Lethophobia

(This is me posting as me about a personal project; it’s nothing to do with Failbetter. Started it way before joining, and didn’t get a chance to work on it much since then, till recently.)

Hello people… My co-writer and I finally finished. Yes, it’s been years. :) A few of you were kind enough to help answer various questions along the way, and get me from complete novice to dubiously competent with StoryNexus. Some even play tested, and helped make it a better game.

So, thank you. And if you’re interested, the final game is here: http://lethophobia.storynexus.com/s If you try it, I hope you enjoy it. It’s very different in style (and content) from Fallen London and it’s fairly easy (I hope, I don’t have the required distance) to complete. It’s not open-ended.

Em Short was kind enough to do a brief analysis/review of it: Lethophobia (Olivia Wood and Jess Mersky) – Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling - but it does contain (very) minor spoilers.

That’s it really - a thanks for all the fish, and a gentle nudge that if you’re bored, I won’t hate it if you gave it a look. Co-author is @notmoro on Twitter, I’m @babelfishwars - if you want to say nice things, yell at us?

I played through this the other day at the prompting of a number of people in the IRC and had a fantastic time! Extremely funny, intriguing and at times quite moving, and it makes great use of Storynexus’ often quite obtuse toolset to boot.

Thank you for making it! To everyone else, I very much recommend it.
edited by Barselaar on 9/10/2016

Enjoying it very much so far! :)

[quote=babelfishwars](This is me posting as me about a personal project; it’s nothing to do with Failbetter. Started it way before joining, and didn’t get a chance to work on it much since then, till recently.)

Hello people… My co-writer and I finally finished. Yes, it’s been years. :) A few of you were kind enough to help answer various questions along the way, and get me from complete novice to dubiously competent with StoryNexus. Some even play tested, and helped make it a better game.

So, thank you. And if you’re interested, the final game is here: http://lethophobia.storynexus.com/s If you try it, I hope you enjoy it. It’s very different in style (and content) from Fallen London and it’s fairly easy (I hope, I don’t have the required distance) to complete. It’s not open-ended.

Em Short was kind enough to do a brief analysis/review of it: Lethophobia (Olivia Wood and Jess Mersky) – Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling - but it does contain (very) minor spoilers.

That’s it really - a thanks for all the fish, and a gentle nudge that if you’re bored, I won’t hate it if you gave it a look. Co-author is @notmoro on Twitter, I’m @babelfishwars - if you want to say nice things, yell at us?[/quote]

… you guys! :) <3

(And thank you!)

This was amazing! Such an excellent excellent game. Thank you for the experience. I’m going to give it a few days before playing through again to discover the results of the other options.

Just started playing and I’m enamored already. This is amazingly done. Failbetter should hire you and your co-writer.

:) :) Heh! I’ll tell her. They did hire me, but as editor not writer, and not off the back of this. If Failbetter wrote at the speed this was created, you guys would only log on twice a year!

Thank you!

This is fantastic! I’m greatly enjoying the story so far. It’s funny without being too flippant, and dark without being morbid. A good dose of things that go bump in the night :)

(However I admit that right now I am utterly stuck trying to find something that fits the doll’s head. I feel like I’ve been cycling though the house maybe three or four times to no avail… If anyone could lend a hand that would be awesome haha)

[EDIT]
Aha! I understand now ;)
edited by maricolous on 9/11/2016

[quote=maricolous]This is fantastic! I’m greatly enjoying the story so far. It’s funny without being too flippant, and dark without being morbid. A good dose of things that go bump in the night :)

(However I admit that right now I am utterly stuck trying to find something that fits the doll’s head. I feel like I’ve been cycling though the house maybe three or four times to no avail… If anyone could lend a hand that would be awesome haha)[/quote]

You seem very sure of yourself. Admit doubt. Or go fishing.
edited by babelfishwars on 9/11/2016

[quote=Robin Alexander]Amazing writing and story :)

I love the little twist about 1/4 way through, as I wasn’t expecting the reasoning behind my character’s amnesia to be what it was, and the mechanics are simple yet effective. It’s fun to play, but the story especially drives it on and gives massive incentive to finish :)

I do find it a little confusing at times; there’s a lot of back-and-forth going through every room and option, as you seek for the one thing you might have missed or unlocked (some sort of clue system could be useful).

I think I’m about 3/4 through so far; intent on finishing it, but a bit stuck at the moment (so just doing the back-and-forth again, lol).

Loving it, though; fantastic work :)[/quote]

Aww, thank you! If you’re stuck, my main clue is ‘menace areas aren’t that bad’? That might not be why you’re stuck, of course - it could be the RNG hating you.

[quote=Robin Alexander][quote=babelfishwars]
Aww, thank you! If you’re stuck, my main clue is ‘menace areas aren’t that bad’? That might not be why you’re stuck, of course - it could be the RNG hating you.[/quote]

No, no. It was just a question of where to go.

Luckily, the game is kind of the perfect mixture of challenging and forgiving; I was able to find the exact spot, get what I needed, then move forward to complete the game. I think I’ve spent a good few hours today in all, but it was very addictive and very much worth the long play-through ;) I’m actually tempted to play again one day; there are a couple of unanswered questions, so I’m hoping to learn more with another play, in case I missed anything or other paths unlock more information :)

Again, amazing game! Can’t praise it enough :)[/quote]

I. am. so. happy. :)
(p.s. check out the telly for… vaguest hints)
edited by babelfishwars on 9/13/2016

The atmosphere and writing are amazing, and I’ve loved this game so far!
However, I’m really stuck at the moment - could anyone help me out a bit? I have the puzzle box, montrous statuette, and The Game Afoot 5. Now I’m being told that I need to get into the library, but to do that I need the diary. I’ve been to all the areas (including menace states) several times but I haven’t found it. Am I doing something wrong?

I started playing this around 20 minutes ago. So far, I am majorly impressed. It’s amazing!

I seem to be rather stuck. Where can I find the diary?
edited by Vincent Asmund on 9/19/2016

[quote=Robin Alexander][quote=oxblood]The atmosphere and writing are amazing, and I’ve loved this game so far!
However, I’m really stuck at the moment - could anyone help me out a bit? I have the puzzle box, montrous statuette, and The Game Afoot 5. Now I’m being told that I need to get into the library, but to do that I need the diary. I’ve been to all the areas (including menace states) several times but I haven’t found it. Am I doing something wrong?[/quote]

The trick to this game is to always go back . . .

I find - when completely stuck - the best option is simply replaying every other location, every other option, and seeing what new has been unlocked. I think the diary required going back to the garden to unlock something new (if that helps) :)[/quote]

I tried going back over every option in every room once more, but unfortunately, haven’t had much luck. The only option/card I can find in the garden is &quotA gazebo,&quot and both of the options on that (&quotLight a taper&quot and the other one about investigating the footprints) don’t seem to do much. Thank you for your help anyway, though.

I find Lethephobia quite fun though occasionally frustrating–which means it’s a good SN-style game!

Though it’s not my type of a game I do find it very interesting and very fun, at times very frustrating too though and the speed of storynexus doesn’t help. Im stuck with the diary and im pretty sure I explored almost everything, I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t explore and I just can’t progress, I have no idea what to do and does anyone at least have a hint? I only have one card in the garden and it doesn’t do much, I think I need to face the monster but…I can’t find it anywhere.

edit:It was probably a bug, either way, I had to come back to say that the ending was amazing, and it really felt epic, wont spoil anything, of course, but it felt different to most endings I know and it was really good.
edited by The Master on 10/1/2016

I’d give a hint but I don’t want to spoiler and I’m not quite sure where you are. Try: talking to guy in cellar; going to a hiding place; checking the television? If you want more exact hint it’ll have to be when I’m out of hours (and chuck me your character name so I can see where you are)

Just played and enjoyed this!

Sorry to keep bugging you all, really, but it’s been weeks now and I’m still stuck looking for that diary. Could someone maybe pm me a solution, please? Thanks for putting up with me and sorry to be such an annoyance! :)