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this was much more stressful than I imagined going in, but very fun!

no worries!! we did find few small bugs with the current version after the update, so we'll be putting out another one later today, but the windowed option should fully work right now!

The game's been updated! Just choose settings on the start menu (or, after you've started the game, hit pause on the textbox or press the escape key and then choose "settings") and un-check the "full screen" toggle.

Please let me know if it doesn't work!

Hi! Thank you so much for getting back to us! :)

We don't currently support a windowed mode, but I'll look into releasing a small update that includes the option. Hopefully I can have it available later today!

haha no worries! if you ever get to finishing it, i'd love to give it another go :)

thank you!! :)

you include things like: abusive relationship, stalking, manipulation, and gaslighting 

you can make it semi-hidden (and reveal it via click) on your itch page if you're comfortable with a bit of HTML. or you can set it up so at the start of your game it has the options to start or view the content warnings. this will keep the game spoiler free while letting the people who want to know more going in or make sure the game is right for them be prepared. 

as for why it's necessary -- some of these topics can be triggering for people who've experienced similar things or been exposed to them.
as an example, i've had multiple instances of people messaging me when i didn't want to speak with them (and couldn't block or ignore them due to social reasons, like working together). i would receive messages from them semi-frequently and felt (due to a lot of complicated reasons) that i needed to reply even when i was uncomfortable and didn't want to be talking to them. i felt coerced into continuing the conversations based on the situation and what was said in the messages (often very emotionally manipulative things). you can't really get away from an online chat--it can find you anywhere; it's wherever your phone is. i experienced high amounts of stress during these periods and a lot of anxiety around the chats (wondering can i end this?, how can i do that?, will it cost me future opportunities?, etc.).
when playing through your game, it brought up a lot of feelings and memories from this time. while overall it was fine (my mental health is in a better place now), i would have appreciated knowing some of these topics would be touched on before starting the game. it would have allowed me to prepare myself more and feel less ambushed by the topics the game touches on.
i still had a good time playing it! but with content warnings, i could have made sure to engage with the game during a time i was comfortable dealing with those topics. and the resurgence of the memories wouldn't have been as strong, since it wouldn't have caught me so of guard.

thank you so much!! i don't have the route to give your name since i was prioritizing self-reflection options, but hopefully i'll find the motivation to come back and add it sometime (along with some other things i didn't have time for) haha

i love the way the game appears one way but is really masquerading for something else. i tired a few routes and enjoyed the differences that still lead you to the same terrifying conclusion. i should have known better but was still surprised how it ended on the second route i tried haha

my only note is that you might want to add a content warning on the game page or as an option to click at the start of the game

this was fun and very sweet!! it felt like a much more wholesome version of the lobster haha

i got it! thank you :)

I had the same issue with full screen -- Chrome on mac book pro M1, 2021 + default display on my monitor (1920x1080)

this was a really cool game! i liked the little details, like the additional commands hidden in the emails. i did get a bit stuck on my first playthrough since i didn't realize you needed to put in the file extensions at first. this has a great premise and is fun to play!

=== SPOILERS FROM HERE DOWN ===

after spending too long poking around the first time, i tried to get to the story faster in subsequent games. 

in my second playthrough i found out about the off command and the password (btw "help" didn't show the explanation for how to use it at first?). in my fourth playthough, i realized there were subsequent emails with the rest of the password (for some reason in the first email read "last name" as "last part" and though the ellipsis meant "dot" haha -- so i kept trying to put in "webbdotweb" and "webbdotnet" and "webdotweb" etc. oops!)

after i finally saw the last two emails, i realized i had seen (what i assume is) the favourite song in the log (after_midnight.mp3) and i went back to system to find the OS number (which i think is 1.03?).

then i spent three more playthroughs trying to check everything over as i put in variations of "webb1.03aftermidnight" or "webb1.03after_midnight.mp3" or "webb103after_midnight" etc.

i really don't know what i missed! if you could please let me know, i'd love to see the other ending.

thank you so much!!! this really means a lot to hear

we'll (hopefully) have more updates posted soon 🌟

this was really cool! i got three endings (and one time that the ink ran out?), and they all were interesting and evolved from different feeling play experiences. i also loved the themes of unity creating difference, the worldbuilding, and the narration

this is a very meditative game. it made me feel both connected and apart from the changing world outside. really beautifully done.

thank you! i had originally planned for more content but didn't have the time/bandwidth for it unfortunately--maybe i'll come back to add it one day haha

it took me like five tries with the teacher to get 100%! the other two i got on my first try haha

this was a fun game! silly and fresh feeling. i played through two endings (the teacher didn't show and the teacher did show). i really enjoyed it overall :)

this was cool! i liked the themes with the mother figure and the way you could choose to linger on the past or move forward--both literally and figuratively

really cool game and concept! i loved the world building and twist at the end. the heartbeat effect was excellent. looking forward to the rest of the chapters! 

thank you! and sorry about that :(
maybe you can ask Jon Keevy to let you edit the submission to fix it?

i really loved this!! the way synchronicities appear--or don't--the cycles and cyclical-feeling nature of the world, the prose itself, the mystery, the ambiance are all really spectacular! it really spoke to me.

this was really cool and very sweet! i loved how much each character's room said about them and the contrast in how differently they perceived the same moments. Mello's story was my favourite :)

my main note is that some of the transitions between paragraphs/thoughts were missing -- i'm wondering if maybe your ink was accidentally skipping sections? (i had some trouble understanding that Steevie and Mello joined Sam and Charlie at their table in the coffee shop. there's also a few moments at the party where it felt like i missed something.)

the download link you posted in the comments doesn't work :(
please let me know if you're able to repost the file to the itch page !

i played through three times -- first i got ending 1, the second i died, and the last i got ending 2.

the rpg elements and path encounters were a lot of fun. my party 100% died all three times which was sad. i get that they're sort of soul-less, but it would be cool for them to have more interactions with Raven so it hurts more when they're gone.

also the world seems really dangerous! can anyone travel without an army? haha

took me a bit to figure it out, but once i got it the game really clicked! managed to get it without being subscribed (i feel very accomplished haha)

i really loved the way that you played with themes in the game and the way that the story reached across the computer and into your bones. really mind opening! 

this is a cute concept and pretty well executed! i had a lot of fun with it :)

i did encounter a few bugs (noted them down here since it seemed like you might want to work on the game more)
- i picked "Adventurer: Kaelin" but all the text described Lyra. (this issue persisted in replays -- i think the game uses the first name in the list rather than the one you select?)
- i matched on 4/5 questions with the warrior but the game said we had a 0% match percentage! ;_; devastating haha
- this isn't really a bug, but for the two times i played, most of the questions aligned with the slot the character was in (i.e. the ranger is the first choice of adventurer and all the ranger options are the top choice & the warrior is the second adventurer and all the warrior answers are the second choice) 
- i can't find the rogue -- the warrior plays for both the second and third adventurer options 

the aesthetic design of the game felt really purposeful which makes a lot of sense given the protagonist haha --  i especially liked how it moved from very rigid architectural lines to the more organic ones to fit the ending. and i really loved the theme of the living city; it's one that always pulls me into a story.  your writing is excellent!

thank you !!

when you're writing the conditionals, were you writing it as {var_name: do something} or as {var_name}?
in the first case, ink would print "do something" and in the second case, it would print the value of var_name.

if it's not that, i could take a look at your ink if you'd like? my discord is fine_and_dandy

this was really gripping and beautiful! the use of visuals and audio was great and really added to the texture of the game. kinetic novels are often a bit of a hit or miss with me, but this one was definitely a huge hit!! i loved this 

thank you!! i've been debating updating it one day with that route, so i'll add your vote to the "yes" column :)

this was really great! very griping and immersive. i played through twice and really appreciated the small variations the choices created. the way you paced the kinetic elements is excellent. really loved this! 

i loved the build up to the twist--really fun idea that you executed well! there's a few points in the story where the game prints things you might not have meant? (i saw "0" and "false" but there may be more.) overall, it was fun and creative!

the title was more literal than i expected hahaha -- loved playing as a balloon in a spooky world! really enjoyed this despite missing some of the references (realized what was going on after checking the links) -- great job !!

thank you so much!! it's inspired by a similar table in the Thirsty Sword Lesbians system, and i always find it super helpful when running games :)

very cute! the forest took me a bit to figure out, but wasn't too bad once i realized how it worked + the pattern with the flowers.

and the game reminds me a bit of this pigeon pit song :)

> why do you think that most jams participants are not game developers?
they're not jam participants. there's people who go play games from popular jams since they hear about them/know about them. you can tell by looking at where your views are from on your dashboard.

> I have seen beautiful, magnificent covers for unpopular games, and terrible covers that shot to the top.
yeah, but it drastically improves your odds unless you already have a following

> what is the average and maximum CTR that is considered normal on itch and steam?
steam idk. 2-3% is average for a game that's doing well on itch i think

> But you have 5000 views
the game is 2.5 years old. we got a huge amount of views during the jam rating period (especially the first week) and then ~0-5 views a day since then. this is likely because we moved off new and popular and because we're not actively updating it

beautiful and powerful. you cover a lot really effectively and engagingly. 

there's a lot of players who look at/play larger jams. the bump in views from jams also helps you stay on "new and popular" which attracts players. my entries to the git hub game off jam have gotten ~5k and ~1k views respectively, and most of these views were not from devs.

other things you can do to make more people play your game is invest in a really great thumbnail and game page. these matter a lot for whether people give it a try when they're choosing between the thousands of games on itch.

5-10 players a day is a massive amount, and honestly pretty unrealistic. most indie games on steam only get like 20 wishlists a week, nevermind 5 a day, and itch is a lot smaller than steam.

in terms of improving based on what people want, you're not going to get a good game that way. it's important to filter feedback through your own design goals, otherwise you'll end up with game that doesn't feel cohesive or have a clear direction.

> No, after death, control of the unit is lost, but if there is a white unit nearby, you can switch to it and control it.

my comment was in reference to during the game (before death). you need to explain the nearby units/unit switching thing somewhere more clearly.