This was a really smart use of the theme - it was like Blade Runner meets Papers, Please. Great job!
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Skinner's itch.io pageResults
Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
Theme | #11 | 3.267 | 3.267 |
Overall | #21 | 3.133 | 3.133 |
Narration | #22 | 2.933 | 2.933 |
Originality | #23 | 3.067 | 3.067 |
Ranked from 15 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Comments
Neat! The instruments reading mini-game was fun.
Was looking to "test" more than one subject and get some sort of score at the end (did I accuse someone wrongly?).
I enjoyed this! Like others here, I enjoy Blade Runner and obviously get the reference. But the other thought I had was that this reminded me of playing LA Noire. As with that game, you're never quite 100% sure of your decision. That seems to be the point though, so I dig it!
- Samuel
A nice interpretation of the Bladerunner scene, although I was left a little wanting (specifically of course as there was no telling which was which). My interpretation was that she was human, but psychopathic (she didn't care for the homeless person, and she was lying up the wazoo when she pretended to give a damn about the stuntman dying in her supposed work accident - also she was rich, and couldn't really fathom what it would be like working an honest day's job anyway). So good work on making you judge people ;)
Good use of the theme. My only suggestions would be to make it deviate more from blade runner and add some sounds to up the tension. Like if I heard sounds that vaguely sounded like a variant getting terminated, I’d question my choices. And if that same sound was loudest at end if I chose to say it’s an android, I’d definitely feel like shit…or maybe not, because it’s vague and the player does t really know what the source of the sound is.
I also liked the UI. Simple, worked well and easy to read.
"Is this testing whether I'm a replicant or a lesbian, Mr Deckard?"
Seriously though, I think that line from Blade Runner (which you're clearly referencing, of course) hints at the problems with using a supposed "normal" baseline to decide who is or isn't worthy of scrutiny, which is a particularly relevant concern these days (because of the increasing use of potentially biased machine learning for these sorts of surveillance purposes). Seems like your game pursues this idea further. I like it, it's a good use of the interactive fiction medium to make the player consider a particular idea.
I'm reminded of the Blade Runner interrogation scene! Was a good idea to have points in interview that direct player to look at the measurements; you're giving the player time to observe before they choose to continue on with the interview. I can see all three of these measures actually shifting (animated) during the whole interview, or just during the 'observation' phases. I like the idea of these three measurements; if more's added to the game I can see a kind of practice run with them - like trying the test out on a known human or seeing readings of a known human's results. I tried both options at the end and Captain gave the same response which I found funny (I read it as 'this guy has no idea' which leans into a certain kind of personality).
Thx for the detailed feedback! I recently watched the old and new movie and wanted to test out some ideas and this Jam was perfect for that. With the measurements I could test how it would feel as a Player to make your decisions based on them. Too be honest with the little time that I had for this I chose to make it largely "irrelevant" in the sense that the game doesn't tell you which outcome is the "correct" one. Rather as a player you should get an idea for what it means to judge whether a human like being is actually human or might be an android and what the consequences of that decision are.
i really felt like there was something hidden after it ended, especially with the "resign" option. and trying to put the pieces together with the game's title... i must have missed something. still, i wanted to know, which is good!
Looping lines might not be the phrase for it, I'm not sure what they would be called. But I mean new lines that could show up upon starting with your next candidate (clicking restart) like "you go on to the next candidate". Lines that don't show up on the first playthrough but show up on the next one, kind of making it flow a bit better. You don't have to do it or anything, I just wanted to give a possible suggestion if you ever feel like editing it further. I hope that makes sense?
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