Nice to know the game is going to be receiving updates soon! Take your time and don't forget to rest, Im sure the result is going to be great.
I'm very curious to know how we are going to deal with the aftermath after that cliffhanger. I wonder if the player will unlock different ways to affect the room's world.
I really like the idea of the beeping sounds for Myrddin's voice, I think it adds more dynamism to the interactions, but, in the end, choose what mostly fits the game and your vision.
Regarding objects, man, can't think of many right now, but maybe: snow globe, bolo paddle, 8 ball, rubik's cube? A disco ball? XD
In any case, curious to know about the new chosen objects!
17 days ago(+2)
Many thanks, and I will!
The story will continue in a far more absurd direction than one might expect after the last ending... Stay tuned.
And yes, I agree regarding the voice! I simply have to be careful that it does not backfire by choosing something that feels unfitting.
A snow globe may already be part of the selected collection... and a bolo paddle is such a randomly specific suggestion, haha. It's tempting actually...
I hope it will be something worth looking forward to!
Sincerely, hearing about your experience helps broaden my own limited perspective, so please know that it is deeply appreciated.
P.S.
I am genuinely very curious about what sort of theories you have... but I will not pester you about them.
I love the profile picture, by the way, and I am sure Myrddin would agree, considering his favorite fairy tale is Alice in Wonderland.
Warm regards!
16 days ago(+2)
That is great to hear! (And, yeah, I really like Alice in Wonderland as well, it is my favorite Disney tale, hahjhaa, what a nice coincidence. Myrddin and I are pals in that regard.)
Warning of long text below, I apologize. You don't even need to go through it all, honestly. (Only perhaps the bug report, but they are minor.)
And I'll try to share what I've thought so far, even though I am probably missing details for my theories, hahah. Although, I do plan on theorizing more after the big update in June.
But before that, I did notice possible bugs in the game, and I will use this chance to mention them:
- The furniture question does not disappear even after the player has already asked it. ( If I'm not mistaken, the question is something along these lines: "How did the furniture get in here?" )
- (Possible bug) Myrddin does not react accordingly when the player changes the ambiance sound. He always says we picked the same one (granted, I only tested with two sounds: rain and wind, if I'm not mistaken). But I don't know if it is intentional or not. Maybe he doesn't identify the different sounds for lore reasons?
- In the Linux version, the cube CG is missing! At least in my case, that's what happened. I had played on the browser first, though. So I knew the CG was supposed to show up. In the end, I installed the Windows version and used Wine to run it on Linux. I managed to get to the scene with the CG, so I'm guessing it is only related to the Linux version:
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That's it regarding bugs.
Now, regarding my initial silly theories
- Myrddin: his name has an interesting meaning. It is related to a semilegend of a mad man who ended up having prophecy powers... Interesting.
"While there his insanity only grew until he finally reached enlightenment and recieved the gift of prophecy."
Plus, he had a twin sister. Reaching very poorly here, but maybe his sister is involved in all this or is part of the voices? I have no proof, just found it interesting to know that he haas a twin sister. He was also reinvented as Merlin in some books and legends. ( Which is such a nice detail since I really like the Arthurian tales. ^^ )
Myrddin does have special abilities inside the cube: some could say he behaves like a warlock or wizard. Additionally, being stuck in the cube might drive him "mad" like in the legend. However, my problem here is that he doesn't seem to have much memory, when he mentions he doesn't have a past or future. Still, his predicament does look like a magical prison of sorts. So whoever locked him there was probably an equally (or more) powerful wizard...
- The ASCII85 code: his first sentences are a short poem mentioning him being trapped, but also a door which dreams of being opened. Interesting that he was muttering that right at the moment we arrived. Also interesting that he mentioned at some point in the game that he does know how we got there. I wonder if his mutterings are part of a spell that would create our connection, and he was simply waiting to see if the idea would work out or not, giving him a chance to finally talk and interact with someone. That does reinforce the wizard side as well.
Finally, the sentence in the game description is related to the last one we got in the current version of the game: the false messiah. Since Legend Myrddin is a "prophet" of sorts... Hmm... someone does not want us trusting him, huh? Perhaps the voices and dark eyes do think they are in the right.
So far im leaning towards the idea that Myrddin is the Messiah. and the voices believe he is in the wrong, or, at the very least, is untrustworthy.
- Whenever the voices or weird sounds show up: I tried to correlate all the times the weird sounds show up, and one got my attention:
When we mention if we feel strongly toward our name or not. In that instance, no matter what answer we give, Myrddin responds the same, and that caught my attention. While that does happen in other moments as well (due to the limitation of variations in a game, of course), the fact that the weird sound was there as well makes me believe that Myrddin's name is important and in tune to who, or what, he is. And the voices agree with that. That is also why we can add more meaning to the Legend Myrddin tale.
- The first book: okay, when I first heard it, my immediate thought was: Myrddin is or was that silhouette. Perhaps they took away his memories and he was stuck in the cube as a means to not destroy the world anymore. That line of thought is, in a way, related to the odd questions he asks us before his past/future breakdown: he asks for how long can someone suffer until what they did is excused, and if someone is being good only because is being watched.
However, that was just my first thought. Honestly, I believe Myrddin isnot going to end up being completely, 100% evil. B ecause I can see there are sides of good in the way he is written in the story so far. So, now I'm more inclined to the idea of Myrddin being the prophet who tried to warn the other kingdoms of the upcoming attacks from the silhouette, OR he is merely a part of the silhouette, who could, perhaps, receive a second chance, atonement! Anyway, early theories here, of course.
In any case, I do think that first book is VERY related to Myrddin's nature and past. Like he theorized, maybe he did create the book with his unconscious memory. But, at least regarding him trusting the player and wanting to be free, I don't think he is lying about those. So far it appears he really trusts the player in a way that gives him hope. So I hope we can help the good side of the story.
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I'll stop now hahaa, im probably missing a lot, but it was a nice thinking exercise. In the next update, I'll come back to my theories and see if any of them were useful.
Thanks again for creating this very enjoyable game!
16 days ago(+2)
Oh, no warning needed at all. I will gladly and eagerly go through all of it
First and foremost: Thank you so much for the bug reports, they are genuinely helpful! I also apologize for the issue with the Linux version, as that is quite a significant bug.
Now, regarding your absolutely not silly thoughts:
I will, of course, neither deny nor confirm anything, since doing so would quite frankly ruin the theorizing aspect of the game haha.
That said, I don't have enough willpower to avoid sharing a few thoughts of my own...
I'm also a small fan of Arthurian legends, so that was a great catch.
On a somewhat related note, perhaps you know or have watched BBC Merlin? I really enjoyed that show, and it is still among my favorites.
I wish I could go into more detail regarding many of your points, but I will restrain myself.
Paying close attention to what Myrddin says is essential, yes.
Sometimes it is about what he says, and sometimes it is about what he doesn't say.
You are right that, at one point, he mentions knowing how the human, meaning you, got there. Interestingly enough, that was not the original direction at first. The initial "introduction" was that you simply stumbled upon the room, and that Myrddin himself was surprised by it.
Why, though? From the fact that he says he knows how, we can at least understand that he has some minimum knowledge that it is possible.
It is also interesting that you mentioned the first book. It will become a focused object in the coming update, and quite an interesting one at that.
I will say that the story in my mind is definitely on a larger scale than one might initially expect from a simple room and one character. So your theories reaching beyond the cube, and toward the wider worldbuilding and larger dilemma, are definitely not a "reach" in that sense.
This was really very enjoyable to read through, and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on the next chapter!
Thank you for sharing all of this and for taking the time to write it!
Warm regards!
15 days ago(+2)
And I thank you! I was wondering if you plan on publishing the game on Steam (I don't know the bureaucracy regarding that, though. So it might be difficult.)
Or if you plan on having a Tumblr blog about the game? Many VNs have it, it might help spread the word about the game and\or create a new way for people to get to find out about it.
Additionally, yes I know of BBC Merlin! Colin Morgan's acting was great. I have nostalgic memories from that show. And I quite enjoy all its seasons, characters and overall story.
Regarding your comments, I will carefully add them to my thinking folder so that I expand my theories. 👀
15 days ago(+2)
I do actually have a general plan I would like to follow, because I am clearly a genius business person!
...
...No. No, I am not.
For now, my goal is to finish this version of Interact With Me! on itch and keep it completely free.
Once the full game is finished, I want to review it again as a complete work. I can imagine that developing the game in separate parts, as I am doing now, and later having it as one complete package may open up a somewhat different approach in terms of development.
After the full game is finished on itch, I may also gain the possibility to expand my resources a little and fully commit to everything I would ideally like to include.
At the moment, I am still quite limited when it comes to things such as additional art, complexity, CGs, animations, and similar elements. If that ever becomes possible, there may eventually be a “special/enhanced” version of the game aimed toward Steam.
That said, these are still only loose thoughts for now. At the moment, my focus is simply on creating the best version I possibly can, without aiming for anything less.
Unfortunately, I don't have Tumblr and have never used it. It also doesn't help that I am a little shy when it comes to that kind of marketing.
And yes, I agree. I also liked Bradley James quite a lot in the role.
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Spoiler:
When I rewatched the whole show some time ago, I did notice that the effects and cinematography have not aged perfectly, haha. However, the characters are still very enjoyable and the plot is very interesting, especially when looking at all the decisions that eventually led to the “failure” and that ending.
Apologies, I am drifting off here. It is just rare for me to come across someone who knows that show lol.
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Please do!
Thank you, and I really appreciate the helpful advice!
14 days ago (+2)
Sounds like a solid plan for now . From what I have seen so far, at least, I'd be interested in an enhanced version, if there's ever one. It's a joy to help indie games, when possible\viable.
i gotta say, I'm truly happy there seem to be more people engaging with the page and the game lately. Granted, I only found out about the project 4 days ago XD , but it is good to see it getting more traction. Now I'll wait until June; cannot wait to see what's in store! I cannot say I'll be that free in June, though. But when I do get some free time, I'll definitely play the update when it comes.
Now, on to a small discussion regarding the Merlin show, since you mentioned it and i have some free time for now, at least:
(I apologize if some of my sentences are a bit weird... English is not my native language.)
Spoilers for BBC Merlin below:
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Dear developer, whatever do you mean by "the effects and cinematography have not aged perfectly"?! 
Well...
I wonder, when Myrddin said it takes a lot to scare him, how he would fare against the Diamair. (Even wilder thought: how would a BBC Merlin and Myrddin interaction go? Ahahaga)
Anyway, the creature above spooked/surprised me a little the first time I saw her, honestly. Anyway, she helped Gwaine, which is great! She is a good one, just has a design that made me stare at the screen for some solid seconds until I hit play again.
But jokes aside, I really enjoy the practical effects the show had. The fantastical creatures, "the almost-Queen" troll, for example. And even though the dragons' CGI wasn't the best, due to the environment and look of the show ( Plus the great voice acting! ), things did look more magical. (And do not even get me started with the medieval clothing! I love that aesthetic, and even though it is not 100% accurate, it looked very good and intune during the show.)
Very often older shows have that style that's similar to comparing homemade food to restaurant food. One is shiny and popular, the other is made with time and care. Newer shows don't have that "charm," I would say. I do notice care and time invested in Interact With Me! so, naturally, people would connect deeply to projects as such.
And since we were talking about actors, let me mention Morgana's actress: Katie McGrath. Whenever I find any interactive fiction game or story about Arthurian legends, I very often see her as Morganaa. She really impacted how the character is envisioned in many future related projects, I believe.
Which brings me to a silly question that occurred tome right now, If you could choose a voice actor for Myrddin, who would it be? Or rather, how do you imagine his voice? Aside from the bleeping sound and humming in the main menu or courese, haha.
Now, a funny detail I decided to mention for last: I haven't actually finished the show yet!
So I'm glad you didn't mention the ending directly, hahaahha. Funnily enough, I have known the show ever since i was younger, having tried to watch it with a family member back then. Years later, i managed to start it, but I didn't finish it because I didn't want it to end yet... if that makes any sense, aaaha. As I said, maybe it is the nostalgic nature of it all, but i stopped at episode 9 of season 5: "With All My Heart." And i'm waiting for the day I'll rewatch it once again and finally finish it. (Yes, I've managed to avoid big spoilers to this day... at least in general.)
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Those were my two cents. I'm sorry to diverge from Interact With Me!, but don't worry, after the next update, I'm sure I willhave a lot to talk about regarding the game. Thank you for your attentive words, developer, have a great one!
14 days ago(+2)
Yes, I hope so.
The situation around it has actually been quite funny, and something of an emotional rollercoaster.
The main reason for the increased interest is that Interact With Me! managed to appear in multiple popular sections. The rollercoaster part is that it had been delisted for a week shortly before that, which had the complete opposite effect, haha.
So you can imagine my surprise when I saw the game not only being indexed again, but also appearing in Popular & New.
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Spoilers:
That... I actually forgot about the key.
One critique I would have for the show is that I wish the worldbuilding had been expanded further. Elements like the Diamair had so much potential. There are many strong introductions throughout the show, but they often do not explore that potential as much as they could have.
For example, Daegal, the boy who lied about being a druid. It could have been very interesting if he had become Merlin’s apprentice, or something along those lines. Instead, he, well... yes.
If I had to imagine a conversation between Merlin and Myrddin, it would certainly be interesting. For one, it would mean that Myrddin is free from the cube.
If it were Season 1 Merlin, the more naive and cheerful version of him, then... Myrddin would definitely be a bad influence.
Season 5 Merlin, however, the colder and almost ruthless version when dealing with anyone, could create a very interesting dynamic.
I completely agree with you on that. Of course, there are still some outliers nowadays that manage to capture that kind of feeling, but overall, yes, I agree.
A completely different genre, but take the detective era, for example. Shows like Psych and The Mentalist were quite popular then, and they were very enjoyable.
And yes, absolutely. Katie McGrath as Morgana was also excellent. Her character development is quite tragic. She goes from kindhearted, to confused, to vengeful, to isolated, to hateful, and finally to complete madness.
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I am quite ignorant when it comes to voice actors and actresses. I know some of the bigger names because of certain games, but I don't think they would necessarily fit here.
Funny enough, actual voice acting, not the beeping voice, was always something I considered. Only slightly, because of the cost, but for an enhanced version, it could technically be a possibility.
As for what I imagine his voice sounding like... hmm. Perhaps a little boyish at first. Friendly, and slightly higher in tone. Then, as time passes and the acquaintance grows, it could slowly become more vibrant and calming.
I actually had someone in mind, a commission artist, who also did the humming in the beginning.
That is quite the plot twist.
I am glad I did not spoil it. Imagine managing to avoid spoilers all this time, only to be spoiled here, of all places.
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It would have been a tiny bit funny (sorry!) but also very tragic.
I can relate to that for sure. I don't know why, but I often find myself avoiding the final two episodes, or even just the final episode, of a show. I genuinely don't know why it happens so often. Perhaps it is that feeling of attachment, where watching the ending makes it truly over. Leaving at least one episode unwatched gives me the unconscious feeling that it is still there.
Or something like that lol.
It's still crazy to hear. I will say, though, that it is an ending worth watching the whole show again for, simply to appreciate the conclusion more.
Also, funny coincidence, it was a weekly family gathering for us as well when I was younger, watching the episodes as they aired.
Not at all. This was quite pleasant, and I hope I didn't take up too much of your time.
Best of luck with the busy month ahead!
Thank you again.
Have a wonderful week!