Here's a post for people to discuss the game after playing it. What did you like? What did you dislike? Are there any interesting details that stuck out to you?
Explore old malls, empty water parks, and existential dread · By
firstly ,, the game is incredibly well made ,, with the catchy soundtrack ,, the creepy yet settling ambience and the amazing graphics that set an in depth atmosphere for the liminal space vibes of the game . i really enjoyed playing it and can’t wait until the game is finally released in full . i do have some theories about the game in general of course being as i can never help myself .
1) what are the ‘shadow people’ ? i don’t believe that ,, despite the antagonistic feel they give off ,, they are totally out to get the player ?? this is probably really far fetched being as they’re everywhere and seem to be following the player throughout the game but i have no idea . it’s a theory i guess HAHA
2) i wonder if there will ever truly be an exit for the player ,, or whether the entire game is based on a fever dream . i really like this aspect because it has totally baffled me ,, trying to figure out what is happening 99% of the time ,, and wondering whether anything is really real in the eyes of the player . is anemoiapolis a real place ,, or a figure of the player’s imagination ??
on the whole ,, even though it’s not fully released ,, i believe anemoiapolis is high up on my list of ‘most exciting games i’ve played’ .
= )
ill start off by saying i really really really like this game so far. i have no idea why games based off liminal spaces havent really been done before. there are games that HAVE liminal spaces, but arent really made AS liminal spaces. (portal for example, plays off this concept, with having spaces with implications of humanity but a lack of actual people. but its a science facility, so most aspects of liminality, such as nostalgia, wont come into play often)
as someone who adores liminal spaces, the application of them to a walking sim video game is something i really enjoy. looking at pictures is one thing, but actually exploring them in first person is something else, and is what i look forward to most about this game. really the closest ive seen before is some specific gmod maps, but even that has limitations which this game exceeds. this game is just a very excellent way to experience liminal spaces and really enjoy them. i often see liminal space images and just have a desire to explore them, which, unless theres a random gmod map made about it, is usually impossible. which is why i enjoy this game taking inspiration from commonly seen liminal spaces.
about the environments within the game, i really enjoy the textures and rendering, they really give the place a clean sort of atmosphere, which really lends to the feel of the setting. theres no mold or decay, all the lights and electrical equipment are still running, but who is taking responsibility of actually cleaning this place? who is making sure everything is still running? the fact that it feels like people SHOULD be here, every area SHOULD be occupied, but it isnt, is such a big part of how i enjoy this game. you truly are alone here, or at least it seems like it. (the removal of the random body after the locker room is very much appreciated because it did throw this feel off for me) the mystery lover in my brain kind of wants to know, but also the absolute mystique of this empty underground city thats still clean and running is so fascinating to me.
for some things that i hope for in the future, i hope the store area is a bit more expanded. i was fine with what there was in the first beta, since the pool section wasnt super long, and ofc the part after it wasnt done. but with the pool section becoming expanded to be like 3-4(-5?) times bigger, i hope the shops become bigger as well. maybe even a food court of some kind down the line. another thing id like is more interactions with the places you go. in particular, i was disappointed i wasnt able to slide down the slides. although there is a slide that you do have to WALK up in order to proceed, so i understand not doing it for that reason. there is also a small tunnel in a childrens play place i thought for sure i could crouch and go through, but as far as im aware, i couldnt. perhaps adding a crouch button, and making it so crouching on slides lets you slide down them? this is honestly just personal preference and i do understand that thats dev time that could go to something else, but i just thought id say my thoughts about it anyways. its such a minor grievance it doesnt take away from my experience for more than like 5 seconds.
im honestly still not a super big fan of the locker room maze, but im not really sure how youd change it besides making it shorter somehow. it did feel shorter than it was in the first beta but maybe i got lucky, im not sure. the more backrooms-like maze seems promising, i just hope that the REAL exit is more easily visible than it is in the locker room one.
another comment i have is that, i did notice the shadow thing for like a split second in a couple of places, and it did end up making me a bit paranoid about where it was, and where it could come from, which is something i enjoyed. altho i did check that one room in the shops area, where, in the first beta, the shadow thing would float above the corpse. it still floats there here, and i honestly feel a bit mixed about it. cuz before now you could completely miss it (im not even sure if its still in the locker room maze, because you can go through that without ever seeing it) so having it just straight up be shown for a few seconds in an optional area can be weird. i think that maybe if theres a point where you cant NOT see it, it might lend some more strength to this. my first time in the first beta, i saw the shadow thing in the locker room, so it appearing here made it feel like it was chasing me, which i liked. but i think i prefer the subtler appearances, and they dont super mesh well together unless theres something really establishing earlier on. im not really sure, just some food for thought i suppose.
overall i really loves this game, and im always looking forward to any more content this game receives. its very excellent for a lot of reasons and is a very unique and enjoyable experience, for liminal space lovers, and for those who hardly know about the concept. i hope that this games eventual release brings forth a new wave of liminal space based games. i for one am very excited about it.
this went on way longer than i thought it would LMAO i hope this just goes to show how excited i am
Hey Andrew!
Great stuff, honestly. It was pretty much what I would expect from a game about Liminal Spaces. I'll give you a run down of what I liked and what I thought could be improved.
LIKES
The Electrical Panel Puzzle
There was something satisfying about the puzzle and solving it, not sure if it was the animation or the format you laid out for it but it was great. More of those would be a great decision for further gameplay
Graphics and Reflections
I am a sucker for good reflections and did you deliver. The game is well optimised and the style you have gone for really fits the mood for Liminal Spaces. The "eye adjustment" effect was also super nice. Really loved that touch since I don't see a lot of games offer an authentic visual transition like that between differently lit areas.
The Auditory Ambience
Something that is important for a horror game like this is audio and there were some nice touches with the audio. I recently invested in Dolby Atmos so having those auditory nuances in the back was something that caught my eye... or rather, my ear.
FUTURE SUGGESTIONS
Give us some more to fear with the shadow man
Don't get me wrong, that guy in the pool lockers and toilets was my worst enemy but I felt something was missing from him with him being a shadow humanoid. Some visual effects like static/chromatic aberration or an auditory cue when he is close like a constant bassy drone when you get too close would really amp up that chase with him and give you more of a sense of urgency. The future encounters with him could also be posed this way but it depends on what sort of mood you were going with him
Horror ambience
For me, I think some further ambience and tension building in the areas where you want the player to be scared or on edge would be good. Just random sound effects like the ones you have already been doing, just to keep the player on edge. You already know what you are doing with that!
(Potential future idea) - Procedurally Generated Chase Mode
With that chase part in the beta, an idea of an auto-generated chase mode where you are infinitely chased with increasing difficulty through computer-generated liminal spaces. Give the place some puzzles and some indications of how to escape and add a few other tricks in there and you will be set with an infinite runner for that.
Let me SLIDE!
Maybe a crouch option or something but I REALLY wanted to slide down the slide. I would also give the slide you walk back up some slippiness to it or some difficulty walking up it, as walking up a slide without using your hands is a nightmare!
Overall for a part 1 V2 BETA, it's honestly stunning. The fact you have achieved this much solo is really something to be proud of and I am sure as hell excited to see more of this game later on. I wonder whether you left any secrets in that final area but I couldn't find any from my toying around with the area (nice reference to The Backrooms btw!). If you ever consider making a complementary VR-supported experience for this, that would be incredible and also scary as all hell (but that's a future task if you think it's doable). Good work and hyped to see more of this!
Just finished playing through it for V2 and I have to say, I am in love with the concept of liminality, and this helps to encapsulate that feeling.
I found exploring the different environments, both older and the newer additions both relaxing and anxiety inducing as I didn't know what to expect, especially with the Shadow people. I remember experiencing one in the locker room/ bathroom stage and one in the mall portion but with this version, didn't know if any others have been added and it took my daughter to get me to notice a few of the newer ones.
Great atmosphere, and the different stages strewn throughout were wonderful so far and provided a great variety.
In terms of features that I would recommend, especially coming from one who experiences motion sickness easily, I think a FOV slider and the option to have a floating crosshair would assist greatly, as well as the ability to turn down the graininess/ motion blur if possible.
The framerate was decent but it did jump periodically if I moved the mouse too quickly.
Overall, very well done and I look forward to V3 or even the final concept.
THIS GAME IS EQUALLY TERRIFYING AND PLEASING
Thank you Andrew for working hard to make this beautiful nightmare into a reality. I want to give my thoughts/desires/suggestions on my experience playing your game.
Aesthetic
The Liminal Spaces you created are immaculate. I have probably spent 3-4 hours just walking around in both versions of the beta. I've explored every room thoroughly, and spent plenty of time messing with the shadow... I have even tried breaking the boundaries by clipping out of the map, but to no avail. This game is tightly wrapped within its boundaries.
The music is incredible. JORDANN and 4REST nailed the vibes. The genres fit the environments perfectly. I hope there is more of this in the final product. The horror ambience and music blends well, but I hope there is more of a balance of relaxing vapor/slush wave to counter the menacing horror sections.
Each room has it's own feeling and curiosity. around each procedurally generated corner is another empty space to be explored. I hope with time you can add some randomized interactivity within these spaces. It would be interesting if after walking through the generated rooms for a certain amount of time, you come across an empty trashcan that did something wild if you interact with it.
The small touches like the blood on the pool ladder and the glimpses of the shadow got me thinking about the lore of the world. Who's blood is that? That means someone else is here right? What is the shadow? Is it good or bad? I hope to have more questions like this and hopefully some of them answered in the final product.
Suggestions
I love what V2 has to offer, but there are some things I enjoyed more about V1.
For example: Bring the music back to the pink room. In the beginning of V1, I could hear the music of the pink room when I was solving the ladder puzzle. There was a sense of urgency to find out what the sound was and where it was coming from. It sucked me in, queued where to go, and got me excited for more.
I preferred the level progression in V1 more. It made sense to have the locker room toward the beginning. It was more mysterious to not have any idea what to expect until you are stuck in a locker room with it. It made me feel like I was letting the shadow out. the beginning of V2 feels more cluttered. like a collection of levels rather than a progression.
Also, it seems like the aspect ratio is different in V2? I noticed the field of view is smaller and there is a blurry border around the view. I compared versions and preferred V1 so I'm not sure if this was on purpose but imo it made the resolution worse and broke the immersion. I think this game needs to lean heavily on resolution/graphics/lighting so I assume this will be fixed in the final product. I did like the ability to zoom in though. I can really just sit there and count the holes in the ceiling tiles.
Desires
I think the concept of this game has amazing possibilities. I imagine this game could be similar to "the backrooms" in terms of lore and world building. I think this could be an incredible indie title that rivals the best of the horror genre. I hope this game gets more funding and a team to improve sound design and level design.
photo mode - I think it would be interesting to have a photo mode just cause it looks so damn good.
world building - is the labyrinth real? is there an exit? There should be a hub level of sorts so you can revisit your favorite spaces. this would allow for more puzzles that can be re visited when you have the right items.
Lore - I hope there is a plot of some kind that explains who the character is, or who the shadow is, or what the labyrinth is, or why there is blood on the diving board, or what was up with that body, or why there is so many beach balls?
more puzzles - I think each level has unique assets that could make for interesting puzzles. I hope to see more than just one kind of puzzle.
functionality- I hope the abilities are expanded more. I would like the ability to swim under water, crouch, use a flashlight, pick up a beach ball and carry it to the shadow...
Yeah, I can agree with the first rooms feeling a bit more clunky, but it was only really the first area, and even then, a pool room near a spa-like area, close to a lazy river area that leads into a staff only "reservoir", leading into the slide area which starts off from the shower and locker rooms... It does feel pretty natural to me.
I wholeheartedly agree with wanting more abilities, there was that underwater vent, calling for me, and even though I was kinda relieved that I didn't need to go into it, I was still curious about what was on the other side.
Also, what's the deal with the door hidden behind the Lazy River sign?
My fave level was the unfinished backrooms-esque one. Something about it was just kinda cool about running around endlessly and seeing how incredibly screwed up the rooms started becoming. Somehow it didn't feel that threatening either, so that was also good for me.
I do hope that the end product is over an hour long. Since I got through my first playthrough of the second beta in about a half hour. But exploration of endless procedural generated versions of the levels would be fun after the main chapter. And I know Solo dev life isn't easy, I just really love the thought of having more places to explore.
Thoughts/Some things that'd be cool to add:
-Varied footstep sounds
-Random/arbitrary furniture having a small chance of appearing in places like the backrooms areas. Like singular chairs in the corner or something.
-Also support the idea of non-horror/no shadow people mode being available from the start, as opposed to it being unlocked or something.
-The music I heard I liked, but I only heard two songs and the rest was varying levels of threatening vacuum cleaners. I also miss having that surreal chill track in the pink pool area after the huge one you fall into from the first beta. I know it got moved into the Lazy River zone, but I thought i'd mention it.
Edit: Oh yea the jump is also really ridiculous, I can literally hit my head on the backrooms' ceiling without any help. Since big jumps seem important to the game, making it feel more weighty/not quite as accelerated might help.
And not sure if its an issue for anyone else but noticing the circuit box in the weird little hottub pool area wasn't super easy for me.
One other thing, I streamed this game for my friends on discord fine but it started making one motion sick by the end. It didn't bother me personally but I'll add that since someone else mentioned it making them motion sick somewhere in these comments too,
This game is looking extremely good, it's hard to find quality liminal games and this one is at the top with Superliminal, The Stanley Parable and Beginner's Guide. My favorite parts are definitely the reservoir areas and the pink pools area.
Here are some things I'd like to suggest:
- there seems to be a heavy noise filter applied to the game mainly in the lower lit areas, I'm not saying to remove it entirely but sometimes it does seem a little over the top and makes things hard to see, I'd suggest making it a little weaker
- while I love the idea of using the industrial panels to control the doors, the execution is in my opinion kinda meh and it feels like playing among us also it doesn't really fit in with the atmosphere. I'd suggest modeling them like real industrial control panels, switches, indicator lights, emergency stop switches etc. Then there could be like "door override" rotary switches, which would open the doors, maybe some additional water feature controls just for fun and for people to explore. If you need inspiration just look these industrial control panels up on google images, I'm sure you will find a ton, but they can be easily spotted in real life also. To implement the puzzle element you could maybe have the player search for a key to open the panel, this would keep it realistic. Having the panels made like this would beautifully compliment the whole atmosphere of that level.
It's a very intriguing game with a lot of mysterious things. So many details stood out all the way from the beginning. Like the fact that the way he got there was by falling through a hole that was set up like some kind of trap. Was the whole place built to be some kind of trap? and if not, how were regular visitors meant to enter and why was it built underground, several stories deep judging by how long he fell? There was an opening in the ceiling of the first room specifically for people to fall into this seemingly endless pool, so this place couldn't have been built as a regular pool/spa. At least one of the rooms had balconies, like people were meant to watch whatever would be going on down there
Unless it was meant to be a dream or hallucination; every area seemed familiar yet unsettlingly off in the way dreams often are. And as someone else mentioned, everything was so well-maintained and yet there were no signs of people. The county didn't even know about its existence or authorize any construction, yet there was this monumental underground complex. As the protagonist mentioned, it seemed like it was made to be occupied by a lot of people. But there was nothing about the layout of the pools that would make any sense as a functional waterpark or spa. Or in the layout of the mall
I actually hope none of these things are answered directly, and can instead be theorized about. It would be fun if there are some more hints and mysteries about the lore later in the game
Ok, so... I've been seeing others' sugestions, and yeah, while a slightly better jump and maybe being able to run would be nice, I honestly couldn't believe we couldn't slide on the, er, slides. My disappointment was immeasurable and my day was ruined (jk).
Now, let's see... Really like the premise, the fact we're just a dude stumbling in there due to our job, how the empty lots already look like those liminal images of hills and way-too-neatly-put-together houses, but without the houses (imagine if that's the ending, leaving the underground into a city that looks just like that, huh), the looks of the locations, how the fact so many of these rooms would serve no real purpose or just be completely out of place or built in a completely anomalous way in our regular reality... The fact you went out of your way to mention the water was warm was a nice touch.
The control panels were a neat little distraction, I do like how they look quite a bit, hopefully they get more complicated as you advance through the game... Those puzzles that did not include the control panels, but rather usage of the environment, either by interacting with it or through platforming, were great! I really would like that to be a constant throughout the remainder of the game, especially the former!
Lazy River was the first part that really got me, by that point I was already immersed into the whole ordeal... Took me quite a bit to find that big kiddie park, I was going cuckoo when walking down the path, in a good way!
The Reservoir and the Slides were the second parts with the most tension for me. Seeing how the floors interconnect, the seemingly meaningless rooms, the unnecessarily deep pool right below a hole on the ceiling, the rectangular vent under the water (which I was dreading having to get into, not gonna lie), the reservoirs themselves looking like regular indoors pools but with sunken walkways, divided by actual spa pools ...it makes the whole place almost make some sense, and yet it doesn't in the slightest! But then there's the signs advising not to dive, the jacuzzi, the look of the slides themselves... These look perfectly normal on their own, just absolutely out of place, and I love it!
The Locker Room was the most memorable bit to me. The eeriness of the surrounding darkness set the mood, the interactivity with all the faucets, lockers and showers, the dread of many rooms being similar, almost impossible to regularly navigate, the message on the mirror, the panic I started feeling as things started making noises behind me, it felt real! I was feeling a bit panicked, scrambling my way out of these now claustrophobic rooms and hallways of lockers and darkness! I didn't know what was chasing me, and I didn't want to! Genius idea to have Exit signs guide us, such a simple impulse done very well!
Amd as it turns out, it wasn't just a Spa! It was a complex of, possibly, many commodities, a mall even! Don't know what's an "In and Outlet", but I can't wait to see how they'll look like.
One last question... Will we ever get an explanation as to why this place exists, or how, or if it even does exist at all? Or will Anemoiapolis remain as one of those unexplainable mysteries of our reality?
I just finished playing v2 and I loved it!
First off, the things I liked:
Now some of the things I wasn't the biggest fan of/ some bug stuff
Overall, I am extremely excited to see where this project goes. If there were any suggestions I could give my main ones would be: More interactable things in the environment, more fleshed out voice acting, tuning up the jump and physics of items, but yeah just keep doing what you're doing dude because you seem like you're on the right path. You have a super solid base.
p.s I know nothing ab game development so some of the stuff I pointed out and suggested may not be the best advice.
I really loved the Beta! I was listening to one of those "music in an empty mall" playlists on my second playthrough and it worked perfectly haha. the visuals really played with my nostalgia in a way I loved and the puzzles made me feel like I was an active part of the narrative. I will say I got really turned around during the Lazy River and Locker Room sections, but that might have been your intention haha. Overall though it's at least a 9/10 for me, I'd love to see some hotel and office inspired levels in the full game, which I can hardly wait for!
Incredible game i love everything about this and you captured that destinct feeling that makes everything just more eerie, i very much enjoy the talking and thinking Mechanic it just adds more to the experience but i have to say that the jumping mechanic looks to video gamey and is too fast it really brings u out of the atmosphere.
This comment is probably overreaching as I'm sure you have the main elements of the game locked down, but I'd say the entire mechanic of being chased by the shadow person(s?) is unnecessary. The general atmosphere and area design is nearly perfect, and it would be fascinating to see how you could build suspenseful situations and challenges based only on the environment (visual and audio) rather than resorting to the pursuit mechanic, which has been done to death and doesn't really add anything to the experience. I'll leave it at this but would be happy to throw out some specific ideas if you're interested. All that being said, it's looking and feeling great and I'm psyched to play the final game when it's out! Thanks for reading :)
This is an EXTREMELY unique game, I fully expect it to do very well and even perhaps garner a cult following if it's fully done right. It's the best representation of liminal spaces in a 3D world I've ever seen, although the original Source engine kind of does it by proxy.
I think treating the "shadow people" as something hunting you down isn't the best route to go with this game, as many of us probably just want to "chill" and explore in the spaces you've created. Perhaps one section could have a chase (the locker room area was kind of appropriate for that) but you should focus on the "uneasiness" aspect of liminal spaces and create a sense of dread that slowly builds up towards a chase section. I think it'd be a tragedy if I was forced run through a lot of these cool areas. However, if you did want to go down the "monster chasing you" path, you should offer another "peaceful" mode that lets us explore the maps. I'm actually hoping you add a level selection.
I hope you can expand on the "dead mall" area and allow us to explore more of that section.
Godspeed, and if you want help with additional soundtrack suggestions, feel free to reach out to me on Itch.
Finally the official Liminal space game :D
This is awesome, I love this aesthetic and ambiance so much that I would just walk around even if nothing happens.
Saw that you planned to do a peaceful mode, that's great.
About that entity, you shouldn't "warn" people.
"You are not the only thing roaming these halls. If you see something in the corner of your eye, it's not just your imagination."
The first appearance was so quick that I actually though it was my imagination. If you didn't warn me, the effect would've been tenfold. Although, the next appearance are longer and there is no room for doubt anymore, it would be more efficient if it always like the first time so we still not sure of what we saw until the final encounter in the lockers. But you decide how you want people to feel ^^"
BTW having a peaceful mode would be a spoiler about the entity but never mind.
Looking for what's coming next !
You've definitely got something special here. The environments are really well done, especially the pool. I think the mall might need a little bit more love though. It just seemed a little underwhelming compared to the wonderful opening segment of the area with the gumballs as well as undercooked compared to the pool.
As for gameplay I'd say I really quite disliked the prompts to press q. They tell you things that you should be able to intuit as long as you have room temperature IQ. It kind of ruins the cool experience to have the game tell you you should feel uncomfortable. Don't say we're uncomfortable, MAKE us uncomfortable. In my opinion they could be gutted and the game would be better off for it. Just to note, the game is good at making me uncomfortable, it's just the text takes me out of it.
The puzzles were pretty meh and very infrequent. It makes me why they were included at all. Definitely don't have them just to tick off a check on the "puzzle game" box. More difficult puzzles and more variety would be welcome.
Whatever that shadow thing is, probably make that more of a threat. It doesn't really do anything. Maybe a chase or two could fit in. Then again I don't really know if it was meant to be a villain per se. Depending on how the story goes perhaps it being a threat isn't necessary. The bathroom segment had me panicking without even having it chase me, so there's something there. Definitely spooked me, although the static model did seem a bit silly.
Audio was mostly great. The voice acting in the beginning sounds like a natural and organic conversation. The flowing water and the hums of electricity become unnerving the farther you get into the pool segment. The music in the mall is such a great fit, catchy. My one problem with the audio was the footsteps. Very annoying, especially in the quieter areas. Squelch squelch squelch. Footsteps aren't that loud is all. The fact that the footsteps are the same for every material stands out too.
All of my critiques could be taken less seriously seeing as this is an early beta, I'm sure it'll be more polished later, I just don't know what will be polished and what won't. Overall I'm very excited to see where this goes, and I think playing your game was a nice way to spend an hour.
This game offered really great atmosphere, like a series of dreams. I enjoyed just spending time slowly exploring. I have to imagine the protagonist died falling down the hole and ended up in some kind of hell where he is left in peace everywhere except the toilet because he must have complained about his wife spending too long in the bathroom one too many times.
I have an AMD Radeon Vega 8.0 graphics card on an HP laptop (8 GB RAM), 60 Hz refresh. I had to take my resolution down to 1600x900 to be able to jump from the diving board to the ledge/balcony. I noticed even when I was not moving, there would be shaky cam and the sound of footsteps, even in the intro above ground. Underground I thought it might be a ghost but I only noticed it when out of the water.
I didn't really notice the shadow figures at first except in the locker rooms and the one sighting in the mall. When I went through again, I saw a couple in the staff only/reservoir/slide areas but they blink out really quick, so it might just be my laptop's poor specs at work.
Anyhow, the shadows and the puzzles were just gravy. The meat of this game is in the environments and atmosphere. I'm looking forward to the rest. Thank you.
Oh... by the way... after playing for hours I think I know what’s the story behind: you play a soul in Purgatory. This would explain everything: why the phone call at the beginning is in black like if it was a memory from the past; why you don’t die nor suffer any physical harm; why the space is nonlinear in the lazy river and in the locker room; why the “shadow” can open and close doors in the locker room and why you can do the same (both of you are souls in Purgatory); why you feel loneliness and anemoia... suddenly, everything in the game is crystal clear if you are a soul in Purgatory...