The Crooked House by Chris OKennon

A crooked house can be the devil to get out of.

A very clever and angry man built a house based on a hyper cube. He had planned to use it to trap his wife in the house forever, or until she eventually starved to death, because once activated there was no way out. Doors led to the wrong rooms, windows led to anywhere but out, and reality would bend.

But while he was showing the house to his wife and some friends, an unexpected earthquake accidentally triggered the house, trapping them all inside.

You have the misfortune of also being in the house. Can you find a way out?

Play online

Review Morgen

12 Jun 2013

A short, slightly creepy game. I finished it in the end, but I found some of the actions were not intuitive. I finally randomly tried to use objects on various people until something worked. I also ended up with a lot of objects that I never used.

Comment GreyOwl

16 Feb 2013

The first key you get has a bit of a problem. If you select it in the Inventory Box then click use, it'll add points to your score. However, it doesn't stop. You can press use all day and earn millions of points...

Comment Gabe Lance

15 Feb 2013

To Jay: Did you ever look at the mac?

> look at mac
A relatively new MacBook Pro. It's currently running a game called, "The Crooked House." The main character is currently looking at the MacBook Pro.

The Mac is running the game you're playing! So by turning off the Mac, you end the game.

Comment Chris OKennon

19 Nov 2012

Thanks for the suggestions. This was a first try, done in an afternoon to learn the system. It brought back a lot of memories, and I will probably take your suggestions when I try again. Thanks!

Review khygann

17 Nov 2012

I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!

Comment Jay Nabonne

17 Nov 2012

I played this a little (didn't solve), but I have some comments that may or may not be helpful. :)

First, it will make the game more enjoyable and have a more "complete" feel if you provide the ability to manipulate what you list in your descriptions, even to the extent of examining them. Here is an example from the opening:

--------
This room looks like a bedroom with an office in one corner. The desk is cluttered and old. A ceiling fan turns lazily overhead with one light bulb burned out. Clothes and personal belongings float about the room as if trained to ignore gravity.

> x fan
I can't see that.

> x desk
The desk is covered in papers, books, and other junk. It has one large drawer.

> open drawer
I can't see that.
--------
A good rule of thumb is that if you mention something in a description, then the player should be able to follow up with that object, as the fact that it's mentioned may be significant (and it is visible, after all). Here is another example:

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You are in the Master Bathroom.
You can see a Mirror (containing a Sheet).
You can go southeast.
This bathroom has a shower, large tub, toilet, lovely double sinks, and a mirror. There is a large window on the north east wall. Mud drips slowly from the tub faucet.

> look at Sheet
A large sheet

> take Sheet
You take the sheet.
You notice that the mirror reflects a room different from the one you are in!

> look at Mirror
Someone has taped a sheet over the entire mirror.

> x tub
I can't see that.

> x faucet
I can't see that.

> x mud
I can't see that.

> x window
I can't see that.
---------

There needs to be some logic for the sheet being on or off the mirror, since the player is changing the room state with actions. Also, you go into such detailed description of the mud oozing from the faucet in the tub, that it seems it should or could be relevant. Even if you put in some basic descriptions, it works better than the default "I can't see that."

Finally, I turned off the Macbook Pro, a

Comment khygann

17 Nov 2012

I'm gonna try this!