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 Welcome to my Let's Play of the Novelist. What is this? This game is The Novelist, Kent Hudson's first independent game released December 10th 2013. It is a first person stealth game about a weird telepathic light manifestation that tries to alter the lives of the Kaplan family while they take a summer vacation in a luxurious beachside home. As the light being, we try to solve their family drama by taking in clues, exploring memories, and convincing the family to make difficult decisions. This will be a screenshot LP because no one wants to see me stealth the same building a dozen times. Also, I'll be playing on STORY mode because there's no real difference besides ensuring I won't gently caress up. How's the LP going to work? Each update is going to be divided into four sections: changes, Dan's story, Linda's story, and Tommy's story. After each update I'll take a vote to see whose solution and compromise we're going with. Then after voting is concluded, I'll post a mini-update to show the results. Anything else? When it comes to voting, everyone gets two votes. The most popular person gets the solution (best result), the second one gets the compromise (okay result) and the third gets nothing (NOTHING). If there's a tie or something, I'll arbitrarily choose. Democracy is a lie. Also, don't blatantly spoil things. Feel free to talk about the game if you've played it before but use your best judgment, okay? Updates: May: WRITER'S BLOCK results THE INHERITANCE results THE BOTTLE results June: THE SHOW results FULL HOUSE results CATCHING UP results July: VACATION results THE FUNERAL results THE ROAD AHEAD results Fan art! CzarChasm posted:Besides, Tommy will be fine. He met a new friend out in the woods outside the house. ThatPazuzu fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Jul 15, 2014 |
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Jun 12, 2014 01:02
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 Writer’s Block: After a week at the Hou Each chapter starts like this, with a typewriter writing the title and starting to describe it. You might notice that we have a particular angle on the room. As much fun as it would be, this isn’t a Very Tall Man Simulator. That game doesn't even exist. No, it’s a Light Being Monster Simulator!  Yup, we’re possessing a ceiling lamp. It’s one of the many perks of being a telepathic light monster. While possessing an object, things look a bit desaturated and we’re invisible to the Kaplan family. If they see us, then they get hella spooked and we might lose the ability to influence them that chapter. But I'm on story mode so that won't be a problem. If you look out the window you see a dusky ocean view. The weather is actually (mostly) random. Sometimes the game will start at sunset, for example.  This is another important mechanic. We can teleport between light sources. We can’t be seen while hopping between light sources but walking around is necessary to reach most notes so it’s a trade off. We can also make lights flicker to draw the family away from places we want to go on stealth mode. DAN  You might have noticed this note in the chapter intro screen. If you’ve guessed that we need to read it, then you now know how to play the Novelist. It’s a note-collecting story game, similar to Gone Home. Except no one says it's not a real game because you're a light monster and not a woman.  So it seems like Dan's the titular novelist. He's also a pretentious dudeguy who likes to break out his appreciation of Joyce and Dickens in a friendly letter.  In Dan’s study on the second floor, AKA where the magic happens, we can see his typewriter. This game isn’t set in the past as far as I know, it’s just Dan using an old-timey and inconvenient method for his writing. I mean, he has record player and rabbit ear tv downstairs. Dan’s just That Guy. Anyway, there’s a little blue notebook on his desk. Let’s invade that privacy!  Those are a lot of words about not being able to write any words. That said, we can see the titular writer’s block here and how his career is falling apart. He seems pretty far behind but maybe a light monster can get him back on track. It also gives so insight on why he's here at all: to simplify his life.   In his bedroom around the corner we can see their baby blue-painted mirror. It’s starting to make sense how he could afford this place. There’s a note on the desk but we’re going through Dan’s storyline right now so we’re going to focus on the purple notebook behind the desk instead  So the notebook contains his ideas for his novel. It’s… kind of terribly generic drama but whatever, it’s his rough draft.  Now we need to find Dan. Sometimes he'll be clacking on the typewriter, other times he'll be watching tv. Here he is staring out the window wistfully. Another perk of being a Nebulous Telepathic Light Monster is that we can just read people's minds on a whim.  Here we see why Dan's really here: to escape the trappings back home and focus on his novel.  Actually, screw just reading minds, let’s invade them! That's right, if we get close enough, we can jump into someone's recent memories.  “Do you think coming here will help?”-Linda “It has to.”-Dan In his mind we find the memory of Linda helping Dan set up his office. They don't move and only talk when clicked on. Also, each memory hums loudly to help you find it.  Another hum leads us downstairs to find Memory Dan writing at the dinner table.  As a self-identified emotional sponge, I get this. Anyway, this is the last thing in Dan’s memory and his final note this chapter. Because we’ve collected everything important to Dan this chapter, something will change when we leave his memory.  Now that we have all his memories/notes, Dan reveals that he wants his lost notebook. Now, we’ve found that notebook: it’s one of like 5 things in his bedroom. But Dan will never ever find it without supernatural assistance. And it’s not like he can think of something as brilliant as “Alice sees them as she’s walking” by on his own. We can choose to find his notebook now and take his solution. However, if we don’t find someone else’s notes/memories we won’t be able to form a compromise. So let’s see what’s up with his wife, Linda. Also, yeah, he changes rooms because it took me a few tries to get all my screenshots. LINDA  Notes aren’t organized neatly in this house so in order to get to Linda’s note we need to go back to the living room and inspect the front door.  It seems like we have an artist here. Even though her name isn’t on the actual paper, “Linda 1 of 3 Clues Found” pops up to let us know that this is indeed her to-do list.  And we find Linda hard at work in her conservatory. Notice the blank canvasses to her right? Those will get filled in as time goes on.  Here’s her painting so fair. It’s… something. Don’t know why she has the rainbow color palette next to her if she is only using grey but who am I to judge the process of a creative mind? Anyway, let's look at the note  Lucky for us, her diary is just out in the open. Like every note.  We are not a backed up toilet and there’s nothing wrong with us, Linda. <  > We’re just a telepathic light monster that toys with the minds of all who dare enter our domain, is all.So, it seems like Linda hasn’t been painting for a while. Nonetheless, she seems to really enjoy it. Unlike Dan who writes for a living and is incredibly frustrated with it at the moment.  Because there aren’t a lot of rooms in this house, we need to go to the bedroom again to find her final note.  There isn’t much new in this note besides that she’s worried about their son, Tommy. It just seems to be general mom-worry though. Now that we’ve done our snooping it’s time to do some mind probing!  Apparently, Linda has taken a break from painting to stare wistfully out the window. This is a family trait, I suppose.  Woah, it seems like there’s more going on here that just her desire to paint. It looks like we’re going to have to explore her memory to see what’s up.  Huh, all her memories are concentrated on this floor. Let’s see what Floor Linda’s writing first.  Oh. There is definitely more going on here. Their marriage is falling apart and she’s trying to hide it from her son. But they’re giving it another shot. Could the meddling of an omnipotent light being is exactly what this couple needs?  "I promise"-Dan "Me too"-Linda So it seems like they are trying to work on things, at least. This memory is really sad, let’s leave and see what Linda wants.  So she wants to have drink and hang out with her husband. That seems reasonable but, then again, the livelihood of the entire household is at risk. Tommy  Okay, let’s hope Tommy’s story is less sad. Hey what’s that on the window?  Oh, goddamn it! Well, I guess this is a good time to explain that Tommy doesn’t write notes like the others. He draws crude pictures of his emotions instead, making him a juvenile psychologist’s dream.  It seems like Linda isn’t the only one being neglected by Dan. Let’s see if we can’t find another of his drawings.  Aww, he made a picture in the conservatory, just like mommy.   So it seems like Tommy wants to spend time with his daddy even though he’s been rebuffed. This is actually pretty cute. Let’s see if we can’t find a third note to destroy this smile.  Yup, Tommy’s final note is the one on the bedroom desk. Let’s finally see what it says. Oh, sorry about the message in the corner. I didn't notice it until it was too late. v  v Aww, it seems like he’s falling behind in school. So, while his parents have all of their own drama, now they need to focus on helping their child learn things too. Is this what being an adult is like? Can I stay a babyman forever?  Here we see Tommy playing with a different toy in a slightly different location. Let’s jump into those memories and finish this update, yeah?  Ethereal Memory Tommy is still in his room. Even is his mind he isn’t allowed to get more than 20 feet away from his kite, I guess.  Oh. Apparently Tommy feels really badly about his relationship with Dan and it makes him want to cry.  He also drew his father with a snake-oil salesman mustache which kind of owns.  "Are there any other kids?"-Tommy "We’ll have to find out."-Dan Tommy somehow managed to escape his room AND make it outside. This is the only time anyone leaves the confines of the house, by the way.  So finally we get to Tommy’s desire: bonding with his father. It’s a simple and worthy goal but how does it compare to providing for your family or saving your marriage? That’s a tough one that I’m relying on the wise minds of Let’s Play goons to decide. Remember: You’re allowed to vote twice. The character with the most votes get their desire accomplished, the character with the second most gets theirs partially accomplished and the character with the least votes does not achieve their goal that day. Get votin' and discussin', ya goons! ThatPazuzu fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Jul 15, 2014 |
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Jun 12, 2014 01:03
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I... I did it. Anyway, I bought this game some time ago but I haven't had a chance to play it. I'm kind of excited to see how this pans out. First choice: Take care of yo' kid. Second choice: Husbandly duty.
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Jun 12, 2014 01:43
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I heard about this game and thought it sounded "interesting," so I will be following this LP. I mostly want to see how long it takes for the game to become wish fulfillment on the part of the creator and what is probably his notebook of half-finished book "ideas." I vote for Tommy since his needs are not unreasonable and he has no friends, and Linda since you can't force creativity. Plus, maybe interacting with people will help Dan come up with some dialogue.
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Jun 12, 2014 02:29
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Seems a little generic so far, but the concept is interesting enough to make me want to read more. I'll vote Tommy since it seems like his parents are more concerned with themselves than him. Linda gets the second vote her goal doesn't involve stubbornly beating her head against a wall.
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Jun 12, 2014 02:51
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I also vote Tommy and Linda. We need loving families more than we need bad novels.
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Jun 12, 2014 03:04
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Mr. Highway posted:I heard about this game and thought it sounded "interesting," so I will be following this LP. I mostly want to see how long it takes for the game to become wish fulfillment on the part of the creator and what is probably his notebook of half-finished book "ideas." "Interesting" is a good way to put it. It has a decent atmosphere (which probably doesn't cone across in screenshots) and an unique concept but it's also repetitive and execution is sometimes shaky. I can't really call it good or bad.
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Jun 12, 2014 03:09
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Let's work on bringing the family back together first, the other stuff can wait. Tommy probably needs the most attention, but Linda receiving at least a bit of her wish would help out as well.
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Jun 12, 2014 05:42
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Despite the futility, I'm going to vote Tommy and Dan. If he's anything like other writers, Dan is going to be far more emotionally available to his wife and kid if he's not quite so blocked.
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Jun 12, 2014 13:48
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Tommy and Linda.
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Jun 12, 2014 14:31
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ChorpSaway posted:Let's work on bringing the family back together first, the other stuff can wait. This thought came to me right after I cast my vote: if getting the family back together is the correct course of events. As sad as it may be, sometimes divorce is for everyone's benefit. Sure it may be hard on Tommy, but so would being exposed to his parents' extended fighting. I wouldn't be surprised if, as the game progresses, it is revealed that Dan and Linda just aren't good as a married couple. Dan does seem reluctant toward his wife, and Linda is wanting alcohol to elevate her mood.
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Jun 12, 2014 15:26
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It seems like the thread is pretty decided but I'll give y'all until tomorrow evening to get more votes in. I should be able to show the results shortly after that and have the next update sometime this weekend.
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Jun 12, 2014 21:36
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Dan and Tommy. I remember when this showed up on Greenlight. I liked playing Gone Home so maybe I'll give this a shot eventually.
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Jun 12, 2014 21:46
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Tommy and Linda.
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Jun 13, 2014 01:54
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Tommy and Linda both seem to be pretty popular, though that's now why I'm picking them.
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Jun 13, 2014 03:10
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Ghostwoods posted:Despite the futility, I'm going to vote Tommy and Dan. If he's anything like other writers, Dan is going to be far more emotionally available to his wife and kid if he's not quite so blocked. I agree. I feel like the family interactions will just go poorly if Dan isn't at least a little relieved about his writing situation.
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Jun 13, 2014 05:34
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The true strength of this game is how it explores the concept "well, if you want to achieve this, you're going to have to make sacrifices!" and what that actually means on a human level beyond just doing some work really easily at times convenient to you. It's definitely a slow burner.
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Jun 13, 2014 09:08
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 Alright. The thread overwhelmingly supported Tommy. I actually thought up the two vote thing as a way to prevent any complete landslides but, uh, well. Like anarcho-capitalism, some things only work in theory. We need to select the Racin’ Rodger to select him as the primary person we’re going to help.   We find ourselves in their house later that night. Luckily they only dim their lights at night so we can still teleport around with ease. Notice something on the table? Even at night there’s something to read. But we have some business first.  Because Linda got the second most votes, we needed to find her bottle of wine at nighttime. This makes her our "compromise" option which leaves Dan high and dry. Now let’s seen what that glowing journal was all about.   January 15th, 1948. Did the Kaplans find this? Did we reach through time to summon it? Anyway, people are deciding they don’t want to live here anymore. We have the ability to bend the will of others. So are we forcing them or leave or are they so frightened by us that they have to leave? Your guess is as good as mine. These nighttime notes are kind of ambiguous. Luckily, we have a lot of opportunities to figure them out.   Yup, we got spotted on January 16th, 1948. Sometimes everyone, including weird telepathic energy manifestations, make mistakes.  Before we finalize things, let’s snoop on their dreams. Tommy is dreaming of not being so lonely because he is the saddest little dude. But… at least he gets a sick queen sized bed. I didn’t have one when I was his age. Buck up, kid. Please.  Tommy’s parents also dream of their solution. Unfortunately for Dan, he won’t be getting that breakthrough thanks to us.  Linda dreams up more ideas for her art (or possibly something else) while we whisper sweet nothings into her husband’s ear. We whisper “what you should do is…” in an echoing, ethereal hiss before we can see the results of our actions. Dan is the only one we actually manipulate but it’s often good enough.  Aww, it seems like, with our help, Dan selflessly made time to play with his son. He’s a great dad.* *while possessed by House Ghosts.  Okay, while this wasn’t exactly what Linda wanted, I think it was pretty similar. As far as compromises so in this game, this is one of the more generous ones.  So he did continue writing at least. It wasn’t good, and he’ll need to fix it, but he did write at least. So, this is what you’ve done goons. You made a child’s night, helped a married couple bond some, and made Dan spend a sleepless night wondering his future. So, yeah. Do you like what you did? Is this what you expected?
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Jun 13, 2014 23:16
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Making children happy is always a good way to make oneself feel happy. As for Linda's compromise, I was surprised that it was so vague. In a game whose story is told through expository notes, an evening with wine seems like a good opportunity to establish more about the characters. At least we learn more about possible alcoholism.
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Jun 14, 2014 23:49
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If sometimes writing scenes just to keep moving, hating each word but knowing you can go back and edit it and using that as your consolation isn't what being a writer is about, then I don't know what is. 
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Jun 15, 2014 00:50
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 The Inheritance: Dan got a letter with some su Each chapter is random so there's a chance that we wouldn't have gotten this chapter right until later. This is actually kind of neat because that can change the narrative and your impressions of characters. It makes the game less linear without requiring too much extra work. Anyway, even though I showed the results last time, other things have changed around the Kaplan house.  Game night meant that they moved Racin' Roger down stairs. Hey, maybe Dan even played it of his own volition some nights.  In the conservatory, Linda’s painting is taking shape. Specifically, the shape of a blatant metaphor for her marriage. DAN   So here’s where the inheritance factors into The Inheritance. Dan recently inherited a small fortune in pipe money, the sweetest treasure of them all. Unlike last chapter, where we were deciding how Dan would spend his night, this time we’re deciding where this money goes. Fortunately, the Kaplans aren't boring, responsible adult s so we can’t put it in a mutual fund or anything.  You can’t really tell at this angle, but Dan’s idea notebook is now gone. Now, canonically, he never found it because of our decision. Maybe Linda threw it away or it evaporated or we tore it apart to ensure the win-compromise-lose structure would not be broken.  So Dan’s cousin sold expensive smoking pipes, most likely to fedora-wearing dorks everywhere. I agree, Dan, that is kind of admirable. Anyway, back on topic, Dan has decided that writer's block and his need to provide for his family just aren't stressful enough and wants to metaphorically put a gun to his head.   So this is what Dan meant by pressing the cold barrel of a pistol against his temple. Metaphorically. With very little work done on his book, and Dan actively hating what he has written, he decides he wants to advertise it to motivate himself even more. That seems like a terrible, terrible plan but Dan seems to think it'll work.   And this is the magazine Dan wants to advertise in: a hoity-toity literary register that features a Hideo Kojima look-alike on the cover. Well, more power to you, Danny boy.  I don't know, Dan. Let's jump inside of your mind and find out.  And when I finish my book in December…-Dan Don't joke like that!-Linda Well, at least Dan seems to have a sense of humor about the end of his career and financial ruin. Linda has a stick up her butt about the livelihood of her family for some reason, though. It’s also kind of cute that they do their laundry of many blue towels together.   Thanks to the vote, Dan's frustration only got worse. Not finding his notebook has really upset Dan. He went with Alice eavesdropping, which actually was mentioned in the notebook. He’s just really bummed that he couldn't come up with anything as creative as “she walks by and hears them.”  So, as he mentioned in his diary earlier, Dan’s solution to his writer’s block is to use the inheritance to advertise his unfinished, poorly written book in the hopes that it will motivate him. I’m not sure how much more motivation he actually needs, but hey, it’s just crazy enough to work. LINDA   So Linda’s interested in joining the local artist co-op (I’m not even 100% sure what that is) and making friends and going back to painting full time which is a massive leap from just mommin’ it up this summer.   In Linda's little journal nook, we learn that Makeshift actually costs more money than she expected. She will only be in town for a few months so it's up to you to decide if that's really worth it. Either way, the co-op is not Linda’s biggest concern. She’s really worried about Tommy, the world’s loneliest child. Dan didn’t even mention him but, well, the financial future of his family and the death of his cousin were distracting him.  Oh, so Tommy's pathetic loneliness is genetic.  Is there something out there?-Dan The entire world.-Linda Geeze, I thought Dan was the one in charge of trying to force artificial poignancy. But, yeah, it kind of seems like Linda doesn’t want to spend any time at home and with her family. With this bunch, I don't blame her.   Then again, this letter (the direct result of the goon vote) kinda of betrays that. Linda’s just complicated, I guess. Complicated and hung over.  So Linda is dead set on joining that co-op, even if she's not going to be able to actively enjoy it for long. On one hand, that's kind of really loving irresponsible. On the other, painting is her passion. TOMMY   I’m thankful Linda signed that note or else Dan might not have known who left this note in their private bathroom.     Remember how Linda mentioned that Tommy made a friend? Well Tommy made a gently caress ton of friend fan art to celebrate that fact.   So it looks like they're considering sending Tommy to camp so he can make more than one friend. Of course, camp is expensive and will take a significant chunk out of the inheritance.  I get it Tommy, you are the loneliest child. Let's dive into his mind so we can hurry up and vote on if we're keeping it that way.  What about your rocket?-Dan I've already played with it.-Tommy So Tommy is basically becoming a goon and watching tv all day? This must be stopped.   Shockingly, Dan and Tommy's relationship hasn't been repaired after one week of bonding.  So it's up to y'all again: Who is going to get the lion's share of the inheritance?
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Jun 18, 2014 04:29
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Tommy and Dan Sorry Linda, I know you like painting, but your kid is lonely and Dan needs to pay the bills.
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Jun 18, 2014 05:20
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Dan and Tommy.
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Jun 18, 2014 05:53
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Broenheim posted:Tommy and Dan Pretty much this. Especially if their only there for the summer joining a co-op wouldn't be worth it.
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Jun 18, 2014 10:28
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Dan and Tommy.
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Jun 18, 2014 13:40
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Dan and Linda. gently caress that kid.
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Jun 18, 2014 14:56
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Tommy and Dan.
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Jun 18, 2014 14:57
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Tommy and Linda. That "put even more pressure on Dan" thing sounds like a horrible idea, especially considering we already hosed up his book.
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Jun 18, 2014 15:59
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Dan and Linda. Since both make a living off of their art, I am investing in their future.
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Jun 18, 2014 17:55
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Lonely Tommy made a friend; better ship him miles away and keep them from hanging out.
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Jun 18, 2014 18:06
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Insertnamehere31 posted:Tommy and Linda. That "put even more pressure on Dan" thing sounds like a horrible idea, especially considering we already hosed up his book. This. Dan's plan is stupid as hell.
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Jun 18, 2014 18:59
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Insertnamehere31 posted:Tommy and Linda. That "put even more pressure on Dan" thing sounds like a horrible idea, especially considering we already hosed up his book. I just want to clarify that, even though his book started off poorly, he has a lot of opportunities to fix it.
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Jun 18, 2014 19:14
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DAN and TOMMY.
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Jun 19, 2014 01:55
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Tommy and Linda. Dan's idea is terrible.
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Jun 19, 2014 06:04
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Dan and Tommy, the kid's lonely and hey, sometimes a nicely timed nervous breakdown is great for your writing! I mean, it worked for Hemingway, right? 
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Jun 19, 2014 07:51
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Tommy and Dan
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Jun 19, 2014 16:06
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Tommy and Dan. Linda seems totes irresponsible.
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Jun 19, 2014 18:10
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The Novelist is half off for the Steam summer sale if anyone's interested. It's $7.49. If you're interested in the stealth mechanics or seeing the results of different choices or just want to get through it faster, I recommend it at this price.
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Jun 19, 2014 19:06
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Tommy and Dan. At least Dan might get some motivation out of it. And Tommy is probably going to be doing the day camp version, so he won't be sent away. Linda on the the other hand, is already artistically active, no block, and she can go to town whenever. Paying for an artists co-op is what you do when you need the mutual inspiration that comes of a shared space, which she does not need, or can't afford a studio, which, with her observatory, does not need.
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Jun 19, 2014 21:00
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Tommy (full) and Dan (compromise)
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Jun 19, 2014 21:45
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