GAME.

Simplistic text-based game, where you make choices from two options. Be in dream and awake.

  • Use mouse to make choices.
  • To beat the game you need to dream
    • Win is "Win!"

General comments
  • I started making this game when there was less than 7 hours time left.
  • I used GameMaker Studio 2.3 Beta.
  • First idea was game which asks you questions like "Are you awake?" and you could only answer "Yes/No". Telling story was bit hard this way and I scrapped it.
  • For current idea I had inspiration from trailer I saw year ago.
  • I wanted to try 'meta-game' story style, didn't do it.
  • I could have made more of story, if I didnt use time for text effects and music (which I then left out).
  • HTML5 didn't like draw_rectangle gradient.

    Edit. Making post-jam version, here is look on 24th July

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  • jarossco
    Lv. 2

    Super cool! I really enjoyed this as it brought back a lot of memories reading "Choose Your Own Adventure" books as a kid! Well done!

  • Bokonon
    Lv. 5

    This was a very clever game. I realy enjoyed the binary twist in the text adventure. I could absolutely see this idea being fleshed out and expanded to a bigger game.

    It ALMOST reminds me of the mobile game "Reigns" and I think you could tell some really interesting stories with this mechanic

    Flotsam
    Submitted

    Flotsam

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thanks for feedback :) I am trying to work on post-jam version with more story and few game mechanic additions, also changing code a bit so I can make "level-editor".

  • Naxos
    Lv. 7

    It's amazing how much atmosphere you've squeezed out of 3-word screens. I realize you were under heavy time constraints, but I just wonder how much more it would be with the right background music and maybe just a few sound effects (door opening, gun shot, 'gates' opening (you know the one I'm talking about!))

    I think I got most of the endings. Not totally sure.

    It was fun to explore your game :)

    PS. I uploaded a video of my playthrough

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thanks for playing and for the video :) although you didn't say anything in video, it was fun to watch, as there were thinking moments etc. I am pretty sure you got all ways to end game. (Maybe one way just getting back to bed was missed, but that wasn't important, it was just to make player able to dream if player chose to explore room first, as dreaming is necessary for beating game.)

      Yeah, I tried to make music maybe for 30-60minutes, but it didn't work out and was horrible. Didn't fit at all 😅 I also had some text effects made (shake, waving, maybe other ) which then I left out.

  • baku
    Patron

    Quite fun to "explore"! Does reaching "dream" count as a win? If so I think I found 3 ways to get there.

    Reminds me a lot of Ord. so I can't give very high innovation marks

    Hybreeds
    Submitted

    Hybreeds

  • Zen00
    Lv. 15

    I won, but I'm not sure how. The simplicity works against it as much as for it.

    Slime Well
    Submitted

    Slime Well

  • Tydecon Games
    Patron

    I really like this concept, a story but with one word at a time, I was so bad at it and kept dying but I still had a great time :) great job!

    Hamboozled
    Submitted

    Hamboozled

  • EkajArmstro
    Lv. 2

    I lucked into winning on my first try :D But then I went back and saw some ways to fail. I really like how it tells a story with so few words.

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Well done and thanks for playing :D

      If I remember right these are how you could get "Over." screen:

      • Nightmare death by Monster or Demons, be afraid.
      • Creak, Move and Gun.
      • Push outdoor
      • Press password without knowledge
      • Bow to king
  • Chris
    Patron

    The minimalist story telling was well done and it created a nice pace for the game. I like the concept, it would be cool to see what you could do with it with a full 48 hours to work with.

  • Dazlog
    Lv. 2

    Simple and very effective game. I was very surprised as I wasn't expecting such a 'dark' story, that works perfectly with the presentation and simplicity of the interface. And, as others said, this is the perfect scope for a jam game.

    Really good work!

  • Happysquared
    Lv. 15

    Appreciated the simplicity in the game.

    It was an interesting experience how evocative the single word questions and choices were. The game felt satisfying to play. There was some really nice polish to it and it worked well to its minimalism. Despite the short amount of time you had to work on it, it didn't feel unfinished and I think your scoping is really solid on what you can accomplish and still make it feel good and finished.

    It'd be nice to scroll up to see the previous choices you made!

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thank you :) Yeah, as 'visually lacking' some animations are needed, otherwise it would be pretty dull ^^" Somebody mentioned scrolling in Discord, and I think adding it in post-jam version.

  • Allison James
    Patron

    This was surprisingly effective at painting a mental picture of the scene the more you played - like a visual novel or a choose-your-own-adventure condensed and simplified into its purest form.

    This could go a really long way. I'd love to see it expanded, and purely in a "content" sense - the total simplicity of the "one-word prompt, two one-word options" format, in my opinion, is a huge strength.

    As the current entry goes, and understandably so, it was fairly bare bones, and found a couple of the "looping" chains of commands made a little less sense once you'd already been through them once, particularly eg. the lights in the room where you could retest them and they were still broken (unless I missed something where it started working - but I never found that if true).

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thank you :) Yeah, gameplay-wise it should stay as simplistic. Though in special cases format could be broken. In post-jam version I think multiple stories could be included. This was more of horror/mystery, but maybe other stories which are "just" adventure. In current story there wasn't much going on, and I made loops so player can't get stuck and can somehow get back to bed, as you need password from dream. Lights stay broken, can't fix them ^^ I wanted to venture more Dream/Awake states, but now theme appears more as in 'two options'.

  • SpritePainter
    Lv. 21

    The presentation in this game is absolutely perfect. I love how much story you're able to cram into such a simple interface. There is so much potential here and you should absolutely build on that, because this could be a truly great game.

  • Víctor R. Rodríguez
    Lv. 2

    Wow. Really cool game. I love the simple yet super effective SFX when clicking on any option and then when showing the result, it's rhythmic and it makes you get in the mood. Also, quite nice game design with some "circles" that makes you get back on track.

    The only thing I'll point out is the lack of a better hover statement. I get the one for choosing either option, but then in the "result" screen it was confusing at first were to click. Great entry.

    Flipa Coin
    Submitted

    Flipa Coin

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thanks :) Could you elaborate what you mean with "hover statement"?

      • Víctor R. Rodríguez
        Lv. 2

        Yeah, sorry I meant "state" not "statement" lol

        I'm refering when you tell the player something is clickable or actionable. For example, you do a good job when choosing between two options showing an animated light rectangle in the background

        But still, when the "result screen" shows after each selection it seems it's just text. That there's nothing actionable, "What I'm suppose to do now?"

        Maybe it just as simple as changing de cursor with window_set_cursor (dunno if it works on HTML), or adding some buttons, a text like "Click anywhere to continue", etc

  • Megan
    Lv. 12

    Really cool game! Just seeing a single word to describe your situation and your choices is really evocative and makes you imagine what's going on. It left me wanting more, I wish there was a bit more story to fill that mystery out (though maybe I just didn't find it). I found the sound annoying though... Would have been nice if the sound was more minimalist, like pleasing ASMR clicks when you click.

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thanks :) This should be pretty easily expandable and I'll maybe add more stuff later. I did want to make more for story, though 6-7 hours isn't much, and some time was unwisely spent for music and text effects, which were scrapped ^^" Do you have examples what kind of clicks you thought of? Current sounds were "good enough", but I could revise them.

  • Richard
    Lv. 7

    Simple and wonderful idea. I enjoyed this story game :)

    Balance
    Submitted

    Balance

  • Luke No Further
    Lv. 14

    I wrote a huge piece of feedback on this game and then I was like 'ooh I should click add to favourites' and I did and then it navigated me away from the feedback page and I lost the whole thing I had written :(

    Anyway, to paraphrase!:

    Really great - loved it - a hard design challenge that you really rose to. Sparked my imagination, I could see it all in my mind! The light touch of sound effects and red text really helped add depth.

    I'm inspired! I wish there was a tool to make games exactly like this one: You can make exploration/narrative games, but told in individual screens that just give you 1) One word to describe your current situation, 2) Two words to describe your available choices, 3) One word to describe the outcome. Ingenious!

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      That is sad, but thanks for long feedback and favorite :)

      I made game pretty easily expandable, maybe I'll add more stuff later. Your "Level editor" idea is nice, maybe easily achievable, I'll think about it later.

      Currently what information 'Textblock' needs are: title/situation, option 1 & 2, outcome 1 & 2, next textblock for outcomes 1 & 2. Additionally special textblocks options/outcomes differ with other information (if holding key). Optional information are colors and function-to-be-executed.

  • PineTree
    Lv. 7

    In the words of Kevin from The Office, "Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?" I was not expecting the dark turn that this game almost immediately took. I'm not sure how you managed to tell a story with so few words, but it worked! Very simplistic, yet impactful. Good job!

    • Tero Hannula
      Patron

      Thanks :) I knew that I don't have time for graphics this time as I spent most of weekend at cottage enjoying my time with friends, therefore I went with text-based game. This was more impactful than just original idea with questions and Yes/No answers ^^