Whitefield Academy of Witchcraft by Eaten By A Grue

Fantasy
Quest
The year is 1957, and the place is lush, storm-tossed Stinglash Island, just off the north coast of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. You are Page LeBlanc, witch in training, and you've returned for another year at dear old Whitefield...and it's definitely not your fault you're a day late.

You arrive to find an empty dock. A locked building. And evidence that the day you missed wasn't just another typical first day at school.

Make use of five different magic spells, meet a cast of quirky classmates, and fully explore the Academy grounds...damaging property, unbalancing ecosystems, and eating way too much gingerbread along the way.

This is the beta version of the game; it should be fully playable and possible to complete, but much of the flavor and scenery is yet to be fleshed out, and a lot of things that seem like they should do something don't. I'm continually making small updates and adding more detail. Please report bugs or problems to me, especially if you get completely stuck or something seems illogical or broken -- that way I can make the game the best it can be!

Tips for playing:
To cast a spell on something, use the name of the spell as a verb.
Look at everything, including yourself. Sometimes item descriptions include hints on how to proceed.
You can't die and it should not be possible to put the game in an unwinnable state, so try everything!
Play online
Review TheThornthwaite
18 Dec 2023
Keeps freezing when you get to a certain point in the game
Comment Ip Man
31 May 2023
Very much enjoying this game. Foolishly stayed up until 3 in the morning the other day playing instead of working on my own game or sleeping. Did anyone else notice that saving the game results in a file called "shitefield" academy instead of Whitefield?
Review Crystal16767
26 May 2023
it just shows me the same thing. I'm just wandering around the greenhouse and school. i can't go anywhere else
Comment bigtpsychoboy
05 May 2022
Update: So I just typed some non-sense words and did a find on the page. Any new I am typing or commands is somehow appearing randomly in the middle of ALL of the saved text. Meaning I have to scroll up to an arbitrary spot.

I guess I have to start over. I don't see anyway this can be fixed. Someone can share their thoughts if they think they can fix it, but otherwise I have to start over unfortunately.
Comment bigtpsychoboy
05 May 2022
I am not sure what happened, but I saved my progress and had to reload. Now, whenever I type any commands nothing shows up on screen. It just shows the old text. The map still moves around and my turn counter goes up, but I can't see the results of any input. I have cleared the browser cache, cookies, and even tried a different browser.

Besides starting over, is there anything else I can try?
Comment Lornar
08 Mar 2022
Great fun - although I would recommend SAVING FREQUENTLY, as the game seems to have a nasty habit of hanging and then timing out so that you lose all your progress. Otherwise excellent. Very helpful map.
Comment FromAtoZany
04 Feb 2021
Eaten By A Grue: great game! Where can we send errata? I ran into several typos and a couple of bugs (in addition to the oft-mentioned crashing of the online version).
Review FromAtoZany
04 Feb 2021
Wow. Amazing. I'd give it ten stars if I could.
Impressive use of extras (illustrations, map), great little references to the classics (including HITCHHIKER'S and ZORK) and -- ahem -- not-quite-classics (RETURN TO ZORK, GABRIEL KNIGHT), engaging storyline, and clear narrative. Solid puzzles, and everything made logical sense.
Since it's a beta release, I'm forgiving of the typos and the occasional bugs, and there's a lot more potential for fleshing out of various responses and adding flavor text. The biggest issue: I had to play it on my downloaded version of Quest: online version kept freezing up (not sure why) and reloading the page started me back at square one.
Truly a terrific job!
Review serenity56
01 Jan 2021
It was just showing me the same thing and it was not changing the screen and I couldn't do anything
Comment kate5
07 Sep 2020
So good! thank you!
Review Dr.Ryan
02 Sep 2020
Very fun, and just the right length. There were a couple of places where, as the author noted, things seemed important but had no real use at all, and there were a couple of puzzles in which the solution didn't quite make sense (the way to get past the barricade, for instance). But definitely enjoyable and well worth a play through!
Comment Dr_ofWarfare
02 Jun 2020
I can't get past the white screen; I'm new to text adventures, so could I get some help? I want to try this but I'm not sure how to continue.
Comment ultimatenormster69
29 Mar 2020
Really interesting premise, the problem is the game keeps crashing on me. I implore you, game-maker, to make this game browser-friendly! I play on a Mac, so I can't download/open the game, unfortunately.
Comment XanMag
22 Jun 2019
Hopefully this crashing isn’t a common issue while playing this online. It is one of my favorites. Those who have successful played online, please comment to let us know it still works. If not, we will have to figure out what’s going on. It definitely a game all TA’ers should play.
Comment ultimatenormster69
17 Jun 2019
The game keeps crashing after I reach the classrooms, tried multiple times and it just keeps crashing, hopefully I'm not the only one, I really wanna continue the game without interruptions D: I'll try downloading it, see if that does anything argh
Comment HawkOfYggdrasil
26 Mar 2019
This game is super well written and I'm incredibly curious to solve the mystery. Unfortunately, I've tried it a few times and it keeps crashing (doesn't process last command, or is taking forever to do so, and won't accept new commands). I tried to bypass this by saving occasionally, but when it crashed and I had to refresh it just started over from the beginning. I really do want to see where it goes, though, so I'm going to see if it works any better when downloaded.
Comment Always The Dreamer
28 Oct 2018
This was fun! A few of the hints were a little too vague: I had to rely on a key I found online to get through some of the scenes. But it was an intriguing story and a good game.
Review cubkent
14 Aug 2018
Looks like it could be really good, but the game keeps ending on me and telling me to refresh my browser? When I do I'm back to square one (or wherever I saved last) which makes it a bit unplayable....
Review penelope_sunscri
02 Jul 2018
I am not far but I LOVE THIS!

A small thing I found, when you search the terrarium in the laboratory, it says "it appear" instead of "it appears"

small but I'm a grammar nerd ;)

Thanks for creating such an amazing game!!!
Review Slayer78
19 Feb 2018
It was cool, but I couldn't find away inside, because the front doors were locked. I really liked the map though. How did you get that on?
Comment geekingangel
13 Feb 2018
I'm having trouble getting the game to save, despite my love for it and wanting to complete the storyline. Any suggestions? I really want to finish this game!
Review geekingangel
22 Jan 2018
Really love it.
Review blackknight
02 Dec 2017
A very fine game.
Review Krizzl
18 Nov 2017
This was my first text adventure. I think it was a good start, because everything was well thought out, there were just enough hints to solve the quizzes and it wasn't too hard or too easy.
Review Tallennar
24 Oct 2017
One of the best text adventure games I've ever played. It really makes you think about the solutions to many problems, and the descriptions are vivid enough that I can see the scenes playing out in my head.
Review Natloud
22 Aug 2017
Engaging, addictive and exciting!
Review PhilippaJane
06 Aug 2017
So much fun - great universe.
Review GameofChocolate
04 Jul 2017
The game was very well written and was done in my favorite format, but I couldn't figure out the library books, or how to memorize yeggle, or where the last food item was at to eat, or how to get past the barricade. Unfortunately I'm giving up as I have to go off and do RL things now. Mostly loved the game, even despite not completing it.
Comment 645Kitty
27 May 2017
I can't get out of Ms. Griselwood's kitchen. It says I freed Mary Jane but the scene still says she's in the cage and I can't leave :(
Comment GamerBunny22
11 Mar 2017
I can't get through the beginning!
Review archerqueen08
30 Jan 2017
Very good!!
Review Watsonworms
09 Jan 2017
I really enjoyed this game as is. I did get stuck at a couple points, but with some internet help got through the puzzles. There were always clues for the puzzles when I needed them, I just didn't always out two and two together.🤦

It could be updated to provide more throwaway text to let you look at more objects that are mentioned in room descriptions, but there's an impressive amount of text here already. (Found a single typo - "chamber" was used instead of "clamber")
Comment Watsonworms
09 Jan 2017
"The wooden stairs underfoot creak as you chamber up" should be "clamber", right?
Comment Watsonworms
09 Jan 2017
Jenny doesn't know anything about MJ, but she calls Mary Jane "MJ". Seems she should know who you're talking about.
Comment ilovezip
03 Oct 2016
Kinda confusing, but overall, super fun. Maybe add more hints?
Comment murphysmate
23 Aug 2016
I think I found a glitch, when you 'ask for poseidon's treasure' the automat says it has given you the book, and registers that you have a book out, but does not give you the book. This means you cannot get any books out. It only happens when you use the phrase 'ask for poseidon's treasure' exactly.
Review outerspacekat
04 Aug 2016
Fantastic game.
Comment Jinxxbabyx
03 Aug 2016
A full walk through is available here: http://www.plover.net/~davidw/sol/w/white14a.html
Comment charliegreen
03 Jul 2016
Wolfheart101,

"inventory" prints "You are carrying a wand, Miss Twitch's Self-Filling Spellbook, a school ID, a knapsack, a greenhouse maintenance manual, a Yeggle advisory, a trashy romance novel, a life magic textbook, a sternly glowering toy monkey, a notepaper, an alchemy textbook, a punchbowl, lurid four color trash, a pair of tweezers, a bleached flag, a dragon fang extractor, a soaked sponge, a big pickle jar, Tally McBride and a civvies." If I'm inside the Atomic Yank, the food pill still doesn't show up in my inventory, though examining it says "It's kind of hard to see it where it is" as opposed to the "I can't see that" from every other room. I've eaten a sandwich, crackerjack, blackberries, the gift basket, the pie, a salmon, and quite a lot of gingerbread. Thanks for your help!
Comment Wolfheart101
29 Jun 2016
charliegreen,

What is in your inventory? And what HAVE you eaten?

~Wolfheart
Comment charliegreen
21 Jun 2016
I love this game! I'm stuck right now, though; I've eaten everything I've found except the food pill, which I can't get out of my ear. When I say "take pill with tweezers" it just says "I can't see that." "look at me" says that I'm stuffed and 5 pounds overweight, and I don't think I can get through the gingerbread door until I eat one more thing. Any ideas?
Review Wolfheart101
17 May 2016
This is an excellent game, by far one of my favorites. However, I do think there ought to be a few more hints. I had to look up how to solve several problems. Other than that, a great game.
Also, I agree with Amadea. It is nice to know there are games out there that don't depend on killing.
Review kpaquette
27 Apr 2016
look
Review Amadea
14 Apr 2016
Excellent game. So glad there's some creative stuff like this out there. It gives me hope that video games can still be about more than just killing stuff o_o
Well written with Lots of creative puzzles ^_^
Comment XanMag
23 Mar 2016
If you can be a little more specific, people who have played/beaten this would be glad to help!
Comment Wfrg
23 Mar 2016
Stuck. Already.
Review IFforClassroom
27 Feb 2016
The best Harry Potter fan fiction I've ever seen. What fun!
Comment tiki_76
24 Sep 2015
ho do i unlock the school and/or greenhouse because at the moment i'm a stuck!!!
Comment ChrisSmith4773
12 Sep 2015
Eaten by a Grue - Not sure if you're still active on the site, but I was just wondering how long it took to create this adventure. I'm planning something of a similar size myself so I was curious. Excellent story!
Comment ChrisSmith4773
12 Sep 2015
Azzou - not sure if you're still stuck, but to get the key you need to use a spell found nearby.
Review ChrisSmith4773
12 Sep 2015
Absolutely wonderful game. Just finished it. I got stuck twice, once at the very beginning and also couldn't figure out how to get the book in the terrarium. (In hindsight I feel stupid for not figuring that one out myself.) My only small criticisms would be that it was annoying when objects would change names when you picked them up (especially books) and it could use a little more "fleshing out" when it comes to descriptions. Objects that are mentioned in room descriptions were not examinable, and sometimes it was tricky to figure out exactly how to do certain things - you needed to phrase things correctly.

These are very minor quibbles though. All in all it was an excellent story!
Comment Azzou
03 Aug 2015
I'm stuck at the beginning. I thought I was supposed to use the blackberries to distract the water snake to get the key for the gate... But I was wrong :(
Any hints?? No?no? Never mined o.O
Review spearcarrier
30 Jul 2015
It has potential, but the game kept coming up incomplete in certain areas or simply would have an error as it looked for missing code.

Trying to figure out verbs is one thing, but a little help is nice on these things. Even when the game gave you a hint on what command to use, it was no good as my husband and I both couldn't figure out. We didn't get very far in because of these problems. I wouldn't recommend it.
Comment IwishIwasaDog
25 Jul 2015
Terribly sorry, I just noticed the Resume button. I was trying to do from within the game.

Please delete my comments here.
Comment IwishIwasaDog
25 Jul 2015
How do I load my saved game? Thanks.
Review iwillbegentle
24 Jul 2015
Great game.

It can be a little frustrating until you figure out the correct verbs to use - not the spells though, the spells were easy to use and I thought the way they were utilized was clever - but after I got into the swing of the things I had a lot of fun.

I would definitely recommend this to others, but I'd also explain the controls first so they don't have to struggle to get into the game.
Comment flossie
20 Jul 2015
it's quite hard, i can't get past the garden/ fountain part
Comment XanMag
31 May 2015
Unfortunately, I think that if you time out, you cannot restore unless you've saved it previously. This is the reason I download games. I hope I'm wrong, but I think you need to restart.
Comment cdonegan778
30 May 2015
How do I play from a saved point? I left for a few hours and came back to keep playing, but it said my session had expired and I had to start over... can I go back to where I last saved, right before I left?
Comment sandstorm320
20 May 2015
I've come across a possible bug, I don't know if anyone else has encountered this. When in the kitchen and the villain drinks the potion after the special ingredient has been added I get this error:
Error Running Script: Only one wait can be in progress at a time.

Otherwise great game!
Comment Kimby
14 May 2015
Okay, I got it. I found it in the inventory. I couldn't find it because the book has another name.

The game is great. I love the way you write :)
Comment Kimby
14 May 2015
Hey, I'm stuck. I saved Jenny. Then I gave the automat the right book and ask for Poseidon's Treasures. It said the book materializes in my hands. But it is not in my inverntory.
I tried take book, read book, open book and look at book. Nothing works and I don't know what I have to do next.

@lightwriter: Just write the spell and then write the object, which you want to enchant. But you have to spell it right.
Review lightwriter
07 May 2015
Too hard, I don't know what verbs to use on what
Comment lightwriter
06 May 2015
I'm stuck, I don't get how to use spells...
Comment Nixanoro
03 May 2015
Never mind, I was spelling it Cyroglaze not Cryoglaze.
Comment XanMag
02 May 2015
Lol...

Here. In game description: "To cast a spell on something, use the name of the spell as a verb."
Comment XanMag
02 May 2015
Been a while since I played, but I think it's just "use cryoglaze" or "say cryoglaze". Also, make sure you spell cryoglaze correctly. In your comment you have it spelled wrong. I think...
Comment Nixanoro
02 May 2015
How do you use a spell? I've tried to use Cyroglaze, but it hasn't worked.
Review Lighthouse
30 Apr 2015
Here's an idea: add a lighter so that you can smoke that high-quality, sun-dried tobacco from Kansas. Ahh yes.
Review MisterPibb316
29 Apr 2015
Loads and loads of content, which is certainly a plus, given that even good Quest games tend to be easily beatable in 20 minutes. My main concern is the lack of automated buttons for actions (some Quest games have buttons for 'look at', 'take', etc., so that you don't have to keep typing those commands in... WAoW doesn't, and it makes gameplay tedious.) I also think that playing this game would have been a more enjoyable experience if it was a GameBook (presented CYOA style), or perhaps as a point-and-click game in another engine.

Regardless, I appreciate the layers of depth in the game's puzzles, even if I certainly wouldn't have been able to have beaten it without a walkthrough.
Review pappudoo
12 Apr 2015
What a fantastic game! Wonderful writing, great setting and context (the historical details were especially fun), engaging characters (with adorable art of all of them), and fascinating puzzles. My only complaint is that since it's difficult enough to require hints, it would be wonderful if there were some kind of hints file or function, because wading through the comments looking for specific hints takes almost as long as trying to figure them out within the game. Other than that, five stars for this game!
Comment PattyBlossom
09 Apr 2015
Loading took ages.. is it normal?
Comment mstahl
04 Apr 2015
I hope you're working on a sequel, Grue. I played through this again today to see how much I remember and to get a deeper feel for the game design, and I really like these characters. I feel like there's a lot of potential to tell an expanded story with an even more extensive repertoire of spells. You've inspired me to try to get more deeply involved in the IF community.
Review XanMag
04 Mar 2015
4.5

Excellently written. Nice artwork to break up the text. Cleverly planned storyline.

Fear the automat - had a little difficulty with that bugger.

Thanks for a fun game!
Comment XanMag
04 Mar 2015
This was well written with a nice story line. Kudos.

I got a little frustrated with the automat library thing. The book names are different in the inventory than in the automat and one of the books (can't remember which one) disappeared from my inventory, but the automat recognized that I still had it and I couldn't get another one. I had to look up whitefield academy of witchcraft walkthrough on google to discover the name of the book I needed to return.

Also, and this is much more minor, I was a little peeved at the lipstick covered note. It's pretty obvious what had to be done with it, but (and maybe I missed something earlier), I didn't realize that I had to be in the proper room to make the note "work".

Other than that, I really did love the game. The writing was stellar, the puzzles were well thought out, and the entire story was well crafted, which obviously took some time and dedication, which is much appreciated for a dorky gamer like myself.

Overall, very nice game. Thank you!
Comment Silver
27 Feb 2015
The game is officially still in beta and it seems the author has left the building. If you need help I suggest you ask over on the intfiction forums as she posts over there so might get to see it.
Comment deboriole
23 Feb 2015
I found a few bugs... if you put the blackberries in the terrarium hopper in the laboratory and then take them back, you get the same description from when you picked them in the first place, back at the bushes. Also, when I try to read the greenhouse manual, it says "Error running script: No verb response defined."
Review LordDavius
22 Feb 2015
As a long-time fan of the text-based adventure genre, I've played my fair share of these types of games. I can comfortably say that Whitefield Academy of Witchcraft is one of my new favorites. It's a fun, challenging game with a comfortable length and an incredibly enjoyable storyline.

In particular, I found the references to 50's sci-fi, classic fairy tales, and other tropes very clever. Rescuing Renee and Mary Jane were really fun moments thanks to these references.

SPOILERS BELOW!

Speaking of Mary Jane, I do have a few very minor nitpicks, though nothing that would lower my rating at all:
- I would have liked more development into the relationship between Mary Jane and Jenny. Obviously, between the comment about Jenny's "lewd conduct", Jenny's response to being kissed (yeah, I went there), and the way she and MJ talk about one another, it seems obvious to me that they are romantically involved, or at least want to be. I would have liked more on this subplot, maybe even a side mission where you get them to admit their feelings. This may have slowed the pacing of the game, though, and I don't begrudge Eaten By A Grue for leaving it out.
- The dialogue options with the characters themselves felt really limited. I liked hearing their opinions of the other students (when they had them, more on that later), but I would have liked to hear, say, Traudel's feelings on the school itself or to ask Tally about the letter from Ayn Rand. Gwen and Renee didn't hardly have opinions on ANYTHING, even other students. For Renee this wasn't so bad, since she's an introverted bookworm, but Gwen is built up the whole game as a badass rebel genius who clashes with almost everyone except Page, and then you meet her and she doesn't seem to have anything to say whatsoever.
- Speaking of Traudel, her character felt really underdeveloped. She had a very interesting file and backstory, and everyone seemed to have an opinion on her, but when you finally meet her, she climbs
Review stella1
22 Feb 2015
I failed to review the first time I played it, so here's to a second time around.

This game is fully of puzzles that I think are very good at hinting at the solutions, although a few had to be a stretch of the imagination and a bit of guess work. I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of the narratives, from the student profiles to the romance novel and the protagonist's commentaries, which vividly painted an amusing picture of how the school functioned. I thoroughly enjoyed that the setting was fleshed out with the right balance - one that gave enough information and a bit more to get a general idea of the setting and the clues needed to continue with the adventure, but not an overbearing amount of unnecessary detail.

One thing I noticed was that you also threw in historical context in there - given the time period, that you threw in the existence of anti-miscegenation laws and a mention of the Japanese internment camps. I appreciated that attention to detail.

I think that there are definitely a few bugs to work out (when I read the manual on the greenhouse/other books after the first time, I get an error message), but I overall found this game quite hilariously enjoyable.
Comment Grondhammar
21 Feb 2015
Is everyone playing this game stuck? Is there any help besides looking at other people's comments saying they're stuck? I love the atmosphere of the game and much of it is well done. But having LOOKed at literally everything I can, and having gone everywhere I can (which isn't through any barriers besides getting inside the school itself with the gnome-key), I am totally stuck. Someone needs to write up a walkthrough at least.

Review DaNiX88
17 Feb 2015
A very, very great game. Although un-chronologically, this was the second game I have played created by Eaten by a Grue, and it also failed to disappoint me. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the story as the game was played and could imagine a whole book's worth of a plot while completing challenges that were both logical, and difficult.

Also, the humour.

I also really enjoy the alternate endings and thing that increasing the amount of possible endings to the games, these could be rated even greater than 5. Keep up the hard work Eaten by a Grue!
I truly look forward to your next game!
Review Happykid44
16 Feb 2015
I really liked the game. It was a bit complicated until I realized you had to try everything possible and look at everything that you possibly could. It was a lot of fun!
Comment zealousTirade
12 Feb 2015
great game! very confusing at some times, but the story is perfect
Comment Happykid44
08 Feb 2015
Also I can't the pill out of my ear either. How do I go about doing that?
Comment Happykid44
08 Feb 2015
How do I get the gnome out of the fountain?
Review Allonsy
07 Feb 2015
Great game!
Comment Allonsy
07 Feb 2015
Like mchla, I can't get the food pill out of my ear... I try to use: take pill with *item*, but it just says, "I can't see that". I'm pretty sure I'm stuck for now until I can get it out.
Review plzwork1122
31 Jan 2015
I got stuck forever in this game but it is awesome.
Comment mchla
19 Jan 2015
How do I get the food pill out of my ear?
Comment TeCoolX
15 Jan 2015
I ate everything, have a papercut, and I'm 5 pounds overweight, and I still haven't found anyone except Gwen, who's frozen. Where do I find the book I've borrowed, and what does the life magic textbook want? I'm really stuck, help!
Comment TacoExpress
15 Jan 2015
Hey, I believe I've discovered an error: I can no longer read my Greenhouse Maintenance Manual.

> read manual
Error running script: no verb response defined

I don't know, it could just be me...?
Comment TacoExpress
13 Jan 2015
okay, so I got past the barrier, but I can't seem to figure out how to get through the broken window, or through the darkness in the sea, or how to make myself a cage.
Comment TacoExpress
13 Jan 2015
Hey so I'm enjoying this game alot but I seem to be stuck on where to go next. I can't seem to find the missing library book, or figure out how to get past the herbaceous horror. I've searched every nook and cranny I can find, and I don't know where to go next. Help?
Comment AxeEcliptica
04 Jan 2015
Hey Raven, have you gone upstairs yet? I got stuck there... I forgot you could go upstairs at the rotunda. There you find the library and china hutch. That's where I'm currently stuck :P
Comment AxeEcliptica
01 Jan 2015
I love how you can use aurale on the sandwich
Review Amanda12
30 Dec 2014
Excellent game! I got stuck a few times, and had to read the comments to figure it out, but I was eventually able to solve all the puzzles, even though I am a newbie to text games. I loved all the details. Very good!
Comment ravensblood
29 Dec 2014
i love this game but im stuck how do i help Gwen I've done everything i can and i can't do anything someone please HELP!!!!!!




Comment Fillerbunny
28 Dec 2014
Nickolai, try 'ask mirror about X' (someone's name, or a spell, for example).
Comment Nickolai
28 Dec 2014
Ugh, so the mirror at the entrance to the school must have some picky syntax. How do I interact with it? Or is it meant to not be interacted with since it's "unreliable" lol
Comment Fillerbunny
28 Dec 2014
Loving this game! But now oh, so stuck... I've rescued Jenny, Tally and Renee; have five spells; I have the silver, bit of tree and spellbase for the potion; but cannot work out what to do next. Where is this cavern/darkness/water that I see people talking about? I'm wondering if I've missed an entire area somehow!
Comment Ling
21 Dec 2014
Wait! Never mind. I got it! Hahaha. Having so much fun figuring things out.
Comment Ling
21 Dec 2014
Hi! I love that these comments nudge you in the right direction without giving the answer right away. So I'll make this question as spoiler free as possible. I'm having a bit of trouble using a particular spell on a particular locked door. I've tried all the word combinations i could think of: (spell name) locked door, (spell name) locked (room name) etc. but it still doesn't work.
Comment Yanfei
04 Dec 2014
I collected the flag and want to put it into the washing machine. I already figured out that use lever will start the machine, but then the flag isn't inside.
Review bluejay14
30 Nov 2014
It kept me playing for a long time. The only thing I can't figure out is how to use keys. It keeps saying that I can't use it. Great job!
Review hermes8869
27 Nov 2014
The only thing bad I have to say about the game is that when I come back to resume a saved game, it starts at the very top and then auto scrolls agonizingly slowly down to the bottom and it won't let you just jump there. If you try, it jumps back to where it was and continues to scroll down. It's very annoying. other than that though, I like the puzzles and the story. A very good game overall.
Review silverstormgirl
22 Nov 2014
This was a really awesome game. It took me a while to master the syntax, but everything you need is usually easily locatable. most everything has a purpose. things that need fixing are mostly edits.

great job!!
Comment Kim75
11 Nov 2014
Yay finished game! But regarding your comment about the beat up, Grue: in many ways the nonviolent solution feels harsher than the violent one. And it was blatantly suggested, so of course it would be attempted more often.
Comment Kim75
11 Nov 2014
Nevermind. But something should be written to tell player the door's already unlocked/open.

Problem 2: I've lost my matches... do I REALLY need them? I got to the "final fight" but I felt bad about bleepin' up Henrietta, so I undid it. Will the matches HELP to nonviolently convince her this time?
Comment Kim75
10 Nov 2014
Need help! I'm wearing the glasses In office but being told it "can't see that" nor the painting....
Review quixote
05 Nov 2014
Not many games keep me interested enough to stick with them long, especially if I get stumped long or often. This one certainly did. I found myself mulling over the puzzles even when away from the screen. And when I finally figured it out, the resolution was extremely satisfying. Altogether, a thoroughly satisfying experience.
Comment untilthe
02 Nov 2014
Oh nevermind! Somehow I had not picked up a thing I thought I had picked up. Whew!
Comment untilthe
02 Nov 2014
Can anyone help me get past the cracked window into the courtyard? I have tried using everything in my inventory on it: a wand, Miss Twitch's Self-Filling Spellbook, a school ID, a knapsack, a greenhouse maintenance manual, a trashy romance novel, a big pickle jar, a life magic textbook, a punchbowl, a sternly glowering toy monkey, a notepaper, an alchemy textbook, lurid four color trash, a neatly typed letter, a pair of tweezers, a welcome banner, a bleached flag, a dragon fang extractor, a school uniform, a carving knife, a hideous purse (containing a prescription and Lucky Strikes), a jack o lantern and a chipped garden gnome.

What am I missing?
Comment Eaten By A Grue
31 Oct 2014
peter - There's isn't anything else past the rubble; the central hallway forms a square with the northeast corner collapsed, so if you could, you'd just move from the north hall to the east hall. It's just there to be a blocker so you're forced to go through the barricade, like sarah said.

quixote - If you've gotten to the sarcophagus than you do have the spell you need, unless you somehow skipped the puzzle where you get the key to the school.

Sloth - check the science lab.
Review karimcassimally
31 Oct 2014
Loved this! It managed to keep my attention for a very, very long time, which considering how short my attention span is, this is some BIG achievement.

Every puzzle has every clue you need to solve it, so keep playing. I had to cheat a few times, but every time I did, I felt really silly for not having been able to solve the problem for myself.

A couple of points (although the first is mentioned in your blurb). It was a little annoying that some things are mentioned in room descriptions but you can't interact with them. I suppose there were so many red herrings that this might have made the game even harder to complete, but still... Secondly, I found the final puzzle disappointingly easy. I was expecting a massive showdown, but oh so inspiringly brilliant up to this point (might actually get round to writing my own game now).

Excellent game and strongly recommended to anyone whether you are new to text adventure games or you are experienced. It has some really clever puzzles. I loved the envive spell puzzle, and everything about the inescapable cage puzzle in particular.

Thank you so much!
Comment peter edwards
30 Oct 2014
Thanks Sarah,
In fact I've been to the courtyard but have come to a halt in my exploration. I feel sure there must be locations to the east of the north hall, and to the north of the east hall. Rubble blocks me in both locations, and I can't find any other way round to these assumed places! Sorry, I still need guidance...
Comment sarah4
30 Oct 2014
Hi Peter, I haven't played this for a while but I am pretty sure that if you have managed to unlock the furniture barrier at the south end of the east hall then you already have access to almost all of the east wing that is available (you will have to figure out a way of breaking the window to enter the courtyard but you may already have picked up an item that should do the trick). There is no way of passing the rubble, I think it is just there to give the east wing a more complete and realistic layout while not giving you a way past the bed blockade! Hope this helps.
Comment peter edwards
30 Oct 2014
Still stuck I'm afraid! How do I get past the rubble in the East Hall? I'm sure I'll kick myself!
Review Charles Scott
30 Oct 2014
A terrific game, with great descriptions, lol humour and satisfyingly tricky puzzles which give a real sense of achievement when you solve them (or frustration when you don't, and have to ask for help!) I particularly enjoyed some of the incidental details, like the spoof bodice-ripper and the smug letter from "A.R.": though I'm still a bit mystified by the cereal box which appears at the end. Thank you very much for an enthralling adventure: 'Eaten by a grue' is a worthy new member of the senior common-room occupied by Peter Edwards, Craig Dutton and co.
Comment quixote
27 Oct 2014
Urgh! Thank you for your hint but I'm feeling pretty dense, apparently, and have made no progress. I've tried every spell I have on the sarcophagus--am I supposed to enchant something in my inventory? Or something in the area around the sarcophagus? I've tried that but can't seem to find the right language (if that's right at all)
I'm sure it will all seem so clear once I've figured it out. Wish I could fast forward to then
Comment poblock
27 Oct 2014
Quixote -

The sarcophagus won't open 'til it's out of the sea, so you'll need to do that first. Since you've got here you definitely have a spell that will help you shift it.

Once that's done you can go back to the school and try and find out where it's ended up...
Review lawninja
24 Oct 2014
Great game. Hard enough to make you think, but not impossible. The puzzles are clever and it has a great sense of humor. Inventory does get bogged down a bit by the end, which occasionally complicates actions. No major complaints though; I would be thrilled to see other games from you.
Comment quixote
23 Oct 2014
I can't figure out what to do with the sarcophagus--how to open it or get it out of the sea floor. Hints?
Comment DarlingDontLie
19 Oct 2014
okay, I'm stuck. i don't know how to get the enivie spell or whatever. i need help, ive been aimlessly walking back and fourth and not getting anywhere
Comment Eaten By A Grue
18 Oct 2014
yayattacks: Try ASK AUTOMAT FOR (book) and GIVE (book) TO AUTOMAT; check the nouns you're using too (some of the book aren't actually called by their titles when in your inventory.)
Comment yayattacks
16 Oct 2014
I have found the fantasy paperback but still can't give it to the automat. I cannot ASK or GIVE anything (the correct command is: ASK automat Mutiny on Pluto/ GIVE automat fantasy paperback, right?) it just gives me I don't understand your command or I don't see that....

what is going on?
Comment yayattacks
16 Oct 2014
I found the automat but it tells me that I already have a book checked out. I have a spellbook, a romance novel, a life textbook, a greenhouse manual but it won't accept any of those. Is this a bug?
Comment sherbertname
13 Oct 2014
Can't get into the school
Comment Charles Scott
12 Oct 2014
How stupid am I! I'd kissed the note when I got it (and made it soggy), but didn't think to kiss it again in the right place. Thank you.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
12 Oct 2014
Charles: you have to kiss the note! Then go 'east' (by typing--for some reason the pad thing doesn't work on that part)
Comment Charles Scott
11 Oct 2014
I've been out of touch for a while, so I'm late to the party, but I'm really enjoying this game. However, as a mere man I'm baffled by what Prince Charming would do at the barricade. After reading the note from the greenhouse I've kissed the barricade and everything in or near it, but without any noticeable effect. What am I missing...?
Comment Spiderbaby
09 Oct 2014
Thank you so much, peter!
Now I understand what went wrong the first time: I typed "get/take blackberry", so it told me it would tear my palms to ribbons; now that I used "get black", it made me choose between the bushes and the blackberries and I could pick the latter.
Comment peter edwards
07 Oct 2014
Spiderbaby,
Use the noun blackberries (or black for short). So "Get black" will work!
Comment Spiderbaby
07 Oct 2014
I'm new to text games but I'm enjoying this one a lot so far. Great job!
I really cannot figure out how to take the berries, though. It's really driving me mad.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
01 Oct 2014
This is a brief note to announce that my most recent game, "Jacqueline, Jungle Queen!", has just been released as an entry in the 2014 Interactive Fiction Competition. You can find the full list of entries here:

http://ifcomp.org/ballot/



Comment Wissa
28 Sep 2014
My review was supposed to be a comment, sorry.
Review Wissa
28 Sep 2014
One thing that would be nice is for players to be able to go east by the mouse navigation after finding a way past the solid barricade. It's the only spot I've found thus far that I can't move that way once the path has opened up.
Comment anna_the
28 Sep 2014
...please disregard the previous comment, everything works all right. I've had a blonde moment :)
Once again, I love this game.
Comment anna_the
28 Sep 2014
I love this game, but I'm having a problem with the automat in the library. The following happens:

> ask automat about (book name)
"Right away." A ripple passes through the piles of books, and your selection materializes in your hands.

It disappears from the list but does not show up in my inventory. Just in case, I do it again.

> ask automat about (the same book name)
"You currently have ONE items checked out. You have reached your limit. Please return some
items in order to check out more."

> give (the same book name) to automat
I can't see that. (book name)

So, I don't have this book but the automat thinks I do. I can't read it, and I can't return it either. Does this mean I won't be able to proceed past the point where it's needed? I don't want to start over, and unfortunately I've saved the game since :(
Comment Wissa
27 Sep 2014
I'm almost constantly in a state of stuck, but this game is really fun!
Comment peter edwards
26 Sep 2014
Stuck again, I'm afraid! How do I get past the rubble in the East Hall? I'm sure I'll kick myself!
Comment wardstephen
25 Sep 2014
Just finished the game and thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you. :)
Review readmore
24 Sep 2014
Of the selection of top rated 20 games currently available on Quest, this is by far the best. The game is not quite Infocom-quality, but certainly evokes an Infocom-ish milieu and is definitely up to the standard of some of the best amateur IF, at least as far as the puzzles and technical side. The artwork is very well-done and symmetrically scattered throughout the narrative. I noticed a few glitches, such as rereading books generated an error message, and I'd have implemented some additional "aliases" for some objects, such as "berries" for "blackberries", but on the whole, very good. Not sure if "Eaten by a Grue" has written or will write more games, but I would certainly check them out.
Comment stolentime
24 Sep 2014
Glad I could help! Now hurry up and beat the final villain and then tell me what to do next. I'm still stuck at the shield...
Comment peter edwards
24 Sep 2014
Thank you, stolentime. I cannot imagine how I missed it! I had already envived her and had had communication with her but, incredibly, I never thought of asking her about yeggle.....

Onwards and upwards. I shall undoubtedly be asking for more help in due course!
Comment stolentime
24 Sep 2014
Peter: You know who knows the spell, and who is the only person of that group around. So where could you find a picture of that person? Hint: the answer lies within yourself.

If that was too cyptic, let me know.

I have a question, too: I am in round three with the final villain and I can't figure out how to get through or what to do next. Can anyone help?
Comment peter edwards
23 Sep 2014
All right, I give up! Swallowing my pride, I have to ask for help. I can't find the yeggle spell in spite of all the hints given to others! I know who else knows the spell, and I have the envive spell, but can't find what to use it on.
Looks like I can write 'em but I can't play 'em!
Comment leg
21 Sep 2014
I don't know how to get other books from the automat
Comment PlatypusPower89
08 Sep 2014
Thanks EBAG, with that hint i managed to get through the rest of the game. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed it; very clever puzzles which often required abstract thinking (a personal favourite was learning the yeggle spell) Amazing game!!!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
08 Sep 2014
Platypus: maybe you've already figured it out, but there is a specific comic that's in the room (you might have picked it up, it's called 'cheap four-color trash' or something similar) and if you read it it'll give you a hint.
Review mstahl
06 Sep 2014
Really, REALLY great game! So far, I've only attempted a dozen or so, but this is by far the best game I've played through Quest and through textadventures.co.uk. Actually, it's one of the best text adventures I've even played, and I've played quite a few. Initially, my expectations for this game weren't too high. The title seemed somewhat generic but interesting enough to give it a try. Wrong! This game was anything but generic. It was very clever, verging on innovative at times. I think a big part of what made it successful was the intriguing story. It really kept me going through tough spots where I may have given up had I not felt so invested in the story. It was a really hard game, and yet I felt like I was basically in control, which helped me persevere. The game logic was sensible and the command format was consistent, allowing me to put faith in my logical processes and to have confidence that I wasn't just "typing it in the wrong way". I felt fully able to interact with the environment which is absolutely crucial.

If there is just one questionable aspect of the game design, it is the fact that some objects are listed as objects and other objects are NOT listed as such. I understand that there are benefits to both systems, but I feel like it needs to be all or none. There is an implication that non-listed objects cannot be interacted with in any way, which in the case of this game is entirely misleading. Luckily, I have enough experience with these games to experiment and make sure before making that assumption.

Infocom could have easily sold this game for $60 a copy back in the early 80's, and yet, this game is far better than a lot of those old "classic" Infocom games in many ways. I got this feeling throughout the game that the author really wanted me to keep playing; a feeling I never really got from the Infocom games. I felt like the extensive dialogue and description of events was inviting me to "Keep playing, keep playi
Comment PlatypusPower89
03 Sep 2014
Cheers Sarah, can't believe i didn't think to wave it! I've run into another problem though. I'm not sure how to build the prison for jack (or maybe there is another way to get past him). I read that there is a hint in Renee's room, but all it says is her side is covered with books and comics, and i can't interact with them.
Comment sarah4
02 Sep 2014
PlatypusPower, the bleached flag will indeed help you to get past Jack, all you need to do it is wave it!
Comment PlatypusPower89
02 Sep 2014
As my first text adventure, I'm thoroughly enjoying the game. However I've come to an impasse since i have the bleached flag which I'm sure is used to get past jack but i don't know how to do it. I've tried raising it, using it and dropping it but none seem to work. I've either got the solution wrong or I'm missing the right verb. Any help would be appreiciated.
Review johnhf
30 Aug 2014
Ok, I guess but a few bugs irritated me.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
29 Aug 2014
Rowena: I've heard of people running into that problem when using the buttons on the side to navigate, but if you type in 'east' it should allow you to move. It's one of a few issues that I'm not sure why they happen but I'll be working on after my current project is more done.
Comment Rowena
28 Aug 2014
Prince Charming was a good kisser, right? But doing that to the object in question (as per the instructions on Jenny's notepaper) does not remove the obstacle for me. Trying to avoid spoilers, but really stuck here. Grateful for any help!






Comment Eaten By A Grue
28 Aug 2014
Annahvi: The ending changes slightly based on how you get past Henrietta towards the end of the game. You can either convince her, or just get rough with her. I'm kind of curious how many people were mean enough to beat her up! I didn't think many would, but logically it should be possible, so I put it in.
Review Arkytior
27 Aug 2014
Great game! I had so much fun playing this! I loved the Zork reference in the ocean with the darkness. "You may be eaten by a squid." And I just about lost it on the HHGG reference! I hope you are making more games like this one! I can't wait!
Review sami1810k
25 Aug 2014
Such a great story and game!

There were a few times where I was stuck, but after I received the help it made so much sense that I just was not thinking.

GREAT JOB!
Comment Annahvi
25 Aug 2014
Finally finished this amazing game! Whoo-hoo! Just out of curiosity, are there different endings? Because I thought I read somewhere that there are 'Both' endings? I don't know what the means. Anyways though, this is possibly the best Text-Adventure game I've ever played. Relatable characters, immersive world, creative solutions - I hope you get to create more amazing games like this in the future.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
25 Aug 2014
Annahvi: You don't have to do anything with the vines, but you do have to get in to the central courtyard where the gnomes are. Look around the windows for a weak point and find an object you could use that might break through. As for the gold, if you rescued Mary you've been in the water, and that's where you'll need to start looking!

IamMarRika: I'm not sure this is what you're saying, but it sounds like the problem is that you can't get in to the greenhouse? You need to explore the school first and that's what the key is useful for. Later on you can find a spell that will eliminate the need for keys.

sami: There's a shelf of items that you should be able to see from the cage and you can manipulate them in various ways with spells (look at them carefully to see the first step); eventually this will make it possible to get the item you need to escape from the cage.





Comment Annahvi
24 Aug 2014
Okay, I'm stuck again. I FINALLY managed to rescue Mary, but now I've reached a bit of a stalemate once again. I've given Jenny the rye and tentacle specimen, so where do I get the gold and silver? I think I have to get them from the gnomes, but to do so, don't I have to take down the vines? How do I do that? Someone please help me?
Comment IamMarRika
24 Aug 2014
Help me im stuck in the locked greenhouse... I have cryoglaze and aurale but i dunno what to do... I already froze the fountain.. This is what i have:

wand
spellbook
ID
peanut butter and balakalalsfnsjkhgusrh sandwitch
knapsack
iron key
uniform
greenhouse maintenance manual
Comment sami1810k
22 Aug 2014
Thank you too Sarah!!!
Comment sami1810k
22 Aug 2014
Thank you EBAG!

Now i'm stuck in the cage. :( I've tried everything to get out, so any guidance would be much appreciated!

LOVE THE GAME!!!
Review BeautyvsAshes
22 Aug 2014
I just finished this game and it was wonderful. The puzzles are hard enough to make you think but not so hard that you want to walk away from the game. As a story it is well written with humour woven throughout. It't the sort of game that you want a sequel to. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for other Eaten By A Grue games if this the the quality I can expect. Loved it!
Review keightpea
22 Aug 2014
Excellent fun! At times it required a cool calm review of all the facts to progress; at others I felt jubilation that I knew exactly how something related/what I needed to do next. Ended quickly - too quickly to be bored. I look foward to seeing other games by Eaten by a Grue.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
22 Aug 2014
midnight: the end is pretty much a standard magical duel, so you just have to use your spells at the right time! You might have to cast them on her, or on yourself, or on something else around you
Comment midnightBlue
21 Aug 2014
Thank you for your help! I made a lot of progress and rescued all the witches (but Tally is still small and still with the gnomes). Now I'm facing the villain... but I don't know what to do! There is nothing around I can cast my spells on, the Packard seems to be useless to me, I can turn on and off the radio but nothing happens, Henrietta stands there crestfallen. I've got the feeling that I shoud get Princess to help me but it's just an impression... in a word, I'm stuck! Could you help me again? Btw, amazing game, very well constructed!
Comment sarah4
21 Aug 2014
Sami, if you have rescued Jenny she will have given you what you need to access the rooms beyond the barricade. Read the note she gave you, go to the barricade and follow the note's instructions, don't worry about the gingerbread portal yet, you need to have given yourself indigestion before you can resist its magic pull. Hope this helps!

Ashes, don't worry about the tentacle sample right now, that particular problem will resolve itself once you have rescued Renee. Right now you need to focus on defeating Jack and boarding the rocket ship if you haven't yet done so. Please ask if you need more help.
Comment sami1810k
21 Aug 2014
I received and ate the pie.

But I still can't figure out how to get past the barricade or the gingerbread area.

Help would be much appreciated. :)
Comment BeautyvsAshes
21 Aug 2014
I am completely stuck trying to figure out how to get a sample from the tentacle tree!! Can anyone give me a nudge in the right direction? Thank you!
Comment sami1810k
21 Aug 2014
Thanks EBAG, I've already rescued Jenny.

I'm not sure what else to do. :(
Comment Eaten By A Grue
21 Aug 2014
annahvi: she wants a nice head to put in the soup. If you look around the kitchen and the cooler you can find a couple of objects that can be used to create something that might substitute (remember, she is pretty nearsighted) and that could hold the pills.

sami: You need to rescue Jenny in order to get through the barricade. Try looking in the greenhouse!
Comment sami1810k
20 Aug 2014
Ok I figured out the grenade! :)

Now i can't get past the barricade, which I thought the grenade was for.

inventory:
civvies
wand
spellbook
id
knapsack
manual
punchbowl
advisory
banner
novel
jar
crackerjack box
life magic textbook
apple
monkey
notepaper
alchemy textbook

spells:
aurale
cryoglaze
envive
yeggle
Comment sami1810k
20 Aug 2014
This may be a stupid question but how do I get the sock grenade?
Comment Annahvi
19 Aug 2014
Okay, now I need help again. I'm in Baba Griselwood's kitchen, I've made an Envived lantern, but I don't know how to give baba her pills.
Comment Annahvi
19 Aug 2014
Nevermind, I got it.
Comment Annahvi
19 Aug 2014
This is a very amazing game - I especially love the custom art, though I could use a bit of help.
Here's my scenario: I've saved Jenny and Renee, I've given Jenny the tentacle specimen and sponge, I've freed the Envived gnome from the fountain, I know Mermaphro, I've eaten the sandwich, gingerbead, blackberries, poisonless pie, stale crackerjacks, the welcome basket, and the food pill, (basically everything except the salmon), and now I don't know what to do. Where am I supposed to go to use Mermaprho?
Comment snowfaire
19 Aug 2014
I didn't know you could input "look at" as a command. lol =)
Comment Eaten By A Grue
18 Aug 2014
snowfaire: Have you looked at the fountain?
Comment snowfaire
18 Aug 2014
I just started and I'm stuck already! I can't get into the school or the greenhouse and everything else is a dead end. I was able to get the maintenance book and learn cryoglaze, but aurale and cryoglaze don't unlock doors, and without unlocking the greenhouse or the main building I'm stuck!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
18 Aug 2014
midnightblue: The next thing you need to do is defeat the herbaceous horror. There's an item you can find that's just right for getting rid of plants, particularly moving plants. It's not one of the items you're carrying, so go back and look through the rooms again!
Comment midnightBlue
16 Aug 2014
Hi! I am really loving this game but currently I am stuck and I think I can't go on without help.
I unlocked the greenhouse and read the name on the uniform, but the herbaceous horror doesn't let me in. I collected four spells (aurale, cryoglaze, envive and yeggle) and my inventory contains:
sock grenade
wand
spellbook
knapsack
school ID
welcome banner
punchbowl
trashy romance novel
life magic textbook
poisoned apple
toy monkey
hannigan file
civvies

The moose head now chews the carpet but it doesn't help a bit, the gnome is still stuck in the fountain, the aurale spell on the painting detects some misterious magic nearby, the automat still doesn't want anything.

I suppose at this point I should rescue Jenny, but it seems I am missing something important and I don't really know what to do...
Thank you in advance for your help!


Review shenshen
15 Aug 2014
This game was really absolutely spectacular. If you read everything carefully and examine your surroundings it's almost always really clear what to do next (even if it doesnt hit you in the first second). To work with the spells really gave this game the last spark to make it perfect. Also descriptions and situations were written with humour, fantasy and commitment. You really see while playing that Eaten by a Grue put a lot of time and effort in it, whichs in the result shows to be worth it.
A great game!
Review HarjKS
14 Aug 2014
Though slightly confusing at times, I loved the concept and I love this. Very inventive and just an overall great experience. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in text-based adventure games. :)
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
Finished! Yay! Honestly, I saw the ending coming from a mile away as far as who the villian would be. Found one more typo at the end:

'you're not really sure things -you're- safe until Gwen and Mrs. Grislewood appear from the forest.'

The second you're should probably just be are Sorry for all the trouble from getting stuck so much.
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
found another spelling error

'The wooden stairs creak underfoot as you -chamber- up.'

chamber should be clamber, right?
Comment sarah4
14 Aug 2014
Do you mean the door in Miss Hannigan's office? If So you don't need to interact with it, it is just described in order to let you know you are now able to go in a new direction, down.
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
it says 'I can't see that' when I try to use any commands on the door.
Comment sarah4
14 Aug 2014
When you looked in Miss Hannigan's office, did you not find an object which emitted a powerful magical aura and which, according to the description, had something familiar about it? Perhaps this item will lead you to the solution of what has happened to the headmistress. Unfortunately, the spells placed on this object are proving too powerful for your limited magic, luckily you have reanimated Gwen, who is a much more skilled witch, give the object to her and she will help you.

As for the trophy, I think it was a joke suggesting that the award may not have been terribly prestigious since whichever organisation awarded it decided to repurpose an old bowling trophy rather than commission a new more suitable one, probably a commentary on the winner's dubious culinary prowess!
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
Also, after rescuing Renee, the mirror still says she's on Jupiter.
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
About you 'cooking trophy' on the shelves. Even though it's a cooking trophy, it has a bowler on top. Usually, when you get a trophy, it either doesn't have a little person on top, or it has that person representing the subject won. Like a golfing trophy has a golfer, or a tennis trophy has a tennis player. It's not that much of an issue, I just personally thought it was a little weird.

Also, I only have Hannigan left to save, everyone else already in their respective places(Gwen in the rotunda now moving once more, Renee in our room, Traudel in her room, Jenny and Mary Jane in the greenhouse, and I dropped Tally in her room but not before having her bite my thumb trying to give her to the Grizz). When I ask the mirror about 'the headmistress' or 'Hannigan', it just flickers, same if asking about 'Henrietta Hannigan'. I don't know where or how to find her, since there's no where left to go and nothing left to do.
Comment darkdreamer53
14 Aug 2014
Thanks. I didn't think of just dropping it. Duh. Thanks for the help.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
13 Aug 2014
darkdreamer: Just drop the garden gnome in the area and they'll work it out on their own!
Comment darkdreamer53
13 Aug 2014
Thanks for telling me how to get out the chipped gnome, but how do I USE it? I've tried several commands:

give chipped garden gnome to silverback gnome
use chipped garden gnome on silverback gnome
throw chipped garden gnome at silverback gnome
ask chipped garden gnome about silverback gnome
ask chipped garden gnome about attacking
attack silverback gnome with chipped garden gnome
chipped garden gnome attack silverback gnome
have chipped garden gnome attack silverback gnome

I've tried just about everything. Maybe I'm too stupid to keep playing this game. I'll probably just keep getting stuck in stupid ways.
Comment sarah4
13 Aug 2014
Shenshen, if you have already rescued Tally from the gnomes then you have helped her as much as you can, you can't restore her to her normal size. However, you should have received an inadvertent potion ingredient while saving her.

You will discover what has become of Miss Hannigan once you have given the potion to Gwen as her magic skills are more advanced than yours and she will be able to help you with the Hannigan problem, I presume you already have an inkling as to what may have befallen the head mistress,, work on achieving that first. Hope this helps.
Comment shenshen
13 Aug 2014
if you cant get through the portal you didnt eat enough. anyway you would/will only be able to after you saved renee so leave that for now.

gnome: maybe you find a worthy opponent for the silverback gnome? or something you can make a worthy opponent after using the envive spell? to get that unanimate object you would need a thing which helps pulling things out.

for gwen you would need a special alchemical thing. maybe the alchemy textbook will tell you more? you dont need to create that thing by yourself, maybe a person can help you?

for the flag: think about real life, what would you do if you wanted to make a colored fabric white? is there such a thing in whitchfield? try reading the descriptions carefully again.

hope that helps :) i didnt want to be obviously.

is also need help:
how do i find hannigan and how do i save tally (which i already have)?
please subtle hints ^^
Comment darkdreamer53
13 Aug 2014
Sorry, it was my stupidity that kept me from finding the sarcophagus(forgot about the second floor in the rotunda), but now I'm stuck again. I still can't go through the portal(though I ate everything edible I currently could, including the salmon in the water), I don't know how to bleach the flag to get past Jack, and can't figure out how to defeat the silverback gnome and have tried spells(gnomes just keep throwing things) and giving things and attacking it directly. I've gotten the puddles up(as much as I could as said by LeBlanc), rescued Jenny, and rescued Traudel, plus found Tally, Renee, and Gwen without being able to save any of those three. I can't find anything else to pick up as far as getting past any of the obstacles. What am I supposed to do next?

My inventory, once more, is this:

wand
Miss Twitch's Self-Filling Spellbook
school ID
knapsack
civvies
notepaper
ripping yarn
gold foil ball
soaked sponge
alchemy textbook
greenhouse maintenance manual
punchbowl
welcome banner
Yeggle advisory
trashy romance novel
sternly glowering toy monkey
life magic textbook
big pickle jar
lurid four color trash
neatly typed letter
red flag
pair of tweezers
dragon fang extractor
Comment darkdreamer53
13 Aug 2014
edit: figured out mermaphro, but can't find the sarcophagus.
Comment darkdreamer53
13 Aug 2014
where does the sarcophagus end up and how do I undo mermaphro?
Comment shenshen
12 Aug 2014
@sarah4
thanks, yes that helped.

@darkdreamer53
you have everything you need for getting through the barricade. try examining/reading every item in your inventory. the solution is there.
Comment darkdreamer53
12 Aug 2014
Edit: Sorry, I said three spells, but it's four. I have Envive as well.
Comment darkdreamer53
12 Aug 2014
I can't figure out how to get past the barricade, have interacted and used my three spells(yeggle, aurale, cryoglaze) on everything, tried giving everything in my inventory to the barricade, tried using everything in my inventory on the barricade, tried talking to Jenny about the barricade, tried pretty much everything, but still the barricade won't budge. I've already saved Jenny, already unlocked the headmistress's desk, already picked up and looked at everything possible and even things I couldn't, already did everything but go in the portal(which I know I can't do yet, need to eat everything edible first) and get past the barricade.

My current inventory:

wand
Miss Twitch's Self-Filling Spellbook
school ID
peanut butter banana sandwich
knapsack
blackberries
civvies
notepaper
poisonless pie
concussive sock grenade
alchemy textbook
greenhouse maintenance manual
punchbowl
welcome banner
Yeggle advisory
welcome basket
trashy romance novel
sternly glowering toy monkey
life magic textbook
big pickle jar
stale box of Crackerjack

I cannot get past the barricade no matter which of these items on this extensive list I use. I ask Jenny and she gets evasive, simply telling me to look at the paper. I looked through past comments that said I have to get something given to me in the greenhouse, but as far as I can tell, there's nothing left to take or get from the greenhouse. I'm totally, stupidly stuck. I know the answers probably simple and I'm just completely inept at figuring it out, but I still need help.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
12 Aug 2014
Olive: Have you already read it once? I've heard of people having that problem when rereading it (and I can't find any reason why it should be happening, so I'm not sure how to fix it). You only have to read it once to get the spell and progress. It's still annoying that it happens, though!
Comment OliveTree223
11 Aug 2014
Everytime I try to read Poseidon's Treasures the game says "Error running script: No verb response defined". However I can read every other book. Are there any suggestions on how to fix this?
Comment sarah4
09 Aug 2014
Shenshen, you have everything you need to solve the problems you mentioned. Here are a few hints which should help you progress.

Firstly, if you read the trashy comic you found in your room you will learn what Jack's weakness is. This should allow you to get past him.

Secondly, if you have found Tally you must already have come across the aggressive silverback gnome. It would be wrong for you to attack him but perhaps you know someone closer to his own size who could deal with him for you. Just drop this individual in the gnome-infested courtyard!

Finally, if you have found your way into the underground cavern and have found the darkness, you will have realised that you cannot use your octopus senses to interact with this darkness in the usual way. You do however have a spell which can detect things your normal senses can't.

Hope this helps.
Comment shenshen
08 Aug 2014
okay i got stuck again. i dont even know what i am supposed to do now, rather than how to do it.

I rescued jenny. i found gwen and renee but didnt rescued any of them so far. i have all the 5 spells.
i have the following items: gnome, civvies, wand, spellbook, school ID, knapsack, sock grenade, punchbowl, welcome banner, yeggle advisory, jar (without faeries), trashy romance novel, life magic textbook, notepaper, alchemy textbook, greenhouse manual, lurid four color trash, neatly typed letter, poisonless pie, toy monkey, pair of tweezers, sponge, dragon fang extractor.

also the gnome is alive but useless so far, i went to the sea (but only got to darkness), found princess, but dont know what to do with her, surrendered to jack but he wants me to build my own prison (or something like that).

also i want to report some bugs: in the southwest hall the option "east" isnt available of the compass after the barricade is open. in the hannigan file is a typo: "she's putting in more effort that most of her classmates" - should be "than" ?
also i dont know if this is changeable but some things can not be "looked into" e.g. the drawer or i think the washing machine, also the desks in the mathemagic classroom. when it's open you cant look at or examine the inside, it just tells the same as when it was closed.
Comment shenshen
08 Aug 2014
i dont think it is absolutely necessary to take the hopper out. i interpreted it as if you needed to gain the trust of the textbook and lure it to your hands so you needed to feed it directly from your hands. :)
Comment Eaten By A Grue
08 Aug 2014
stella1: I'll tell you this, you use all of the spells that you get throughout the game once during that fight. Didn't you get a spell that had the effect on you that I described in that hint? Just use it on yourself at that point in the fight (the rest happens automatically).

shenshen: The hopper is a weird artifact; originally you were supposed to use it but I couldn't figure out how to make it trigger off of that, so now it's just kind of there. I should take it out. Right now I'm busily working on a game for the interactive fiction competition though so updates on Whitefield will probably be pretty light.
Comment shenshen
08 Aug 2014
*facepalm*

well, okay. nevermind. i got it.
but let's honestly say placing the hopper there and making it usable is quite confusing xD but okay maybe it is for later use.
by the way according to the solution about the textbook: GENIUS!!!!
Comment shenshen
08 Aug 2014
ugh im also stuck like page.

although i thought about feeding something to the textbook i have nothing to eat with me (as i ate all the food because "look at me" revealed that "I" am rather hungry). :/
Comment stella1
07 Aug 2014
Grue (you were eaten by one?), excellent game so far!

I am stuck on the third round with the villain. I took a look at the hint you gave Sarah and I'm still a bit clueless about it - any additional hints would be appreciated!

(Your previous clue)
"You do actually have a spell that lets you get past that point, but you don't cast it on her... you need something that will give you enough arms to deal with all the metal balls and at the same time make it so your bones can't be broken."
Comment Eaten By A Grue
05 Aug 2014
Page: it's a spell to bring things to life, so look for something that could teach you about life magic. You'll have to give it something before it'll let you pick it up -- that about what it would like to "eat".
Comment Puppypixie
05 Aug 2014
Oh wow, nevermind. I should have paid more attention to where it said I could go directionally. Duhhhhh.
Comment Puppypixie
05 Aug 2014
Kinda stuck here...I think I reached almost the end of the game, but I can't tell if it's bugged out or not. I'm in the headmistress's office and am wearing the glasses, and can see the secret in the room, but it's not showing up in the menu of places/objects on the right, and every command I try on it doesn't seem to work. I just keep getting "I can't see that." D: Super distressing, I don't want to miss the ending, but I'm not sure what else to try. What command should I be using besides open, or look at?!
Comment Page
04 Aug 2014
Hi, first of all AWESOME game !

Spoiler.

I'm kind of stuck though. So far I've learnt aurale and Cryoglaze. And I thought I'd just have to learn Yeggle (after having read this advisory, the marx file and asked the mirror about Yeggle) so I could unlock the greenhouse and principal's drawer. However after almost 2 hours of going back and fourth and trying to interact with everything, I decided to go through the comments in order to find a hint (and so without reading any spoilers), and I found out that we're supposed to know 'Envive' by now. Thing is I think I missed something because I can't find out where to get that spell.. Anway, could someone give me a hint on how to learn the spell ?

Thanks !
Review vixykya
03 Aug 2014
great game! I wanted to know if its OK if I make a game based on this one. I will tell you all about once its finished, around 2015 or earlier.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
02 Aug 2014
mavi: You caught an error -- the picture isn't supposed to disappear at that point, but at the next step, something I'll fix for the next update -- but it's not one that will stop you from progressing. It sounds like you're on the right track with where you're looking. The headmistress might be cursed, the way the others were--look for an object that seems promising and give it to Gwen.
Comment mavi
02 Aug 2014
I'm stuck. I can't figure out what to do with Princess. I've rescued Gwen and she's telling me to find Hannigan, but I have no idea how to. Previously auraleing the painting in her office had detected magic nearby, but now I can't see the painting, and asking people or the mirror isn't helping. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to help Tally get back to human size or can just keep carrying her in the knapsack.
Comment Jusve
01 Aug 2014
"I don't supposed you paid attention in Cosmology,"

"and even so, you're not really sure things you're safe"

"--and we figure that since we've getting eight different stories about what happened out there,"

"Try not to break any more little girl's noses before tomorrow. " (shouldn't that be "girls' noses?)

And now I'm done; both endings! Again, great game.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
01 Aug 2014
Jusve: The typos you found should be fixed now and I've done my best at fixing some of the other problems as well. Thanks again for your help!
Review RachelT728
31 Jul 2014
Great game! I love that the game constructs a map as you go along, that's really helpful. The story is quirky and funny, and it's challenging without being too frustrating.
Comment RachelT728
31 Jul 2014
Nevermind! I kept trying to 'use' the gnome or 'give' the gnome, I didn't think of just dropping him!
Comment RachelT728
31 Jul 2014
I'm stuck on rescuing Tally. I imagine it has something to do with the garden gnome from the fountain. I have him and have brought him to life with envive, but I can't seem to do anything with him in the courtyard.
Comment Jusve
31 Jul 2014
You're welcome, and thanks! I had of course tried the item in question, but I clearly wasn't clever enough to simply use PUT <ITEM> IN JACK; I was thinking along GIVE <ITEM> TO JACK, USE <ITEM> WITH JACK, as well as some others. But your wording totally makes more sense!

"Mary Jane shrugs. "I guess she's be all right.""

The mirror seems to think that MJ is still enjoying "nutritious refresment" in the dining hall after I save her.

This isn't so much a bug as a request; maybe you could make a "You saved" picture for The Grizz and for Gwen?

It says the jar is still "brimming" with golden liquid after I use it.

"You shrink back and little." "You're tougher than you think you age, Page. "

"The box contain a heaping helping of Sugar Beets[eeew, edition]"

"That's why I'm not good at magic, because modern school's have been too soft with me."
Comment Eaten By A Grue
30 Jul 2014
jusve: Thanks for your hard work! To give the pumpkin some zip, you can add something you find in the area that should have an effect on the Grizz if she eats it (put it inside the pumpkin). Try one thing at a time because I've heard it's possible to lose items if you have extra things in the pumpkin when she finally cooks it, something I should work on, but things section really strained my ability to get the game to work!
Comment Jusve
29 Jul 2014
Thank you! Now, as for errors:

">push button
a small cleaning robot pops out a panel in the wall" (Maybe an "of" isn't actually needed, I don't know)

"Dining Hall
allowing the bare white floor to gleam in the the guttering light"

Also, in the Frosted Forest, "the flickering light fire reflecting off of the polished steel" looks strange to me.

"Before you can react, your feet and yanked out from under you"

"nuttier than a Cinncinati fruitcake"!

"Gluttonous Gus says: 'When I'm full, I chug it neat, and once against I'm Red-E-To-Eat!"
I tried to ENVIVE GLUTTONOUS GUS and ENVIVE DIGESTOL CANISTER. Maybe you could write a message explaining why that doesn't work, (I'm just assuming there is a picture of this Gus person on the canister) and also, why it isn't possible to YEGGLE GINGERBREAD or light cigarettes on the yellowed candles?

Also, when we first enter the cage we are told that it is "pushed against the wall of the kitchen", but when we leave it, it is "plopped down in the middle of the kitchen". Isn't that contradictory?

">examine baba
she takes a ladelful of broth"

"Cooler
You're a small walk-in cooler"

The pumpkin trick can be replicated.

The Grizz appears to be an it rather than a she.

"then ladels up a large sip".

And now I'm kinda stuck again; on how to give jack "zip". Once again, help would be appreciated.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
28 Jul 2014
jusve: You have to "push" the button. I'll make it so "press" does the same thing so people won't get caught on it.
Comment Jusve
27 Jul 2014
[SPOILER]
The darkness can be auraled even after removing the sarcophagus, and doing so will readd the latter, which can be cryoglazed once more. Fortunately for poor Hannigan, only one will hit the nook.

">in[to the Atomic Yank]
I've have enough of Pluto"

Also, I'd like to request a little help: I'm obviously supposed to retrieve a pill from the dispenser in the Yank, but I can't for the life of me figure out how! I've tried TAKE PILL, GET PILL, PRESS BUTTON, OPEN APERTURE, USE DISPENSER, DISPENSE FOOD and many others. Do I need to fulfill some strange condition?

[SPOILEREND]
Comment Jusve
26 Jul 2014
Since I apparently can't edit my comments, I'll report more typoes here.

"An Infuriating Room
This room belong to Tally"

Also, the book written by the salvager guy: is it supposed to be called "ripping yarn"? Is that slang for something?

">examine washing machine
(...) You can open and close the manhole-sized apeture on the front"

Also also, the way you place the flag in the washing machine could be more obvious, like "bleach flag" or "use flag with machine" or "give flag to machine".

"Stables
(...) what young witch wouldn't watch to ride on her very own dragon? (...)"

Entering the Courtyard:
"(...) you hear a series a loud hoots (...) [the silverback gnome] beats a hastry retreat"

">ask tally about jenny
She's at least too sorts and neither of them are good"
Comment Eaten By A Grue
26 Jul 2014
Thanks for your comments -- I've fixed the typos and have tried to address some of the other issues (some of them I can't find what's causing the problem, though). I'm trying to fix stuff on the fly, so please someone let me know right away if I do something that breaks the game (I really need to do another full playthrough...)

Definitely need to work more on fleshing out the later areas, especially now that the game is getting more attention! Thanks for everyone whose support helped bring it to a wider audience!
Comment aik
25 Jul 2014
to Happykid44
for the barricade, you need something that is given by someone... for the textbook... as a book, it has peculiar tastes.

to Eaten By A Grue
maybe I found a bug, in the deep of the ocean, after the discover of the thing, and after doing the correct thing with it, I can repeat the same actions again and again
Comment Happykid44
25 Jul 2014
I can't figure out how to get past the barricade or get the textbook in the terrarium? Can someone help me please?
Comment aik
25 Jul 2014
I'm not stuck anymore! now my "head" is ok!
Comment Jusve
25 Jul 2014
The game you have made is good; hard enough to get stuck in, but not hard enough to become completely insane of.
Like Sarah, I was stuck on getting Yeggle for a *long* time, and also like Sarah, I realized how obvious it was once I figured it out.

I stumbled upon a few apparent mistypings and bugs:

">examine manual
It's an manual (...)"

"North Wing
(...) The corrider is pleasantly decorated (...)".

"> aurale sternly glowering toy monkey
(...) You get woozy even trying to sort of some of the invidual spells used--it's just too much."

">open jar [against the herbaceous horror]
(...) The monstrocity dwindles to the size of a gorilla"

">examine yoshida
(...) dicing red mushrooms which watching something thick and tarry bubbling over a Bunsen burner (...)"

">give apple to jenny
(...) True to her world (...)"

"> examine note
(...) shocking pink lipsick (...)"
The message for >examine note and >read note are not entirely identical, either.

I had read somewhere about a mermaphro spell, so I tried at the Docks. It worked, even though I never learnt it, or even heard about in my session! A similar result is gotten when cryoglazing the water. It may be present other places, I haven't checked that. Surely that can't be intentional? They do not appear in my spellbook.

"> examine pie
A thick, crispy, delicious looking pie free of all traces of poison."
"> open parcel
You rip open the parcel and discard the brown paper. Inside, you find a brand new school uniform." (In both these cases, a hyphen is missing.)

As has been mentioned by Redenious, >read manual only works once; afterwards:
"Error running script: No verb response defined"
Comment aik
24 Jul 2014
Hi, I'm stuck in the kitchen with the villain. I've got a nice "head", but now I can't find a way to give it more zip... do someone have a hint for me?
Comment aonadharc
18 Jul 2014
UPDATE: ANSWER WAS IN MY KNAPSACK ALL THE WHILE. HAHA. SUCCESS.
Comment aonadharc
18 Jul 2014
Have just gotten quite stuck and as I can't find anyone asking about it in the comments, I'll ask you myself! I have saved everyone except the headmistress (including a bleached raven!) but have no inkling of what to do next. Did Gwen's comments about lamps and digging contain any hints or am I way off base there? Maybe it's something to do with Princess, still dormant as ever...
Comment aonadharc
16 Jul 2014
I just got the food pill and lost it at the Douglas Adams reference! WonderfuL! Hahaha. This is a great game anyhow. I keep getting stuck and have to come look at these comments for hints, though. (Twice it turned out I just didn't notice there was a path I hadn't been down.) Something odd I've noticed: After opening the barricade, it acts like I still can't get past and I can't use the compass to do so. I have to type in the command "east".
Comment Eaten By A Grue
16 Jul 2014
Lighnagain: There are two possible solutions and the ending is slightly affected by which one you choose. The best way is to convince her that what her grandmother has been telling her is inaccurate--you can find something showing this and give it to her (look in a room which has lots of information about the students). It's also possible to just fight her but if you go that route you're beating up a much smaller kid and that will affect how some people see you.
Comment Lighnagain
14 Jul 2014
I am stuck near the end, I am playing a radio, but I can't seem to do anything else! How do I get this girl out of my way!!
Comment desertrose0601
14 Jul 2014
Interesting game, but got stuck at the fountain. Wish there were more instructions.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
10 Jul 2014
he.bann: You've got to feed it, so look around for something that might go inside a book. It's not too far away from where the book is.

One of the things I want to work on besides slowly filling in background objects, conversation topics, etc. is to put some kind of hint system in (through the magic mirror, probably)
Comment he.bann28
09 Jul 2014
Loving this game! But what do you have to give the book? I hope it's not the berries, cause I ate them myself already ;)
Review Wozbird
07 Jul 2014
Really enjoyed this. Great story, good level of difficulty and satisfying puzzles.
Comment Wozbird
07 Jul 2014
Thanks for your help Sarah. Your clue was very helpful and I had a 'Of course, why didn't I think of that before?' moment.
Comment sarah4
07 Jul 2014
Wozbird, you have already done the difficult bit, now just return yourself to your normal form (using the same spell you used to explore the sea), get back on dry land and you should discover what has become of the object you dislodged, read the description carefully and it should give you a good clue as to where it has landed, if not then just check in all the rooms in the school and you will soon locate it!
Comment Wozbird
07 Jul 2014
I'm loving this game so much! Thank you for all the hard work that has obviously gone into it.

If anyone can help I've been stuck for a bit now. I've rescued Jenny, Tally, and Mary Jane and have all of the ingredients for temporal oil except gold. I've been down into the abyss and found what's hiding there but have no idea what to do with it. I've used the cryoglaze spell which sends it shooting up but then I can't find it again. Thanks in advance :)
Comment Eaten By A Grue
07 Jul 2014
Snowman: if you look around, you'll find a spell you can use on the fountain to freeze the water. After that, you can just take the key. (Let me know if something about that isn't working; if so, it's a bug.)
Comment Sn0wman
05 Jul 2014
So how do you get the key? I know I'm a trashy gamer, I'm really stuck.
Review self inflicted giggles
16 Jun 2014
A overall very good game. The puzzles were well put together and the solutions were fitting. There was lots of good humor throughout the adventure. The story was solid and really managed to create an intriguing atmosphere for the game. The addition of the five spells to the list of useable verbs really managed to be one of the more awesome things about this game. This was a very well made game and well worth a play through!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
15 Jun 2014
selfinflictedgiggles: You can't unfreeze the fountain water, but there is another way to get the gnome out of the fountain. Look for an object that's used for pulling something out of something else and try using it on the gnome.
Comment self inflicted giggles
13 Jun 2014
this game is really really good and i've been loving it the whole way, but i've run into a spot or trouble. I can't for the life of me figure out how to save tally from the gnomes. I figure that maybe I need to get the garden gnome near the front door in order to solve the puzzle, but I cant figure out how to unfreeze the fountain water. I have no idea what to do at this point
Comment sarah4
08 Jun 2014
Squidney, it's time to use some spells again. Have a good look at the trophy and decide which spell in your book may have an effect on it. Once you have cast the right spell, read the description of what happens next carefully and it should give you a clue as to what you should cast a spell on next and which spell you should use. Hope this helps.
Comment squidney
07 Jun 2014
this is a fab game!! it's actually the first one i've ever played but i think i can tell when a game is fab.
i've rescued jenny, traudel, and renee at this point. right now i'm trapped in the cage and i've been stuck for several hours as i can't figure out how to get the things off the shelves. some help would be appreciated!
Comment Redenious
27 May 2014
"read greenhouse maintenance manual" - doesn't do anything after first time reading it
When in barred cell, shelves had nothing on them until I typed in "look" and 'refreshed' the environment.
The game ended suddenly at a random point. Well, when I logged back on one time. Probably has nothing to do with the game itself.
Progress was made in baby steps, but each time I solved a puzzle, I felt proud of myself and wanted to continue to the next one.
One thing that got me hung up for a few minutes early in the game was figuring out the "use key on door" command.
The further ahead I got, the more I understood how things worked in the game. I found myself saying, "why did I not think of doing this earlier?"
The things I needed to do to progress weren't very complicated, which is good. The hardest part sometimes was figuring out what words to type in. It may be easier for someone with more experience in text adventuring.
Over all, I think this is the best text adventure ever.
Review JB
23 May 2014
One of the best games I've played on this site.
Comment sarah4
23 May 2014
JB, you are definitely thinking along the right lines, but you need to be suffering from acute indigestion before you will be able to resist the allure of the gingerbread and enter the portal! Have you looked inside Miss Hannigan's desk yet? If so you may have an ingredient which is, at present, inedible, but you know where you can find a skilled baker who should be able to make it more appetising for you! Have you also eaten the stale food item you can find in one of the desks in one of the classrooms? Hope this helps!
Comment JB
23 May 2014
I've really been enjoying the game. Now I'm stuck, after finding all the ingredients for the temporal oil except the bread. I have a hunch I need to go through the portal, but I'm "uncomfortably full" and it still won't let me. Any hints? (I've eaten the berries, salmon, welcome basket, sandwich, and food pill.)
Review red_tok
22 May 2014
Unsurprisingly clever and quirky; just what you want in an adventure game! It operates on a plane of logic not nearly as far removed from our own as some old-school point-and-click adventures did. As such, you can expect to be stuck pondering some puzzles, but the mix between straightforward and less obvious ones is good. There are points in the game where I was stuck repeatedly, but for the most part, the game flows well, easing you in on a tide of solved puzzles before dumping you off at one you can't crack. For a while.

The writing is good and manages to deliver exposition throughout without resorting to info dumping -- except in one instance. It would have been nice if some information could have been delivered through conversation choices for each character, but I acknowledge that this is a limitation of the format.

In other words: when can we expect the Kickstarter? Though the game runs on the world's most powerful graphics chip, but it would have been great to see this creativity unleashed within a point-and-click framework!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
20 May 2014
Hooded: I think what you need to do now is find the spell 'yeggle', which will allow you to open locked doors. You'll need to use the envive spell on a particular object and ASK that object about the yeggle spell. You can find the object you need by considering who the game tells you knows the spell and looking carefully at all the objects which envive might work on.
Comment HoodedPrincess
18 May 2014
No matter what I do, I can't find a barricade which actually gets blasted by the sock. Everything seems useless. The faeries don't like anything. The portal seems to be stuck like the mirror which keeps flickering and the fountain is frozen too. The situation is nothing but hopeless here. Can you help?
Comment Eaten By A Grue
18 May 2014
Shayden: Isn't there some spell you have that could work?
Comment Shayden
16 May 2014
I get what you mean about the darkness but I can't think of anything to use on it............ or any words to use to interact with it....... I am a octopus.... thing if it was ink I could suck it up with my ink sack or suckers or something.....
Comment Eaten By A Grue
16 May 2014
Good work! The sock grenade can be used to break a barrier and allow access to a particular room.
Shayden: You can indeed eat the salmon! You can't catch it (it's hard to catch a fish with your bare hands!) but if you just try to eat it your octopus instincts will take over.
There's no light source that will let you see in the abyss, but notice that you can see 'the darkness'... which means it's an object and you can do things with it. Even if you can't see, maybe there's something you can do to the darkness that will help you find something interesting down there.
Comment HoodedPrincess
15 May 2014
Shayden: Try "Eat Welcome Basket"
Grue: Hey, I got the book AND the spell, too. Just have to figure out where to use it now. I even have the sock grenade, now.
Comment HoodedPrincess
15 May 2014
Hmm. Thanks a lot. That was really helpful. I hope I can finish it soon. Thanks again.
Comment Shayden
15 May 2014
Also I can't find anything else to eat I mean there's the welcome basket with all the food sweets but it won't let me eat any of those..... that or I'm using the wrong command not sure I know what you mean in the east hall but I'll keep looking
Comment Shayden
15 May 2014
Oh I already have that spell but I need a lightsource first...... unless there's somewhere else I can use it..... hmmm............ or unless there's a way to catch the salmon and have fish for dinner anyway I''ll just have to keep looking
Comment Eaten By A Grue
15 May 2014
Shayden: You're on the right track with the punch, but you'll need to find a way to pick it up, too. You can find other potion ingredients by rescuing other students, there are three in all. To find out you'll have to learn a spell that lets you travel underwater, which you can find somewhere in the readables. To find another you'll have to get through the door to the south of the rotunda, but in order to do that you'll have to have no appetite at all for the distracting gingerbread. And the other is located in the courtyard--try looking around in the east hall and you might be able to find a way in.
Comment Shayden
14 May 2014
So I rescued Renee and I have no clue what to do now...... maybe get rid of the vines blocking the courtyard? use the alchemy set...... but I don't have any gold or silver..... or a spellbase....... or water.............. wait............ maybe the punch as a spellbase?............. I willl definitly try that in the morning....... and another idea is to try and make princess breath fire on something..... though not entirely sure how useful that would be hmm............. maybe the modess dispenser I kinda didn't try using it......... all I know is I trying to use this grenade sock on far to many things.......... any hints would be appreciated.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
14 May 2014
Shayden: Renee's a big fan of science fiction, and Jack's a fictional character. There might be something in her room that will give you more insight into his strengths and weaknesses. (If you're stuck earlier than that, at the steam cliffs, then your best course of action is to do what he wants. Think of an item that might help you, and look for it in the school... you can't find it directly, but you can find an item that can be transformed with the right mechanical assistance into what you need!)
Comment Shayden
13 May 2014
So I made it all the way up to jack after saving jenny exploring the dorms, bathroom, dojo, stables and reading the other automat books........ I have no idea what I could make a cell with..... or how to get past him to Renee
Comment Eaten By A Grue
13 May 2014
Shayden: Remember, Envive works on pictures, too! Consider everything with a picture on it, and what the Yeggle advisory in the offices says about who knows the spell, and you can find someone to ask about it. That's the spell you need to get into the greenhouse and proceed further right now. Also, keep in mind that not everything is useful, even if your spells have an effect on it, so don't get too hung up on things you don't seem to be able to take.
Comment Shayden
13 May 2014
Ok so got the pickle jar and the book, brought the the moose head alive... which I assume is for the barricade if only I could lift it and think I have to do something with the gnome or nymph statue, and still haven't found anything the automat wants lemme just use the faeries on the gingerbread and...... note to self: faeries don't like gingerbread.

anyway help would be appreciated. Hmmm..... I wonder of cryoglaze the fountain again will it......
Comment Shayden
13 May 2014
Oh my I don't quite remember a science lab........ I was focusing on the greenhouse.... I'll give a careful search..... actually I think I might know where it is, I'll just ask if I can't find it thanks
Comment Eaten By A Grue
13 May 2014
Hooded: It sounds like you've got the basics down if you got that far in (at least enough to do the general commands and cast spells)--most of the verbs used in the game are the common ones (TAKE, LOOK AT, READ, GIVE [item] TO [person], ASK [person] ABOUT [subject], OPEN, USE [item] ON [item]), etc. You can also EAT things that are edible and use all the spells as verbs. If you're seeing Envive before reading the textbook, that means I might have made a mistake somewhere, because that's where you're supposed to learn it, and it'll explain what it does when you get it (there is a trick to catching it, looking at all the items you find and you'll spot a clue). Remember you also have a spell that'll help you find magical things, so use that if your other senses aren't picking up anything! There are some less commonly used verbs sprinkled throughout, but I've always tried to make it so it would be the verb that's logical in the situation; if you get stuck somewhere and you think you've got the right answer but it's hard to get the right verb, let me know, because that might be a spot where I need to add alternates.
Comment HoodedPrincess
13 May 2014
I am way too new to this site. I just signed up yesterday and I am addicted already. But most of the things I do are useless. What does Envive do? I keep stumbling on stuff I can't use. Like the frightened book. What do I do to my friend? Is the grenade sock in the lost sock dept.? Which verbs should I use on things to get results? If only someone could guide me. :(
Comment Eaten By A Grue
13 May 2014
Shayden: Do you have the Envive spell yet? If not, you need to get that next. You can get it from the book in the science lab, but you'll have to give the book something it wants first.
Once you have Envive, consider carefully what objects you can affect with it and who the game tells you has knowledge of the Yeggle spell, and you'll be able to figure out who to ask about Yeggle in order to learn it.
Comment Shayden
12 May 2014
I have a wand, Miss Twitch's Self-Filling Spellbook, a school ID, a knapsack, a civvies, a concussive sock grenade, a greenhouse maintenance manual, a punchbowl, a welcome banner, a Yeggle advisory, a welcome basket and a trashy romance novel.

I searched as much of the grounds and school as can read all the files in mrs hannigans office (can't open her desk)
I assume what I have to do one of three things: remember how to use yeggle, get a checked out book for the automat or get into the oak desk in hannigans office but I have no idea how I've tried ASKING the mirror with the information sprite about the greenhouse and yeggle spell but all it ever dose is flicker.

I've also used the sock grenade on a number of things but it never works help please.
Comment Eaten By A Grue
11 May 2014
Shiny: You need to find an overdue book to return before you can check anything out. Once you do that, you can ASK is about any of the books it has available (it should list these when you look at it) to receive that book, and when you're done you can GIVE that book to it to free up another book. Let me know if you still have problems so we can work out if it's bugged somewhere.
Comment ShinyGreenButton
10 May 2014
Im having trouble working out the automat in the library. How do you use it?
Review TedlyAnderson
10 May 2014
Well-written, clever puzzles, good setup, a solid story. What else could you ask for? I love having the spells; having five unique spells that get used multiple times in interesting ways helps avert the adventure game problem of "This object has only a single use and will never be relevant again". Half the fun is from the witty writing and fun premise. Well worth your time!
Review sarah4
08 May 2014
Thanks so much for all of your patient assistance Grue (if I may call you that!), the last clue was the last I needed, as soon as my opponent began to relax I was able to use the final spell to finish her off!

This was an extraordinary game from start to finish, the considerable amount of world and character building that clearly went into constructing this game are very impressive indeed. The world is fascinating and beautifully described, the characters diverse and their personalities well defined and the storyline is extremely intriguing and engaging. The mystery builds up beautifully and keeps you guessing who is behind these dastardly occurances to the very end! Most important for me however was the very high quality of the puzzles. Although I like to be immersed in the world of a game, I mainly play text adventures for the puzzles, the more puzzles the better, and this game was jam-packed with wonderfully inventive and often fiendishly tricky puzzles of almost every possible type (though thankfully no mazes!). Though I was too dense to spot some of the solutions, all of the puzzles were perfectly soluble and made a great deal of sense in the context of the game, which is so important.

Also, from a personal perspective, I much prefer playing as a female protagonist, I know it's fiction, but always having to play as a male character can get a little tiresome, the all-female game world was also a refreshing change! On a similar note, I appreciated the inclusion of the (at least strongly hinted) romance between Jenny and Mary-Jane, it wasn't made a big fuss of, it was just there, and as a gay girl myself it's just nice to see gay romance dealt with in puzzle-based text adventures at all!

Congratulations again and I wait with bated breath for your future compositions!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
07 May 2014
sarah4: I haven't really written the fight very completely (it being one of the last things I did) and it definitely needs to be fleshed out more. You do actually have a spell that lets you get past that point, but you don't cast it on her... you need something that will give you enough arms to deal with all the metal balls and at the same time make it so your bones can't be broken.
Comment sarah4
06 May 2014
Hi again, thanks once again for the help, I had been trying to scoop the liquid from the puddles into every container I was carrying but hadn't thought of another obvious way of transporting it! I'm in the final stages now, in the midst of my showdown with the dastardly villain responsible for all these nefarious happenings (I'll just say 'villain' so as not to ruin the deneument for anyone still to play!) So far, I have foiled the villain's first two defences, however, I'm now a bit stuck. The villain is now juggling a miniature solar system (although this does not show up as an interactive object in the way the shield did) and I have tried every spell and every object to defeat this particularly defence, with no luck. The only spell that has any effect at all on the plane is 'yeggle', but I can't find a way of capitalising on the effect this has on the plane. Once again, I am stuck. I know I will kick myself when the solution is revealed but I seem to be being very dense at the moment! Just a little help would be greatly appreciated thanks!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
06 May 2014
sarah4:
You do need spellbase, and the puddles in the rotunda are what you need--but you can't pick them with your hands. There's a very real-world solution to the problem that you can find if you keep your eyes peeled for the right item.

Thanks for letting me know about the thing on the shelves. I've fixed them in the working version so they should work in the next update. I'm glad you're enjoying the game; I hope you'll consider writing a review and rating it!
Comment sarah4
05 May 2014
Just thought I should let you know that I've encountered one bug so far which occurs when you are in the cage. If you try to take the objects from the shelves you are told they are too high for you to reach and yet they still end up in your inventory, though you cannot use the digestive powder until you acquire it the proper way, I undid a few moves when I'd discovered the problem and so was able to solve the puzzle properly, just thought you may want to know, otherwise the game is extremely ambitious, beautifully written and executed!
Comment sarah4
05 May 2014
Thanks so much for your help again, I had foolishly stopped reading the library books once I had found the mermaphro spell, thinking it was the only book that was likely to be helpful! I have now got a lot further on, have saved Renee, Traudel and Mary-Jane and, I believe, have found all the necessary ingredients for the potion Jenny has offered to make for Gwen. I have given Jenny the gold, silver, rye bread and plant that the alchemy books calls for, but she has not yet given me the resultant potion and won't answer any of my questions about it. Have I missed an ingredient? I thought perhaps I needed spellbase but have no idea how to get it, despite having tried to collect some of the puddles in the rotunda wwhich I believed may have contained spellbase. Sorry to keep bothering you but I am immensely enjoying this game and I'm sure a hint will get me moving in the right direction!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
05 May 2014
Have you tried --
-reading all the books you can get from the automat? The mermaphro book isn't the only significant one.
-using the mermaphro spell somewhere near the water?

Don't worry too much about finding a use for every item, as many of them don't do anything significant. I'm planning on paring down some of them to make things less confusing (and keep people's inventories from getting too cluttered!) while adding more scenery items so players won't get so many annoying 'I can't see that' messages. (The bleached flag IS used somewhere, though, so keep it in mind!)
Comment sarah4
05 May 2014
Just a quick update, I have successfully bleached the flag but still have no idea what to do with it!
Comment sarah4
05 May 2014
Thanks so much for your help, I can't believe I missed the solution to learning the yeggle spell, the clues were beautifully laid out and I should have spotted them, I did crack the case eventually however and am now a lot further on but have become stuck again and would greatly appreciate another metaphorical push in the right direction please! I now have all five spells and I have disturbed the social structure of the gnome community and provided Jenny with one of the ingredients for the temperal oil as a result. I have also rescued Tally, and she is currently being carried in my knapsack. I have acquired quite a few more items, the bleached raven, magma tablets, flag, banner, sponge, tweezers and some lurid trash fiction, which I have not yet found a use for and I still have the monkey. I also have no idea if I should be bothering with the sledge hammer or china collection yet or not. I've been wandering around now looking for other ingredients and trying to find the other students (I'm particularly keen on reuniting Jenny and Mary-Jane as I do like a good love story!) but I can't seem to make any headway now, any hint you could give would be very greatly appreciated, sorry to be so hopeless!
Comment Eaten By A Grue
04 May 2014
Replay to sarah:
Thanks for playing the game and for your thoughtful feedback! Here's some hints:

-Not everything your spells can affect is important, so don't worry too much if something doesn't seem useful.

-The vines are simply there to get in your way; what you actually need to do is get through the barricade on the south side of the hall. I've heard from two other people who also tried to use the fairies on the vines and in retrospect it makes perfect sense as a solution which I just didn't think of because the fairies are for somewhere else. Playtesters are so important! I'll make sure to add something to address this for the next update.

-The automat needs a specific overdue library book that Page checked out last year. It should be pretty obvious when you find it (it'll even say you checked it out in its description) but you can't get to it yet. I will add responses to the automat for the other books to make it clear that they're not library books.

-Right now, what you need to do is get into the greenhouse, and to do that you need a spell to unlock the door. You can find the spell mentioned elsewhere in the school, but to learn it, you'll have to pay close attention to who's mentioned as knowing the spell and look closely at item descriptions as well as consider all possible items you could use Envive on.

Once you do what you need to do in the greenhouse, you'll get something that will let you get through the barrier into the eastern side of the school, where there are ways to solve some of the other things you've run into. Congrats on catching the textbook, some people got stuck on that one! Please let me know if you get stuck again or find other places where things don't seem to make sense.

Comment sarah4
04 May 2014
I am enjoying this game immensely so far, it has all the ingredients I look for in a good text adventure and I appreciate the amount of care that has clearly gone into creating it.

I am a little stuck at the moment though and wondered if you could help me please as I am not sure if I have encountered a bug or if I am barking up the wrong tree and need to find a better solution. Firstly, I have brought the moose's head to life but think this is a red herring as I cannot possibly see what use it is going to be in my quest, shall I leave it alone to continue eating the furnishings in the lost and found office for now? Secondly, when I read the label on the pickle jar I thought I may have found a solution to the tangle of vines blocking the coridor but the jar's inhabitants remain resolutely uninterested in making a meal of the vines. I have also tried to use the sock grenade on the furniture to no avail and the automated librarian refuses to allow me to check out any books until I return one I already have, but despite using every verb I can think of I cannot seem to get the librarian to accept any of the three books I am carrying. I think if I could use the 'envive' spell on the gnome that would help but I can't break the ice. I also can't figure out how to enter the greenhouse or move the useful looking sledge hammer so I am currently at an impasse. I have eaten everything I can find, changed into my uniform and had a run-in with a frightened text book, but because I can't solve any of the above puzzles I can't seem to get any further along. If you could give me a little hint, just to get me moving again please, then I'd be very grateful!
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Written by
Eaten By A Grue
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Quest 5.5
English
Published 03 May 2014
Updated 01 Aug 2014

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