Skip to main content

Browse GamesGame JamsUpload GameWinter Sale 2024Developer LogsCommunity
On Sale: GamesAssetsToolsTabletopComics
Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
TagsGame Engines
Polyducks5 years ago (2 edits)

Potential spoilers:

Played in a group of three. I liked the graphics and the mechanic for dropping items before climbing the tree. We got stuck on finding meat. The character is a master thief and couldn't steal the pouch. Couldn't kill the troll. Couldn't jump over the troll. Couldn't evade past the troll. We ran out of nouns and couldn't guess any verbs. We did not enter the cave of magic!

Update: We found the worm after your clue to another user.

Update 2: We did it! We got the scrolls. The rock puzzle was a little difficult, but one of our number figured out the clue was that the troll sees you throwing it.

Reply
Garry Francis5 years ago

Thanks for the feedback. Did you by any chance examine yourself? The character is a seeker of magic, not a master thief. There is a big difference.

I'm surprised that you ran out of nouns, unless you were using nouns not in the game. Virtually every noun can be examined (even the irrelevant ones) and will provide a response. Certainly all the highlighted nouns are understood.

I just worked out that there are 149 verbs understood, not counting abbreviations, so you must have been trying some pretty weird verbs. Were there any that you tried that you thought should have been understood? If so, I'm happy to add them if I do an update.

As an experienced adventurer myself, I was worried that the game might have been a bit easy. It's always hard to tell until it's been play tested by someone else and my play testers seemed to be pretty happy with the difficulty level. It's probably a thinking person's adventure. Think through the problem and the solution will come to you. 

Most importantly, when you solved a puzzle that had you stumped, did you think to yourself "Of course! It's so obvious! Why didn't I think of that in the first place?" If so, I've achieved my aim.

Reply
Polyducks5 years ago (2 edits)

This is the text that appears under 'x self', where it lists the user as a master thief.

We played as a group of three, and none of us are inexperienced with text-based games. Your comment that it's a "thinking person's" game wasn't particularly nice.

Here is where we ran up against issues: we didn't consider worms to be 'meat', so looking for a worm in the apple wasn't something we were expecting (again, this as a group of three people). We tried to bait animals, search for birds in the tree and fish in the lake before trying combinations of verb/noun and cutting the apple.

Throwing a rock from one room to another wasn't an action we expected (especially as you highlight that the user 'throws like a girl'). The text which clued us to throw the rock from another room was the troll noticing you throw the rock, and the troll being noticed from the cave.

Reply
Garry Francis5 years ago

Ooh, you're right. I forgot all about that.

Your team thought about it, tried unusual things and ultimately solved it. That's pretty normal for any adventure. So, are you saying it was too hard? I can't make it TOO easy, or there would be no challenge and it would be no fun to play.

Reply
Polyducks5 years ago

It'd just be a few adjustments to the text. Something like changing the troll's demand from 'meat' to 'worms' or 'maggots' or something. Changing the throw message. For the most part the game is pretty sturdy, it's just about eliminating unintentional red herrings.

Reply
AboutFAQBlogContact us
Copyright © 2024 itch corp · Directory · Terms · Privacy · Cookies