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😭😭😭 I'm tearing up reading this comment, thank you so much!! (Of course I hope you weren't too upset while playing 😭 but I'm really glad that the story resonated with you so deeply.) 

And OHHH that's interesting! Honestly I've found that a lot more people REALLY DISLIKE him than not, but when I wrote him I intended him to be a little "ambiguous." That even though you know that he's terrible, there's something comforting and familiar about him that draws you to him anyway. Since at the end of the day I think that anxiety is not an inherently evil thing, just something that can hurt us if we let it take too much control. 

Again, I can't express how thankful I am that you took the time to play it through twice and left a comment 😭 I'm so grateful!

GOSH this is very high praise, thank you so much 😭I'm really glad that you liked the reveal! And AHHHH this was my second foray into using really stylized colors so I'm glad that it was effective!!

And OHH you're the first person to mention this! That was absolutely my intent - that in the end he is a player in Yumeko's story, with no name, no face, no deep backstory. I really wanted the player to focus on Yumeko and her experience!

Thank you again for playing and for taking the time to comment, it means the world to me!

AWW that makes me so happy 😊 ✨ I'm so glad you enjoyed!!! 🌺

😭 ACK I hope that you were all right 💦💦 (I know that most people probably won't go into this game expecting an anxiety simulation 😅) although I'm glad that it was relatable/accurate to your experience 🥹 ALAS I AM GLAD THAT HE IS CUTE, otherwise this game would truly be horrifying to get through 😂 

THE VOICE ACTORS DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, I'm so glad that you liked them 😭 I really wanted to voice this game in particular due to the nature of it, and I worried so much about getting actors that fit the part, but both of them really knocked it out of the park 💦 I was so lucky that they were willing to participate 😭

Thank you so much for taking the time to play and leave your thoughts 🥹 Of course I always love when anyone plays my games (regardless of what they think of them), but it's always special when it rings true to someone else's experience! Thank you again 😭💦

Thank you very much 😊 I hope so too!! 💪 And thank you for playing and taking the time to comment as well! 🥹

😭 Oh gosh it means so much to hear that; thank you so much! I'm working hard on the last one as we speak! 💪

=======SPOILERS===========

WOW THIS IS SUCH HIGH PRAISE, gosh 😭😭😭 I'm really glad that you thought I tackled this (admittedly very complex) topic in a comprehensive way, I was a bit worried since the game is fairly short 💦💦 I'm glad that you noticed this detail! I think it's pretty important when addressing toxic relationships - that oftentimes the victim is tempted to stay because they have received love and they sympathize with the abuser in some way. It's often glorified in fiction (particularly romances) as well - this idea that you can "fix" someone who hurts you, when that's never your responsibility or something that can even be done.

OHHH THAT WAS EXACTLY MY INTENT, and you articulated it exactly perfectly (indeed, I did mean the "resets" to represent some kind of abuse - that slowly changes Yumeko's sense of self).

😭💦 Your comments are too kind, I really can't express how grateful I am to receive them! Thank you again for playing and taking the time to leave your thoughts, it means so much!

ACK I HOPE YOU WERE OKAY (as a horror game creator it's good to know that I successfully get under people's skin, but of course I want people to not feel TOO triggered by my games too) I am glad to hear that it resonated with you though, "The Wife" is definitely the most uncomfortable/saddest ending for me too. 

Thank you so much for playing!! 🥹 I'm very glad that you enjoyed it!

THANK YOU SO MUCH 😭

Your take is really on point, and in a way that I don't think I've seen articulated by anyone up until this point - that, over the course of the game, there is this anger/resentment that builds, with no outlet for it to be released.

I'M SO GLAD ABOUT THAT, I thought it would be a clever way of utilizing a "loop" in a VN (since I love games that can use time loops in a clever way), but I did worry about it being a bit repetitive... And yes, honestly I've been doing some research on abusive relationships, and what "love" means to an abuser - and I do think that the Doctor, by some definition, "loved" Yumeko - but they probably didn't have the same definition, LOL

And yes, your take on the VA is VERY on point! I really wanted the different VAs to embody different women's thoughts in such a situation, almost talking to Yumeko like voices in her head. And all of them did such a fantastic job - I couldn't have asked for a better cast.

I'M HAPPY YOU ENJOYED IT, I did worry that men couldn't enjoy this considering how "distinct" the perspective is 😭 I do want everyone to be able to play my games and find something from them, so I'm really happy whenever I hear that a guy played this one and enjoyed it in some way (and gosh, especially that you found it relatable 🥹 even though it's a game about the female perspective, in the end it's also a game about toxic relationships, so I'm so happy it resonated with you!) 

GOSH YOU'RE TRULY TOO KIND 😭😭 This comment really made my day (more like my entire week)! Thank you again for playing and taking the time to leave your thoughts!

AHHH PRI YOU PLAYED 🥹 Gosh I'm so touched, thank you so much for taking the time 😭

I'm really glad that you found this game "uncomfortable" (well I guess that's a little bit of a weird thing to say 😂 but I did want to experiment with a kind of different type of "horror" here, one that was more based on discomfort rather than outright "terror"). I was worried that it would end up being too boring/obnoxious to play through 😭 so I'm glad if it was interesting!! And YES, the voice actors were all so fantastic, I was so lucky to have they volunteered their time 😭 Truly some of the most professional and talented people I've ever worked with, and their voices were all so perfect for their respective parts!

And yes 😂 if I'm being honest, I think that "The Wife" is probably the ending I find the most realistic, given Yumeko's situation, but I definitely wanted to include some kind of cathartic/more optimistic ending here - a taste of freedom that many women can't achieve in real life.

GOSH YOU'RE TOO KIND??? You're making me melt 😭I don't deserve such high praise... Thank you again for taking the time to play and leave your thoughts!!

AHH GOSH FLOR, I'm so honored that you played it 😭 (and that someone liked the game enough to recommend it too 😭💦💦) 

OH I'M GLAD, yes, that was exactly the intent! (Hehe shaun did such a fantastic job as geist! Truly I think he would appear far more annoying and less charismatic without such a nice voice 😂) AND OH I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, I think that in some ways "externalizing" anxiety like this is scarier (having a weird British guy verbally berate you all the time), but it's also easier to see it for what it is - your overactive brain trying to sabotage you 😂

And I'm so glad that you liked Kalei, I really want one shipped to my house too 😂 (dang I really need an emotional support extrovert sometimes) When I was concepting him I tried to come up with a person who has some of the same troubles and anxieties as the MC, but deals with them in a more healthy way - so I'm so glad that he resonated with you! 

OH GOSH you're too kind 😭 this comment really made my day, thank you so much for taking the time to play and leave your thoughts 😭 It means the world to me!

OH GOSH YOU CREATED AN ACCOUNT JUST TO COMMENT, I can't express how honored I am to hear that!! 😭💦 Your words are too kind 😭😭 And I am SO happy that you enjoyed the dubbing, this was the first project that I ever dubbed and I was so lucky to have the chance to work with such talented voice actors 🥹💦 They both worked so hard on the project! And GOSH I'm so flattered that you would want to make a donation, but it's not necessary at all 😭💦 I simply like knowing that people play and enjoy my games! OH I'm so glad!! I moved game engines and wasn't able to make Android games for a while, but I've figured out a way to do it, so I will be making Android games once more! 🫡 I hope you enjoy them!

Thank you again for playing and taking the time to make an account just to comment 😭💦 It means the world to me!

О боже, спасибо вам огромное, что нашли время перевести и поиграть, хотя игра была на английском! 🥹Для меня большая честь, что вы нашли время! Вы не первый, кто говорит, что Ракуо кого-то напомнил вам в реальной жизни 🤣 Я восприму это как комплимент за реализм (хотя мне жаль, что это напомнило вам о таком опыте 😭 надеюсь, другие мои работы на яндере менее пугающе реалистично лол)

Еще раз спасибо, что нашли время поиграть и оставить комментарий!! Это так много значит для меня! (И простите, если перевод плохой, я использовал Google Translate!)

FGHFGHFHF I shall choose to believe that 😭😭😭 I can't wait for winter to come in 6 months! 😂

OHH it was a very interesting read! While we discussed some of this 😂 I did like seeing it all in once place, and in particular I didn't really think of how homosexuality and religion are commonly represented in the media - how it is usually depicted as a "fight against an oppressive outside force" as opposed to an internal conflict, as depicted here. The implication that the division between homosexuality and religion is simply a problem of institutions/what people believe, when in reality it's a more fundamental and irreconcilable problem than that. Congratulations again on the release, and thank you for telling this story! 

When your beliefs tell you that you shouldn't exist - what is there to believe?

I really adored this reflection on religion and homosexuality. While I'm admittedly not overly familiar with this topic, in the past I've found such discussions steeped in the "technicalities" - whether homosexuality is actually forbidden, why it might be permitted, the verses and phrases and texts that regulate the permissibility of such acts. So what I found beautiful about this game in particular is how it mostly ignores this, instead opting to explore the emotions and inner conflict of someone struggling between the desire to love and the desire to be loyal to their religion. 

The prose is gorgeous - simple, but poetic. The feelings conveyed are beautiful in their rawness and sincerity - from Romaine's longing for Juliet, to her confusion and sadness over the fact that she will never be able to act on these feelings. Of course, I adore the naming - Romaine (Romeo) and Juliet - very fitting for a story about "forbidden love" (especially considering that this is a love that is socially forbidden, even though not in the typical Romeo and Juliet sense). The BGM is perfectly chosen - slow and pensive, wavering between sweet and melancholic. The slowness almost evokes a feeling of being lost in time, like how time seems to be moving in slow motion during this moment between Romaine and Juliet. 

The visuals are absolutely gorgeous - I love the contrast between the minimalistic GUI and text and the lush, extravagant, fantastical coloring used for Juliet. It really draws your eyes to her as she is the most striking thing on screen - mimicking how Romaine is also entranced by Juliet. The entire aesthetic evokes a very dreamlike feel. The saturated pink (too saturated to be natural) really evokes a truly "rose-colored" reality - one that is both fairytale-like and also a bit uncanny/unnatural - as if this is a world in which only Juliet and Romaine exist. The slightly blurred background and the rough pencil strokes used for Juliet contribute to this surreal/dreamy vibe, and the blues and greens of Juliet's coloring contrast very well with the saturated pink of the background. The sparkles and the green leaves floating across the screen offer a lot of contrast to the pink background and a lot of depth to the scene. (I also really like the slight green tinge to the background of the UI - SPECIFICALLY if you enter it from the gameplay. It offers a great visual contrast with the pink text but also a slightly eerie vibe - almost reminiscent of death). 

==========SPOILERS===========

What I appreciate most about the aesthetic is how much it contrasts with the actual writing. The aesthetic is extremely fairytale-like, and yet the story itself is anything but a fairytale - it has no clean resolution, nor a happy ending. It is romantic to the extreme, and yet there is also an underlying, pervasive sense of melancholy. 

Romaine has been utterly in love with her friend for years, and Juliet actually reciprocates her feelings, despite being engaged to a man. It's a dream come true. Even when they come out, they are accepted by their community - everything seems like it should be happily ever after. And yet, each ending has a bittersweet taste. Because no matter how accepting their families are, no matter how much they love each other, no matter how well things go for them - there is an underlying sense that their god, their religion does not accept them. That they are sinning, simply by existing. And while I'm not personally familiar with this conflict (being neither religious nor having to deal with homophobia in my daily life), I was struck by this sense of discomfort - this feeling that, no matter what, their existence is wrong. The feeling of confusion that Romaine experiences reminded me a lot of other games about religious trauma that I have played. That you want to be good and obey your god, but you don't understand his orders; you want an answer from him, an explanation WHY these teachings are written, but you receive none. And in the end you're forced to either disobey and sin, or blindly follow - not exactly knowing if it's the right thing to do, or why this is a command you must follow in the first place.

The three endings are very fitting - in the first, Juliet and Romaine simply accept their love and try to find happiness with themselves, even if they are unsure if their god actually accepts them. In the second, they acknowledge that their love is wrong, but they try to do good in order to make up for it, resolving to be together, even in sin. And in the last, Romaine refuses Juliet, unable to live contrary to her god's teachings. Even then, she is uncertain of her choice, and she wonders if she would have been happier with Juliet. She concludes that she will never be happily married to anyone, but resolves to try her best to be happy despite that - ultimately putting her happiness in the hands of her god. All three are explored with nuance, and none are presented as a perfect answer. Yet, none of them are presented as wrong, either. There is no judgment, no clear answer - because there isn't one. As is the case in reality, this is a problem with no solution - you simply have to try your best to live with whatever choice you make, and try to be happy in spite of it. It's a simultaneously bittersweet and surprisingly optimistic/empowering resolution. I also love the addition that, no matter what, Juliet breaks off her marriage and decides to live true to herself, even if Romaine chooses to stay in the closet. It's a ray of light, even in the "darkest ending" - reassurance that you can be true to yourself and there will be people who accept you.

Overall, it's a beautiful game. It would be difficult to call any of the endings "happy" - but in the end, I think it would be a disservice to do so. Presenting an entirely happy ending would be fantasy, one that does not reflect the reality of people struggling with their beliefs and their sexuality. In the end, if you are told that you shouldn't exist - all you can do is exist, and try your best to be happy as best you can. Fantastic job to the dev (and thanks for giving me the privilege of editing and betaing the project!) 

Ohh it was interesting reading the devlog, and I'm looking forward to the other entries ✨ Thanks for letting me participate!!! 

GOSH this is incredibly high praise, thank you so much 😭💦💦 I'm especially glad that you liked the usage of the three VAs for the narration - I've really wanted to do a fully narrated game, and I thought that it would be a good way to utilize it to convey the tones of the various endings! And AHHHH I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED THIS TAKE ON THE MYTH, at times I thought that I was going too far from the source 😂 In the end it's a very loose adaptation of the original myth, but your analysis on how the Doctor "chips" Yumeko away captured my intent absolutely perfectly 😭 

The VA for the Doctor did an ABSOLUTELY fantastic job with him, I was so lucky to work with such talented people 😭 And I'm happy that you find the Doctor detestable 🤣 I tried to make him that slimy kind of detestable where he thinks he's a good guy, but you know he's really not. Thank you so much for your compliments on the visuals too - I usually don't work in this style, so it was pretty experimental 🤣 Your comments really fill me with so much joy, thank you so much! 🥹 Thank you so much for playing, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! 

AHHH GOSH YOU'RE TOO KIND, I'm so happy to hear that 😭 It makes me so glad to hear that this game reflects your experience 🥹💦 I based this game heavily on my own experiences with anxiety, so I'm always so happy to hear that it rings true for others, too. Thank you so much for playing and taking the time to comment 😭(and I hope that you enjoyed Kalei's route!!)

dang geist is going to become a ghost for the second time 

🙌🙌🙌 Congratulations on becoming a real girl!! 😂

This was a VERY intriguing demo (thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to contribute!!)

The writing is very well done (note that I might be biased because I did edit for the game LOL). In particular, the use of simile and metaphor makes the prose very vibrant. However, I think that the greatest strength is how smoothly and naturally characterization and information about the relationships between characters are woven into the dialogue. There is basically no fluff or wasted text - each line serves to either further the plot, the characters, or both. 

The art is lovely, with sharp and clean lines and lovely shading on the skin and hair. In particular, I love how distinctive the character designs are. From their fashion choices, expressions, and body language, you can really tell a lot about all of them - from the bubbly and carefree Candace with her candy-colored hair and loose print clothes, to Rachel with her tightly knotted bun and military attire. The backgrounds are edited very well, with vibrant colors. The cave background is especially beautiful, with a dark and haunting composition. And, it goes without saying, but the GUI is lovely and clean, with really nice animations that make it feel all the more satisfying to use. 

The animations are absolutely top notch - some of the best that I've seen in a visual novel, honestly. They're incredibly dynamic, adding a lot of visual intrigue to even the more calm scenes, and there is a LOT of detail put into them (as there were movements practically every line). In particular, I loved how much depth they added to the scene, particularly when one character was standing in the front and another was standing in the back, slightly blurred. It's a simple effect, but one that requires time and effort to implement, and it makes the scene look so much more three dimensional. I also really loved the use of the little pop-in heads for when a person speaks but isn't directly visible - it reminded me a lot of games such as Virtue's Last Reward, and I loved the effect there too LOL. Overall the game was choreographed BEAUTIFULLY while juggling a rather gigantic cast, which is really difficult for this medium. 

The music is lovely and very atmospheric, and it really sets the mood in each scene; I especially love the track that plays during Joseph and Asherah's interaction in the cell - it's really lovely and tender. (The unlockable music box is a VERY nice touch.) The VAs all did a fantastic job as well, and their performances really serve to bring the characters to life. 

===SPOILERS===

The opening scene is an EXCELLENT way to start off the game - starting off with where Joseph ends up, and working backwards, hinting at the tragedy to come. 

The story has a lot of characters to introduce in this demo, and it does a seamless job of introducing each one, as well as their relationships and dynamics with one another. From the start, it's clear that Joseph is a bit of an outsider who struggles with connections and looks down on the other members of the group. Yet, he never seems unhappy with this - rather, he seems to look down on the people around him, preferring his own company, except for his sister, Hila, and his best friend, Malachi. His instant connection to the naive village girl, Asherah, is both heartwarming and a bit unnerving. 

Asherah is characterized primarily by her kind and gentle nature, but it's also clear that she is also curious and open-minded. I enjoyed seeing her come into her own (at least a bit) as she confronts her father - and her father encourages her. That dynamic of theirs was one of my favorites from the demo, as I REALLY wasn't expecting it. On the other hand, Su'en, Asherah's caring but overprotective childhood friend, immediately shuts Asherah down - reminding her of her duties to their village, and making her world that much smaller. 

The other characters, especially the POV ones, are also quite interesting to explore. Candace struggles to feel acknowledged by her much-older lover, who she has been enthralled with since she was a student. As a result, she can be foolhardy and headstrong in her attempts to prove herself, rushing into things that she's not ready for. Hila, who is normally so cold and collected, is unexpectedly warm towards Candace, betraying her affection for her (though, at the same time, she's oddly untrusting of her brother). Malachi is caring toward Joseph, but he also looks down on his friend (not seeming to notice that Joseph's unsocial nature is by choice). His feelings towards Rachel are a bit mysterious, compounded by the mercenary's own insecurities. Rachel was actually by far my favorite from the demo - despite her rough exterior, she's conscientious and observant of others. It seems that she's the only one who notices Joseph's peculiarities, other than his sister, and she's also the only one to reach out to Phineas when he's feeling low, despite being the one who knows him the least. She's guarded and untrusting because she's so secretly vulnerable. She believes that there's no way Malachi could truly care for her, but still longs for his affection. I was also very pleasantly surprised by Phineas - who, despite his timid nature, also seems to be the only one who really gauges the seriousness of the situation, with a greater resilience than the others give him credit for. 

While you can't be sure where the plot will go based on the demo, it lays quite a few intriguing plot threads. Joseph's blossoming relationship with Asherah, the secrets of the crystal, the reasons for the village's secrecy - and how this will all end up with the man lying in the bed of tubes, responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. Overall, this was a fantastic demo, and I'm looking forward to playing (and beta-ing) the full version!

AHHH thank you for listening to my long rambling 😭 💦💦 I wasn't going to post it originally but I'm glad it's interesting enough to read 😂 OHH I'm very happy that you found the bit about the VA interesting, I was really so lucky to find VAs that fit the exact voices that I was imagining for the parts! They did so much to bring the project to life, truly - and ohhh I'm so glad your partner thought so! Indeed everyone's experience is different and ofc, even without intending, I write based on my own experience 😂  so I'm always happy when others find it relatable, that connection always makes me so happy as a writer! Thank you again for leaving your thoughts 😊

GOSH that's so kind of you to say 😊 Thank you so much for playing and taking the to comment 😭 💜 I'm glad that it was interesting!!

AHHH THIS COMMENT IS TOO SWEET, thank you so much 😭 😭 😭  I do struggle with art most of all, so I'm so glad that you found the artstyle pretty 💦💦 and that you noticed the eye necklace, it's such a small detail 😭😭😭 

AWW I'm so happy that you liked Kalei!! 🥹💦 Hehe the "puzzle that falls just right on the spot" is such a good way of putting it 🤭 He and the MC are very different but they also complement each other very well! I think every introvert needs a friend like him 🤭

GOSH thank you so much for taking the time to play and comment, this feedback was too kind 😭 I really appreciate it! (And I'm so glad that you have your own Kalei 😌 We can all appreciate those people in our lives that treat us with understanding and kindness!)

AHH GOSH this comment is too kind, thank you so much 🥹 I'm so glad that it gave you chills, as I do struggle with the actual horror part of my games 😂 The voice actors did SUCH a fantastic job adding to the experience, I was too lucky to be able to work with them!!

GOSH THAT IS VERY HIGH PRAISE, I'm so flattered 😭😭😭 Thank you so much for playing and taking the time to comment 😭 I really appreciate it! 

AHH thank you so much for playing 😊 I'm glad you enjoyed it!

DANG WHAT 😟 I haven't heard that before, but I completely agree with you, that is very concerning, particularly for young people... Regardless of whether harming an AI is ethical or not, teaching people that it's all right to treat certain things without empathy and respect is not a good thing (particularly things that, for all intents and purposes, mimic real people). Someone did bring up that perhaps it's better that the Doctor abuses a fake woman, as opposed to a real one, but 💦 I do think there could be troubling implications of allowing people to do things like that 💦 It's definitely a problem without clear or easy answers. 

Oh gosh, I hope you and your loved ones are safe 💦 Thank you for giving my game a try during this stressful time! I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to comment!! A FEMALE KRATOS 😂 honestly accurate...

AHHH I'm so honored that you took the time to play, and that you found it thought provoking! 😭 💦 I do wonder about the AI thing myself 🤔 as indeed, I haven't quite decided... Though I do think that if we are going to create "intelligent life" for humanity's "use," then we have a responsibility to not make them so advanced that they can "suffer" and feel pain 😂 (if only to avoid a Skynet situation...) 

Thank you again for playing and taking the time to comment!! 💜 

AHHH I'm so happy to hear that, I hope you enjoy 😊

Ahh the poor Internet speed might be causing it 😓 The first two shouldn't be a problem (all of the content is either original except the music and SFX, which is cleared for use; the game doesn't have any particularly inappropriate content, either) and I'm not sure about 3 and 4 (although I would be very surprised if the game is banned anywhere? There isn't really that much in terms of objectionable content, no sex or graphic depictions of violence, even).

Oh no 😭 I'm sorry to hear that! That's strange, as it should work with the itch app to bypass the security problems 💦 Is there any chance that you're using MacOS Monterey? For some reason my games don't work on that version, and I don't have a Monterey Mac available to debug the issues. Other than that my only suggestion would be to try to add the game to your security exceptions (either by ctrl-clicking to open or going to your security center to add it to your exceptions)? 

Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked these details! 😊 Thank you for playing!

I'm sorry 😅 I only speak English fluently, and I can't afford translations, so I can only produce translations with the help of volunteers. My apologies! 😟

Oh no 😭 😭 I'm sorry, I have no idea why that would have happened! 💦 I suppose it was a regional ban? 

Ah yes it is, I'm sorry 😔 Basically happens with all builds of my games since they're not "signed" (since signing apps costs quite a bit of time/money) so they're not "officially" recognized by the OS, but they should be quite safe to run! 

AHHH L., thank you for reading my long-ass rambling 😭 💦💦 I'm so flattered that you were interested in the original myth based on my game 😂   The myth always rubbed me the wrong way, ever since I heard it 😭 I think sometimes it's interpreted as an artist's purehearted love for his craft, but man, Pygmalion literally marries and IMPREGNATES Galatea 😭😭😭 He purposefully indulges in his narcissism and then gets everything that he wants, including a wife handed to him like some prize to be won... Even some more feminist retellings of Pygmalion, like Shaw's play, seem to skirt around potraying him as a """bad""" guy, portraying him as some kind of savior instead, crafting Galatea into a better version of herself. Unfortunately Pygmalion gives me such the heebie-jeebies that I can't accept any variant where he actually marries Galatea as anything other than a frightening cautionary tale 😭 

I'm glad that you think my retelling was worthy, I'm so honored 😭 💦 💜 Your comments are too sweet, they really made my day, thank you!!!

😂 HONESTLY I have the Midas touch, except everything I touch turns into depression instead of gold 😂 I am waiting to enter my comedy era... 😭 but I'm glad that you liked the art and the concept!! Thank you for playing 😂 

😂 Thank you so much, I thought it would be an interesting reimagining of Pygmalion! I'm glad you enjoyed, and thank you for playing 😊