This was a strange one, mainly because I'm not sure it can be quantified as a "game", it was more like an "experience". It is oddly satisfying, I think the closes relation in terms of game experience I can think of is Zork (old school text-based adventures). In fact, I think you should try Zork and see if you can turn this "experience" into more of a text-based game. Like I think the concept of walking and interacting with dialogue is awesome, but I felt like maybe there needs to be something more going on then just walking and occasionally "experiencing" something. Like Zork, I think there should be a mystery and plot here, locations with secrets to unveil and unanswered questions that drive you to explore the game for answers.
I really think you are on to something really great here.
Viewing post in Walk, man. jam comments
Zork is great! And I've always wanted to have a go at making a parser-based game like it! But I don't know that it's quite the direction I see this particular game going. This is more influenced by other Twine games, and most specifically Gareth Damian Martin's Salt. What's going on behind the scenes of something like Zork is much more complicated than what I personally think is necessary for this game.
That said, I totally see what you're saying about this feeling more like an experience than a game. I think what would help would be making what little interactivity is already there (arrow keys to walk, number keys to make choices) more meaningful and one way to do this would definitely be to give the game more plot! I also think if your choices had more effect on the rest of the game (so, choices affected walking, other choices, and the ending), it would add more of that game-yness that seems to be lacking now.
Hopefully all that makes some sort of sense, haha. Really appreciate the feedback; you've given me some things to think about! Thanks for taking the time to play!