{"author_link":"\/users\/jpat","author_name":"jpat","author_uid":"jpat","comments":[],"epoch":1778210069,"event":"LD59","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":432598,"likes":11,"metadata":{"p_key":"96974","p_author":"jpat","p_authorkey":"1428140","p_urlkey":"312623","p_title":"The Final Day","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD59","p_time":"1778210069","p_likes":"11","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1428140","us_name":"LDJam user 428140","us_username":"428140","event_start":"1776470400","event_key":"113","event_name":"Ludum Dare 59"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD59","removed_author":false},"_superparent":424249,"_trust":1,"author":428140,"body":"![MM_Dawn_of_the_Final_Day.png](\/\/\/raw\/c68\/86\/z\/73308.png)\n\n## Thanks LD, this has been wild.\n\nThis was actually my **first ever jam**, which felt kind of terrifying going in. I've been making little game prototypes for years and never quite finish any of them. Turns out giving yourself a hard 48-hour deadline is the best way to actually ship something. I went in with no real plan, just some ideas about a boy and his sleeping forest spirit companion, and somehow came out the other side with a tiny puzzle game I'm genuinely proud of. Working solo on a Compo is exhausting in a way I'm still recovering from, but also one of the most fun things I've done in a long time.\n\nThe best part has been reading every single comment over the past week. So many of you played, voted, pushed through rough collisions, got stuck, quit :stuck_out_tongue:, and still left thoughtful, kind words. It's been overwhelming and so exciting. **I'm already looking for more jams to join.**\n\nI've also had a lot of fun playing your games. The variety this round has been incredible. So many wildly different takes on the theme. It's been truly inspiring.\n\nIf I had one thing to do better next time, it would be **game\/puzzle clarity**. I leaned hard into \"let players figure it out for themselves\" and I'm realizing that a Game Jam isn't the best place for this type of gameplay.\n\n### What's next\n\nPost LD, I plan on continuing this project as much as I can. I've already started working on a few more friends:\n\n![froggies2.gif](\/\/\/raw\/c68\/86\/z\/73309.gif)\n\nSo look out for more to come!\n\n> If you haven't played yet, this is your last shot before the moon falls.\n\n## [Play *While You Were Here*](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/while-you-were-here)\n\n---\n\nIf you're still looking for votes, drop your game in the comments below and I'll try to play as many as I can tonight!\n","comments":5,"comments-timestamp":"2026-05-08T20:57:57Z","created":"2026-05-08T02:53:10Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":432598,"love":11,"love-timestamp":"2026-05-08T20:55:46Z","meta":[],"modified":"2026-05-08T20:57:57Z","name":"The Final Day","node-timestamp":"2026-05-08T03:14:29Z","parent":428142,"parents":[1,5,9,424249,428142],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/while-you-were-here\/the-final-day","published":"2026-05-08T03:14:29Z","scope":"public","slug":"the-final-day","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1374841},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"432598","n_urlkey":"312623","n_parent":"428142","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/while-you-were-here\/the-final-day","n_slug":"the-final-day","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"428140","n_created":"1778208790","n_modified":"1778273877","n_version":"1374841","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/while-you-were-here\/the-final-day","text":"![MM_Dawn_of_the_Final_Day.png](\/\/\/raw\/c68\/86\/z\/73308.png)\n\n## Thanks LD, this has been wild.\n\nThis was actually my **first ever jam**, which felt kind of terrifying going in. I've been making little game prototypes for years and never quite finish any of them. Turns out giving yourself a hard 48-hour deadline is the best way to actually ship something. I went in with no real plan, just some ideas about a boy and his sleeping forest spirit companion, and somehow came out the other side with a tiny puzzle game I'm genuinely proud of. Working solo on a Compo is exhausting in a way I'm still recovering from, but also one of the most fun things I've done in a long time.\n\nThe best part has been reading every single comment over the past week. So many of you played, voted, pushed through rough collisions, got stuck, quit :stuck_out_tongue:, and still left thoughtful, kind words. It's been overwhelming and so exciting. **I'm already looking for more jams to join.**\n\nI've also had a lot of fun playing your games. The variety this round has been incredible. So many wildly different takes on the theme. It's been truly inspiring.\n\nIf I had one thing to do better next time, it would be **game\/puzzle clarity**. I leaned hard into \"let players figure it out for themselves\" and I'm realizing that a Game Jam isn't the best place for this type of gameplay.\n\n### What's next\n\nPost LD, I plan on continuing this project as much as I can. I've already started working on a few more friends:\n\n![froggies2.gif](\/\/\/raw\/c68\/86\/z\/73309.gif)\n\nSo look out for more to come!\n\n> If you haven't played yet, this is your last shot before the moon falls.\n\n## [Play *While You Were Here*](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/while-you-were-here)\n\n---\n\nIf you're still looking for votes, drop your game in the comments below and I'll try to play as many as I can tonight!\n","title":"The Final Day","wayback_source":[]}