I wasn't sure if you still wanted to or not but!! I did finally finish the demo of my game! https://apriapriapri.itch.io/watching-the-watcher Thank you for inspiring me to create what I never thought I could!
Apri
Creator of
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Hehe, It was fun to see little baby me's response from 6 years ago on an itchio account I didn't even remember I had made. I was doing some coding for my own visual novel that I'm currently working on when I decided to take a little break and play some other games on itchio when I bumped into an old VN I hadn't thought of in years. That nostalgia trip lead me to think about this game, the first ever VN I had ever played. I don't think I could fully articulate back then what I can now, so I think I'll voice my thoughts once again :)
When I first played this game, I was a tiny little 12 year old 6th grader, I had just come out of the closet as a trans gay man and without getting into specifics, it wasn't an easy time in my life. 12 years old is already a nightmare age I'd imagine for any new teenager, but doubled with me realizing new facets of my identity that completed shifted the way I saw the world and how people saw me? It was hard. Really hard. Then I stumbled upon your game. I wasn't raised around queer media, and my little mind couldn't process that I wasn't the only queer person in the world, but your game? Finding it? It meant so much to me. Seeing these characters that made me laugh, that were so endearing and showed strength, compassion, loyalty, and love, and for them to be just normal people? (as normal as Toa could be as an alien I suppose) while also being queer? I felt comfort and validation that I hadn't known was possible. I felt truly accepted and seen for who I was.
I remember sitting at my desk in class, drawing little images in my sketch book, drawing Jett and Toa on my worksheets, writing little fanfics in my journals, infodumping on my friends about your game and being filled with so much joy about what you had created. Your game opened up avenues to me I hadn't thought existed, and I think I have you to thank for where I am now today.
I'm a 19 year old highschool graduate, who has found security in his trans identity and homosexuality, who has a passion and deep love for creating characters, and writing stories, and making worlds that hopefully other people can find comfort and love within, just like the comfort and love I found within yours.
I hope that whatever you're doing, whether it be working on more games, or searching for new ventures in the world, that your days are filled with nothing but wonder.
Truly, thank you.
After having taken a nap (because, to be honest, this game had me so interested that I might've messed up my sleep schedule adjfndsmf) I can say that even after awaking, this game is still something that was on my mind and I felt the need to leave a comment :) This game is one of the most beloved that I have played in a long while? I came into it thinking that it would just be a fun, cute little short game where I would get to the end fast and remember it as a "fun little experience" but I instead I found myself having to personally pause and take a walk around my room because of these amazing, sweet characters. As someone who is also currently coding a visual novel, I was just so caught off guard by live like the characters were, ESPECIALLY Artemis. I would pause the game and kind of just sit on the save/load screen just wondering "Is this a conversation the creator actually had????" because the dialogue, the way characters spoke, the way they reacted, their feelings, desires, interests, it all felt so unbelievably natural, as if they were entirely just based off real people and it was so easy to loose myself in the story and feel completely welcomed into this wonderful world you have weaved :) (it probably also helps that i've been in some of those exact situations with actual friends- especially the hunting for the awful shirts, thrift stores are great i swear)
And to top it all off, I look at this page, wanting to see other peoples comments, wanting to know if anyone else had the amazing experience that I had and I see that the creator is absolutely interested in feedback and is responding to people! It's kind of a weird comment to make, maybe??? But it always makes me smiles when I see people being actively interested in what they've crafted and it brings even more of a smile to my face when the creator seems like such an honest and nice person with how their responding and I have to sit there with a big dorky smile and just "Wow, a win for the community, creator is kind person, funny person, type of person that I wanna be friends with :)"- I don't know if that explanation makes any sense or comes off as dumb but whatever uhjdsakfdsjm
My point is that this game is now on my lists of "Amazing games that make me smile with Amazing creators that I wanna be friends w/ :DDD"
(and a gift of friendship- fanart of my favorite moth)
The demo was amazing! What most stood out to me was the fun options for every character, even the seemingly minor characters had choices to them that were charming and fun to see the reactions to. The facial expressions for the characters were also nice to see, really conveying the atmosphere in a situation while also just being able to view the beautiful art style! I'm really excited for when this full game comes out and I'll be doing my best to stay updated!
I do have a question though for thoughts about the final game or maybe even an update after the game is finished. Have you planned or maybe thought about coding for a he/him mc? :))
Aw! I'm so glad you all liked my drawing! And I have no problem with you guys sharing it! :)
Here's my respective accounts for Twitter and Instagram to credit,
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/ApriEdits/media
Instagram: @apri.king
Such a fun game!
I absolutely fell in love with the stories you all are making! Its so fun and interesting and I equally love all the characters that are tied into it. I espeically love that no character is left out no matter what group you choose or even who you start to romance! I hope every on the team is doing well and that I can keep enjoying such a lovely story! You all did such an amazing job! <3 <3 <3
I also ended up falling absolutely in love with Maskeguy, so I made fanart of him and what I imagine my 'self insert' to look like!
As of yesterday night, I had just completed this game, and I will say this game is absolutely outstanding! The GUI is beautiful and the storyline really knows how to pull the player in! As for the post game questions;
1. Nino. He is such a hardass in the begining, but I think that just gives him more charm and more personality! The way him and Vestr interact feels real and the developtment of the relationship is so fun to read!
2. I have sadly not, but by far of any other VN's I have played, this is truely the best! In my eyes its hard to match this story and characters!
3. I would love to! The game is very cute and does feel complete with how it is now, but if it did get updated for more chapters, I wouldn't complain!
4. I feel that it would be easier to have a Q&A on tumblr rather than Itch.io.
5. Honestly, I feel that this is perfect the way it is. The extra's after completeing the game as well are a good way to get the player more immeresed. By explaining more of the thought process of each characters design and personality, to the bigger story that you wouldn't have seen unless it was explained!
All in all, this game is truely amazing and i'll be sure to keep a watch on any other games you may post in the future!