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it saddens me to know you feel embarrassed now and then...as a non-native English speaker, please be gentler on yourself! If I were to attempt to write a full-fledged fictional narrative in a language I only know colloquially, I'd struggle so much as well! That too, with the kind of complex themes you've gone for (I think these are themes close to your heart?)

That'd be pain!

You might not always be concise but I have enjoyed reading quite a few of your comments, it shows such a depth in the way you see the world! And your words have intention - I actually hope you'd be more consistently proud! 

I made it a point to complete your game because you come across as such a sensitive, considerate and helpful soul - but not just that, the philosophical bent you have resonates with me! 

With your sincerity, I'm sure you'll just keep getting better and better with your skills...go for it!

You are already very aware about how it can be a bit difficult to read and comprehend - so I just wanted to say I was overwhelmed by the level of efforts that has gone into it...suffering even...

The way you comment on certain games shows your potential to be able to simplify profound philosophical ideas in English; and it flows too, so you have it in you!

Ah, but when it comes to concepts grappling with cosmic consciousness and meta-physics where you have imagined a tremendous level of detail....I'm sure it's a completely different story!

There are a lot of parts that I couldn't properly understand, but I do have some comments!

Even though some of the descriptive parts feel too heavy, some of the conversations actually feel organic enough. One part especially stood out; the one where the protagonist asks Atlasia to respond to the comment: The finitudes of existence are meaningless (or something along those lines)...

Atlasia's optimistic response encapsulating the human journey with respect to nature was so well-crafted - that part especially stood out in making me realise; with time and practice, you'd get there! 

I hope my positive reinforcement has managed to please you ( in Atlasia's words hehe)

Keep going, you seem to have such a unique perspective to bring to the world, and language barriers can be broken! 

Oooh that was such informative feedback; I really, really appreciate it!

Giving the readers more space for the emotion to sink in towards the end, is an idea borne of sensitivity - I do agree, it's a little too abrupt and overwhelming. And yes, playing with metaphors is powerful because it can bring in just the right level of ambiguity to connect deeply with people. Alas, I went for a simpler route because it's not so easy to pull off for me - but I can definitely try in the future!

And you know what? I was actually planning to make the controls fully-keyboard; I just ended up rushing things towards the end; and it was just easier to execute it with the nature of mouse interactions; but it's a very valid point - will make it even more immersive! Or wait, I can just make it fully-mouse!

And I wanted to do a voice-over too...I was thinking of recording and converting my voice - but since AI was strictly discouraged, I just left it. And I just did not know who to approach for a little-boy voice! But mumbling is an interesting idea!

And I appreciate your attention to the games you have  played too - you have a lot of sincere and constructive things to say!

thank you so much for your honest feedback!  I was hoping giving the instructions as "hover and click at the right time" with the animation clearly having a peak state will be intuitive enough...but I see it might not be the case...

and I've been wondering how to finetune this mechanic to make it more enjoyable....do you think giving some kind of auditory feedback that rises and falls will make it easier to connect with? 

Ohh thank youuuu...I had joined this jam thinking I'll go out of my comfort zone in terms of coding since I'd 2 weeks; but I ended up just playing to my strengths, so had some doubts - but getting such appreciative feedback...I'm secretly quite proud! This is only my second game jam. 

Hack indeed! I do think it's smart work hehe. But whatever I do, I do with intention - so I feel good about it. 

Yeah, they're definitely not opposites - you guys showed both! 

Yes, I did notice - her writing flows for the most part - and even though it looks simple, it sometimes takes a lot  of efforts to make writing look effortless! Hey, I am sure you were dealing with a lot of constraints, and if I am not wrong, you had your own game to focus on, which you were painstakingly translating to be able to do justice to your ideas! ( I am still in the middle of that, taking me time to process, I wish I knew Portuguese hehe).

And it was still you who contributed in making this game playable, I have a feeling they're probably just grateful to you! But yes, maybe in the future they can make their ideas shine even more with Ren'py!

Bernard had dropped enough hints for me to want to explore the previous islets, but the last few times I played I was too preoccupied with checking whether the game was working properly! And I'm so glad I played again -  and I understand why you kept asking people which ending they got, hehe. It was quite evident this was going in the direction of mind-control, but it's so tastefully done! Unlocked some good dialogues.  And when I got that that white signal, I was so excited!

Good job, everyone! My respect for this work has increased even more - please take good rest now.

And that is my response to that! It was so lovely...that contrast between the way things used to be and the way it is now...and the music in the background really suited it  too...I'd love to know how this story unfolds! This game has a lot of soul, a lot of it - well done!

This was so lovely - especially the transitions in weather; that was especially impactful. The conversations also felt organic. And the ending I got  actually reminded me of the game I created, although it's very different. 

This is a very small suggestion, not sure if it's helpful  - for reinforcing the feel that the boat is moving through the water, something  as simple as a minimal background in the horizon moving backwards to indicate the ship is moving, can possibly help! 

Either way, the themes you dealt with were  so much bigger than that;  overall it was a good, good experience!

Ah yes,  I was pretty sure you were already aware of the things that needed polishing - and I completely understand the time constraints, whatever I was able to see...the efforts really show! Really shows. 

Ahh I did reach that part! I was able to figure out the proportions (or I think I was) from that chemistry book for kids, picked up all items (and yes, was confused that the oil and  perfume were also there, I understand it might make more sense in the future version) , clicked on the beaker, clicked on the ingredients from the inventory - everything looked set, except  I just could not figure out how to proceed after that. Clicking on the ingredients  or the UI button did not seem to do anything? I wonder if I missed something obvious!!

Ahh maybe I missed something with regard to the music-piece too!  And I would love to play the completed version once updated - the narrative is  like an interesting mixture of whimsy and mystery!

ah man, same error again - I think it's something to do with my system! but thank you for this anyway...if you ever post some kind of video, would love to see!

hey... first time making a game, first time writing a narrative in English - all things considered, without a doubt you're talented! Let that universe in your head stay alive, run wild with your imagination, keep writing - everything will get better with time! And it's already so good, you have nothing to worry about. 

such a strong emotional response....oh, my, I'm so very, very touched. Ah now there is no way I'm deleting this!

so cute!

Ohh man, so it was broken (but still playable 13 out of 15 mins). Yes, the html version works and is completely, completely playable! And it's also proof that the game was complete before the deadline. Let's seee!

poignant, huh? that's very kind,  thank you so much. And I'm glad you liked the mechanic - I had so many second thoughts about it!

thank you so much, marine-life enthusiast!

ooh I'm glad to know you got so immersed, that's all I want! And I understand about the narration feeling a little messy and divergent, I'm sure I could have tied things better - but I'm  glad to know that everything seemed to come together at the end! thank youuuu

Bella  Joy. Whoa, that was quite something. I'm assuming there's more to the story, but whatever you have published so far is so full of promise! Immersive writing, well done!

whoa, that was lovely to read! thank youu

I did try again, and wow, it was so enjoyable!

In some ways, this is my kind of game; point-and-click narrative peppered with plenty of puzzles! Your group made the jigsaw work! I have wondered about the coding that goes behind it - good job! The idea of humanizing the spirits was a good touch, you have created quite an imaginative world, here! The unusual color palette with the 'pop' colors come across as so authentic too. 

I think you have already realized, but a little more feedback will go a long way. Some kind of sound or visual effect indicating when I am doing things right.  Also, the inventory system seems a little buggy, sometimes it is not quick to respond. Also, once I unlocked  the music piece, it seemed like I had no way to reference it again? Next time, I took a screenshot! 

But oh, I love love loved the harmonica!

But alas, I did get stuck again, the UI does not seem to be responding while I'm trying to make anti-fire in the beaker! But I'm glad I played this far - this is a sparkling, immersive game; feels like just the right amount of challenging!

I'm glad you liked the ending!

As the computer science guy in your group - I completely understand the concern about my mechanic, it's so valid - hell, I'm supremely unsatisfied with it, and if this were not a narrative-based jam which accepts linear narrative, I might not even have submitted it!

Aha! So you think it was programming, huh? It's actually a photo filter! But how is it dynamic? There was this website that I found which was all about applying filters to images. Out of all the ones available, I discovered just one that I liked, just one that fit my taste. And I discovered one more thing. Every time I used the same filter on the same image, it came out slightly differently;  the composition of graininess was just slightly different. Applied some touches with my graphics tablet, and now there are so many .5 second animations running on loop in Unity!

I am actually more sneaky than hardworking, hehe. I have been making stuff with such little coding knowledge, I actually need to start learning something now. 

And you're welcome - I meant every word of that feedback!

Hey, I was able to play the full version on browser! Solid ending - I love the level of shadiness on that captain. And would love to know how this story progresses, if you expand on it next year!

I really, really wanted to play this one but this error keeps showing up. This has happened before when I tried to open another game made on unreal engine, though. Hopefully, most people are able to open it!

You seem to have really paid attention - I am so glad! Thank you for your kind words.  Clarity and simplicity in words is something I really care about.

And yes, you are right - going in a more hopeful direction would have completely suited this art style. It's just...most of the fiction I create are intended to be so very wholesome and positive, I wanted to venture out of my comfort zone  now and then!

Oh yes, coding is a struggle - but it's also something that I genuinely enjoy..... well, at least most of the time!

Thank you so much for your very warm and reassuring words. I think, somewhere along the lines, I was being a bit harsh on myself. Yes, not  my first time at all - I am a student doing masters in Game Design, so most of what I have uploaded are my college assignments! But most of them are simple interactive fiction - I would love to create narratives with more well-thought out mechanics in the future! And thank you!

One month...I do think you can manage because I saw only minor typos with the text ( and it's well-punctuated too!) . UI I am not quite sure what your end goal is...but it's definitely enough for a smooth enough ride. Just  that, "ward-deployment" part was not clear to me....but yes, good luck!

Oooh, next year huh? I'm rooting for taking this game to the next level.  It's already so good, would love to see how much more you can expand and refine it!

It was the downloadable version! Ah no, I didn't save it the first time, I  didn't know how to.  But I played again, and the same thing happened again...Maybe someone else can enlighten? Anyway, I have saved it this time. But if the browser version is working for you, it should probably be fine,  hmm. 

Don't worry too much, whatever I was able to play was so substantial - it could be from my side too! You must have tested the downloadable version too? 

Also, I hope you and  your team will get time to rest now - that must have been one hell of a ride!

Thank you so much! Thank you for that feedback - especially in my interactive fiction where words are almost everything,  I should have given readability the most priority, you raise a good point.  Feel free to be critical, I would appreciate that!

And yes, in the beginning - and you might actually relate to how psychological this is - I wanted to give the player the agency to traverse through the boy's mind, as we are a figment of the boy's imagination, we are part of the boy - so in that sense we can explore the mind.  The beginning it's all lighthearted, we are surrounded by absurd-looking sea-creatures that are remnants of his father's storytelling, but as we go deeper and deeper, we reach a part that's blocked. Then you discover the boy was in denial all along.  Ah, and all this will have to be handled very sensitively too, this is trauma I'm trying to represent experientially. But yeah, none of that happened. 

Maybe I'll do it sometime in the future, I am so severely lacking in the coding department at the moment.  But I am also so detached - I might forget about this altogether! Maybe someday? 

What about you? Will you be working on your game more? 

thank youu

"Don't  trust" sounds like another one of your cryptic hints! Playing the game has made me so wary of trusting the hints too. The ocean abruptly rages , merchants abandon, even the cute little dolphins betray. When you think you are dying, you get resurrected. When are overconfidently sailing through, you just die.  GG. But I think I'll trust that 'Don't trust'. 

Oh you guys are so kind! My trouble with the navigation lies entirely on me. Once it clicked, it was intuitive and just the right amount of challenging with the limited visibility and obstacles. Good job!

Ah the red signal! The crisp red arrow mark located so close to our location - oh this was completely on me, it's actually intuitive enough! I played again, and wow. I'm so glad I played again. My previous comments stand - but got reinforced.  I got through many missions, but  in the terrorist-related mission, when I reached the location, the entire screen went black? I wonder what happened. 

But - I do have to convey this:

This is brilliant work.  The characters have distinct personalities,  I quite liked the subtle way you acknowledged gender discrimination, and the way Bernard just went missing - was quite effective in conveying the feeling that something was very, very, wrong with this corporation.  Also the 'match the wave'  mechanic looked so fresh to me - and narratively made sense because it can be interpreted that you are 'tuning into the frequency' of the collective consciousness. The way it's implied you are possibly influencing the thoughts of the people without them realizing is also quite well-done. Anger zone...insecurity zone...depression zone...quite creative. All in all, I hope your team is proud of yourselves! You did this in 2 weeks for this jam? That blood,  sweat and tears show!

Still struggling to come anywhere close to winning, but at the very least, I was able to discover just how very precious that fish was! That was a good, good idea.  I offered the next fish to a second set of dolphins so eagerly, thinking I was going to win soon - and discovered how diabolical you were! What a game. 

Also, the system you have created has an equilibrium of its own but it's slow to act, huh?  Even though I feel quite lost when it comes to coming up with strategies, the option to 'Save' , 'Ask for hint' as well as see 'History' does help in making it feel more fair.  Good job, again!

I got stuck after a point, but I played enough to be able to appreciate how very clean, elegant and well-written this is. Inventory and map are useful tools too - almost a necessary touch.  Clever and delightful, well done...I can see the creativity in this creative writing  piece. 

for a non-native English speaker, you manage to convey your philosophical thoughts very well; I quite liked your interpretation of it ! Ahh I am so glad you enjoyed the experience!

First of all, the premise screams of technological dystopia, which can be so impactful when done well - and it looks quite polished, whatever I've played so far! 

I also really appreciate the metaphor, being someone who is deeply interested in human psychology, sea = sea of collective consciousness, and a company revolving all around data collection and analysis of this? That can't be good at all. This seems to definitely fit the anti capitalism-related jam too. 

The option to doze off in the very beginning made me laugh a bit. The character, environment design and ui looks quite refined too! 

The main obstacle I've faced so far is navigation. I couldn't quite understand how to reach the destination in the first mission; but that could be just me! 

Talking about themes, the theme for this jam seems perfect for you - your passion for marine life shines through!

"Your choices don't matter when the world is to burn" : This nihilistic approach can be so interesting too, but I am sure it's not at all easy to pull something like that off without making things too frustrating for the players, but can be very interesting if well-executed.  And I completely understand about the time constraints - good luck to you guys in taking this further,  it looks so promising so far!

Okayyy,  I shall try again!

Rationale - the title suits the gameplay experience - what is the rationale behind choosing to give or refuse rations? Making such a  judgement is never easy. Detailed world-building, sharp and distinct character design, vivid personalities: it's all well done. 

I played till what I felt was a significant extent, and I don't know if I missed it, but I couldn't really get a lot of informed feedback; there did not seem to a visual depiction of external parameters that keeps shifting according to our choices, and a tangible representation of exactly how limited the rations are. What happens if I say 'Yes' to everyone? It's quite possible it's because I didn't play it enough, though.  Since the characters are recurring, maybe the previous choices I made with regard to them reflect their current behavior and demeanor? 

Either way: it's such good efforts, your group seems to have build a whole universe!