Dead Detention Version 1.5

Version 1.5 of Dead Detention is out now! It features improved Gamepad controls, a new unlockable extra, QOL updates, and lots more! It's also 70% off for the next two weeks!

This will be the final major update for the game (though I'll continue to fix any bugs or issues that pop up, of course), so I've gone through and updated the Steam page to show what the game looks like now, too.

Patch Notes

Redesigned Microgames for Gamepads

• Almost all the microgames have had tweaks and redesigns to make them work as well with Gamepad buttons and joysticks as they do with a mouse.

Other Microgame Improvements

Improved Clarity

• Some small adjustments were made to some microgames to make their objectives more readable at a glance:

  • AdjustedEpisode 1 and 2Added a spinning baseball bat to the touch all icons microgame + changed the moving icons microgame to be similar.
  • AddedEpisode 5Added the correct answer faintly to the background in the puzzle microgame.

  • Episode 5: The press 3 times microgame now shows HP numbers.

  • Episode 5: The phone dial microgame now is a pointing finger instead of a triangle.

  • Episode 5: Moved the Pac microgame spawn point slightly up so it doesn't instantly hit an icon.

  • Episode 5: The running icon microgame now shows the goal color spinning and at a smaller size. Also, two of the same color are now never shown at the same time.

• The instructions for bosses now stay on screen until the player presses to continue.

Balancing

• The Rhythm Minigame: Lives are less common in Normal mode.

• Adjusted lots of time limits, taking the new versions into account.

Misc

• Improved the zombie punching sprite in the boxing minigame.

Microgame Marathon

• A new extra has been added that's unlocked by completing episode 5: Microgame Marathon.

• In this mode, you play through all the microgames in order from start to finish, which the background and music changing to fit the episode.

Max's Exercise Book

• Added Max's cut-up exercise book opening up to the intro of Episode 1.

• Added the book closing to the outro of the Epilogue.

Improved Art

Scribbles

• AdjustedEpisode 1Improved the blackboard scribbles.
• FixedEpisode 1Fixed Naomi's bar scribble being slightly over the edge.
• AdjustedEpisode 1Improved the equipping items scribbles.
• AdjustedEpisode 1Improved the fire-starting scribbles.
• AdjustedEpisode 2Improved the teacher firing her bow scribble.
• AdjustedEpisode 3Improved Sora defeating ??? scribble.
• AdjustedEpisode 4Improved the hiding in locker scribble.

Character Poses & Arts and Crafts Theming

• Max

  • Moved Max's sad equip pose onto grid paper, and made it drawn in ballpoint pen.

  • Changed some of Max's other equipping poses to grey pencil.

  • Made his shade pose slightly desaturated.

• Dr. Miller

  • Moved her shade pose onto a cardboard texture.

  • Moved her frown pose onto blue colored paper.

• Dr. Okaby

  • Moved his sigh pose onto newspaper.

• Ryan

  • Moved his crying pose onto blue paper.

• Naomi

  • Moved her laughing pose onto cardboard.

  • Changed her ":/" pose to a taped-on sticker.

  • Lowered her height slightly to keep it more consistent with the scribbles.

  • Moved her crying pose onto blue paper.

• Ms. White

  • Moved her anger pose onto red colored paper.

  • Moved her chalk pose onto cardboard.

• Sora

  • Made her eyes angry when holding the bat.

  • Made her face :3 when playing DS or using her phone.

  • Improved the outlines on her ":/" pose.

• Substitute Teacher

  • Moved her anger pose onto red paper.

Improved Story

Script

• Improved lots of dialogue.

• Punched up and added a few jokes.

• Cut some of the weaker jokes.

• Smoothed out some slight plot holes.

Sequencing

• Lots of small improvements were made across many scenes, such as additional sounds or screen shakes.

Other Updates

General Clarity and QOL

• If you're playing on Easy or Normal difficulty, you can now toggle between them anytime from the pause menu. (This won't affect any achievements or unlocks.)

• Added a Plot Tokens explanation to the Choices window.

• Added a note at the start of the game saying keyboard controls aren't recommended.

Menus

• The screen now fades out before entering the Boss Rush.

• Improved the exclamation icon on the extras button.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the atmosphere volume only updating on load.

Thanks so much for playing my dumb little game! It's improved and grown so much since that initial launch version back in 2024 - I kinda wish I held back on release until now! 😅 But that's how I always feel, I guess...

This was so much fun to make and continue to release updates for. I'll definitely miss it...

Which is why I've started another small project in the same style that I'll be announcing soon! It's basically a hugely refined spiritual successor, with a brand new story and cast of characters.

I'm not ready to show it just yet, but I can say that it's about a girl and her dog being hunted down by a witch on New Years Eve! It's called "Like Papercuts." It's probably my favorite game script I've ever written, so I'm really excited about it - and thematically it's about some personal things I went through this year. I'll do another post when the Steam page and demo for it is up, which will hopefully be sometime this year!

Until then,

Jack