"The Ghost and the Golem"—Can your amulet save your Jewish village?

Announcements
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Wowowowowow! Congratulations to Benjamin on the release. This game was so wonderful to play, despite the heavy subject matter. And I adored the narrator during the beta testing! I can’t wait to buy it so I can play it over and over again.

@Gadriel and @Healbot there’s something fishy with the code, but it’s intentional, not a bug. The author is inflating the numbers that appear on the stat page based on people’s relative performance at that stage of the game, and doesn’t reflect their true stat score, I believe. (I don’t know if I understood him correctly and I don’t know if I can simply post screenshots of the email he sent me which painstakingly explained the whole concept, but which my dumb ass still didn’t understand.)

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Woohoo! It’s here! Congratulations! This one’s gonna be a real challenge, but still fun.

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you’re the prophet now lmao

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There is, alas, no Rivka-Dovid poly, Rivka and Dovid being awfully open-minded for 1881 but not THAT open-minded. There is, however, pining for a Rivka-Dovid poly, which might lead you toward the OTHER possible poly ending, because some of the other characters go a little harder in rejecting social norms…

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Yup, the story behind the numbers is that this is my first COG game, and I didn’t really understand the expectations around stats, so during the beta I got a lot of feedback that people were frustrated that they could never get their stats very high…some of them you could never get to 50, and even though that was perfectly adequate for doing what you needed to do, it frustrated people. I realized that people had a sense that by mid-game, a 50 should mean being averagely good at something, and being kick-ass at it should be over 80.

It was too late to change all the code, so I just inflated the stats (see the “inflate” subroutine on the stats page) so they would meet intuitive expectations. So if the stats page says you have a 50 Daring you really have a 35 Daring because that’s the internal number that’s average for a Daring score.

We realized this would be frustrating for code-divers, and for that I apologize: next time I’ll do it differently. It seemed like the lesser of two evils.

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I’m really enjoying this so far - I love the voice, atmosphere, and setting, and even though I’ve only just started, the characters feel really interesting and charming. Massive congratulations on the release @plausible.fabulist!

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Ah yes, I see where this is going :grin: thank you for answering!

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This is wonderful. I cannot wait to buy this and play it in full. I’ve always wanted to play a game in this setting!

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Finally had the time to sit down and read this one! I’m still not finished but I just wanted to say that I’m so happy it exists. I love everything about it. It feels real and genuine and fun and I just love it. :heartpulse:

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I’ve been playing this game for a bit (until chapter 4) and it’s so far really fantastic! I’m very attached to my current MC, and I really hope the polycule works out but I’ve already crushed the [[REDACTED]] so I’m pretty sure he’s going to go out in a blaze of glory. I guess I just wanted to ask- would there be any way to have a trans MC who has already chosen a name for themselves at the beginning of the story? So that when I play trans MCs they don’t get continuously deadnamed by people who they have already established their pronouns with.

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Honestly I’ve been really into this game so far in a lot of ways, (the narration, story, and everything about it basically is wonderful) but I’m increasingly losing hope that it’s actually going to end up as a game with any sort of queer joy or agency, as the page in the omnibus advertised. I was really excited when I saw that. You can choose to be trans, yes, but in my game I chose that my MC told both his friends and then the game immediately went on to have them misgender him within the next few pages. You seemingly can’t tell anyone else—not even your match, so you can’t even see if this person is okay with that before you decide to MARRY them, you can’t come out (I’m half way through the book, I think) and you have no way to choose that you might want to. It’s just…huh. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong, but it’s just…really disheartening and upsetting, if I’m honest. Not to mention your character gets deadnamed throughout, even by the people you are allowed to tell. None of this feels like agency. “Queer anguish” might be a better descriptor for how this game has made me feel. And edit to clarify, I don’t mind histfic queerness where you’re hiding, or can only tell a few people you trust very much. That isn’t the issue I’m having; it’s that there’s almost nothing here except being trapped in your own head, and a few bare mentions from two people.

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Much as I love the story and the writing, can’t say I’m a fan of how the stats are handled, it makes it much, much harder to figure out whether whatever stats I have are high enough to pass checks since the actual number is different to the one displayed on screen. I’m guessing this was something that was meant to minimize reader frustration/limit code-diving and in my case, at least, it’s backfired

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Hmm, I rather like the idea that if you’re already out to Rivka & Dovid you might have chosen a different name… it might take a little work but I am adding it to my list of things to add in the future… thanks!

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This is something I am currently working on; the game is currently a lot better at cis queer joy than trans joy, and that’s a problem. I like the idea mentioned here that Rivka & Dovid might call you by a new-chosen name of your real gender in private, and I am already working on more possibilities for moving towards socially transitioning at least by the epilogue.

Coming out to Moysheh/Basha at the shiddukh/dinner (both in terms of being trans and being intersex) is also something I’ve been thinking about… the question is how much you trust them already, but as you point out, you are getting married, and maybe it’s the kind of thing you want to know how they’ll react to.

You can, by contrast, already bring up other romantic things that have happened in the story with Dovid/Rivka, so you can (in modern terms) come out to them as queer (I mean, you’re not actually asserting a stable sexual orientation because that’s not something in either of your worldview, you’re just telling Basha you kissed Dovid, but in modern terms that’s what you’re doing.) How they react varies: they may accept it, or freak out – which I’m ok with because, of course, you’re telling them you have other romantic entanglements and that seems like something they might reasonably object to. Whereas it seems much more crushing if they react badly to your being trans. But I wonder whether then always reacting well to it is (in historical perspective) trivializing the real historical struggles? What do you think?

The game is trying to thread the fine line of being honest historically while making room for the actual historical possibilities of queer agency. But clearly (as a cis queer guy) I’m more confident at doing this with sexual orientation than gender identity, so I really appreciate this feedback,

Thanks for writing this & I agree that the game is not doing well enough at this yet.

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Thank you so much for the response. I’ll admit I code-dived because I was just. Really getting the feeling that I was heading somewhere disappointed and I wanted to know, and so I’m happy to know you’re looking into more possibilities for at least transitioning by the epilogue. As far as trusting goes, I… don’t know if this is a culture thing or if I’m just naive (my char DID end up at 70% trusting, but unless I’m not seeing something, the characters that I’m most confused about not coming out to are ones that seem to actually genuinely care about the MC in a way that would at least allow a little bit of trust?

Not only does (in my runs case) Moysheh seem like someone who wouldn’t do something rash about this sort of thing (at a glance, anyways, esp since he can go on to offer to let you off the hook easy and say you did fine to your mother), but also as a trans person the idea of playing a trans person in a historical setting and not trying to test those waters first is just…unthinkable to me. If you say yes you’re resigning yourself to an entire life with someone who might hate who you actually are, without giving them a chance to make their own decision about that (or to make your own informed decision) or show you in what ways they might react (and if it might be dangerous for you to continue.) You’re pressed about how this is a monumentally important decision that has to be made right now but you can’t ask (or even try to round-aboutedly hint at) what is, in my opinion, one of the most important questions you could ask. I don’t think it would be unreasonable for the option to be presented, even if it’s a fearful or hesitant one.

I haven’t seen the bit of them being told about the kiss yet, but I can say I’d rather be crushed outright that sit with this…nebulous worrying that my character (who is ostensibly trans. and ostensibly wishes to be out) is now a woman, forever, in the eyes of someone that he’ll have to spend the rest of his life with. I do honestly think that historical accuracy is something that can be respected without sacrificing the idea that people can be kind and understanding even of things beyond their grasp. I don’t think that side-stepping the issue and pivoting away from it entirely (therefore leaving the reader in a sort of limbo) is better than simply engaging with it. Like, will these characters that seem to care very much about the MC turn on a dime and become cruel and violent to them? Are they the kind of people to do that? Are they the kind of people to be uncomfortable but understanding? Or newly uninterested? Or discomfitted enough to not want to be around them anymore?

I was, honestly, hoping that Moysheh would react in a generally net-positive way; mainly because my character was already bold and brash (referred to as a “daredevil” during the little scuffle in the market) and quite literally told him at dinner he was reading books he shouldn’t, and it seemed entirely possible that something good could come of that, even if it was behind closed doors. I can’t blame you if you don’t do that—I don’t know these characters nearly well enough to presume.

I don’t think it’s trivializing real historical struggles to also give avenues for, say, someones small community turning a mostly-blind eye to something like this once in a blue moon, or rallying to protect someone they care about even if it causes a bit of scandal, or some murmurings about strangeness. Something I really, really enjoy everything I’ve read so far is just…how much community and care there is in it? So it’s kind of jarring to imagine that that isn’t even a possibility. And I do think, sometimes, if it comes down to it and the only story available that fits is one without agency, that’s understandable—queer people were, historically and often, robbed of agency—but it’s terrible to come in expecting to get it and then seeing there isn’t any to be had.

PS: when I mentioned the misgendering in my original comment, I think that might be an unintended bug in the code? You don’t get misgendered if you’re non-binary, in those lines (Dovid and Rivka call you “they”). It’s kind of jarring to go “my friends know im a man inside” and then Dovid immediately says “she” in convo abt the amulet.

Anyways, sorry for the long ramble, and thank you for the response.

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Thank you, and thank you for creating such a wonderful work!

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I’ll be real, this is the ONLY CoG title released this year that I actually, legitimately, positively, enjoyed (so far). And since I legit listen to Jenny Nicholson’s videos maybe like, every other week, I’ll try to do a compliment sandwich in her honor lol

It’s the narrator that honestly sold me to this lol. It’s really refreshing to see that sort of narration and writing style in a published CoG, and I LOVE IT! :joy: And because of that, as someone who has literally ZERO prior knowledge of Jewish history and culture, it made learning those things even more enjoyable.

Those stats tho… Sometimes I couldn’t figure out which choices raises which stats, and which stats these specific choices were testing. And I really, really disliked the numbers inflation. There were times when I wondered what the heck I was doing wrong since my score was high, but I had failed the stat check, somehow.

Another thing I liked, the relationships between the characters, especially between MC and their family. Especially with Mamma. She had major Mrs Bennet vibes during the dinner with Moysheh and the matchmaker, and I luv it! :joy:

Speaking of, how old are the characters? I don’t think it was mentioned, or if it was I might have missed it… I kinda headcanoned the trio to be like, 18 or 19, since Dovid is in “uni”. Moysheh’s like 25 at the oldest, Shira and Alkhonon like, 23-27 range?

Another thing I disliked, stats part 2. I think there’s some weirdness with how the relationship stats are shown. For example, I turned Moysheh down but he still left with a good impression of me, so I’m expecting something like, “I still like her but she doesn’t, and I respect that a lot”, but the stat page says that he’s “head over heels in love”??? The same if they had went through the engagement? That doesn’t sound logical to me at all lol. Is this an effect of the numbers inflation too or smth?

And the character glossary page is empty for a majority of the story,for some reason. Would have been nice to see a list of at least the side characters (the Russians, the peasants, etc) there, during the parts of the story where they’re actually relevant.

Realtalk, I think this could have been a solid 9/10 for me, but because I hated the stats so much it fell down to like, 8.

I remember that there was an older CoG game that had a big update like a year or two after it first came out because of the stats. I don’t remember the specific issue about the stats since I remember my “1st edition” playthroughs were not that confusing, but apparently a lot of people found the way the stats were handled and coded to be super bad. The author redid how they coded the stats, and now people liked that game even more.

If you ever do like a big update or patch to this, I would love for it to focus on the stats. Maybe just remove the inflation and show us the real numbers. I don’t care if they seem low, as long as the numbers are real. Not that I’m saying that you should do an update now, or even do an upda)te at all… Just you know, a suggestion.

Again, 8/10.

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Really like the game, it’s rare to find a game that actually tries to ‘thread the needle’ between historical verisimilitude and representation of LGBTQIA people. Usually its one or the other, i.e. there’s representation because everybody is just fine with it or it’s ‘historically accurate’ in that it’s not present. I imagine its rare because it’s really difficult, so props for trying and doing a pretty solid job (even if there may be room for improvement, as others have noted).

On a different note, as someone who will 100% never not make a grab for the Forbidden Knowledge when its on offer, is there a ‘happier ending’ vibe for doing so? The achievements feel like they imply that (heading east with a hidden companion) but that’s not the one I got. I don’t need heavy spoilers but some tips would be greatly appreciated. Like do I need to be more pious/traditional? Is accepting the voice just a bad idea and I should only go for the second option? Vice versa?

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@lazlisz, thank you SO much for this detailed analysis. I think this really points the way forward for me, in terms of how to handle the issue of a trans MC at the shiddukh/meeting. I certainly don’t think Moysheh or Basha would be hateful or dangerous, but I think it does make sense that, depending on the playthrough, they might be uncomfortable and uncomprehending or curious and open. I totally see how even a disappointing reaction is better than not knowing… or at least, that that’s the MC’s decision how much exposure to risk.

If there are times that Rivka & Dovid misgender your pronouns when you’re alone with them and out to both of them (or alone with & out to one of them), that is a bug & I’d love a specific description of how to get there, or screenshot. They shouldn’t!

I think I may be able to add some of this (new private name with friends, coming out at dinner to Moysheh/Basha) even before tackling the issue of a more complete social transition in the epilogue… and it sounds like that might be the priority.

@Sujan_Dhakal & @LaReveuse, as far as the stats go: what if I just add an option to the stats page that says something like “I’m code diving, can you uninflate the stats?” Would that solve the problem?

@LaReveuse , I think your guesses about ages are perfectly reasonable, though historically speaking they could also all be a couple of years younger, since (at least aspirationally) people married young in the shtetl… but not necessarily, because especially among poorer people those aspirations didn’t always work out.

As far as the relationship descriptions on the stats page, those were hellish to debug, so if you find cases where they seem really wrong please let me know. I’ll take a look at the “Moysheh agrees to help you get out of the betrothal” case (though, honestly, even if he knows it’s not gonna happen, he might still be head over heels in love… the heart wants what it wants.)

@Fredwary , the inner voice you pick up in the forest is a sheyd/demon and its job is, inevitably, to try to tempt you and mess with your head. That said, a variety of possible relationships end up being possible or at least implied: that you win a contest of wills with the voice, that you ally with it at least temporarily for your mutual benefit, that you reach a modus convivendi where it’s more like a crotchety companionable old roommate, that you get rid of it entirely… all are possible. But also consider leaning into the creepiness of trying to exploit a sinister entity for secret knowledge & power while it’s also trying to corrupt you!

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I’d prefer that without the codediving part (although I realize I’m not the one who was asked :sweat_smile:)

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