This was such a great demo!! I can't wait for the full game to be released. I second the comment about this feeling like a jane austen novel, it really does! I like all the guys so far! Guy is just gonna be full of angst I can sense it already and I'm sure his route will be heart wrenching as I played a resentful Collette lol but then after that meeting near the ruins I wore my locket finally lol Worthington is the one I leaned toward at first, I just sense a passionate man underneath all his gentlemanly demeanor. Sinclair was starting to win me over though! At first I took his crooked grin as a mockery but his sincerity shown through a bit and I was really considering falling for him instead. This has to be finished, it's too good not to be. Adding music and sound effects will be the icing on the cake :D
Thank you for playing and your kind comments. We can’t wait to finish it for you all ❤️ That is interesting that you wore the locket again after the resentment. We love how everyone plays their Miss Fernside so different.
I've never played such a story rich game before! really feels like living in a Jane Austen novel This is my second time coming back to play the demo. Any updates on the kickstarter?
Praise indeed! Thank you so much and we really appreciate you coming back for more ☺️
We have been keeping people posted about our updates and Kickstarter on our devlogs and we also have a Discord if you’d like to join the fun over there. We have general discussion, polls, announcements, Q&A and more. There is a link to all of this on the latest devlog but I can also post it here for you if you’d rather.
I really like this! The only comment I have is that the text box goes black after every line of dialog, which makes it feel a bit slowed down and choppy, if that makes sense.
I love the art in this, it's rare to see a visual novel in this art style.
It's nice to see another style of drawing in an otome game, it looks great, the theme of the game is lovely as well ;) Can't wait for this to be released! By the way, the browser version also works on Opera.
I am very excited to see this game in full! The story feels genuine, and intriguing. I loved it! I'm a bit desperate to continue playing, if I'm being honest. As a note, Mr. Worthington may be my favorite (I agree with much of what the previous reviewer Kirlett said).
If I may - I strongly recommend that when you do launch your gofundme that you outline a release timeline for the game and be as transparent as possible regarding development updates. I am an avid visual novel/interactive fiction supporter - but I will say a lot of projects sit abandoned and would hate to see the same come of this story. I am very excited to support this project when the time comes!
That is very good advice. I was just talking to a friend recently who backs a lot of games on kick starter and he said a lot of what you said. We agree and plan to be very transparent and keep you all in the loop often. We have worked too long and hard on it not to finish it, even if it does take another year or so.
The fact that you are an avid visual novel player and that you enjoyed our demo means a lot and we want your wait to be worth it. Thank you again for your support and feedback.
[Takes a deep breath.] This will be long. Bear with me.
It has been a long, long time since I felt like this playing a game. I'm still feeling nervous and anxious and...! Ugh! In a good way, of course, but ugh! And this is all Mr. Worthington's fault.
Since the moment he appeared I knew he would be my favorite. If I had to compare him to a Jane Austen hero I'd say he's our own Colonel Brandon, and boy do I love that man. I also happen to love horse-riding so, bonus points.
"I must admit, I was glad to observe you were immune to his charms."
[Internally screaming.] A-hem. Good to know you were glad! Very good! (No childhood sweetheart or handsome scoundrel could draw my attention like he did, so it's nice it was acknowledged! I did like the other love interests, they were all perfect in their own ways and I'm excited to experience all the routes, but I'm so very biased lol)
Small exhange between MC (I love her default name, so she's Colette for me!) and Sinclair that made me laugh out loud:
"Ah, well then I will be out"
"Every day from now on?"
"... Yes."
But BACK to my favorite topic. Mr. Worthington.
I need some reassurance here. I really do. I adore slowburns, and characters that maintain decorum in historical pieces that demand it. But I grew concerned about his feelings the further I played. If their story (Colette and Mr. Worthington's) is slow-paced, with longing but him being far too considerate and humble to ever think she could love him romantically, thus hiding his feelings behind a mask of politeness that will inevitably break at some point, then I'M ALL FOR IT. Give me that angst!
But if their story never involves real romantic feelings and they simply have a 'friendship' marriage with respect and affection (which is nice, mind you, but I happen to be in love with the man!) then MY HEART WILL BREAK. I'm SO anxious about this, the demo left me a complete mess.
[End of my rambling about that perfect man.]
The writing was superb! And the art! Being able to choose what to wear is such a nice addition and the artist did a great job with the clothes. Also being able to change Colette's personality is great. Although I found some strange moments (very few). Example: I was going for a calm, kind and polite Colette and this was reflected perfectly but suddenly with Captain Sinclair she was all teasing. I think it was maybe because I chose to leave when she finds him in the ruins? But she is all smirks and witty banter suddenly, which doesn't really convey my choice of 'Leave'. But it didn't bother me, really! Just giving feedback about thoughts I had while playing.
A thing I simply adored: Colette's thoughts on Emily. I don't know if choosing different things would lead to different thoughts, but my Colette made me so proud. She misses her friend far more than her old suitor, and it's so nice that Emily is not 'demonized' in the narrative. Both Colette and Emily seem realistic characters and I hope they manage to mend their friendship with time and effort. I'm rooting for them.
Aaaaand, that's all. For now. Is there a release date for the whole game? (And by release game I mean something like, 'we plan to finish it this year, or next year, etc. Nothing specific.)
In summary, it was an incredible experience playing this demo and this game could very well become the best Regency game out there till now. I can't wait to learn more (and keep replaying the demo). Also, I'm sorry about the LONG comment, I'm just too excited.
First of all thank you so much for playing and for the lovely feedback. It means so much to us and like I said, never apologize for a long comment. We love to see our beloved story and characters meaning something to people and the fact that you took the time to tell us your thoughts means a lot.
Your love for Mr.Worthington is so sweet and makes us so happy. He is indeed special.
So, your slow burn description pretty much encapsulated where we plan to go with them but I can’t tell you anymore than that, but rest assured the route with Mr. Worthington ( depending on your choices of course) can be very slow-burn,beautiful, bring on the angst, romantic and hopefully a very satisfying pay off for the player.
In regards to the release date, much of that depends on the kick starter but regardless we definitely plan to finish the game even if we can’t make it as perfect as we want. Our goal is to finish it next year. We have already been working on it steadily for years but have been trying to pick up the pace ( I had two kids since we first created the visual novel so that slowed the progress down a bit hehe)
But we want to keep you all up to date often and hope to make the wait shorter rather than longer.
I do admit that I’m a bit of sucker for just about any historically based game, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the added scandal aspect when stepping into the shoes of Miss Fernside. It’ll be fun to try to win back the approval of society… or to snub it!
As others have already pointed out, all three of the love interests are engaging in their own way and I found my affections flip-flopping every few scenes as the demo progressed. After the sunset farewell I thought myself to be a ride-or-die Guy fan, but I have to admit that I’ve since developed a wondering eye of sorts. (Although I still wear the locket like a religion because I just know the reward will be sweet). I've the biggest soft spot for Mr. Worthington! Which just makes that cliffhanger even more of a heartbreaker. Can't wait to see what comes of all that! Captain Sinclair is the biggest surprise for me of all. I was more or less ready to write-off his character during his introductory scene as I did not think him my type, but unexpectedly found myself enjoying his pestering banter with Miss Fernside in later scenes. Who would have thought? Not me!
One thing that I do hope we get to see later in the game is the arrival of our brother, James. I decided to have my Miss Fernside feel terrible about keeping secrets from him and I would just love to have a scene that pays that off. Plus, I wouldn’t turn down a scene where we might have the chance to further encourage/tease him and little Jane. You know, like a good sister does.
Looking forward to the launch of your Kickstarter page, you’ve certainly earned my support!
Thank you so much for your delightful feedback and for playing! We are glad you were a bit torn between the three suitors. We had hoped they would each have their merits (and faults.) As far as James goes, you will have to wait for the full game to find out more about him hahah ;) We appreciate your support so much. Thanks again.
A really wonderful game! The cliffhanger is very cruel though :P
I also love the fact that we can choose our clothes and that certain 'messages', so to speak, can be sent through what we choose to wear. However, it didn't seem that any of the characters commented on what we wore (such as the MC wearing a dress to indicate she's mildly protesting about having to have a meal with Captain Sinclair). Would that be a possible feature to add in, if that isn't too demanding? Unless it's already present and I was just too oblivious to notice it?
Thank you for playing and we are so glad you liked it. We were a bit mean with the cliffhanger 😜
We did play with the idea of characters commenting on her choice of gown but learned that Regency etiquette would have considered it rude to comment on someone’s appearance, that being said, we do have an idea for her choice of gown to come up. There may not be a comment to every dress choice but we have an idea we hope you’ll like if you play it again. There is a major update coming soon so please stay tuned and again thank you for playing and for your feedback!
I immediately forgive any faults of this game because there was an orange speckled English setter that looked just like my rescue boy. XD
Seriously, though, I really enjoyed this. The world needs more Victorian dating games! My one gripe is that there were some odd pauses between lines that caused me to click through too quickly. Luckily, ren'py lets you rewind so I didn't miss any juicy details. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this one
I left some feedback about this before the new update, but I wanted to come back since the new update. The new font is way more legible; still a bit eye-straining for me, but not nearly as difficult as the cursive from before.
Now that I can read the text, I want to say: I love the story! Your characters are all interesting and/or likable (either as characters or as people), and I find your approach to this kind of story intriguing, enjoyable, and immersive. The art has also really grown on me; I love the colors and the fashion and the environments especially. I'm really looking forward to following your progress!! Thanks for sharing your art with us :)
Thank you for playing it again and for your kind words. I am glad the font was more legible for you. CrowOfWhimsy did all the art! She is fabulous. I loved how she brought our characters to life. And you are most welcome ❤️
I've stayed up much too late reading this, but I couldn't bear to put it down. It's significantly longer than anticipated, which is wonderful.
I'm really impressed by how well the facial animations are implemented; it gives a lot more nuance to the characters.
I love getting to shape my Miss Fernside. It's a good balance between getting to choose her character and being a blank slate. I also like how three dimensional your characters are. I don't feel like there are any outright villains. Maybe that Mrs. Foster.
Personally, I'm very much angling for the nice older gentleman that respects you. Although I will eventually play all the routes, he's definitely Number One.
Do you folks have a tumblr blog perchance? I'm following you on here, but I don't personally find itch to be great for interacting.
There's totally a list of social media above. Oh well, at least there's an edit button.
I'm so excited to see where this story goes! That cliffhanger at the end of the demo seriously wrecked me...I usually don't play demos, tbh, because I have a hard time not knowing how things end, but the art and premise of this looked too good to pass up!
I'm super curious, if it's not too much of a peak behind the curtain: what are the three archetypal personalities of the MC? I mean, I can kinda figure it out just by playing but I always like to know how the devs describe it themselves. Wishing you all the best!
I am so glad you played it but sorry for the whole wrecking you thing 😬😁
I would be glad to answer your question. We tried to make the MC’s choices less like three different archetypes but more like three different temperaments.
One being softer in temperament, tender-hearted and a little more likely to act within the social confines, doing what’s expected of her.
The second, more rational and the sort to take a step back and think longer before speaking or reacting.
Omg! That was really good!!I love finding games like these, there's so few of them. The writing is amazing, I was engaged the whole time. The characters too! I'm torn between Guy (Persuasion is my favorite Austen book haha) and Sinclaire. I also liked the little touch with the outfits and choosing whether to wear the locket. I'm guessing that will have more effect in the finished game.
Anyways, just wanted to show you guys some love, thank you so much for creating this. I can't wait to read the whole story and hopefully things turn around for poor MC 😂
Can I just say, you all have been amazing. Your detailed comments and questions have been great. I will try to address a few that have repeatedly come up:
1. In case you missed the devlog, we changed the font. Please let us know if it’s easier to read now.
2. If you choose to accept Worthington’s proposal it will definitely change the course of the game. That isn’t to say you’ll never see the other suitors again. But if your feelin’ Mr. Worthington, “yes” is a good answer to give him 😉 There is a reason we put his proposal where we did. I don’t want to give any more spoilers but I understand your curiosity about this.
3. (Taken from CrowOfWhimsy’s response)
About the shaking in the carriage during the opening. It is actually supposed to be the jostling of the carriage as it moves down the road. I can see how it would be confusing, though, since we don't have the sound effects yet (which hopefully will make that more clear.) And, the reason it triggers after clicks is that when I programmed the scene, I was brand new to coding, so I didn't know how to do a timed loop yet. (I can go back and fix it to be a timed loop if that would help make it clearer.)
However, Nat and I actually have a question for everyone about this topic. Is the shaking too distracting? Or will it be immersive once we add in the SFX? If most of you find it distracting, we can remove the carriage jostle entirely, and it will just be a static image. (I'll ask this in a devblog too, so everyone can answer over there.)
Hi! Thanks so much for being so quick when responding to comments and for your graciousness when accepting criticism! In regards to the font, it is so much easier to read now! My dyslexia always makes reading a bit challenging, but the font change was a huge help! As for the shaking in the carriage, it did seem a bit out of place at first. However, I think if you added sound effects that lets the player know the carriage is simply jostling around then it will be fine! Keep up the good work and I'm wishing you the best!
You are most welcome and we are so glad it is easier to read. You all are the reason we are making this and if you can’t read it that would be the worst so we are happy to oblige. We wanted to have this beta demo for this very reason so we appreciate the honest feedback. Thanks again and we appreciate it.
This was so enjoyable! I was eating virtual popcorn as the drama unfolded and the "scandal" a-stirred. How this VN is able to captivate attention, while also retaining it without the use of sound and music, speaks—ahem—volumes to the quality of storytelling. I advise a bit more copyediting, though, since there are small bouts of tense shift here and there, and this is not in reference to flashbacks or when one is reminiscing. There are sometimes these weird spaces between sentences, too (or perhaps the Mac version of the game, I'm not sure). So it'd be like, Friendship ended with Linfield. Now Worthington is my friend, instead of, Friendship ended with Linfield. Now Worthington is my friend. Oh look, a summation of my playthrough.
Outside of these two things, though, there isn't much I have yet to suggest. The atmosphere and mannerisms of this VN befit the setting, as they do the genre, and I'm looking forward to what's to come. I do have a question: is the game to split off into three different routes per suitor, or will it be one big story with some branching, depending on which suitor you pursue (so the storyline will be the same upon replay, but with different small moments if one was to pursue another suitor)?
Another question, sillier and semi-serious, but also more important: will we ever get to meet James?
Some things I especially enjoyed in the demo were as followed (this delves into spoilers):
1) Maman and the bigamy debacle. When Maman finally breaks down after Emily's visit, the sprites and expressions used for her + the timing really hammer in the direness of the situation and how much guilt Maman feels. It's intense, as it is saddening, and it just floors me how well the visuals are used to land the necessary impact. I don't think I'll be able to handle the scene when sound is added.
2) Worthington. Middle-aged men (or one approaching it) aren't usually my type, but this game didn't take long to convince me otherwise. There's a delicacy in which he's written and the mutual respect + friendship he shares with Miss Fernside, as well as the honorable way he conducts himself, makes him so, very attractive and their relationship very appealing. I'm also a huge sucker for the marriage of convenience trope, whoops.
3) Emily. Oh, she infuriates me, but I love the complexity in which she regards Miss Fernside and how Miss Fernside regards her, even after the betrayal. It punctuates how deep their friendship was, and why the betrayal hurts so much. Brilliant, and I honestly can't wait to see how their relationship gets amended—if it gets amended, that is.
That's all I have for now, but I can't wait for the updated demo and the kickstarter to run! Best of luck and thank you so much for sharing your baby. <3
Thanks again for brining the spacing issue to our attention. We have an update coming up later, with the sound effects, which will also have the corrected spacing.
Of course! I'm glad to be of assistance, and can't wait to see what you guys bring to the table with this next update! Thank you for answering my previous post, too. <3
Stay in good health and good look with the updated demo!
God I've been waiting for a new, well done historical romance game. It's the perfect balance of not feeling like my character is limited to the setting (what with her scandalous piano passion 😂) but also feeling like she's a part of the setting. It's a difficult balance to strike: you don't want to boring up the main character because she's not allowed to sneeze without a whole to-do about it, but you also don't want her to seem out of place or too modern. It's a really great balance you've struck with the different personalities of Miss Fernside!
I also like how, when she was upset about Emily and Guy, I did have the option to be a little bit chill about it. Like obviously she was still hurt but I didn't have to be mean to Emily. Deeply looking forward to a potential reunion, especially considering she called on her really early in the timeline! I'm the ruthless sort who dropped Guy the second it became apparent he either bought into the rumours or was too cowardly to say something to my face: Emily was neither so here's hoping!
I'm mirroring some other comments here, but I'm a little worried about the Worthington option. It seemed kind of wrong to accept his proposal as a "solution to the problem"— not only sort of unromantic, but unfair to him as well as Miss Fernside! It might be a little dynamic to play through as a Fernside who feels obligated to accept his proposal vs one who initially rejects it. I hope there's an option to offer him a little clarity alongside a rejection, in the hopes of moving forward: also maybe a little more clarity regarding the age difference? He's friends with your dad, but does that make him the same age as your dad? How old is that, comparatively? How old is Miss Fernside, for that matter?
Besides comments about font which you've heard and responded to, I wanted to express a little concern about the way the text...moves, kind of? One thing I noted right off the bat, which I understand was meant to convey the kind of half-shout that the cheery Mr. Fernside perpetually speaks in, during the carriage ride the camera shakes almost every time a new passage is introduced, even if it's just Miss Fernside's inner monologue (in case this might be an unintended bug, I should note that I have text speed cranked). There's also certain passages where the text seems to be on a kind of timer, or paced with blank passages: when I click to skip these moments, it can frequently skip actual text which forces me to double back: notably moments like the prolonged silence between Worthington and Fernside at the ball. I can see his sprite moving, but clicking to proceed past the silence skips the next line of text.
Really excited to see how the game evolves! Great job!
First off, thank you so much for your kind words and praise. It really means a lot. Especially about Emily, I was so worried when we were writing that scene that everyone would want to use poor Emily as a punching bag. So it was nice to hear that at least one person didn't take it all out on her.
About the shaking in the carriage during the opening. It is actually supposed to be the jostling of the carriage as it moves down the road. I can see how it would be confusing, though, since we don't have the sound effects yet (which hopefully will make that more clear.) And, the reason it triggers after clicks is that when I programmed the scene, I was brand new to coding, so I didn't know how to do a timed loop yet. (I can go back and fix it to be a timed loop if that would help make it clearer.)
However, Nat and I actually have a question for everyone about this topic. Is the shaking too distracting? Or will it be immersive once we add in the SFX? If most of you find it distracting, we can remove the carriage jostle entirely, and it will just be a static image. (I'll ask this in a devblog too, so everyone can answer over there.)
And finally, HeartForge, could you give me the specific scene with Worthington at the ball that you were having problems with? It would help a lot if you could narrow it down a bit more. That way, I can try and recreate the problem and figure out if there is an issue with the code.
H'm, I personally find it a little distracting but I think it's because I see the jostle typically used for like, BIG interruptions? So while I was reading about Gaston and seeing the jostling I was wondering if she was so scandalized she was physically twitching, but maybe others didn't read it in the same way 😅😅 I liked it in the carriage ride to the ball, when it was used to indicate the stopping of the carriage and a few times for a jostle.
As I'm replaying, I'm thinking the text issues are more a result of Ren'py's engine rather than anything code-side. As I mentioned, I crank the text speed just because I tend to read faster than game engines typically present the text when left to their default devices, and I think it's just a combination of the sprites changing and the engine loading the next set of text. Watching carefully (and I meant the small interlude after Fernside speaks to the two young ladies and then Foster (I think that was the name, the busybody woman) steps in to run her mouth: Worthington steps in to escort Fernside away and there's a few instances where he changes expressions a few times), I don't think there's much that can be done about it since the sprites need their time to transition expressions and Ren'py will take the time it likes to present the text. I also tested without the text speed cranked and it worked just fine, so I think this is a quirk rather than a bug.
Speaking of expressions, though, I really appreciated on my second go around that everyone had multiple, dynamic expressions? And that some were kind of...well when you get games that have sprites with multiple expressions, they tend to run the mill of "happy" and then "sad" and then "happy" maybe with a single "flirty" thrown in for spice. I like how these expressions seem a little more nuanced and to flow a little more naturally than "this is the face they're making right now". It feels like more of a genuine reaction than a stock image!
Also I really appreciate the new font! And not just in the narration but also in the letters to James!
I am really intrigued that so many people are into Sinclair from the comments. I assume the personality is mean to remind players of Austen's more rakish characters, but will eventually have hidden depths? ...but right now it just leads me to go, "Nope, nope, nope!". LOL
I'm really excited for this game! Your plans for the way you're going to handle relationship and character-building sound really intriguing and quite ambitious! So far, Elodie is my favorite character, and I have a galaxy-brained theory that Mr. Worthington is going to be the villain. He's a bit scary.
No pressure to answer -- especially if I touch on spoiler territory -- but I have a few questions and pieces of feedback about your plans for the game:
Firstly, are you planning on including any LGBT+, racial, body-type, etc diversity? So far, the game seems very focused on straight white people, and, while I'm not demanding a female love interest or anything, I think that using a historical setting doesn't mean you can't implement more modern values of inclusivity and diversity in your writing and character design. I'm excited for the game either way, but I would love to see some that. A wonderful example of a period piece that includes phenomenal diversity without impacting the story negatively is Northanger Abbey: The Game by spiralatlas here on itch.io. It includes body type, race, dis/ability, gender vs. presentation, and LGBT+ diversity. If you're skeptical at how those ideas can fit into this type of setting, I highly recommend giving it a look! :)
Second, echoing the feedback of others, I found the font very difficult to read and understand, so I wasn't able to read a lot of the content to the demo. The font here on the itch.io page is quite straining as well, but to a lesser extent, thankfully. The art, however, looks lovely-- especially the backgrounds! I am getting some minor uncanny-valley vibes from the characters' faces, but overall, your attention to detail and your setting really comes across in the visuals! They're beautiful. My only criticism goes back to my question above about diversity in the appearances of your characters.
Thirdly, I just wanted to give a bit of friendly feedback on your use of French/one bit of French culture.
This is a minor thing, but when you use terms of endearment, you don't need to capitalize them -- the French language is kind of allergic to capitalization. For instance, Miss Fernside's mother could say, "Give them time, ma petite," and "Bien, allez! Make yourself ready."
Also a minor thing -- in French, the name "Elodie" has un accent aigu over the first 'E,' like this: Élodie.
French has some terms of endearment that sound a bit insane when directly translated, but that convey much more familiarity and just...warm soft love than ma/mon petit(e) does, if you want to consider them (if that's your goal). Some examples off the top of my head are ma bichette (my little dove), mon bijou (my jewel), ma puce (my flea), mon ciel étoilé (my starry sky), mon chou (my cabbage/my pastry)/chou chou, and the classics, like ma chère/chèrie, mon ange, etc. Just not mon amour -- it's super clichéd and only for romantic partners, which a lot of people don't seem to realize.
In France, it is incredibly common and considered perfectly polite to greet others (less so between two men greeting each other) with a kiss or two on the cheek/s, as opposed to a bow, as portrayed here between Mme. Fernside and Mr. Worthington. I don't know how assimilated to English (I assume) culture you want Mme. Fernside to be, as she's using French phrases, but I figured that was worth pointing out just in case!
I hope none of that came across as pushy or know-it-all-ish! Feel free to ignore me if any of this makes me sound obnoxious; it is not my intention. Again, I'm super excited to follow development and am looking forward to the next build! I'm sorry for my super long comment (I'm just excited, I swear), and best of luck with this ambitious project!! I will be following along with bated breath. :))
Thank you so much for playing and for the feedback.
To address your first question, We love Regency period Dramas, but we also didn't want to ignore the downsides to being in such a closed insular community, where gossip is as much entertainment as it is a weapon. Society, in Truths Untold, is like an every looming force always looking over your shoulder and judging, with a thousand eyes and mouths. Because of this, the social pressure to conform and not step outside the norm of what society expects is enormous. The Davenbury community is not progressive or inclusive (which is not something we endorse personally just better served the story.) Davenbury is the sort of community where even the rumor of impropriety is enough to permanently stain your reputation and potentially have you ostracized. So in service to this, we made an artistic choice to have our story take place within a homogeneous population, in order to highlight the pressure and just how slight a deviation from proper decorum, has severe ramifications.
Also, thank you so much for your insight to the French language. It was indeed helpful and we will change the capitalization, as we were wondering about that ourselves. And the accent over the “E.”
We really appreciate anyone taking the time to play and comment, so need to apologize for the length.
I'm glad the diversity angle is something you're considering and incorporating into your themes; I definitely didn't mean to make any demands, I was just curious what way you intend to take your story in regards to that, so thank you for the clarification! Again, I love the game so far, so thank you for sharing it and for all your hard work!
Very interesting game (even if I personally would prefer some sort of 'Carrie' choice during the ball...).
I do have one question (that I'm going to try and make spolier-free as I can), if you choose the second option for the choice at the end of the demo, does that lock you out of a route?
Will definately be interested in seeing the Kickstarter/crowdfunding for this.
I am interested in the answer to this too! Because while I do want to romance the person in that choice...the whole idea of that solution to the problem without true romance puts me off.
Okay, this was so lovely and I'm very, very excited to see where it's going. You've handled the historical setting so well—it doesn't feel like a crutch or just an obstacle-builder, but a labour of love. The art, the writing, and the character building all enhance your regency decor so well. I do love Austen and it's clear you do too, but I appreciate your not going straight for the archetypes she herself created and adding your own voices and flavour to the game. Kept me on my toes from start to finish.
Also, I love that you're taking care of building other relationships than the romantic ones—the tension with Emily and the sweet moments with the parents really add layers to the story and the "lived-in" feeling. Historical works sometimes have difficulties walking the line between warmth and societal accuracy, but it's not the case here. Really, overall, your attention to detail and to telling a complete story is to die for. I haven't replayed the demo with other decisions yet, but the "narrative" stat-building plays into this as well and it's full of promise!
Anyway—I'll be there for the kickstarter as well! Thank you for such a generous demo (lots of words and lots of scenes already). And also, just to balance things out since I think Sinclair and Worthington are in the lead for the moment—I'm personally gunning for the Lindfield idiot and his bad life decisions. But FIRST he needs a glove-slap or two.
This game is a breath of fresh air! I love historical romance games. There aren't enough of them in the world and this one is shaping up to be quite good.
The Art - Gorgeous. The clothing was amazing, but the characters' faces!! Their faces match their personalities so well (and they were all so expressive! I am pretty sure Sinclair waggles his eyebrow and I thought it was hilarous, what great attention to detail).
The Writing - Amazing. The characters felt real and the MC struck a really nice balance of being shaped by the player without losing herself, if that makes sense? The writing also felt really smart. In particular, it managed to bring up gender roles, and who people are willing to sacrifice, and it was just really well done as it came up naturally and managed to surprise me.
The ROs - I love them all (Sinclair especially lmao). I can't wait to get to know them even more throughout the game (and then also maybe punch Ben? I haven't decided lol).
The Story - The story is shaping up to be really interesting! I can't wait to see how the different narratives unfold throughout the game.
I can't wait for the Kickstarter and the finished game. I know it probably won't be out for a while, and that's okay. I can be more than patience for a game that’s showing this much promise!
Wow, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We can’t wait to share the finished game with you all. I am glad you are staying tuned for the Kickstarter. We really appreciate it.
I really enjoyed the demo and the plot that is beginning to develop. I do have to agree with the other comments that the font is difficult to read and a bit to small for my eyes to comfortable read it. One of the enjoyable parts of the story, for me, was seeing the background and outfits. They looked wonderful and accurate to me from that era and it honestly made me happy to see and stare for awhile. I love to see how our choice continue to develop and change the interactions between us and the other characters. I'm definitely going to have to go back and play the other options within the demo. I did have a hard time choosing between Sinclair and Worthington- even though they are complete opposites to each other- both of them were able to show their own appeal to me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the game!
Thank you so much for your kind remarks. CrowOfWhimsy, My co-creator of Truths Untold did all of the art for us. She is so talented, blew me away. I love to hear when people take the time to notice the details. Also, we are planning to change the font after all the feedback regarding it. We appreciate it and enjoy playing the second time around 😉
Great starting premise and I really enjoyed the demo which was well written and long enough to get me completely caught up in the plot. I found it difficult to decide between Worthington and Sinclair even though they are opposites. I'm keen to replay the demo with quite different choices next time. I agree with the other comments on the fonts - I got used to the main font in the end but my eyesight isn't brilliant, even corrected and the letter font was particularly hard on the eyes. I look forward to seeing how this develops and I think it could end up quite atmospheric once you add appropriate music.
thank you for the feedback, everyone had mentioned the font so we definitely want to make it easier to read. We are so glad you enjoyed it and hope you enjoy it second time around ☺️
Ooh, I love historical/regency games! I have to admit that I have only just started (still in the carriage) and I find the font very difficult to read. I definitely would recommend font options and/or the ability to increase the font size if you really want to keep the fancy font. I can read it...but it is difficult.
Edit: After playing it through I will say I can't wait to see the rest! I'm impressed that the demo is so lengthy - you really get a sense for the quality of the work. I feel quite badly for my MC - she is having a hard time of it. And all of her options have some issues!
Hi! Just wanted to say that I love the demo! It was super interesting and refreshing to play! I do have one question though, are there any future plants to implement another font/ font size in the game? I'm dyslexic so the font was a bit difficult to try and understand. No worries tho, love the work and keep it up!
Yay! We are glad to hear you enjoyed it. One of the reasons we wanted to launch the demo was for feedback about things like the font, so we will definitely take note of it. Thanks for playing.
The writing quality in this one is amazing. It felt like a Jane Austen novel through and through. I honestly cannot wait to read how the relationship between the mc and her suitors develops. The three suitors are charming in their own way, but I find myself preferring Mr. Worthington ( most likely because he reminds me of Colonel Brandon <3, cannot help but love the loyal gent archetype). Other than praises, I only have one comment to make regarding the text font. It's a bit difficult to read, especially the font used for the letters.
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This was such a great demo!! I can't wait for the full game to be released. I second the comment about this feeling like a jane austen novel, it really does! I like all the guys so far! Guy is just gonna be full of angst I can sense it already and I'm sure his route will be heart wrenching as I played a resentful Collette lol but then after that meeting near the ruins I wore my locket finally lol Worthington is the one I leaned toward at first, I just sense a passionate man underneath all his gentlemanly demeanor. Sinclair was starting to win me over though! At first I took his crooked grin as a mockery but his sincerity shown through a bit and I was really considering falling for him instead. This has to be finished, it's too good not to be. Adding music and sound effects will be the icing on the cake :D
Thank you for playing and your kind comments. We can’t wait to finish it for you all ❤️ That is interesting that you wore the locket again after the resentment. We love how everyone plays their Miss Fernside so different.
can't wait to play full game!
I love captain so much. I feel like I can talk with him at ease without worry about my noble manner.lol
Thanks for playing! Sinclair does have a wonderful ease about him ☺️
I've never played such a story rich game before! really feels like living in a Jane Austen novel This is my second time coming back to play the demo. Any updates on the kickstarter?
Praise indeed! Thank you so much and we really appreciate you coming back for more ☺️
We have been keeping people posted about our updates and Kickstarter on our devlogs and we also have a Discord if you’d like to join the fun over there. We have general discussion, polls, announcements, Q&A and more. There is a link to all of this on the latest devlog but I can also post it here for you if you’d rather.
Thanks again bamila ❤️🥰
-CoffeeCat
I really like this! The only comment I have is that the text box goes black after every line of dialog, which makes it feel a bit slowed down and choppy, if that makes sense.
I love the art in this, it's rare to see a visual novel in this art style.
Thank you so much for playing and your feedback. I do believe it’s an issue with Renpy. Sorry about that.
CrowOfWhimsy does all the art, I love it too and we were hoping it would have its own look so thank you so much for that compliment 💜
It's definitely not a big problem or anything, so no worries!
The game is super nice so far, and I can hardly wait to see what's next :)
We can't wait to share the whole game with you. Thanks again :)
~CoffeeCat
It's nice to see another style of drawing in an otome game, it looks great, the theme of the game is lovely as well ;) Can't wait for this to be released! By the way, the browser version also works on Opera.
Thank you so much for playing and for your kind words. And that’s good to know about Opera 👍🏼
~CoffeeCat
I wanted Cpt. Sinclair, not Mr. Worthington. So when he asked for marriage, I said no. Too bad, maybe I'll play it again.
thanks for playing and hope you enjoy the demo again if you play a second time ☺️
Is the full game out yet?
no, not yet. We are doing a Kickstarter launch soon ☺️👍🏼
Okay. I'll be waiting!
This was gorgeous. I can't wait to see updates on this and it's one that I'll absolutely play through again. Brilliant work!
Wahoo! We are so glad to hear that. Thank you for playing and for your kind praise!
I am very excited to see this game in full! The story feels genuine, and intriguing. I loved it! I'm a bit desperate to continue playing, if I'm being honest. As a note, Mr. Worthington may be my favorite (I agree with much of what the previous reviewer Kirlett said).
If I may - I strongly recommend that when you do launch your gofundme that you outline a release timeline for the game and be as transparent as possible regarding development updates. I am an avid visual novel/interactive fiction supporter - but I will say a lot of projects sit abandoned and would hate to see the same come of this story. I am very excited to support this project when the time comes!
Thank you so much for playing!
That is very good advice. I was just talking to a friend recently who backs a lot of games on kick starter and he said a lot of what you said. We agree and plan to be very transparent and keep you all in the loop often. We have worked too long and hard on it not to finish it, even if it does take another year or so.
The fact that you are an avid visual novel player and that you enjoyed our demo means a lot and we want your wait to be worth it. Thank you again for your support and feedback.
~CoffeeCat
[Takes a deep breath.] This will be long. Bear with me.
It has been a long, long time since I felt like this playing a game. I'm still feeling nervous and anxious and...! Ugh! In a good way, of course, but ugh! And this is all Mr. Worthington's fault.
Since the moment he appeared I knew he would be my favorite. If I had to compare him to a Jane Austen hero I'd say he's our own Colonel Brandon, and boy do I love that man. I also happen to love horse-riding so, bonus points.
"I must admit, I was glad to observe you were immune to his charms."
[Internally screaming.] A-hem. Good to know you were glad! Very good! (No childhood sweetheart or handsome scoundrel could draw my attention like he did, so it's nice it was acknowledged! I did like the other love interests, they were all perfect in their own ways and I'm excited to experience all the routes, but I'm so very biased lol)
Small exhange between MC (I love her default name, so she's Colette for me!) and Sinclair that made me laugh out loud:
"Ah, well then I will be out"
"Every day from now on?"
"... Yes."
But BACK to my favorite topic. Mr. Worthington.
I need some reassurance here. I really do. I adore slowburns, and characters that maintain decorum in historical pieces that demand it. But I grew concerned about his feelings the further I played. If their story (Colette and Mr. Worthington's) is slow-paced, with longing but him being far too considerate and humble to ever think she could love him romantically, thus hiding his feelings behind a mask of politeness that will inevitably break at some point, then I'M ALL FOR IT. Give me that angst!
But if their story never involves real romantic feelings and they simply have a 'friendship' marriage with respect and affection (which is nice, mind you, but I happen to be in love with the man!) then MY HEART WILL BREAK. I'm SO anxious about this, the demo left me a complete mess.
[End of my rambling about that perfect man.]
The writing was superb! And the art! Being able to choose what to wear is such a nice addition and the artist did a great job with the clothes. Also being able to change Colette's personality is great. Although I found some strange moments (very few). Example: I was going for a calm, kind and polite Colette and this was reflected perfectly but suddenly with Captain Sinclair she was all teasing. I think it was maybe because I chose to leave when she finds him in the ruins? But she is all smirks and witty banter suddenly, which doesn't really convey my choice of 'Leave'. But it didn't bother me, really! Just giving feedback about thoughts I had while playing.
A thing I simply adored: Colette's thoughts on Emily. I don't know if choosing different things would lead to different thoughts, but my Colette made me so proud. She misses her friend far more than her old suitor, and it's so nice that Emily is not 'demonized' in the narrative. Both Colette and Emily seem realistic characters and I hope they manage to mend their friendship with time and effort. I'm rooting for them.
Aaaaand, that's all. For now. Is there a release date for the whole game? (And by release game I mean something like, 'we plan to finish it this year, or next year, etc. Nothing specific.)
In summary, it was an incredible experience playing this demo and this game could very well become the best Regency game out there till now. I can't wait to learn more (and keep replaying the demo). Also, I'm sorry about the LONG comment, I'm just too excited.
First of all thank you so much for playing and for the lovely feedback. It means so much to us and like I said, never apologize for a long comment. We love to see our beloved story and characters meaning something to people and the fact that you took the time to tell us your thoughts means a lot.
Your love for Mr.Worthington is so sweet and makes us so happy. He is indeed special.
So, your slow burn description pretty much encapsulated where we plan to go with them but I can’t tell you anymore than that, but rest assured the route with Mr. Worthington ( depending on your choices of course) can be very slow-burn,beautiful, bring on the angst, romantic and hopefully a very satisfying pay off for the player.
In regards to the release date, much of that depends on the kick starter but regardless we definitely plan to finish the game even if we can’t make it as perfect as we want. Our goal is to finish it next year. We have already been working on it steadily for years but have been trying to pick up the pace ( I had two kids since we first created the visual novel so that slowed the progress down a bit hehe)
But we want to keep you all up to date often and hope to make the wait shorter rather than longer.
~CoffeeCat
What a wonderful demo!
I do admit that I’m a bit of sucker for just about any historically based game, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the added scandal aspect when stepping into the shoes of Miss Fernside. It’ll be fun to try to win back the approval of society… or to snub it!
As others have already pointed out, all three of the love interests are engaging in their own way and I found my affections flip-flopping every few scenes as the demo progressed. After the sunset farewell I thought myself to be a ride-or-die Guy fan, but I have to admit that I’ve since developed a wondering eye of sorts. (Although I still wear the locket like a religion because I just know the reward will be sweet). I've the biggest soft spot for Mr. Worthington! Which just makes that cliffhanger even more of a heartbreaker. Can't wait to see what comes of all that! Captain Sinclair is the biggest surprise for me of all. I was more or less ready to write-off his character during his introductory scene as I did not think him my type, but unexpectedly found myself enjoying his pestering banter with Miss Fernside in later scenes. Who would have thought? Not me!
One thing that I do hope we get to see later in the game is the arrival of our brother, James. I decided to have my Miss Fernside feel terrible about keeping secrets from him and I would just love to have a scene that pays that off. Plus, I wouldn’t turn down a scene where we might have the chance to further encourage/tease him and little Jane. You know, like a good sister does.
Looking forward to the launch of your Kickstarter page, you’ve certainly earned my support!
Thank you so much for your delightful feedback and for playing! We are glad you were a bit torn between the three suitors. We had hoped they would each have their merits (and faults.) As far as James goes, you will have to wait for the full game to find out more about him hahah ;) We appreciate your support so much. Thanks again.
~CoffeeCat
Hello all,
Just in case you missed the Devlog, I wanted to invite you all to our Discord
https://discord.gg/W2hSGU
We are still learning Discord so please be patient with us ☺️
We are still working on a Tumblr as well. Thanks for playing and we hope to get to chat more with you all over in Discord.
~CoffeeCat
I adore this and can't wait to see where the story goes.
Thank you ☺️ We can’t wait to share the whole story ;)
~CoffeeCat
A really wonderful game! The cliffhanger is very cruel though :P
I also love the fact that we can choose our clothes and that certain 'messages', so to speak, can be sent through what we choose to wear. However, it didn't seem that any of the characters commented on what we wore (such as the MC wearing a dress to indicate she's mildly protesting about having to have a meal with Captain Sinclair). Would that be a possible feature to add in, if that isn't too demanding? Unless it's already present and I was just too oblivious to notice it?
Thank you for playing and we are so glad you liked it. We were a bit mean with the cliffhanger 😜
We did play with the idea of characters commenting on her choice of gown but learned that Regency etiquette would have considered it rude to comment on someone’s appearance, that being said, we do have an idea for her choice of gown to come up. There may not be a comment to every dress choice but we have an idea we hope you’ll like if you play it again. There is a major update coming soon so please stay tuned and again thank you for playing and for your feedback!
~CoffeeCat
I immediately forgive any faults of this game because there was an orange speckled English setter that looked just like my rescue boy. XD
Seriously, though, I really enjoyed this. The world needs more Victorian dating games! My one gripe is that there were some odd pauses between lines that caused me to click through too quickly. Luckily, ren'py lets you rewind so I didn't miss any juicy details. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this one
Your rescue must be handsome indeed! Orion is a fan favorite already ☺️
Thank you for playing and stay tuned for updates!
~CoffeeCat
I left some feedback about this before the new update, but I wanted to come back since the new update. The new font is way more legible; still a bit eye-straining for me, but not nearly as difficult as the cursive from before.
Now that I can read the text, I want to say: I love the story! Your characters are all interesting and/or likable (either as characters or as people), and I find your approach to this kind of story intriguing, enjoyable, and immersive. The art has also really grown on me; I love the colors and the fashion and the environments especially. I'm really looking forward to following your progress!! Thanks for sharing your art with us :)
Thank you for playing it again and for your kind words. I am glad the font was more legible for you. CrowOfWhimsy did all the art! She is fabulous. I loved how she brought our characters to life. And you are most welcome ❤️
~CoffeeCat
I've stayed up much too late reading this, but I couldn't bear to put it down. It's significantly longer than anticipated, which is wonderful.
I'm really impressed by how well the facial animations are implemented; it gives a lot more nuance to the characters.
I love getting to shape my Miss Fernside. It's a good balance between getting to choose her character and being a blank slate. I also like how three dimensional your characters are. I don't feel like there are any outright villains. Maybe that Mrs. Foster.
Personally, I'm very much angling for the nice older gentleman that respects you. Although I will eventually play all the routes, he's definitely Number One.
Do you folks have a tumblr blog perchance? I'm following you on here, but I don't personally find itch to be great for interacting.There's totally a list of social media above. Oh well, at least there's an edit button.
Thank you so much for playing and sorry to cause you to lose sleep. ;) See the latest devlog in regards to tumblr and further interaction.
~CoffeeCat
I'm so excited to see where this story goes! That cliffhanger at the end of the demo seriously wrecked me...I usually don't play demos, tbh, because I have a hard time not knowing how things end, but the art and premise of this looked too good to pass up!
I'm super curious, if it's not too much of a peak behind the curtain: what are the three archetypal personalities of the MC? I mean, I can kinda figure it out just by playing but I always like to know how the devs describe it themselves. Wishing you all the best!
I am so glad you played it but sorry for the whole wrecking you thing 😬😁
I would be glad to answer your question. We tried to make the MC’s choices less like three different archetypes but more like three different temperaments.
One being softer in temperament, tender-hearted and a little more likely to act within the social confines, doing what’s expected of her.
The second, more rational and the sort to take a step back and think longer before speaking or reacting.
<span class="s1" <the="" second,="" more="" rational="" and="" likely="" to="" take="" a="" step="" back="" think="" longer="" before="" speaking="" or="" reacting.<="" span=""></span>
And third, the fiery one, who acts on impulse, and says what she thinks even though she might sometimes regret what she’s said in haste.
I hope that was helpful and thank you for the well wishes ☺️
~CoffeeCat
Omg! That was really good!!I love finding games like these, there's so few of them. The writing is amazing, I was engaged the whole time. The characters too! I'm torn between Guy (Persuasion is my favorite Austen book haha) and Sinclaire. I also liked the little touch with the outfits and choosing whether to wear the locket. I'm guessing that will have more effect in the finished game.
Anyways, just wanted to show you guys some love, thank you so much for creating this. I can't wait to read the whole story and hopefully things turn around for poor MC 😂
Thank you for playing and for giving us some love! Can’t wait for you to get to play the full game and see if things do indeed turn around for MC 😉
PS- Thanks for giving Guy some love as well ☺️
~CoffeeCat
Can I just say, you all have been amazing. Your detailed comments and questions have been great. I will try to address a few that have repeatedly come up:
1. In case you missed the devlog, we changed the font. Please let us know if it’s easier to read now.
2. If you choose to accept Worthington’s proposal it will definitely change the course of the game. That isn’t to say you’ll never see the other suitors again. But if your feelin’ Mr. Worthington, “yes” is a good answer to give him 😉 There is a reason we put his proposal where we did. I don’t want to give any more spoilers but I understand your curiosity about this.
3. (Taken from CrowOfWhimsy’s response)
About the shaking in the carriage during the opening. It is actually supposed to be the jostling of the carriage as it moves down the road. I can see how it would be confusing, though, since we don't have the sound effects yet (which hopefully will make that more clear.) And, the reason it triggers after clicks is that when I programmed the scene, I was brand new to coding, so I didn't know how to do a timed loop yet. (I can go back and fix it to be a timed loop if that would help make it clearer.) However, Nat and I actually have a question for everyone about this topic. Is the shaking too distracting? Or will it be immersive once we add in the SFX? If most of you find it distracting, we can remove the carriage jostle entirely, and it will just be a static image. (I'll ask this in a devblog too, so everyone can answer over there.)
Thanks again,
<span class="s1" <thanks="" again!<="" span=""></span>
~CoffeeCat & CrowOfWhimsy
Yes! The font is so much easier to read! Thank you so much!
(and thanks for answering my curisoity, guess I'll just have to play the full version to see what happens...
Yay! We are so glad it is easier to read. Thanks for giving us the feedback so we could make it better!
And you are welcome :)
~CoffeeCat
Hi! Thanks so much for being so quick when responding to comments and for your graciousness when accepting criticism! In regards to the font, it is so much easier to read now! My dyslexia always makes reading a bit challenging, but the font change was a huge help! As for the shaking in the carriage, it did seem a bit out of place at first. However, I think if you added sound effects that lets the player know the carriage is simply jostling around then it will be fine! Keep up the good work and I'm wishing you the best!
You are most welcome and we are so glad it is easier to read. You all are the reason we are making this and if you can’t read it that would be the worst so we are happy to oblige. We wanted to have this beta demo for this very reason so we appreciate the honest feedback. Thanks again and we appreciate it.
~CoffeeCat
Thank you for changing the font. It's much easier. Also, thanks for the clarification on Worthington.
No problem ☺️
This was so enjoyable! I was eating virtual popcorn as the drama unfolded and the "scandal" a-stirred. How this VN is able to captivate attention, while also retaining it without the use of sound and music, speaks—ahem—volumes to the quality of storytelling. I advise a bit more copyediting, though, since there are small bouts of tense shift here and there, and this is not in reference to flashbacks or when one is reminiscing. There are sometimes these weird spaces between sentences, too (or perhaps the Mac version of the game, I'm not sure). So it'd be like, Friendship ended with Linfield. Now Worthington is my friend, instead of, Friendship ended with Linfield. Now Worthington is my friend.
Oh look, a summation of my playthrough.Outside of these two things, though, there isn't much I have yet to suggest. The atmosphere and mannerisms of this VN befit the setting, as they do the genre, and I'm looking forward to what's to come. I do have a question: is the game to split off into three different routes per suitor, or will it be one big story with some branching, depending on which suitor you pursue (so the storyline will be the same upon replay, but with different small moments if one was to pursue another suitor)?
Another question, sillier and semi-serious, but also more important: will we ever get to meet James?Some things I especially enjoyed in the demo were as followed (this delves into spoilers):
1) Maman and the bigamy debacle. When Maman finally breaks down after Emily's visit, the sprites and expressions used for her + the timing really hammer in the direness of the situation and how much guilt Maman feels. It's intense, as it is saddening, and it just floors me how well the visuals are used to land the necessary impact. I don't think I'll be able to handle the scene when sound is added.
2) Worthington. Middle-aged men (or one approaching it) aren't usually my type, but this game didn't take long to convince me otherwise. There's a delicacy in which he's written and the mutual respect + friendship he shares with Miss Fernside, as well as the honorable way he conducts himself, makes him so, very attractive and their relationship very appealing.
I'm also a huge sucker for the marriage ofconvenience trope, whoops.3) Emily. Oh, she infuriates me, but I love the complexity in which she regards Miss Fernside and how Miss Fernside regards her, even after the betrayal. It punctuates how deep their friendship was, and why the betrayal hurts so much. Brilliant, and I honestly can't wait to see how their relationship gets amended—if it gets amended, that is.
That's all I have for now, but I can't wait for the updated demo and the kickstarter to run! Best of luck and thank you so much for sharing your baby. <3
Thank you so much for this! I love hearing the specific things you enjoyed . Thanks for so warmly receiving our “baby”
As to the tense shifts and weird spacing, let me check with CrowOfWhimsy about that.
It’s more like a big story with some branching but there are certain choices that will make the story have a bigger “branch” as it were.
As to your other question I will let that remain a mystery for now. 😉
Thanks again for playing and for your gracious feedback!
~CoffeeCat
DramaJustCalled,
Thanks again for brining the spacing issue to our attention. We have an update coming up later, with the sound effects, which will also have the corrected spacing.
~CoffeeCat
Of course! I'm glad to be of assistance, and can't wait to see what you guys bring to the table with this next update! Thank you for answering my previous post, too. <3
Stay in good health and good look with the updated demo!
God I've been waiting for a new, well done historical romance game. It's the perfect balance of not feeling like my character is limited to the setting (what with her scandalous piano passion 😂) but also feeling like she's a part of the setting. It's a difficult balance to strike: you don't want to boring up the main character because she's not allowed to sneeze without a whole to-do about it, but you also don't want her to seem out of place or too modern. It's a really great balance you've struck with the different personalities of Miss Fernside!
I also like how, when she was upset about Emily and Guy, I did have the option to be a little bit chill about it. Like obviously she was still hurt but I didn't have to be mean to Emily. Deeply looking forward to a potential reunion, especially considering she called on her really early in the timeline! I'm the ruthless sort who dropped Guy the second it became apparent he either bought into the rumours or was too cowardly to say something to my face: Emily was neither so here's hoping!
I'm mirroring some other comments here, but I'm a little worried about the Worthington option. It seemed kind of wrong to accept his proposal as a "solution to the problem"— not only sort of unromantic, but unfair to him as well as Miss Fernside! It might be a little dynamic to play through as a Fernside who feels obligated to accept his proposal vs one who initially rejects it. I hope there's an option to offer him a little clarity alongside a rejection, in the hopes of moving forward: also maybe a little more clarity regarding the age difference? He's friends with your dad, but does that make him the same age as your dad? How old is that, comparatively? How old is Miss Fernside, for that matter?
Besides comments about font which you've heard and responded to, I wanted to express a little concern about the way the text...moves, kind of? One thing I noted right off the bat, which I understand was meant to convey the kind of half-shout that the cheery Mr. Fernside perpetually speaks in, during the carriage ride the camera shakes almost every time a new passage is introduced, even if it's just Miss Fernside's inner monologue (in case this might be an unintended bug, I should note that I have text speed cranked). There's also certain passages where the text seems to be on a kind of timer, or paced with blank passages: when I click to skip these moments, it can frequently skip actual text which forces me to double back: notably moments like the prolonged silence between Worthington and Fernside at the ball. I can see his sprite moving, but clicking to proceed past the silence skips the next line of text.
Really excited to see how the game evolves! Great job!
First off, thank you so much for your kind words and praise. It really means a lot. Especially about Emily, I was so worried when we were writing that scene that everyone would want to use poor Emily as a punching bag. So it was nice to hear that at least one person didn't take it all out on her.
About the shaking in the carriage during the opening. It is actually supposed to be the jostling of the carriage as it moves down the road. I can see how it would be confusing, though, since we don't have the sound effects yet (which hopefully will make that more clear.) And, the reason it triggers after clicks is that when I programmed the scene, I was brand new to coding, so I didn't know how to do a timed loop yet. (I can go back and fix it to be a timed loop if that would help make it clearer.)
However, Nat and I actually have a question for everyone about this topic. Is the shaking too distracting? Or will it be immersive once we add in the SFX? If most of you find it distracting, we can remove the carriage jostle entirely, and it will just be a static image. (I'll ask this in a devblog too, so everyone can answer over there.)
And finally, HeartForge, could you give me the specific scene with Worthington at the ball that you were having problems with? It would help a lot if you could narrow it down a bit more. That way, I can try and recreate the problem and figure out if there is an issue with the code.
Thanks!
CrowOfWhimsy
H'm, I personally find it a little distracting but I think it's because I see the jostle typically used for like, BIG interruptions? So while I was reading about Gaston and seeing the jostling I was wondering if she was so scandalized she was physically twitching, but maybe others didn't read it in the same way 😅😅 I liked it in the carriage ride to the ball, when it was used to indicate the stopping of the carriage and a few times for a jostle.
As I'm replaying, I'm thinking the text issues are more a result of Ren'py's engine rather than anything code-side. As I mentioned, I crank the text speed just because I tend to read faster than game engines typically present the text when left to their default devices, and I think it's just a combination of the sprites changing and the engine loading the next set of text. Watching carefully (and I meant the small interlude after Fernside speaks to the two young ladies and then Foster (I think that was the name, the busybody woman) steps in to run her mouth: Worthington steps in to escort Fernside away and there's a few instances where he changes expressions a few times), I don't think there's much that can be done about it since the sprites need their time to transition expressions and Ren'py will take the time it likes to present the text. I also tested without the text speed cranked and it worked just fine, so I think this is a quirk rather than a bug.
Speaking of expressions, though, I really appreciated on my second go around that everyone had multiple, dynamic expressions? And that some were kind of...well when you get games that have sprites with multiple expressions, they tend to run the mill of "happy" and then "sad" and then "happy" maybe with a single "flirty" thrown in for spice. I like how these expressions seem a little more nuanced and to flow a little more naturally than "this is the face they're making right now". It feels like more of a genuine reaction than a stock image!
Also I really appreciate the new font! And not just in the narration but also in the letters to James!
I am really intrigued that so many people are into Sinclair from the comments. I assume the personality is mean to remind players of Austen's more rakish characters, but will eventually have hidden depths? ...but right now it just leads me to go, "Nope, nope, nope!". LOL
😂😁😜
I'm really excited for this game! Your plans for the way you're going to handle relationship and character-building sound really intriguing and quite ambitious! So far, Elodie is my favorite character, and I have a galaxy-brained theory that Mr. Worthington is going to be the villain. He's a bit scary.
No pressure to answer -- especially if I touch on spoiler territory -- but I have a few questions and pieces of feedback about your plans for the game:
Firstly, are you planning on including any LGBT+, racial, body-type, etc diversity? So far, the game seems very focused on straight white people, and, while I'm not demanding a female love interest or anything, I think that using a historical setting doesn't mean you can't implement more modern values of inclusivity and diversity in your writing and character design. I'm excited for the game either way, but I would love to see some that. A wonderful example of a period piece that includes phenomenal diversity without impacting the story negatively is Northanger Abbey: The Game by spiralatlas here on itch.io. It includes body type, race, dis/ability, gender vs. presentation, and LGBT+ diversity. If you're skeptical at how those ideas can fit into this type of setting, I highly recommend giving it a look! :)
Second, echoing the feedback of others, I found the font very difficult to read and understand, so I wasn't able to read a lot of the content to the demo. The font here on the itch.io page is quite straining as well, but to a lesser extent, thankfully. The art, however, looks lovely-- especially the backgrounds! I am getting some minor uncanny-valley vibes from the characters' faces, but overall, your attention to detail and your setting really comes across in the visuals! They're beautiful. My only criticism goes back to my question above about diversity in the appearances of your characters.
Thirdly, I just wanted to give a bit of friendly feedback on your use of French/one bit of French culture.
I hope none of that came across as pushy or know-it-all-ish! Feel free to ignore me if any of this makes me sound obnoxious; it is not my intention. Again, I'm super excited to follow development and am looking forward to the next build! I'm sorry for my super long comment (I'm just excited, I swear), and best of luck with this ambitious project!! I will be following along with bated breath. :))
Thank you so much for playing and for the feedback.
To address your first question, We love Regency period Dramas, but we also didn't want to ignore the downsides to being in such a closed insular community, where gossip is as much entertainment as it is a weapon. Society, in Truths Untold, is like an every looming force always looking over your shoulder and judging, with a thousand eyes and mouths. Because of this, the social pressure to conform and not step outside the norm of what society expects is enormous. The Davenbury community is not progressive or inclusive (which is not something we endorse personally just better served the story.) Davenbury is the sort of community where even the rumor of impropriety is enough to permanently stain your reputation and potentially have you ostracized. So in service to this, we made an artistic choice to have our story take place within a homogeneous population, in order to highlight the pressure and just how slight a deviation from proper decorum, has severe ramifications.
Also, thank you so much for your insight to the French language. It was indeed helpful and we will change the capitalization, as we were wondering about that ourselves. And the accent over the “E.”
We really appreciate anyone taking the time to play and comment, so need to apologize for the length.
~CrowOfWhimsy and CoffeeCat
I'm glad the diversity angle is something you're considering and incorporating into your themes; I definitely didn't mean to make any demands, I was just curious what way you intend to take your story in regards to that, so thank you for the clarification! Again, I love the game so far, so thank you for sharing it and for all your hard work!
Very interesting game (even if I personally would prefer some sort of 'Carrie' choice during the ball...).
I do have one question (that I'm going to try and make spolier-free as I can), if you choose the second option for the choice at the end of the demo, does that lock you out of a route?
Will definately be interested in seeing the Kickstarter/crowdfunding for this.
I am interested in the answer to this too! Because while I do want to romance the person in that choice...the whole idea of that solution to the problem without true romance puts me off.
Yes! Exactly.
I'm also curious about this.
Okay, this was so lovely and I'm very, very excited to see where it's going. You've handled the historical setting so well—it doesn't feel like a crutch or just an obstacle-builder, but a labour of love. The art, the writing, and the character building all enhance your regency decor so well. I do love Austen and it's clear you do too, but I appreciate your not going straight for the archetypes she herself created and adding your own voices and flavour to the game. Kept me on my toes from start to finish.
Also, I love that you're taking care of building other relationships than the romantic ones—the tension with Emily and the sweet moments with the parents really add layers to the story and the "lived-in" feeling. Historical works sometimes have difficulties walking the line between warmth and societal accuracy, but it's not the case here. Really, overall, your attention to detail and to telling a complete story is to die for. I haven't replayed the demo with other decisions yet, but the "narrative" stat-building plays into this as well and it's full of promise!
Anyway—I'll be there for the kickstarter as well! Thank you for such a generous demo (lots of words and lots of scenes already). And also, just to balance things out since I think Sinclair and Worthington are in the lead for the moment—I'm personally gunning for the Lindfield idiot and his bad life decisions. But FIRST he needs a glove-slap or two.
Good luck for what's next!! You're doing great!
This just warmed my little heart. Thank you sooo much and We are so glad you enjoyed the demo.
“I’m personally gunning for the Lindfield idiot and his bad life decisions. But FIRST he needs a glove-slap or two.“
I cracked up for so long at that 😂
Thanks again and yes please stay tuned for all the updates.
~CoffeeCat
This game is a breath of fresh air! I love historical romance games. There aren't enough of them in the world and this one is shaping up to be quite good.
The Art - Gorgeous. The clothing was amazing, but the characters' faces!! Their faces match their personalities so well (and they were all so expressive! I am pretty sure Sinclair waggles his eyebrow and I thought it was hilarous, what great attention to detail).
The Writing - Amazing. The characters felt real and the MC struck a really nice balance of being shaped by the player without losing herself, if that makes sense? The writing also felt really smart. In particular, it managed to bring up gender roles, and who people are willing to sacrifice, and it was just really well done as it came up naturally and managed to surprise me.
The ROs - I love them all (Sinclair especially lmao). I can't wait to get to know them even more throughout the game (and then also maybe punch Ben? I haven't decided lol).
The Story - The story is shaping up to be really interesting! I can't wait to see how the different narratives unfold throughout the game.
I can't wait for the Kickstarter and the finished game. I know it probably won't be out for a while, and that's okay. I can be more than patience for a game that’s showing this much promise!
Wow, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We can’t wait to share the finished game with you all. I am glad you are staying tuned for the Kickstarter. We really appreciate it.
~CoffeeCat
I really enjoyed the demo and the plot that is beginning to develop. I do have to agree with the other comments that the font is difficult to read and a bit to small for my eyes to comfortable read it. One of the enjoyable parts of the story, for me, was seeing the background and outfits. They looked wonderful and accurate to me from that era and it honestly made me happy to see and stare for awhile. I love to see how our choice continue to develop and change the interactions between us and the other characters. I'm definitely going to have to go back and play the other options within the demo. I did have a hard time choosing between Sinclair and Worthington- even though they are complete opposites to each other- both of them were able to show their own appeal to me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the game!
Thank you so much for your kind remarks. CrowOfWhimsy, My co-creator of Truths Untold did all of the art for us. She is so talented, blew me away. I love to hear when people take the time to notice the details.
Also, we are planning to change the font after all the feedback regarding it. We appreciate it and enjoy playing the second time around 😉
~CoffeeCat
Great starting premise and I really enjoyed the demo which was well written and long enough to get me completely caught up in the plot. I found it difficult to decide between Worthington and Sinclair even though they are opposites. I'm keen to replay the demo with quite different choices next time. I agree with the other comments on the fonts - I got used to the main font in the end but my eyesight isn't brilliant, even corrected and the letter font was particularly hard on the eyes. I look forward to seeing how this develops and I think it could end up quite atmospheric once you add appropriate music.
thank you for the feedback, everyone had mentioned the font so we definitely want to make it easier to read. We are so glad you enjoyed it and hope you enjoy it second time around ☺️
~CoffeeCat
Ooh, I love historical/regency games! I have to admit that I have only just started (still in the carriage) and I find the font very difficult to read. I definitely would recommend font options and/or the ability to increase the font size if you really want to keep the fancy font. I can read it...but it is difficult.
Edit: After playing it through I will say I can't wait to see the rest! I'm impressed that the demo is so lengthy - you really get a sense for the quality of the work. I feel quite badly for my MC - she is having a hard time of it. And all of her options have some issues!
thank you for playing and for the great feedback. we are looking at changing the font soon.
Hi! Just wanted to say that I love the demo! It was super interesting and refreshing to play! I do have one question though, are there any future plants to implement another font/ font size in the game? I'm dyslexic so the font was a bit difficult to try and understand. No worries tho, love the work and keep it up!
Yay! We are glad to hear you enjoyed it. One of the reasons we wanted to launch the demo was for feedback about things like the font, so we will definitely take note of it. Thanks for playing.
~CoffeeCat
The writing quality in this one is amazing. It felt like a Jane Austen novel through and through. I honestly cannot wait to read how the relationship between the mc and her suitors develops. The three suitors are charming in their own way, but I find myself preferring Mr. Worthington ( most likely because he reminds me of Colonel Brandon <3, cannot help but love the loyal gent archetype). Other than praises, I only have one comment to make regarding the text font. It's a bit difficult to read, especially the font used for the letters.
Thank you so much for playing and for the lovely comments! We also appreciate the feedback on the font as well.
~CoffeeCat