Alright, time to go through these comments in earnest...
Enerccio >> I'm glad you think so. After all, you're the one who's been pushing me the last few days before the release to get it done. I know you're not a fan of sad ends, but hopefully you see this one as "sad, maybe, but optimistic". And yeah, don't worry, I'll get back to EV soon.
PyTom >> I'm glad you liked it. And as for making the game longer, for me it's hard to see how. I really like the length it's at now. Everything I needed to do gets done. There could've been more to the Kareena arc, but maybe by then I was just itching to finish so I took some shortcuts, ahahaha.
DaFool >> Maybe I should've mentioned the intent to flip images, but it doesn't really matter. I think they're fine as they are. I'm glad you liked the 'limited animation'. I was just trying to get the most out of the few sprites I had. I'm glad it had a good effect. Glad you liked everything else too, especially the story. And congratulate yourself too. You're part of the effort.
Mr. E >> Maybe I do have a thing for witches, but it's probably more a thing for magic (Oh, and Melissa would kill you for calling her a witch. She's a magician... wait, someone actually read what I had for Araiah? Besides DaFool? Hmm...). I'm glad you think everything is so well constructed, too. But one of my weaknesses is I'm not much for really planning and plotting something out (especially on paper, most of it stays in my head, where it belongs...), so a few things were added in hindsight. But I suppose the most important elements have been with the story since the beginning... And, with the limited resources at my disposal, I'm glad I did manage to prove my 'significance of art' argument, if just by a little. I'm hoping to have moments like that in all my projects, because there are things better told through sights than words.
And I'll agree the Reese/Kareena arc does get resolved rather quickly, but I actually think Violetta's does too in a sense. I could've done a better job for sure, but it's partly intentional. If not the reader, I'd like to at least lure Jack into a false sense of security, thinking magic can solve any problem and quickly, that it really is possible to do anything. Though I will readily admit that the Reese arc resolution is actually the last scene I wrote, so I was probably in a bit of a hurry to finish...
And yet another person eagerly awaiting EV. Well, I only hope you're a little more patient than a certain someone else...
monele >> Oh, wow, tears... That really means something to me. Perhaps one shouldn't take pride in bringing others to tears for fear of being viewed as a sadist, but if my own writing was that emotionally powerful, I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. (Oh... the town with the blue guy... yeah, Enerccio pointed that one out to me too. But well, budget production. I made sacrifices at places... but I still like how it turned out.) Oh, and of course a MagBou reference! With Marivel's talent in potion making, how could I not? And for your other question, lint tells me 1980 screens and 19624 words. Just short of 2000/20,000.
Nafai >> Uh, well, I write a lot, but not so many short stories. But I'm glad you think it's got all the elements of a good short story. Conciseness was my aim though, so it means something that you think this story has it. Although it was a personal matter as much as a story-related one. I didn't want this to blow up into a huge story, so I wasn't gonna waste words or make the story needlessly long. I didn't want it to end up like another project of mine that grew way beyond the initial idea... And I'm glad it has wholeness too. I obviously want everything to make sense, for characters to have well understood reasons for doing what they do, and it looks like I hit my mark.
There was a thought at one time during the process, really early, where Ana might have been the witch responsible for Reese's hex, but after looking at it for a while, I didn't like it much. And it would've also made the timing difficult to manage. As the story stands now, Reese was only hexed recently (~ 2 years or so ago), while Ana died way before (~ 7 years ago). I didn't give much thought into what caused Ana's death, or Clementine's, because it wasn't really necessary, but I'll assure you Marivel had no hand in it.
Nobody >> It probably is a little cliché and predictable. But I imagine it's hard for amateur writers to completely rid themselves of these elements. I put in a good effort, but I'll admit it probably wasn't my best. Still, at least you said it was nice. I'm glad you feel the music was appropriate. And I'll confess, I myself am partial to Violetta's design. The other sprites were great and they really grew into their roles for me the more I saw them inserted in the game, but Violetta's was the one that just clicked right from the start. It just fit so perfectly, I had to use those sprites for her.
mikey >> Of course you have my permission. Add away.
)
