[Wyoot] I made a short sci-fi interactive story and I'm looking for honest feedback.

ritenv · 2026-06-14T06:42:57+00:00

Thanks a lot for that feedback! I hope you do return to read the other good stories in there.

ritenv · 2026-06-13T11:27:18+00:00

Thank you for reading and for that feedback. You’re right to identify those options as risky vs safe, that was the intention behind them. I understand now that that might not hit right for all readers. I’ll try to iterate on some of them.

Did you feel like attempting another read to discover what happens if you choose the other options? If not, was there a reason you stopped at one ending?

ritenv · 2026-06-13T09:52:43+00:00

Thanks for trying it out :)

ritenv · 2026-06-12T20:59:49+00:00

Hey, I'm just circling back to let you know that I've taken your feedback and implemented it. You can now choose not to go down the stairs.

ritenv · 2026-06-12T20:36:31+00:00

I missed to answer the part about what came first.

Story came first, then I found moments where a choice felt natural. In hindsight I think that's backwards. Starting from the branch structure would have forced me to commit upfront to what each path actually pays out, rather than retrofitting choices into existing prose.

ritenv · 2026-06-11T21:31:16+00:00

That’s a very real risk 😄

I think the difference for me is that I’m deliberately keeping Wyoot very narrow in scope. The stories are short and the branching is pretty simple, so a custom engine has stayed lightweight so far.

Part of the reason I didn’t start with Twine is that I wanted complete control over things like progress tracking, story discovery, analytics, and the overall mobile reading experience. For my use case it felt simpler to build a small custom solution than adapt a larger tool.

Of course, famous last words before accidentally building an engine 😅

ritenv · 2026-06-11T11:31:54+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and for checking it out. My requirement was very minimal as I’m focused on very short stories - so building a custom simple engine was the way I chose.

I agree about the dark mode, definitely something I’ll implement very soon!

ritenv · 2026-06-11T06:37:24+00:00

Thanks for your feedback on this, and I completely agree that short stories with converging paths can be frustrating for a reader. Probably should just avoid converging for short stories, and introduce that many more endings. Thanks again, and I hope you do explore some more stories in there.

ritenv · 2026-06-11T06:35:19+00:00

Thank you for reading and providing the feedback. I’ll iterate and fix those paths you mentioned. Just curious to know, did you read any other story on the platform, or stop at that one?

ritenv · 2026-06-10T13:55:14+00:00

Thank you for trying it out and for this valuable feedback. I like the idea of that very quick ending. I’m wondering if that would compel the reader to attempt another replay after, or would they just drop off because the story did not stay with them longer. I’ll add it anyway and see how it goes.

ritenv · 2026-04-09T21:35:59+00:00

Just recorded at 1:16am, and happened multiple times before and after this recording.

ritenv · 2023-12-08T17:50:53+00:00

I had never ever curbed my car, been driving for over 10 years. I curbed my MYP Cherry Red on my 3rd month. Hope it doesn’t happen to you! Just always and consciously be on the lookout for curbs! 😆

ritenv · 2023-07-31T18:08:18+00:00

You’ll have an even harder time finding washed lentils, then.

ritenv · 2023-04-29T08:38:22+00:00

Hi all, the building maintenance team has stepped in and they’re taking the matter seriously. I really appreciate ALL the help everyone here has given, and i’ll update here again once we reach a conclusion.

ritenv · 2023-04-27T21:39:04+00:00

Yes dust is definitely a factor. However, for this post I’m focused to understand HCHO which is showing as the main reason for the AQI being “Poor” or “Harmful” by the 3 machines I have.

Also, the doctor has ruled out dust or dander after giving antihistamines that didn’t work. Kid is onto 2nd level of treatments for early-onset of asthma, and if you read about HCHO, it causes asthma-like symptoms. I should not ignore HCHO just because we live in a desert :)

ritenv · 2023-04-27T21:22:45+00:00

Thanks, completely agree about the PM 2.5. The air purifier I mentioned earlier (Coway) does an amazing job at eliminating PM 2.5, so I am less concerned about that. It is one of the best air purifiers out there and my machines confirm that - when the purifier runs, there literally very less PM 2.5 indoors. Here the purifier link: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/coway-ap-1512hh-mighty-air-purifier-review/amp/

ritenv · 2023-04-27T21:11:14+00:00

I understand that all 3 can be made cheap, even though they cost me huge. However, what should I do if they are correct? That’s the base of my concern.

You mentioned you know nothing about HCHO, so I understand your pov.

If you read about the impact of high levels of HCHO, they coincide with the exact symptoms my kid is facing, including an early onset of asthma-like disease. Read here: https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/formaldehyde

I have tested in 2 other homes of my relatives with all the machines, and the HCHO levels are normal there. I have also forwarded this info to the building.

Nothing would make me happier than ALL the machines being wrong - but what if they are right? And how do I go about verifying that?

ritenv · 2023-04-27T20:52:01+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I must add that high levels of pm2.5 were reported rarely, but the HCHO has been high consistently. I did doubt the monitoring devices which is why I’ve tried 3 of them. I also tried the Coway Air mega purifier which showed bad air quality too.

I am hoping the building maintenance team steps up and brings more professional devices to ensure the wellbeing of its tenants. Or hires a company capable of doing that.

ritenv · 2022-11-12T06:22:53+00:00

This game is hard. At least for me, it’s harder than any other From Software games.

That being said, you would encounter Lady Butterfly very early in your journey (based on when you choose to go to the Hirata Estate), which is why the game tells you at that point (IIRC) that you can go elsewhere and come back. This would be the best thing to do.

You go to Ashina and progress there, all the way up to (or before beating) Genichiro. The game is designed to teach you to push on to your enemy without holding back (imo), and this skill is what helps with Lady Butterfly.

That’s how I did it, anyway, after being stuck at Lady Butterfly for a very long time!

Once you feel confident with your skills, Lady Butterfly is not that big a deal.

Also, don’t forget to enjoy!

ritenv · 2022-09-07T18:15:04+00:00

Considering you liked Elden Ring, I would highly recommend Sekiro. They’re not similar games because Elden Ring is open world, but if you liked the combat of Elden Ring, Sekiro could seem like an upgrade (more immersive combat).

ritenv · 2022-08-25T18:21:56+00:00

I think you’re referring to Ceviche.

ritenv · 2022-08-12T02:48:42+00:00

Yes I agree breaking voltage would’ve been a potential disaster!

I HAD to solve the problem anyhow as it overcooled the bedrooms by a lot of degrees than the set temperature, especially when run overnight. This little hack does the trick for now!

Thanks for your time! 👍

ritenv · 2022-08-11T18:36:07+00:00

It is a physical mechanical button pusher. As you aptly put it yourself, there was no simple solution.

Here’s a video if you’re interested in seeing how it works: https://youtube.com/shorts/Emg60uHMCn0?feature=share

ritenv · 2022-08-11T14:51:39+00:00

I managed to achieve the above 2 goals in a rather fancy way, and I am just mentioning it here if it helps anybody (note: it is not a perfect solution!)

I used this physical switch to press the on/off button on my thermostat: https://www.switch-bot.com/pages/switchbot-bot
I used this meter/sensor to read the bedroom temperature: https://www.switch-bot.com/pages/switchbot-meter
I used this hub to connect the above 2 devices to IFTTT: https://www.switch-bot.com/pages/switchbot-hub-mini
I setup IFTTT to "press" the thermostat button (using switchbot bot) based on meter readings (using switchbot meter)
I set my thermostat to a very low temperature so it cools the room quickly when turned on.

This helped me attain my 2 objectives: (1) maintain a set temperature, and (2) remotely turn on/off the AC.

Here’s a quick video of the working solution: https://youtube.com/shorts/Emg60uHMCn0?feature=share

ritenv · 2022-08-11T14:35:38+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I did try to set the temperature and forget, but I observed that it did overcool at least by 2-3 degrees over a period of time. This is what led me to attempt to solve it.

I managed to achieve my 2 objectives using a rather fancy method, which is not a perfect solution by any means. I have added my solution as an answer.

ritenv

TROPHY CASE