Constructive Criticism

I got several good reviews of my game. They’re not very high reviews, either. Two and three stars out of five. I wasn’t terribly happy about that but it was my first Twine game. I went through and read the reviews and discovered something interesting.

The people who reviewed my game left constructive criticism!

Imagine! On the internet, someone left a review and critique that was helpful. Both reviews made excellent points, pointed out things I could’ve done better, and complimented things I did well. I’m awestruck! I’m making note of what the reviewers said so I can improve next time. This makes me very happy! I’ve got some good, constructive criticism that will help me improve in the future with my next game (already in development).

I’ve been reading and playing a lot of Twine games and getting a feel for how the stories are laid out and written. I’m learning more about Twine and some of the additions out there to make my games better. I’m working on my next game, coming up with new ideas and working my way around my old limitations and failings. These reviews will help me get a good handle on what I need to improve as well as what I do well already. I never quite know what I do well at and what I need to improve upon. I tend to work in a vacuum where not a lot of outside opinion and critique enters. Getting good reviews of my work is a great stepping stone!

I guess I just expected nobody would play my game or review it if they did. I’ve had similar experiences with other creative endeavors. I know I shouldn’t depend on the opinions and views of others but it’s nice to hear something, even if it isn’t the greatest news. It’s good to know what I need to work on, how I can improve, what needs work. It’s nice to receive compliments, too. 😀

A New Game

I’m working on a little side project. A game. It’s a little Twine game, a little creepy horror scenario. It’s a lot of fun to write but I’m kind of stuck as to where the ending will go. I’m working on it, though. I plan on posting it somewhere online when I get done. I’ll post the link here and let you try it out. It’s just a little ditty, my first experiment with this style of game development.

I’ve never tried writing horror before. It’s an interesting experience. It just came to me to try writing out a little game. I didn’t have the specifics down but things just came together as I wrote it out. I’ll figure out where it’s going and then find a way to get the two together. I’ve got an idea of what I want it to be and some ghostly thoughts on where I want it to end up. Now it’s just a matter of getting it there and sending it out into the world.

I don’t write enough fiction. I’ve neglected it for a while, ever since I finished that Camp NaNoWriMo in April. My July attempts fell flat and there was too much stress and anxiety to write for half of November so NaNoWriMo was straight out. This Twine game is an interesting change of pace, a way to work on some fiction and make it a little interactive. Let others try it and play it. It’s kind of fun! I’ll let you all know when it’s out and available.

I’ve made a few games before, here and there. Nothing really great. I’m not even sure why I felt like making this game. I just felt… I don’t know what the word for it is. Obligated? No, that doesn’t sound right. Driven? No, not really. The closest I could get to describing it is a feeling that I needed to write in this medium and this story worked best in this medium. Like wanting to sculpt something when you’re a painter. Sometimes you just want to sculpt.