Self-referential mind-boggler The Stanley Parable is an experimental indie game that defies reasonable description. Beginning as a mod for Half-Life in 2011, it is simultaneously a game, a story and a joke, while also being none of those things. Frankly, it hurts just trying to write about it. The Stanley Parable is also a success: over 100,000 copies sold in the last few days. Developer Davey Wreden has now written a blog post detailing all of the things that went right and wrong in the run-up to the official release.
People have certainly been talking about the game and the staggeringly well-executed demo , a personalized copy of which was sent to several Let's Play videomakers on YouTube . By re-recording three lines of dialog for each demo, something that took very little time, Wreden was able to make a huge impact on the YouTubers and their subscribers.
Wreden also discusses the emotional impact of being suddenly successful and wealthy, something he spoke at length about to PAR: “I felt myself becoming competitive with other devs who had made a lot of money, becoming upset if I hadn't made as much as they had, or if I had made some decision that left money on the table, etc,” Wreden said . “It's a really toxic mindset, and in talking with other people in this situation I found that it's something everyone goes through.”
The Stanley Parable is available now on Steam , and it's a bit like being trapped in a Douglas Adams novel with an all-powerful narrator who is entertaining himself by torturing you. Go check it out.
