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[SFBTom]

Hey all,

So clearly this is a little late to the game, seeing as how it's a Halloween game from last year, but I've only just moved from lurking to actually signing up, so I hope you'll forgive me this one time!

We released the game as planned just before Halloween, and got a pretty nice reaction in the reviews. However, it was our first game in over a year, so I can't help feeling that we might have gotten a little rusty after all that time (if indeed we were shiny to begin with...)

What I'd love from you guys is a bit of critical feedback. What bugged you? Did anything get in the way of your fun? Does the visual style appeal, and is it suitable? Any comments you could throw my way would be great!

Also, the one bug that was reported was to do with the spacebar simply not working for some people, which is completely bizarre and utterly un-reproducible from my end. If any of you encounter that problem, I'd be very eager to hear about it!

Pic is linked

Cheers,
Tom-

[nahkranoth]

great concept! Like the interaction of the objects and the music.
The thing i don't like is that it's hard to determen if you are actually playing it right.
Later on i found out that it's about when you do what kind of scaring tactic, but that was after a long time, till then i didn't really new if i was succesfully playing the game.

[ink.inc]

Love the aesthetic. Very cute.

[SFBTom]

Love the aesthetic. Very cute.

Thanks John!

The thing i don't like is that it's hard to determen if you are actually playing it right.
Later on i found out that it's about when you do what kind of scaring tactic, but that was after a long time, till then i didn't really new if i was succesfully playing the game.

How long were you unsure for? And what were you doing before you figured it out? I've had a few comments about initial confusion as to what to do, so perhaps the game doesn't make it clear enough... What helped you work it out in the end?

[nahkranoth]

I figured out that the reactions changed when i started to use different spooky actions.
Although it's not bad to learn to play a game, i have the feeling it's not clear what the goal is and if you are succeeding. Maybe it takes to long to see effect. Maybe the HUD isn't clear in what is the goal to win.

I'm not sure here, but i want to help. The second time i played it, it feld like i knew what i was doing but the first time it's allready important to feel how you should play it.

Maybe a good sollution could be to see the goal of the game in the tutorial. To add a character in the tutorial level that you have to scare and see the way to win the game.

[SFBTom]

Maybe a good sollution could be to see the goal of the game in the tutorial. To add a character in the tutorial level that you have to scare and see the way to win the game.

This is a pretty good point. The one game mechanic not shown in the tutorial is how the characters react to you scaring them, it's only explained in text. And no-one RTFM.

Mental note for next time: Make sure to include the most important part of the game mechanic in the tutorial!

[Falmil]

When I played it, it seemed a little difficult to actually steer the guests to the door. Alot of the time, it seemed like they just ran to different areas of the house until I had scared them nearly to death about 3 times(and a few to death).