Thought on The Quad

The design is immaculate. I was a lil confused and didn't know there was a timer until I was reading and it changed up on me :( (slow reader...). But otherwise, it's a really cool concept. I like the difference in font. It feels like the player choice is what they end up writing. As a journaling girly, this hit.

I saw your post on Bluesky from when you were making the background, and I’m so sad that the tree shadow didn’t stay! The random musings about how to talk to people are super relatable, although I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t watch enough of One Piece to get the reference. The time aspect is also interesting, although I was writing this comment both times it came around and missed it.

I love that waiting bit takes you to a different journal entry that you didn't choose to go to. It alludes to how thoughts can just flow on their own, even when journaling 

I really like the 3D models! That’s how I came into making my project 2! Did you use an asset or did you make the book? I feel like we both came into the project in a diary kind of aspect. A conversation with ourselves! I think it would be really cool if the camera pans out from the diary and you can grab the key and it turns into a first person walking sim!

I think to add to SeaCabel's comment, one way you could expand would be to have the arrows change pages. This way, you could add to this game over time and really expand on your thoughts. I agree that the aesthetic is really lovely. I just wish the shadows in the screenshots appeared in the game.

First, I really love the look of this game (and the One Piece reference). It feels so relaxing even though some of the text is about overthinking. I'm not sure if I missed it or not, but a suggestions I have is adding a page flip sound effect! Originally I was going to suggest a page flipping animation but that seems like a lot of work, and I think that the sound would convey the same message and pull the player in even more.

I really love the aesthetic / top-down approach you have with this game, and there's definitely a mood that can be expanded upon, with a person in solitude, trying to sort out their thoughts about what it means to connect with someone on a journal. There's a lot of exploration of the narrator that can be expanded upon this for sure.

One question I have is: how do you imagine expanding upon this form of storytelling? Not to say that it needs to extensive, but I do imagine that being able to explore a couple of entries / days of this diary would be enough to grasp this character we're peering into (and actively writing).

This game reminds me of another game I played called Nostalgia. https://tysooob.itch.io/nostalgia It has similar elements about remembering and discussing the past. Some happy memories, others we overthink, these games have different styles but are similar in theme 

The game feel pleasant and friendly,I really like how the mood created in this one.

This game looks so good and it kind of makes me feel at ease. The low-poly aesthetic combined with the font reminds me of an old, obscure ps2 game my mom would have bought me as a kid. I think it’s also cool that you used the medium of a book to signal a conversation.

Also definitely taking inspo from the 3D model as UI, super smart!

Everything from the perspective to the textures reminds me of picking up an in-game item that helps flesh out the story of a greater world. The brevity also helps add to the experience that this is a one time experience within the game. Also One Piece mentioned, 100/10.

The game's short length, while likely also attributable to our deadlines, also speaks to the content of the story as well. These thoughts and exactly how you fall down their rabbit holes can happen just as quickly without much control.

The flipping of the book and its pages, even if just via the spacebar, really helps to make the experience feel more connected to the player. Exposing inner thoughts in such a manner also lets the player put themselves in the shoes of the person writing in the journal.

love the itch page and the font both in and outside the game, gives that handrwitten- journal feel, very intimate, personal, and youthful

I love the visuals, it gives Slime Rancher vibes. It looks like the game is an actual 3D game, like you’re looking at a book on the floor. I wonder if it’s all UI or if the UI was placed onto the book?

The background of the game is really cooooool! It fits the theme of sitting on the quad and doing the reading. I love the diary mode which is cute. It is like an invitation to the reader to see what is going on around the author, like a “friend” mode.