
Ludum Dare #27compo
Pleading Rain
///Winners of the review contest///
SSS: Loyalty
SS: Colapsydo
S: Danex317
A: bassarisse
B: NikB
C: Sestren
D: Literal Games
E: drkrunk
F: Erhune
//////
An intense game of life and death in rainy night. Will you keep your head cold and figure out how to get out alive?
###FEATURES###
-- 9(!) different endings, can you get them all?
-- Lush graphics
-- A complete game
-- Well rounded and polished
-- Moody and rich dialogs
-- Short to play, great replay value
-- Only HTML, JS and CSS3 are used
######
Instructions
Think and use your memories to gain insights. Find enough key details in your thoughts and you will get a new topic. The key details will be different depending on the situation.
You can also try to stall the dialog to earn yourself more time to think.
I've also put up a bara minimum walkthrough so that you atleast can get out alive.
I really have high hopes for this one. My last entry had great story, but lacked the pacing. This time it is much more intense and action packed. I hope you like it =) See if you get all the different endings!
SSS: Loyalty
SS: Colapsydo
S: Danex317
A: bassarisse
B: NikB
C: Sestren
D: Literal Games
E: drkrunk
F: Erhune
//////
An intense game of life and death in rainy night. Will you keep your head cold and figure out how to get out alive?
###FEATURES###
-- 9(!) different endings, can you get them all?
-- Lush graphics
-- A complete game
-- Well rounded and polished
-- Moody and rich dialogs
-- Short to play, great replay value
-- Only HTML, JS and CSS3 are used
######
Instructions
Think and use your memories to gain insights. Find enough key details in your thoughts and you will get a new topic. The key details will be different depending on the situation.
You can also try to stall the dialog to earn yourself more time to think.
I've also put up a bara minimum walkthrough so that you atleast can get out alive.
I really have high hopes for this one. My last entry had great story, but lacked the pacing. This time it is much more intense and action packed. I hope you like it =) See if you get all the different endings!
Comments64

bonsairobo26 Aug 2013, 07:15
This was a confusing experience.

Brassawiking26 Aug 2013, 07:25
It's a bit overwhelming I guess at first. I had plans of making you unlock new thoughts, so that there are not to much in the beginning. But I had do drop that feature in favor of time.

AdventureIslands26 Aug 2013, 07:32
Really well done! I have trouble to get very far though as 10 seconds is very little time to think what to do next, and failing sends you to the beginning. Any tips, guide?
But nice and different game! Good job.
But nice and different game! Good job.

Brassawiking26 Aug 2013, 07:41
Buy yourself more time by stalling the conversation (Another 10 seconds to think). But be careful, some responses barely stalls your pending death.
I will post a walkthrough later on, but for now I want to see how far people manage to get.
I will post a walkthrough later on, but for now I want to see how far people manage to get.

Ludipe26 Aug 2013, 08:38
Very original and a bit strange. I'll keep playing to discover all the ends (or until you release the walkthrough)
Pierrec26 Aug 2013, 08:51
I had a similar idea at first, but thought it wouldn't be doable in 48h. Glad you proved me wrong. I really love the idea of thinking to find more conversation subjects, but being very slow, I would have enjoyed it more without the time limit (but of course...it wouldn't be in the theme anymore). Nice art too.
jay griffin26 Aug 2013, 08:59
Cool concept, the gameplay's a little heavy on trial-and-error for my tastes but it works well given the theme. Quite an achievement for 48 hours' work.
GrimGary26 Aug 2013, 17:28
... Interesting. Not sure what does what really, but I suppose that is how life goes =)
Ravetcofx26 Aug 2013, 17:48
Awsome game, very good art, its like a text adventure gam only better.
kirbytails726 Aug 2013, 18:08
I think the dialogue trees are a bit broken? I started clicking around and suddenly I was winning.

Pitzik426 Aug 2013, 18:12
This game's art is good and its mechanics are quite fun. I couldn't figure out that you had to click on thoughts, though, and went into the code with the full intention of finding some hidden line of dialogue to progress me past "Please Lou/Don't kill me Lou" when I saw the word "insight" and thought of clicking on the thoughts. Once I figured that out, it got a lot more interesting, although I couldn't seem to get any endings except F-rated ones. It was exciting, though!

Brassawiking26 Aug 2013, 18:42
@kirbtytails7;
What ending showed up? Nothing in the code looks off atleast for initial part of the game.
What ending showed up? Nothing in the code looks off atleast for initial part of the game.

Brassawiking26 Aug 2013, 18:44
@:Pitzik
Yeah, I should perhaps add some more instructions on how the game works. Just wanted to see first how intuitive it was.
Yeah, I should perhaps add some more instructions on how the game works. Just wanted to see first how intuitive it was.
matthias_zarzecki26 Aug 2013, 20:19
This is a great idea, exploring your mind to find stuff :)
loolpolo26 Aug 2013, 21:30
What a great game, one of the best i played on LD27, it is hard do advance on the game but it is intriguing so i am gona finish with all ends.
Zelun26 Aug 2013, 21:55
great game! Only one bug though: The yellow talk does not show before you think, but it is possible to cheat and press it even do it is invisible and you should'nt be able to press it!

ratalaika26 Aug 2013, 22:06
Really good art!! I love it!

Brassawiking26 Aug 2013, 22:09
@Zelun
Thanks a lot for that! Made a mistake in the styling, but it should be fixed now!
Thanks a lot for that! Made a mistake in the styling, but it should be fixed now!
Brian Stegmann27 Aug 2013, 01:54
Very interesting experience. First off, the aesthetic here is really unique. It's like playing a scene in a painting. Also, clever html and css work there ;) Playing experience-wise, it took me a handful of rounds before realizing that clicking around the images unlocked more responses. But at that point, I had empathized with the poor guy so much that I couldn't put him through another inevitable death..

lalanl27 Aug 2013, 06:24
I really like the art and the concept! And it's a good fit for the theme.
I have an idea of what I'm supposed to do, but the connections between the elements are not revealing themselves to me. But it's a fun enough idea that I'm still trying
I have an idea of what I'm supposed to do, but the connections between the elements are not revealing themselves to me. But it's a fun enough idea that I'm still trying

Brassawiking27 Aug 2013, 08:27
So I've put up a partial walktrough now, so you can atleast live to see another day =)
eckcz27 Aug 2013, 09:17
dudsen27 Aug 2013, 19:08
Hm, I'm probably to hectic. Guy always shot me. Hope I 'll never be in such a situation :D. Great concept!
doonay2130 Aug 2013, 17:17
Holly hell! Ultra innovate idea as for this LD! Awesome job, the concept is ground breaking and the art tickles my retinas ;)

Mironix30 Aug 2013, 17:48
Very interesting idea, love the art style. I cannot think as fast as the game want's me too :D so that's a proper level design there.

Yell0w30 Aug 2013, 17:52
For people with adhd this game might be a bit hard, im torn between crushing my computer screen or hitting f5 ;D

Brassawiking31 Aug 2013, 14:24
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Starting line for the review contest
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Starting line for the review contest
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Erhune31 Aug 2013, 14:49
End F here :)
Very nice concept, the 10s feel reeeally short! I think I'm gonna play some more to see other endings...
Very nice concept, the 10s feel reeeally short! I think I'm gonna play some more to see other endings...

NikB31 Aug 2013, 14:53
Erhune31 Aug 2013, 14:56
Got the B too... wonder what the other could be (stats to feel like some Tarentino movie :p)
Loyalty31 Aug 2013, 15:04
Great idea and after some tries I got:
Ending rank: SSS
Nerves of steel and a mind sharper than Sherlock. The reputation of you, will now open new doors you didn't believe existed. How far will you rise in the underworld? Only time will tell, but for now, riches and rewards awaits...
Ending rank: SSS
Nerves of steel and a mind sharper than Sherlock. The reputation of you, will now open new doors you didn't believe existed. How far will you rise in the underworld? Only time will tell, but for now, riches and rewards awaits...
Danex31731 Aug 2013, 15:13
Rank S: Something was wrong since the beginning of this mess, and now atleast this mess has ended once and for all. You will never take a breath of air for granted ever again.
XXMarekXX31 Aug 2013, 15:16
Got the G :D This is really interesting game :P
Rodrigo Robles31 Aug 2013, 15:19
Great design. I think this unusual design could require more time for development. Great work anyway.
Literal Games31 Aug 2013, 15:27
I got D - I killed my brother! D:
XXMarekXX31 Aug 2013, 15:28
Got D too... Love is love, but some love is more than other love. Better marry her right away, since death has already made your brother apart...
zzForrest31 Aug 2013, 15:32
Really neat game! It tells a lot without saying many words, and really makes you care. It is a little too hard to not die, though, because thinking takes too long. Maybe cut down on the number of things he can think about?
tamat31 Aug 2013, 15:33
very good idea, just with some ambient audio it would had been great
klianc0931 Aug 2013, 15:34
Dammit, I can only get B, F, S and SS.... But I really like the game, though you can get really lost sometimes and don't find any further key details. And after replaying it several times, it seems like the primary dialogue choices don't matter at all.

drkrunk31 Aug 2013, 15:36
E rank.
"You sacrificed your girlfriend Stacy for your brother. Well, blood is thicker than water is what they use to say..."
I like the humor in the game.
Good job.
"You sacrificed your girlfriend Stacy for your brother. Well, blood is thicker than water is what they use to say..."
I like the humor in the game.
Good job.
Sestren31 Aug 2013, 15:48
Ending Rank C here. Cool concept, very tense.

Antidote31 Aug 2013, 15:53
I got Rank E! :D do I get a review? http://puu.sh/4fzEV.png

timtipgames31 Aug 2013, 15:56
I liked it a lot. It was really intense :) Ranked D :)

Brassawiking31 Aug 2013, 16:09
The primary dialogs only matters in the beginning when you are stalling for more time. After that they will mostly say the same thing.

bassarisse31 Aug 2013, 16:19
So hard hahaha Ranked A! http://i.imgur.com/VQ4TnLZ.png

Colapsydo31 Aug 2013, 16:32
I'm going crazy, I'm getting S or SSS
Nice game and contest btw.
Nice game and contest btw.

Brassawiking31 Aug 2013, 16:36
So logically, SS should be somewhere right in between those endings ;)

Colapsydo31 Aug 2013, 16:56
Finally got it: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/49521293/PledgingRain_SS.png
I enjoyed looking for it, dialogues are nicely written and the whole game idea is really fun.
I enjoyed looking for it, dialogues are nicely written and the whole game idea is really fun.
Tainted_Code31 Aug 2013, 17:05
WOW. THAT. WAS. AWESOME. That was the best entry I've seen in LD to date, good job man!!

hbocao31 Aug 2013, 17:20
Nice gameplay. It's a little bit hard and unpleasant to try every time you die. I need to have memories from something a never experienced, which results in too much trial and error. But I liked the feeling of being pressed with a gun pointed to my head.

Broxxar31 Aug 2013, 17:27
Just got SSS. Great game, really enjoyed that.

darkshadow31 Aug 2013, 19:40
Partial walk-through is pretty essential, you should show that before players start. Before that I just kept on getting no scores or Fs, having no idea what to do with the thought pictures. With the walkthrough on how you had to join more than one thought I was able to have enough time to get a B grade. Getting round the non intuitive idea, its a very cool concept with a gruelling pace set high enough the real game is trying to keep calm and focus.

Makio31 Aug 2013, 19:41
Nice html5 game, I love how I enter inside the story !

TobiasW31 Aug 2013, 22:17
This is a really cool idea and awesome writing. It was frustratingly hard and I only got ending F by myself (and ending D/E/B/S/SSS with the walkthrough), but I still enjoyed it. Searching for clues while keeping an eye on the timer, going back fast to the talk menu, picking a tolerable option and click back fast to search for more clues - intense! The graphic style is awesome too and really fits the mood.
I'm missing music! If you don't have the time to do something yourself, a generator like http://abundant-music.com might help you out next time.
May I offer you some suggestions what would've made the game more enjoyable for me?
- More time. 10 seconds is far too short for me to really think about things. Right now I was mostly clicking on random things until I found out enough to figure things out.
- A way to display the pictures while I talk. More time to think, more time to think - it's hard enough as it is.
- White on grey? http://puu.sh/4fLfR/29714c2800.jpg In a game where I have to read fast? Really? In general: The fonts could've been a bit more readable. Italic was made for accentuation, not for whole passages.
- Bigger clue boxes. This is going on so fast, it's not like I have time to point exactly.
Also I didn't know that you can click on the pictures at all in the beginning - I thought they were just to look at and deduce which dialogue options to take. Then I found the money bag. Sweet! I used that option - and tried to find more afterwards. I found one of money bag in the station and looked for a new dialogue option. Didn't come - and I didn't know that sometimes dialogue options can be made out of different clues, I thought the option would just come later. Didn't happen though, obviously!
Looking back, everything in the game made sense - but back then not everything did. In the end that doesn't matter though, because this was still a VERY enjoyable experience, well written, visually pleasing and it had me on the edge while I tried to think think think because I wanted to live. Great stuff!
I'm missing music! If you don't have the time to do something yourself, a generator like http://abundant-music.com might help you out next time.
May I offer you some suggestions what would've made the game more enjoyable for me?
- More time. 10 seconds is far too short for me to really think about things. Right now I was mostly clicking on random things until I found out enough to figure things out.
- A way to display the pictures while I talk. More time to think, more time to think - it's hard enough as it is.
- White on grey? http://puu.sh/4fLfR/29714c2800.jpg In a game where I have to read fast? Really? In general: The fonts could've been a bit more readable. Italic was made for accentuation, not for whole passages.
- Bigger clue boxes. This is going on so fast, it's not like I have time to point exactly.
Also I didn't know that you can click on the pictures at all in the beginning - I thought they were just to look at and deduce which dialogue options to take. Then I found the money bag. Sweet! I used that option - and tried to find more afterwards. I found one of money bag in the station and looked for a new dialogue option. Didn't come - and I didn't know that sometimes dialogue options can be made out of different clues, I thought the option would just come later. Didn't happen though, obviously!
Looking back, everything in the game made sense - but back then not everything did. In the end that doesn't matter though, because this was still a VERY enjoyable experience, well written, visually pleasing and it had me on the edge while I tried to think think think because I wanted to live. Great stuff!

Larzan1 Sep 2013, 13:21
Wow, awesome idea, very thrilling gameplay, and effing hard man, love it!

Diptoman1 Sep 2013, 13:21
Wow, this was pretty overwhelming. Got 2 of the endings after a lot of retries. But I must say, I felt that the 10 second time limit was pretty incompatible with this type of game. But yeah, really good replay value; and the watercolour style graphics are pretty cool.

withoutpillow1 Sep 2013, 16:50
a little overwhelming at first -- and always very hectic -- but that's part of the feeling, and it fits the theme nicely. interesting, good writing and atmosphere.

DreamTeam1 Sep 2013, 20:07
AWESOME idea and great interpretation of the theme. Really tense moments, especially after you get into the plot of it all and things start to unwind. I managed to get SSS rank without any help. Great experience!
Jellycakes1 Sep 2013, 20:12
That was a really intense experience. Made you think on your feet as if you really were in that kind of situation. The dialogue was good and the story was perfectly bled out over the period of discovering the extra dialogue. Really nice job. Nice one.
blackotus1 Sep 2013, 20:17
I really like the concept!
The mechanic to unlock new answers is pretty cool, and having 9 endings is an impressive feature in any game, specially a compo game!
Great work!
The mechanic to unlock new answers is pretty cool, and having 9 endings is an impressive feature in any game, specially a compo game!
Great work!

BadgerPriest16 Sep 2013, 13:14
This was amazing. It took a lot of tries for me to get to S, but it was definitely worth it. The feeling of dread is really masterfully done.
Nezzhil16 Sep 2013, 15:22
Great use of the theme, really intense! My best score is SSS, but I can't find the sequence find the good ending. Really exist a good end?
When I discovered that you need to talk to reset the time I was impressed, very smart!
Only two cons: the need to press F5 to replay it and, I missed a subtle music to add more tense.
When I discovered that you need to talk to reset the time I was impressed, very smart!
Only two cons: the need to press F5 to replay it and, I missed a subtle music to add more tense.

JaJ16 Sep 2013, 20:14
Very interesting concept, but really hard. I liked the switching between thinking and talking mechanic.





Way different than most of the game in this ludum dare ^^