Logical Choices
PLEASE READ BEFORE PLAYING!
DESCRIPTION:
You are presented with a choice, the consequences of which are substantial.
Make your choice on a whim, or dig through the journal entries to have a greater context.
DISCLAIMER:
THIS GAME WAS SUBMITTED AS PART OF Interactive Fiction's "Text-Based Story Jam 2022" WITH THE THEME OF "Cliffhanger." THE JAM TOOK PLACE OVER ONE MONTH, BUT I WAS ONLY ABLE TO WORK ON IT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Use 1-9 (numbers on top of keyboard, not numpad) to select the corresponding option. Hold SPACE to speed up text.
FEATURES:
-Immersive Interaction
The framing device is if you, yourself, are operating a computer terminal, enabling you to be completely immersed in the setting.
-Atmospheric Sound
Turn on sound and plug some headphones in to immerse yourself further to the world and the game's surroundings.
-Hidden Ending
There is a way to achieve an ending different from your options on the start screen. Look through the journal entries for clues on how to achieve it.
-Play Time
Complete play time of this game should take about 15-30 minutes, depending on how long it takes you to find the hidden ending.
KNOWN ISSUES:
1. MISSING CHARACTERS -- There is a bug that hides some text characters and punctuation. From what I can tell, the sentences still read properly, but some pacing, formatting, or spacing of the words may seem off.
2. SOUND STOPPING WHEN HOLDING SPACE -- The text sounds will temporarily stop while holding SPACE and shortly thereafter. It will correct itself after a few seconds.
3. NO OPTION TO QUIT -- The game is browser-based and I did not have time to implement a "quit application" function. You are free to leave the page once you are satisfied.
4. TYPOS AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS -- As mentioned in the description, my time was more limited than the Game Jam allowed. As a result, I did not have time to proofread this as thoroughly as I would have liked, nor was I able to allow anyone to test it before I submitted it. However, having read through it, everything is perfectly readable and understandable.
5. SLOW TEXT ADVANCE -- I implemented a typing-like effect to the characters. I think this helps add to the atmosphere. However, while navigating through the menus, it might be frustrating waiting for the text to appear. Holding SPACE will speed it up slightly, but it's still slower than you'd probably like it. I did not have time to fix the code to make it go any faster.
PLEASE PLAY, RATE, AND COMMENT:
This type of game is very much out of my comfort zone, so any type of feedback would be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL JAM PARTICIPANTS!
-Randy Fluharty, Creator of Logical Choices
Comments
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Nice and quick. I enjoyed the well-developed narrator. I think I would have liked a "mute" button but otherwise I found this well-structured.
Thank you so much for the kind words. This is not a type of game I'm intimately familiar with -- I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone -- so basic functionality of the UI and gameplay isn't even stuff I considered much. I wasn't even aware of the potential of the genre until I started playing the submissions and seeing all the ambitious projects. As such, I'm learning a lot from this and hope to use what I learn in future projects. A mute button is a great idea, and I wish I had the forethought or time enough to implement that and many of the other features I've been seeing in everyone else's games.
But thank you again. It means a lot that you played it, and even more that you found it enjoyable.
I enjoyed this one! I admit I was kind of put off at first by how much backstory there was to get through, but once I sat down and really started looking through the journals, I was really happy with the experience. The MC was likable and funny but still had a meaningful character arc that I thought wove pretty well into the actual scenario, and I enjoyed learning both about their life and their work [quarter]. The overarching puzzle was easy but still satisfying to solve, and I think the cliffhanger ending worked well with the premise. All in all, nice work!
Also, I just wanted to comment that it really tickled me how deliberately unhelpful the "Ask a question" section was, it felt very much like trying to argue with a real computer interface/automated phone system and it was kind of perfect.
It truly means a lot that you said this. I was running low on time and a lot of the "uncooperative AI" elements had to be cut, but I wanted at least one thing in there, and I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of that aspect.
I also appreciate the comment on the character arc, as that was the #1 priority by far. Without it, I didn't think I would be able to make anything as remotely as compelling as others have in this jam. I'm overjoyed that you were able to recognize it.
Thank you again for playing!