If I may suggest something: just felt too much grinding inbetween. Either shorten the pauses or add an autoplay button, or change the mechanic more often.
Unless the repetitiveness is part of the message, either way put me off. I mean like: I really want to hear the story, but also not mash buttons for 20 minutes.
Hmm, yeah it’s been a challenge balancing the timing. I guess partially the issue stems from the fact that each quest has a set amount of objectives (i.e. a set amount of enemies with a set amount of health depending on the player level) corresponding to how many story beats there are to get through. It could’ve been an adaptive system where these numbers adjust depending on the speed of the player- so that less enemies would have to be killed/enemies would have less health to cue the next line faster, though I’m not sure I feel happy with that as a solution. Alternatively, they could all cue a little faster- although having tried that, some players then get to the end of the quest too fast and just have to sit there (perhaps that could be fine????)
In any case, I appreciate the feedback! Will think about implementing smth that could help this… perhaps a solution will come if I take a few days away from it, been working on it for weeks haha.
Interesting insight. From my perspective I had no idea there are enemies. I just press the same buttons and number go up ;) In a sense after a minute or two I didn't care about the gameplay, just the story.
This was really exceptional. I have a lot of thoughts! Firstly, such an interesting way to tell a story about your relationship to games.
I felt a long lost craving open up. My introduction to MMOs came as an adult. MMOs during my childhood were too financially prohibitive for our household. I was also raised in a low income housing unit where playing outside and making friends was low friction and the default way to spend free time. As I became an adult, I had the financial access to a better computer. Also a basement.
I would sink countless hours in fantasy MMOs. The free ones which ask for more of your time. I look back at those days as a time sink, but also with a strange fondness. I had little ambition during those times. How comforting it was for that to be the only thing in life to worry about.I realize it was only a conceivable enjoyment when the idea of experiencing the complexity of life seemed like something impossible.
I don't play Video Games™ that much these days. I avoid all "big number goes up dopamine hole" type games, but it was immediately clear that this was more to it than that. At times I wondered if the endless grind for tidbits of story was also the point. I grew fatigued and trapped waiting for my excitement to light up when more of your story was told.
I'm glad I stayed until the end. You've made something reflective. Critical. Personal. And not simply black or white. There are deep layers to how we all experience playing games that starting playing us. I know of deep friendships solidified through just being in these addictive spaces with shared goals. "access to a part of him that he was too embarrassed to show anyone else". But also know of many that step away from the screen one day to realize that all offline goals they had a decade ago feel so out of reach. Memories and experiences detached from reality"...spent in a world that left no trance"
Hi Farfama, thank you for sharing this :) I had a lot of other thoughts when I was writing this- stuff that I omitted for the sake of trying to keep the text condensed and focused on the childhood memories, perhaps more relevant to how I felt later on- and you touched upon a lot of those sentiments here (and more).
The 'endless grind' was intentional, but I was trying to avoid long pauses between lines. The pacing is currently a little too dependent on how fast the player is button mashing. In an ideal world the story would be told at a pretty consistent pace regardless of the player input- maybe?
I'm glad you stayed till the end too! And wrote all this. It's given me even more to reflect on. Thank you :)
I've never played WoW before, but this game was undeniable amazing! You have unremarkable skills at storytelling and at voice acting. And even, your game achieves to open a question: Are video games meaningful? Are they worth our time? Maybe some are, maybe some aren't. But how can we tell which is which?
Awesome job!! <3 Please never stop making video games. I'll be thinking for a while the question your game opened
Thank you Joa, I really appreciate this. I’m glad you had a good time and it was able to evoke those kinds of questions! Don’t plan on stopping anytime soon :)
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Awesome way to tell a story!
If I may suggest something: just felt too much grinding inbetween. Either shorten the pauses or add an autoplay button, or change the mechanic more often.
Unless the repetitiveness is part of the message, either way put me off. I mean like: I really want to hear the story, but also not mash buttons for 20 minutes.
Thank you!!
Hmm, yeah it’s been a challenge balancing the timing. I guess partially the issue stems from the fact that each quest has a set amount of objectives (i.e. a set amount of enemies with a set amount of health depending on the player level) corresponding to how many story beats there are to get through. It could’ve been an adaptive system where these numbers adjust depending on the speed of the player- so that less enemies would have to be killed/enemies would have less health to cue the next line faster, though I’m not sure I feel happy with that as a solution. Alternatively, they could all cue a little faster- although having tried that, some players then get to the end of the quest too fast and just have to sit there (perhaps that could be fine????)
In any case, I appreciate the feedback! Will think about implementing smth that could help this… perhaps a solution will come if I take a few days away from it, been working on it for weeks haha.
Amazing work!
Interesting insight. From my perspective I had no idea there are enemies. I just press the same buttons and number go up ;) In a sense after a minute or two I didn't care about the gameplay, just the story.
Oh this was great. Very well told, very creative use of the medium. Great work!
thank you :)
This was really exceptional. I have a lot of thoughts! Firstly, such an interesting way to tell a story about your relationship to games.
I felt a long lost craving open up. My introduction to MMOs came as an adult. MMOs during my childhood were too financially prohibitive for our household. I was also raised in a low income housing unit where playing outside and making friends was low friction and the default way to spend free time. As I became an adult, I had the financial access to a better computer. Also a basement.
I would sink countless hours in fantasy MMOs. The free ones which ask for more of your time. I look back at those days as a time sink, but also with a strange fondness. I had little ambition during those times. How comforting it was for that to be the only thing in life to worry about.I realize it was only a conceivable enjoyment when the idea of experiencing the complexity of life seemed like something impossible.
I don't play Video Games™ that much these days. I avoid all "big number goes up dopamine hole" type games, but it was immediately clear that this was more to it than that. At times I wondered if the endless grind for tidbits of story was also the point. I grew fatigued and trapped waiting for my excitement to light up when more of your story was told.
I'm glad I stayed until the end. You've made something reflective. Critical. Personal. And not simply black or white. There are deep layers to how we all experience playing games that starting playing us. I know of deep friendships solidified through just being in these addictive spaces with shared goals. "access to a part of him that he was too embarrassed to show anyone else". But also know of many that step away from the screen one day to realize that all offline goals they had a decade ago feel so out of reach. Memories and experiences detached from reality"...spent in a world that left no trance"
Hi Farfama, thank you for sharing this :) I had a lot of other thoughts when I was writing this- stuff that I omitted for the sake of trying to keep the text condensed and focused on the childhood memories, perhaps more relevant to how I felt later on- and you touched upon a lot of those sentiments here (and more).
The 'endless grind' was intentional, but I was trying to avoid long pauses between lines. The pacing is currently a little too dependent on how fast the player is button mashing. In an ideal world the story would be told at a pretty consistent pace regardless of the player input- maybe?
I'm glad you stayed till the end too! And wrote all this. It's given me even more to reflect on. Thank you :)
Never played wow but wow this is a banger of storrytelling, never stop bro !!
thank you!! ill try never ever ever stop!
wow theres.. theres levels to ts...
wowoowowwow
yep that's a banger
whaaaaaat!
I've never played WoW before, but this game was undeniable amazing! You have unremarkable skills at storytelling and at voice acting. And even, your game achieves to open a question: Are video games meaningful? Are they worth our time? Maybe some are, maybe some aren't. But how can we tell which is which?
Awesome job!! <3 Please never stop making video games. I'll be thinking for a while the question your game opened
Thank you Joa, I really appreciate this. I’m glad you had a good time and it was able to evoke those kinds of questions! Don’t plan on stopping anytime soon :)