The celebratory beer has been opened – though it’s more bitter than I had hoped for. I finally caved around the four-hours-to-go point. We’ll put this one down to inexperience – I’ve participated in a Jam as part of a threesome once before, but I’ve never gone at Ludum Dare alone until now. My idea was overly ambitious – well beyond the scope of the bizarre, simplistic concepts I was throwing around before the theme was announced. Yes, the theme threw me, but I’m done making excuses. Yesterday was a lot of fun, and it’s been a good lesson to me about just how much you can get done in a short time if you really apply yourself. Today… well today has been ups and downs – I think my biggest pitfall was spending so long spriting and working on the player mutation graphics, but that was the core of my idea! I’ll lay out my concept for you below and you can think what you will. I’m going to take some much deserved recreational time now.

1. Boy is in bed, mother tells him she’s sorry it’s so hot but she doesn’t feel safe leaving a window open because who knows what creatures are living in that forest across the bridge.
2. Mother leaves boy in room, something opens the window – curtains blowing, boy out of bed.
3. Player walks to window, climbs out or closes it.
4. If the player closes the window, they go back to bed and the game ends.
5. If they climb out, they start the game proper.
6. The game is a load of top-down obstacle avoiding levels, with some enemies later on.
7. The player encounters statues along the way which he can use to mutate himself and gain an edge, but this is never necessary to complete the game.
8. Depending on the player’s mutation choices, events change towards the end of the game.
9. The player often spies a masked creature moving around in the levels.
10. When the player catches up with this creature at the end, based on their mutations, it will either a) be a boss fight, b) give the player a mask like it’s and talk to him c) look and the player, then leave
11. If the player beats the creature it will drop it’s mask. If the player takes the mask the game ends
12. If the player talks to the creature and decides to stay with it the game ends.
13. Otherwise, the player must return home.
14. The boy’s mother will hear him return. Based on the player’s mutations a) the boy’s father is a boss fight, b) the boy kills both his parents, c) the boy’s mother kisses him goodnight then leaves, d) the boy’s mother screams, his father runs in and shoots him, e) the boy’s mother screams, the game ends.