another chapter out? No pressure if you don’t know. Anyways, I really love this story so far and I’m excited to continue the Gage route. ( I always go for the mysterious edgy boys first) I will most definitely check out any future games if you do decide to make any. :)
Thank you so much for playing!! Next chapter should be out within the last two weeks of July!
Just throwing in my two cents, but I really enjoy how the romances have been introduced so far and personally disagree that the flirts were "too much too soon" for Oliver. While we've just gotten introduced to the characters as readers, the MC has clearly been working with him for some time. They at least know him well enough that they've (potentially) given Oliver a nickname and taken to teasing him, so it didn't feel out of place to me that feelings/attraction have already started to develop.
I was actually trying to go down a purely Ezra/Elle route my first playthrough and read all of the scenes available with them. When the cig rolling scene happened, however, I was immediately compelled to stop and restart and go through all of Ollie's instead, like 'oh my, hellooo.' I'm a sucker for
Ollieflirty/sexy/romance scenes-and you write them so well! More, please! :)Also, I'm not usually that interested in the "best-friend" RO in games, but Ezra/Elle is perfection. Every scene between them and the MC makes it clear how much history they have between them-so warm and natural (the added romantic tension is just hnnng!) Can't wait to
flirt withsee more of the other two!Thanks so much for sharing this game-your writing style is *chef's kiss* and I'm looking forward to future updates! Sorry for the long-winded gushing, this game has just ticked all of my boxes. :)
P.S. The "boo boo kisses" bit had me crying.
Wow – thank you so much for this beautiful compliment. I am beyond grateful for your feedback and really, really struck by your words of support. Don't apologize for your wordiness, I love it!
It's really helpful for me to have these perspectives, and I know it's not always comfortable/easy to leave direct comments on someone's work, so know it is appreciated. Hope you will continue to enjoy Ezra/Elle and Oliver's routes in future chapters! Thank you again 💚💚💚
this is really nice thank u :)
i do agree w the 'too much too soon' in terms of the sexy stuff, esp since i ended up more interested in the edgy distant guy (cue eye roll)
also the music and background pics are so lovely, i can sit on this site for hours comfortably
Thanks for playing!! And thank you for feedback :)
I can’t get it to work. Help!
Hi! Could you be more specific? Are you getting an error message or it's just not loading?