itch.io

it's a habit i've had for about 40 years (since the days of BASIC) - writing unnecessarily long code, especially when a language is new to me.  this project is particularly inefficient - i.e., multiple IF-THENs instead of loops - but it's almost done.  i might ask for some tips on the next one, though.  Thanks!

i have a follow-up to the file size question:

in order to decrease the file size by removing cards, i'll need to increase the amount of scripting significantly.  are there any issues with having particularly long card scripts?  i currently have a 200-line script that i will need to expand to about 2000 lines.  this won't affect performance, will it?

i'm so new to using Decker, I wasn't actually aware of canvas widgets until you just mentioned them.  :-)   so, thanks, i will explore this!

i just finished cutting a bunch of redundant cards, so it's down to about 13mb now, but it's great to know that the loading wasn't bad at 20mb.  

it's also great that you and the Decker community are all so helpful.  i love being part of it!

i'm wondering if I can get your opinion on the load time for the game as it is.  it shouldn't get much slower now that i'm using two or three cards per section instead of dozens, but i can always go back and speed it up further.  here's the link:  https://waldorfhammer.itch.io/key-2

thanks, Millie!

I’m definitely going to start using more contraptions for the artwork instead of full-screen images; there’s a lot of repetition in the backgrounds.  Hopefully that will slow down the ballooning file size.  Thanks again for being so helpful!  I’m going to submit it to the Solo Development jam that’s going on right now.  Still about three weeks left if you want to join that one. 😊

I'm working on my second Decker project (the first one, 'The Key',  was my submission to the game jam last month).  I'm making a sort of sequel/remake, and I'm noticing that Decker is taking more time to save the files (.deck and .html).  Is there a recommended limit to how large Decker file sizes can be?  I'm up around 20mb now;  is it possible the game might crash or run poorly for the user?

not at all.  it's comforting to know that other people are dealing with these things too

i just played the earlier game, and i really liked it.  the way you describe that kind of depression/anxiety where leaving the apartment seems overwhelming - it rings very true for me.  i can't count the number of times when I've had to use every drop of will power to simply go out and buy food for myself; but i'm always so relieved when I do.  just having a quick chat with the grocery store clerk can help improve my mood and boost my energy.  anyway, thanks for letting me know about the earlier story!

it's really helpful to get feedback about the technical aspects of Decker; for example, I had no idea it was possible to flip through the cards with the menu bar hidden!  i will try implementing that code you suggested.  all of this is great for a newbie like me.

the silhouette in the prison cell and the 'number on the wall' clue definitely need to be improved.  it's helpful to know that multiple players have been thrown off by both those issues.

it's funny that you mentioned the mechanics of the shape-fitting puzzle.  i created a very similar puzzle for another game, but it was SO challenging to code, and ultimately it wasn't user-friendly at all.  so I decided to go with the 'painting' mechanic, simply because it didn't involve moving parts.  but i think there's definitely a better way to do it; i just gotta do some brainstorming...

the cliffhanger was a last-minute choice - there are a couple different ways to go with the story, and I haven't decided on that, so the 'to be continued' gives me some time to mull it over.

thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback!

that's great feedback; it's helpful to hear how others experience the game.  i wondered if the prison silhouette wasn't clear enough - i'll definitely fix that.  the purpose for the 'number on the wall' clue is to prevent the player from knowing the sum of the ages but to indicate that knowing the clue is not enough to solve the puzzle.  it's a convoluted way of hinting at the number 13 (since that's the only non-unique sum among the 8 combinations).  i adapted this puzzle from another source, and I'm not sure if it works in this context.  i don't want players to think they need to SEE the number in order to solve the puzzle, so maybe i need to make that more clear.  hearing about your experience is super helpful - thank you for sharing it with me.  and thanks for trying out the game!

this is a really charming story!  nice work, Millie

this is SO visually appealing; I wish I could keep turning those pages until the thaw...

i think i'm starting to realize how wildly creative the Decker community is!  I really appreciate the twisted humour of your work

this is a really beautiful work.  the visuals and the mood of the piece are unlike any i've ever seen.  you definitely struck my inspiration...

these are amazing - I really like the fact that Decker users are creating assets that can be used by other Deckers!  what a great community.

oh here's the link:  https://waldorfhammer.itch.io/the-key-2025

hi Millie, I just submitted a small section of my puzzle-adventure game.  I'd love to hear your feedback on it - it's hard for me to judge how difficult the puzzles are or how easy it is to navigate the world.  originally, i was going to try to finish the game before submitting it, but I sort of like the way it ends on a cliffhanger.  

this way, i can start on the second part once I've gotten a sense of what works and what doesn't work.  Decker is fun!!

lovely imagery.  you're right - the way the photos appear after importing them is quite mesmerizing!

super cool!  I love the writing and the surreal imagery.  nicely done.

You wake up in a prison cell and have 24 hours to prove your innocence.  The funny thing is, the only way to do it is to lie down.  And dream.

Reminiscent of retro point-and-click games, The Key features unique game mechanics, stylized visuals and some very challenging puzzles.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have questions/suggestions or you're stuck on a puzzle.  Hints will happily be provided.  :-)

NOTE:  this is a pre-Alpha version of the game.  no outside testing has been done yet, so if anyone enjoys looking for bugs while playing a mysterious puzzle-based adventure, your feedback would be greatly appreciated!

here's the link, followed by some screenshots to pique your interest:

https://waldorfhammer.itch.io/the-key-2025

by the way, I noticed the Reversible Octopus plushie in your FMV project, so I had to show it to my daughter (she has one and loves it more than any of her 10,000 squishmallows).  Needless to say, she's your biggest fan now.

this is so good to know.  on the one hand, i wish i'd known how to import images properly before I started; then again, I actually like the weird aesthetic my game has right now.  but i'll definitely use these techniques on my NEXT Decker project.  some of the images in this game are like Rorschach tests - you have to squint to figure out what you're looking at.  :-)

i will check it out.  thanks for your super helpfulness!

this makes me smile.  and it's totally inspiring me to add some FMV to my Decker game!

sweet!  i will check it out right now.  Thanks for the tip, Millie!

then i added the silhouettes, which was interesting because I had to position them carefully to give the illusion that they're part of the 3D environment

it's funny actually.  i used a very high tech method to get a low tech look!  i placed a virtual camera inside a fully-rendered, full-colour 3D environment, chose the view i wanted, took a screenshot and imported the low res, black and white version into Decker.  just like traveling back in time!

Halfway through the jam!  I'm curious to hear how other projects are coming along. For me, it was slow-going at first, as I learned the ins and outs of Decker; but now I'm loving it, and my project is moving along nicely.  It's so much fun to create retro-looking graphics, and I keep thinking back fondly to Myst and the Sierra games of the 80s and 90s.  I'm hoping to have at least six scenes and nine or ten puzzles by the time the jam concludes.  Here's a little sneak peek at the third 'scene':

Hi!  Thanks for replying to my comment.  I was thinking of using pixel art for my game, so that might work out well!  Tomorrow the theme will be revealed, so I'll have a better idea of what I need at that point, but for now I'm thinking that I could really use help with backgrounds, menus and a title screen.  I took a look at the art you created for Rumble Bees, and I'm very impressed.  (I couldn't help but think of Balatro, since I've been playing it a LOT lately.  Are you familiar with it?)

thanks for confirming this!

i'm curious about this too.  does third party content include clip art and public domain images?

If you're an artist looking to collaborate on a game, please let me know.  I'm happy to write the story, design the levels and bring it all together using my preferred game engine, but my artistic skills are sadly lacking.  Once the theme has been revealed, my plan is to start working on a prototype using public domain placeholder images (character sprites, backgrounds, UI elements, etc) which, hopefully, will be replaced with gorgeous (or at least decent-looking) original artwork!  As I build the game using temporary visual elements, I would regularly (every couple of days) share the latest version with you, collaborate on decisions regarding the look and feel of the game and then offer you full reign to unleash your creativity!  Designing games is a hobby and a passion for me, and my goal is to simply make something functional, reasonably entertaining and unique in some way.  The creative process is what fulfills me, more so than the end results.  (That said, finishing a game that others can play, enjoy and share their thoughts about is an exciting goal to strive for.)

i will check out the demo for sure!  congratulations on getting the game on Steam; it's super inspiring!

congratulations!  A totally well-earned victory.   I expect to see it on steam next 😊

yes I messed up with the controls.  It was supposed to be mouse only, but I switched to keys to save a bit of time.   Version 2 will definitely have better controls.  Thanks for playing!

super fun and original - and a perfect representation of the theme.  well done!  love the retro art/music too.

very original idea!  i like the blurring effect.  at one point, i kept thinking 'why do i keep seeing two beers together everywhere?'  :-)

very fun and cute idea.  i was hoping to see more variety in the game - additional elements to surprise, entertain or challenge the player.  a health meter that quickly decreases between bites of cheese?  cheese that goes rotten after a few seconds and harms the player?  cheese that speeds up player, shrinks him to get around enemies more easily, gives him temporary invincibility, etc.?  special cheese in hard to reach places, like behind barriers where it's easier to get killed?  i know these are kind of mario-like suggestions, but they're the first ones that came to mind.  :-)