{"author_link":"\/author\/brassawiking\/","author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","comments":[{"author_name":"hnjslater","author_uid":"16286","time":"Apr 28, 2013 @ 1:19pm","epoch":1367154840,"text":"Playing on chrome, I could not work out what to do once the greeter had gone. I called the merchant but nothing happened?!"},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"Apr 28, 2013 @ 1:43pm","epoch":1367156280,"text":"Ah that is because I am not done yet =) Should put that in the description."},{"author_name":"beshr","author_uid":"22144","time":"Apr 28, 2013 @ 4:09pm","epoch":1367165040,"text":"Nice artwork!"},{"author_name":"Szedouu","author_uid":"21102","time":"Apr 28, 2013 @ 7:38pm","epoch":1367177580,"text":"artwork looks very good"},{"author_name":"Cybearg","author_uid":"22470","time":"Apr 28, 2013 @ 9:24pm","epoch":1367183940,"text":"Very nice artwork and the idea of putting runes together like that is an interesting one."},{"author_name":"cjacobwade","author_uid":"21238","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 4:26am","epoch":1367209260,"text":"Best game I've played so far."},{"author_name":"stevejohnson","author_uid":"3120","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 4:32am","epoch":1367209620,"text":"This is great for a 48 hour game. Not the usual platformer fare by any means. A couple nits: the music felt repetitive after a few minutes, and it felt like things happened too slowly to keep my interest. If it were a bit faster, with small interface sound effects and different music, it could be 50% better. Maybe also put the hymns in some kind of visible display. The clicking back and forth was slightly (though not very) annoying.\r<br\/>\r<br\/>Great work!"},{"author_name":"Griffablanc","author_uid":"6980","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 3:56pm","epoch":1367250660,"text":"It's a very nice project. I found the likeness of a theater  was an interesting way to work."},{"author_name":"JFlegle","author_uid":"17748","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 5:03pm","epoch":1367254680,"text":"This art work is great, I love how its a graphic adventure but you some the players."},{"author_name":"zerebruin","author_uid":"18208","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 7:05pm","epoch":1367262000,"text":"Wonderfull atmosphere. The graphic style fits perfectly to this game. Long and slow, but in a good way."},{"author_name":"belickim","author_uid":"21358","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 8:06pm","epoch":1367265660,"text":"The theme and the universe you came up with are quite impressive. I don't have much experience with visual novels, so it's hard for me to judge how original this idea is, but I find it really clever and neat to place the protagonist in front of the screen, it resembles games with third person perspective. I think it really adds a bit of depth. \r<br\/>\r<br\/>\r<br\/>However, the looping sound drives me crazy, please, consider adding a way to turn it off."},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 8:54pm","epoch":1367268540,"text":"Thank you all for the comments and feedback. As requested there is now a toggle button for the music in the upper right corner, something that I know should have been there from the beginning =P I blame exhaustion for that one hehe."},{"author_name":"naughtyloose","author_uid":"7317","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 9:48pm","epoch":1367271780,"text":"that was awesome! a bit repetitive tough."},{"author_name":"siondream","author_uid":"3661","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 10:14pm","epoch":1367273340,"text":"The art and mood are great but it doesn't really fit the theme very well."},{"author_name":"AlbertoSM","author_uid":"18201","time":"Apr 29, 2013 @ 10:25pm","epoch":1367274000,"text":"Wow...lengthy. The title gave me a good impression! I like the art direction, even though it doesn't match with the theme of the compo. The music gets repetitive after a while and the pacing is sllooooowww. Anyway, nicely done!"},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"Apr 30, 2013 @ 7:55am","epoch":1367308200,"text":"For those of you that don't think this fits the theme well, would you mind explaining why you feel that? And what would have made it fit the theme better according to you?\r<br\/>\r<br\/>My take on it is that this is a like a theater play, with just an empty stage, props and a few actors. It intends to play more on your imagination than what you actually see and read. So what you see and hear is minimal, but the world you experience is enourmous."},{"author_name":"enzo","author_uid":"2074","time":"Apr 30, 2013 @ 4:42pm","epoch":1367339820,"text":"Intense! I feel like the characters and the world have a sort of depth, even with such a comparatively short story! I have so many questions. Why was the Lost one lost? What are the Merchant's motives? What happened to the Bridge? Why is the Greeter so angry all the time, gosh"},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"Apr 30, 2013 @ 5:21pm","epoch":1367342160,"text":"@Enzo\r<br\/>I leave it up to you to figure out the answers yourself. Feel free to speculate any theories you have here =)\r<br\/>\r<br\/>Btw, speaking about The Bridge, did you stick around long enough to see the end credit? There is a small hint on what happens with the bridge just before that."},{"author_name":"GetFun","author_uid":"8548","time":"May 1, 2013 @ 12:10pm","epoch":1367409900,"text":"very cool art work =)"},{"author_name":"multikorv","author_uid":"8028","time":"May 1, 2013 @ 10:33pm","epoch":1367447280,"text":"Very nice! You're really starting get the hang of the art work. The narrative is also really good! Nice work! :) The music really put a hole through my head after a while though. Nice that you added the toggle. :)"},{"author_name":"MinionStudios","author_uid":"22273","time":"May 6, 2013 @ 10:29pm","epoch":1367879040,"text":"Very compelling story and characters! This storytelling would make for an EXCELLENT RPG. You have succeeded in drawing me into the world through a few props in a browser window. Awesome"},{"author_name":"mildmojo","author_uid":"6748","time":"May 12, 2013 @ 12:57am","epoch":1368319920,"text":"Wonderful piece of kinetic fiction. There were a few spots where the next step wasn't evident, but thankfully there wasn't any penalty for doing the wrong thing. The journal filled out nicely with bits of story, and the lost soul was enigmatic enough to keep me wondering. Quite a lot of content for a compo entry!\r<br\/>\r<br\/>I peeked at the source and it's pretty brute-force. Way to optimize for programmer throughput! =)"},{"author_name":"Xanjos","author_uid":"21201","time":"May 12, 2013 @ 7:24pm","epoch":1368386340,"text":"Loved the artwork and music and the story was amazingly deep."},{"author_name":"RedPandaWasTaken","author_uid":"21530","time":"May 12, 2013 @ 7:46pm","epoch":1368387660,"text":"Nice artwork and a pretty good music but gets pretty annoying after a while. Pretty well written too."},{"author_name":"nathanj439","author_uid":"18590","time":"May 12, 2013 @ 7:49pm","epoch":1368387840,"text":"Nice art, music and story. Kept me entertained until the end."},{"author_name":"sP0CkEr2","author_uid":"7135","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 3:36am","epoch":1368415860,"text":"nice art -- great story -- good use of theme -- high marks"},{"author_name":"Hayawi","author_uid":"20256","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 6:04am","epoch":1368424740,"text":"Really nice game that has a wonderful mood, and artwork, but if only it was a different theme, this game just does not seem to fit into minimalism all that well."},{"author_name":"Mago","author_uid":"5227","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 8:17pm","epoch":1368475920,"text":"Very interesting atmosphere and great art."},{"author_name":"imagnity","author_uid":"20678","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 8:21pm","epoch":1368476160,"text":"I would really like if the background music was a little longer before it starts repeating. :)"},{"author_name":"alwaysinbeta","author_uid":"9420","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 9:26pm","epoch":1368480060,"text":"I like the art and writing. Got stuck after a while though!"},{"author_name":"avidgamerNino","author_uid":"20551","time":"May 13, 2013 @ 10:20pm","epoch":1368483300,"text":"Very cool, At some parts I swear I just waiting for the merchant to do something. The art looks 3D from the screenshots, but when you get close up you begin to see the brushwork."},{"author_name":"Taro Omiya","author_uid":"20557","time":"May 14, 2013 @ 4:46am","epoch":1368506460,"text":"Quite an interesting adventure game that utilizes the Ocarina of Ti- I meant, hymns.  Story was a little confusing, however.  Was it supposed to be a love story, like the Shadow of Colossus?"},{"author_name":"someone","author_uid":"1207","time":"May 14, 2013 @ 6:12pm","epoch":1368554820,"text":"That was nice. Good story."},{"author_name":"Krahe","author_uid":"20668","time":"May 14, 2013 @ 11:35pm","epoch":1368574200,"text":"Pretty amazing"},{"author_name":"kibertoad","author_uid":"7122","time":"May 19, 2013 @ 5:49pm","epoch":1368985440,"text":"has a strong Neil Gaiman vibe to it. nice work."},{"author_name":"stqn","author_uid":"2181","time":"May 19, 2013 @ 8:24pm","epoch":1368994740,"text":"I don't get it, better instructions would be nice (I don't feel like working one hour to try to understand the game). Nice music (for the first 30 s) and gfx though."},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"May 19, 2013 @ 8:30pm","epoch":1368995100,"text":"If you got stuck after the first dialog, then you simply need to click the darkness in the middle. A blue border shows when you hover over things that are clickable."},{"author_name":"stqn","author_uid":"2181","time":"May 19, 2013 @ 8:43pm","epoch":1368995880,"text":"@Brassawiking: I got to that point but then... had to remember 3 runes, which was too much for me. And I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I think I'm too tired to play this... Thanks for trying my game!"},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"May 19, 2013 @ 9:41pm","epoch":1368999360,"text":"Thanks for trying anyway =)"},{"author_name":"AndyBumpkin","author_uid":"1735","time":"May 20, 2013 @ 11:14am","epoch":1369048140,"text":"it could have done with a slightly longer music loop, and perhaps some sounds on the &quot;hymns&quot; would have been nice.\r<br\/>Otherwise yeah not bad :)"},{"author_name":"dalbinblue","author_uid":"13960","time":"May 20, 2013 @ 1:47pm","epoch":1369057320,"text":"This was nice and refreshing entry; very different from pretty much everything else I have played.  I waited a while to review this from when I played, as I too didn't think it melded well with the theme and saw your comment asking for details on why reviewers felt that way.  After thinking about it for a while I didn't have a good reason; I think its actually because it's the elements around the story that are minimalistic, but actually story takes center stage (pun intended) that many of those elements didn't really cross my mind.  Yes the game is played out on a stage, the music is minimalistic, the graphics are too (everything is just a static overlay), and the controls are too as everything is just casting one of 6 hymns.  It's the story that makes you not pay attention to those things, and overall I think that is a far better accomplishment than making your game obviously match the theme."},{"author_name":"Brassawiking","author_uid":"13137","time":"May 20, 2013 @ 6:12pm","epoch":1369073220,"text":"@dalbinblue:\r<br\/>Thank you very much for that review, that meant a lot to me! It looks like I have accomplished what I wanted on how this is perceived. Really glad that all the details came through after you had thought about it for a while =)"},{"author_name":"stqn","author_uid":"2181","time":"May 20, 2013 @ 10:39pm","epoch":1369089240,"text":"Just so you know ;) I tried again and got to the point where the merchant tells you to wait for the next day. Then I didn't find how to make the story progress."}],"images":["ld26\/13137-2a629e01a682113825f09e8e9bdfbf9c.jpg","ld26\/13137-2047549fb9e1a7710688669bbd4233de.jpg","ld26\/13137-fe2d7d4d18b7e1bdeca7e39466d31731.jpg","ld26\/13137-06d2777c885d95999b955894a922773b.jpg"],"links":[{"url":"http:\/\/bit.ly\/YgdZUF","text":"Web (Chrome and Firefox)"},{"url":"http:\/\/brassawiking.deviantart.com\/gallery\/","text":"DeviantArt (my art gallery)"}],"metadata":{"g_key":"25778","g_author":"13137","g_event":"LD26","g_eventkey":"16","g_subevent":"COMPO","g_urlkey":"25808","g_title":"The Ethereal Stage","g_status":"UCHK1","g_place":"334","g_commentcount":"43","g_site2_node_id":"0","g_hide":"N","g_has_icon":"Y","g_rqueue":"0","g_random":"0"},"nds":[],"node":null,"orig_images":["http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/233892\/13137-shot0.PNG-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/233892\/13137-shot1.PNG-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/233892\/13137-shot2.PNG-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/233892\/13137-shot3.PNG-eq-900-500.jpg"],"text":"My best entry to date, behold its glory!\r\n\r\nSTART PROMO\r\n###########\r\n\r\n- Complete game (stick around until you see the actual end credits)\r\n- A long and rich point'n'click adventure (No deaths, so no worries about that)\r\n- Deep story\r\n- Completely free of any gender and racial bias (Something I was very strict with)\r\n- Wonderful graphics made for Full HD (Be sure to run in fullscreen)\r\n- Music that almost loops alright\r\n- Easter egg! See if you can spot it...\r\n- Pure HTML, js and CSS3\r\n- Long playthrough (15-60 minutes to reach end credits)\r\n- Somewhat interesting characters if I may say so myself...\r\n\r\n#########\r\nEND PROMO\r\n\r\nFourth time doing Ludum Dare. This time I'm all out with my best skills: Mood, story and graphics! \r\n\r\nI have had this idea before, so it was not entirely brand new. The reason I took it for this theme, was that the idea for the game, was that it was going to be built like a theater play. Just an simply stage with some actors and a few props. The rest of world comes to life when they start interacting with eachother.\r\n\r\n\r\n###### Additional notes #####\r\nMay require a refresh, if scrollbars starts getting weird or something else doesnt look right or the music doesn't play.\r\nAlso, the browser needs to have a 16\/9 ratio or the images will get cut. So if that happens, just adjust the browser window until it looks good again.<\/p>","title":"The Ethereal Stage"}