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[increpare]

I made a small game over the weekend with the mini ld theme (tragedy/comedy) in sight

flash here

If it's in flash I don't need to post a proper screenshot, right?

[Eraser]

Well you held my interest until season 5. Interesting game concept, although you're forced to do what should happen (Ex: In the oedipus rex story, you follow it exactly, unable to put the people in other places) Oh well.

[increpare]

Well you held my interest until season 5. Interesting game concept, although you're forced to do what should happen (Ex: In the oedipus rex story, you follow it exactly, unable to put the people in other places) Oh well.

MOst of them have various dead ends/solutions, but they're rather hard, so.

[Noyb]

I like this. Works well both as a puzzle game and a deconstruction of elements of tragic theater. The Flash format works really well for making some of your shorter experiments more accessible.

Played up til season 8 in the first sitting, and just finished the rest now.  A few levels, especially level six, introduced a bit too many new concepts at once, but it was satisfying to unravel the tangled webs of relationships and actions to bring everything to a terrible conclusion. That is, satisfying in terms of gameplay, and a bit nauseating in terms of meticulously plotting Iago-like to inflict woe upon these characters.

I like the idea of actors of ambiguous gender, but the third person plural reads a bit clunky.

Minor UI complaint: you can only click and drag people to slots if they're already selected. I would have liked to be able to click and drag with only one mouse click. Also, repeating the slow fade of the title if you mess up and restart is mildly irritating.

[increpare]

There's no drag and drop; it's all click and click   (I wanted drag and drop originally, but...it wasn't possible).  That what you said you can do works is probably a non-standard behaviour on the part of flixel buttons.

I'm surprised that you finished it; I had thought that nobody would bother. Cool.

I like the idea of actors of ambiguous gender, but the third person plural reads a bit clunky.

Acknowledged.

[bigbossSNK]

I understand you had time constraints. Were those to be lifted, a more dramatic approach to storytelling would be something like this:
Instead of listings a dry list of requirements like "A B enemies, C powerful, A has object, B no object" use script directions like "a feud between the rich, powerful merchant and the peasant"
Reducing the game's design to the bare bones of the programming routines detracts from the end result.

EDIT: realized any character can marry another, rendering my initial argument invalid.

[increpare]

Randomizing the position of males- females bears no benefit to the gameplay, it only adds frustration for replays.

The positions aren't randomized: the names and pictures are, but not the attributes of the people in those positions. One might find this frustrating, I acknowledge, but I like it.

Moreover, names and portraits should be gender specific. As is, Gertuette and Liscituda can appear as male names, a harmful ambiguity when deciding who can marry whom.

Gender has no role in the game mechanics at all.  People of any apparent gender can marry any people of any other apparent gender.  If you don't wish to preside over such ceremonies, that's your prerogative, but it's not a problem I'm going to take responsibility for.

Instead of listings a dry list of requirements like "A B enemies, C powerful, A has object, B no object" use script directions like "a feud between the rich, powerful merchant and the peasant"

This is much harder to interpret, though.  There are somewhat more descriptive descriptions given in the texts at the end of the level.  If I gave myself more screen space I might have included extra flavour-text along these lines, but it was really a peripheral concern.

[Draknek]

There are somewhat more descriptive descriptions given in the texts at the end of the level.  If I gave myself more screen space I might have included extra flavour-text along these lines, but it was really a peripheral concern.

I think something like this might have helped me retain interest (I got to level 6). It would act more as a reward for completing the level, rather than just restating what you did.

The gameplay itself is rather bare (although maybe later levels have more interesting puzzles). I think if the input/output mechanics weren't explicitly stated, it might be more engaging because you'd have to learn the consequences of an action by trying it out.

[bigbossSNK]

If you don't wish to preside over such ceremonies, that's your prerogative, but it's not a problem I'm going to take responsibility for.

Obviously not. Your crusade for pixelated marriage must have left you exhausted.

[kinnas]

I loved the game, in fact I wish it were longer. I remember I got stuck on the sixth season but I kept on trying again every now and then and finally made it (and I think I found a false way to do it cause the description afterwards didn't make much sense).
Anyways, brilliant puzzle mechanics. I kinda wish it was a full blown game with at least 6 hours worth of riveting theatrics.

[Curseman]

This is a unique idea.  I like it.

Some of the events can be confusing for who needs to end up where, but I don't see a better solution than what you have.

From the first few parts, it looks like it's going to be one of those "play with cause and effect" games like Gregory Weir (Majesty of Colors, How to Raise a Dragon) and Daniel Benmergui (Storyteller, I wish I were the Moon) like to make, but really it's more of a puzzle game.

[PsySal]

I like it. I can't get past the vampire boss, though. Is he supposed to marry Emily Dickinson first, or Oprah?

[TheDustin]

I really dug this too, it has you metagaming archetypal storylines to solve the puzzles. As the player you're like the director, calling all of the shots. Mr. Lavelle, please keep making games that explore/mess with the player-protagonist relationship.