Deleted 4 years ago
Doh! I should have spotted that one, having spent some amount of time looking around in there for something just like that :-)
Probably too late now and too difficult to implement, but I wonder if there might be a gentle way to indicate where progress still needs to be made? eg Different color batteries depending on environment, and color-coding the battery gathering point accordingly, so you can think a-ha there's a blue slot still open, I probably need to be re-exploring the water areas. A little like the function served by the obelisks in the Witness.
Anyhow, happy I've now escaped, and I found the ending delightful. V inventive use of the message system!
Yay! Congrats. I think the first one out ;-)
It's a good idea about color coding. I think it's certainly doable (maybe will update it later). I thought about it initially, but decided to make it all uniform as most of the 'things' are pretty spottable, and there are few which will cause troubles (not counting patience). But they are the ones that may provide the biggest feeling of closure when finally found (the map was not intended to end up so big). And as the main interaction with the environment is exactly spotting things - I decided it will defeat the purpose.
Patience-curiosity (as in some ambient non-competitive environment) is a contract behind the quest, as an attempt to question, "Why should everything be based on dopamine/reward mechanisms, heavily goal-oriented? Where is the element of some roaming, perhaps abandonment and unexpected discovery?" (deliberate annoyance or irritation were not designed, it's just the skill of the designer or other limitations), so if player doesn't like that contract, he simply stops playing. As you can see, from the get go it was not planned to be an experience for everyone. Just one little curiosity 'a happy little accident'.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for playing.