Hi everyone :sasa:. Clea has just been released on Steam! No pre-scripted scares—your skills alone determine Clea's fate as she escapes from the Whitlock Mansion.
With multiple endings, secret chapters, as well as unlockable costumes and gallery images, I hope you will enjoy your time with Clea. Perhaps you might challenge and conquer Chaos Mode, which unlocks after your first run :neonya:?
Please remember to pick up that launch week costume via the in-game menu, by the way! Feel free to check out the demo version, which contains 1 of the 2 bonus dresses :vintydelusional:.
Also, in case you missed it, you can rep Without Within in-game with this Vinty mod!
Clea will be released on July 10th! Sometime next week, I will drop a Vinty color alt costume mod for the game, too. I very much hope you can consider wishlisting Clea, then show your boy some support on release day.
Thank you so much :vintysmile:!
The future of Without Within (struggle is real)
Recently, a reader asked about the possibility of a Without Within 1 and 2 remaster. Makes sense, since I would do a far better job now compared to 3-4 years ago.
That is, assuming I have the required budget, and unfortunately, in this saturated market (one that is niche to start with), I lack the sales numbers to justify such an endeavor :vintydread:.
First, I want to say thank you to everyone who sends me these messages. I still get emails telling me Without Within, especially the first one, has inspired people to pursue their dreams. If money were a non-issue, that would be enough fuel for me to continue.
And now, back to the topic at hand. If Vinty's adventures were to continue, some major changes must be in order. Here are a few ideas:
Light novels:
Before Steam Greenlight became a thing, I had spent 10-12 years writing away, hoping to one day complete a novel of publishable standard. If I continued the WOWI series in novel, or at least novella format, that could allow me to fulfil that dream. Light novels, after all, would be far cheaper to produce.
Format shifts:
Alternately, WOWI could remain in visual novel form. It will, however, need to go through drastic format changes. Have you played Narcissu? It would be more along those lines. Less images, and the text takes center stage. To many players, this will be seen as a downgrade.
Translations:
Here comes another hurdle—translation costs. Without Within 1 and 2 featured Chinese translations, but not the third instalment. As a script expands, translation costs also balloon. Visual novels contain more text than traditional games, which restricts localization possibilities.
Full circle:
The first game I published on Steam was Unhack, which attempted to combine storytelling and gameplay. By the way, did you know I program for my day job? In fact, I have loved to code since around 8-9 years old.
With that said, I would like to come full circle and once again put those skills to use. And so, for the foreseeable future, I am going back to traditional games.
Clea:
I would like to introduce you to Clea, a horror title I have been working on:
There is currently a prototype available, with a limited time to submit feedback and have your name listed under special thanks:
In summary, the Without Within series cannot continue in its current format. Still, I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. I hope you can share them with me in the comments below.
Thank you so much! Vinty and I thank you :vintysmile:.
Without Within 3 released!
Hey everyone :vintysmile:. Without Within 3 has just been released!
And oh, here is a heads up; most of my games will go on sale a week before WOWI3 comes out. If you want to get in on some discounts, please check out Steam on April 30th. Hopefully it will be a nice lead into WOWI3's release.
Thank you :excelia:!
Thank you for the past five years (The Last Birdling released)
Hi everyone :excelia:! The recent sales week went very well, so I want to say thank you for that first.
And now for today's announcement—The Last Birdling is out :bibi:!
Bimonia is one of the last Birdlings alive on this earth. The Birdlings see humans as sworn enemies, and Bimonia has been taught to kill on sight.
One day, Bimonia meets Tayo, a human child hunting in the forest. Bimonia fails to kill Tayo, and they instead become friends. Mother will be furious if she finds out, or worse, this relationship may cause tension between the two species to erupt.
The Last Birdling explores Bimonia and Tayo’s fight for their friendship as the world threatens to tear them apart.
Follow Bimonia and Tayo’s journeys from alternating perspectives. With 21 decisions and 5 different endings, The Last Birdling is a culmination of all the lessons I have learned since 2012. There is a progress tracker available, which means players can unlock all the conclusions without any guides. I have also added a glossary feature, so those who wish to dive deeper can immerse themselves in the lore :lulululu:.
I hope you can give The Last Birdling a look and spread the word. As always, a review afterward would be much appreciated, since it will help other gamers out :airin:.
Thank you for the last five years of support :yoyo:!
The Last Birdling: Ten days left! (sales week)
Hi everyone :bibi:. Just one week to go until The Last Birdling launches on Steam. I hope to have your support there and then!
The Last Birdling marks my fifth year not in game development, but at least under the name InvertMouse. I have released a good 5 to 6 titles on Steam now, and they have all taught me valuable lessons.
First, there was Unhack 1, which has many immature traits in retrospect. I must continue to accept critique even when it is for older titles that no longer reflect my skill level.
Then there is Bermuda, which I admit is a failure. I made plenty of management mistakes, and the results are out there for the world to see. Failure is not as scary once you have suffered through it. Please let me stress all the errors are on me, not anyone else on the team.
Next, we have Without Within 1 and 2. Initially, the first game received negative reviews from people who hated anime and/or visual novels. As the days went by, players who fell in love with Vinty have defended these titles. Vinty is kind, but she can also be a jerk. She is simply real.
There was Cursed Sight, featuring a protagonist who had caused some divided opinions. If I were to rewrite this story, I know I can do a much better job.
Then most recently came Unhack 2. This project was once a disaster due to my lack of research on AI. After months of study and rewrites, this project had evolved into my personal favorite. I hope more people may try out this title, because its themes have left me with plenty to think about.
As we count down toward The Last Birdling’s release, my portfolio of games on Steam will be on discount for a week. If there are any titles you have missed, I hope you will give them a chance.
Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well. It was my birthday a few days ago, so I am still in a happy mood :excelia:.
Karousel-k is Vinty's original artist, and she provided the illustrations for both Without Within 1 and 2. This year, due to scheduling conflicts, we have decided to part ways for now. Should we start by thanking her for all the work she has done? Without her art, Vinty and Excelia's stories would not have been the same :vintywhy:.
Today, I would like to introduce you to our new artist, Arisa-Chibara. Here is a preview of her work so far:
And of course, we cannot let a post pass by without Vinty:
With the extra time needed to find our new artist, I have concerns about releasing WOWI3 before Christmas. Since the story takes place in December, a timely release would be great, but quality comes first, so we will see as the months unfold.
In addition to this, I would like to use this chance to share with you my next project, The Last Birdling:
When I reflect, I realize I have been doing this for five years. Not sure if a nobody like me is allowed to brag about a five year anniversary project, but The Last Birdling would meet that criteria, and Without Within 3 as well, of course.
Thank you so much :vintysmile:!
Why I chose Melbourne
I moved from Hong Kong to Australia when I was a kid. Aside from that, our family never went on trips overseas. To put it simply, we couldn't afford to, so for 20 years, I never wandered beyond the borders of my state. That was until I took a trip to Melbourne several years ago on business.
Melbourne is a next door neighbor to me, but I had never been there until that trip. The taxis are of the same model, yet they are yellow instead of white. Those street signs are the same, but Melbourne has way more trams. Melbourne provides both the comfort of home and the excitement of some place foreign. The city connected with me right away :excelia:.
It is important to try new things, but every time I visit Melbourne, I always drop by my usual list of CBD areas. It feels like visiting an old friend. Stress piles on all of us, but when I sit down in Fed Square and watch those trams pass by, I feel at peace.
A few people mentioned Without Within 2 might have sold more copies if it took place in Japan instead. Maybe, probably. I am aware, as I keep a hand on the pulse at all times. Perhaps there also should have been fanservice scenes with Excelia, but Vinty does what she wants. She goes wherever calligraphy takes her, and everything else is gravy.
Without Within 2 is not a secret experiment to brainwash gamers into loving Melbourne. With that said, when I saw that post on the forum about players wanting to visit this city, I was delighted.
While iconic landmarks are great, I prefer to build my own memories. I got lost here yesterday :vintydread:, but now I know this shortcut. Oh, I wonder what is the history behind this building? Damn, the lady in this restaurant had a great sense of humor, but it looks like the place has closed down. More intimate experiences.
A place will never judge you, either. Maybe you bought a mansion yesterday, or perhaps another person just got let out of jail. These streets will continue to exist either way, and you can interact as you see fit. Grin like an idiot while you take that selfie, or call your friends over to hang out. Whatever makes you happy :vintydelusional:.
Without Within 3 will take place in Singapore as well as Malaysia. If I am once again able to share my passion with you through Vinty's adventures, I am thrilled by the opportunity.
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