Chronicon Apocalyptica -- BETA TESTERS NEEDED

A 10th-Century adventure where The X-Files meets The Name of the Rose. You travel through England solving the mysteries of an ancient tome, and investigating myths while staving off conflict with Vikings.

Email me, jason AT choiceofgames for access. DO NOT SEND ME A MESSAGE THROUGH THE FORUM MAIL SYSTEM. When you send your EMAIL, include your forum-name, your real name, and the game you want to test.

DO NOT POST ASKING WHAT MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS. The first test to becoming a beta tester is inferring what it is based on the above paragraph.

(You cannot be testing two games at once. Send feedback on one and you can apply to another.)

I will send you a link, a username, and a password.

Return feedback TO ME. Preferably part of the same thread, rather than a new email.

I’m looking for “high level” and “low level” feedback. Not mid-level feedback.

Low-level = typos and continuity errors. A continuity error is when a character’s gender flips, or someone comes back from the dead, or you run into a plotline that just doesn’t make sense (because it’s probably a coding error).

For these low-level issues, SCREENSHOTS are VERY HELPFUL. If you see a problem, take a screenshot, or copy and paste the text that is in error, and email that. Also, the “BUG” button is great; but if you use BUG, make sure to say in your email who you are, so I can give you credit for the report.

“High level” feedback has to do with things like plot, pacing, and characters. “Scene A didn’t work for me because x, y, and z,” is useful feedback. “B character was entirely unsympathetic, because u, w, and v,” is also useful feedback.

“Mid-level” feedback describes things like grammar, style, or the use of commas. As I said above, I do not want mid-level feedback. In particular, DO NOT WRITE TO ME ABOUT COMMAS.

“I had a great time and saw only a few spelling errors,” is not useful feedback. In fact, it’s the sort of thing that results in you not being given access to future betas.

Some examples of useful feedback:

In Choice of the Dragon, you get to choose what type of wings you have: leather or scaled. Someone wrote in and asked about having feathered wings. Great suggestion! Done!

In “The Eagle’s Heir,” someone asked about Eugenie. They said that the romance moved too quickly–because she only appeared in the last third of the game–and wished they could have had an opportunity to meet her earlier. So the authors added an opportunity to meet her and start the romance earlier in the game (in a scene that already existed).

In “Demon Mark: A Russian Saga” several people commented on how the PC’s parents were unsympathetic, so the authors added a choice or two to deepen the relationship with the parents in the first chapter, to help better establish their characters.

Similarly, pointing out a specific choice and saying, “this is who I imagined my character was at this particular moment, and none of these options seemed right for me. I would have liked an option to do X instead,” is really helpful feedback.

Another useful piece of feedback: if you choose an #option and then the results of that #option don’t make sense. Like, if you thought an #option might test one stat, but it seems to have tested a different one.

11 Likes

If I weren’t beta gaming other games. I’d test this one! Looks interesting.

New draft posted! The changes include:

  • Adjusting stats in chapter 1 to make later tests easier.
  • Adjusted tests for low-scoring stat tests, especially in later chapters.
  • Made some double-stat tests easier.
  • Fixed typos and coding errors (especially in Chapter 4)
  • Fixed a bug in Ch 5 where it was possible for the witch to be guilty, but the player defaulted to text and an achievement for if she was innocent
  • Made breaking up with a romantic partner more seamless.
  • Fixed impossible choices throughout the game.
3 Likes

New draft posted! Changes include:

  • Corrected numerous typos and punctuation.
  • Added some description of NPCs and scenes.
  • Fixed coding errors leading to sections of text being left out, especially that mixed up the MCs companion in chapter 4.
  • Added some text to make the Heresy and Anarchy stats clearer.
  • Fixed bug allowing player to give themselves the Same name of a NPC.
  • Added more names in to choose from.
  • Reworded test choices to clarify when “service” and “honor” were being tested.

Work is still being done on romances.

2 Likes

That was quick! My goodness lol

I crack the whip! But there won’t be another new draft until probably Thursday, as the author is busy for the next two days.

2 Likes

<3 gives me time to gather my thoughts x3

1 Like

New draft posted!

  • Fixed typos, continuity errors, and coding errors.
  • Fixed bug that let you romance Blædswith (you shouldn’t be able to)
  • Added choice to let you comment on testimony in witch trial
  • Added text in establishing stat choices to make it clear what stats were needed for each ambition in chapter 2.
  • Added text in some stat choices to make it clearer what stat is being tested (especially with “archival”)
  • Added text in chapter 2 to make “gravitas” and its potential impact clearer.
  • Added choice to tell Wulfstan about your visions or try to keep them secret.
  • Fixed bug that kept the sword with Blædswith when she shouldn’t have it.
  • Fixed gender non-binary subject/verb agreement
4 Likes

New Draft posted!

  • Fixed lots of typos.
  • Fixed coding errors that resulted in skipping text.
  • Fixed and heightened some continuity issues.
2 Likes

New draft posted!

Changes include:

  • Fixed typos and continuity.
  • Overhauled the difficulty of all tests and stats.
  • Enhanced romances and fixed some continuity with them.

Because the stats have been extensively rebalanced, it would be great if anyone wanted to try another playthrough. It’s also pretty much LAST CALL for any feedback, so if you have signed up for the beta and have not submitted feedback, please get it in in the next 3-4 days.

2 Likes

On it! :smiley:

1 Like

New draft posted!

Changes include:

  • Fixed typos.
  • Fixed coding errors and variables that returned the wrong values.
  • Added text and a choice with the Wulfstan romance line that makes it (I hope) more realistic.
  • Expanded some of the text for the endings.

Final reminder that this weekend is the last round of beta feedback. If you haven’t submitted your feedback, please do.

2 Likes

I’ll send feedback today! :slight_smile:

New draft posted!

  • Fixed typos
  • Fixed continuity
  • Fix variable mistakes
  • Added description for consistency
  • Filled out some exposition
2 Likes

New draft posted!

  • Typos corrected.
  • Grammar mistakes corrected.
  • Continuity errors fixed (namely one that kept Blædswith’s sword with her even when she lots it).
  • Tweaks for clarity and consistency.
1 Like

Hey, I didn’t run into to any typos or bugs, the only issue I had is it takes a while for the story to get going. What I mean by that is that the intro and build up takes a bit so it makes it a little bit hard to get into right away. However it is well written and has interesting characters.

This is feedback that the project manager will want to hear. To get this feedback to where it needs to go, I will refer you to the following:

“thread” in this quote refers to the original email sent to you.

Keep up the feedback Amanda - authors really do appreciate it.

3 Likes

Yeah okay i am slightly confused as to where i send the feedback in. I don’t know what the “thread” is.

Sorry, ignore that last email i misread part of your email.