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. ♡
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
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?
SPOILERS BELOW
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.
SPOILERS BELOW
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. ♡