#ode by ode

[paleode-ology]

do you think she knows i'm in love with her

[ode-to-odes]

IFComp 2024 Reviews: Traffic by D. S. Yu

It's that time of year again! I'll be crossposting these reviews on intfiction.net, where you can find reviews by many other interactive fiction freaks such as myself, links to the comp website, and other such information. Onto the review.

I'll put this all under the cut because it's... very long, but please be aware that there are spoilers in the technical section!

Time played: About an hour Completion: 2 out of maybe 3 endings? I got to the normal ending, a bit of a silly ending, and I know there’s a third ending that has a bit more substance, but I was satisfied with the run I had. Could be more “try it and find out” endings than the one I found, but I have no clue.

TLDR; Conceptually, I like this game a lot, but there were a few things that prevented me from enjoying the gameplay experience as much as I could have. Solid entry.

The writing: No noticeable typos or grammar errors, and the writing style is consistent, with some great touches of deadpan humor which I found entertaining. The characters were distinct enough to not be flat, even with the limited descriptions and interactions there are.

The gameplay: I love a time loop when done well, and I think the ability to change the timeline by switching perspectives is a really great way to keep the game engaging and interesting. I also enjoyed the variety of different puzzles – some based on interaction with others, some with the environment. It’s a small game, so there’s not very many, but none of them felt like reskinned versions of each other, which I appreciated.

The technical: I struggled a lot with interactions with other people. Different authors and engines do dialogue in many different ways, without an ABOUT or a HELP menu to explain how to talk to people or ask people things, I found myself blindly trying dialogue options, mostly to no avail. You can talk to people directly with the “person, verb” structure, or you can ask someone for something, but only rarely about anything, which I found unusual – an explanation of this early on would have gone a long way to alleviating some of the frustration I had. The biggest problem I had was similar to the verb-guessing issue, but which probably would have made the game impossible for me to finish without the walkthrough; there are some objects which aren’t mentioned in the text (that I could find) but are required. This was most evident to me with the taxi, which I hadn’t seen in the text at all, but which was necessary to examine in order to continue. Examining the street it was on yielded no description beyond the direction the traffic was going, and I never would have known to look at it. This is also applicable to the traffic puzzle, which was particularly aggravating to me for being much simpler than I thought it was. I’d go so far as to say it’s a bit misleading. I’ll spoiler this one for anyone who doesn’t want to see the solution: If you ask John about the panel, he explains how it works, and says you need to input the correct number to fix the traffic lights. The solution to this is to unscrew the panel (which has no mention of being screwed in) with a screwdriver you get from John (who doesn’t appear to have anything on him except a clipboard). The solution is NOT to do the math required to algebraically find the correct number needed (which is very possible, and requires only addition and subtraction). I chose the algebra on my first time around. Frustratingly, when you correctly solve this puzzle via screwdriver method and press a button to set the number, it gives a number which is different from the one you get when you do the math. I understand that this might be a serious case of me paying way too much attention to one thing, but I think given that the actual solution to the puzzle is much less obvious than the one which requires the player to do algebra with a pen and paper, it might as well have been a puzzle with two different ways to get to the same solution. If the number provided in the game matched the one you get with the correct math, this wouldn’t have been nearly as annoying to me, but the in-game math being wrong in conjunction with the puzzle having completely unmentioned components drove me kind of bonkers.

Misc notes: Don’t sell yourself short! Saying things like “this game is unlikely to change your life in any meaningful way” in the description of the game won’t do you any favors in convincing people to play it. It’s a well-written game, and only a few edits short of being something really polished. You should be proud of it. Plus, when combined with the depressing attitude of the main character, the game starts to feel a little too dreary, in my opinion. Despite my algebra rant, I did like this game a lot, and I’m really glad it was the first entry I tried this year! It’s setting a good bar for the rest of the parser games.

[mancandykings]

ODED FEHR as Ardeth Bay The Mummy (1999)

[mini-minish]

have you heard of that new hot spot in ba sing se 🍵

[birdbrainzs]

Well... here he is. After throwing away a sculpture of him I was working on when he passed, starting a new one a year later, and working on it intermittently between not being able to even look at it for weeks or months... he's done.

Alongside the sculpture is a pic of really old fanart, plus some stickers I found at work the day he passed. Funny seeing how far I've come with my art. Even just through making the sculpture, there are these giant gaps in skill all over it. I got so much better at sculpting throughout this process that you can see which are the older pieces, just due to the quality being worse lol. In a way, that just makes me so much prouder of it. It's the first polymer clay sculpture I've ever finished, and the third I've ever attempted. There's a lot wrong with the sculpture, but I'm happy.

Other than that, I can't thank Techno enough for being a funny guy on the internet who made some of my worst days a little easier. I would never want some new person to replace you, because you made me realise just how great it was that there could only ever be one you, and made me think that maybe it's a good thing that I am the person that I am.

[sctir]

my live action thoughts

[c6jpg]

nahida ⟡ chromatic ode of candies and roses

[zanncom]

martyr

[elalalune]

There's nothing you or I can do

so let the stars fall

'Cause from up here the sky's my thoughts

and we're all so small

[paleode-ology]

POV your best friend (who you definitelyyyy don't want to have sex with) is coming to see you after your show, so this is the outfit you choose to greet her in, but then it turns out she brought her fiancé with her (????????), what do you do

[ode-to-odes]

IF Review: Visit Skuga Lake - Masterpiece Edition

The first version of this game originally appeared in Ryan Veeder's ECTOCOMP 2021 entry, "Even Some More Tales from Castle Balderstone." In this remastered version, it's been expanded and further polished into an incredible game which I very much enjoyed spending my Saturday afternoon on. I've unfortunately never played any of Veeder's Balderstone games, so I can't speak to the changes and/or improvements made in this new version, but Visit Skuga Lake is one of those games which embodies everything I think makes a great IF game.

This game has everything, honestly. A fun, simple, and effective magic system, exploring a town at night, theft with no punishment at all, and a hagfish god living in a hagfish world. Need I say more? (According to the following thousand words, I guess so.)

I'm honestly astonished that prior to playing this game, I'd never even heard of Ryan Veeder - a quick look through his IFDB profile shows just how prolific he's become in the last decade he's been making these games. Visit Skuga Lake was my first of his works to play, but undoubtedly not the last.

Now I'm going to talk about the game at unnecessary length. Feel free to tap out at this point if you feel sold on my love for this game already. Spoilers below the cut, although I won't be going into detail about how to solve any specific problems.

Scene One: The Interview. The premise of Skuga Lake is that you are the main character living out the events of a horror (though I'd prefer "spooky" for this one) novel. This "novel" has an author - also an invention of the game, which. I'm going to be honest. I didn't originally realize. Don't bother googling Leah Naidu. Our prologue scene is simply interviewing the author, which is a cute introduction to the story. I was immediately drawn in by the writing and descriptions; atmosphere is so important in text-based games, and Veeder was immediately off to a great start. It DID take me a minute to figure out everything to ask Leah about, but overall a great time.

Scene Two: The Closet! I love the closet scene so very much. It introduces our main problem-solving mechanic and immediately shows the player that out-of-the-box solutions and experimentation are wholeheartedly encouraged in the game. There's not much more to say. It's a short part of the game, but a perfect introduction to gameplay without holding the hand of the player.

Scene Three: Also Known as 90% of the Game!! Visit Skuga Lake is just soooo interactive fiction. It's immediately topped my list of games I'd recommend to literally anyone, regardless of experience with IF. The one thing that was slightly annoying for me at first was going "IN" buildings rather than entering them via a cardinal direction, but you get used to that pretty quickly, and in retrospect, I think I like it more, especially when you're in an urban location. The gradual discovery of more amulets and eyestones made continuing the game incredibly rewarding, and I feel like nearly everything mentioned in the game was implemented in some way, which is always impressive. Experimenting with the different combinations was so exciting, though I probably should've kept track of them all because I kept forgetting which stone did what with which amulet. The characters all had very distinct voices and helped direct the player's next choices without railroading. Overall just. A fantastic time.

Scene Four: HAGFISH. Here's my one tip for anyone playing for the first time - if you want to collect all the worry dolls (not necessary for anything besides a special little achievement), you need to do it before you get on the boat! I did not know this and was quite sad to find out I couldn't go back and get all of them (I managed 6/10 on this run, though I might go back and try to find them all at some point). Honestly, the ending felt a bit underwhelming to me? There's fairly low stakes in the fight against everyone's favorite hagfish god (our primary antagonist. sort of) since he doesn't try to fight back at all. No ticking clock. Just trying to figure out how to hurt a giant slime creature. I mean, I'm not complaining that much. It suits the game, which is more about experimenting and exploring than worrying about the slime lake or the ghosts or your boss, who's turned into a slime (or was it oil? I forget) puddle. It does feel a bit funny though, that the most powerful witch of the town, who's scared them all into locking outsiders into closets and who makes deals with slime gods couldn't save herself from said slime god until you, the player, showed up, hit the hagfish with a couple spells, and saved the day in approximately ten commands. There's a few different possible endings (to take or leave Terlissa, for example), which, again, is always a pleasure in games like these.

The end!! I clearly love the sound of my own voice. My own keyboard? Not sure. This game is fantastic though, so please play it. I need more people to be into IF please please please <3 bye

[hehearse]

[ode2rin]

new boyfriend rin would never ever, under any circumstance, admit that he likes the pet names you call him. well… unless you would stop doing it. (also me pushing the bffs to lovers pipeline)

You must be upset with him, Rin is convinced so. It’s the only logical and sensible explanation behind this unusual behavior. 

And he's going mad about it. Itoshi Rin is going mad any second now if he can't get to the bottom of this, he’s certainly convinced.

Every instinct screamed that your recent behavior was a reaction to something he'd done, but what? Was it the late replies to your text messages? No, you knew he was at practice and you told him you didn’t mind. Was it about the souvenir he brought back home to you from Paris? Sure, you teased him about its impracticality, but nothing that warranted this icy distance.

Or maybe it was something he said now? It must be, right? Everything boils down to his reckless poor choice of words, he supposes.

Slowly, Rin approached you by the couch you’re seated in. With your attention preoccupied by the selection of shows you’re browsing, you settled on looking at him briefly through your peripheral vision. Amused by how he’s slightly tiptoeing around, you let out a half-suppressed laugh to yourself. 

He looks like a cat sometimes, you thought from the sight. And acts like one too. Like a big black cat who would hiss at you if you looked at him funny, or one that would bite your hand if you stopped petting him to sleep. Funny how Rin could be like that too.

The moment Rin settles into the plush comfort of the couch, he gazes at you through lowered lashes, trying to read the play of emotions on your face, if there’s any. 

There’s nothing worth noting, and he doesn’t know if that should assure or bother him.

“Are we… alright?” he drawled.

What the fuck. He did not just sound like that. 

He did not just ask that and sounded like an anxious pathetic wet cat who just had a new home waiting for its owner’s permission over anything (highly specific because he’s a bit dramatic). Just what kind of loser have you reduced him into, really.

Oblivious of the internal turmoil in Rin’s mind, you turn to him, “Hmm? Yeah? Why’d you ask?”

“Nothing,” he grumbled. It’s enough that he already humiliated himself for the way he asked if the two of you were cool— doing it again by exposing himself that he thinks you’re mad plainly because he hadn’t heard you call him a pet name (like you always do) would be mortification in its final form.

“Okay, Rin.”

That’s it. This needs to end. Forget humiliation. He would rather choose to feel pathetic over any day than continue with this charade.

“Are you mad at me?” 

“Why would you think that?” you asked back instantly, shocked and extremely confused because of your boyfriend’s question. You’re literally just looking for a movie the two of you can watch— how is that any indication of being mad at him?

“Just answer the question,” he fumed, impatience settling on the furrow of his brows.

You said in the beginning of your relationship that you didn’t appreciate the silent treatment and guessing games, so don’t you think it’s hypocritical of you to do the same to him? (You’re not, but he just doesn’t know that.)

“I’m not mad at you, Rin.”

“You so are!” 

“I am not! But you, yelling and instigating it are making me right now!” you countered, voice hinted with irritation, “What is your problem, Rin?”

There it is again. Rin rose from the couch to face your sitting form, as if standing would better prove his point. “See? You’re calling me Rin!” he blurted.

“Well, maybe because it’s your name?!”

“Not to you, it’s not!”

A beat of surprised silence. Until your lips grew to such a wide smile that made Rin physically feel his heart melting. 

Yet, in Rin’s true fashion, he’ll never let you know how much air you knock out of him because of your beaming smile. Instead, he’ll say something along the snarky lines of, “Stop smiling like that.”

“Did my big bad grumpy Rinnie here thought we’re on a fight because I hadn’t call him baby?” you ask, purposely stressing out the words to disarm him more.

With a feigned exasperation, he comments, “I forgot how annoying you are.” 

“And I forgot how childish you can get sometimes,” you countered.

“I’m not childish.”

“You don’t mind me calling you Rin then?”

Rin rolled his eyes at you, but you know better than to put meaning to it. He lowered himself onto the couch beside you. With a swift tug, Rin pulled you closer, closing the distance between you effortlessly. His arm found its way around your waist, drawing you snugly against his chest.

“But I don’t see why you need to…” Maybe he could be a bit childish.

“I thought you didn’t like it,” you shyly muttered, drawing shapes in his arm. “The pet names, I mean,” you clarified, sensing the confused look he’s probably giving you behind.

“What the hell are you talking about?” He is baby. He is Rinnie. Fucking hell, that’s so loser of him to even voice it out in his own mind. 

“What? You call me by my name!” you defensively pointed out.

“Doesn’t mean I don’t like your nicknames of me,” he mumbled, the words barely audible.

The pet names— they were more than what they served. It was important to him more than what he would admit. 

They were a secret language, a way you marked him as yours. A reminder that he wasn't just Rin anymore— just your friend.

He was now something more, something special.

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Besides… I love your name,” he whispered, his voice velvet against your hair.

It’s tender— no, it makes him tender. Saying your name has been the softest, kindest, and most tender way he’s used his words for. 

Maybe it’s a little pathetic, feeling this undone by a name. But then it’s you. 

It was your name— a name he could whisper with adoration, a name that belonged only to him to claim. 

You melt to his words, leaning deeper into his chest. A contented sigh escaped your lips, the sound swallowed by the warmth of his embrace.

Looking up at him, your eyes held a softness he often found himself getting lost in, “I love your name too, but I also like calling you pet names. Is it okay?”

“Whatever you decide.” He’s yours, either way.

note. this is basically rin being "my nameeee is whatever you decideeeee and i'm just gonna call you mineeee i'm insane but i'm your baby!!!!" yeah that song basically.

[gingiekittycat]

I forgot how lonely it is to write original fiction.

Where are the kudos? The subscriptions? The comments? The people cheerleading me chapter to chapter? Where are the kind words and compliments and reassurances that what I'm writing isn't complete crap? Where are the unhinged emojis? The asks on Tumblr? Where are my mutuals in my dms apologizing for not reading the latest chapter right away (side note, you know you don't have to apologize at all, right??). Where is the fanart? Where are the recs?

Where is my motivation to keep going?

It's something I've been thinking about a lot, actually, lately. How the experience of writing fanfic is so unique. How you already have an audience, willing and waiting and captive. And that's really it, isn't it? You have an audience. It's almost performative, writing fanfic. It's being on a stage, a one-person show (or two, if you do it with a friend); it's getting live reactions to your performance, it's feeding off the energy of the crowd and informing it back in a feedback loop; it's improvised, sometimes, in almost-real-time. It's building something that you couldn't have built by yourself. A thing that takes on a life of its own.

It's an experience you can't get writing original fiction, and, honestly, not having it is making it hard to write something original at all.

[gentlecheese]

Hansry Week Day 5 - Wedding Based on Edmund Blair Leighton painting "The Accolade" prints available Bonus: