Here’s the intro to the murder mystery, with two of our suspects in view:
I had a real hard time with this, because it was a lot more detailed than my usual work and had two faces. Also, I wrote in my game a year ago that Maeve has a ‘rhinestone jumpsuit’ (which is essential to the plot) but today when I looked up ‘rhinestone jumpsuit’ they were completely different than I imagined. This was the closest I could find a reference for!
murder mystery? Sounds interesting. Also, it’s obviously the guy on the right. He looks as guilty as it gets. Are they on a train?
Yeah, they’re on the train.
The guy on the right is me! I just copied over a photo of myself from a recent trip. Pretty funny lol
For anyone reading this who’s interested, you can reach the murder mystery pretty early on. Once you play through the intro of the game, you can go down one floor on the spaceship and find a portal near Officer Mefe and start the murder mystery right away.
ha!
It’s kind of cute, actually. I haven’t played that part yet (I know, I know… I probably can’t tackle the game til I finish my own). This picture interested me so I looked for awhile to decide what parts made me feel what. You can read my thoughts in the spirit of constructive praise and/or criticism as appropriate, or ignore them. But what may be handy about me is I don’t know what that part of the game is like 
I think it’s the smallness of the head on the rest, and the way it’s perched up there, gives cuteness. The robot’s stance is tentative, like it’s not sure about what it’s going to do. It either has a personality, or it’s kind of stupid, but it’s not a fierce automaton. The fingers on the gun barrel look like they might be tapping self-consciously. That might be a side-effect of it only having two fingers, but that they look like maybe the pinky and index of a hand with more fingers. Almost an intellectual gesture, which is funny because I don’t think the robot looks smart.
Re: cute, the robot also looks like uncomfortable in its body. Chunky boots, feet close together, right hip poking out.
So that adds up to a lot of personality, contrasting with the robot face. Though I always feel ears on any robot look goofy, so the robot instantly acquired +100 personality by having ears.
-Wade
Thanks, your comments are very nice!
The robot is a combination of rock ‘em sock ‘em robots and Star Wars droids:
I filed down the face because I wanted it to look cheap/goofy and mixed curved and straight lines in the face for that off-kilter effect. A lot of what you said was what I was going for, so thanks!
I also reduced the butt to make it more blocky and so people wouldn’t recognize the source material.
A character you meet very early on in the game (not really a spoiler):
I’ve tried drawing this character before but this version is a lot closer to what’s in my head.
I took a few picture of this sketch but I like this one with visible paper and stains most.
This image is quite evocative and powerful. Best so far.
Thanks!
I think this one’s my favourite so far. It’s really cool!
I think this one is good because it really matches the feel of the world itself. It’s based on journals, and that gives off this vibe: hand-drawn and very slightly stylised, and yet still a good drawing.
Curiously, will the ‘Play Online’ button be updated to version 2?
I’m close enough to version 3 that I’ll just wait for that. I just need to figure out the deadly midnight bug. Josh Grams found a solution in Inform 10 but trying to port my code causes so many untraceable bugs that I’ll have to find a solution in the language I have.
I’ve solved the problem of the ‘midnight bug’ finally, and am close to releasing version 3 (I’ve also added a way to finally connect that last portal in the dark room).
I’m now thinking of changing the ending of the game a bit. Several people have said that it’s a bit underwhelming. Here is (one version of) it currently:
[97] z
She waits, taking her time.
An alarm blares, and the raised trap sinks back into the pipe. The tinny voice says, “Resuming normal water flow.” But nothing comes out.
[98] turn valve
Turning this valve will allow water to pour into the primary containment. Arawn is quite aware that this is the end. Turning this valve will allow the water to pour in, creating deadly clouds of steam. She even knows where the body will fall; as an ancient poet once said, almost talking to her, “You are instructed in the art of dying in the proper lighting.”
This will be the end of her story. Do you wish to proceed?
[99] yes
She turns the valve. Water pours out of the valve and into the primary containment chamber. It hits the fuel, and there is a flash.
She is engulfed in a white haze. Everything fades away.
This is the story of how Arawn Webster dies. Her story has come to an end.
But stories are meant to be told.
215 Years Later
In a green park between two spires in a gleaming city, lies a stone obelisk, where a lone woman stands, the only one to know the truth of what the monument holds. On the obelisk are engraved these words:
In Memory of Emrys Tisserand, Storyweaver of the Starship Tragwyddol.
She travelled through time, left a record of infinite potential, and saved her ship.
She gave her life to stop the engines of her ship from exploding, saving countless lives. We all owe our existence to her sacrifice.
“There is no greater love than this, than to give your life for your friends.”
2272-2340
The woman reads the words that tell of her own death. She looks at the mask in her hand, and thinks of the woman who once wore it. Then she lifts up the mask, and tries it on.
*** The End ***
I can think of 2-3 ways to expand the ending:
1-Add non-interactive text
2-Add an interactive, puzzleless dream or flashback
3-Make the epilogue somewhat playable, letting the player wander around until they leave.
For those who have finished the game, which would you prefer? If you discuss it here, please use spoilers; DMing me would be fine, too!
I would have chosen 1 & 3. But I think 1 is more important…