Congrats on winning! Really cool submission 🥳

it's a really creative way of turning a character creator into a game! 

I did a video playthrough! I worked hard on this game so if anyone is interested in giving me any feedback I would really appreciate it 😊

That was cool! An Unreal Engine game in just 3 hours? Wow!

I love the interpretation of "chosen one" as "chosen test subject". I could easily see this as a portal-inspired physics puzzle game but without the motion sickness I get from games like portal. I liked the idea!

I think the one thing to keep in mind for next time is that the navigation was done with ZQSD instead of WASD, I understand that you're probably working with a different keyboard layout in a different language though, so it's not your fault. An easy quick solution for next time would be to just make W and Z as well as Q and A do the same thing, or add the arrow keys. Other than that I really enjoyed this atmospheric little game! :)

only 1 hour? that's pretty good especially the sound design. I can see that you're usually doing horror games and I could easily see this becoming one. I got all 4 endings unless there's more and I missed something 🤔

Is it a betrayal that someone named coke gamingstudios made a game about dr. pepper? 😱

thanks for letting me know! 🫡

I'll see if I can get a video playthrough uploaded later today for those who are interested anyway

oh, sorry... it's made with RPG Developer Bakin, which doesn't have a web build version. It's not a virus and you can run it in a sandbox if you want to make sure. But if you don't want to I understand

I understand! Well the art being actual physical watercolor makes this game extra special. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go out and get some kebab 'cause I'm really craving it for some reason haha😋

This game has such a strong premise and identity! I kinda want to know what happens once you get hired, with the talking building and everything. I'd buy this on steam if it was a full release!

I would say that the design of the HR lady is very cute but she might call security on me 🫢 haha

This actually made me laugh out loud 😆 Well done!

This was great! I had to get used to the hitboxes at first but I slowly got the hang of it. I would have played for even longer but I couldn't find a replay button so I had to refresh the page and replay the intro each time.

The intro is really cute, though! The little details in the art and the faces on the hearts were adorable. I think my favorite is the picture of the big hero at the top with the glowing purple eyes, looking at his former allies. Your idea for putting a twist on the premise is surprisingly dark and the gameplay goal of not stopping the hero, instead trying to survive as long as possible, goes along well with this. I love media that mixes cute art styles with dark themes so this was right up my alley!

Another thing I really liked is how you put in the ability to choose between 3 different difficulties. As far as I could tell, it only influenced the amount of hearts, but that is still amazing for a 3 hour development time!

Daft Punk reference let's goooo

This was really cute and fun. I maxed out all my stats and still kept playing for a bit because it was so addictive lol

I really love this idea for the theme :)

The art is so beautiful, it looks like watercolor. Is it drawn digitally or was it drawn traditionally and scanned in? Either way it looks great! 

Is the music missing or did it just not work for me? I totally get why it wouldn't be included I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

That was cool! I can't imagine what kind of immense trickery you must have pulled to put VRoid models into MV3D like that. The self-aware humor like with the hover shoes was a nice touch but tbh I think it's amazing that this was done in such a short time, especially considering there's probably no easy way to preview what it looks like in the editor so you probably had to do a lot of testing. The image of the inside of that one classroom was dope and I can see from your profile you made it yourself as well!

I think I really like the potential of the game's concept the most. A Persona style anime game where a ghost girl helps you solve mysteries in the school sounds like I would enjoy it very much, I think you already established a core game loop with the first guy you're helping, and the concept of investing the spirit spheres to get stronger is very intriguing as well. To be honest I didn't quite understand exactly how I helped the first person, the ghost girl just told me I did it, but maybe I missed something or it's just not implemented yet.

It looks like you handmade not just the VRoid models and the levels but also some elements of the UI which is a lot of effort. The poses in the thumbnail are also really cool.  I think if I would give one recommendation is to look into how to avoid visual noise in environments and UI (something I struggle with myself as well).

This was soooo cute! My favorite part is when Til goes "IMMA BOP YOU!" and the guy flies off with a squeaky scream :D

The two main characters are adorable. When the little kid pets the bunny was also pretty cute.

I also like when you see the hero party and you give all of them their own personality! And it's not just the heroes that have personality, but the items as well. Making them apple slices and torches and shovels and cute accessories like that really conveyed a coherent theme for the world.

The depth of field / blur made it a little hard to play until I remember that I could turn it off in the settings. It's kinda silly how RPG Maker MZ exports the game with default settings so if you adjusted them during playtesting it doesn't apply to the export. The chase  in the maze was pretty entertaining it reminded me of those old Windows screensavers especially with the mossy brick wall tiles! I did get a bit motion sick after a while but I think that' might just be fromthe MZ3D engine in general, although you could try adjusting the turn degree setting.

I think the game in general has a lot of personality and charm and I wouldn't mind spending a day with the people from the village they seemed nice. I could relate to the people passed out and sleeping the most haha ;D

> At least blocking on itch.io prevents people from directly replying to your posts and comments. That’s very useful. It should do even more.

Yes, I agree - that's really what I was trying to call attention to. Do you think there will be any improvements made on this in the future?

Thank you so much! 🤗

Thank you to everyone who responded and gave support and feedback.

However, I still haven't received any acknowledgement / response from tech support, nor the itch.io admins themselves. 

I still think this is an issue that would ideally be adressed by changing how the current blocking and privacy settings work.

I went ahead and put together this video to attempt to explain why changing the blocking feature to protect users from harassment is essential!

Couldn't agree more!

Thanks for voicing your support!

Hello everyone!

I'm writing this because I've been facing an ongoing issue that I believe many other creators are likely also dealing with: the lack of a fully functional blocking system on itch.io.

The Situation

The current blocking feature on itch.io is severely limited. The 3 main concerns are:

1. Blocked users can still follow and interact with the person who blocked them [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
2.  Creators cannot remove individual followers or prevent specific users from following them [3] [4] [5].
3. Blocked accounts can continuously un-follow and follow, causing harassment through notification spam.

Additional Concerns: 

• Users have no granular control over which activities are visible to followers [5] [6] [7].
• Blocked accounts can still purchase and download games from the blocker.
• Blocked users still appear in search results, potentially exposing creators to unwanted content or interactions [8] [9] [10] [13].

This system fails to protect creators from persistent harassment, allowing blocked individuals to continue their disruptive behavior unchecked.

Why This Needs More Attention

Multiple forum threads discuss the need for improved blocking and privacy features [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10].

Some of these are multiple years old, and yet there hasn't been any improvement yet, even though harassment is against itch.io's terms of service. [11]

It's possible other users already left itch.io because of this. I know I'm not the only one affected by this. Going public with this issue is scary and uncomfortable, it puts me in danger, and frankly, it shouldn’t have to be necessary.

I'm speaking out both for myself, as well as for the many other creators who might be silently suffering from similar issues: we're unable to fully block someone from following us or viewing our activity, but many might be too afraid or ashamed to speak up. We are being left vulnerable and unsure of how to use the platform without being reminded of unwanted attention.

Impact on Creators

The consequences of these inadequate features are significant:

• Creators face ongoing harassment without effective means to stop it.
•  Some users limit their activity on the platform, potentially harming their careers.
•  The fear of unwanted attention can stifle creativity and community engagement. 

Comparison With Competitors

  GameJolt, a competitor platform, offers a more effective blocking feature, highlighting itch.io's shortcomings in this area [12].

"Users you have blocked will be unable to follow you, and you cannot follow them."

The Need For Action

It's crucial for itch.io to please prioritize the safety and well-being of its creator community.

By implementing these changes, the platform can foster a safer environment for all users, encourage more creators to join and actively participate, and maintain its position as a leading platform for independent game developers.

What I’m asking for is a more robust blocking system that gives creators more control over their privacy and safety. Specifically, please consider implementing the following:

Feature Requests

1. The ability to completely block a specific user from following your account.
2.  The ability to remove individual followers.  
3. More nuanced privacy settings that allow creators to select which activity should be shared on the feed
4. Measures to prevent notification spam from repeated following/unfollowing.
5. At the very least, the ability to turn off notifications for new followers.

The time for action is now. Creators deserve a platform where they can share their work without fear of harassment or unwanted attention. Itch.io has the opportunity to lead by example and set a new standard for creator protection in the digital space.

Citations: 

[1] /t/3135579/question-and-concern-using-the-blocking-feature 

[2] /t/1103073/hello-i-have-a-couple-of-questionsconcerns-about-conte...

[3] /t/1579134/can-i-remove-a-follower

[4] /t/2131019/remove-the-follower-feature-is-need

[5] /t/2528716/how-to-get-rid-of-followers-on-itch

[6] /t/1859503/is-there-any-way-to-stop-certain-types-of-my-actions-f...

[7] https://github.com/itchio/itch.io/issues/1212

[8] https://github.com/itchio/itch.io/issues/753

[9] /t/2012130/blocking-needs-improved-functionality

[10] /t/2994767/creators-i-blocked-should-not-appear-in-search-results

[11] /docs/legal/terms

[12] https://gamejolt.com/help-docs/start/block

[13] /t/2186265/add-ignore-option-for-individual-games-or-devs

I'm hoping that by speaking out, I can get enough support to finally see some meaningful change. I understand this is a tricky issue, but it's a larger problem that impacts creators everywhere. We all deserve to feel safe when sharing our work, without the fear of harassment or unwanted attention.

If you’ve faced a similar issue on itch.io or any other platform, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.  Creators of all kinds should be able to feel safe and respected while they share their art with the world.

I sincerely hope that itch.io will take this issue seriously and consider updating its blocking features to help protect creators who contribute so much to this platform. 

Respectfully Yours,

IDOLL_Dev

Love the concept, and an endearing main character! Excited to see more! Anything that combines robots and magic has to be good! 🤩

Thank you so much!  That's great to hear :D

Yeah, from what I heard, encrypting the code has helped people evade antivirus, while open source programs get flagged? It's really counter-productive.

But the web version is a good idea in general, since so many people browsing itch.io are looking for browser games :D

It could be a really fun game to have open in another tab while auto-battling!

That was really fun! I love the artworks and the nicknames for the characters. I liked figuring out which pilots and mech suits to use! The setting is super interesting, it reminded me of the Wasteland series or the Brotherhood of Steel. 

Personally I think what would be cool for future versions would be more upgrades (and maybe a toggle for perma-death? 😈) I look forward to it!

It's really cool that you made this with pygame, mad respect. It's a shame so many antivirus programs seem to freak out with pygame games :/

Thank you so much! Yes I had fun making it, so I got a bit carried away there haha, I think this is also why the sync got messed up lol

I'll make a more beginner-friendly tutorial in the next version :D

Not what I expected when I typed in "big cat" lol, but I really like it it's like a bipedal werewolf but in cat form!

I think it could make for a funny enemy in an rpg, I'm imagining a scene where a kitten is upset with you and gets their "big brother", who turns out to be this OP Tank character. Good job on the model!

WOW!!!!!! Good job dude :D

I'm working on another jam submission rn but I'll make an update where you can save her later, thanks for the input!

Thank you for hosting this jam and linking that article, it was very inspiring in making my game! I need some sleep now but I'll look at what other people have made soon, the previews all look amazing 💖

Also I love Vocaloid but WOW I didn't know Teto was originally a parody / troll character :O

wow, you played it already!!! thank you so much 🥹

"32 seconds before the deadline"... whew! :')

I finally got this game and I'm planning on playing it with my sister who loves dark academia as a birthday present! I'm super excited about it, I made custom handouts with intentionally overly complicated sign up forms (she loves filling out forms haha) and for the sorting ceremony I used a golden pen to draw the symbols for the houses on acorns that we can pull from a bag. I will also set up four burning candles and we will blow out a candle for each year so it will progressively get darker!

I just played a solo session and I am blown away by the amazing prompts, setting, and atmosphere. I struggle with open-ended prompts on solo journaling games sometimes, and already use Tarot as a helpful tool a lot, so with the cards of the Major Arcana, all of a sudden the ideas just kept overflowing :D

I think my favorite are the horror aspects and opportunity for lots of ghosts and monsters, because I'm no Dark Academia expert but I'm all about that spooky stuff :)

Thank you for making this game I'm sure it will be a lovely experience of combining my interests with my sister's, and I'll let you know how it went

Edit: She loved it!

Really cool! Worked perfectly with my PS4 controller and is very juicy and responsive imho

The characters are awesome, a very good example of what can be achieved using VRoid :D

I will! I actually plan to compete as well, so I can't wait to see what other games there will be!

The monster you've chosen is such a cool idea! Just wanted to let you know that I can't download anything right now because it says your page has been quarantined for some reason? It probably just got auto-flagged because your account is new 🤔

I listened to it on your YouTube though and it sounds amazing! It felt like entering a completely different world, both haunting and yet serene.

Sorry, can't help you there. Maybe just try un- and reinstalling RPG Maker MZ?

This is SO good 🤯🤯🤯

can't believe it's free! 🥰

Yessss I was hoping somebody would make something metal like this! 🤘

The design of the harp-guitar is really cool as well 🤩

I love this!!! I'm no musician so maybe that isn't saying much but I really love the mischievous vibe 🤡🎃😈

hey there, sorry for butting in, but by NW.js, I think they mean this:

https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?threads/how-to-update-nw-js-to-dramatic...

/blog/484532/how-to-update-nwjs-in-rpg-maker-mv-for-rpg-devs

Hope that helps!

Yes, thank you for your swift and thorough reply! :) 

Just tried it out and it works like a charm ^^

Hi MythAtelier! 👋

First of all, I want to say that I really enjoy using your plugin! 😊It's been very helpful in my project. However, I encountered an issue I wanted to report. In both the demo file and the empty template for RPG Maker MZ, I occasionally get the following error message after a fight:

"Failed to load img/system/CardHighlight.png."

It seems like the file CardHighlight.png is missing, and the code might be referencing an incorrect path. In the "highlights" folder, I found CardHighlightSheet.png, but not CardHighlight.png.🤔

I tried to recreate the issue in RPG Maker MV, and in the demo game, I got the error during a fight (not afterwards). I noticed you mentioned updating the highlight spritesheet, so I assume it's related to that. 🙈 However, I’m not updating from a previous version—I purchased and downloaded the latest version directly.

I also tried replacing the script and image files with those from the Plugin Suite, but the error still occurred. It’s possible I made a mistake there, haha

Just thought I’d let you know. Please let me know if there's a fix for this or if there's something I can do on my end. Thanks again for your awesome work! 🌟

Best regards,
IDOLL Dev