Waybinder recently had its first public outing at the Nordic Game conference in Malmö, where it was selected for the Yonderplay showcase. It was my first time attending this new twist on what used to be Nordic Game’s Indie Night. In its stead was a singularly intimate setting in which to display such a text-heavy, contemplative game as mine.
Although a conference is still not the ideal space in which to show a game which is read more than played — especially in a country where English is at best the player’s second language — Yonderplay’s schedule included plenty of opportunities to actually talk to players.
My presentation of the game involved a live reading, which also went down well. The responses included suggestions that I make an interactive audiobook version of Waybinder. That’s certainly something I’m keen on, if only I can ensure a decent enough recording environment and audio equipment. To that end, I can perhaps lay small hope in the game’s ‘free to play; donations welcome’ model on Itch.io.
As for more certain futures: Yonderplay was the first of what I hope will be at least a few more outings for this ritual in narrative form, circumstances permitting. My events schedule has been a lot quieter ever since essentially going broke, and refusing to pay out of pocket for speaking ‘opportunities’.
I am, however, still committed to the idea of Metrowitch Interactive as a label for my self-driven experiments in play and ritual. Though there will now follow a short period of work- and housing-related admin., my original 3D action game awaits. So too might one or two other smaller vignettes in the Waybinder style, whether they be interactive fiction or not…
