For some reason, I can't go full screen. In the tutorial, it didn't show a way to do that. So, how do you go full screen? Also, I really LOVE your game.
Are you a Windows or Mac user? Either way, you should be able to switch between full screen and windowed mode just pressing F1... Let me know if it doesn't work. :/
Hey! Wasn't sure the best way to contact you but I published my video just now - fantastic game! I also finished editing before I saw the announcement of "casual mode" so I'm going to try that xD anyway great game! I can't wait to see what else you come up with.
You made it! I mean, you didn't beat the game yet, but you've made a great video! :D
The "teleport" feature is not actually what it seems (although it would have been a neat mechanic). That's just a script that was supposed to unstuck you in case you got pushed inside solid objects, but sometimes it behaves in unpredictable ways; I'm definitely not using that script in the next game.
Also, watching your playthrough I've learned something new about how to pass tips and useful informations to the player. As a general rule, in Their Eyes is a good idea to talk to anybody who isn't trying to kill you, and listen carefully to what they say. Bullets are rare (at least until you meet a certaincharacter), and an ammo pack provides three of them (four, if you're playing in casual mode - which isn't so casual, beware!); so you should avoid to collect ammo packs if you're missing just one bullet or two. Don't hurry: explore carefully and thoroughly. Don't waste your time, either: three chimes to the night, remember?
Well, I really hope you will play again. I'm so glad you liked the game! :)
Really love the style and atmosphere of this game, unfortunately could not get very far. I understand your rationale behind not implementing a save feature, still wish I could've seen more of it.
Yes, that is a sore point and a polarizing issue... I am definitely developing a better system for my new game. Also, I am thinking about implementing a kind of "slightly easier mode" in the next release (1.1.5), thus allowing casual-ish players to see more of my game - as you say. I am a casual player myself, after all! :D
Apart from that, thanks a lot for the precious feedback. And keep an eye on the next release! ;)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hi tysm! I was actually playing it when the update came out and got to 1 of the endings on normal mode. Did not disappoint, I thought the lockpicking mechanic was v fun, and the overall combat felt satisfying and well-balanced. Looking forward to playing more to try to find more endings!
Quick aside, the way the long grass (wheat?) fields look while moving diagonally makes a nasty sort of flashing effect on my screen, but that might be my screen. or my eyes
Tall grass is an eyesore: I don't think it's just your screen, since you're not the first person to complain. Maybe I should do something about that, even if I'm not sure what... I'll think about it. (Just to get it straight: tall grass was meant to be hypnotic and befuddle the player while traversing it, but the final effect is probably disturbing!)
By the way, I'm very glad to know that you got back to my game and also achieved the first ending! To be honest, I don't think the game is really hardcore: the learning curve is a bit steep in the beginning, which may end up causing frustration; but if one is patient and motivated enough, everything get manageable very quickly. Congrats! :)
Absolutely love the aesthetic and design of the game, and the difficulty makes executing things right all the more satisfying! I'm wondering whether there were any games you found particularly inspirational while working on this? Also, the fact that this was your first game is mind-boggling. Really makes me want to finally try to make something myself. Looking forward to seeing what else you put out in the future!
Thank you for your words, sopu. :) They are very motivating to me, since I started developing my second game just few days ago - and I'm both excited and scared.
Actually, I haven't played a lot of top-down action-rpg (as an example, I'm ashamed to admit that I never played a single Zelda). Nevertheless, I always found very appealing the top-down perspective: so simple yet powerful. Some have defined my game as a "pixelated Darkwood", which is funny because I swear I played Darkwood for just three hours three years ago (Steam is my witness! :D); it is also pretty inaccurate, since Darkwood is based on procedural and crafting mechanics - which I personally don't like, despite having loved the atmosphere of that game. As a matter of fact, a couple of months ago I installed Darkwood once again just to make sure I didn't steal something unintentionally: and I was shocked because the intro begins with "I see hatred and fear in their eyes"... :D Other than that, and the (not very original) finding that also Lockwood is isolated from the rest of the world, "no roads in or out", I don't see many similarities between Darkwood and my game. (Ok, let's throw in the "-wood" part of name too - ha ha)
In short, I really couldn't say if a game (or more than one) in particular inspired me. I think that I've tried to put together some atmospheric elements that impressed me (one among all: the intentional vagueness of Dark Souls' lore) with the aesthetic of totally different old-school games that made me dream (without pretending to be philological, as demonstrated by certain not very 8-bit sound fx).
Ok, I've been boring enough, but I have to say one more thing: you should definitely try to make something yourself! They say the hardest part is starting, but I beg to differ: the way I see it, the hardest part is keeping up. However, since it's also very rewarding, shouldn't probably be hard at all! :)
That's really great, best of luck with developing the new game! I've had a great time playing Darkwood recently, so it's funny you mention it -- I also don't think it bears that much of a resemblance to Their Eyes, besides having a creepy atmosphere and combining roguelike elements with survival horror (which are two of my favorite things).
I really appreciate hearing some of your thoughts on what you were thinking about when designing the game's atmosphere. I think intentional vagueness in the world's lore / player context can actually be crucial in squeezing a lot of mystery out of very simple elements. And that's I think what I liked so much about Their Eyes -- graphics and mechanics that are simple enough to have possibly been made in the 80s, but executed well and with sufficient attention to detail that it feels super refreshing and clean. You don't need really fancy graphics for a game to look beautiful, feel scary, and give your brain just enough world detail that it starts wandering thinking, "why are these people crazy?" "what happened here?" "what kind of creature broke this door off its hinges? am I even equipped to handle something like that?" etc
Anyway. Thanks for your encouragement! I've actually spent the weekend learning a bit of LÖVE by just starting simple and constructing a snake game from scratch. And it's been super fun so far.
I'm sure it has been fun! It was the end of July 2020 when I "coded" my first game, following a tutorial to recreate Asteroids in GameMaker Studio 2. Back then I had no doubt that I would have stick to the lazy drag & drop interface for the rest of my life... Except that it was so exciting that I immediately changed my mind. :D
About the relation between graphics and atmosphere, I guess that less is more. For my personal taste, the crude volumes of a Gothic's scenery are way more enthralling than many modern super-detailed landscapes with ray tracing and stuff; as well as low-poly models can be scarier then hyper-realistic monsters. In the architecture of terror, the true keystone is our imagination. This is my opinion, at least.
I didn't get to finish it yet but definitely plan to soon! I love these kinds of games and this one is no different! It's hard yet fun to play. The characters seem well thought out and I enjoyed talking to each one. The environment felt well made and it seemed like each place had a purpose. I do wish I didn't have to start over once dead, however, maybe I haven't played long enough to find a save point. Overall, I really enjoyed this game and definitely recommend it! I made a video of this game where I go into more detail about the game as well. If you enjoyed what you watched, please do consider subscribing, but it's up to you! Thanks again!
Thank you man! I finally watched the video. :) But why on earth are you shooting to everything that comes within range? :D As a general tip, npcs and journals can provide you valuable informations on how to deal with enemies and deal with things in general.
I noticed that you are playing an outdated version (1.1.3); if you really decide to come back to my game I'd warmly recommend to download the latest one. Even if there is no actual check-point system, the way how a certain item works from version 1.1.4 on does a great difference in terms of starting over.
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
From the end of February to the end of July; although, in fact, I kept working on frequent updates and bugfixes in the following weeks. (It would probably have taken just a couple of months to a more experienced programmer!)
I'm glad you appreciate my efforts, by the way. :)
Hello! I haven't played Their Eyes yet but I'm already hooked on the style and gameplay.I was wondering if you were allowing let's players on YouTube to do a first-time playthrough, and if so, then I'd love to make a video of it.
yes! i finally beat the game after a buncha days! i'll probably come back to get another ending : )
Also, incredible job! i really wanna see what ur future games and stuff are gonna be like bc ur first one was great! once u know what to do and stuff it's no TOO hard
Ok, I'll try to give some hints without revealing too much! :D
Basically, the alien coins are the key for three out of four endings.
Apart from the "normal" ending where you escape through the well, you can leave after collecting all of the coins; or access (thanks to them) an otherwise inaccessible place, where you will face, uhm, someone. At that point, you will have two more options on how to end your quest: one blatant, the other one more... creative! :D
cool thanks a bunch i think i understand how to get another ending now, also does dying by night time count as an ending? you said you need those coins for 3 out of 4 of the endings so i guess not
update: i now have only one more ending to go, i've got the well/normal ending, the other well ending, not really sure what the endings are called but i also got that ending where you choose the left staircase
No wonder you got featured because this game is so well featured with so many quality of life improvements like button overlays and screen shake. All these combine to make an awesome game! Well done.
To be honest, I didn't do anything special in order to get featured. I mean, one day I just woke up and found my game in the featured list. (And took a screenshot, of course, as a souvenir of my "fifteen minutes of fame" :D) But I have no idea of the algorithm that led to this.
actually their eyes is featured now or maybe ie just for me since I follow you but either way it's cool! Make sure to check out future games musket fish funding bundle there are 11 or 12 games for just $2 and total value is like $7! So check it out! Thanks so much.
Didn't quite beat it, but very interesting. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the designs for the creatures. The main thing I disliked so far was that I would press E to continue the dialogue for the characters, but they'd just wrap back around to what they'd say at the beginning, but that's just a nitpick. Also, I got stuck on trees a lot when running from monsters. It's a good game all in all. I plan on playing and finishing this in the future.
Thank you for playing my game - and making a video too! It's always instructive to watch how different players approach the same problems. It helps me to understand where I could have done better. First of all, key bindings should have been explained more clearly, and maybe remain accessible during the gameplay: for example, at some point you were middle clicking (apparently) without outcome; but that's just because the rifle was already loaded, actually. :D
Yes, dialogues start again after few lines: but there's alway something emphasizing the moment when they wrap around (most characters say "Anyway..."). Moreover, they change over time: if you talk to the same character after a while, it is absolutely possible that they tell you different things.
I learned quite a lot from this first game: above all, what mistakes avoid in the future! :)
Yeah I realized I had ammo in the gun while editing, but by that point it was too late lol. I didn't realize because I had picked up ammo so in the top right all of the ammo slots were full, so I thought the gun was empty. I also thought for some reason the gun unloaded itself when I stopped aiming, I don't know where I got that idea, that's on me.
I didn't realize that the people said different things if you talk to them enough, but I hadn't played long, and I just assumed they looped back around so I stopped talking to them. I hope to play soon, but I'm a bit busy unfortunately. Like I said though, good game. I hope to see more from you.
Well, I have to say that a self-unloading rifle would have been a really tough, yet funny, mechanic! I am not so cruel! :D (I could add a comment or something to help people understand as they try to load a loaded rifle; at least the first time...)
Btw, thanks again. I hope to see more from me too! :)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
i haven't gotten far but i really liking this. good job with your first game, the atmosphere is great and dreary. the art is good and I love the aesthetics, gameplay is unique, not like what i've seen before. though i like that death has consequences, something lacking in most horror games, i feel like a checkpoint system would be better then just a straight boot to the start. just spread them thinly. also some the the hitboxes are wonky, like with that fly spitter thing in area two. also when im in my inventory and i press "t" the entire game crashes, but thats all the negatives i have to say with this gem of a game
I'm really glad that you are playing and enjoying my game. :)
Yeah, a checkpoint system would have been most likely preferable. Problem is that, as an inexperienced dev, I waited too long before implementing it: and that was a huge mistake. A saving system is something that you should plan in advance, as I found out, and adding it to the code at this stage is beyond my abilities. To be fair, adding anything to my code is a pain, at this stage. I developed the game without plans, putting things in as they came to mind; and the result is that, at this point, I have a pretty big and very convoluted code, extremely hard to edit without messing everything up. :/ Next time, the checkpoint system will be at the top of the to-do list!
Hitboxes are, in general, a little smaller than the creature they belong to but decently accurate. I guess. The issue that you may have incurred with the spitter thing is not related to the hitbox itself, rather to the cooldown before it becomes vulnerable again; an unusually long cooldown, inelegant solution to allow it to unleash its attacks without giving it too many hitpoints. Hope to find a better solution soon.
Darn it, you're are right! D: I forgot to disable the "T" key while the game is paused, which would inevitably result in a crash. You will find this bug fixed in version 1.1.4.
I just bought it now and played for a bit. Great game and very atmospheric! Unfortunately life is short and free time shorter, and with no checkpoint/save to keep me from losing progress and having to repeat and repeat, I can't really play it anymore. However I think it's a great effort (certainly more than I could do :-) ) and I will keep an eye out for more games from you!
Thanks a lot, man! I'll do my best not to disappoint your expectations... Also with regard to the checkpoint system. :)
Btw, I'm pretty sure that you could play my game just one run per day and get better and better sooner than you think. You'll tell me if I'm right! After all, my game way shorter than some missions in GTA San Andreas, that you are forced to play from beginning to end without saving! :D
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
As of writting this i just got the true ending and i've been playing this game for like 6 hours lol, i tried making this summary of what i think to be good and bad (also this review has a bunch of spoilers for anyone who wants to play):
cool stuff:
-exploration: Really enjoyed discovering the world in the start, i believe this comes naturally in games with good world-building.
-replayability: starting from zero isn't that hard and you can progress pretty quickly, making doing more runs to test different scenarios and get other endings pretty easy.
-art direction: "An usettling adventure" is a good way to put it indeed, the cartoony MS-DOS style works with the eery story and world to give the impression of a much more adventurous FAITH.
-helpful failstates: If you die doing something wrong you get hints at what was wrong, these can also help you getting some endings.
-dialogue options/writting: This is probably what i most spent my time and runs on, just trying different scenarios to see how the NPCs respond, i wouldn't have done this if there weren't as many different scenarios so i really like this attention to detail.
less-cool stuff:
-wish there was more dialogue for some characters
-couldn't find top left and bottom right inventory items, are they not yet added?
-there is no reason for killing the ghost or the shadow priest because nothing changes and you get nothing
-the night timer is a bit too long, i feel as if it could be more of a barrier at the start of them game. Unless you're activelly taking breaks there's always enough time.
These is hardly a problem because they likely are due to the game still being in development or so i think.
bugs:
-enemy pathtracking (most noticeably on bosses) and the cat's fallout 3 companion ability to block your path, maybe remove his collision with the player.
-bosses sometimes get stuck in trees, like the ancient tree when chasing you and the fire titan when wandering around.
-if you go back to the old lady's house during the end sequence, the wall she puts up for the monsters doesn't go down and you're forced to restart, this really sucks because if you want to see the dialogue you have to throw the run.
The game has some pretty great writting and functions surprisingly well for it supposedly being your first, i hope to see more from you in the future, thanks for putting it out and good luck on game-dev.
I'll leapfrog the cool stuff section with a big smile and a heartfelt thanks.
-Dialogues with NPCs: I'm glad you've appreciated the dialogues, I was worried I'd put in too much chatter for an action-ish game! It's true that some characters have just few lines, but that was only because I thought that their location wasn't suitable for a longer conversation. I'll see if I should add few more dialogues.
-The four corner slots are for temporary or consumable items, like the gate key or the medikit. This explains why you didn't see the corresponding items in the inventory, even if you likely found them.
[SPOILERS AHEAD] -There is no reason to kill the ghost, actually. Since the ghost is set free by the death of the old lady, and I didn't mean to encourage the player to kill her (even if I gave him the free will to do that), the pentagram was intended just as an extreme measure to prevent the ghost from haunting the village forever. If all this sounds a little convoluted it's because (maybe) it is. Conversely, you do get something in exchange for killing the shadow priest; although I'm not sure which character you're referring to. If you mean the former Lockwood priest, killing him makes the fire giant considerably weaker (even if the feedback is perhaps unclear: I'll work on this, thanks!). [SPOILERS ENDED]
-That's interesting. I never thought of the night timer as an actual barrier, probably because I'm not a fan of timed games: its original purpose was only to prevent the player from wasting time and roaming in circles. This is why I set the timer on a generous period of 30 minutes, which is way more than enough to complete the game. I could probably change that. Without making the game frantic, of course: just a little more dynamic... Thank you again!
Here come the bugs. :D
-I'm not sure I'm able to implement a better pathfinding system, yet (I'm studying every day, but there's a lot of stuff to learn!). What I can do, is slightly redesign the scenarios in order to make them "smoother" in terms of pathfinding. I've already adjusted the forest (I'm assuming you've played the last version, 1.1.2 - right?), although I can certainly do better. The wastelands are mostly open, so I didn't expect the giant to get stuck; I'll check it out, too.
-Yeah, I hate the cat blocking the way (as I hated the dog in Fallout :D). I'm currently implementing a new system to make selective collisions, so that should be fixed soon!
[MINOR SPOILER AHEAD] -Darn man, you are right! The barrier could be a serious issue in the final part. My bad, I didn't think of that! I'm gonna fix it as soon as possible. [MINOR SPOILER ENDED]
In conclusion, I'm truly grateful for your time. Expect a version 1.1.3 soon, (also) improved thanks to your constructive criticism! :)
Glad you can take feedback and providing it is the least i could do.
thought the same about the pathtracking, in the city structures are simple, enemies have no problem following you, but in the forest were each tree has a gap, they end up making a weird conclusion and get stuck.
Also i'd like to mention this game is the first time i've heard the word "obliquely", actually had to look it up so i could understand what the phrase meant lol.
As promised, I finished the game! (and on the latest version, too) I said it before but you've done such a wonderful job, I'm in awe. I do feel like the night timer maybe should have been shorter — it just never felt like a threat, and I don't recall ever being in danger of running out. Still, I love the world that you've built and hope you continue it in some form!
Ok, that was another great video. I always find your playthroughs very gripping! And, as per usual, revealing of few bugs I was not aware of (the most important, the tentacle from the statue that was not supposed to rapture you twice!). So, thanks again. And I hope you enjoyed my game as it seems!
Btw, version 1.1.3 will be hopefully released in few hours, and will feature a shorter night timer. :)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Definitely not enough to quit my job! :D (Just a few bucks, honestly. But since it's my first game and I wasn't expecting to make any money, I'm still very happy!)
black and noir, actually, i clicked on this because i saw the screenshots and the art style was like none other! i like how it's borderline 1-bit because 1-bit games make my eyes burn but something like this is basic enough to be enjoyed and played by anyone. so in short, it's probably the art style that made this so popular!
As I explained somewhere else, the art style is almost an accident, or rather a lucky coincidence: since the game was supposed to be (and actually was, almost until the release) just black and white... At the end, instead of redrawing everything from scratch, I simply decided to recolor the white outlines and add few details. I'm pretty sure the original art style would have burned the eyes of anyone! :D
Ok, apparently Big Sur made everything a little bit more complicated... Still, you should be able to run the executable following the instructions provided with the video. You can try this and let me know (since I'm still using Mojave, so I cannot test it myself!):
Awesome game and specially love your attention to answer everyone, first I tought maaan this is too hard but then I took my time to learn and figure out what to do and had a blast playing. You're a very talented dev and I hope to see more in the future, cheers
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
That is awesome: the fact that my humble game somehow inspired you to learn GML! In my opinion, the hardest thing is to start to keep studying every day after you've started.
I'm anything but an expert. But I'll very willingly help, as far as I can, and address you to pretty useful tutorials. Feel free to ask if you have any question! :)
Trust me: it's even more frustrating, if you keep skipping dialogues (which contain tons of useful tips on how to deal with pretty much everything)! :D
Btw, I'm glad you liked the game; and I really appreciate the fact you've also made an entertaining video! :)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Just a quick typo correction to point out: in the "upstairs" ending, you have istinctive instead of instinctive/distinctive. Anyway thought I would give you the heads up while I remembered, seeming this is the third night in a row I have played your game to one of the endings ^_^
At first I wasn't a big fan of the perma death and decided rather than giving up on it after dying a few times, I would give it another shot the next day. Being more patient with it, I ended up really liking what you've done, and I wouldn't actually take people not liking the lack of save function to heart; it might be frustrating, but it suits the game. I have been intrigued by the other endings, so I will probably give it another shot :)
I'm very pleased to read this. :) Yes, the lack of a saving system could be frustrating in some respects (in addition to being very difficult to address, at this stage) but matches somehow the idea of Their Eyes. Not to mention that, game after game, you get better and faster.
Btw, I corrected the typo! :D You can download the new version 1.1.2.
Reading in forums, it's my understanding that only paid games can be claimed: including a paid game which is on sale, or even free for a limited amount of time.
I may have misunderstood, of course, but it seems a reasonable explanation; since paid games are claimable by default. As a dev, I still have the option to make my paid game not claimable if I want.
Apparently, this is why I can't make Their Eyes claimable. Even if you pay fifty bucks at the download, it's technically a donation - while the game remains free. :/
This game is amazing! I know some are complaining about the difficulty/lack of a save system but I personally love it, very rogue-like and brings to mind the Binding of Isaac and old NES games. I can't believe this is your first game, it's incredible! I'm absolutely in love with the lore.
Thanks a lot! You even made a video! :D I'm gonna watch it asap, I really appreciate this! :) (Also, I'm glad that someone finally likes the lack of a save system - haha)
Ok, so: that was great! It was both rewarding and instructive watching your video.
You wish there was a "medikit indicator"... Well, there is one - kind of! :D I preferred to keep the hud pretty clean, but remember that you can always pause the game and check your inventory by pressing "P" (you never did it, if I'm not wrong).
About the "quantized" ammunitions (you collect up to three bullet, depending on your free slots, and those in excess are wasted): I thought this was a fairly standard mechanic. Deciding the right moment to collect a new ammo pack is part of the "ammo management subgame", isn't it? :D If you have any suggestion, however, I will consider them very willingly!
Also, you think it should be clearer that a ghost is hurting you in the graveyard? I didn't think of that, but it's an interesting idea. I'll work on it. :)
Last but not least, if you're playing again, I would warmly recommend to download the latest version - with bugfixes, improved features and a brand new ending in addition to the existing three.
Medikits are consumable items that allow you to regain one life point - if you're not at full health. You can only bring one at the time. To use a medikit, press TAB (if you're playing with keyboard and mouse) or TRIANGLE/Y (if you're playing with Ps/Xbox pad).
Very cool and atmospheric, but I wish there was a save or checkpoint system, because I keep dying in Lockwood and going through the early game so many times becomes tedious.
Yeah, the checkpoint system is a feature the lack of which has been highlighted by other players too. Unfortunately, while it's pretty straightforward to implement a saving system if you have that in mind when you first undertake a project, adding that same feature at the current stage of a (relatively) elaborate game like mine is far from simple - not to say it's a real pain. :/ Since this is my very first game, I was absolutely unaware of that. Due to inexperience, my idea was to throw in a saving system of some kind, sooner or later; and when I found out the truth it was too late! I'm still trying to implement it, btw. :)
Not that I want to defend my fault, but take into account that, once you know how to deal with the early game, you can beat it and reach Lockwood in five minutes. Also, don't forget that some items can provide you a second chance.
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hello? great game but I am on computer how do I equip the items in the inventory? I am terribly sorry if I did not see how to equip the items in the inventory.
Hi! Yup, you're right: how to equip items is never explained. The reason for this is pretty straightforward: you don't have to! :D The inventory is not interactive, actually: it shows your possessions, that's it.
To be more clear: the slots I highlighted in red are for weapons, the green ones are for persistent item, and the yellow ones are for consumables. (The round slots at the bottom are for something else, but you'll find out for yourself!)
For a first attempt at game making, it's a pretty solid game with fresh ideas and beautifully executed.
Kudos to black_and_noir for making this game, hopefully you'll make another game that compliments the game. I would donate some shekels to the author. Unfortunately, i don't have paypal and i don't really trust cc payment from this platform. Is steam items okay? :)
Now for my review.
Pros:
- I really liked the gameplay, i really do. Sure the learning curve is a bit steep, but it's welcomed and fair to me. And i really love how the game rewards you greatly for exploration in items or story + lore which is not too cryptic compared to the other games.
- The fog of war system is pretty much responsible for making this survival game into survival horror. I really like the show and tell tutorial how the fog of war works, and how enemies wouldn't show up if you don't have any vision on them.
- NPCs is amazing at this game, it's very detailed and your actions does have consequences when you do something. The NPCs pretty much makes the game much much more easier if you do what they tell you. or dont.
- The story is pretty simple and sweet. Multiple endings but they aren't cryptic to get, i pretty much know the whole story of the game in 1 and a half hour. But i wish there's a best endings for all three if you know what i mean :)
Cons:
There aren't many of cons for this game, so this is pretty much my nitpicking
- There are a few bugs on the game that i encounter.
Enemies pathfinding is kinda laughable since they tend to get stuck on walls when you're on evasive maneuver especially the walking beginner's trap.
You can dodge the tentacle to brazil? (Either bugged or intentional)
- The artstyle is pretty confusing at first, i thought the game takes place at night? But the NPCs said it's noon or morning? And it's going to be dark?
So the black ground is pretty confusing for me. I would change the ground into light brown and then transitioning into brown and then dark brown.
Houses and buildings should've been drawn for more aesthetics, and then change the "?" symbols with more fog of war or just darkness.
- The combat is pretty much TLOZ-like but with guns, i don't really like the delay on the reload. It should be either refined (like adding reload animation) or remove the delay. And i don't like the touching = you get hurt mechanism, for me it's kinda lazy and pretty much makes the combat pretty shallow. I would add attack animation so getting hit is fair and 100% your fault.
I try to respond to your remarks - not to defend my work, rather to explain why it's how it is! :)
Yeah, I kept the pathfinding system pretty basic. There are a couple of reasons for that: the first one, pathfinding is very expensive in terms of resources; I initially implemented a more refined system, but that was resulting in performance issues, and I'm still not good enough to optimize that. :D Furthermore, I thought that exploiting the "dullness" of enemies' pathfinding could have been part of the strategy: bad guys are numerous and dangerous, but you can outsmart them. I'm not saying I made it as it is on purpose: at some point, I just felt that the algorithm was good enough for such a simple game.
Uhm... Which "upper door in the inn" do you mean? It may be a bug but, as far as I'm aware, each door in the game can either be lockpicked (if locked) or be opened (if not).
You can dodge the tentacle, yes: that was intentional. :)
Speaking of the artstyle, something you may not know is that the whole game was originally in black and white (except for the blood and the red eyes). About one month before releasing it, I decided to recolor the white outlines, adding few details to make the graphics more readable. I kept the black background, though. Not because it's realistic, but simply because I like it; and I find it helps the other elements to stand out.
My philosophy, in every aspect of the game, was: try to keep things simple. I was aware that, as a novice developer, the project was quite ambitious; and a lot of things could have gone wrong. In addition, drawing is something in which I have some experience; and since I wanted to spend my best efforts learning something new (i.e. coding), my philosophy for graphics and animation was even stricter: try to keep things very simple. That's why you don't have a color transitioning (you have the wind, though, that grows as the night approaches), buildings aren't drawn in a more aesthetic way (I love architecture, so keeping things simple in this regard was very hard), and some enemies don't even have an attack animation (which would have implied a dodge animation for the player, but he's not a warrior and I didn't want to put too much emphasis on action).
I never played any of the Zeldas, unfortunately. :/ I probably should! Don't you find that reloading without delay would make the combat even more shallow? In my opinion, the delay itself plays an important role in making the player feel vulnerable.
Last but not least, I must confess I have no idea of what do you mean with "steam items". But the kudos are more than enough! Thanks again for your time and your words. :)
Don't get it wrong, your two cents are really appreciated! :)
I've been using Steam for a while, but just for playing; I was totally unaware of the donation feature.
I'm thinking of adding a fourth ending, yes. Another very difficult thing, for me (as for many others I guess), is to decide that a project is finished and nothing else should be added! :D Nevertheless, the "opponent" can actually be sent to the shadow realm... It's quite a hidden mechanic, probably, but far from impossible to discover. :)
Thank you! :) What do you mea? Maybe a couple of keys for controlling the master volume during the game, instead of doing that by the OS or the speakers?
Is there a way to change the controls? my middle mouse wheel can't click correctly (I need to press it really hard) so I can't really reload easily at all
There is no way to rebind the keys, actually. But - for sure - I could implement a secondary key, as an alternative to middle mouse: I'll do it tomorrow! :) Any suggestion about the alternative key?
Thank you so much for your feedback! :) It's very important to me.
Yup, the game does not lead you by the hand: that's for sure. (I warned you! :D) I've tried to make the learning process fairly quick, though, and more rewarding than an "easy" game would have been.
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
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For some reason, I can't go full screen. In the tutorial, it didn't show a way to do that. So, how do you go full screen? Also, I really LOVE your game.
Are you a Windows or Mac user? Either way, you should be able to switch between full screen and windowed mode just pressing F1... Let me know if it doesn't work. :/
Thank you for the feedback, btw! :)
It works! Thanks! Btw, I'm a Windows user.
Ok, good to know. :)
Enjoy the game, then!
Hey! Wasn't sure the best way to contact you but I published my video just now - fantastic game! I also finished editing before I saw the announcement of "casual mode" so I'm going to try that xD anyway great game! I can't wait to see what else you come up with.
You made it!
I mean, you didn't beat the game yet, but you've made a great video! :D
The "teleport" feature is not actually what it seems (although it would have been a neat mechanic).
That's just a script that was supposed to unstuck you in case you got pushed inside solid objects, but sometimes it behaves in unpredictable ways; I'm definitely not using that script in the next game.
Also, watching your playthrough I've learned something new about how to pass tips and useful informations to the player.
As a general rule, in Their Eyes is a good idea to talk to anybody who isn't trying to kill you, and listen carefully to what they say.
Bullets are rare (at least until you meet a certain character), and an ammo pack provides three of them (four, if you're playing in casual mode - which isn't so casual, beware!); so you should avoid to collect ammo packs if you're missing just one bullet or two.
Don't hurry: explore carefully and thoroughly.
Don't waste your time, either: three chimes to the night, remember?
Well, I really hope you will play again.
I'm so glad you liked the game! :)
Really love the style and atmosphere of this game, unfortunately could not get very far. I understand your rationale behind not implementing a save feature, still wish I could've seen more of it.
Yes, that is a sore point and a polarizing issue... I am definitely developing a better system for my new game.
Also, I am thinking about implementing a kind of "slightly easier mode" in the next release (1.1.5), thus allowing casual-ish players to see more of my game - as you say.
I am a casual player myself, after all! :D
Apart from that, thanks a lot for the precious feedback.
And keep an eye on the next release! ;)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
Hi tysm! I was actually playing it when the update came out and got to 1 of the endings on normal mode. Did not disappoint, I thought the lockpicking mechanic was v fun, and the overall combat felt satisfying and well-balanced. Looking forward to playing more to try to find more endings!
Quick aside, the way the long grass (wheat?) fields look while moving diagonally makes a nasty sort of flashing effect on my screen, but that might be my screen. or my eyes
Tall grass is an eyesore: I don't think it's just your screen, since you're not the first person to complain.
Maybe I should do something about that, even if I'm not sure what... I'll think about it.
(Just to get it straight: tall grass was meant to be hypnotic and befuddle the player while traversing it, but the final effect is probably disturbing!)
By the way, I'm very glad to know that you got back to my game and also achieved the first ending!
To be honest, I don't think the game is really hardcore: the learning curve is a bit steep in the beginning, which may end up causing frustration; but if one is patient and motivated enough, everything get manageable very quickly.
Congrats! :)
Absolutely love the aesthetic and design of the game, and the difficulty makes executing things right all the more satisfying! I'm wondering whether there were any games you found particularly inspirational while working on this? Also, the fact that this was your first game is mind-boggling. Really makes me want to finally try to make something myself. Looking forward to seeing what else you put out in the future!
Thank you for your words, sopu. :)
They are very motivating to me, since I started developing my second game just few days ago - and I'm both excited and scared.
Actually, I haven't played a lot of top-down action-rpg (as an example, I'm ashamed to admit that I never played a single Zelda).
Nevertheless, I always found very appealing the top-down perspective: so simple yet powerful.
Some have defined my game as a "pixelated Darkwood", which is funny because I swear I played Darkwood for just three hours three years ago (Steam is my witness! :D); it is also pretty inaccurate, since Darkwood is based on procedural and crafting mechanics - which I personally don't like, despite having loved the atmosphere of that game.
As a matter of fact, a couple of months ago I installed Darkwood once again just to make sure I didn't steal something unintentionally: and I was shocked because the intro begins with "I see hatred and fear in their eyes"... :D
Other than that, and the (not very original) finding that also Lockwood is isolated from the rest of the world, "no roads in or out", I don't see many similarities between Darkwood and my game.
(Ok, let's throw in the "-wood" part of name too - ha ha)
In short, I really couldn't say if a game (or more than one) in particular inspired me.
I think that I've tried to put together some atmospheric elements that impressed me (one among all: the intentional vagueness of Dark Souls' lore) with the aesthetic of totally different old-school games that made me dream (without pretending to be philological, as demonstrated by certain not very 8-bit sound fx).
Ok, I've been boring enough, but I have to say one more thing: you should definitely try to make something yourself!
They say the hardest part is starting, but I beg to differ: the way I see it, the hardest part is keeping up. However, since it's also very rewarding, shouldn't probably be hard at all! :)
That's really great, best of luck with developing the new game! I've had a great time playing Darkwood recently, so it's funny you mention it -- I also don't think it bears that much of a resemblance to Their Eyes, besides having a creepy atmosphere and combining roguelike elements with survival horror (which are two of my favorite things).
I really appreciate hearing some of your thoughts on what you were thinking about when designing the game's atmosphere. I think intentional vagueness in the world's lore / player context can actually be crucial in squeezing a lot of mystery out of very simple elements. And that's I think what I liked so much about Their Eyes -- graphics and mechanics that are simple enough to have possibly been made in the 80s, but executed well and with sufficient attention to detail that it feels super refreshing and clean. You don't need really fancy graphics for a game to look beautiful, feel scary, and give your brain just enough world detail that it starts wandering thinking, "why are these people crazy?" "what happened here?" "what kind of creature broke this door off its hinges? am I even equipped to handle something like that?" etc
Anyway. Thanks for your encouragement! I've actually spent the weekend learning a bit of LÖVE by just starting simple and constructing a snake game from scratch. And it's been super fun so far.
I'm sure it has been fun!
It was the end of July 2020 when I "coded" my first game, following a tutorial to recreate Asteroids in GameMaker Studio 2.
Back then I had no doubt that I would have stick to the lazy drag & drop interface for the rest of my life... Except that it was so exciting that I immediately changed my mind. :D
About the relation between graphics and atmosphere, I guess that less is more.
For my personal taste, the crude volumes of a Gothic's scenery are way more enthralling than many modern super-detailed landscapes with ray tracing and stuff; as well as low-poly models can be scarier then hyper-realistic monsters.
In the architecture of terror, the true keystone is our imagination.
This is my opinion, at least.
Have fun with coding! :)
I didn't get to finish it yet but definitely plan to soon! I love these kinds of games and this one is no different! It's hard yet fun to play. The characters seem well thought out and I enjoyed talking to each one. The environment felt well made and it seemed like each place had a purpose. I do wish I didn't have to start over once dead, however, maybe I haven't played long enough to find a save point. Overall, I really enjoyed this game and definitely recommend it! I made a video of this game where I go into more detail about the game as well. If you enjoyed what you watched, please do consider subscribing, but it's up to you! Thanks again!
Your game is at 30:10 :)
Thank you man!
I finally watched the video. :) But why on earth are you shooting to everything that comes within range? :D
As a general tip, npcs and journals can provide you valuable informations on how to deal with enemies and deal with things in general.
I noticed that you are playing an outdated version (1.1.3); if you really decide to come back to my game I'd warmly recommend to download the latest one. Even if there is no actual check-point system, the way how a certain item works from version 1.1.4 on does a great difference in terms of starting over.
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
Wow, this is impressive how long did it take to make?
From the end of February to the end of July; although, in fact, I kept working on frequent updates and bugfixes in the following weeks.
(It would probably have taken just a couple of months to a more experienced programmer!)
I'm glad you appreciate my efforts, by the way. :)
Hello! I haven't played Their Eyes yet but I'm already hooked on the style and gameplay.I was wondering if you were allowing let's players on YouTube to do a first-time playthrough, and if so, then I'd love to make a video of it.
Well, I would allow that - and very willingly indeed!
Can't wait to watch the video, now. :D
Just be sure you download the latest version (1.1.4), of course!
okay will do! Thank you! :D
I can't wait to play it. I'll be sure to let you know when it's up.
Thanks a lot!
I appreciate it. :)
yes! i finally beat the game after a buncha days! i'll probably come back to get another ending : )
Also, incredible job! i really wanna see what ur future games and stuff are gonna be like bc ur first one was great! once u know what to do and stuff it's no TOO hard
the enemies are pretty cool as well
Thanks a lot! :)
I am so glad you liked it, and I really hope you'll give it another try... You have three more ending to discover! :D
yep, i definitely will come back to get more endings : )
i've gotten 2 endings now and i have absolutely no idea on how to get a different ending, is it ok if you tell me or at least give me a good hint?
[SPOILER ALERT]
Ok, I'll try to give some hints without revealing too much! :D
Basically, the alien coins are the key for three out of four endings.
Apart from the "normal" ending where you escape through the well, you can leave after collecting all of the coins; or access (thanks to them) an otherwise inaccessible place, where you will face, uhm, someone.
At that point, you will have two more options on how to end your quest: one blatant, the other one more... creative! :D
Hope this will help. ;)
cool thanks a bunch i think i understand how to get another ending now, also does dying by night time count as an ending? you said you need those coins for 3 out of 4 of the endings so i guess not
update: i now have only one more ending to go, i've got the well/normal ending, the other well ending, not really sure what the endings are called but i also got that ending where you choose the left staircase
Nice job!
Thank you! :) Glad you like it!
How did you get featured on itch I was just wondering!
No wonder you got featured because this game is so well featured with so many quality of life improvements like button overlays and screen shake. All these combine to make an awesome game! Well done.
Thanks! :)
To be honest, I didn't do anything special in order to get featured. I mean, one day I just woke up and found my game in the featured list.
(And took a screenshot, of course, as a souvenir of my "fifteen minutes of fame" :D)
But I have no idea of the algorithm that led to this.
actually their eyes is featured now or maybe ie just for me since I follow you but either way it's cool! Make sure to check out future games musket fish funding bundle there are 11 or 12 games for just $2 and total value is like $7! So check it out! Thanks so much.
Sure, I will! :)
thank you so much that would be awesome! Just know you don't have too!
Didn't quite beat it, but very interesting. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the designs for the creatures. The main thing I disliked so far was that I would press E to continue the dialogue for the characters, but they'd just wrap back around to what they'd say at the beginning, but that's just a nitpick. Also, I got stuck on trees a lot when running from monsters. It's a good game all in all. I plan on playing and finishing this in the future.
Thank you for playing my game - and making a video too!
It's always instructive to watch how different players approach the same problems.
It helps me to understand where I could have done better.
First of all, key bindings should have been explained more clearly, and maybe remain accessible during the gameplay: for example, at some point you were middle clicking (apparently) without outcome; but that's just because the rifle was already loaded, actually. :D
Yes, dialogues start again after few lines: but there's alway something emphasizing the moment when they wrap around (most characters say "Anyway..."). Moreover, they change over time: if you talk to the same character after a while, it is absolutely possible that they tell you different things.
I learned quite a lot from this first game: above all, what mistakes avoid in the future! :)
Yeah I realized I had ammo in the gun while editing, but by that point it was too late lol. I didn't realize because I had picked up ammo so in the top right all of the ammo slots were full, so I thought the gun was empty. I also thought for some reason the gun unloaded itself when I stopped aiming, I don't know where I got that idea, that's on me.
I didn't realize that the people said different things if you talk to them enough, but I hadn't played long, and I just assumed they looped back around so I stopped talking to them. I hope to play soon, but I'm a bit busy unfortunately. Like I said though, good game. I hope to see more from you.
Well, I have to say that a self-unloading rifle would have been a really tough, yet funny, mechanic!
I am not so cruel! :D
(I could add a comment or something to help people understand as they try to load a loaded rifle; at least the first time...)
Btw, thanks again.
I hope to see more from me too! :)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
i haven't gotten far but i really liking this. good job with your first game, the atmosphere is great and dreary. the art is good and I love the aesthetics, gameplay is unique, not like what i've seen before. though i like that death has consequences, something lacking in most horror games, i feel like a checkpoint system would be better then just a straight boot to the start. just spread them thinly. also some the the hitboxes are wonky, like with that fly spitter thing in area two. also when im in my inventory and i press "t" the entire game crashes, but thats all the negatives i have to say with this gem of a game
I'm really glad that you are playing and enjoying my game. :)
Yeah, a checkpoint system would have been most likely preferable. Problem is that, as an inexperienced dev, I waited too long before implementing it: and that was a huge mistake. A saving system is something that you should plan in advance, as I found out, and adding it to the code at this stage is beyond my abilities.
To be fair, adding anything to my code is a pain, at this stage.
I developed the game without plans, putting things in as they came to mind; and the result is that, at this point, I have a pretty big and very convoluted code, extremely hard to edit without messing everything up. :/
Next time, the checkpoint system will be at the top of the to-do list!
Hitboxes are, in general, a little smaller than the creature they belong to but decently accurate. I guess.
The issue that you may have incurred with the spitter thing is not related to the hitbox itself, rather to the cooldown before it becomes vulnerable again; an unusually long cooldown, inelegant solution to allow it to unleash its attacks without giving it too many hitpoints.
Hope to find a better solution soon.
Darn it, you're are right! D:
I forgot to disable the "T" key while the game is paused, which would inevitably result in a crash.
You will find this bug fixed in version 1.1.4.
Thanks a lot for your feedback! :)
I just bought it now and played for a bit. Great game and very atmospheric! Unfortunately life is short and free time shorter, and with no checkpoint/save to keep me from losing progress and having to repeat and repeat, I can't really play it anymore. However I think it's a great effort (certainly more than I could do :-) ) and I will keep an eye out for more games from you!
Thanks a lot, man! I'll do my best not to disappoint your expectations... Also with regard to the checkpoint system. :)
Btw, I'm pretty sure that you could play my game just one run per day and get better and better sooner than you think.
You'll tell me if I'm right!
After all, my game way shorter than some missions in GTA San Andreas, that you are forced to play from beginning to end without saving! :D
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
very cool game
Thank you, Aurrour!
I hope you are enjoying the latest version (1.1.3) released few hours ago. :)
As of writting this i just got the true ending and i've been playing this game for like 6 hours lol, i tried making this summary of what i think to be good and bad (also this review has a bunch of spoilers for anyone who wants to play):
cool stuff:
-exploration: Really enjoyed discovering the world in the start, i believe this comes naturally in games with good world-building.
-replayability: starting from zero isn't that hard and you can progress pretty quickly, making doing more runs to test different scenarios and get other endings pretty easy.
-art direction: "An usettling adventure" is a good way to put it indeed, the cartoony MS-DOS style works with the eery story and world to give the impression of a much more adventurous FAITH.
-helpful failstates: If you die doing something wrong you get hints at what was wrong, these can also help you getting some endings.
-dialogue options/writting: This is probably what i most spent my time and runs on, just trying different scenarios to see how the NPCs respond, i wouldn't have done this if there weren't as many different scenarios so i really like this attention to detail.
less-cool stuff:
-wish there was more dialogue for some characters
-couldn't find top left and bottom right inventory items, are they not yet added?
-there is no reason for killing the ghost or the shadow priest because nothing changes and you get nothing
-the night timer is a bit too long, i feel as if it could be more of a barrier at the start of them game. Unless you're activelly taking breaks there's always enough time.
These is hardly a problem because they likely are due to
the game still being in development or so i think.
bugs:
-enemy pathtracking (most noticeably on bosses) and the cat's fallout 3 companion ability to block your path, maybe remove his collision with the player.
-bosses sometimes get stuck in trees, like the ancient tree when chasing you and the fire titan when wandering around.
-if you go back to the old lady's house during the end sequence, the wall she puts up for the monsters doesn't go down and you're forced to restart, this really sucks because if you want to see the dialogue you have to throw the run.
The game has some pretty great writting and functions surprisingly well for it supposedly being your first, i hope to see more from you in the future, thanks for putting it out and good luck on game-dev.
Ok, there's quite a few point to answer! :D
I'll leapfrog the cool stuff section with a big smile and a heartfelt thanks.
-Dialogues with NPCs: I'm glad you've appreciated the dialogues, I was worried I'd put in too much chatter for an action-ish game! It's true that some characters have just few lines, but that was only because I thought that their location wasn't suitable for a longer conversation.
I'll see if I should add few more dialogues.
-The four corner slots are for temporary or consumable items, like the gate key or the medikit. This explains why you didn't see the corresponding items in the inventory, even if you likely found them.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
-There is no reason to kill the ghost, actually. Since the ghost is set free by the death of the old lady, and I didn't mean to encourage the player to kill her (even if I gave him the free will to do that), the pentagram was intended just as an extreme measure to prevent the ghost from haunting the village forever. If all this sounds a little convoluted it's because (maybe) it is.
Conversely, you do get something in exchange for killing the shadow priest; although I'm not sure which character you're referring to. If you mean the former Lockwood priest, killing him makes the fire giant considerably weaker (even if the feedback is perhaps unclear: I'll work on this, thanks!).
[SPOILERS ENDED]
-That's interesting. I never thought of the night timer as an actual barrier, probably because I'm not a fan of timed games: its original purpose was only to prevent the player from wasting time and roaming in circles. This is why I set the timer on a generous period of 30 minutes, which is way more than enough to complete the game.
I could probably change that.
Without making the game frantic, of course: just a little more dynamic... Thank you again!
Here come the bugs. :D
-I'm not sure I'm able to implement a better pathfinding system, yet (I'm studying every day, but there's a lot of stuff to learn!). What I can do, is slightly redesign the scenarios in order to make them "smoother" in terms of pathfinding. I've already adjusted the forest (I'm assuming you've played the last version, 1.1.2 - right?), although I can certainly do better. The wastelands are mostly open, so I didn't expect the giant to get stuck; I'll check it out, too.
-Yeah, I hate the cat blocking the way (as I hated the dog in Fallout :D). I'm currently implementing a new system to make selective collisions, so that should be fixed soon!
[MINOR SPOILER AHEAD]
-Darn man, you are right! The barrier could be a serious issue in the final part. My bad, I didn't think of that! I'm gonna fix it as soon as possible.
[MINOR SPOILER ENDED]
In conclusion, I'm truly grateful for your time.
Expect a version 1.1.3 soon, (also) improved thanks to your constructive criticism! :)
Glad you can take feedback and providing it is the least i could do.
thought the same about the pathtracking, in the city structures are simple, enemies have no problem following you, but in the forest were each tree has a gap, they end up making a weird conclusion and get stuck.
Also i'd like to mention this game is the first time i've heard the word "obliquely", actually had to look it up so i could understand what the phrase meant lol.
Ha ha ha
Ok, maybe it's time to find a synonym! :D
(Yeah, I definitely regret making the forest so uneven for purely aesthetic reasons!)
As promised, I finished the game! (and on the latest version, too) I said it before but you've done such a wonderful job, I'm in awe. I do feel like the night timer maybe should have been shorter — it just never felt like a threat, and I don't recall ever being in danger of running out. Still, I love the world that you've built and hope you continue it in some form!
Wow! Can't wait to watch the video!
I'll check back to you as soon as I find the time. :)
Ok, that was another great video.
I always find your playthroughs very gripping! And, as per usual, revealing of few bugs I was not aware of (the most important, the tentacle from the statue that was not supposed to rapture you twice!).
So, thanks again. And I hope you enjoyed my game as it seems!
Btw, version 1.1.3 will be hopefully released in few hours, and will feature a shorter night timer. :)
Example of superb minimalist retro aesthetic with brilliant mechanics!
Well, what can I say... You've made my day! :)
Gosh this game is so good (though very hard!!)
Thank you! I'm very glad you like it despite the difficulty. :)
You'll see that, with a little patience, every obstacle is manageable!
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
Very sweet of you! Though I want to finish the hardcore mode
Absolutely incredible game, i'm infatuated with it!
also the dev seems like a very nice person
Oh, wow... The dev is very grateful for your words. :)
They are really motivating, too!
You tell me! :D
I have no idea, and in fact I'm quite surprised.
Definitely not enough to quit my job! :D
(Just a few bucks, honestly. But since it's my first game and I wasn't expecting to make any money, I'm still very happy!)
black and noir, actually, i clicked on this because i saw the screenshots and the art style was like none other! i like how it's borderline 1-bit because 1-bit games make my eyes burn but something like this is basic enough to be enjoyed and played by anyone. so in short, it's probably the art style that made this so popular!
also, great first game!
Thank you, man! I appreciate your words. :)
As I explained somewhere else, the art style is almost an accident, or rather a lucky coincidence: since the game was supposed to be (and actually was, almost until the release) just black and white... At the end, instead of redrawing everything from scratch, I simply decided to recolor the white outlines and add few details.
I'm pretty sure the original art style would have burned the eyes of anyone! :D
I was really hyped about playing it, but the file says it is damaged. I tried following your instructions, but it didn't worked.
Sorry to hear that... As far as I know, you are the first person "my" method doesn't work for.
Are you sure you have done everything correctly? :/
I'm still trying to fix that issue, but in the meantime I want to find a way to make you play!
Yes I've tried everything. I can wait until you find a solution, don't worry
May I ask which OS you are using?
MacOS Big Sur
Ok, apparently Big Sur made everything a little bit more complicated... Still, you should be able to run the executable following the instructions provided with the video.
You can try this and let me know (since I'm still using Mojave, so I cannot test it myself!):
Awesome game and specially love your attention to answer everyone, first I tought maaan this is too hard but then I took my time to learn and figure out what to do and had a blast playing. You're a very talented dev and I hope to see more in the future, cheers
Thank you for your words, man! :)
I hope to make more in the future, too.
For sure, next time, implementing a check point system will be my first concern! :D
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
I can't find the fuel for the lantern, can anybody help me?
Well, some npcs can give you a clue! You should talk with someone in Lockwood, for instance. Or with a hunter, somewhere north...
I enjoyed your game, the whole mood, the pixels, the story. Awesome! You inspire me to learn GML too.
That is awesome: the fact that my humble game somehow inspired you to learn GML!
In my opinion, the hardest thing is
tostartto keep studying every day after you've started.I'm anything but an expert. But I'll very willingly help, as far as I can, and address you to pretty useful tutorials.
Feel free to ask if you have any question! :)
:-)
:)
Trust me: it's even more frustrating, if you keep skipping dialogues (which contain tons of useful tips on how to deal with pretty much everything)! :D
Btw, I'm glad you liked the game; and I really appreciate the fact you've also made an entertaining video! :)
Ah, I see that now, I should've read that. I'm so impatient XD
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
Oh, wow, you even made a video! Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)
nb acc really liked it
Just a quick typo correction to point out: in the "upstairs" ending, you have istinctive instead of instinctive/distinctive. Anyway thought I would give you the heads up while I remembered, seeming this is the third night in a row I have played your game to one of the endings ^_^
Gosh! I'll fix it asap!... :D Thank you for pointing that out!
(The THIRD night!!! O_O I'm impressed!)
At first I wasn't a big fan of the perma death and decided rather than giving up on it after dying a few times, I would give it another shot the next day. Being more patient with it, I ended up really liking what you've done, and I wouldn't actually take people not liking the lack of save function to heart; it might be frustrating, but it suits the game. I have been intrigued by the other endings, so I will probably give it another shot :)
I'm very pleased to read this. :)
Yes, the lack of a saving system could be frustrating in some respects (in addition to being very difficult to address, at this stage) but matches somehow the idea of Their Eyes.
Not to mention that, game after game, you get better and faster.
Btw, I corrected the typo! :D You can download the new version 1.1.2.
If I come across anything else, I will let you know :) But yeah, this has been a solid play and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it!
Why is this Game not claimable?
Uhm... What do you mean?
I don't think I understand.
It mean i can not claim the game. This mean i can not add the game to my account.
Could you make it claimable?
As soon as I find out how to do it, I’ll do it very willingly! :D
Perfect:-)
Reading in forums, it's my understanding that only paid games can be claimed: including a paid game which is on sale, or even free for a limited amount of time.
I may have misunderstood, of course, but it seems a reasonable explanation; since paid games are claimable by default.
As a dev, I still have the option to make my paid game not claimable if I want.
Apparently, this is why I can't make Their Eyes claimable.
Even if you pay fifty bucks at the download, it's technically a donation - while the game remains free. :/
https://grandrabatte.itch.io/their-eyes Hey someone has uploaded a version of your game and its a virus I would just watch out
Thanks, man!
That is really unbelievable.
I just reported the fake game! :/
You're been truly helpful...
This game is amazing! I know some are complaining about the difficulty/lack of a save system but I personally love it, very rogue-like and brings to mind the Binding of Isaac and old NES games. I can't believe this is your first game, it's incredible! I'm absolutely in love with the lore.
Thanks a lot! You even made a video! :D
I'm gonna watch it asap, I really appreciate this! :)
(Also, I'm glad that someone finally likes the lack of a save system - haha)
Ok, so: that was great! It was both rewarding and instructive watching your video.
You wish there was a "medikit indicator"... Well, there is one - kind of! :D I preferred to keep the hud pretty clean, but remember that you can always pause the game and check your inventory by pressing "P" (you never did it, if I'm not wrong).
About the "quantized" ammunitions (you collect up to three bullet, depending on your free slots, and those in excess are wasted): I thought this was a fairly standard mechanic. Deciding the right moment to collect a new ammo pack is part of the "ammo management subgame", isn't it? :D
If you have any suggestion, however, I will consider them very willingly!
Also, you think it should be clearer that a ghost is hurting you in the graveyard? I didn't think of that, but it's an interesting idea. I'll work on it. :)
Last but not least, if you're playing again, I would warmly recommend to download the latest version - with bugfixes, improved features and a brand new ending in addition to the existing three.
Thanks again for your time and your tips! :)
I have a question. What are medkits for? Otherwise it is a FANTASTIC game.
Wow, thank you man! :)
Medikits are consumable items that allow you to regain one life point - if you're not at full health.
You can only bring one at the time.
To use a medikit, press TAB (if you're playing with keyboard and mouse) or TRIANGLE/Y (if you're playing with Ps/Xbox pad).
Thanks so much!
Very cool and atmospheric, but I wish there was a save or checkpoint system, because I keep dying in Lockwood and going through the early game so many times becomes tedious.
Yeah, the checkpoint system is a feature the lack of which has been highlighted by other players too.
Unfortunately, while it's pretty straightforward to implement a saving system if you have that in mind when you first undertake a project, adding that same feature at the current stage of a (relatively) elaborate game like mine is far from simple - not to say it's a real pain. :/
Since this is my very first game, I was absolutely unaware of that.
Due to inexperience, my idea was to throw in a saving system of some kind, sooner or later; and when I found out the truth it was too late!
I'm still trying to implement it, btw. :)
Not that I want to defend my fault, but take into account that, once you know how to deal with the early game, you can beat it and reach Lockwood in five minutes. Also, don't forget that some items can provide you a second chance.
Everything aside, I'm glad you like my game! :)
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
Hello? great game but I am on computer how do I equip the items in the inventory? I am terribly sorry if I did not see how to equip the items in the inventory.
Hi!
Yup, you're right: how to equip items is never explained.
The reason for this is pretty straightforward: you don't have to! :D
The inventory is not interactive, actually: it shows your possessions, that's it.
To be more clear: the slots I highlighted in red are for weapons, the green ones are for persistent item, and the yellow ones are for consumables.
(The round slots at the bottom are for something else, but you'll find out for yourself!)
Thanks for the help I really appreciate it!
For a first attempt at game making, it's a pretty solid game with fresh ideas and beautifully executed.
Kudos to black_and_noir for making this game, hopefully you'll make another game that compliments the game. I would donate some shekels to the author. Unfortunately, i don't have paypal and i don't really trust cc payment from this platform. Is steam items okay? :)
Now for my review.
Pros:
- I really liked the gameplay, i really do. Sure the learning curve is a bit steep, but it's welcomed and fair to me. And i really love how the game rewards you greatly for exploration in items or story + lore which is not too cryptic compared to the other games.
- The fog of war system is pretty much responsible for making this survival game into survival horror. I really like the show and tell tutorial how the fog of war works, and how enemies wouldn't show up if you don't have any vision on them.
- NPCs is amazing at this game, it's very detailed and your actions does have consequences when you do something. The NPCs pretty much makes the game much much more easier if you do what they tell you.
or dont.- The story is pretty simple and sweet. Multiple endings but they aren't cryptic to get, i pretty much know the whole story of the game in 1 and a half hour. But i wish there's a best endings for all three if you know what i mean :)
Cons:
There aren't many of cons for this game, so this is pretty much my nitpicking
- There are a few bugs on the game that i encounter.
Enemies pathfinding is kinda laughable since they tend to get stuck on walls when you're on evasive maneuver especially the walking beginner's trap.
You can dodge the tentacle to brazil?
(Either bugged or intentional)- The artstyle is pretty confusing at first, i thought the game takes place at night? But the NPCs said it's noon or morning? And it's going to be dark?
So the black ground is pretty confusing for me. I would change the ground into light brown and then transitioning into brown and then dark brown.
Houses and buildings should've been drawn for more aesthetics, and then change the "?" symbols with more fog of war or just darkness.
- The combat is pretty much TLOZ-like but with guns, i don't really like the delay on the reload. It should be either refined (like adding reload animation) or remove the delay. And i don't like the touching = you get hurt mechanism, for me it's kinda lazy and pretty much makes the combat pretty shallow. I would add attack animation so getting hit is fair and 100% your fault.
Well that's it for my review.
Pretty solid game and most of all, enjoyable.
Wow, thanks a lot for the detailed feedback!
I try to respond to your remarks - not to defend my work, rather to explain why it's how it is! :)
Yeah, I kept the pathfinding system pretty basic. There are a couple of reasons for that: the first one, pathfinding is very expensive in terms of resources; I initially implemented a more refined system, but that was resulting in performance issues, and I'm still not good enough to optimize that. :D
Furthermore, I thought that exploiting the "dullness" of enemies' pathfinding could have been part of the strategy: bad guys are numerous and dangerous, but you can outsmart them.
I'm not saying I made it as it is on purpose: at some point, I just felt that the algorithm was good enough for such a simple game.
Uhm... Which "upper door in the inn" do you mean?
It may be a bug but, as far as I'm aware, each door in the game can either be lockpicked (if locked) or be opened (if not).
You can dodge the tentacle, yes: that was intentional. :)
Speaking of the artstyle, something you may not know is that the whole game was originally in black and white (except for the blood and the red eyes). About one month before releasing it, I decided to recolor the white outlines, adding few details to make the graphics more readable.
I kept the black background, though. Not because it's realistic, but simply because I like it; and I find it helps the other elements to stand out.
My philosophy, in every aspect of the game, was: try to keep things simple.
I was aware that, as a novice developer, the project was quite ambitious; and a lot of things could have gone wrong.
In addition, drawing is something in which I have some experience; and since I wanted to spend my best efforts learning something new (i.e. coding), my philosophy for graphics and animation was even stricter: try to keep things very simple.
That's why you don't have a color transitioning (you have the wind, though, that grows as the night approaches), buildings aren't drawn in a more aesthetic way (I love architecture, so keeping things simple in this regard was very hard), and some enemies don't even have an attack animation (which would have implied a dodge animation for the player, but he's not a warrior and I didn't want to put too much emphasis on action).
I never played any of the Zeldas, unfortunately. :/
I probably should!
Don't you find that reloading without delay would make the combat even more shallow? In my opinion, the delay itself plays an important role in making the player feel vulnerable.
Last but not least, I must confess I have no idea of what do you mean with "steam items". But the kudos are more than enough!
Thanks again for your time and your words. :)
Wow thanks for the detailed reply :)
After i replayed it the upper door in the inn wasn't locked in the first place, my bad.
Now i know how you want to direct this game, it's just my two cents how to polish the game
to be more of my acquired taste.I meant i can donate through steam inventory items (the popular online game distributor) haha
And also is it possible to get another ending? Since you can
send your opponent to the shadow realm?Don't get it wrong, your two cents are really appreciated! :)
I've been using Steam for a while, but just for playing; I was totally unaware of the donation feature.
I'm thinking of adding a fourth ending, yes. Another very difficult thing, for me (as for many others I guess), is to decide that a project is finished and nothing else should be added! :D
Nevertheless, the "opponent" can actually be sent to the shadow realm... It's quite a hidden mechanic, probably, but far from impossible to discover. :)
Yep! I discovered it after getting insulted and got really surprised by the secret.
This is why i love the game to bits, the attention to details :D
Please, add a settings menu to change the volume, great game
Thank you! :)
What do you mea? Maybe a couple of keys for controlling the master volume during the game, instead of doing that by the OS or the speakers?
yeah, that's a good solution :)
Is there a way to change the controls? my middle mouse wheel can't click correctly (I need to press it really hard) so I can't really reload easily at all
Hi Oleg, thank you for playing my game! :)
There is no way to rebind the keys, actually. But - for sure - I could implement a secondary key, as an alternative to middle mouse: I'll do it tomorrow! :)
Any suggestion about the alternative key?
I don't know if you ever noticed, but I added an alternate key (CTRL) to reload. Hope this helps!
I'm in love with that art style, it's absolutely beautiful.
Oh, wow... I'm very happy to hear that. Thank you! :)
Masterpeice absolutely stunning!
I'd say that is a considerable exaggeration, but thanks! :D
I'm really glad you like it.
how did you find my account? But otherwise great game!
Your account is very interesting. And your account name is gorgeous! :D
Thank you! How is my account interesting? I'm glad you like my name!
I like the Future Games thing. :)
Awesome Game. But A Little Hard.
Thank you so much for your feedback! :)
It's very important to me.
Yup, the game does not lead you by the hand: that's for sure. (I warned you! :D)
I've tried to make the learning process fairly quick, though, and more rewarding than an "easy" game would have been.
Just letting you know that the new version with "casual mode" is here: an easier gameplay, designed to reduce frustration and allow casual players to delve into the disquieting secrets of Lockwood.
Hope you'll enjoy it! :)
neaat game!!
Thank you! :)