oh this GAME is an experience. i got the missing ending and the live another day ending and. the writing the details i loved it all so much? and the puzzles were really really fun and satisfying to figure out. and i'm so glad the gift from the start had a purpose. and the little details and
So after you get the flashlight, which you find by following the light in the beginning of the game (when you first enter the house), you should go downstairs. There, without spoilers, something will happen and a closet will reveal itself. The broom is in the closet.
Excellent game! I really loved the writing and atmosphere, and played all three endings in one sitting. Since you mentioned wanting to know about any spelling mistakes, here's a few I caught:
> In the Possessed ending, during the last few paragraphs, "grips your veins, your MUSLCES, your sinew"
> When reading the blog post on the laptop, "learning" instead of "leaning"
Just finished it- what an amazing experience!! I got a bit stuck on some parts but that was mainly my fault lol. You did great job on this- as soon as I entered the portal I got really freaked out- the flesh everywhere and the groaning in my ear- chills.
If you've already figured this out by now, feel free to ignore this, but if you haven't, you'll have to get the necklace off of Heather's body, which is currently out of your reach. So, you're going to have to find something pretty long to reach her.
Sorry for the late reply, but happy you managed to get it! Also, dude, I feel that. The amount of times I playtest my own games and misspell the walking directions is honestly embarrassing 🤦♀️
Aw man, so sorry I didn't see this in time ( . . . like three months ago . . . I always go MIA during the semester oof), but I'm glad you were able to figure it out!
To burn the flesh you need to take the curling iron and type 'Burn Flesh' I think. Sorry for the late reply but I figured someone else might need it lol
JK, very cool. Got all 3 endings. (Or 3 I think since you said 3.)
If there's a 4th where you can sacrifice your friend, that'd be cool but it's hard to do. Starting the game may be better if you give a hint on talking, but not as obvious.
Also, is there a way to break into the master bedroom in the real world?
Wow, this game rocks! It was much more gory and intense than I thought it would be. I only got the "missing" ending so far, but maybe I'll try for others later. Great job! Edit: update. Got the other two endings =)
Thank you so much!! I've actually been meaning to play your games for a while now so now I have to perfect excuse to set aside time this weekend to enjoy them! :D
Also, just wanted to say that I'm also in the Adventuron discord server, and I was looking through it today to see if anyone had a similar problem to something I was working on today (figuring out how to perfect the sound design — you know how it goes haha) and you were the one that did! So, thanks for getting me the answer so I didn't have to agonize over it for an entire day ;)
im gone through the entire house twice and done every command i can think of, so now im stumped on what to do from here, ive found heather, and looked at everything, so now im stuck
Hey there — Thanks for playing my game! I'd love to help you out! Would you mind letting me know what's in your inventory and the last puzzle you solved so I can know what hint to give? :D
sorry about the *extremely* late reply, but i dont think i solved any puzzles yet, and im in the entry way. in my inv i have the jewelery making kit, a flashlight, childrens scissors, garden shears, portable curling iron, kitchen rag, and stephanies glasses
Hi hi! I’m assuming you mean the opening scene in the car? Try inputting TALK DAD to start a conversation with him. As a general rule, when people and items are written in capital letters, it’s a hint that you can interact with those objects—just remember that the game takes VERB-NOUN commands only (there's more about that if you type in 'help').
If that’s not what you were talking about, feel free to reply again :D
this game was super fun and interesting! the color scheme and writing was really great. any game that gets me invested in lore gets bonus points. i love that in one of the scenes when i put "CRY" it actually responded i kind of freaked out with how u thought of that :)) <3 i was wondering how many endings there are? i've played thru and gotten three but i was just interested....
also, i only saw one typo which is super impressive and i think it was on the blog which can totally be excused as the blogger misspelling it. it was a (lean/learn typo i think)?
i want a "LOVE DAD" option where the internal dialogue just goes "wow i love my dad" idk why i think it would be a wholesome easter egg. "the power of dad compels u" lol
Awww, dude, thanks for such a kind comment! So, so, so glad you tested things out with different commands! I’m the type of person who tries to kiss everyone I meet in games because why not, so I’m glad to see that other people are the same way haha (well, with crying at least).
And thanks for letting me know about the spelling error~
SPOILERS BELOW
There are three endings — Congratulations on getting them all!
As for the LOVE DAD prompt, there is an option to HUG DAD while Theresa’s in the car. If you’re inside the house and type TALK DAD, there are three different responses where Theresa imagines herself talking to her father. BUT, in this new game I’m making I’ll be sure to add in a LOVE [CHARACTER] option, because that’s absolutely brilliant.
Again, thanks for playing, and I’m glad you enjoyed it! ♡
!!! i'll be sure to experiment more w commands knowing that! that's so dope that u programmed that in for sort of "invisible interactions". i'm definitely a fan and looking forward to future projects :^)
I've ben getting into the text based adventure games recently. This was one of the first ones that caught my eye. The visuals are amazing, but at the same time, don't veer off from the charm of the text. I also love the details in the way the text responds to certain things like the clothes and the mirror. Really shows what type of person Theresa is and I'm ALL for it. The music was also wonderful! It really played into the atmosphere and really gave me chills accompanied by the narrative.
Feedback with SPOILERS I do have one issue though which is things like looking at Heather. The text box would be the only thing appearing plus there wasn't really an option to get out of looking towards that and making the visual screen prompt up. Same thing happens when encountering the mound on the last area. Only way I found to break out of it was by using the 'HELP' menu then going back to the game.
Apart from that, this game was so lovely. I look forward to more of your work!
Text based adventure games are a bit of a niche genre, so I'm so excited for you to play more of them—and that you played mine too! I'm always so happy to hear about people finding the small details that I put in the game. While coding it, I was thinking, "Will anyone even check for this?" so it's fun to feel validated. ♡
SPOILERS BELOW
Ahhh, yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. When I was playtesting it, I would always type LOOK to bring back the description in the room (and the directions), but you're totally right—I'll be sure to write in the move directions even with those cutscene-esque moments with the next update. Thanks for taking the time to write this feedback! It means a lot. ♡
Yes! There's an option by simply typing INVENTORY or, if on PC, right click and click 'inventory'. There's also things like Load, Save and another thing there.
Ahh, sorry I wasn't able to respond to this in time, but I'm glad someone else was able to help you out! I'll be sure to mention that you can access your inventory through INV in the tutorial section when I update it!
I really enjoyed this game, and I'm always surprised to see people who can draw, write and code at the same time. The descriptions were very vivid.
You asked for people to send you any mistake; I only saw one, when you see the paper at the beginning: "the ritual area and its limits are definied by this"
Wow, what a game! I've never played a text adventure game, so I was a bit confused at first. When I got the hang of it, I was immersed. Solving the puzzles were satisfying, and the atmosphere was handled just right. I found it fascinating that there were multiple endings, and I was happy to figure out how to get each of them. Overall a very cool little game, I'm glad I found it! :)
Hey. I had been surfing the Internet and found your game. I think it is an interesting project. So, I've decided to write to you just to ask if there is an opportunity that I can help with, like localization (Russian language)?
I'll be completely honest: localizing my game isn't too high on my priority list for a few reasons: mainly because I am not an experienced developer/coder by any means and right now, I don't think I have the amount of time to dedicate myself to it since I'm a full-time student with a part-time job.
BUT, it's not something that I'm disregarding completely. Once I get a few more text adventure games made with Adventuron under my belt, I think I'll go back and start localizing them. If at that point you're still interested in localizing it in Russian, I would love the help! Do you have a social media I could contact you on?
Incredible game :D! The atmosphere is amazing, it's a breath of fresh air to see a tense atmosphere coming to a climax without the use of some cheap and loud jumpscare!
SPOILERS
When I was doing the good ending I cut Heather's hair way too early and forgot the name, so when I was making the charm I used "lock" instead of "curl". The game used Theresa's hair even though I hadn't cut it, not really a game-breaking bug I thought I would mention it anyway.
Ahhh, thank you so much! I'm not the biggest fan of jump scares myself (I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to that), so it means so much to hear you say that the atmosphere still landed despite that! ♡ Thank you for playing my game!
SPOILERS BELOW
Oop—yeah that's a problem haha. Thanks for letting me know! I'll be sure to fix that in the next update!
olivebranche, thank you so much for this wonderful game. It was my first text adventure since I don’t know when (the 90s, most likely, I am very old) and I was kinda scared of not getting it but aside from a few headless-chicken-moments I got through fairly well. I loved the pacing, interactive parts and the story, oh my, it’s such a cool story and the atmosphere is on point. Fantastic work, those small illustrations were also lovely, it was a delight.
I unfortunately did not record the awesome soundtrack but I hope you still enjoy me fumbling through the puzzles :D As you can see, I had tons of fun with it.
Awww, you're so sweet, Hula! Thank you so much! Text adventures are a bit of a niche genre so I'm glad you were able to both find and enjoy it! ♡ Going through the effort to record my game for your channel is such a compliment~
Dude, ngl I about passed out when I saw you were one of the collaborators for Spirit Cleaning—I loved your entry!! And congrats on getting featured in John's video!! (I'll have to write an in-depth comment compliment session when I get to finish it after doing my course work for the day haha. )
Thank you so much for playing my game and for commenting! ♡
SPOILERS BELOW
And listen, as long as you don't have a sleepover with some rando girls you don't know, one of who happens to be super into the occult, I think you're safe (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧. (But, also, same.)
Ahh thank you!! I'm still quite new to writing in games and it was really nice to see another writing-heavy game and how well you created the atmosphere and Theresa's character! IMO yours has the best writing in the jam!
Oh, I totally feel that — I don't know if you felt this way making your game but having a writing-dependent game is so daunting because if your writing's bad, then . . . well, the game's bad LOL But thank you for liking my writing! ♡ It makes me excited to make more games haha
I'm really enjoying your game so far! It's really immersive :D Lost on a few parts though, I can't find the laptop's password, and after entering the alternate dimension I can't seem to open the door.
So happy you're enjoying the game so far! Let me help you out.
SPOILERS BELOW
The password to Brandy's laptop is something that is/was important to her. Try searching around in the upstairs hallway and Brandy's bedroom for hints about what it could be!
As for the alternate dimension, I'm assuming you're talking about the master bedroom door, right? You'll need a key and to specifically type UNLOCK DOOR before you can enter the bedroom.
Let me know if that helps! Feel free to reply again if it doesn't!
this gave me war flashbacks to going to a strangers sleepover or house for the very first time, and really tapped into my childhood anxiety of what's the worst that could happen? A demon being summoned? in this game, well, yeah. So glad I came upon the comment reccomending this in John Wolfe's video!
Just curious, how many endings are there? I got live another day and missing, and wanna know if there's more
That reaction is perfect because that's exactly the idea it's based on! So, I guess I did my job :D And yes, in this game, knowing the worst scenario of this slumber party would make me want to stay home FOR SURE haha.
SPOILERS BELOW
There are three endings total! You're missing the second ending (good job on finding the other two!). As for how to get it, the comment on Brandy's computer said you shouldn't put your own hair into the charm that's described in the blog post . . . but it never said you couldn't.
Hope that helps! Thank you for playing and commenting!!
Can anyone give me a hint on how to find out the 'good' thing to finish the charm with? Love the game so far btw! The game feels so immersive and even though I know there's no jump scares (so far) it has me on the edge of my seat :))
So glad to hear you're liking it! My goal was to create a tense atmosphere that didn't rely on jump scares since that always prevents me from playing horror games (I'm a big scaredy-cat when it comes to that haha) so I'm stoked to hear you say that!
SPOILERS BELOW
Bruh's reply is correct: you'll need to get Heather's hair by typing CUT HAIR when you're in the same room as her. If you type it when you're in any other room, you'll cut your own hair. (You can get both items though, so don't feel like once you have one in your inventory you can't get the other.)
Happy playing! Feel free to reply again if you're stuck!
Found out about this game from the comment section of John Wolfe's video and it is absolutely amazing! The atmosphere and visuals are just a great blend of creepy, mysterious and lovely. I'm kind of lost on this one part though... I've burnt the flesh, found the password for the laptop and read the chats + blog but have no idea how to open the diary and what to do next... Would appreciate any help!
Such lovely compliments, thank you!! And thanks for seeking my game out! ♡
SPOILERS BELOW
Bruh's reply is spot-on. I'll also add one other thing because other people have commented they had a hard time with this puzzle: the diary entry (once you're able to read it) has to do with the portal code around the sliding door which is currently erased/unable to work. You'll have to replace those symbols in order to proceed.
Okay I'm going insane, I escaped the hell dimension with Brandy but I have no idea how to close the portal, I can't go anywhere, and talking to Brandy references the obvious way to close the portal of destroying/smudging/removing the symbols to break the portal. I've been typing "smudge writing" "use rag on symbols" "destroy portal" "use lipstick on symbols" "use rag on writing" etc etc etc for like 16 minutes how do I do this?
Oof, that definitely sounds super frustrating, sorry about that! The trouble with text adventures games is always figuring out what commands the game likes and which ones they don't.
For WGDITD, it functions with VERB-NOUN commands, so that's probably why using the prepositions (use ITEM on OTHER ITEM) aren't working. Try typing CLEAN SYMBOLS, ERASE SYMBOLS, or WIPE SYMBOLS and see if that helps!
Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I'll be sure to add in those commands in an update so other people don't get stuck in the same place!
I'm a sucker for a good text adventure game, and this game is one of the better ones I've played in a while. I appreciate that this game is largely dark in tone, unlike many of the entries to the HQ Residential House Jam. Though it has that signature text adventure game snark and wit that I love (it's always fun typing in as many expletives as you can think of to see what the game has to say), it's still largely a serious affair, which I think works wonderfully. The narration was descriptive and helped create a vivid, fleshed-out idea of the setting in my head. Though there were some parts that I, admittedly, struggled with, that was much more due to my lack of skill than anything else, as I don't think the game was particularly hard (I think I got the best ending my first try, so yay me!) Overall, this is a great game, and I enjoyed it very much!
As weird as it sounds, thank you for trying to type expletives in my game! It's so fun to hear that people other than me try to type as many random things as they can into a text adventure to see if it's coded for that haha 😂
Good job on getting the best ending on your first try! And thank you so much for your kind words!
A mutual friend recommended me this, and it instantly hooked me--so much so that I created an account to give some deserved feedback.
I really like Theresa's narrative voice and her observations. Her light-heartedness and tone is a nice contrast to the game's eerie atmosphere. I wasn't expecting to uncover what I did, and the balance between given details and detail left to the imagination is superb. Perhaps owing to the presentation on my screen or the immersive text, I didn't look at the art much, but I think it serves as a fine visual aid. I loved the capacity to interact with items, but why can't I pick up the terrarium?
Please make a sequel, or a prequel, exploring Theresa's penchant for 'borrowing' everything that isn't chemically adhered to the house; I'll play it in a heartbeat!
You making an account just to compliment my game is honestly the most flattering thing I could ever receive because of my game. Wow.
Thank you for such insightful comments of What Girls Do in the Dark!! It honestly made my day. As for the terrarium, it’s a bit too heavy and bulky for Theresa to carry around the house, but I’ll be sure to add in a line about that in a later update so terrarium-carrying enthusiasts like yourself get the explanation you deserve haha (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Our mutual friend also might’ve mentioned your interest in making a text adventure too — I say 1000% go for it! This was so much fun to make, and it’s one of the most satisfying things to see your own ideas take shape in an interactive form for other people to enjoy. I’d love to see (and play) what you make! ♡
So I've investigated everything I can (I think). Put the password into the laptop to read the files, burned the flesh off the sliding door, made the bracelet with a piece of my hair...and I'm not sure what to do next. I've also unlocked and read the diary by using the pencil...I'm just not sure what to do next. How do I progress?
Sorry for the late reply! And a big thank you for your interest in my game! Let’s see if I can help you out.
SPOILERS BELOW
You are 100% on the right track! The sliding door is a two-part puzzle: one part is the flesh which you already burned off and the other is that the portal symbols around the door are smudged and don’t work anymore. Because you read the diary, Theresa should know which symbols are supposed to go around the door, so it’s just a matter of rewriting the symbols to make sure the portal works.
Hope that helps! And if it doesn't, feel free to reply again!
I FINALLY GOT ALL THE ENDINGS!!! I feel so accomplished. I hope you make more games like this! I definitely want to try my hand at making something like this as well, you've totally inspired me! If I wasn't in college and double majoring (computer science and classical studies) I would be doing it right now lol. I also loved how much detail you worked in when I typed things like "cry" and "f*ck" lmao. absolutely amazing job. You should be so proud of what you've done here
And thanks for all your sweet compliments! Creating this game was honestly such a gamble because when I started university, I took one (1) cs class my freshman year of university and then dropped it because I thought, "You know, I think my brain just isn't equipped for this" haha. It's all thanks to Adventuron Classroom that I was even able to start. If you want an easy way to start making a text adventure, this is a fantastic option!
And I totally understand how hard it is to have a game-developing personal project while in school — I was on winter break in the middle of the game jam's original one-month timeframe and honestly that's the only reason I was able to get so much done because as soon as the next semester hit . . . hoo-boy. (Also, I had a roommate once who majored in classical studies—it's so cool!)
I say whenever you get the time to make a text adventure, go for it!! And then when you make it, link me to it so I can play it!!
Okay, I created an account just to comment on this, because I played it through the HQ Residential House Game Jam and thought it was awesome! I got stuck at one point for about fifteen minutes because I knew what I had to do but couldn't figure out the command to do it, and wandered around the house wondering if I'd missed something, but, honestly, that was my only issue.
There was something really spooky about going into the party knowing that everyone was gone and something terrible had happened, but not yet knowing what. The whole thing honestly worked so well, and aside from that one moment, I really didn't run into the kinds of problems I often run into with text adventures with commands!
Okay, first of all, thank you so much for going through the effort of making an account just for this! What a huge compliment (n˘v˘•)¬
I’m sorry about getting stuck! The classic curse of text adventure games in not knowing which commands the game will and won’t accept—ugh 🙄, amirite?
What was the puzzle and the command? After the game jam is finished being judged, I’m planning on making this compatible with mobile and doing some other touch-ups. I’m sure if you had this issue, other people did too, so if there was a command that you thought *should’ve worked* but didn’t, let me know, and I’ll add it in!
Oh, but I guess add a spoiler tag before it though haha. Seriously though, thanks for your comment!
It was actually the step of going into the portal! I'd figured out that I needed to write the portal code on the door using the yellow lipstick, but it took me ages before I figured out I needed to put "write symbols." I did try "write portal code" a few times because that was what the scrap of paper/diary said. I also messed up thinking that I needed to specify what I was doing it with and putting "with lipstick"/"with yellow lipstick" a couple times. Once I got it, it felt kind of obvious, though! I'd say that the main thing you should maybe consider is allowing "portal code" instead of "symbols." Thank you for asking :)
And now I'm also gonna add some unrelated things that I left out of my first comment because I didn't want to spoil anything there! So... still SPOILERS!
I really liked how some of the puzzles made me really go "ohhh!" Like how when I first opened the closet and saw the broom, I was like, uh, okay, but then as soon as I tried to take the necklace and it said I couldn't reach, I was like "Ah! The broom!" And then also with the rag, I kept trying to wipe the smudges off at various points through the game, but then when I reached the moment I was actually supposed to, I was just so excited. PLUS, I was carrying the scissors and the fake protection charm and the garden shears and I wasn't sure what I was going to need any of them for, but as soon as I realised, it felt so cool.
Okay, this comment is getting a little long, but I also wanted to say that the only thing I ran into that felt like a "bug" was that if you try to use the garden shears or curling iron at the sliding door after you've already burnt the flesh, it still goes to the same scene bit as if it were still there. (Found this out because I, for some reason, thought, "Hey, maybe I can smash the glass door with the garden shears?")
Thank you so much for making this cool game! AND for replying to my comment! I really appreciate it. :)
Ohhh yeah, that totally makes sense! The thing with Adventuron (the program I used to code WGDITD), or at least with the beginner-style coding that I used, is that the game functions with a VERB-NOUN input only, so full sentences, adjectives, prepositions and the like aren't registered by the game.
So, you 1000% had the right ideas, but it was the overall format of the game that wouldn't let you do them (e.g., WRITE CODE is programmed to work but not WRITE PORTAL CODE). It's clunky for sure—thank you for bringing that up! I think there might be a way to program it in Adventuron to take full phrases/sentences, but I'm honestly not sure. I'll be sure to do some research on it regardless!
And, if nothing else, if I do another text adventure using it, I'll be sure to have a forced explanation of the VERB-NOUN input. A brief mention of it was in the tutorial, but . . . I don't think many people read it. I mean . . . I wouldn't lol.
And thank you for letting me know about the bug—I'll definitely put that on my update list! It's hard to account for all the different paths of action people might take, so that helps a lot! (Also, smashing the door with the shears is a super smart idea! I'll have to steal that for a later game haha (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧)
I feel like I've said thank you WAY too much in this reply, but fr, thanks again for playing my game and being invested enough to actually comment about it! ♡
Wow! I love short text adventures like this! It was atmospheric and brooding, but quirky and smart. I love Theresa's character and the lines she says. The game, overall, was well-written and engaging. I think I enjoyed the tone of the game the most. Very The House Abandon, which I loved. Honestly, I hope you do more stuff. I'd love to play more things you make. Congrats on a stand out game in a genre rife with absolute drivel!
Thank you so much!! Being compared to The House Abandon is pretty much a dream come true haha :D I'm really hoping to make more games in the future; I'm looking at making a point and click adventure game next, so I'll be teaching myself a whole new program all over again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Thank you again for your interest and your kind words! ♡
Something EXTRAORDINARY!!!! The sound is so amazing, very calming, super charged with ambition, warmth and of course suits the game perfectly. The esthetic and writing style is not my favorite but in this case, for this type of experience I allowed myself to be lost in the game! Really, I can't say more with words, this game is one of the best in the entries. Well done!
And I definitely appreciate you being willing to power through even if the aesthetic and style wasn't your jam; I know when I play stuff that doesn't exactly vibe with me, I often brush past it and move on, so I'm very grateful. ♡
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oh this GAME is an experience. i got the missing ending and the live another day ending and. the writing the details i loved it all so much? and the puzzles were really really fun and satisfying to figure out. and i'm so glad the gift from the start had a purpose. and the little details and
good thing we were late to the party, huh?
enjoyed it a lot! /gen
where is the broom?
So after you get the flashlight, which you find by following the light in the beginning of the game (when you first enter the house), you should go downstairs. There, without spoilers, something will happen and a closet will reveal itself. The broom is in the closet.
i found the closet but all it says is cozy omg i cannot figure out anything in this game but its so good!!
help I cant figure out how to get in the closet eithe
how can i leave the car
Take the gift in the glovebox. Don't forget to hug dad! (IDK what this actually does but I did do it because I felt bad for him lol)
Hmmmmm ... how do I start over?
You need to open the glovebox and take the gift.
I'm confused but love this game
Excellent game! I really loved the writing and atmosphere, and played all three endings in one sitting. Since you mentioned wanting to know about any spelling mistakes, here's a few I caught:
> In the Possessed ending, during the last few paragraphs, "grips your veins, your MUSLCES, your sinew"
> When reading the blog post on the laptop, "learning" instead of "leaning"
SPOILERS
Just finished it- what an amazing experience!! I got a bit stuck on some parts but that was mainly my fault lol. You did great job on this- as soon as I entered the portal I got really freaked out- the flesh everywhere and the groaning in my ear- chills.
Im stuck on the second part, when your inside the house and its dark, I'm confused on what to do to progress
ok nevermind I figured it out now I'm stuck on the necklace do we have anything to get it?
SPOILERS BELOW
If you've already figured this out by now, feel free to ignore this, but if you haven't, you'll have to get the necklace off of Heather's body, which is currently out of your reach. So, you're going to have to find something pretty long to reach her.
Lemme know if you want anymore help!
(Asking for help!)
How can I lock the door? I'm so dumbb
Never mind, I've been typing "rug" the whole time. That's why it didn't work.
Sorry for the late reply, but happy you managed to get it! Also, dude, I feel that. The amount of times I playtest my own games and misspell the walking directions is honestly embarrassing 🤦♀️
SPOILERS (asking for help)
i have a few questions- how do you open the closet, burn the flesh, open the diary, and read the stuff on the computer?
ok i figured out how to open the closet and open the diary, but im still confused on the rest
computer has been figured out 2
Aw man, so sorry I didn't see this in time ( . . . like three months ago . . . I always go MIA during the semester oof), but I'm glad you were able to figure it out!
To burn the flesh you need to take the curling iron and type 'Burn Flesh' I think. Sorry for the late reply but I figured someone else might need it lol
SPOILERS
Cannot sacrifice brandy. 0/10
JK, very cool. Got all 3 endings. (Or 3 I think since you said 3.)
If there's a 4th where you can sacrifice your friend, that'd be cool but it's hard to do. Starting the game may be better if you give a hint on talking, but not as obvious.
Also, is there a way to break into the master bedroom in the real world?
SPOILERS BELOW
LOLOLOL sadly Theresa's not into sacrificing innocent people to demons smh like come on 🙄 Thanks for your feedback!
As for the master bedroom door, nah, there's no way to open it so dw about missing anything there (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑
Wow, this game rocks! It was much more gory and intense than I thought it would be. I only got the "missing" ending so far, but maybe I'll try for others later. Great job!
Edit: update. Got the other two endings =)
Thank you so much!! I've actually been meaning to play your games for a while now so now I have to perfect excuse to set aside time this weekend to enjoy them! :D
Also, just wanted to say that I'm also in the Adventuron discord server, and I was looking through it today to see if anyone had a similar problem to something I was working on today (figuring out how to perfect the sound design — you know how it goes haha) and you were the one that did! So, thanks for getting me the answer so I didn't have to agonize over it for an entire day ;)
SPOILERS (asking for help)
im gone through the entire house twice and done every command i can think of, so now im stumped on what to do from here, ive found heather, and looked at everything, so now im stuck
SPOILERS BELOW
Hey there — Thanks for playing my game! I'd love to help you out! Would you mind letting me know what's in your inventory and the last puzzle you solved so I can know what hint to give? :D
i never checked my notifications here until now- ill go check what all is there
sorry about the *extremely* late reply, but i dont think i solved any puzzles yet, and im in the entry way. in my inv i have the jewelery making kit, a flashlight, childrens scissors, garden shears, portable curling iron, kitchen rag, and stephanies glasses
SPOILERS (Asking For Help)
I seem to be stuck at the door of the second floor of the flesh house and its not letting me do anything even with the key so idk what to do ^^"
oh shit nevermind im just dumb! i legit sat here for an hour typing commands and going up and down the stairs XD i just had to use 'UNLOCK DOOR'
Haha, happens to the best of us, dude 🤣 Thanks so much for playing!
When you update the game in future, can you please update the version in game_information{}?
Thanks for the reminder~
im stuck in the first part what do i do??
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Hi hi! I’m assuming you mean the opening scene in the car? Try inputting TALK DAD to start a conversation with him. As a general rule, when people and items are written in capital letters, it’s a hint that you can interact with those objects—just remember that the game takes VERB-NOUN commands only (there's more about that if you type in 'help').
If that’s not what you were talking about, feel free to reply again :D
that was what i was talking about thank you i was just getting very confused :)
I typed hug dad and don't know what to do now..any advice?
what do girls do in the dark ? I wanna know... OH FUC
One day I woke up and really thought, “slumber party but make it occult.” OOF. Thanks for playing though~
this game was super fun and interesting! the color scheme and writing was really great. any game that gets me invested in lore gets bonus points. i love that in one of the scenes when i put "CRY" it actually responded i kind of freaked out with how u thought of that :)) <3 i was wondering how many endings there are? i've played thru and gotten three but i was just interested....
also, i only saw one typo which is super impressive and i think it was on the blog which can totally be excused as the blogger misspelling it. it was a (lean/learn typo i think)?
i want a "LOVE DAD" option where the internal dialogue just goes "wow i love my dad" idk why i think it would be a wholesome easter egg. "the power of dad compels u" lol
anyway SUPER DOPE 10/10!!!!
Awww, dude, thanks for such a kind comment! So, so, so glad you tested things out with different commands! I’m the type of person who tries to kiss everyone I meet in games because why not, so I’m glad to see that other people are the same way haha (well, with crying at least).
And thanks for letting me know about the spelling error~
SPOILERS BELOW
There are three endings — Congratulations on getting them all!
As for the LOVE DAD prompt, there is an option to HUG DAD while Theresa’s in the car. If you’re inside the house and type TALK DAD, there are three different responses where Theresa imagines herself talking to her father. BUT, in this new game I’m making I’ll be sure to add in a LOVE [CHARACTER] option, because that’s absolutely brilliant.
Again, thanks for playing, and I’m glad you enjoyed it! ♡
!!! i'll be sure to experiment more w commands knowing that! that's so dope that u programmed that in for sort of "invisible interactions". i'm definitely a fan and looking forward to future projects :^)
I've ben getting into the text based adventure games recently. This was one of the first ones that caught my eye. The visuals are amazing, but at the same time, don't veer off from the charm of the text. I also love the details in the way the text responds to certain things like the clothes and the mirror. Really shows what type of person Theresa is and I'm ALL for it. The music was also wonderful! It really played into the atmosphere and really gave me chills accompanied by the narrative.
Feedback with SPOILERS
I do have one issue though which is things like looking at Heather. The text box would be the only thing appearing plus there wasn't really an option to get out of looking towards that and making the visual screen prompt up. Same thing happens when encountering the mound on the last area. Only way I found to break out of it was by using the 'HELP' menu then going back to the game.
Apart from that, this game was so lovely. I look forward to more of your work!
Text based adventure games are a bit of a niche genre, so I'm so excited for you to play more of them—and that you played mine too! I'm always so happy to hear about people finding the small details that I put in the game. While coding it, I was thinking, "Will anyone even check for this?" so it's fun to feel validated. ♡
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Ahhh, yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. When I was playtesting it, I would always type LOOK to bring back the description in the room (and the directions), but you're totally right—I'll be sure to write in the move directions even with those cutscene-esque moments with the next update. Thanks for taking the time to write this feedback! It means a lot. ♡
Excuse me, is it possible in the game to check the player's inventory to see what I've collected throughout the house?
Yes! There's an option by simply typing INVENTORY or, if on PC, right click and click 'inventory'. There's also things like Load, Save and another thing there.
Thank you so much!
Ahh, sorry I wasn't able to respond to this in time, but I'm glad someone else was able to help you out! I'll be sure to mention that you can access your inventory through INV in the tutorial section when I update it!
Thank you for helping out, Smidgeon!
I really enjoyed this game, and I'm always surprised to see people who can draw, write and code at the same time. The descriptions were very vivid.
You asked for people to send you any mistake; I only saw one, when you see the paper at the beginning: "the ritual area and its limits are definied by this"
Thank you for your kind words! And for letting me know about the spelling error—being your own editor means you can miss a lot haha
Wow, what a game! I've never played a text adventure game, so I was a bit confused at first. When I got the hang of it, I was immersed. Solving the puzzles were satisfying, and the atmosphere was handled just right. I found it fascinating that there were multiple endings, and I was happy to figure out how to get each of them. Overall a very cool little game, I'm glad I found it! :)
I'm honored that my game is the first text adventure you've ever played! And even happier that you liked it! Thank you for your sweet compliments ♡
Hey. I had been surfing the Internet and found your game. I think it is an interesting project. So, I've decided to write to you just to ask if there is an opportunity that I can help with, like localization (Russian language)?
Hello, hello! Thanks so much for your interest!
I'll be completely honest: localizing my game isn't too high on my priority list for a few reasons: mainly because I am not an experienced developer/coder by any means and right now, I don't think I have the amount of time to dedicate myself to it since I'm a full-time student with a part-time job.
BUT, it's not something that I'm disregarding completely. Once I get a few more text adventure games made with Adventuron under my belt, I think I'll go back and start localizing them. If at that point you're still interested in localizing it in Russian, I would love the help! Do you have a social media I could contact you on?
Hello. Thank you for your answer.
Of course, I would love to help at any time, so don't worry about that. So, contact me when you will be ready.
I have a twitter @an1mehunter1 and a discord ANIMEHUNTER#1685
Incredible game :D! The atmosphere is amazing, it's a breath of fresh air to see a tense atmosphere coming to a climax without the use of some cheap and loud jumpscare!
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When I was doing the good ending I cut Heather's hair way too early and forgot the name, so when I was making the charm I used "lock" instead of "curl". The game used Theresa's hair even though I hadn't cut it, not really a game-breaking bug I thought I would mention it anyway.
Ahhh, thank you so much! I'm not the biggest fan of jump scares myself (I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to that), so it means so much to hear you say that the atmosphere still landed despite that! ♡ Thank you for playing my game!
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Oop—yeah that's a problem haha. Thanks for letting me know! I'll be sure to fix that in the next update!
olivebranche, thank you so much for this wonderful game. It was my first text adventure since I don’t know when (the 90s, most likely, I am very old) and I was kinda scared of not getting it but aside from a few headless-chicken-moments I got through fairly well. I loved the pacing, interactive parts and the story, oh my, it’s such a cool story and the atmosphere is on point. Fantastic work, those small illustrations were also lovely, it was a delight.
I unfortunately did not record the awesome soundtrack but I hope you still enjoy me fumbling through the puzzles :D As you can see, I had tons of fun with it.
Awww, you're so sweet, Hula! Thank you so much! Text adventures are a bit of a niche genre so I'm glad you were able to both find and enjoy it! ♡ Going through the effort to record my game for your channel is such a compliment~
Finished the whole of this - I think this is the best game of the jam. The writing! The atmosphere" The art! The presentation! The puzzles!
This is excellent and a wild and surprisingly tense ride!
Got all 3 endings, had to look to the comments for some help as I got a bit confused at points, but it was satisfying solving the puzzles.
Also this is why I don't go on sleepovers.
Dude, ngl I about passed out when I saw you were one of the collaborators for Spirit Cleaning—I loved your entry!! And congrats on getting featured in John's video!! (I'll have to write an in-depth comment compliment session when I get to finish it after doing my course work for the day haha. )
Thank you so much for playing my game and for commenting! ♡
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And listen, as long as you don't have a sleepover with some rando girls you don't know, one of who happens to be super into the occult, I think you're safe (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧. (But, also, same.)
Ahh thank you!! I'm still quite new to writing in games and it was really nice to see another writing-heavy game and how well you created the atmosphere and Theresa's character! IMO yours has the best writing in the jam!
Oh, I totally feel that — I don't know if you felt this way making your game but having a writing-dependent game is so daunting because if your writing's bad, then . . . well, the game's bad LOL But thank you for liking my writing! ♡ It makes me excited to make more games haha
(SPOILERS + help needed)
I'm really enjoying your game so far! It's really immersive :D Lost on a few parts though, I can't find the laptop's password, and after entering the alternate dimension I can't seem to open the door.
Any help? :(
So happy you're enjoying the game so far! Let me help you out.
SPOILERS BELOW
The password to Brandy's laptop is something that is/was important to her. Try searching around in the upstairs hallway and Brandy's bedroom for hints about what it could be!
As for the alternate dimension, I'm assuming you're talking about the master bedroom door, right? You'll need a key and to specifically type UNLOCK DOOR before you can enter the bedroom.
Let me know if that helps! Feel free to reply again if it doesn't!
this gave me war flashbacks to going to a strangers sleepover or house for the very first time, and really tapped into my childhood anxiety of what's the worst that could happen? A demon being summoned? in this game, well, yeah. So glad I came upon the comment reccomending this in John Wolfe's video!
Just curious, how many endings are there? I got live another day and missing, and wanna know if there's more
That reaction is perfect because that's exactly the idea it's based on! So, I guess I did my job :D And yes, in this game, knowing the worst scenario of this slumber party would make me want to stay home FOR SURE haha.
SPOILERS BELOW
There are three endings total! You're missing the second ending (good job on finding the other two!). As for how to get it, the comment on Brandy's computer said you shouldn't put your own hair into the charm that's described in the blog post . . . but it never said you couldn't.
Hope that helps! Thank you for playing and commenting!!
SPOILERS
Can anyone give me a hint on how to find out the 'good' thing to finish the charm with? Love the game so far btw! The game feels so immersive and even though I know there's no jump scares (so far) it has me on the edge of my seat :))
Thanks!
cut heathers hair not your own
Thanks again for replying, Bruh! It makes me heart happy to see players helping each other out.
So glad to hear you're liking it! My goal was to create a tense atmosphere that didn't rely on jump scares since that always prevents me from playing horror games (I'm a big scaredy-cat when it comes to that haha) so I'm stoked to hear you say that!
SPOILERS BELOW
Bruh's reply is correct: you'll need to get Heather's hair by typing CUT HAIR when you're in the same room as her. If you type it when you're in any other room, you'll cut your own hair. (You can get both items though, so don't feel like once you have one in your inventory you can't get the other.)
Happy playing! Feel free to reply again if you're stuck!
(SPOILERS + help needed)
Found out about this game from the comment section of John Wolfe's video and it is absolutely amazing! The atmosphere and visuals are just a great blend of creepy, mysterious and lovely. I'm kind of lost on this one part though... I've burnt the flesh, found the password for the laptop and read the chats + blog but have no idea how to open the diary and what to do next... Would appreciate any help!
open the closet take broom go upstairs move heathers corpse with broom heather falls down go down and take necklac
100% right. Thank you Bruh! ♡
Such lovely compliments, thank you!! And thanks for seeking my game out! ♡
SPOILERS BELOW
Bruh's reply is spot-on. I'll also add one other thing because other people have commented they had a hard time with this puzzle: the diary entry (once you're able to read it) has to do with the portal code around the sliding door which is currently erased/unable to work. You'll have to replace those symbols in order to proceed.
Hope that helps!! Thanks again for playing!!
how do you read the diary properly?
SPOILERS, NEED HELP
Okay I'm going insane, I escaped the hell dimension with Brandy but I have no idea how to close the portal, I can't go anywhere, and talking to Brandy references the obvious way to close the portal of destroying/smudging/removing the symbols to break the portal. I've been typing "smudge writing" "use rag on symbols" "destroy portal" "use lipstick on symbols" "use rag on writing" etc etc etc for like 16 minutes how do I do this?
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Oof, that definitely sounds super frustrating, sorry about that! The trouble with text adventures games is always figuring out what commands the game likes and which ones they don't.
For WGDITD, it functions with VERB-NOUN commands, so that's probably why using the prepositions (use ITEM on OTHER ITEM) aren't working. Try typing CLEAN SYMBOLS, ERASE SYMBOLS, or WIPE SYMBOLS and see if that helps!
Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I'll be sure to add in those commands in an update so other people don't get stuck in the same place!
I'm a sucker for a good text adventure game, and this game is one of the better ones I've played in a while. I appreciate that this game is largely dark in tone, unlike many of the entries to the HQ Residential House Jam. Though it has that signature text adventure game snark and wit that I love (it's always fun typing in as many expletives as you can think of to see what the game has to say), it's still largely a serious affair, which I think works wonderfully. The narration was descriptive and helped create a vivid, fleshed-out idea of the setting in my head. Though there were some parts that I, admittedly, struggled with, that was much more due to my lack of skill than anything else, as I don't think the game was particularly hard (I think I got the best ending my first try, so yay me!) Overall, this is a great game, and I enjoyed it very much!
As weird as it sounds, thank you for trying to type expletives in my game! It's so fun to hear that people other than me try to type as many random things as they can into a text adventure to see if it's coded for that haha 😂
Good job on getting the best ending on your first try! And thank you so much for your kind words!
A mutual friend recommended me this, and it instantly hooked me--so much so that I created an account to give some deserved feedback.
I really like Theresa's narrative voice and her observations. Her light-heartedness and tone is a nice contrast to the game's eerie atmosphere. I wasn't expecting to uncover what I did, and the balance between given details and detail left to the imagination is superb. Perhaps owing to the presentation on my screen or the immersive text, I didn't look at the art much, but I think it serves as a fine visual aid. I loved the capacity to interact with items, but why can't I pick up the terrarium?
Please make a sequel, or a prequel, exploring Theresa's penchant for 'borrowing' everything that isn't chemically adhered to the house; I'll play it in a heartbeat!
You making an account just to compliment my game is honestly the most flattering thing I could ever receive because of my game. Wow.
Thank you for such insightful comments of What Girls Do in the Dark!! It honestly made my day. As for the terrarium, it’s a bit too heavy and bulky for Theresa to carry around the house, but I’ll be sure to add in a line about that in a later update so terrarium-carrying enthusiasts like yourself get the explanation you deserve haha (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Our mutual friend also might’ve mentioned your interest in making a text adventure too — I say 1000% go for it! This was so much fun to make, and it’s one of the most satisfying things to see your own ideas take shape in an interactive form for other people to enjoy. I’d love to see (and play) what you make! ♡
I'm loving the game but I'm stuck.
SPOILERS TO COME:
So I've investigated everything I can (I think). Put the password into the laptop to read the files, burned the flesh off the sliding door, made the bracelet with a piece of my hair...and I'm not sure what to do next. I've also unlocked and read the diary by using the pencil...I'm just not sure what to do next. How do I progress?
Sorry for the late reply! And a big thank you for your interest in my game! Let’s see if I can help you out.
SPOILERS BELOW
You are 100% on the right track! The sliding door is a two-part puzzle: one part is the flesh which you already burned off and the other is that the portal symbols around the door are smudged and don’t work anymore. Because you read the diary, Theresa should know which symbols are supposed to go around the door, so it’s just a matter of rewriting the symbols to make sure the portal works.
Hope that helps! And if it doesn't, feel free to reply again!
Ah. I got it now, I figured that's what I had to do but I couldn't figure out the command to do it.
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Another question: I'm now trying to get all the endings. How many are there? I've gotten two so far.
Glad to hear you worked it out!
SPOILERS BELOW
There are three endings total. All three are dependent on 1) If you have a protection charm and 2) if you made one, what you finished it with.
I FINALLY GOT ALL THE ENDINGS!!! I feel so accomplished. I hope you make more games like this! I definitely want to try my hand at making something like this as well, you've totally inspired me! If I wasn't in college and double majoring (computer science and classical studies) I would be doing it right now lol. I also loved how much detail you worked in when I typed things like "cry" and "f*ck" lmao. absolutely amazing job. You should be so proud of what you've done here
AHHHH!! You did it!! Congratulations!!
And thanks for all your sweet compliments! Creating this game was honestly such a gamble because when I started university, I took one (1) cs class my freshman year of university and then dropped it because I thought, "You know, I think my brain just isn't equipped for this" haha. It's all thanks to Adventuron Classroom that I was even able to start. If you want an easy way to start making a text adventure, this is a fantastic option!
And I totally understand how hard it is to have a game-developing personal project while in school — I was on winter break in the middle of the game jam's original one-month timeframe and honestly that's the only reason I was able to get so much done because as soon as the next semester hit . . . hoo-boy. (Also, I had a roommate once who majored in classical studies—it's so cool!)
I say whenever you get the time to make a text adventure, go for it!! And then when you make it, link me to it so I can play it!!
Okay, I created an account just to comment on this, because I played it through the HQ Residential House Game Jam and thought it was awesome! I got stuck at one point for about fifteen minutes because I knew what I had to do but couldn't figure out the command to do it, and wandered around the house wondering if I'd missed something, but, honestly, that was my only issue.
There was something really spooky about going into the party knowing that everyone was gone and something terrible had happened, but not yet knowing what. The whole thing honestly worked so well, and aside from that one moment, I really didn't run into the kinds of problems I often run into with text adventures with commands!
Awesome game!
Okay, first of all, thank you so much for going through the effort of making an account just for this! What a huge compliment (n˘v˘•)¬
I’m sorry about getting stuck! The classic curse of text adventure games in not knowing which commands the game will and won’t accept—ugh 🙄, amirite?
What was the puzzle and the command? After the game jam is finished being judged, I’m planning on making this compatible with mobile and doing some other touch-ups. I’m sure if you had this issue, other people did too, so if there was a command that you thought *should’ve worked* but didn’t, let me know, and I’ll add it in!
Oh, but I guess add a spoiler tag before it though haha. Seriously though, thanks for your comment!
Sorry for the late reply!
SPOILERS
It was actually the step of going into the portal! I'd figured out that I needed to write the portal code on the door using the yellow lipstick, but it took me ages before I figured out I needed to put "write symbols." I did try "write portal code" a few times because that was what the scrap of paper/diary said. I also messed up thinking that I needed to specify what I was doing it with and putting "with lipstick"/"with yellow lipstick" a couple times. Once I got it, it felt kind of obvious, though! I'd say that the main thing you should maybe consider is allowing "portal code" instead of "symbols." Thank you for asking :)
And now I'm also gonna add some unrelated things that I left out of my first comment because I didn't want to spoil anything there! So... still SPOILERS!
I really liked how some of the puzzles made me really go "ohhh!" Like how when I first opened the closet and saw the broom, I was like, uh, okay, but then as soon as I tried to take the necklace and it said I couldn't reach, I was like "Ah! The broom!" And then also with the rag, I kept trying to wipe the smudges off at various points through the game, but then when I reached the moment I was actually supposed to, I was just so excited. PLUS, I was carrying the scissors and the fake protection charm and the garden shears and I wasn't sure what I was going to need any of them for, but as soon as I realised, it felt so cool.
Okay, this comment is getting a little long, but I also wanted to say that the only thing I ran into that felt like a "bug" was that if you try to use the garden shears or curling iron at the sliding door after you've already burnt the flesh, it still goes to the same scene bit as if it were still there. (Found this out because I, for some reason, thought, "Hey, maybe I can smash the glass door with the garden shears?")
Thank you so much for making this cool game! AND for replying to my comment! I really appreciate it. :)
SPOILERS BELOW
Ohhh yeah, that totally makes sense! The thing with Adventuron (the program I used to code WGDITD), or at least with the beginner-style coding that I used, is that the game functions with a VERB-NOUN input only, so full sentences, adjectives, prepositions and the like aren't registered by the game.
So, you 1000% had the right ideas, but it was the overall format of the game that wouldn't let you do them (e.g., WRITE CODE is programmed to work but not WRITE PORTAL CODE). It's clunky for sure—thank you for bringing that up! I think there might be a way to program it in Adventuron to take full phrases/sentences, but I'm honestly not sure. I'll be sure to do some research on it regardless!
And, if nothing else, if I do another text adventure using it, I'll be sure to have a forced explanation of the VERB-NOUN input. A brief mention of it was in the tutorial, but . . . I don't think many people read it. I mean . . . I wouldn't lol.
And thank you for letting me know about the bug—I'll definitely put that on my update list! It's hard to account for all the different paths of action people might take, so that helps a lot! (Also, smashing the door with the shears is a super smart idea! I'll have to steal that for a later game haha (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧)
I feel like I've said thank you WAY too much in this reply, but fr, thanks again for playing my game and being invested enough to actually comment about it! ♡
Wow! I love short text adventures like this! It was atmospheric and brooding, but quirky and smart. I love Theresa's character and the lines she says. The game, overall, was well-written and engaging. I think I enjoyed the tone of the game the most. Very The House Abandon, which I loved. Honestly, I hope you do more stuff. I'd love to play more things you make. Congrats on a stand out game in a genre rife with absolute drivel!
Thank you so much!! Being compared to The House Abandon is pretty much a dream come true haha :D I'm really hoping to make more games in the future; I'm looking at making a point and click adventure game next, so I'll be teaching myself a whole new program all over again ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Thank you again for your interest and your kind words! ♡
Something EXTRAORDINARY!!!!
The sound is so amazing, very calming, super charged with ambition, warmth and of course suits the game perfectly. The esthetic and writing style is not my favorite but in this case, for this type of experience I allowed myself to be lost in the game! Really, I can't say more with words, this game is one of the best in the entries. Well done!
Wow, what a nice compliment, thank you so much!!
And I definitely appreciate you being willing to power through even if the aesthetic and style wasn't your jam; I know when I play stuff that doesn't exactly vibe with me, I often brush past it and move on, so I'm very grateful. ♡