The tax mechanic is broken, When you raise taxes ration cost increases, but it does *not* decrease when you decrease taxes. This combined with the fact it is possible to encounter the tax guy every week means eventually being unable to eat and just starving even recieving max rations at the end of the day. The fact you must lower or raise the tax makes it luck based whether you can continue balancing your stats and eat. Luck can work as a factor in a game, especially one meant to be brutal, but it needs to be balanced with strategy as well to keep the players from feeling frustrurated or like they have no agency like I've seen other comments mention. I saw you were inspired by reigns, but reighns' brutal effects from some luck based events work due to the breakneck pace the game can be played at, while this one is (fittingly) slow and gritty.
ill be sure to add a skip tutorial option on the next update.
The characters coming into the office are (currently) randomised. So you could actually get the Fiscal Overseer ask about tax much sooner. I guess he just keeps being late for you!
Oh, and another things, I found a visual error when I click the "next" button too fast while getting shown what budget/coins I get (when i go to sleep) and then when I wake up, the coin stacks are still there.
pretty cool game, very interesting story. the game is sort of a battle between logic and heart. it gives the experience of choosing for your survival or others, and really gets you thinking about ethics and morals. overall a great game. can't wait for it to be further developed.
lovely game, I would like for it to be developed more. The grandma was my favorite character. The only thing I slightly disliked was me not being able to raise the health cap.
I do love this game. But the unablity to get back the max healt/reputation is annoying. Also lowering tax doesn't lower your personal food costs, but you recive less ration quite often I recived 3 or even just 2 despite my weekly wage still saying 4.
It's way too punishing and also doesn't allow you to change your mind on policies you had already implemented, as well.
Also I do not know what stress does, I quite much ignored it just using the bed to deal with it and it was good enough.
My biggest problem is that I can't get the max health/reputation back up no matter the choice, as it will be just very slow attrition that will lead to having 0 of each
Others have also mentioned that they’d like to see the ability to improve the max cap. So I’ll be sure to find a way for this! Currently, it is balanced for the demo so that it wouldn’t reach 0 during this playthrough, but you’re right, a longer play would become an issue if not balanced.
Stress currently affects your wage quite significantly. In the future when I’ve implemented the new dialogue system, It’ll have an effect on what choices the player can choose etc.
That's good to hear. Also one more thing, The rations, I just can't understand what makes them lower and what raise by end of the day. It says I am supposed to get 4 each day, but I recive varing amount is it from stress? But then it creates just a loop of being unable to eat and get stress relivers, not to menation lowering taxes doesn't change food price, but you recive less rations while rasining them makes it more expensive without you reciving more rations.
4 rations are to be received at the end of the day by default. If you decline any of the DAC members requests, it decreases. Or, some characters may ask for a ration to help them out.
Yes, tax does increase ration cost, but there is a limit on how low. However, if you’ve increased the tax previously, and then lowered it again, it will decrease.
Stress will not change the ration amount, only the money you receive. :)
From what I seen, just AGREEING with anything that DAC disapproves off resualts in docked Rations, to eat you have to almost constantly just run party line and it's not that fun taking it just removes any agency you have. Also lowering the tax does not lower the food cost from what I seen, I raised it then lower it and then still had to pay the higher food price.
Mind blowing! it felt like i was an actual commoner who worked for the upper class who was nethier of the poor or the rich unless i helped them poor Edmund
Very interesting game, though I must note that it's a bit disheartening to see the cap on both stats (street health & DAC rep) constantly decreasing without being able to do anything about it. I was balancing things rather well I think, but by the end my cap was 63% on health and 68% on rep. Seems like losing would be inevitable on a longer game.
This game is so fun omg!! I can't wait for the full release! I'll probably be replaying this over and over until then.
One thing I'd like to note though is that the UI was a little confusing for me at first (though it might be mainly from my stupidity). I thought the safe at work was emergency funds / savings, and I was confused why I had to keep collecting it at the end of each day lmao :'). And I also was confused at the bar on the bottom, took me awhile to realize that it was how much my budget, wage and rations were hahaha. Maybe I'm dumb, or I missed it during the tutorial.
But other than that, I'm in love with the graphics and the soundtrack of this game! It's fun as hell and the music slaps.
A very good game. It would be nice to be able to permanently decline on the gambling man and coin exchange lady, as with sort the court's wizard, but on the whole the interactions are interesting and show a varied cast of characters. I look forward to seeing how this game grows.
This looks like it's going to be really fun! I'm super impressed that this was a demo and not the final game, it's almost perfect. I only had a couple of notes:
- Visually, it's a little bit darker than I'd normally like, but just bright enough that I can see what's going on. It might be rough for people with visual impairments though, so I'd consider adding a toggle for brightness or contrast if it's not too much trouble (same goes for font size)
- Super minor, but the top half of the street where my home was didn't line up with the bottom half of the street so all the doors looked wonky.
Overall, I'm really impressed, this game is great. I loved playing Sort the Court! back in the day and this feels kind-of like a grown-up sequel to that, complete with extra mechanics and dark underlying plots (I'm super curious where the disease sub-plot is going!). I'm excited for the full game!!
thanks for the feedback! I’m working on a new update which should be out relatively soon :)
Good point about the brightness, it is a dark game at times and only gets visually darker as the street health reduces. I’ll add a toggle prior to its full release!
as for the wonky doors, there are supposed to be small gates in front of those houses. I’m assuming it doesn’t come across that way? I’ll emphasise this with the art rework.
I had inspiration from Sort The Courts and Reigns mechanics. Just with a little more depth!
It allows you to directly upload and update games from inside Unity. There's a free version as well if you just want to try. It even has options to optimize pixel art rendering.
I believe I played up to the end of the current content, which I'm quite liking! I quite like the individual stories of the npcs as you play through - the environmental changes that happen from accepting DAC/brothel requests are really fun. I think I'd like to see us have the ability to improve the visuals of the streets (or see it happen as time goes on). Can't wait to see where this game goes!
Thanks for playing and making a video of Dear Edmund! Glad you enjoyed it. There’s plenty of changes in the works that’ll hopefully make for an even better experience. One being balance which needs adjusting. Your feedback is definitely useful!
As the street health decreases there are visual changes to the buildings of the street, but you kept the health high at all times! (Mainly due to the fact you enjoyed telling Jack to fuck off haha) These decisions will be harder to decline in the future, I’ll make sure of that!
Was enjoying the game. Day 29, two people enter and leave the office, but no one ever comes in after them. Exited and reset, now it's day 24 and the same thing happens.
I managed to upgrade all items in my house to the cheapest options and made it to the end of the demo. Maybe that's an easy feat and I'm just an idiot but I am pretty proud of myself.
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I have a question: what age rating would you say this is? (i'm gonna recommend this to my friend but he's strict about about the age ratings of games)
I guess 15. It has mention of brothels and drugs, but does not go into detail of these things nor does it contain any visuals of them. :)
Thanks!
I do wonder what happened to Edmund's wife. As far as l recall in an older version she was even pregnant
uff LOVE IT, is more than what i expected. I saw this tipe of games before, but never like this, is perfect. LOVE IT
I am so excited to see this finished! It's such a good game, and it has so much potential. Looking forward to the next updates!
thanks a lot! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m working hard on a big update which hopefully shouldn’t take too much longer!
The tax mechanic is broken, When you raise taxes ration cost increases, but it does *not* decrease when you decrease taxes. This combined with the fact it is possible to encounter the tax guy every week means eventually being unable to eat and just starving even recieving max rations at the end of the day. The fact you must lower or raise the tax makes it luck based whether you can continue balancing your stats and eat. Luck can work as a factor in a game, especially one meant to be brutal, but it needs to be balanced with strategy as well to keep the players from feeling frustrurated or like they have no agency like I've seen other comments mention. I saw you were inspired by reigns, but reighns' brutal effects from some luck based events work due to the breakneck pace the game can be played at, while this one is (fittingly) slow and gritty.
hi, thanks for the feedback
Yes, the tax system is bugged at the minute, but it is being updated, changed and scheduled (as opposed to random) in the future :)
I FINALLY DID IT I BEAT IT (KINDA)
Thats good!)
2 things i feel would make this game better is:
- not having the tax increase/decrease before week 4 (this has killed my runs a LOT of times)
- ability to skip the tutorial
Thanks for playing and leaving feedback!
ill be sure to add a skip tutorial option on the next update.
The characters coming into the office are (currently) randomised. So you could actually get the Fiscal Overseer ask about tax much sooner. I guess he just keeps being late for you!
Cheers :)
Respectfully, I think you misunderstood my first point, what I meant is that the tax man comes too SOON rather then too late.
Oh, and another things, I found a visual error when I click the "next" button too fast while getting shown what budget/coins I get (when i go to sleep) and then when I wake up, the coin stacks are still there.
Hello! could you please provide me an email for contact! its for Nintendo publishing inquiries!! thanks! Jacob Jazz
pretty cool game, very interesting story. the game is sort of a battle between logic and heart. it gives the experience of choosing for your survival or others, and really gets you thinking about ethics and morals. overall a great game. can't wait for it to be further developed.
lovely game, I would like for it to be developed more. The grandma was my favorite character. The only thing I slightly disliked was me not being able to raise the health cap.
I do love this game. But the unablity to get back the max healt/reputation is annoying. Also lowering tax doesn't lower your personal food costs, but you recive less ration quite often I recived 3 or even just 2 despite my weekly wage still saying 4.
It's way too punishing and also doesn't allow you to change your mind on policies you had already implemented, as well.
Also I do not know what stress does, I quite much ignored it just using the bed to deal with it and it was good enough.
My biggest problem is that I can't get the max health/reputation back up no matter the choice, as it will be just very slow attrition that will lead to having 0 of each
thanks for playing and the feedback!
Others have also mentioned that they’d like to see the ability to improve the max cap. So I’ll be sure to find a way for this! Currently, it is balanced for the demo so that it wouldn’t reach 0 during this playthrough, but you’re right, a longer play would become an issue if not balanced.
Stress currently affects your wage quite significantly. In the future when I’ve implemented the new dialogue system, It’ll have an effect on what choices the player can choose etc.
Cheers!
That's good to hear. Also one more thing, The rations, I just can't understand what makes them lower and what raise by end of the day. It says I am supposed to get 4 each day, but I recive varing amount is it from stress? But then it creates just a loop of being unable to eat and get stress relivers, not to menation lowering taxes doesn't change food price, but you recive less rations while rasining them makes it more expensive without you reciving more rations.
4 rations are to be received at the end of the day by default. If you decline any of the DAC members requests, it decreases. Or, some characters may ask for a ration to help them out.
Yes, tax does increase ration cost, but there is a limit on how low. However, if you’ve increased the tax previously, and then lowered it again, it will decrease.
Stress will not change the ration amount, only the money you receive. :)
From what I seen, just AGREEING with anything that DAC disapproves off resualts in docked Rations, to eat you have to almost constantly just run party line and it's not that fun taking it just removes any agency you have. Also lowering the tax does not lower the food cost from what I seen, I raised it then lower it and then still had to pay the higher food price.
This is an amazing game, simply amazing! Beautiful music and a sad story...those poor people..
thanks for the kind words! And thank you for playing and making a video.
Many updates to come, so I hope you’ll enjoy this as it continues to be developed!
cheers
I quite enjoyed this! Felt pretty easy but this is just a demo so I doubt it'd be hard. I'm looking forward to future updates.
The bottom text said i'd get 4 rations but only recieved 3, but VERY GOOD GAMEDESIGN WELL DONE
Mind blowing! it felt like i was an actual commoner who worked for the upper class who was nethier of the poor or the rich unless i helped them poor Edmund
Very interesting game, though I must note that it's a bit disheartening to see the cap on both stats (street health & DAC rep) constantly decreasing without being able to do anything about it. I was balancing things rather well I think, but by the end my cap was 63% on health and 68% on rep. Seems like losing would be inevitable on a longer game.
Balancing will be adjusted for longer versions :)
This is a really cool game! However there is a bug that resets my personal coins whenever it hits 20 :( Any chance that could be fixed?
Hi!
Thanks for playing :)
As in, the pounds (gold coin) reset at 20?
no my silver coins, but those were the only ones to go past 20 so idk abt the other coins
currency is calculated using the old english currency system:
20 shillings (silver) equals 1 pound (gold), so your silver coins will reset, but you'll have 1 gold :)
oooh i see. Thank you for replying anyway!
This game is so fun omg!! I can't wait for the full release! I'll probably be replaying this over and over until then.
One thing I'd like to note though is that the UI was a little confusing for me at first (though it might be mainly from my stupidity). I thought the safe at work was emergency funds / savings, and I was confused why I had to keep collecting it at the end of each day lmao :'). And I also was confused at the bar on the bottom, took me awhile to realize that it was how much my budget, wage and rations were hahaha. Maybe I'm dumb, or I missed it during the tutorial.
But other than that, I'm in love with the graphics and the soundtrack of this game! It's fun as hell and the music slaps.
can there be a "skip tutorial" option?
Sure! I'll add one to the next update :)
How is the salary calculated? It just goes up and down randomly.
Base wage is increased every week, and then is effected by DAC Reputation, Stress level and your responses to DAC members during the work day :)
I wasn't given any rations, so I can't eat night 1 and progress
Hi! Are you clicking the reply buttons or using A / D? There is currently a bug with clicking that’s effecting things.
else also be aware that denying DAC members of their requests also reduces your ration count by 2. Cheers :)
I did not realise that I needed to eat.
A very good game. It would be nice to be able to permanently decline on the gambling man and coin exchange lady, as with sort the court's wizard, but on the whole the interactions are interesting and show a varied cast of characters. I look forward to seeing how this game grows.
Thanks for the feedback! I agree - after the next update I’ll be completely redoing the dialogue system and the story for each character. :)
This looks like it's going to be really fun! I'm super impressed that this was a demo and not the final game, it's almost perfect. I only had a couple of notes:
- Visually, it's a little bit darker than I'd normally like, but just bright enough that I can see what's going on. It might be rough for people with visual impairments though, so I'd consider adding a toggle for brightness or contrast if it's not too much trouble (same goes for font size)
- Super minor, but the top half of the street where my home was didn't line up with the bottom half of the street so all the doors looked wonky.
Overall, I'm really impressed, this game is great. I loved playing Sort the Court! back in the day and this feels kind-of like a grown-up sequel to that, complete with extra mechanics and dark underlying plots (I'm super curious where the disease sub-plot is going!). I'm excited for the full game!!
thanks for the feedback! I’m working on a new update which should be out relatively soon :)
Good point about the brightness, it is a dark game at times and only gets visually darker as the street health reduces. I’ll add a toggle prior to its full release!
as for the wonky doors, there are supposed to be small gates in front of those houses. I’m assuming it doesn’t come across that way? I’ll emphasise this with the art rework.
I had inspiration from Sort The Courts and Reigns mechanics. Just with a little more depth!
Thanks for playing Calciumlime
Beautiful art style, I noticed you're using Unity. You might find this tool useful: https://simonnordon.itch.io/itchio-publisher-for-unity
It allows you to directly upload and update games from inside Unity. There's a free version as well if you just want to try. It even has options to optimize pixel art rendering.
I believe I played up to the end of the current content, which I'm quite liking! I quite like the individual stories of the npcs as you play through - the environmental changes that happen from accepting DAC/brothel requests are really fun. I think I'd like to see us have the ability to improve the visuals of the streets (or see it happen as time goes on). Can't wait to see where this game goes!
Thanks for playing and making a video of Dear Edmund! Glad you enjoyed it. There’s plenty of changes in the works that’ll hopefully make for an even better experience. One being balance which needs adjusting. Your feedback is definitely useful!
As the street health decreases there are visual changes to the buildings of the street, but you kept the health high at all times! (Mainly due to the fact you enjoyed telling Jack to fuck off haha) These decisions will be harder to decline in the future, I’ll make sure of that!
enjoyed the video, good job. Thanks Sake
bro i keep dying of hunger or smth 😭🔥💯🚩
Try a new game and take the tutorial a little slower, there’s occasionally a bug which can skip the hunger and stress stat tutorial! Apologies.
- to eat or reduce stress, press E by the table in the player house, this’ll open a menu to buy food :)
thanks
understood my good champ 💯💪🔥
I tried pressing E near the table and nothing happened
Was enjoying the game. Day 29, two people enter and leave the office, but no one ever comes in after them. Exited and reset, now it's day 24 and the same thing happens.
I have the exact same bug
This game is amazing. Such great world building
In dire need of polish, but fun and kept me playing to the end of the demo. Good work!
This game STRESSES me out.
That said, I wish there were more games like it.
I managed to upgrade all items in my house to the cheapest options and made it to the end of the demo. Maybe that's an easy feat and I'm just an idiot but I am pretty proud of myself.