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And to answer your question, this is the quote that made me think you said the Nurse was anonymous:

The person who tapped my elbow has told me that they are the Nurse. (I got a PM from the "Nurse")

Given that three people replied after me and no one pointed it out, I take it I wasn't the only person who had this understanding.

Frankly speaking, no. This wasn't even what I asked about. You said you got a PM from "Nurse", which to me sounded as if they used an account named "Nurse', here or anywhere else - e.g. via email. That's why I asked if I understood you correctly, and if so, why would the Nurse think it beneficial to do it this way. Did someone say straw man fallacy?

Checking forum times and drawing conclusions would be naive because you could have been contacted earlier or later than you said. Or not contacted at all.

It seems as if you were either honestly mistaken (by overinterpreting my question), or intentionally looking for someone to accuse because people started considering lynching you tomorrow.

Why did you even emphasise you got a PM from "Nurse" right after saying basically the same thing? It looks either like extremely bad wording, or as if you were intentionally trying to confuse someone to get them lynched quickly.

I have finished the game. It was very short, but entertaining and the collaboration you did this month was an excellent idea. Well done DBoy & Blondbraid!
I loved the title screen artwork, very pretty.

I had mixed feelings about the music which sounded somewhat J-RPGish to me, but that's probably just the matter of preference.

More detailed feedback on the gameplay (with spoilers!!!):

Spoiler

* I'd suggest adding some hint that would help the player figure out how to glue the magnet to the wire, rather than do it via trial and error. Perhaps a mention of the chewing gum in the dialogue or 'look' action?
* When you give the magnet to the boy, the game automatically creates a combination of magnet, gum and wire for you. Similarly later when you use any cleaning agent component on another one, the game auto combines all three into the final product. That made me feel majorly deprived of inventory puzzles
* I didn't feel it was necessary to restrict the player from picking up the soda and the seltzer bottle until the closet door was open, but if you aimed to make a kids game, then this and the inventory puzzle thing can actually be a good move as it simplifies the gameplay a lot.0
* I had the same feeling as Creamy about the ending, it was somewhat unrewarding. An ending scene may not look like much but it tends to have a considerable impact on the overall reception of your game

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When people have to lie to explain their actions there are most often flaws in what they say if really examined carefully: Strawman argument deflections and many other kinds of attempts to place the blame elsewhere will be used. Always try to spot the liar!

Can we put this into practice by going through what you said?

So you are a normal Guest, and are working with the Psychic. You have been contacted by an anonymous person claiming to be the Nurse, who after some conversation revealed their real forum identity to you (did I understand it correctly?) and you thought they made enough sense for you to tentatively trust them.

Now, it makes perfect sense to me that you would want to confirm the claimed Nurse's identity before revealing the Psychic's to them (be it via scan or providing a false Psychic identity on the first night to see if they get killed, or asking them to protect you for starters before they get to protect the Psychic). If they are evil, they might have wanted to try and trick you and the Psychic into wasting a scan on an innocent player, and can do it safely because the anonymous PM basically guarantees to them that this tactics wouldn't backfire.

But if that person was the real Nurse, what benefit would it be for them to hide behind a nickname only to reveal themselves to you anyway? Would it be just for an extra layer of protection, in case you said something that seemed off to them and they eventually decided not to trust you? If so, is it really worth for them to raise your suspicion by using an anonymous account just for that?

(You said wanted conspiracy theories, so there you go )

Yeah, it is confusing. If Mandle was a Murderer trying to lure the Nurse out to kill them, it would be a risky game because if the Nurse turns up dead the next or following night, then he is busted. BUT, if he only wants to misdirect the Nurse, he can hope for them to waste one or two protections on him which would be great for the evil team.

Also, lying about being scanned by the Psychic would immediately turn at least one person hostile (the Psychic themselves - dayowlron, maybe? He is the only player openly hostile to Mandle so far).

On the other hand if Mandle was a Guest, then there would be very little harm in revealing the scan like he did. He can be targeted by Murderers and either die (which isn't terrible as key roles are still alive) or get protected (perfect - Guests do not lose anyone and Murderers waste their kill). Worst case scenario is if Mandle (as a Guest) gets lynched in the effect, but there is a good chance the Psychic would have identified a night role by then.

[Important note]

Hi guys,

I realise that this may not be the most exciting offer as the game has already been released in its MAGS form, but I thought I'd ask anyway in case someone was interested to play the game through a few times and report any leftover bugs or missing interactions?
I am also looking for someone willing to proof read the text. The more attentive and thorough the proof reading the better of course, but I will happily accept even a brief scan

Important note: if you are interested to help please do not play test the version I submitted for the competition as many issues with that version will have already been fixed. I should have an updated version of the game ready for play testing in about a week from now, hopefully.

Please feel free to answer either via pm or by replying to this thread.

Edit: Proof reading help found! Thank you. Still looking for play testers.

Cryto..po... pardon me, what was that?

I really did not mean any offence, Professor. Please do consider that you taking advantage of my inferior intellect can be as unfair of a battle as me taking advantage of your undesirable earnings.
I beg of you to drop this dispute before it turns into a petty quarrel unfit for a man of your refinement, and to lend us the assistance of your crypo... crytzo... scientifically trained mind.

In all honesty Professor, I stopped paying attention to your words the moment I lay my eyes on your clothing, which, admittedly, did not help my poor judgement. I cared not to make elaborate conclusions regarding the nature of your profession.

(Roleplay aside, I am a complete noob at this game so at a risk of sounding like an idiot (or a fellow murderer :/) - I think it is not unlikely for Mandle to have really been scanned the first night. He had been the most vocal, and accused two players in the first round. But then again, he called for the exactly same thing in the previous game when he was a wolf.)

Oh... I see. From the hasty introduction I had presumed you were a copy boy, or maybe a typist. Or one of those pesky journalists, perhaps. What an embarrassing mistake.
I would say pleased to make your late acquaintance, Professor, but alas, tonight we are all as far from pleased as we can be...

Ms. cat, are you confident that one of our esteemed group could have committed this atrocity? This is a huge building, a skilled criminal could have easily hidden themselves among its corridors. You said you had been all around the manor looking for your paintings, and as a painter you must be perceptive. Have you seen no glimpse of a stranger? No suspicious rustle behind a curtain? Anything...?

I, uh... Why, me, I am obviously not fit to...

Ah, I apologize, Mr. Wombat. I can be quick-tempered sometimes. I may have unfairly assumed that because you are of a lowly profession, it was your duty to stay sober.
You do seem to know a lot about good wine, might you be of a more noble family that has fallen into some sort of a financial hardship...?

Oh no. No no no no no. Miss Riaise...

Mr. Wombat! I believe I have seen you drinking wine yesterday. Do you not think it was your duty to stay vigilant and protect the diva instead? Have you made any effort at all?

It was quick, simple and pretty fun I enjoyed figuring out what the ultimate goal of the puzzle was and I would gladly play a longer and more complex version of this kind of game.
Entertaining and well scripted for a first AGS game, well done.

During a quite delightful social gathering, one very esteemed person has told me - in secret! - that she has heard from her uncle, also a very esteemed person, that he had spoken to someone whose trusted friend had witnessed that the butler really did do it!

On the other hand, I myself have once been mistakenly, outrageously and unfairly accused of coming into possession of a certain very exceptional silver fork, only because I could not compliment its beauty enough the day before. I have eventually been cleared of all charges, but it has been an extremely unpleasant and embarrassing experience which I would not wish upon Mr. Jolly should it turn out he had nothing to do with us being stranded in this place.

OOC:

Spoiler

As far as the roleplay goes, I think our characters *could* cast their lynch vote on the first night without sounding too weird by suspecting, for example, that they have fallen victim to a nasty prank or are being held on the island for a ransom and someone among the group is working with the prankster/criminal.

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No rose garden? No new wing? The butler not being paid for his work? Oh dear. This is not good. Not good at all.

Things have been going downhill ever since the stock prices drop, and I desperately need a new contract...

Mr. Mandle! Miss Riaise! Ms. cat! Might any of you be looking to have yourself built a new glamourous estate, well tailored to your social status? Dr. Pottington, perhaps a famous surgeon such as yourself would be...?

Here is one of my rose garden designs, please do take a look:


I assure you none of my works looks anything like this... curiosity that serves as our accommodation.

Now that you mentioned it, none of paintings is on display here. This is really weird, because according to my invitation our host admires my work and asked me to come here and paint his rose garden.

Oh. My invitation says, in almost exact same words, that the host admired my vision of a manor surrounded by a rose garden that I had sketched for him on a social gathering a few years back. He did express his regret that I had not been available to personally architect this new property for him, but he was hoping I could find time now to design a smaller dwelling for himself nearby.

This cannot be a mistake, now can it...? Maybe there really is a newer building nearby, the one I had designed, with cat's paintings on display and enough space for Riaise and the crew to deliver the performance? Has anyone seen a rose garden around? Or been outside for a walk?

I was invited to view my design vision become reality on a blossoming, secluded paradise of an island.

And, uh... I mean, this estate certainly has its own charm... in a way... and um, it might be called a paradise in a different season, perhaps... *cough* I don't mean it in a bad way, not at all, but what I'm trying to say is that this place is far from anything I would envision even in my early years as an architect.

Also, um, would anyone kindly remind me what the host's last name was? I am really quite bad with names, and I wouldn't want to offend our gracious host. The letter has been very... artistically signed. I can't make out what it says.

I feel honoured to be in presence of such esteemed personas.

Oh and Mr. Mandle, I am an artist AND an architect. But you see, as enchanting as this manor is, I'd recognize my own work and this is definitely not something I had a hand in. In fact, this place is at least 70 years old, from the look of it... which is why I assumed there must be a newer wing.

(I do hope this is not some kind of a mistake. It would be so embarassing.)

I'm Kastchey. S T C H, and don't worry, everyone has trouble spelling that. I'm an artist, and this is supposed to be the place I helped design a while ago... A part of it at least. I think. I've done a lot similar jobs in the past... Um, has someone seen a newer addition to this entire complex anywhere and can guide me to it? I'd love to see how it turned out.

cat, is any of your paintings on display here? I've seen some impressive pieces near the entrance.

Josiah, this is awful :< hope the game will be at least a little help in keeping your mind off the sad things.

Last minute entry! I'm in. I'm a little nervous, I have never been to a murder party before...

[VampireWombat]

Thanks everyone! I certainly hadn't been expecting the responses I got. Those of you who are hoping for an extended version - I'll do my best not to disappoint!
Also, a very special thank you to those who commented and to the other entrants for a great competition.

As for the final bits of feedback I had not responded to earlier:

VampireWombat

Spoiler

Thanks for giving it a try! I hope you mainly had to consult the walkthrough due to time constraint... but if not, feel free to let me know what in particular you had trouble with.

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The Outer Zone:

Spoiler

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the game. If you care to elaborate on the items that you found hard to read, send me a pm. I'll gladly rework them for the cleaned-up post-MAGS version.
ALD was a collaboration project led, submitted and promoted by LostTrainDude (who had also provided the Vangelis-quality soundtrack ), so I'm surprised you remembered I had my hand in it!

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Blondbraid

Spoiler

Thanks for playing! The wire cutters thing wasn't exactly an arbitrary solution, it was just me screwing up the two ways interactions for some items I'm fixing that already.
As for the

Spoiler

knife issue, it is possible to use other sharp objects to cut the chair after losing the knife. But you are not the first person thinking this was a dead end so I think I'll need to redesign it slightly, or add a hint for other interactions upon losing the knife.

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Thank you for your comments! Constructive criticism helps a lot

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Slasher

Spoiler

Well done for making a good game in the time we had

Hah! Says who

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