[VXA] Nightmare - GIAW 9

Well, the original map system was just a common event that would pull up the map image whenever called upon. The new version required way too many images at once though, so I made a mini-script for it that does the same function but with an array of sprites. It draws up the basic map from the original, places a highlight over your current room based on map_id, and manually places down each notation after checking a long list of switches. Was simple enough but tedious due to the time it took to do each one manually. Still, the end effect was worth it.

And by all means, haha. I've been dying to hear someone have an "Oh shit!" moment playing through it. XD

Well, the original map system was just a common event that would pull up the map image whenever called upon. The new version required way too many images at once though, so I made a mini-script for it that does the same function but with an array of sprites. It draws up the basic map from the original, places a highlight over your current room based on map_id, and manually places down each notation after checking a long list of switches. Was simple enough but tedious due to the time it took to do each one manually. Still, the end effect was worth it.

And by all means, haha. I've been dying to hear someone have an "Oh shit!" moment playing through it. XD

Oh wow that sounds much simpler than it originally sounded.  I like that. 

And yeah, I will probably be saying "Oh shit" a few times if tonight is anything like my evening of watching horror movies...I walked out of my room at about 11 in the dark and saw my own shadow and freaked the hell out >.<

I've got an overactive imagination.

Haha. Just pass me a link if you actually do so, that'd be awesome. V1.03 has a few more scares/surprises than before, so hopefully it'll be an amusing video.

Hello!
I love your game but I would like to know how to use the map of places.

The... map of places? Do you mean the player's Hotel Map with the markings, or the actual VXA mapping?

I had a short playthrough.

Without going into too much detail (I'm too embarrassed to say it ), I think you deserved to win the Game In A Week contest.

Too embarrassed? It scared you, didn't it?

Yes... Yes it did :'(

Spoiler for:

Not the only thing it did either

Updated hopefully one last time to 1.04 for a minor bug fix. There was a rare glitch occurrence that the shadow would be closing in on the player immediately after exiting from an elevator if the odds were against the player, thus giving the player not enough time to even move before being caught. I thought I had fixed all instances of this in 1.03, but had forgotten to apply the fix to the elevators as well. 1.04 fixes this. x.x

Download for Version 1.04

I gotta say one thing, at least most of you guys are bright enough to figure out what's what in the game and not just wander around aimlessly for hours. On another forum, almost literally every other post in the project thread is me having to help someone figure out how to solve a puzzle because they're lost or don't know how to solve it themselves. Seriously, someone was stumped at the TV puzzle because they only had the four-digit access code and were trying to fit it into the three-digit channel selection, and for others I was sometimes having to help out different people for the same puzzle simply because they didn't realize I had already offered some hints for it. x.x

In other words: yay, we're smart!

I gotta say one thing, at least most of you guys are bright enough to figure out what's what in the game and not just wander around aimlessly for hours. On another forum, almost literally every other post in the project thread is me having to help someone figure out how to solve a puzzle because they're lost or don't know how to solve it themselves. Seriously, someone was stumped at the TV puzzle because they only had the four-digit access code and were trying to fit it into the three-digit channel selection, and for others I was sometimes having to help out different people for the same puzzle simply because they didn't realize I had already offered some hints for it. x.x

That's a little concerning. I know I had an issue on one puzzle, but with hindsight I actually see where the clue was - it just went completely over my head at the time. But this sounds like people not paying attention to things carefully. Now that I've gone through the game several times, I have to say there's clues and hints everywhere. Yes, they may be somewhat subtle at times, but they are there and even without existing knowledge, there are means of logical guesswork.

I'd like to hope there's just an age thing involved here, but somehow I feel like I know that's not the case.

I thought everything was rather straight-forward, though I did play on timid because....well, I'm timid. 
I don't know if that has anything to do with puzzle difficulty or not.

I did walk down the ending path for an incredibly long time before I realized that I was supposed to do something, but that's just derping on my part.

Loved the story, even though I was rather scared to do things.

Spoiler for:

It took me a good few minutes to work up the courage to open the fridge....and then I realized it didn't open. You push it. /durrrhurrr

I gotta say one thing, at least most of you guys are bright enough to figure out what's what in the game and not just wander around aimlessly for hours. On another forum, almost literally every other post in the project thread is me having to help someone figure out how to solve a puzzle because they're lost or don't know how to solve it themselves. Seriously, someone was stumped at the TV puzzle because they only had the four-digit access code and were trying to fit it into the three-digit channel selection, and for others I was sometimes having to help out different people for the same puzzle simply because they didn't realize I had already offered some hints for it. x.x

That's a little concerning. I know I had an issue on one puzzle, but with hindsight I actually see where the clue was - it just went completely over my head at the time. But this sounds like people not paying attention to things carefully. Now that I've gone through the game several times, I have to say there's clues and hints everywhere. Yes, they may be somewhat subtle at times, but they are there and even without existing knowledge, there are means of logical guesswork.

I'd like to hope there's just an age thing involved here, but somehow I feel like I know that's not the case.

I hope I'm not being offensive to anyone (or at least to anyone any of us know), but I think it's more just an age / intelligence thing here. Some of the puzzles did make you stop and think, yes, but some of the things that had people stumped... well, really shouldn't have stumped them, especially since I had already offered hints and solutions right there in the thread for some of the things that confused them. At the very least they should have tried an easier difficulty if they were struggling to figure out the puzzles, and if they WERE on the easiest difficulty, then I really don't know what to do. x.x


Also for Clopin/Acolyte: Boo.

The only puzzle I actually had some trouble on was the code you get from how many legs are on the creatures.

It took me a good while to figure out what the puzzle was.

The only puzzle I actually had some trouble on was the code you get from how many legs are on the creatures.

It took me a good while to figure out what the puzzle was.

That one took a while just because I kept counting the snake incorrectly. So the logic was escaping me for quite a while on that one. Other than that, all of the puzzles seemed... overall, pretty easy, actually.

The only puzzle I actually had some trouble on was the code you get from how many legs are on the creatures.

It took me a good while to figure out what the puzzle was.

I still have yet to play it all the way through.  Too creepy lol.  I haven't seen this puzzle but from the sound of it, was it inspired by a similar puzzle from the original Silent hill?  That puzzle took me years to finish simply because after a few days of trying to figure out what the deal was, I gave up and came back when I was older to finish the game lol

Actually, it's based on something far simpler: the Sphinx's riddle.

Actually, it's based on something far simpler: the Sphinx's riddle.

Ah gotcha.  I really need to get back to it lol. 

I haven't seen this puzzle but from the sound of it, was it inspired by a similar puzzle from the original Silent hill?

It is pretty similar, actually... but a lot easier than the Zodiac puzzle. That thing had me stumped for a while, too, back in the day.

Been two months now since the end of the GIAW, so figured I'll upload the entirety of the unencrypted project like I've done with my other finished projects. Lets people indulge their curiosity for how I did something or other and gives novices (or maybe intermediates if I'm deluding myself) an example project that they can explore and learn mechanics from.

Unencrypted Version Download

Only two things that I always ask are, of course, that you don't try to steal credit for something you didn't make (you'd look like a dumbass if you did and were caught) or go in to try and "borrow" any of the resources themselves. Simple matters of respect and courtesy. More likely than not, you won't be able to accurately determine which resources are original, which I made myself, which have been edited specifically to fit Nightmare's needs, or even where most of them actually came from and who to properly credit. Not to mention it's just plain rude to use someone else's specific game stuff for yours.

Other than that, have fun. Hopefully it helps you learn a thing or two or get an idea for your own game.

Just finished playing through now, with what I believe is the good ending. Seriously great game, awesome puzzle elements and bloody terrifying scare moments. I definitely jumped plenty of times throughout, (though I am a complete wimp when it comes to scary stuff x_x ) but it was worth it in the end!

I'm glad you liked it. :3

Well, I just played it for about 10 minutes and I'm scared like hell at this moment.
Really, did you ever play this with surround sound headphones on your head? You'll get goosebumps even before the game starts...

Anyway, I love how this game is full of puzzles and no fighting at all!!

I've downloaded the VXA trial because I'm interested in using it and also wanted to check out the inner workings of your game, but it's apparently Nightmare is encrypted. Not sure whether it's because I'm using the demo or not?