Are you planning on making another adventure game? You've definitely got a polished framework ready to go!

I've been wondering if releasing adventure games in episodes is the way to go in the current environment. That way you could have people stream episode 1 to drum up interest without spoiling the whole game. Maybe that's how games like The Last Door managed to do so well.

I haven't decided yet, but it's quite possible it'll be another adventure game. =)

I had the same thought about episodes, and I did consider a series, but I'm also afraid I'd get tired of the same story/theme before it's finished, so I'm still thinking about it.

Regarding The Last Door, I actually bought it a while ago but didn't get far. It just doesn't click with me, I'm not sure why. Curious to hear what others think made it successful. Have you played it yourself?

I was wondering what happened to you! I figured the launch went so well that you retired and moved to a luxurious dark tower or you got hit by an asteroid. I'm very glad to hear the launch went well.

150 copies sold is a big accomplishment for a solo project! Do you have any plans on how to continue the momentum?

Getting hit by an asteroid seems more likely! =P

Thanks so much! ^_^

Frankly, I'm not planning to push for more momentum. I'd definitely love more visibility and sales, but my marketing efforts haven't made a significant impact compared to what the initial Steam launch week brought in. So, unless I stumble upon some new marketing strategies, I believe my time is better spent working on a new game. It might sound a bit sad, but I'm actually quite pleased with how things went for my first Steam experience. I'm optimistic the next one will be even better!

And hey, your game's launch is just around the corner! That's exciting! I'm looking forward to it and really hope it goes well for you!

Wow, I really like the trailer, looks very cool and interesting :)

Thank you! I'm so happy to hear it!

Looks nice, I'll play it once I get home and download it on Steam. I also notice you have a day job at some type of work from the Topic Review, and I'm just going to let you know it's never too early or late to start a job or do your own preference! =)

Thank you so much. I hope you'll like it! ^_^

I think it's a very good sign that there are already gameplay videos popping up. I'm looking forward to playing the game. Best of luck with the launch!

Sorry I haven't responded for so long. Unfortunately, some personal problems arose around the same time as the game launch, and I've missed much of the initial feedback and interaction. I really appreciate your support and am so glad to hear that you've enjoyed the game!

Even though I was barely able to keep up with it, the launch turned out decently enough. Considering this is my first published game and it’s quite short, I wasn't sure what to expect. However, the game sold 150 copies and tripled its wishlists in the first month. It's definitely not time to quit my day job yet, but I’m really happy with these results. Most importantly, I'm receiving some very positive feedback, which is incredibly encouraging!

About curators and reviewers, due to being pretty much absent during the launch, I only managed to send out keys to a few curators who showed interest in the game. I missed a few chances there, but it's something I'll definitely work on for next time.

Regarding your question about the fullscreen mode - you've probably figured it out by now - but I exported the game as a NW.js and then simply selected the Kiosk mode from the export options.

Anyways, I noticed that Horace Hagfish finally has a Steam page – congrats on that! I've already wishlisted and followed it. Just curious, isn't the launch date a bit close? Generally, people and even Valve suggest keeping a game on Steam for at least 3 to 6 months to build up the wishlists before launching. Did you decide to go for a shorter timeframe? How are your wishlists looking so far? Regardless, it's a big step to have your first game on Steam. Best of luck with it!

The game looks amazing. Great work!

For the most part, I started with the puzzle and then designed the room around it (as in many escape room games, the setting is not exactly realistic, so that helps a lot). But for a few rooms, I did start from the kind of room that I had in mind and that could help with the atmosphere - like a dungeon cell, an armory, or a telescope room - and then tried to fit the puzzle to that context.

The whole game was kind of an excuse for me to practice and learn puzzle design. I'm not too sure how well I handled that, so I'm both looking forward and anxious to get some feedback!

Itch.io is fine. I followed you there!

I hear what you say about the anxiety of shipping the product. I'm experiencing the same thing. I'm excited about launching the game, but I also can't wait to put everything behind me and start working on something new!

Yeah, mechanics and level design for your game must have been tricky. You have to add more challenges and vary things a bit at every stage in a somewhat limited space to keep things interesting. I don't think I could do it. But from what I saw in the Demo you handled that well!

Thank you so much! I appreciate the support, and I hope you'll like it.

It's a simple and short game, so I've set a $4 price point.

As for marketing, I recently discovered Chris Zukowski (howtomarketagame.com), who is a big believer in mailing lists. Of course, it takes time and lots of effort to build one and to keep it going, so it was too late for my game, but I'll definitely look into that in the future. If you don't know the guy, I'd recommend you look at some of his videos, as he gives plenty of useful hints and information.

I thought about streamers, but I'm not sure if I'll reach out to them. I have the feeling that, since the game is short and puzzle-based, they might actually harm the sales.

Thank you! It took me something like a year and a half to get it done, but I could never work on it full-time, and kinda dropped it at some point and picked it up a few months later, so it's hard to say!

The toughest part was mid-development, when the excitement of working on the "new project" was gone, and the end was still so far away. Making to-do lists on Trello and the small satisfaction of checking checkboxes is what kept me going, I think.

I'm debating on what to do next. My heart says I should make another adventure game, but I also know it would take me a long time and I'm not sure it's a good decision at the moment. So I'm still evaluating other ideas.

By the way, I saw your Horace Hagfish demo! It's such a cool concept, and the pixel art is top-notch! I really loved it! Do you have a social media account or something where I can follow the development?