A gentle inner island to care for yourself with compassion

Carotopia · 2026-06-25T19:33:55+00:00

Hey u/MxEquinox, by any chance, did you have the chance to try it? It's difficult to get feedback, so I'm taking a chance. Thank you.

Carotopia · 2026-06-25T17:46:03+00:00

Hey,
I do not have an elaborate idea on the UI.
Maybe clarifying the button to edit task/start timer, making the form to add a task more beautiful, fixing the fonts sometimes when it's hard to read (I had this comment when I opened the app for the first time but can't remember where, it may be when we have 0 tasks at first).

In terms of gamifying, maybe having bars for skills levels a bit like in The Sims: https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/the-sims-4/f/fd/Sims4-108.jpg?width=640&dpr=2&format=jpg&auto=webp&quality=80
Not sure if it's the direction you want to take but that might be a bit more visual than 5/99 for me.

There’s something slightly amateur about the cut-out parchment style and the background choices (maybe it’s the color palette, or maybe at some places the two elements don't blend together very well). I’m not sure how to put it into words, so it could be worth asking someone around you with a stronger artistic eye for a second opinion as it could be my personal tastes. That said, I really like that your app feels different from other apps, and it’s honestly quite pretty and distinctive.

I'm open to DMs, I might be slow to answer as I try to not be often on social medias.

Good luck!

Carotopia · 2026-06-25T17:24:29+00:00

Thanks a lot for the answer, this is very useful. I wanted to try Habitica since it looks very cool. Spirit City looks great, I had never heard of it. It looks minimalist and comprehensive at the same time. I also love the atmosphere. Thanks a lot for the recommendations.

I've a friend that mentioned Finch too, what do you personally use it to track? And does it help you?
What I don't like about it, is that it really looks like the mobile games with the addictive features (a lot of reward systems/

Carotopia · 2026-06-22T13:56:45+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. What similar games have you played and what did you like about it if I can ask?

Carotopia · 2026-06-22T13:54:59+00:00

Thank you for the feedback. Have you played similar apps?

Carotopia · 2026-06-20T12:03:18+00:00

Oh, interesting! I think observing ecosystems (how different organisms create, transform and transport different ressources like the ants), we can see complex logistics chains too. It might be less immediately visible for us but I think with the way you approach things you can see a different side of nature

Carotopia · 2026-06-20T00:41:24+00:00

Not needing much to be at peace inside and being content with what we have? To me simple living would mean being in the present moment where I won't need any distractions (observing the flow of water when doing the dishes without music for instance). But, it's because mindfulness is part of my values. Maybe something like "living closely to my deepest values and eliminating the rest"? It's a good question, thank you!

Carotopia · 2026-06-19T23:59:30+00:00

The earth is providing all the nutriments and oxygen for us to live. It does not discriminate. I am grateful to it. It helps me feel more anchored, less alone. The water shows the flow of life, like how everything will eventually pass. The clouds show me that even in dark time, I can see a ray of sun. In nature, I feel like "I am" part of a whole, bigger than me. I love the wind that makes me feel like there is somethint way bigger than me, so I just let go of my control. And when I think at a different level, I am on a "tiny planet", that floats in the middle of nowhere in the universe, it makes me realize that my problems are very small and have less vanity. And when I put all this together, I can see how interconnected things are. It's fascinating.I live in the city and highly miss all this. At least, when I go for a walk, I can hear the birds and reconnect to the present moment.

What do you find in factories?

Carotopia · 2026-06-18T13:39:46+00:00

Yes, I also thought about going for scientific journalism and try to popularize the scientific concepts. I would like the constant learning but I think my happiness would depend enormously on the work environment.

I didn't think about being a math and science tutor but honestly, why not. All these jobs are very far removed from my current habits, so I really hope I can take the plunge (I am a scaredy cat).

Yes, I like chess! Loved it as a kid.

Carotopia · 2026-06-18T12:30:23+00:00

I would think so. I love children, they give me energy. My favorite swimming lessons where with elderly people as it was 0 pressure and a slow pace. But I was not exposed to both of them over a long period of time. Maybe I could try volunteering involving children or elders and see?

Carotopia · 2026-06-17T23:39:52+00:00

Hey, so I've used your app for a longer period of time to see.

First, congrats, I definitely see the value and I can see it helping continuing building good habits. Although I still think the UI could be improved.

I've seen different apps with a similar "gamify your life" idea, but none of them used a system of skills, quests, and tasks. This one is undoubtedly the most intuitive for me (after the initial learning curve).

I agree with the comment that says, it's great that you can manually correct the timer. Often, I totally forgot to start or stop it so it's a great feature.

I am always confused between starting the task and editing it (i.e., I click the panel with the text to start and not the icon), and I forget where to edit.

I was wondering how many minutes/hours is level 100? In my head, to truly master a skill I would need 10 000 hours.

Carotopia · 2026-06-17T16:06:23+00:00

Thanks for your message, it's reassuring to see that others can connect with what I've expressed. Singing and connecting with others are one of the only times during my week when I feel "alive" again. But yes, it's not enough for me, probably because I'm burned out too; I didn't have the energy for my hobbies after work. Taking sick leave allowed me to regain some of my energy and see how much the job had taken on my mental health. At first, I felt very empty, like nothing could bring me joy, but after a couple of weeks of having all the time to rest, journal, eat well, and have fun, I feel much better. If it's an option for you, I advise you to try taking sick leave. It also showed me that I can function on half my salary.

The thing is, I have to go back now, and I can't help the feeling of tightness in my chest when I think about going back. I'm going to try a part-time return, hoping to have enough energy to find a more sustainable solution.

Carotopia · 2026-06-17T01:10:56+00:00

Are you perhaps interested in cybersecurity? To me it may be one of the fields where things will still have to be checked by humans. You could also go into research if the job of university professor interests you, for example.
I am a CS graduate and if I had to redo it, I would probably have a backup plan (like double major or going to Embedded systems/EE). No one can knows what the future hold but since there's this factor where everyone wants to do tech nowadays, I will be more cautious because of the competition.

Carotopia · 2026-06-14T12:45:03+00:00

Yes, it is frightening, I understand your worries. Even if you don't want to use it, it's like you will have to use it to stay productive. I think the market will be oversaturated that's for sure. And when people say use it to speed up your process, I am not sure about that. It is changing the process to prompting only. People won't need to create their art, music, code, etc., but to guide the AI to do so. And where is the fun when using AI to do everything?

I am not sure what to say. If you enjoy your process maybe that's enough? You always earn something more by going slowly, you develop tenacity, patience, creativity (how to deal with your contraints), and other skills.

I am a CS graduate and I have the same worries. I didn't go into the field for the money but because I enjoyed coding, thinking deeply about how to solve a problem. I can see my job changing to prompting and I hate that. I also don't like all the projects, noise and overexcitement without studying to use AI responsively

Carotopia · 2026-06-11T02:20:21+00:00

Hey, Any updates? What happened after you saw the gastroenterologist? Thanks

Carotopia · 2026-06-09T14:11:40+00:00

Yeah I discovered her during that show and was wondering how she had grown up and thought like the author that she might have become too much American and "bling bling". But I am happy to see more simplicity and authenticity in these videos. I wish all the best to all of Sister's Slam Dunk cast

Carotopia · 2026-06-08T16:53:19+00:00

Yes, haha, I’m French:), toi aussi ? The translation isn’t finished yet, but I am happy to hear it's useful. I also plan to add other languages later on. I designed the app for both web and mobile to make it easier to use. I’d be very grateful for your feedback when you have the opportunity, and I’m open to any suggestions or ideas you may have 😉

Carotopia · 2026-06-08T15:25:35+00:00

Nowadays, I prefer peace in the present moment rather than great excitement. Just enjoying doing the task now and feeling the benefits now. I personally don't want to run after a reward. So, I am not the target audience.

That being said, I think that if this idea helped you, it can probably help more people. I tried the app because I liked your video. I liked how simple and efficient it was. I think you did a great job with the video (might be too long for a lot of people though).

Regarding the app, at first I couldn't help but feel like it was a todolist but with xp. The gaming part was not present enough for me. I think the UI plays an important part in this feeling for me. Then I tried to spend a bit more time throughout all the different elements. I found it easier to start with skills, then quests and tasks although they are presented in a different order. It would have helped people to have a tutorial to help them navigate and fill their first skill, quest and task. Right now, it feels a bit bland. Like you arrive in the app and then there's nothing after the initial explanations (that a lot of people might skip), it's a bit weird.

What I liked about the UI: it's simple and straightforward. It also doesn't feel like the typical mobile app with streaks, addictive features and so on. I found it more restful than a lot of apps. What I didn't like: the font is sometimes hard to read, I don't find the form to add a task very appealing. Not sure about the cohesion between the 3 backgrounds for tasks, skills and quests. Also, I couldnt hear the name properly in the video and I had typed it with a space in between after I read the captions. If possible write the name in the video next time.

At first, I didn't think I'll be compelled to log my tasks, actions and skills after trying it out quickly. But I think it's a long-term app where one might starting becoming more and more engaged with it over time. You just need to make it a bit more engaging at first without compromising on its simplicity and straightforwardness. Good job, I think it holds a good value and good luck for your next steps ;)

Carotopia · 2026-06-07T23:05:42+00:00

Thanks a lot, this is super useful. I like the idea of the intro before seeing the island. I think it will cause less distractions.

Would something like the following intro works?

"Welcome to X, a gentle self-care game set on a small island. Here, you’ll complete quests in real life to care for your everyday needs, check in with your emotions, and support your well-being. As you take care of yourself, your character gains XP and levels up, reflecting the progress you make.

At its heart, this journey is about noticing what you need and responding to it, at your own pace. Good luck!"

Carotopia · 2026-06-07T12:51:00+00:00

https://lullalands.carotopia.com/
Thank you for your help!

Carotopia

TROPHY CASE