A Virtual Harvest of Delights - But at What Cost?
In an effort to avoid shelling out £80 for a lackluster local park Halloween spectacle and missing out on five years of Scottish farm visits, I turned my attention to the Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival – a virtual extravaganza born from a cancelled neighbourhood event during the 2020 pandemic.
Game developer Adam Robinson-Yu's brainchild has evolved significantly since its inception. What started as an ad-hoc gathering of gamers gathered in a creepy little micro-world filled with user-created pumpkins now boasts an expanded experience that includes haunting escapes, virtual movie screenings, and even a theatre where players can watch eerie silent films – albeit to an audience of one.
As I navigated this bizarre world with my children, we encountered other 'ghostly' avatars floating about, sporting makeshift sheet-hats and gurning faces. It was clear that the community had taken creative liberties, with some striking tributes to gaming classics like Hollow Knight and Majora's Mask.
A major draw of virtual festivals is their affordability – here, entry costs a mere £8 for the experience. But it wasn't just about cost; I discovered numerous hidden secrets waiting to be uncovered by intrepid explorers. A challenge was presented in the form of a hedge maze that required some persistence and a knack for problem-solving.
The movie theatre proved particularly enticing – its doors initially locked until we managed to 'unlock' them through clever observation and exploration. Hidden behind one of these secret doors lay a short, chilling horror game, albeit with optional tamer alternatives.
For those intrigued by this bizarre virtual celebration, it is available on itch.io for a pay-what-you-want download run-up until the Halloween deadline.
In an effort to avoid shelling out £80 for a lackluster local park Halloween spectacle and missing out on five years of Scottish farm visits, I turned my attention to the Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival – a virtual extravaganza born from a cancelled neighbourhood event during the 2020 pandemic.
Game developer Adam Robinson-Yu's brainchild has evolved significantly since its inception. What started as an ad-hoc gathering of gamers gathered in a creepy little micro-world filled with user-created pumpkins now boasts an expanded experience that includes haunting escapes, virtual movie screenings, and even a theatre where players can watch eerie silent films – albeit to an audience of one.
As I navigated this bizarre world with my children, we encountered other 'ghostly' avatars floating about, sporting makeshift sheet-hats and gurning faces. It was clear that the community had taken creative liberties, with some striking tributes to gaming classics like Hollow Knight and Majora's Mask.
A major draw of virtual festivals is their affordability – here, entry costs a mere £8 for the experience. But it wasn't just about cost; I discovered numerous hidden secrets waiting to be uncovered by intrepid explorers. A challenge was presented in the form of a hedge maze that required some persistence and a knack for problem-solving.
The movie theatre proved particularly enticing – its doors initially locked until we managed to 'unlock' them through clever observation and exploration. Hidden behind one of these secret doors lay a short, chilling horror game, albeit with optional tamer alternatives.
For those intrigued by this bizarre virtual celebration, it is available on itch.io for a pay-what-you-want download run-up until the Halloween deadline.
my kids and i stumbled upon this ghost town pumpkin festival too! we were a bit skeptical at first but man, it was so cool! i love how its not just about the scares but also the problem-solving and creativity. £8 is a steal for the whole experience! and yeah, some of those hidden secrets are super clever 
my kid figured out that one hedge maze trick by accident lol anyway, im all for exploring new forms of entertainment 
! £8 is like, super cheap considering you get to experience a whole new world with user-created pumpkins and all sorts of spooky fun 
. I love how the community got creative with it too - those sheet-hats and gurning faces are everything 
.
. The hedge maze sounds like so much fun, and I'm intrigued by the movie theatre - clever observation and exploration skills required? Sounds like my jam 
.
. Pay-what-you-want is such a awesome concept too 
. Can't wait to try it out myself! 
I'm loving the creativity behind this virtual festival 
? But seriously, it's awesome that game developers are using their skills to bring people together in a new way. And £8 is a super reasonable price tag 
. I'm just wondering what kind of community support they've got behind this - it sounds like users have really added to the experience 
. Anyone else tried it out? 
... and the best part? its only £8 to get in!!! i mean, who needs to shell out £80 for some local park halloween event when u can have this instead?! 
It's also pretty cool how the community came together to create somethin' special, but isn't that what we should be doin' all the time, not just for special events? We should be fosterin' those same kinds of connections and creative expressions in our daily lives.
. I mean, £8 to experience the whole thing? That's like, super affordable 
. But what really got me thinking is how it showcases the power of community and creativity when people come together online 
.
. We're always talking about how important it is to take care of ourselves and get outside, but sometimes technology can be a lifesaver too 
anyway its cool that ppl r creatin their own content but £8 is kinda steep even for a virtual thing gotta think about the devs costs tho 