Yes, I realise that for horror games, that’s the perfect length to keep the atmosphere intact... The thing is, my game has some horror elements, but it’s mostly about mystery and exploration, which is why it ended up being so long... It also depends on how long it takes the player to solve the puzzles; some of them are really tricky.

Hello everyone!

I’m in the final testing phase of my current project and I’ve noticed it takes between 10 and 15 hours to complete. I’m wondering if that might be a bit too long for an exploration, horror and mystery game...

On the one hand, I like the idea of a longer experience with leisurely exploration, atmosphere and narrative development, but on the other hand I’m worried that players these days tend to prefer shorter, more focused indie experiences...

What do you think? How long do your games usually last? Do you think such a long playtime might put some players off...?

😘😘😘

I’ve finally got the final character portraits, goodbye placeholders!!  😊

What do you think?  😉

[Credits to José Manuel Hernández]

Thanks a lot mate, hope you enjoy it 😉

NIGHTMARE IN SAN VICENTE

Latest version :
DEMO v0.3 -> Direct Link ( Playable in browser )
Project page -> Direct Link

DESCRIPTION / STORY

In this slow-paced, combat-free narrative adventure, you play as Chusé, a young man struggling with anxiety and depression, who manages to escape from a psychiatric institution and seeks refuge in his parents’ old village, San Vicente, now abandoned. The story begins on his first night in his old home, when a strange noise wakes him in the middle of the night. Little by little, through letters, objects, and the odd unexpected encounter, Chusé will realise that a terrible curse has fallen upon the village, and that to break it he will have to fight an ancient demon, who may well be of his own blood...
In addition to the main story, players can discover up to 5 side quests, all related to events that took place in the village long ago, some of which are interconnected with one another or with the main story.

Over 100 locations to explore

+ 75 items, including consumables and key items

10–15 hours of gameplay

Main story + 5 side quests

8 possible different endings

Playable in browser, currently on PC only (keyboard required)

SCREENSHOTS

GAMEPLAY VIDEO

CREDITS

MUSIC / EFFECTS
Scott Arc
La Fuina
Irene G.
ART / ASSETS
Smackgulp
Starbird
Avery
Sokeiju
Pandamaru
Natalia O.
PLUGINS
Visustella
Moghunter
Hakuen Studio
Terrax
Villain
Aesica
Axgin96
STORY / WRITTING
José M. O.
GAME DESIGN / PROGRAMMING
José M. O.

Just the cost of RPG Maker MZ...

• The game assets are all free, provided the artist is credited, and I’ve edited them all manually myself.
• For the portraits and some of the more elaborate images, I have a good friend who draws comics and digital art
• For the music and sound effects, there are some excellent repositories of free audio files online. I also have several musician friends who have lent me some of their compositions for the game.
• I might have to invest a bit in marketing and outreach, as it’s an area I know nothing about and I don’t know anyone who can help me... 🤷‍♂️

Perfect!!! 💖

I've already released the third version for testing; you can try it out in your browser here (I think there's at least 8–10 hours of gameplay). 😅

https://ratasoftwareinc.itch.io/nisv-test3

I've also just set up a Discord server to centralize feedback in one place, since I'm currently getting it through so many different channels and it's getting pretty confusing.  You can join here: https://discord.gg/nRRbFaD9V

Well, we plant them too, and they provide us with shade... 😂

I don't think it would work; in my opinion, music is key in a game, just as it is in any movie or TV series... 

The truth is, I'd love to help you, but I don't know anything about this... I think, as another user mentioned above, it's very rare for strangers to contribute financially to your projects. 

Your game looks great, by the way, as I told you a while back 😉

Thanks so much, friend!

Of course I’d love to work with you, although unfortunately I don’t have a budget for testing...

If you’re still interested, let me know and I’ll get in touch with you when V3 is available for you to test (hopefully sometime this week...) 😉

Best regards, have a great day!

Muchas gracias amigo! 

Como verás mi lenguaje nativo también es español 😊, de hecho una de las partes mas duras del desarrollo fue la traducción, ya que hay muchísimo texto...

En cuanto al tema de los pasos, la verdad que no se me había ocurrido y me parece una idea genial, a ver si puedo implementarlo sin que afecte al resto de sonidos y efectos y no se "pisen" entre ellos...

Lo dicho, muchas gracias por probar el juego y por tu comentario, por mi parte sigo trabajando en la tercera fase de testeo...

Un saludo, que tengas un buen día! 😘

Thanks a lot mate!!! 😘

After almost two years of work, I finally have something fully playable, and the project has now entered its testing phase.

 When I first started, I never imagined it would grow into something this big. 

What began as a relatively small idea has turned into a much longer experience, with a full main story and five optional side quests alongside it. Right now, the game is structurally complete. The core systems are in place, the story is fully implemented, and everything can be played from start to finish. Of course, there are still rough edges, and that’s exactly what this phase is for. 

What’s still left to do? 

*)Design the intro

*)Replace some placeholders (especially character portraits) with proper artwork from a real artist 

*)Adjust and balance audio levels across the game 

*)Possibly commission a proper cover for the game 

It’s been a tough process overall. Balancing development with a full-time job and everyday life hasn’t been easy, and there have definitely been moments where motivation almost gave out. 

That said, this is a very personal project for me,  it reflects a lot of my own experiences, as well as those of people close to me. That’s probably what’s kept me going through the harder parts. 

There’s still work to do, but for the first time, it really feels like something real. 

As always, any kind of feedback or advice is more than welcome. 😘 

Thanks a lot for reading!

Hi again!

I'm editing this thread instead of starting a new one. 

After a week, I'm wrapping up the second testing phase. I've just released the new version for testing, which includes all the fixes I deemed necessary based on your feedback.

• Added footstep sounds
• Confirmation screen for exiting
• Fixed issues with some BGS files
• Resized some files and adjusted preloading to try to make the game run more smoothly in the browser
• Designed  plugin so you can play with a controller (not tested yet, as I don't have a controller 😅)

You can try the new version here:

https://ratasoftwareinc.itch.io/nisv-test3

I’ve also just created a Discord server to centralize feedback, since I’ve been receiving it from many different places lately and it’s been very confusing. You can join and leave your comments here.

https://discord.gg/nRRbFaD9V

As always, thank you all so much for your help and support!

😂😂😂😂😂

Wow don't get so upset, mate 😅

I’ve never designed a third-party plugin before, and I wanted to hear what users thought to see whether it was worth developing the plugin or whether it was just a daft idea.

Thanks for your advice anyway

In this video, you can see how one of the script calls I’ve designed for the game works. The player can set the time on a clock. When they press “SET”, the script checks the hour and minute against two stored variables, and executes a conditional statement depending on whether the time is correct or not. 

What do you think?

I wasn't sure whether to recommend this game because it has so many reviews and is probably already pretty popular. But I'm doing it anyway because it's a blast and everything is so well-crafted and polished. The music, sound effects, graphics, gameplay... I've been playing for about an hour and I HATE THE TREES 😂😂

https://tykenn.itch.io/trees-hate-you

Yeahhhh, finally think i’ve found the system 😁

A while back, I asked the community what they thought about "saving game". 

• Anywhere, anytime? --> I wasn't convinced, since my game has horror elements and it would take a lot of the tension out of the gameplay.

• At a specific location? --> That could work, but since it’s an open-world, non-linear game where you have to collect items and solve puzzles… I felt that players would easily get frustrated if they died and hadn’t saved in a while. They might not remember which puzzles they had to solve again or which items they needed to collect…

Finally, I think I’ve found the key.

In my game, there are 4 variables that result in GAME OVER if they reach 5: Horror, Depression, Madness, and Injuries.

I’ve placed 5 save points scattered across the map (it’s quite large), and every time the player wants to save, they add +1 to Depression (obviously, any of the 4 variables can decrease with items, events...). The save points are places or objects that remind the protagonist of their past, filled with nostalgia and melancholy, so narratively it makes perfect sense for them to increase depression.  This way I avoid unnecessary saving; the player knows it will cost them something if they want to save the game, and they’re never more than 3 minutes away from a save point.

What do you think?

Thanks man ❤️

Great plugin, really cool!!! 

Congrats mate 😘

Thanks a lot for your feedback, and very glad you like it 😉

I think I have the cover for "Nightmare in San Vicente"...
What do you think? Too basic? Should it be a bit creepier ? 🤔

Thanks in advance for your feedback!! 😘

Hey mate!

I’d recommend using .ogg files; 

I’m no expert on the subject, but I’d say it’s the format that best balances quality and compression.

Good luck with your project 😘

'I' as hotkey to open inventory is a great idea!!! 

I will put a message when the player takes the book, saying "Press I to open Inventory". The message will only display this time, with the first item. Maybe I will make the manual more simple, as another mate said...

Thanks for the advice! 😘

Thanks man for you feedback, have to think about this!!! 😘

(I’m not sure if it’s okay to post this here, as the game hasn’t been released yet, but I wanted to share a bit about it. If is not ok, please move it to the appropriate category) 🙏

*)The project is currently in beta; right now a small group of friends are testing it, but as soon as we’ve checked there are no bugs preventing us from finishing the game (about two weeks I hope...), I’ll look for external testers to get a wider range of feedback. 

If anyone’s interested to test it, feel free to leave a comment here or on the https://ratasoftwareinc.itch.io/nightmare-in-san-vicente">project page. 😉

*)The game is created using RPG Maker MZ and has been in development for just over a year as a solodev. 

It’s a narrative experience focused on mystery, exploration and puzzle-solving, with plenty of horror elements. You play as a guy returning to San Vicente, the abandoned village where your parents lived, trying to discover what happened there and break a terrible curse. As you explore, you’ll also uncover traces of other events that took place in the village, which will unlock several optional side plots alongside the main story. The game has 7 possible endings, and I reckon it’ll take between 10 and 12 hours to resolve all the storylines.

*)The core mechanics revolve around four key states, three of which relate to the protagonist’s fragile mental state: Madness, Depression, Horror and Wounds.

Each has a maximum value of 5; if any reaches that limit, the game ends. These states not only act as failure conditions, but also affect gameplay. For example, a high level of Madness can disorient the player, whilst a high level of Horror can prevent the character from entering certain places. These values vary depending on your actions, the events you experience in the village and the items you find and use whilst exploring the city (alcohol, cigarettes, bandages, etc.).

In this video, we see the beginning of the game, where the player picks up the instruction manual that will guide them through the game's mechanics. Once we've made sure the player has the manual, we let the story begin... 

What do you think? Are the instructions clear? Are the mechanics fair...?

You're welcome mate, good luck with your projects!

The first playable DEMO of Nightmare in San Vicente is getting closer, and I can’t help but feel that mix of excitement and nerves that always comes when you’re working on something nobody else has seen. Most of the development is already finished, but without much feedback, you can never be completely sure how players will receive it… and those doubts are always there.

As for the project, the church is finally designed. I’ve also completed a small part of the town exterior, and tackled the thankless task of the HUD and UI—an almost invisible job, but one that took a lot of time and effort. On top of that, all 7 possible endings are designed, and the side quests are fully completed. You can see all of this in the devlog video.

What’s “left to do”:

• Design the INTRO and the remaining part of the town (the map is pretty large)
• Create the game manual and cover art
• Replace the remaining placeholders (character portraits)

If everything goes according to plan, I hope to have something playable in about a month, and I would really appreciate your feedback. I’ll also soon need players willing to test the game.

As always, thank you so much for your support. After all this time, I feel like I’m REALLY close to finish the project...

Thanks again, everyone! 😘

If you want to promote your game on itch.io, there are several strategies that work quite well:

• Social media: share updates, screenshots and news on X, Instagram and forums such as Reddit in indie game or RPG Maker subreddits, depending on your genre.
• Short videos: uploading gameplay clips or teasers on YouTube or TikTok really helps people see your game in action. Clips of 30–60 seconds can attract curious viewers.
• Take part in jams: itch.io game jams are perfect for gaining visibility, receiving feedback and connecting with other developers.

By combining these three tactics, even if your game is small, the community can discover it and start following it. 

Gook luck mate! 😘

I think there are not bad numbers for a week!

Keep going mate 😉

Thanks a lot for your interest ♥️!!! 

I think I will can show something new this week... 😉

Not at all too critical, thank you so much for your comment.!!!

I’m pretty close to finishing the game (I’ve been working on it for over a year)😅 , and any feedback is a HUGE HELP.

Thanks again, friend, have a great day!

Hi eveyone!

Here’s another of the possible endings for my game, in which the protagonist falls into a trap in the old San Vicente mine.

Bearing in mind that the game is made in RPG Maker and my graphical resources are quite limited, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the ‘atmosphere’ of the scene. Does the combination of lighting effects / music / sound effects work? 

I’d also like to know what you think of the UI (main menu, ‘Threads’ option…), as I’ve designed this one from scratch and would like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for your time and for your feedback! 

Regarding the HUD, I’m referring to the display in the upper-left corner of the screen, which shows the player’s Horror, Madness, Depression, and Wounds values. It only appears when the player is moving to add a sense of dynamism, and it flashes red whenever any of these values change. 

As for the sounds, they were indeed still in development; 😉

I’ve added them for both the menus and the events that change these values. 

Thank you very much again for your feedback, and have a great day!