{"author_link":"\/users\/ildfuglen","author_name":"ildfuglen","author_uid":1005198,"comments":[{"id":1159285,"author_name":"GreenApplePie","author_uid":"greenapplepie","epoch":1759498373,"text":"Can't wait!\n","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1168962,"author_name":"Wanabi","author_uid":"wanabi","epoch":1759868310,"text":"The idea is really cool.\n","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1168991,"author_name":"Ultraviolet","author_uid":"ultraviolet","epoch":1759868509,"text":"The game won't launch on the Ludum website :( but everything works fine on itch.io. Cool sound design and interesting graphics.","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1168999,"author_name":"LDJam user 314423","author_uid":"314423","epoch":1759868598,"text":"The game looks really good, especially the CRT aesthetic, but I don't understand the game mechanics and the readme is a bit unfulfilling in this regard. The icons in the readme also don't line up with the ones in-game which is doubly confusing.\n\nThe sound effects are really on-theme.\n\nOverall I'm just thinking that it would have benefited from a bit more hand-holding\/tutorial and maybe some tooltips on the controls (like the Juice slider).","format":"md","likes":3,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169003,"author_name":"LDJam user 379094","author_uid":"379094","epoch":1759868610,"text":"Graphics and sounds are great. The game was kind of confusing at first but does bring that balatro feel when you get into it.","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169092,"author_name":"Yatsu","author_uid":"yatsu","epoch":1759869321,"text":"excellent sound design","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169099,"author_name":"nuzcraft","author_uid":"nuzcraft","epoch":1759869376,"text":"This is really cool. I think it's just missing some information feedback on what combos and mults do - seeing the number tick up would be really satisfying. Sounds are great, juice is great.","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169127,"author_name":"Awanami","author_uid":"awanami","epoch":1759869560,"text":"it looks cool","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169169,"author_name":"Justine D","author_uid":"justine-d","epoch":1759869918,"text":"The game seems very interesting, but I spent a good 30min trying it and not understanding much of what I was doing. It lacks explanation on what is a good combo, what gives more money. Your description mentions \"combos like a Pair of corporate secrets or a Full Leak of political corruption\", but no explanation on how to do that. I suggest updating your description with more concrete explanation on the gameplay. Your current description while very narrated provides very little in game context, and the game doesn't have a tutorial.\n\nThe graphics are very good, and the mood works well. I got a bit annoyed at the sound effects after a while, but it was fun at first.\n\nIf you update the description, don't hesitate to ping me, I'd love to give it another shot.","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1169444,"author_name":"PoshDan","author_uid":"poshdan","epoch":1759872846,"text":"I appreciate the CRT effect, though it did make some of the text a bit harder to read. A higher internal resolution or less intense effect would help perhaps.\nLike others, I struggled to grasp what I was really doing. The terminal aesthetic is pretty cool\n","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1185114,"author_name":"antax02","author_uid":"antax02","epoch":1760646898,"text":"Fantastic sound effects!","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1185568,"author_name":"rhewid","author_uid":"rhewid","epoch":1760739185,"text":"On the graphics side of things its very pleasing but I didn't quite get the game in itself. Also when hitting 100% trace, it didn't end my game.","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1185653,"author_name":"heytherewill","author_uid":"heytherewill","epoch":1760765138,"text":"Really good aesthetics. Quite self-explanatory corporate ladder, which carried a lot of weight into understanding the combo. I must agree with others when they say that the game didn't quite explain itself; less content and more explicit feedback about what each action is doing would've made a better Jam game (although, as it stands, I do see this evolving into a bigger, more polished game!)","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1185881,"author_name":"n.feofentov","author_uid":"n-feofentov","epoch":1760802555,"text":"Fun setting and lovely art style. Also admired funny sounds! The idea is very interesting, I wish I had more time to explore it more. Great entry!","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1186068,"author_name":"Threeli","author_uid":"threeli","epoch":1760826065,"text":"Right off the bat I love this, speaks to some design choices which (as @heytherewill said) might actually be better suited to a larger, more feature rich version. It took a bit of messing around before I really ascertained what I was doing, and even then only had a tenuous comprehension. Visually it's excellent styling, if a little cluttered for my tastes.  Any plans to keep working on this? I for one would love to hear if so, great effort!\n\n[I had hoped my rating would put you over the 20, but it seems like someone failed to rate in all the categories so you might need one more -> @littlegamer, if you have a second maybe try to figure this one out?]","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1186080,"author_name":"gamebuilder","author_uid":"gamebuilder","epoch":1760828687,"text":"You've done a fantastic job with the terminal simulation. The sound effects are also well done. I didn't really understand the game mechanics \u2014 that is more of a comment about me than the game \u2014 but I had fun trying different combos. In any case this is, sadly, a realistic commentary on corruption in the Anglosphere, the devil's playground. ","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1186108,"author_name":"Miku","author_uid":"miku","epoch":1760837762,"text":"Those sound effects are absolutely amazing and I love how this game was styled! Definitely use these powers for good, not evil :P ","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1186310,"author_name":"LittleGamer","author_uid":"littlegamer","epoch":1760885360,"text":"This is well executed in terms of graphics and sounds, there is a nice UI and the presentation is cool, but I don't understand how the game works after two tries :\/  ","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1188515,"author_name":"zactyl","author_uid":"zactyl","epoch":1761279240,"text":"Thanks for uploading! A really coolly styled game, and the sound and visual effects really helped it pop and feel fun to play. Unfortunately, I don't really know if I was playing it correctly. It seemed like I was advancing, but I can't really tell if my impromptu strategy was actually working out, or if I was just managing to stumble through the thresholds. I could definitely see this being something super easy to get sucked into once I actually understood what I was doing, though. Since we're dealing with tech and people, it could also be fun to get more of a blurb of how some of this stuff we're getting blackmail went down too, if that's something you would be interested in exploring.","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"}],"format":"md","images":["ld58\/wayback-placeholder.png"],"links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ildfuglen.itch.io\/blackmailexe","text":"Link"}],"metadata":{"g_key":"89147","g_author":"1005198","g_event":"LD58","g_eventkey":"112","g_subevent":"JAM","g_urlkey":"427021","g_title":"Blackmail.exe","g_status":"WAYBACK","g_place":"318","g_commentcount":"19","g_site2_node_id":"417251","g_hide":"N","g_has_icon":"Y","g_rqueue":"0","g_random":"0"},"nds":{"n_key":"417251","n_urlkey":"427021","n_parent":"415614","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/58\/blackmail-exe","n_slug":"blackmail-exe","n_type":"item","n_subtype":"game","n_subsubtype":"jam","n_author":"5198","n_created":"1759166577","n_modified":"1778535299","n_version":"1331391","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD58","removed_author":false},"_superparent":9,"_trust":5,"author":5198,"body":"# \ud83d\udd75\ufe0f\u200d\u2642\ufe0f **Blackmail.exe**\n\n> *In a city that never sleeps and always watches, you're the ghost in the machine.*\n\nWelcome to **Blackmail.exe**, a **roguelike puzzle game** where you eavesdrop on a surveillance-soaked world, package secrets into profitable scandals, and sell them to the highest bidder\u2014before the system finds you.  \n\nYour terminal is your weapon.  \nYou are a **freelance hacker-for-hire**, and business is booming.\n\n---\n\n## \ud83c\udfae Gameplay Loop\n\n### \ud83d\udef0\ufe0f **SNOOP**\nIntercept a stream of chat logs, phone calls, and data files.  \nEach piece of gossip is a **card** with a **suit**  \n(\ud83d\udc98 *Romance*, \ud83d\udcbc *Finance*, \ud83e\udde0 *Politics*, etc.)  \nand a **type** (*Common*, *Bombshell*, *Deepfake*).\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\uddc2\ufe0f **COLLECT**\nCombine related clues into powerful **blackmail dossiers**.  \nCreate combos like a *Pair of corporate secrets* or a *Full Leak of political corruption* \u2014  \ninspired by combo-building games like *Balatro*.\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udcb0 **CASH OUT**\nSell your dossiers to meet your **round\u2019s cash quota**.  \nThe bigger the scandal, the higher the payout.\n\n---\n\n### \u26a0\ufe0f **EVADE**\nEvery action raises your **trace level**.  \nPowerful evidence and bigger combos attract the authorities faster.  \nIf your trace hits **100%**, the run is over.  \n\nDo you **cash out now** and lie low \u2014 or **risk it all** for one more big score?\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udd2e **UPGRADE**\nBetween runs, use your earnings to buy **Charms** \u2014 persistent upgrades that modify your next hack.  \nExamples:  \n- \ud83d\udd76\ufe0f *VPN Mask* \u2013 Clears a portion of your trace.  \n- \ud83d\udc98 *Love Magnet* \u2013 Increases chance of romantic scandals.  \n\n---\n\n## \ud83d\udcbb Tone & Style\n\nWith a **neon-noir terminal UI**, the hiss of **modem whines**, and the frantic **click of your keyboard**, the mood is *cynical, satirical, and tense*.  \n\nYou\u2019re **not a hero** \u2014 you\u2019re just profiting from everyone\u2019s dirty laundry.  \n\n---\n\n> Can you survive in the data stream,  \n> or will you become just another ghost in the system?\n","comments":19,"comments-timestamp":"2025-10-24T04:14:00Z","created":"2025-09-29T17:22:57Z","files":[{"author":5198,"id":44829,"name":"$$embed-44829.zip","node":417251,"size":12582828,"status":64,"tag":0,"timestamp":"2025-10-06T22:22:15Z"},{"author":5198,"id":44835,"name":"$$embed-44835.zip","node":417251,"size":12582828,"status":73,"tag":0,"timestamp":"2025-10-06T22:22:58Z"},{"author":5198,"id":44848,"name":"$$embed-44848.zip","node":417251,"size":12582124,"status":73,"tag":0,"timestamp":"2025-10-06T22:24:38Z"}],"files-timestamp":"2025-10-06T22:24:38Z","grade":{"grade-01":29,"grade-02":29,"grade-03":29,"grade-04":29,"grade-05":29,"grade-06":29,"grade-07":27,"grade-08":28},"id":417251,"love":0,"magic":{"cool":115.73100344493,"feedback":11,"given":37,"grade":28.625,"grade-01-average":3.611,"grade-01-result":318,"grade-02-average":3.056,"grade-02-result":565,"grade-03-average":3.63,"grade-03-result":175,"grade-04-average":3.315,"grade-04-result":588,"grade-05-average":4.167,"grade-05-result":172,"grade-06-average":3.667,"grade-06-result":183,"grade-07-average":3.66,"grade-07-result":143,"grade-08-average":3.827,"grade-08-result":214,"smart":-18.843697832355},"meta":{"author":[5198,418378,418753,404540],"cover":"\/\/\/content\/e44\/1\/z\/6e1b1.png","link-01":"https:\/\/ildfuglen.itch.io\/blackmailexe","link-01-tag":[42336]},"meta-timestamp":"2026-05-11T21:34:59Z","modified":"2026-05-11T21:34:59Z","name":"Blackmail.exe","node-timestamp":"2025-10-06T22:09:58Z","parent":415614,"parents":[1,5,9,415614],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/58\/blackmail-exe","published":"2025-10-06T22:00:13Z","scope":"public","slug":"blackmail-exe","subsubtype":"jam","subtype":"game","type":"item","version":1331391},"text":"# \ud83d\udd75\ufe0f\u200d\u2642\ufe0f **Blackmail.exe**\n\n> *In a city that never sleeps and always watches, you're the ghost in the machine.*\n\nWelcome to **Blackmail.exe**, a **roguelike puzzle game** where you eavesdrop on a surveillance-soaked world, package secrets into profitable scandals, and sell them to the highest bidder\u2014before the system finds you.  \n\nYour terminal is your weapon.  \nYou are a **freelance hacker-for-hire**, and business is booming.\n\n---\n\n## \ud83c\udfae Gameplay Loop\n\n### \ud83d\udef0\ufe0f **SNOOP**\nIntercept a stream of chat logs, phone calls, and data files.  \nEach piece of gossip is a **card** with a **suit**  \n(\ud83d\udc98 *Romance*, \ud83d\udcbc *Finance*, \ud83e\udde0 *Politics*, etc.)  \nand a **type** (*Common*, *Bombshell*, *Deepfake*).\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\uddc2\ufe0f **COLLECT**\nCombine related clues into powerful **blackmail dossiers**.  \nCreate combos like a *Pair of corporate secrets* or a *Full Leak of political corruption* \u2014  \ninspired by combo-building games like *Balatro*.\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udcb0 **CASH OUT**\nSell your dossiers to meet your **round\u2019s cash quota**.  \nThe bigger the scandal, the higher the payout.\n\n---\n\n### \u26a0\ufe0f **EVADE**\nEvery action raises your **trace level**.  \nPowerful evidence and bigger combos attract the authorities faster.  \nIf your trace hits **100%**, the run is over.  \n\nDo you **cash out now** and lie low \u2014 or **risk it all** for one more big score?\n\n---\n\n### \ud83d\udd2e **UPGRADE**\nBetween runs, use your earnings to buy **Charms** \u2014 persistent upgrades that modify your next hack.  \nExamples:  \n- \ud83d\udd76\ufe0f *VPN Mask* \u2013 Clears a portion of your trace.  \n- \ud83d\udc98 *Love Magnet* \u2013 Increases chance of romantic scandals.  \n\n---\n\n## \ud83d\udcbb Tone & Style\n\nWith a **neon-noir terminal UI**, the hiss of **modem whines**, and the frantic **click of your keyboard**, the mood is *cynical, satirical, and tense*.  \n\nYou\u2019re **not a hero** \u2014 you\u2019re just profiting from everyone\u2019s dirty laundry.  \n\n---\n\n> Can you survive in the data stream,  \n> or will you become just another ghost in the system?\n","title":"Blackmail.exe","wayback_recovered":true,"wayback_source":{"capture":{"original":"https:\/\/api-jam.ludumdare.com\/vx\/node2\/get\/423001+423002+423003+423004+423005+423006+423007+423008+423009+423010+423011+423012+423013+423014+423015+423016+423017+423018+423019+423020+423021+423022+423023+423024+423025+423026+423027+423028+423029+423030+423031+423032+423033+423034+423035+423036+423037+423038+423039+423040+423041+423042+423043+423044+423045+423046+423047+423048+423049+423050+423051+423052+423053+423054+423055+423056+423057+423058+423059+423060+423061+423062+423063+423064+423065+423066+423067+423068+423069+423070+423071+423072+423073+423074+423075+423076+423077+423078+423079+423080+423081+423082+423083+423084+423085+423086+423087+423088+423089+423090+423091+423092+423093+423094+423095+423096+423097+423098+423099+423100+423101+423102+423103+423104+423105+423106+423107+423108+423109+423110+423111+423112+423113+423114+423115+423116+423117+423118+423119+423120+423121+423122+423123+423124+423125+423126+423127+423128+423129+423130+423131+423132+423133+423134+423135+423136+423137+423138+423139+423140+423141+423142+423143+423144+423145+423146+423147+423148+423149+423150+423151+423152+423153+423154+423155+423156+423157+423158+423159+423160+423161+423162+423163+423164+423165+423166+423167+423168+423169+423170+423171+423172+423173+423174+423175+423176+423177+423178+423179+423180+423181+423182+423183+423184+423185+423186+423187+423188+423189+423190+423191+423192+423193+423194+423195+423196+423197+423198+423199+423200+423201+423202+423203+423204+423205+423206+423207+423208+423209+423210+423211+423212+423213+423214+423215+423216+423217+423218+423219+423220+423221+423222+423223+423224+423225+423226+423227+423228+423229+423230+423231+423232+423233+423234+423235+423236+423237+423238+423239+423240+423241+423242+423243+423244+423245+423246+423247+423248+423249+423250+423251+423252+423253+423254+423255+423256+423257+423258+423259+423260+423261+423262+423263+423264+423265+423266+423267+423268+423269+423270+423271+423272+423273+423274+423275+423276+423277+423278+423279+423280+423281+423282+423283+423284+423285+423286+423287+423288+423289+423290+423291+423292+423293+423294+423295+423296+423297+423298+423299+423300+423301+423302+423303+423304+423305+423306+423307+423308+423309+423310+423311+423312+423313+423314+423315+423316+423317+423318+423319+423320+423321+423322+423323+423324+423325+423326+423327+423328+423329+423330+423331+423332+423333+423334+423335+423336+423337+423338+423339+423340+423341+423342+423343+423344+423345+423346+423347+423348+423349+423350+423351+423352+423353+423354+423355+423356+423357+423358+423359+423360+423361+423362+423363+423364+423365+423366+423367+423368+423369+423370+423371+423372+423373+423374+423375+423376+423377+423378+423379+423380+423381+423382+423383+423384+423385+423386+423387+423388+423389+423390+423391+423392+423393+423394+423395+423396+423397+423398+423399+423400+423401+423402+423403+423404+423405+423406+423407+423408+423409+423410+423411+423412+423413+423414+423415+423416+423417+423418+423419+423420+423421+423422+423423+423424+423425+423426+423427+423428+423429+423430+423431+423432+423433+423434+423435+423436+423437+423438+423439+423440+423441+423442+423443+423444+423445+423446+423447+423448+423449+423450+423451+423452+423453+423454+423455+423456+423457+423458+423459+423460+423461+423462+423463+423464+423465+423466+423467+423468+423469+423470+423471+423472+423473+423474+423475+423476+423477+423478+423479+423480+423481+423482+423483+423484+423485+423486+423487+423488+423489+423490+423491+423492+423493+423494+423495+423496+423497+423498+423499+423500?authors&parents&superparent"},"object":"objects\/sha256\/1b\/1bccfd96900f49fb2adf461c55cd95c8ae8014df3d0277bb44845e31a6f2e179","record":"shard-0\/json-live-urgent-v3\/records\/b13c160497d13560aafc9dd17727deadbf447c6b9a996a200ad73c35311720bc.json","sha256":"1bccfd96900f49fb2adf461c55cd95c8ae8014df3d0277bb44845e31a6f2e179","source":"https","stored_at":1784022538}}