THE WINDMILL
LOST HOUSE 4
The game started as a concept, just... we
gotta do a 3D successor to Lost House 3. Even
back in the Lost House 2 days in the 90's I'd
pondered such. And then at some point or
another in 2022, the brain decided to jump on
it. I'd just finished LH3 not long ago, the
timing was right... it was time to create...
THE WINDMILL.
It would take me several months to type.
And so we had... the physics. The main
controlling factor of this game, what am I
capable of doing with the simple html, not
wanting to go javascript. Just an old-school 3D
ASCII creation, in html. So, what physics do we
have? We have click, and we have make the page
wait X seconds before going to Y page. And a
random page generator, like a random line
selector, and then print the line. And thus how
the game, and our monster, developed their
abilities.
Should we explain how the game works, SURE,
this is the about-about! Spoilers ahead!
Like all of it lol.
...
First up, item physics. Due to the game being
coded in html, each item comprises its own
folder. So when you pick up another item, I
have to move you to that item's folder, which
is why you can only hold one item at a time.
Though that said, some items *can* be combined
inside of there.
Next up, room physics. Now, early on, I had
to debate whether to make walls clickable or
not. Like the coding aside, I found that the
ability to just keep turning around and stuff
just took away from the game, made it feel way
too open. This is supposed to be a cramped,
scary little place that you're trying to get
out of, yah that made it way too open. So yah
that's why we did the wall thing. Also, it
gives a bit of a feel like you're following a
wall, because it's really dark, and you can
only see the outlines of things. It really adds
to the feel.
Thirdly, the monster. C'mere you feisty
little friend, whatcha got going on in there,
what's ya thing? Ok now, we gots attack mode,
and we gots teleport mode. Now first up,
pacifist me here. Yah we gots to have an 'it
gets you' mode. Yah, the second place you can
get 'monched' on Zebeth, sorry about that. Yah,
it was needed for the game physics, having
teleport-only made it too comical. So yah, and
basically, it made it more suspenseful, aside
from just... running in over and over again.
Which you can still do, to be fair, infinite
lives and such. Also there's boss rush mode and
like, different modes of play this makes, poke
the bear and run away type of thing, mainly
speed-run style stuff. Also Ultra-Boss Mode,
ooh hoo hoo, yeah we got that up in here! And
the cool stuff at the top of the windmill, yah,
there's the cool stuff up there, discovering
that and all that fun stuff. And so, we have
the physics.
Now, why are we able to teleport people?
Now, being one of the only forms of physics
available to us, we needed to keep this. So, we
needed an explanation for this. Now, this
creature doesn't want you there. It knows where
you are, and it's trying to hit you. From its
uncontacting, ethereal plane, it's wanting to
hit you SO badly, it's trying to hit you SO
badly, that the only way that it couldn't have
hit you, is if you were in another location.
That's the only possible explanation for how it
didn't hit you, you must have been somewhere
else, said physics. And that's pretty chilling.
It wants to attack you SO much, that the laws
of physics are literally bent due to the
willpower of this creature trying to hit you.
It wants you out of its windmill that much.
Better find that key there eh? Lol XD
And then sometimes, it does get through.
Sometimes, the planes intersect at certain
places and times, and it gets through.
Sometimes for up to half an hour or more, which
is how it has built the windmill to this point.
It knows that it can get through. It stares
at the note beside its bed every single night,
as a reminder that it is possible, eyes
twitching with every creak of the windmill.
Happy little thing, likes its windmill.
And so the physics explained.
And I suppose as an obligatory disclaimer, me
being the spiritual type and such, no, there
is no spiritual energy put into this thing, or
into the game itself, in any way, shape, or
form. This is purely a make believe thing and
such.
That said, I could see the creature in
crossover movies and stuff, like... this thing
does have a personality back there and all
that. Aw yeah I could see it in a battle with
other horror movie monsters and stuff, or in
D&D, this thing has definitely got to have some
D&D-type stats. Ethereal plane, natch, feel
free to play around with it, the energy planes
or such, y'know something that can see the
material plane but can't touch it, is the
thing. Might need some custom abilities, but
it's a pretty simple creature, six arms, really
REALLY wants you out.
Though, as lore has it, it HAS allowed one
other to enter its windmill, without reaction.
A wizard, as it were, who wished to study it,
the creature known to some. He came along at
the right time, when aide was required, for the
creature needed assistance, its grip on the
material plane not staying long enough to do
the necessary repairs. The floor that sways, an
uneven shaft, it was making the building
unstable. The wizard, in his desire to study
the creature, hung precariously outside the
structure, firming up the walls with hammer and
nail. The creature said nothing during this
time, it is said, and only looked at the wizard
longingly, worried for its creation. The
repairs complete, it allowed the wizard time in
the building, before slowly, increasingly,
growing agitated again before the wizard fled.
It is unknown whether others have been allowed
to enter, though, you never know.
Other lore is hiding in the help pages, so
have a look around and see what tidbits you can
find!
Oohh, hey, and going back to crossovers again
for a second, I could totally see this thing
joining a superhero team or something too.
Otherwise, I dunno, CR13 creature or something
in a tabletop game, generally doesn't wander
too far from its windmill, unless said
superhero team something something something
this thing joins them to save the plane/its
windmill kinda thing, aw yeah I could see it
going in that direction too.
Anyways, cool creature, cool concept,
scraggly ol' html ascii art of a *terrifying*
creature, as you feel your way around this
mysterious building that you stumbled across,
and can barely see inside of, just making out
the outlines of objects and things.
So, enjoy the game everyone, go and see if
you can find the 'cool' thing at the top of the
windmill, and have incredible day my friends!
Kabutroid
Back to menu
|