systemfehler
Member
Very serious topic, gorgeous pixel art, some minor kinks maybe - did not play enough so far to really decide about that. I wish for a "full game" with the same quality and art behind but maybe a bit more on the lighter side.
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Papers, Please |OT| Glory to Arstotzka!
- Thread starter Messofanego
- Start date
Amazing game.
The atmosphere and sub-plots are great, but I also really enjoy simply finding the discrepancies, selecting them, interrogating and then having the power to decide if this person is sent back or is let through with a satisfying stamp.
It will be interesting to see what other new mechanics and plot threads he comes up with after day 9. I'll be buying this day 1.
I was on my final warning and so I had to let the human trafficker through or my uncle and son would die. Didn't end up making enough to save the uncle, and my son died the day after.
The atmosphere and sub-plots are great, but I also really enjoy simply finding the discrepancies, selecting them, interrogating and then having the power to decide if this person is sent back or is let through with a satisfying stamp.
It will be interesting to see what other new mechanics and plot threads he comes up with after day 9. I'll be buying this day 1.
Haunted
Member
Class-8 housing isn't cheap!
Kuro Madoushi
Unconfirmed Member
Heh funny thing is that I had actually applied for something like this once.
I....should've paid more attention to the docs and not rushed....fuck me...
Hey everybody. Really flattered to see my game here. Many thanks to Messofanego for the thread and Toma for including the game in his awesome indie game list.
Some random stuff:
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Option+Return should toggle windowed mode on OSX, Alt+Enter on Windows
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I realize the immediate omniscient citation is kinda weird. The alpha build had citations without the actual mistake listed. This made the game a lot more frustrating and harder to play. For gameplay's sake I figured it's important to give the player this information as soon as possible. It also saves me from having to explain every little thing up front. The player can learn from their mistakes as they come. It hurts the reality a bit but I prefer fun over realism so that was an easy trade. I'll try to have an explanation for how these citations work later on in the game. Basically, there's an inspector inspector and he's always* watching. (* Not always)
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If you guys have wives or girlfriends, please ask them to submit their name for one of the immigrants. It's pretty much all dudes at the moment and that's no way to build a country.
Some random stuff:
--
Option+Return should toggle windowed mode on OSX, Alt+Enter on Windows
--
I realize the immediate omniscient citation is kinda weird. The alpha build had citations without the actual mistake listed. This made the game a lot more frustrating and harder to play. For gameplay's sake I figured it's important to give the player this information as soon as possible. It also saves me from having to explain every little thing up front. The player can learn from their mistakes as they come. It hurts the reality a bit but I prefer fun over realism so that was an easy trade. I'll try to have an explanation for how these citations work later on in the game. Basically, there's an inspector inspector and he's always* watching. (* Not always)
--
If you guys have wives or girlfriends, please ask them to submit their name for one of the immigrants. It's pretty much all dudes at the moment and that's no way to build a country.
This game is quite good. I played some of it yesterday, and it feels like a solid lite simulation game with adventure/puzzle elements. It's clearly far from complete, but I think it feels pretty promising as it is. The scenarios which could happen with regards to people you can deny entry to help someone else are interesting too. I don't really "get" the night aspects of the game though. It seems rather automated with no way to influence them in the actual game right now...
Are you talking about the utilities?
The stuff after you finish work. Sometimes your family's condition changes, but it doesn't look like I can actually do anything about it. Is it randomized and just meant to tack on additional costs? Also, there are a ton of blank stuff on the left of the screen, so I assume there's a deeper system planned which isn't implemented yet?
Kuro Madoushi
Unconfirmed Member
Nobody addressed the creator?
Thanks for the demo.
Hope you add more than just saving your family as me the player seems detached from them and I don't particularly care if they starve or freeze.
I...just want to provide glory for country!
The stuff after you finish work. Sometimes your family's condition changes, but it doesn't look like I can actually do anything about it. Is it randomized and just meant to tack on additional costs? Also, there are a ton of blank stuff on the left of the screen, so I assume there's a deeper system planned which isn't implemented yet?
Did you click on the checkboxes to pay RENT, FOOD, and HEAT? The night gameplay is basically just about paying your expenses to keep your family alive and healthy. I'll add a message on the first night about the checkboxes since some people have missed them.
Nobody addressed the creator?
Thanks for the demo.
Hope you add more than just saving your family as me the player seems detached from them and I don't particularly care if they starve or freeze.
I...just want to provide glory for country!
You're welcome! There probably won't be more with the family than there is now. I don't want to take too much focus away from the daytime gameplay. The family management is a way to put some pressure on your daily decisions but that depends on how much value you personally project on them. You can let them perish and maintain your country's honor though. Might be a special place in the Ministry for such devoted workers.
systemfehler
Member
I totally missed them and thought there is nothing clickable - just information. Will try again now.
You're welcome! There probably won't be more with the family than there is now. I don't want to take too much focus away from the daytime gameplay. The family management is a way to put some pressure on your daily decisions but that depends on how much value you personally project on them. You can let them perish and maintain your country's honor though. Might be a special place in the Ministry for such devoted workers.
I think the focus on the family is neccessary because it directly affects your work morale. Letting people slip through (because of your emotions) results in less pay and your family freezing/starving.
Messofanego
Banned
lololol
Great job on the game so far, can you hint on what will be expanded in the full release besides more days? Will the plot threads have longer consequences?
Will there be different outcomes if you killed off your family?
There's one more major mechanic not in the beta that will be in the final game. It'll probably appear halfway through around day 15. It's hard to say for sure though since I may get everything in and the game drags around the middle/end. In that case I'd try to add something else to keep it interesting.
About the plot, I'm planning a few longer story threads and at least one that spans until the end. I haven't completely worked out what the endings will be yet. I'm pretty sure that losing your family will end the game sooner, without being a typical "you lose".
Okay that was pretty awesome. Love how new rules got added/changed each day. I felt I did my job well although on the last day I had 2 violations for seals which I didn't catch. Afterward I tried to be extra careful the rest of the day but then somehow let a violator slip through with the wrong gender on his passport. *doh*
Is there any penalty for turning someone away even if they have all the valid paperwork? There was one guy I just simply didn't like since he badmouthed the great country of Arstotzka. But everything he presented checked out so I let him through.
Also wish there was a way to detain everyone I denied entry to. All violators need to be properly questioned no matter how small the violation.
Is there any penalty for turning someone away even if they have all the valid paperwork? There was one guy I just simply didn't like since he badmouthed the great country of Arstotzka. But everything he presented checked out so I let him through.
Also wish there was a way to detain everyone I denied entry to. All violators need to be properly questioned no matter how small the violation.
I see some people here talking about the old man who kept coming back. Very charming, but he presented an obviously fake passport and was talking about buying entry tickets and such. That guy is trouble and needs to be detained to see what his deal is. He waits in line hours every day, never has the proper paperwork and never says the right things. He's either crazy or a terrorist. Arstotzka needs neither.
Messofanego
Banned
Yes, if you're out of the 2 penalties you're allowed. This happened to me with
Vince Lestrade, couldn't detain that fucker or deny him because all of his details were perfect and it killed me inside that he was now a free terrorist in our great country
He's trying his best, cut him some slack
. It's like people who fail their driving test many times, but are still enthusiastic. Plus he gives you a reward if you let him in.You actually can detain him, for the discrepancy just choose the news article and his name on his passport. ^^
Maybe this has been asked and answered before but what platforms are you aiming for? Steam? iOS? Android? I'd definitely pay for a Steam version and a mobile one, great game.
Your game rocks! I absolutely want to play the whole thing, so bad. I want to replay the beta, but I also want to save myself for when the full game is done.
Incredible work, much respect. Thanks for a fantastic experience, so far!
Yep, this is what I did as well. Took me a while to figure out. I was like, all his papers are good, what else do I have to get him on, if only I had that newspaper I read this morning... ah-hah! That's when I remembered the article headlines are in the message on my desk each morning. Felt good seeing the next morning's paper attribute his capture to border patrol.
Accepting of bribes is not the Arstotzka way! I will be reporting your activities to the local authorities so you will be detained for great country Arstotzka.
Messofanego
Banned
Yeah I figured this out later on a third playthrough. It's crazy how many items are interactive, love it!
Yeah you can get a citation for denying an entrant with no mistakes. That guy's a dick, but his papers are in order so you have to let him through. Your only recourse is to passive-agressively to stamp his VISA way off center. Which I do.
Poor Jorji
I'm going for PC/Mac initially. I'd love to get on Steam but haven't had time to make a trailer and set up a Greenlight page. Probably get to that after GDC. The game works decently on iPad and with a little UI redesign could work well. Phones are too small without a big UI change.
Thanks Septimius!
Phonomezer
Banned
Lawd, I always forget about Inspection Mode. Thanks!
Think I may have broke the game? Spoilers just in-case...
Day 6 I decided to use my precognitive abilities and stop the Kolechian terrorist from entering the country even though all her paperwork was valid. I was curious if the game would still require Kolechian searches the next day and what the paper would say since there was no terrorist attack.
Denying her entry led to the longest day ever. Even though my shift was over, applicants kept coming. I figured maybe the game would compensate and send a 2nd terrorist my psychic powers had no knowledge of; but it never happened. Just an endless stream of immigrants.
I decided to continue until the counter below the speaker got to #100. When that happened everyone went away finally. I processed #100 and the game progressed and the day ended.
Unfortunately going through 100 applicants @1am left me a bit fatigued so I let so many mistakes slip through that I was in debt (owed 85 credits) and got fired while my family was taken from me to pay it off.
So I don't know if having to go through 100 applicants was a bug because I stopped the terrorist, or if there is some super secret special event that happens the next day if I happened to stop the terrorist, process 100 people and not end up in debt at the end of it. Someone else is welcome to try.
Denying her entry led to the longest day ever. Even though my shift was over, applicants kept coming. I figured maybe the game would compensate and send a 2nd terrorist my psychic powers had no knowledge of; but it never happened. Just an endless stream of immigrants.
I decided to continue until the counter below the speaker got to #100. When that happened everyone went away finally. I processed #100 and the game progressed and the day ended.
Unfortunately going through 100 applicants @1am left me a bit fatigued so I let so many mistakes slip through that I was in debt (owed 85 credits) and got fired while my family was taken from me to pay it off.
So I don't know if having to go through 100 applicants was a bug because I stopped the terrorist, or if there is some super secret special event that happens the next day if I happened to stop the terrorist, process 100 people and not end up in debt at the end of it. Someone else is welcome to try.
The Illiterati
Member
Just a suggestion: Twould be cool if the nighttime portion of the game had four little portraits that changed according to your families condition. Right now that portion of the game seems a little lacking. But this way it would tug on your heartstrings a little more, since I tend to care more about the old man at the ticket counter than my faceless family!
I like that idea. Maybe a black curtain over it or flowers or something when they're dead.
Haha. Sorry,
the suicide bomber is forced. Actually, you're supposed to get Kolechian bombers the rest of the day until you let one through. It sounds like you didn't though. Did you approve any of the following people? Were they all Kolechians?
Because this story event sets up the premise for introducing the search mechanic, I've made it non-optional. When scripting that day, I thought: "100 should be enough. No way someone's gonna deny 92 people in a row."
Because this story event sets up the premise for introducing the search mechanic, I've made it non-optional. When scripting that day, I thought: "100 should be enough. No way someone's gonna deny 92 people in a row."
This was discussed briefly in the devlog. For me, keeping them faceless makes it easier to project my family on them. In this case I prefer to leave their appearance to the imagination and let the player fill in the blanks. I was originally going to have the player choose which 4 family members were included to make it even more personal but I doubt I'll have time for that.
I don't find this game to be fun, aside from that one guy who keeps coming back one step behind in the immigration process; but it has been mentally engaging in other ways.
It definitely has the capacity to make you feel like a paragon, a dick or tool in ways most games try to but fail at. I'm looking forward to the final product.
Messofanego
Banned
I'm just imagining DOOM-style portraits and with each day they show damage on their face as they get sick and hungry XD
Messofanego
Banned
Mavromatis
Member
It is way easier without a family. It seems that I don't eat nor need heat. I might be the ultimate Arstotzkan. Glory to Arstotzka!
dripdripsplash
Member
Thank you very much for the demo. If this is just a little accurate of all the shit that immigration officer has to check I guess I can forgive the dudes that have me wait hours at the Libanon/Syria borders.
Quickly found myself engrossed by the gameplay and the little stories of the different immigrants. That old guy that keeps trying getting in the country is hilarious!
I didn't know that you could choose what you bought with your salary at the end of every day so maybe that could be more clear or I just missed it completely. All in all I'd be happy to pay for this game when it releases.
Great job !
No actually I tried to do my job just like I was playing the game normally. I didn't turn anyone else away that had valid paperwork. I believe all my infractions were for letting people through who I shouldn't have. I was actually expecting another bomber to get through at some point but it never happened.
thequickandthedead
Member
Can't download the beta right now so i just tried the web browser version. Is it just me or is the stamp button missing?
Messofanego
Banned
Are you talking about the decline stamp? In that "marginally functional" version, you have to press the red triangle with the exclamation at the bottom to highlight the discrepancy and then when denial is authorised you can now use the red denial stamp now on the right.
Haunted
Member
Excellent to have you here. Thank you for making this game, it's fantastic. I agree that the immediate citation with reason is integral to have for a better gameplay loop.
:lol Just heard that (and came in this thread because I wanted to recommend it
). Good stuff! I hope it gets some more exposure. I'm sure with the interest that's already there, the final release will at least make some waves in the right circles, whenever it comes.Hey could you change the submission to allow multiple submissions? Was going to throw my GF's name in too but only one per email
EDIT: Thinking about it people would just spam them so I guess it makes sense :L
Couldn't get it to work on my laptop but I was able to get some time in today. Ended up playing through it twice since I had so much fun. Can't wait to see what comes next. If I had to come up with a complaint it would be getting citations for rejecting people. I understand punishing you for admitting invalid people but as the loudspeaker says, "entry is not guaranteed." You only get paid for succesful entries, right? Specifically I guess I'm just annoyed because I declined someone who "corrected" their story after I pointed out a discrepancy with the entry pass and I got dinged for it
I'm pretty good except for remembering which cities belong to which country without checking the book
I'm pretty good except for remembering which cities belong to which country without checking the book
Whup, that's a bug I'll fix. Thanks for the info.
Don't worry, his story continues after day 9.
Thank you and you're welcome
You can go back and change your name to hers if you're feeling generous. Of the nearly 500 entries, only 39 are women. Any submitted girl's name will have a much higher chance of showing up with the random selection.
Your salary is just based off the number of people you process correctly. So you'll get paid for both denying and approving, as long as you don't make a mistake.
With the dialog, as long as they answer correctly when you question them it's ok. I set it up like that since I assume that's how it works at a real checkpoint.
Oh, not sure why I thought you only get paid for letting people in. That makes sense. Regarding the dialog, I get where you're coming from but it seems no matter what I do I get cited:
http://i.imgur.com/1dDD5nR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/q6qWXt1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/6pGCoZK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Um1JT49.jpg
edit:
I also seem to have a problem with fingerprints on day 8 unless I'm missing something:
http://i.imgur.com/J1S6C9n.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GHP1KWu.jpg
not sure if I'm supposed to recognize "invalid fingerprints"
edit2: DrBo42 set me straight. I never compared the fingerprints from the entrant to the fingerprints from the database
PorygonVandal
Member
THANKS!
Yeah, same problem. Specifically remember being cited for letting someone in that I interrogated due to verbal discrepancy and said to myself "Well that shit isn't happening again." Denied the next instance, boom citation "Applicant cleared for entry." A cruel place Arstotzka is.
I didn't quite get the fingerprint system the first time either. Present the card to the person in question for fingerprinting. You'll receive the official M.O.A. fingerprint record you have displayed in your first screenshot. The person at the counter then gives back the card you gave them (on your counter in photo 1), drag it to the right and compare. If there's a discrepancy, highlight both documents and detain that scum.
Yeah, I get that in the case of mismatched names. If it comes back with no aliases or something I nail them. In this case it was a bad photo but the fingerprints came back with the right name so I don't see what the discrepancy is. I've had this problem a few times so I'm not sure if it is a bug or I'm doing something wrong with mismatched names