Wow, so it’s already been a couple of months!
Thank you so much for being patient with me throughout all of this, haha.
And sincerely, it means a great deal to hear that you enjoyed IWM as much as you did.
I hope I’ll have the chance to see you again for PIWM, where I also hope to challenge myself to at least triple that enjoyment.
Again, thank you very much!
Have a fantastic weekend!
Warm regards!
Hey!
It’s really an honor to hear that. Thank you so much!
I myself am quite… inexperienced (to put it simply, haha), when it comes to social media and all of that, so I sincerely appreciate it. It truly helps a lot!
Thank you for giving IWM a chance!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Warm regards!
Hey!
I’m very glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying the game so far!
Less happy, of course, that you’ve stumbled into a problem, haha.
It’s a little difficult for me to determine exactly where you currently are, so if that’s alright, could you answer these questions:
If you select the Talk interaction, what does Myrddin currently say (please provide the exact sentence shown)?
And, more generally, does the game seem to be pushing you toward a particular interaction that you cannot actually progress through?
For example, something like Myrddin telling you to check Topics, only for there to be nothing available in the Topics section.
Warm regards!
Hey!
I believe this issue is caused by a particular sequence of actions the player can take, which may prevent the relevant interaction from being introduced correctly.
I have uploaded a hotfix that should hopefully resolve the problem.
First, please make a new save.
If you’re playing on the web version, simply reload the page.
If you’re playing the downloadable version, you will need to download the game again.
Afterward, choose any available interaction. You can either complete it normally or select “Nevermind” if that option is available.
And that should transition you into the event.
Please let me know if the issue is still present afterward!
Thank you!
Warm regards!
Hey!
I believe there is a way to do that and it should be fairly straightforward.
Open IWM in the same browser you have been using to play the web version.
In the upper-left corner, you should see a very light grey button with three horizontal lines.
Click on it, and you should find an option called Export Saves. Selecting that will download your save files.
Download the executable version of the game and open its files. You should find a folder named saves.
Place the save files you exported from the web version into that folder.
Start the game afterward, and your saves should appear there.
I hope I managed to explain that understandably, haha.
Warm regards!
I hope it does!
#1 Honestly, I think any of the endings are heavily shaped by your own experience with Myrddin throughout the chapters.
And I think that is part of the beauty of it.
#2 Admittedly, because I tend to go into considerable detail, making a full guide would probably become quite the project on its own, haha.
However, that is not the main reason I decided against making one.
More than anything, I would prefer for players to discover things naturally, without too much direct intervention from me.
I may occasionally provide hints or point someone in the right direction, but I would like to avoid explaining too much and unintentionally removing some of the mystery.
That being said, if you’re fine with it, feel free to ask me whatever you’d like to know, and I’ll be happy to provide a detailed, direct answer to your specific question. A mini-walkthrough, so to speak.
You can reach me at tomyself.works@gmail.com if that works for you!
And yes, I gladly take recommendations! Thank you!
Ah… funny timing, actually.
There is currently a “annoyance” I have to work through on my end, but I am hoping everything turns out well.
I hope you have a wonderful day or night as well, and a great week ahead!
Warm regards!
Man… These notifications really do me dirty.
You can’t imagine how glad I am that that commentator happened to comment here, haha.
It’s also incredibly gratifying to hear that the game managed to capture your interest so quickly, especially considering how rather slow its beginning is.
So truly, thank you for giving IWM a chance all the way back then!
And I’m just as glad that you decided to share your thoughts here.
I still remember reading through your post several times.
At the time, comments that went into detail about the events of the game, personal interpretations, theories, and broader thoughts were quite rare. Frankly, they were almost nonexistent.
And encouraging exactly that kind of discussion was one of the reasons behind the direction I chose for IWM’s story.
I wanted the game to leave people with things to think about, and then encourage them to share their theories and the different ways they interpreted what was happening.
So when I first read through your post, it genuinely felt like I had achieved a little milestone I had quietly been hoping to reach throughout development, haha.
And what makes me even happier is that I was fortunate enough to experience that feeling not just once, but repeatedly throughout development, thanks to you.
Even now, with the game finally completed, I still have the privilege of reading and responding to your thoughts, interpretations, and theories.
And I cannot tell you how gratifying that is!
Can’t believe all my yapping was actually useful for once, haha.
And, of course, I’m always happy to hear whatever thoughts, theories, or impressions you may wish to share in the future!
I’m very grateful. Thank you very much!
Warm regards!
Thank you very much! It really means a lot.
And I hope this does not come across as ignorant or presumptuous, but…
I think you deserve to be a little more demanding of life than simply settling for being alive and breathing.
This may sound somewhat random, but there is something that has personally helped me before:
If you ever have some quiet time entirely to yourself, try doing something similar to the “Listen” interaction in the game. Simply voice your problems aloud as though someone were genuinely there listening.
While doing so, imagine that the person listening is capable of helping you carry or resolve those burdens.
Then, once you have said everything you needed to say, simply end with:
“Please help me.”
Perhaps it may offer some comfort or clarity, even if only a little.
As for the final ending…
I would probably borrow the word others have used to describe it so far, “bittersweet.”
Which… I think is actually quite a fitting adjective for it.
The secret ending is more ambiguous. I could see it being interpreted as either a good or a bad ending depending entirely on the person experiencing it.
As for PIWM, the intention is very much to take the concept to the next level and develop it into the more fully realized “premium” version I would like it to be.
That means improving, expanding, and adding to a considerable number of aspects of the original game.
Over the past several months, I have also been collecting various visual novels and VN-like games to experience for myself, both to broaden my perspective and to study the different ways I could improve things technically and in terms of presentation.
Because, despite having created a VN of my own…
I actually haven’t played that many visual novels myself.
And there is absolutely nothing for you to apologize for!
I did tell you to take your time and play whenever you genuinely felt like doing so, and I meant that.
So please, experience it entirely at your own pace and leisure.
Again, thank you very much!
It has been quite some time, and yet somehow not very long at all, since your very first comment during the jam.
I am sincerely grateful that you were already offering me encouragement all the way back then.
I truly hope things get better for you.
Take care of yourself!
Warm regards!
Thanks a lot for providing the video!
I believe I have identified the issue.
I uploaded a small hotfix that should hopefully resolve it. Once it is applied, you just need to choose any interaction and then return to the choice section. You may then need to do this one more time for something to trigger.
Since you’re playing on the web version, all you have to do for the hotfix to be applied is reload the page.
Make sure to save your game before reloading!
Please do not hesitate to let me know if the problem is still present afterward.
My apologies for the trouble!
Hey!
I have pushed a small hotfix for this issue, which I am hoping will resolve the problem.
First, make a save file so you can continue.
If you’re playing through the web version, all you need to do is reload the page.
If you’re playing the downloadable version, you will need to download the game again.
Afterward, choose any interaction and then return to the main choice menu, either by completing the interaction normally or by selecting “Nevermind.”
Fortunately, this is nothing game-breaking, and even without the hotfix it should eventually resolve itself. So, your save files are… well safe, haha.
Please let me know if the problem is still present!
My apologies for the inconvenience!
Warm regards!
Hey!
I am editing the original message I sent with the updated information:
I believe you are encountering the same issue that another user has reported too.
I uploaded a small hotfix that should hopefully resolve it. Once it is applied, you just need to choose any interaction and then return to the choice section. You may then need to do this one more time for something to trigger.
If you’re playing through the web version, all you need to do is reload the page.
If you’re playing the downloadable version, you will need to download the game again.
Make sure to save your game before reloading!
Apologies for the inconvenience!
Warm regards!
Hey!
It’s a little difficult to pinpoint exactly where you are in Chapter IV, so here are a few things you could try:
Press the Talk option. If you’re nearing the end of the chapter, it should tell you which interaction to follow up with next. If it doesn’t, could you let me know what the dialogue says? Sometimes it gives a hint about what you need to do next.
Try playing another round of one of the mini-games.
This seems less likely based on your description, but it is also possible that one interaction has been overlooked, either directly on the image or through one of the arrow buttons.
If none of this works, please let me know.
Warm regards!
Hey!
Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!
The majority of the artwork was commissioned by me from freelance artist Cheung Ngo Chau.
You can find her work on ArtStation @Cheung_ngo_chau, along with links to her related social media accounts!
A detailed list of everyone who contributed to the project can also be found within the game’s credits.
Warm regards!
Hey!
I really appreciate that! Thank you so much!
And while I still need to properly look into it, you are very likely spot on. I apologize for the issue, and thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Though…
It is a little funny to think that this bug may have been present all the way since version 0.1.
I hope to see you again once the final chapter is released, currently planned for this upcoming Thursday!
Thank you again!
Warm regards!
Ah, apologies.
I come up with, write, and edit the dialogue myself.
Once I am satisfied with it, I use external software and/or research online for a final proofreading pass, primarily to catch spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or other issues I may have overlooked, as English is not my first language.
Though… judging by the number of spelling and grammar mistakes that have been reported to me, I am clearly still overlooking more of them than I would like.
In that regard, I am still very much a novice and continue to learn as I go.
So, to address your question of whether I rely on AI to generate the dialogue itself, then no.
It’s a style that, unfortunately, didn’t really come from reading many novels or much traditional literature, but rather from a strange accumulation of Webtoons and Webnovels over the years.
But…
I have grown quite fond of it.
IWM is intended to be a personal and immersive experience, and I am very glad to hear that it feels that way to you.
I don’t think that kind of experience would even be possible without dialogue that feels equally personal and immersive.
Warm regards.
Hey,
That stronger sense of a facade, as though you are not really speaking to someone genuine/real, is something I intended to be present throughout Chapter I, most of Chapter II, and parts of Chapter III.
By “not genuine,” I mean things such as:
Giving unnecessary amounts of detail to otherwise trivial matters.
Conversations sometimes feeling as though they are being read from a script, or presented as if this is the 500th time he has gone through the same exchange.
Repetition. (What is the definition of insanity?)
Frequently jumping between topics, almost as trying to rush through certain conversations just to get them over with.
The general flow sometimes feeling more forced than natural, almost as though someone is working his way through a checklist rather than simply letting the conversation develop.
Phrasing that can sound deliberately forced. For example: “And then the next question shows up, trying to ruin my moment.” It almost resembles the exaggerated enthusiasm of a children’s show addressing its audience.
The behavior of an entertainer who constantly puts on an overly enthusiastic presentation to keep you engaged. It can feel less like someone who is participating in the conversation and more like someone who is focused on making sure the conversation never stops.
The intention is that some of these qualities gradually shift as the chapters progress and Myrddin himself changes.
If those distinctions between the chapters don’t come across at all, then that simply means I did not communicate them well enough through the writing.
I apologize for that.
Warm regards.
It’s completely understandable that the game didn’t quite manage to hook you!
Essentially, yes. That is the core gameplay of IWM.
You interact with Myrddin.
And a large part of that interaction comes through simply reading and responding to dialogue. That is, at its heart, the premise of the game.
Of course, the experience gradually expands beyond that, introducing various diversions and additional gameplay elements throughout the chapters, but dialogue remains at the center of it all.
That being said, particularly throughout the first two chapters, Myrddin’s manner of speaking is very deliberate.
He is repetitive.
And that repetition plays an important role in certain revelations later in the story.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily make the experience any less frustrating when you’re playing through those chapters for the first time, without the context that eventually gives those patterns their significance.
So I can absolutely understand your criticism.
Now, obviously, the “400th time” is a bit of hyperbole, but your comment actually made me curious enough to check how frequently the word “honestly” appears throughout the script.
Across the entire current script, including the still-unpublished final chapter, which brings the total word count to 65,708, the word appears 42 times.
And considering the various branching choices, a player would naturally encounter even fewer instances during a single playthrough.
More specifically, the phrase “And honestly” appears 11 times throughout the script, with 7 of those instances occurring in Chapter I, the chapter you played.
So you are absolutely correct! This particular sentence structure is considerably more concentrated in the opening chapter.
What I will say is that the amount of “…” throughout the game will probably drive you even more insane, haha.
And there, once again, I unfortunately have to hide behind the wonderful excuse of:
“Well… that is intentional.”
The reasoning behind this becomes clearer as the story progresses, with certain aspects receiving further attention in the upcoming final chapter.
All in all, this is simply Myrddin’s voice, and the way I have deliberately chosen to portray him.
Sometimes he is repetitive. Sometimes awkward. Sometimes unnecessarily dramatic.
And sometimes what he says can even feel outright “artifical/fake”.
Yet there are also moments when he sounds genuinely sincere. Vulnerable. Naive. Hopeful.
That contrast is an essential part of how I have written his character.
Of course, none of this means that every instance of repetition is automatically justified simply because there’s an underlying narrative intention. Nor does it mean that the resulting dialogue will necessarily appeal to everyone.
And that’s perfectly understandable!
I hope none of this comes across as me dismissing your thoughts.
I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to share them!
I simply wanted to take this opportunity to offer a little more insight into the reasoning behind those particular writing decisions.
Thank you for giving IWM a chance!
Have a wonderful week!
Warm regards!
I’m very happy to hear that! And I hope I can maintain that sentiment throughout the final chapter as well, ultimately leaving you to decide for yourself how you interpret Myrddin’s actions.
And what a wonderful piece of artwork! Thank you so much!
I particularly love the detail of the “thinking” bubbles, as well as the idea of the Player’s “hand” being represented as an actual visible object that Myrddin can interact with.
I honestly don’t know why I never thought of it that way myself… I really like the idea.
Once again, thank you very much!
And warm reg-
…
Oh.
Well then… warmer regards!
Greetings!
I hope my reply does not come across as overly direct either.
Essentially, you are asking me to confirm that no generative AI was used for the artwork.
I have addressed similar questions before, and the store page itself also explicitly states that the artwork is not AI-generated.
Rather than simply repeating that confirmation, though, I think it would be more useful to explain what that statement is based on:
The majority of the artwork in the game was commissioned directly from a freelance illustrator whose publicly available portfolio extends back several years. They also have an extensive history of completed commissions and consistently positive feedback from previous and returning clients.
For every commissioned piece, including variations that were ultimately not used, I received the original PSD files. These are not flattened images placed inside PSD documents. They contain meaningful and organized layers separating elements such as linework, coloring, shading, lighting, effects, backgrounds, and other stages of the artwork’s construction.
I received drafts throughout the commissioning process rather than only receiving the final illustrations. A number of these drafts have also been shared publicly through development logs and the Tumblr page.
Process recordings show the artwork developing from pose guides and linework through flat colors, shading, highlights, and final rendering. One such recording was publicly posted only recently (on Tumblr), entirely independently of these concerns, and I have additional process recordings stored privately.
I also asked the illustrator directly, well before this comment, whether generative AI had been used in the creation of the artwork. They explicitly confirmed that it had not.
I cannot provide a detailed technical explanation for every brush stroke or rendering decision, as I was not the illustrator responsible for these pieces.
What I can provide is the documentation, work-in-progress material, source files, and process evidence upon which my confidence in that statement is based.
If your concern is based on something more concrete than certain aspects simply “feeling off,” please feel free to provide the specific basis for that concern.
If you would prefer to discuss the matter directly, and this applies equally to anyone else with similar concerns, you are also welcome to contact me at tomyself.works@gmail.com
Warm regards!
My pleasure! I’m very glad we were able to get the issue resolved.
Thank you as well for providing the information that helped me narrow it down, and for your patience throughout the process!
While I was able to determine what was causing the issue, I admittedly still can’t say exactly how it occurred in the first place. So if you happen to encounter any other problems, please do let me know!
Warm regards!
That might fix it! You can check whether there happens to be a suitable save in the autosave section.
Though, being on the browser actually makes the following solution a little easier:
Please reload the itch.io page so that the (hopefully) fixed version is properly loaded.
Once you are back in the game, simply reload the save you were using.
Then, choose any interaction and click through the dialogue as usual.
Once you return to the main interaction screen, check whether Myrddin is now in his thinking pose. If he is, simply click on him, and everything should continue from there as intended.
If he still does not enter the thinking pose, please let me know!
Hmm… then that appears to be the issue.
Myrddin should enter that thinking state after you have spoken to him at least once and either heard one of his jokes or fully explored six pieces of furniture.
Based on what you have described, you have completed more than enough for those conditions to have been met, which makes this particularly strange.
I believe I may have found a workaround for the issue, however.
Could you tell me which version of the game you are playing?
Are you playing through the browser, or using the downloadable version?
If you are using the downloadable version, please let me know whether you are on Windows, Linux, or macOS.
Nope, I will get this resolved, because now I have a much better indication of what might be going wrong!
Of course, as long as I am not completely burning through your patience, haha. Apologies again!
Frankly, I still do not know exactly how it happened, but for some reason, something seems to have not been properly recognized during your playthrough.
Do you remember seeing this at some point after Myrddin brought the furniture into the background? He should enter a sort of thinking idle pose where you can click on him.
Did that ever appear for you?
Thank you for the image!
Alright, I do not believe this is actually an issue with the UI.
The buttons automatically adjust themselves depending on which interactions have been fully completed.
Once an interaction is finished, its corresponding option disappears, and if there is no longer any need for additional space on the left side, the navigation buttons will disappear as well.
I’m assuming that you already completed the quiz interaction. If you did not, please let me know, because normally Myrddin shouldn’t ask you to do the quiz if you have already completed it.
This is something you have already tried, but I will mention it just to be safe:
Selecting the “Talk” option should provide a hint regarding what to do next.
Try asking Myrddin for a joke. If he doesn’t currently want to tell one, try some of the other available interactions first and return to it afterward, until he feels like telling a joke.
Please let me know whether that allows you to continue, and if not, what sort of response you are getting!
Hey!
Apologies for the late reply and for the inconvenience!
When you say they “disappeared,” do you mean that the arrows shown in the image are completely missing?
As a possible immediate workaround, could you please try navigating using the “A” and “D” keys on your keyboard? These serve as alternative controls for navigating through the interaction choices.
Hey!
You will get a pop-up letting you know once you have reached the ending, so there is still some progress left!
Usually, when you press the “Talk” option, Myrddin will give you a hint about what to do next.
Alternatively, you can briefly explain where you currently are in the game, and perhaps I can help you that way!
Thank you for playing!
Warm regards!
No bother at all, and apologies for the inconvenience!
The naming issue has now been fixed, and names can also include non-letter characters.
As for the second report… admittedly, I was unable to pinpoint the exact scenario you described, but I made an adjustment based on what I assumed you meant.
For the fixes to take effect, you will need to download the game again.
I hope that was the problem, but if not, please do let me know!
Absolutely, yes. And the current version of IWM is only scratching the surface of that aspect.
You can get really creative with the ways the experience reaches beyond the game application itself, and I hope I get the opportunity to explore that much further in the future.
That may be one of the highest compliments I could receive regarding this update. I’m glad to hear that! Thank you!
If it is not too much trouble, I would genuinely love to hear what made this chapter your favorite out of the four!
Can’t have a major update without at least a few mistakes, can I?
(Though these little bugs are certainly preferable to having everyone’s saves wiped again…)
I… cannot not go with Batman. He would have a preparation plan for the preparation plan, haha.
