The Tower by Chaoseed

[raw]
made by Chaoseed for LD31 (JAM)
Maze, adventure...interactive prose poem? Explore The Tower and decide for yourself!

INSTRUCTIONS: Anything light blue is a link. Click the links! That's how you interact.

ALSO: It may not be 100% clear when you finish the game...but it SHOULD be. Because of the nature of the game, I didn't want to stick in a big "YOU WIN" sign. So...just watch out.

I tested it in Firefox on a 1600x900 display, it might be a little too large on other displays. If I had more time I would polish the numbers. Oh well.

It's an odd little thing, not very long or extensive, but if I make someone say "Hm, I never thought of anything like THAT before!" then I've done my job!

And finally, since it's Javascript with a little CSS, the source code is immediately available! (It's really simple, though.)

Ratings

Coolness 100% 1
Overall(Jam) 3.09 606
Fun(Jam) 2.55 854
Graphics(Jam) 2.16 923
Innovation(Jam) 3.50 237
Mood(Jam) 3.32 303
Theme(Jam) 3.81 264

Feedback

pjimmy
08. Dec 2014 · 22:03 UTC
I'm not a big fan of text games, but this one is a nice exploration experience
Geckoo1337
08. Dec 2014 · 23:10 UTC
Interesting text game adventure. I like hiw you display the text during game. Neat ++
Hammers
08. Dec 2014 · 23:17 UTC
I like you interpretation of the theme. Nice that you managed to make a text game that spreads out over my screen and really feels like I'm exploring a space
Donutttt
08. Dec 2014 · 23:19 UTC
This was cool, interesting, unique, and fun. Nice style as well. Good work!
cardanai
08. Dec 2014 · 23:21 UTC
It certainly fit the theme, and moodwise it was pretty neat but as far as I can tell there is no need to rate the graphics.
Ossi
09. Dec 2014 · 00:00 UTC
Cool idea using the entire browser window to fit the text and story progression. Very nice!
GSM Productions
09. Dec 2014 · 11:51 UTC
A nice game. A shame it's easy to only read the possibilities without actually reading the poem, just to deblock the different possibilities. I like it to look like an actual map with different levels. However, even if the visual is nice I find it a bit simple.
hectorhon
09. Dec 2014 · 11:57 UTC
The game feels... incomplete? Also it was confusing when the subsequent rows appeared (am playing in Firefox), perhaps a grid would be nice. (But that might break the style and mood...)

Good mechanics, nevertheless. I see why you felt the need to mention 1600x900 ;)
folmerkelly
09. Dec 2014 · 12:41 UTC
I can appreciate a text game that tries to do something different. I actually DO think this one can be rated on graphics, the graphic design aspect makes a real difference in how this game is perceived. I dig it.
HUMANICS
09. Dec 2014 · 12:41 UTC
Nice text adventure!
danidre14
09. Dec 2014 · 12:44 UTC
WOW! This game is really interesting and unique! My game somewhat has the same idea with the one screen thing, and I liked that you've done it that way. I could not get a grip of the storyline, but in the end it made some sense, and I won with only getting 22 texts opened!
aslakhol
09. Dec 2014 · 12:47 UTC
An interesting experience, I liked the feel of it.
Wir
09. Dec 2014 · 12:51 UTC
i have never played text adventures bevore so i cant judge properly but i found it really interesting (even though i was a bit disappointed after not beeing able to open the gates with the key from the library XD)

hope you could check out our game and leave us a comment
pcmaster
09. Dec 2014 · 20:49 UTC
Finally a text game!
MurmuringDepths
09. Dec 2014 · 21:45 UTC
Definitely better than I thought a text game would be, great sense of exploration and discovery as you move through the world.
Might have benefited from some extra visual elements in the text to highlight key points, especially when the text changes after you visit a destination.

Very fun indeed!
Wir
11. Dec 2014 · 08:37 UTC
to your comment for our game:
the multiplayer only works within a network ;/
but you can play it with others via sharing the mouse (hamachi for example supports that)

it was planned that to make a way will be hard (depends on your luck, would there be a way from the beginning the game would end to fast )

if you dont see clearly what islands are connected you can turn of the movable ice shells, then all islands fit perfectly ^^

but thx for the long comment, it helps us much more to hear your honest opinion than just some numbers :D
rottenmage
11. Dec 2014 · 10:21 UTC
Very cool! I like the way the progression is laid out on the screen! Hm, I never thought of anything like THAT before!
Mase
11. Dec 2014 · 22:07 UTC
A exploration-based text game in which I do not immediately become lost? Blasphemy!
intersectiongames
12. Dec 2014 · 04:21 UTC
Reminds me a little of A Dark Room, somehow. Maybe it's just the feel of it. Really liked the layout of it.
It's not Twine, is it?
🎤 Chaoseed
12. Dec 2014 · 10:22 UTC
intersectiongames - Thanks! I did play through A Dark Room a while back...I don't think I had it in mind, but maybe there was a subconscious influence there. Anyway, I consider that a compliment. ;)

And no, it's not Twine, it's Javascript from scratch. (Just 'View Source'!)
Kim Sjöberg
12. Dec 2014 · 14:25 UTC
Good take on the theme with how you present the text. But Im just not that into text games :/
TheMeorch
12. Dec 2014 · 20:54 UTC
This is really interesting -- interactive poetry, not just through its words but its visual structure. Really creative stuff, thank you for sharing it!
Creative Sectors
13. Dec 2014 · 13:15 UTC
Nice, quite nice!

Kardfogú of Creative Sectors, out.
MrBadIvan
13. Dec 2014 · 20:09 UTC
I find it is very creative and interesting how you connected text blocks with tower parts - it really creates the atmosphere, vision of exploration.
01rafael
14. Dec 2014 · 20:02 UTC
Oh Gosh! I dont like read too much. But colors are great!
lase
15. Dec 2014 · 03:39 UTC
This is pretty cool. It has an eerie vibe.
Dissiden7
17. Dec 2014 · 00:21 UTC
Loved the exploration component, it works so well.
It's like you're creating a map of the city which in itself becomes the poem. Such a great concept.

Kudos.
schizokoa
19. Dec 2014 · 07:57 UTC
Totally unexpected. I liked it a lot :D
The Evil Cult
19. Dec 2014 · 08:49 UTC
Great twist on a text based game, going into it I thought it would be the standard text game but was pleasantly surprised that you had used the theme so well. I felt a bit clumsy just randomly exploring everywhere without much purpose but I really enjoyed the visual element showing me where I was on the screen.
Roan Contreras
20. Dec 2014 · 13:46 UTC
This text game is something else from the other ones I've played. Minimal and great to see the story lines compiled in just one page :D
Finlal
20. Dec 2014 · 13:50 UTC
Nice game, dude
alyphen
20. Dec 2014 · 16:56 UTC
Clever theme interpretation. The text didn't really do anything to make me want to read it, there wasn't really any sort of storyline. You just walk through a castle and... stand in a good position? (even though I forced myself to), and it was lacking sounds of any sort. Progression was interesting, but the writing wasn't really good enough to keep my attention.
Johnro
24. Dec 2014 · 21:56 UTC
Great job! Is the end when you get to the message "You are here"?
ETHproductions
24. Dec 2014 · 22:00 UTC
Clever interpretation of the theme! I've never played a story before... ;)
Xanjos
25. Dec 2014 · 16:07 UTC
I really like how each block of text is like a place on a game board to give that sense of exploration and adventure.
🎤 Chaoseed
26. Dec 2014 · 02:09 UTC
Thanks for all the comments, guys!

Johnro: The end is when there are no more blue links. (Technically, "You are here" is always there, to show where you are in the world/story. But once you read the end, "You are here" becomes the last line in the prose poem. That's the idea, anyway...)
SK16 Games
28. Dec 2014 · 14:59 UTC
Interesting way of exploring a poem :P Hm, I never thought of anything like THAT before!
oh_andrej
29. Dec 2014 · 00:08 UTC
You've done your job!
Really interesting, slightly surreal, managed to create atmosphere by being rather minimalistic in its descriptions (as well as everything else.) The way the text is displayed is the icing on the cake. Great experience!
SimianLogic
29. Dec 2014 · 16:10 UTC
The thing that usually "breaks" text games for me is the lack of any feeling of space as you explore. I really liked that this game has some of that feeling of spatial exploration on screen and not just in my head.