ANARYU'S PROFILE

Wow, pigs just flew by my window geodude.

Also yes; this is normal for couples that plan to stick together.

Yikes! Still stuck? I'll put together a solution video tonight and link it in a blog entry.

I dunno, experimentation seemed punished unless you save and do it with the intent to reload after you tested; combat is a drain on your resources you DON'T want (since there is no benefit) if this game had on-map saving it'd be easier but the same story. Since there's a limited amount of time to complete the story, you also don't want to waste how much progress you can make each day on testing weapons.

Personally I think experimentation should be on how to use the mechanics or interact with the game, not how to mathematically measure the "hidden" numbers on weapons.

You need to build tension in the player first and foremost. They need to be worried about something and the best way is to use the 'unknown.'

More specifically I'd suggest you find ways for the player to interact with the world and the world with the player that are unexpected at first, predictable but unsure after, and not unavoidable. Teach the player by shocking them with something once (a monster coming up through a grate in the floor, or the player falling through a weak floorboard into a totally dark area) and then use those things you taught them the same way through the game, but at unexpected place.

In the case of the grate example; have grates in many rooms and areas, but only make some of them actually do anything. The player will have learned "Monsters can appear from grates" and will be expecting it, so you need to lull them into a false sense of security again before using the same tactic.

Introduce mechanics one at a time, make sure it's obvious what's happening, but the first time should always be as unexpected as possible AFTER you've set up a tension in the room (haunting music, sounds, atmosphere, other game mechanics or mechanics like the grate, etc.)

You can then mix these mechanics together to make rooms dangerous and scary; there's some grates that look very obvious that detract their attention from a locker nearby that, when they get close enough (maybe by avoiding the grate,) something pops out or falls to the floor (non-gory dead body?)

Another thing is to use gameplay in a way that doesn't BREAK that immersion and tension. A suddenly battle screen transition and an easy turn-based battle will quickly give them confidence instead of caution and make the consequence of carelessness minimal and not as frightening.

Darkness and sound are powerful tools. Use very passive and quiet music when you want tension, change in music and suggestive sounds create immediate caution.

Create several levels of caution when you suggest something is about to happen; perhaps a very obvious dark spot, a locker nearby, and then a small puddle of water. They need to cross near the water and locker and through the dark area to get past, they're mostly likely to be concentrated on the darkness or the locker (depending on placement) and a watery arm coming from the puddle to grab their leg would be one of those "Darnit! I didn't see that coming!" moments that makes them jump and panic.

Hey Hunter, I'll try doing that, but the space should act just like Enter and the C key; which is select. At certain stages (moving or turning or windows open) the game won't progress so you can choose the option.

If you can track down what causes it and how you unfreeze it that would be a welcome help.