[The Dreaming] v0.9 (Win/Mac/Linux)

[Taleweaver]

Please no, don't remake it with those graphics.

Sorry, too late. I'll PM you later on.

[Freelancer]

Whoever said you shouldn't be making VNs? I loved MetBlues, Daemonophilia, and This one. Met and The Dreaming are incredibly complex (I don't think I've ever gotten the true ending for either -_-) but that is part of what makes them good! I think most people liken VNs to games and expect something along that line, while I liken them to books, sometimes chose your own adventure books. The art was a little...Disturbing...But I enjoyed the VN very much.(The new art is...Well...I didn't think this story took place during the 1800s...Although now that I think about, I really have no proof that it didn't. 0.o)

[Taleweaver]

In order to avoid calling up a tsunami of hatred, I'd like to mention that Aura contacted me this evening via PM and apologized for hurting my feelings. I was mainly hurt because I thought Aura had chosen to write aforementioned blog posting essentially behind my back - actually, one of the page 2 comments regarding my game (I think the one posted by delta, but I'm not sure) was Aura's critique on the game, and it was a mostly positive one, pointing out (like many others) the high difficulty and the inappropriate art. Knowing that, it was a little inappropriate of me as well to point to that blogpost and telling Aura off for it.

I'm still not terribly happy about the blogpost sounding like "there are absolutely no good OELVNs; even the best among them fails as a VN and should have been a novella", but I can accept it as a legitimate opinion on OELVNs as a whole. (I don't share it, by the way; I think mikey made a few games that are better than The Dreaming in terms of writing, art, and gameplay, and without mikey's work as an inspiration, I would have probably never started making VNs in the first place.)

[machinist]

well good thing he apologized ...
personally i thought art was fine

[DaFool]

Well not to sound like yet another cliquish "Let's all hug each other and pat each other on the back" post, but you and mikey are the only western writers who are writing natively in this medium for years (more than half a decade, in fact).

I don't expect any well-known prose writer to make a break in the VN scene in the same way that I don't expect any playwright to make an innovative movie that doesn't feel like a stageplay during the early days of film, especially with today's modern filmography techniques.

You want someone native to filmmaking. And you also want writers native to this medium.

edit: talking about the VN structure, or course for interactive fiction there's plenty (but it's a different structure altogether).

[Sayu]

Hmm... I have kid of mixed opinions of this one~

The creepy atmosphere, like "you" are stuck in a nightmare, is excellent. Julius was an interesting character, as was his problems and character development.
The most interesting part for me, however, was searching for and piecing together the clues about what is going on. I was disappointed by the big twist at the end though, maybe it's because I've read so many stories with that exact one already...

But you said you've been wanting to tell this story for a while, so I absolutely do not blame you for it at all! I'm really sorry if I sounded harsh, I actually really respect for you for still writing what you personally wanted to convey, despite it being a bit cliche!

I hold a strong repulsion for Psychologists as a profession, but I had a very fun time playing as a character who kinda does similiar things often. (It's a purely personal issue and I know they can help many people, so I mean no offense at all to anyone connected to this field!)

I am very perceptive of people, but because I do not believe in dream reading, signs or symbolisms, I had a very hard time with some of the choices. Speaking of the choices, that's actually a huge problem I have with the game, and I can see I'm not the only one...~ The game is way too unforgiving when trying to get end 6, I really think you should allow the player to make 1 or 2 small mistakes. The order I should pick most choices in, and many correct answers I found out with no problem, just by replaying the game and trying out all the options.

But some were just impossible for me to tell, with zero hints provided that I could notice.

(Drawing the picture first and viewing the hallucinations as unimportant being the worst offenders of this, especially since the game makes a big point of how important it is take note and unravel what the hallucinations really represent, and how they are connected to Julius' issue.

At one point, when you are first confronted by a monster, there is even an option to ignore it and believe 100% that it's just a hallucination and doesn't exist, and that choice leads to instant death. That also really made me think of the hallucinations as important...

But I think the core plot is very well done, with all characters being important to the plot and never feel pointless in any way.

Aside from Danny, I didn't really understand what purpose he had in the story at all? More endings would have been nice, as there is really only 2 ways, ED5 and ED6, for the story to end (with all other leading to death/cuts off story short). But if you wanted to do a linear ending, that's completely fine:)

There were some minor things that felt weird, like Gabrielle blushing and showing signs of attraction towards Julius every time he flirts with her, even though she says he's not his type at all. But considering their connection, this might make sense.

Also nearly the entire cast staring at/mentioning Gabrielle's chest o.o I thought the doctor who first did it was just a bit weird, but through the game it started getting a bit ridiculous... Does she really have such incredibly eye-catching breasts, or is Julius' mind just really perverted? XD

Oh, and I don't see any option to view the epilogue or extras anywhere, even though I finished all endings... I read someone else having the same bug(?).

Anyway, I'm so sorry if I rambled on for too long (I tend to do that a LOT ^^;), or was too harsh at any point in my post x.x
I just wanted to give you my honest feelings, in case it might help you improve:)

By the way, thanks a lot for the game!:D

[Taleweaver]

I'll answer you via PM. It's easier with all the spoilers

[Wright1000]

Where can I get a guide to complete the game?

[Taleweaver]

Page 7 of this thread, in the middle, inside the big spoiler block.

[rubythorns]

This game is amazing!!!! I really liked the theme, it was genuinely creepy and very fascinating. It is so much fun. There were a couple of typos, though I think most of them were mentioned. Anyhow, I'm having a lot of difficulty obtaining endings 1 and 5. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Taleweaver]

Sent via PM.

[babyfish]

I have a confession.

While I absolutely love the story and the character Julius, and as much as I want to keep going in the story, I absolutely can't. Everything past a certain point gets absolutely terrifying that I just have to stop.

I get really jumpy and affected by stuff like that, so sorry that I can't finish the game. At least, not without someone else in the house with me.

I can tell you however that the game does very well in creating that mysterious, sometimes lonely, and sometimes downright terrifying atmosphere. Julius' plight really piques my interest and concern, as well as the matter of the mysterious goings-on in the game.

But I can't go past a certain point because I'm a scaredy-cat. Sorry! ^^;;;

[Taleweaver]

Yeah. The Dreaming can do this to some people. It's supposed to be a disturbing experience; even the game mechanisms sometimes turn against you - there are timed choices, and then there are other timed choices where, to survive, you mustn't make a choice at all. Add to this the creepy setting and yes, I believe being too scared to finish this game is plausible.

If you want to know the truth behind "The Dreaming" anyway, PM me.

[redcat]

If you want to know the truth behind "The Dreaming" anyway, PM me.

Interested. Add me, please...

[babyfish]

Well maybe it just goes to show how well the gameplay and the atmosphere were created. If you were aiming to put people on edge, and you managed to get a few people falling off their seats, then surely you are doing plenty of things right! After playing through part of this game though, I don't think I'll be wanting to play or create any horror VNs any time soon! >_<;;

Someday I'll get the courage to finish this game though and find things out for myself, I'm sure. Just... not right now. ^^;;