After submitting to the jam, I limited updates to fixing up a game bug. With the voting period now over, I've updated a bit more, though the majority of the game is unchanged. The updates:

• Tweaked Larp's accent in order to be a bit more consistent, except in cases where it might be a bit too distracting or hard to read.
• Cleaned up spelling and grammar.
• Tweaked the 'tobogganing' scene so it flows a bit better.
• Added an epilogue illustration and extra description at ending.
• Added more page breaks to break up longer chunks of text and reduce scrolling.
• Fixed up issue where some options were cut at bottom, for some browsers.
• Removed auto-scrolling to the bottom of page after an option is selected.
• Increased contrast for Light and Dark themes to improve readability.
• Updated the game page: added screenshots and more info about the game jam.
• Updated game info to include Asset license, Language, and Input info.
• Lamented Gregor Samsa.

Postmortem:

For this game jam I wanted to see if I could finish a project in a short span of time, with a story that feels complete. I think I managed it in the 72 hours, though the ending felt a little rushed. So I'm glad I added some of those updates above, particularly the illustration; I think it gives a little more closure.

In terms of Ink coding, I limited experimentation to simple if/else and logical operators.  It was definitely a good idea to plan ahead; once all knots (pages) and diverts (choices) were in place, the actual writing was straightforward. The issue of some choices being cut off from view in some browsers was fixed with css tweaking, and Ink's default page scrolling was also tweaked (thanks to friendly ink community). These were pretty much the only issues giving me a headache. The fixes are definitely going into the pipeline for future ink projects. Next, I'll need to look into faster testing strategies, and I think I'll delve into functions, and maybe Ink's 'tunnels'. I also need to look into proper naming conventions for the knots, stitches, and diverts in my projects; the bigger the project gets, the messier it can become.

Scope creep wasn't really an issue, and I think that was in part because I focused on a simple story, with two simple characters who had simple problems and needs. In terms of the branching I didn't want to give too many choices, but to have at least one that had a lasting thematic consequence.  I didn't expect the story to have as many death endings as it did, but that was okay as they were quick and near-inconsequential - you have the option to try again, ie. jump to slightly earlier point. Death didn't really break the story flow (save for one Game Over...).

The feedback I received included usability suggestions, which I followed up on in the update, as well as praise for the lil' adventure being funny and Pratchett-like. It's good to know I can write funny! And I was definitely surprised by the Pratchett comments. I'm... still getting my head around that.

Lastly, a little note on the post-submission experience - playing all 28 games in the jam, and writing/responding to comments, was really valuable. It took awhile to get through the 28 though! The voting period was ample time to do so, but also starting early was a good idea. I had a spreadsheet to keep track of the games, and monitoring comments for my own game meant I could jump into bug fixing ASAP.  In future I'll need to make sure all the game info (eg. asset license) is added early.

Well, I've rambled long enough. I think I've covered most points to keep in mind in future. Onward!