Vantograde Heights (v0.68 demo available)

Vantograde Productions · Tue 06/07/2021 03:31:51

VANTOGRADE HEIGHTS
a video game by vantograde productions

The Story:
Joe Cutler is a new tenant in the Vantograde Heights building. An ambitious person, Joe immediately begins to market himself out, hoping one day to own the building and its main corporate lessee, URBAaRCo, the Used Rubber Band Acquisition and Resale Company. Meanwhile, longtime resident of Vantograde Heights, Dirk Hanes, works his way up the URBAaRCo corporate ladder to discover the whereabouts of his missing friend, Samuel P. Sloane.

Screenshots:

Development progress:
Story: 85%
Scripting: 60%
Graphics: 50% (almost no animation so far)
Sound: 0%

Website:
https://wp.connectseward.org/derekhain/

Demo downloads:
Windows
Linux

heltenjon · Tue 06/07/2021 03:45:12

The download link doesn't seem to work...says that I need to ask for access. (So I did.)

sthomannch · Tue 06/07/2021 06:54:36

Hi!
The file is on a private Google drive. You may want to make it public or move the files to another place that is publicly accessible.

Vantograde Productions · Tue 06/07/2021 14:46:24

Quote from: sthomannch on Tue 06/07/2021 06:54:36
Hi!
The file is on a private Google drive. You may want to make it public or move the files to another place that is publicly accessible.

Crumb buckets! Thanks (and thanks, heltenjon) for the notice.

The files should be accessible now!

E/S

sthomannch · Tue 06/07/2021 15:01:41

Works now, thank you!

heltenjon · Fri 09/07/2021 10:30:43

I had to restart my first go because I couldn't get out of the phone GUI. Other than that, I think this one is shaping up nicely. It will be interesting to follow this project.

I played until Cut had

Spoiler

got the ad for himself and made it public for all to see

[close]

and the guy in the bathrobe had

Spoiler

picked up and desposed of all visible rubber bands and replaced them with shreds.

[close]

I haven't

Spoiler

found a use for the piece of wood or the cook's phone, or done anything about the grate in the kitchen.

[close]

Have I done everything available in the demo?

It's always fun with two playable characters. These seem to have different goals, which is unusual. And it's cool to see the pandemic included as a background plot, because why not. There's quite a lot of locations and probably the game will feature more actions - I see a laundry subplot brewing.

Best of luck with your game!

Vantograde Productions · Sat 10/07/2021 04:48:30

Quote from: heltenjon on Fri 09/07/2021 10:30:43
I had to restart my first go because I couldn't get out of the phone GUI. Other than that, I think this one is shaping up nicely. It will be interesting to follow this project.

Thanks, and thanks for playing! I need to implement an exit from the phone GUI. Sorry. For now, you can dial four random numbers, get no answer, and the phone GUI will go away.

You haven't done everything in the demo. I haven't yet programmed a use for

Spoiler

the piece of wood,

[close]

but the other things you mentioned do figure into solvable puzzles. Let me know if you play further or would like more concrete hints.

Thanks again for playing!

E/S

heltenjon · Tue 13/07/2021 03:15:45

Perhaps you can hint about what puzzles/tasks are solvable so far? (Without giving away the solutions?) I understood you right that the demo doesn't have a concrete ending (with a message or end screen)?

Vantograde Productions · Tue 13/07/2021 04:30:21

Quote from: heltenjon on Tue 13/07/2021 03:15:45
Perhaps you can hint about what puzzles/tasks are solvable so far? (Without giving away the solutions?) I understood you right that the demo doesn't have a concrete ending (with a message or end screen)?

Yes, the demo doesn't have an end screen.

Dirk is looking for his friend Sloane. (I'm afraid the game doesn't coax the player enough toward this narrative.) Where is Sloane's room? Where is/are the entrance/s?

As for Cut,

Spoiler

he needs people to see his ad. When will people come to see it? Can he (or Dirk) help initiate their arrival?

[close]

Thanks so much for your perseverance so far. Your playing and comments give me plenty to think about regarding my puzzle designs.

E/S

heltenjon · Tue 13/07/2021 12:19:57

Quote from: Engle/Snellgrove on Tue 13/07/2021 04:30:21
Quote from: heltenjon on Tue 13/07/2021 03:15:45
Perhaps you can hint about what puzzles/tasks are solvable so far? (Without giving away the solutions?)

Dirk is looking for his friend Sloane. (I'm afraid the game doesn't coax the player enough toward this narrative.) Where is Sloane's room? Where is/are the entrance/s?

I have to agree. This had left my mind, even though it _is_ mentioned. I even think I have been told where his room is, without registering it as very important.

Quote
As for Cut,
Spoiler
he needs people to see his ad. When will people come to see it? Can he (or Dirk) help initiate their arrival?
[close]

Aha! Then I think I will need to

Spoiler

find a way to pass objects from Cut to Dirk. (I found the other way.) Then Dirk will have a means to tell the chef it's time to open the cafeteria.

[close]

Quote
Thanks so much for your perseverance so far. Your playing and comments give me plenty to think about regarding my puzzle designs.

What I don't know, is whether I can paint myself into a corner. I guess I may hit dead ends if I

Spoiler

give back the chef's phone prematurely, or fill the bucket with shreds before picking up the rubber bands?

[close]

I wondered about the organizer app. I turned it off after the first room. Was I supposed to leave it on?

Vantograde Productions · Tue 13/07/2021 16:36:44

Quote
Aha! Then I think I will need to
Spoiler
find a way to pass objects from Cut to Dirk. (I found the other way.) Then Dirk will have a means to tell the chef it's time to open the cafeteria.
[close]

You've got the right idea, I think. Maybe this puzzle, like some others in the game, is simple in concept but not implemented smoothly given gameplay conventions.

Spoiler

There is no way to pass the phone between players.

[close]

QuoteWhat I don't know, is whether I can paint myself into a corner. I guess I may hit dead ends if I
Spoiler
give back the chef's phone prematurely, or fill the bucket with shreds before picking up the rubber bands?
[close]

I don't want dead ends in the game, and I think I've avoided them in the demo -- until the meaningful gameplay is exhausted.

Spoiler

You can return the phone whenever. Do it! You can also fill the bucket with shreds whenever. Do it! (And then use them.)

[close]

QuoteI wondered about the organizer app. I turned it off after the first room. Was I supposed to leave it on?

I don't think this matters. The Organizizer app should enable certain tasks for Cut; it shouldn't block any actions.

Hope this helps!

E/S

heltenjon · Tue 13/07/2021 19:01:57

I guess I'm at the "end" for Cut.

Spoiler

I've got the job, doing radio promo.

The organizer tells me to put the chopped off vegetable bits on the cutting board, but I cannot do that. I actually thought the chef's phone was out of power for some reason.

[close]

Stuck with Dirk. I can't find a use for the shreds.

Spoiler

I think I'm supposed to use them with the squirrel, because of the soft book's story. Can't remember if Sally told me Sloane lives in 2C or not. And there may or may not be something I can do about Ryan.

[close]

I guess the heap of clothes, locked door in the cellar, locked door on the 4th floor, fuses in the basement, the entire 5th floor (among other things) are not implemented yet?

The long puzzle getting Cut a job is quite good! Many steps towards a goal - I like it.

I do not like the colour of Ben's speech/the numbers pressed on the tablet. When played in a light environment, it's very hard to read the dark brown against that background.

Vantograde Productions · Tue 13/07/2021 19:51:59

Quote from: heltenjon on Tue 13/07/2021 19:01:57
I guess I'm at the "end" for Cut.

Sounds like you're right. I'll look into the Organizizer/kitchen malfunction. Whatever you're trying to do there doesn't sound important anymore.

Quote
Spoiler
I can't find a use for the shreds.
[close]

Again, you've got the right idea on this but the game is being picky about how you execute it. Sorry.

Spoiler

Maybe, when you try to use the shreds on the squirrel, Dirk should say, "I'd rather use them where the squirrel will use them."

[close]

QuoteI guess the heap of clothes, locked door in the cellar, locked door on the 4th floor, fuses in the basement, the entire 5th floor (among other things) are not implemented yet?

The heap of clothes, fifth floor, and fuses aren't implemented.

Thanks for your other comments as well! It's so helpful and encouraging to see specific questions and critiques.

E/S

heltenjon · Wed 14/07/2021 00:51:16

Now I think I have done everything with Dirk as well. It wasn't really difficult, but I had missed the location where I could use the bands. Turns out I

Spoiler

probably never had gone out the window with Dirk. I was sure he, too, went sliding down the tree.

[close]

How he got his promotion was funny. Afterwards I could walk around in the new locations where nothing is implemented fully yet. I went back to the cafeteria and crashed the game when I talked to the woman who wouldn't talk to me because she was talking to Ben. I think her character tried to face Ben, but he was in another room.

Feel free to ask for more specific feedback if needed. (Here or in PM.) I appreciate your efforts so far. Nice humour!

Vantograde Productions · Thu 15/07/2021 04:33:27

Thanks for persisting, and thanks for the game-crash notice. All your comments are appreciated and I'll be sure to respond to them in the game.

E/S

TheVolumeRemote · Sat 17/07/2021 04:24:28

Looks like fun!!

Vantograde Productions · Thu 27/01/2022 03:54:02

A new demo of this game is available! The gameplay is much expanded, and Joe Cutler's story is more developed. It's about 3x more fun than the last release.

Demo downloads:
Windows
Linux

E/S

heltenjon · Sat 19/03/2022 15:11:28

I've played the expanded demo a bit. I still think it should be easier to get out of the phone GUI right at the start. The game seems much expanded and improved.

Some things were unclear to me. It's not entirely clear when and why Cut gets out of quarantine. And even before that, I don't think he reacts to all characters by running away. I could get both playable characters into the room of the ad guy, which I think was supposed to be blocked off until later.

I hope there's nothing you need to do in the Bossman's office, as there doesn't seem to be a way back in after leaving.

I now think the goals of the characters seem clearer - Cut wants to buy the building and Dirk wants to find Sloane.

The prybar is invisible in the inventory - black on black. Perhaps an outline could help?

I've played until

Spoiler

Cut has got the employee card and has visited all floors. It doesn't seem like he can do much there yet. I can't remember if Dirk filled his quota the last time I played this, but he didn't this time around, at least. I hope it has nothing to do with me dumping rubber bands before filling the bucket. I think the next thing he's supposed to do is to make a protest sign or find Sloane's key, but I don't know if any of those things are available yet.

[close]