itch.io

Oh hi!! Thanks!!! It was a joy to hear you ponder upon the options and I was happy for the appreciation of the artsyle and animation!

Esqueje is the Spanish word for a plant cutting, I just think it has more charisma than just "cutting".

If you (and other stumbling upon this comment) are curious about the text by the end, it is a poem in a font I made to make it kinda look like spell haha.
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"Grief for ourselves, a melancholic veil to cover and protect in the transition between who we were and who we need to be. How tragic to be stuck as a cocoon, sad as a flower bud wittering before it blooms. Who can assure a lonely transitioner that what will come out of the Chrysalis will be good, nice or beautiful? And how cruel would it be to force it open, risking to expose someone amid a metamorphosis, amid acceptance, amid mourning.

Even in the space between being and becoming, we are who we are. Who is to say what is good, nice and beautiful? Can it really be judged by another's gaze? Does the world have a say? So: May no bud witter before bloom and no imago rot in its cocoon, may happiness reach all buds and cocoons and may you be you."

I'm glad it helped!

Thanks!!!

I love playing with text, I feel like it gives an extra layer of visual expression!

Thanks Pri!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

OMG! I love Fantasia! (whatever that company is doing now aside) what an honor to be compared dnnslfle.

Thanks for praising the art! I think I spend more time with the bg of the church that with all of the sprites LMAO (non counting the little animation segments)

Hi! You can find act II here (or you can find it in my creator profile as plainly Melancholic star) I plan to make a third act but I don't have a release date in mind (but even if they're kinda open ended I like to think of each arc being self contained to some extend, the file name comes from me not being sure of how I was going to release it at the time)

Thank you!!!!

OMG! Welcome to Ren'py!! (hope porting isn't too much of a pain)

Even (or maybe specially) with the cute fairy tale esthetic, there is such a sense a dread from the beginning that I spend all the time wondering when things would go wrong (and oh my, eventually they did, what a journey).

The UI is really nice, I loved how the colors changed by the distorted perspectives of the characters

Loved the ending, and the Dragon, gotta love those revolutionary dragons!!

It really captures the feeling of having to listen to that family member that you know that isn't an evil person or anything but has a really.... "misguided view of life" also, the horrors of family reunions are so palpable it hurts.

The art is really cute and I love the night-story segments, it feels like a relief every time the little tale continues, a escape from the oppressive atmosphere of the palace and the expectations of what a marriage should be, which gives the feeling of being in tune with the main characters; waiting for those moments of solace thru the day

The road was really messy but so happy that they found each other.

I dreaded the mention of a piano for some reason that I didn't understand until I played, great foreshadowing

Really captures the beautiful feeling of wanting to do something creative after work when you brain is fried... and then you blink, and half of the year already passed by...

oh! a cat!

🐈 

Thank you so much!

Thank you so much for playing and even making a video!!

Seeing you take a moment to comment about the cathedral being beautiful made my day because it was a pain to draw hahahaha, I also quite loved to hear your opinions about the choices (and I don't know if it was deliberated but you ignoring a blurry "she" to use "they" instead was really cute and appreciated).

I really liked listening (and reading) your interpretation, to me is a story that exists in many levels, the events can be both literal and metaphorical but, I think you got to the core of it, I wanted to reflect on how trying to mold people to a sense of "normal" can be devastating, and how things like prosperity and religion can be used to hurt people.

I think we all know, to some extend, how crushing expectations and being seen as something we are not (or don't feel like) can be.

Sublime

Thank you for the comment chatter!! (and for playing!!)

You make me feel so flattered adnlnfselabkbsf.

(No need to apologize, it was a blast to read, haha)

Another entry on "Is Taumi making short animations or visual novels?" the answer as with so many things in life, lies somewhere in the middle.

Haha It is indeed, very cryptic, I wanted it to be, as I see it the specifics are irrelevant as it is an introspective project. I always feel kinda conflicted part of me wants to be more specific and another part of me wants to be a lot more abstract, I would like to think that I found a balance.

I think in a way is a story within a story, what is a metaphor and what is "real" doesn't matter, is about the feelings, and what a complex mix of feelings, and of wishes! I wanted to embrace the chaos and the rawness of those sentiments, (and gosh, they can be raw and overwhelming, some of Lily's narrations leaved me in shambles andifenslfnsf)

Honestly, I sheer whenever Lilith takes over an scene, she is so much fun.

And yes, structurally they do work as internal dialogue, Lily- in a way, is trapped running away as even if they're outside the tower and seek comfort in various ways they can't feel safe nor free, they have little hope, but -Bell does has hope and with that the willingness to take some risks, but it's difficult to act on that.

A family story that really stuck with me is about (river) whirlpools, about how is better to leave yourself get dragged by them until you hit the bottom and then escape to begin swimming towards the surface,  I would say that I wanted to transmit a little bit of that, metaphorically speaking.

(also if you want to share your theories and such feel free to send me a DM anfelsnilfslfs)

Maaaaaan(gender neutral).... it would been nice if they grew up with a more accepting church/temple, I think in a same religion there can be so much variety of interpretation but if by their already solid believes their love is "bad", there is no "actually the original text says..." or "in this place we don't consider it sin" that would get them out of there mentally, at least not in little time.

I think it's really cool how the idyllic scene contrasts with the internal sense of guilt (nice particle leaves by the way!), even if everything is dreamy and rose colored it can't feel perfect because something that brings so much meaning to their lives forbids the love that should make them happy and that reciprocal love becomes a sweet, sweet course destined to hurt if they stay together or they part ways.

I do get some free speeches of how I'm going to hell from time to time under my window some Sundays (not directed specifically to me, we just have some very passionate "street preachers" in the area)... No church habit needed to hear about eternal damnation!! So even if a little I get the "your mere existence as you're is a sin" existential dread, not nice at all.

Don't worry chatter, warm is normal this time of the year -says somebody living in the southern hemisphere where is spring going to summer-

It really does convey it; the horror being  trapped in family dinner listening to comments that make you want to sink so much into your chair that you magically teleport back into your room.

-spoilers, kinda-

I think it also conveys very well how expressing your own opinion in some situations and to certain people can be just plain dangerous.

Spoiler dots
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In my first play I was like don't worry girl, just smile and nod and when you have your body we run away and was so happy that was in fact an option adlnseflnslfees, with a little more murder on the side.

I think honesty is really nice and preferable but sometimes to lie is to survive.

lalala lalala lalala LALALALALAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

I don't know why my pc decided to flag it, probably it's small processor wasn't strong enough to get it (or decided to protect my eyes) but, it gave me the opportunity to be be subversive too! I escaped the bounds of a normal player and I opened the script.rpy file letting me take a look at many wonderful hidden messages (like being called nosy, and experiencing a magnificent spooky Easter egg, a truly sublime experience)

Made me sad all day 10/10

I remember when the thing that I used to get the idea as far away as possible was "don't even think about it, funerals are too expensive" in retrospective I don't think it was the best logic haha, but it helped me at the time, and hey, whatever works to keep us going!

I'm glad we survived.

Best wishes for you and your cats!!

*Alois is Calling* *Hangs up* Oh! what a short game!

In all seriousness, even with the subject matter and how awful Alois was it was a really cute, gentle and comforting experience, like a little hug accompanied by a whisper; "It's gonna be ok".

And I can see how it can be really cathartic! As you mentioned It can be difficult to put a clear end to an awful situation.

I Hope your works brings solace to lots of people! and well, hope that things can be better.

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I knew that I would kinda want to punch him (for need of personal space) but not that it would be so soon!

Somehow, it was so relatable that it hurts (but in a good "I feel seen" way!)

Thank you for playing and leaving a comment!!

Haha, well 2/3 it's a good sample size! And I would say that Melancholic Star also has a strong surreal touch! –LOVE- was partially a test for a scene that will be in Act II!

(Fun fact; it's the same demon!)

When I made "I wanna be her" I knew it wouldn't be for everyone, I just wanted to make something that made the player feel lost and trapped in a weird place like the protagonist!

I really like to make stuff that it's kind of in-between a fairy-tale and a weird dream/nightmare and it makes me so happy to hear that there is people that enjoy to see/read it!

Thanks for the comment!!

(Haha, kinda curious about the spoiler-full review!)

Again thank you so much!! Happy to hear that the hours of text tagging and playing with the colormatrix paid off :'D

AHHHHHHH!!!

Thank you so much butter!! I'm happy that it leaved a strong impression! And that you liked it!!!

Oh noooo, the Demon went personal for you!!!

I hope that things go well for your character that can't hate! (or not if you want it that way!)

Thank you so much!!

I loved the vibe!

With the music and the timer it really feels like you are against the clock.

The sprite looks so cool and charming!

I love villain-adjacent characters so Eliot stole my heart in seconds!

I understand where he is coming from even if his actions were too extreme.

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{SPOLIERS}

A confession: After my first playthrough; I played again, made myself a coffee and listened to the cell block tango from the musical Chicago while the timer drained and the bad end came cuz "they had it coming"

Now I feel kinda evil but… the poor birds T--T and pets/animal friends may as well be family sometimes

Thank you so much!!

Sorry if the grammar was distracting sometimes, English isn't my first language.

(I think we talked a little about something similar in spooktober last year! I made a game about someone trapped in a well… with some typo and grammar problems, someday I will be brave enough to ask for help with that!!)

This is so cute!!

Re-defining oneself, how we can grow to be almost a different person, that kind of stuff really resonates with me and it made me really happy to see those kind of themes in this game!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Thank you carrot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For playing and the lovely comment!

Now I kinda want to add a Carrot-approved stamp like those "this game/movie won this awards" things hehe~

That part where things just keep changing and the "grey-why" Are some of my favs!! The constantly changing specially, so disorienting and chaotic! Makes me so uncomfortable but so weirdly euphoric at the same time!! (all the game it's kind of like that for me)

I'm always happy to hear that I managed to make my games feel dream like!!! And also so happy that it gave the "fairy tale" vibe I was going for!!!

I wanted the bg to be; kaleidoscopic + church/temple (stained glass) + fairy tale (kinda like fairy/butterfly wings).

Also those weird undefined feelings, I love it so much! (and make me kinda scared at the same time) Glad to hear that I was able to evoke them!!!

Thank you so much!! Yes, yes! when you put it like that... it's really something isn't it? when you really want to love something or someone but the feeling just fades away or never  truly comes even if it feels like it should :')

I wanted to depict that! with the twist of the search for love turn to "hate", -hate as a way to reach love-, because what it truly maters (for them) it's escaping the void –the grey- I'm not sure if in English people say [del amor al odio hay un solo paso] {from love to hate there is only one step} (and the other way around) or something equivalent, even if it became twisted, they are seeking the same thing, and I also think that's weirdly wholesome.

Seeing the promo I felt dread, playing I also felt dread!!!

Gosh this two are REALLY bad for each other aren't they?

It was so immersive!

But, I'm having trouble with the other endings because I just can't bring myself to indulge him too much (lol)  I'm bad at completing vns, chosing the things that don't come naturally feels so wrong, specially here! I would guess that. feeling wrong to say what he wants to hear it's kinda the point.

The dance effect it's so well done!!! and. did I mention the DREAD?!! (yes Taumi, like a billilion times already)

Also, also, I agree, kinetic text tags are Cool™ what a good way to insinuate intonation/tone!!! 

Oh! the game mechanic it's so cool!!!

Seeing different sides of the character (as how he acts and what "you" think of him) depending of "who you are" it's great even if it's a short game it really feels like you get to know him, it shows  how someone can feel like totally different people depending of who it's looking!

Also the sprite it's so expressive and charming!!

All the play testing also made my head spin!! Haha, thank you Chatter! Happy to hear that you liked the experience (and my weird approach to storytelling).  

I wanted it to be a little bit like "oh, they are telling me a little Story" -> "oh, they are talking about someone… themselves? Anyway this is personal" -> "You know that makes sense" -> "Wait… are they manipulating me?" -> "Ok, they are twisting things but I don't know if I can say that they are lying AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh"

The song got ingrained in my mind, the "bugged" version!! Like I'm humming it and then it gets stuck in a 1s loop like in the little ""jump scares""

Thank you so much Naarel!

I really like media that leaves you with those weird undefined feelings! So I'm happy to hear that I could evoke that!!

I think it kind of makes me feel the same, empty but full, like someone just told me something that it's -a comforting lie- and -a cruel truth- at the same time.

In general, I wanted to play with dichotomies/binaries, because with so much in life, things aren't "one or the other".