Journey Stories

Hi, journeystories: I'm a scholar of games and new media. I'm currently writing a piece about emergent storytelling that includes some material on Journey and Journey Stories. I'm wondering if you would be willing to share your number of followers with me? I'm curious how large your tumblr community has become. Patrick

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:23:33 +0930

Hi Patrick! Fantastic to hear about your upcoming piece. I’m always so excited when people write about artistic games, particularly their storytelling potential. The world of videogames is so exciting and I earnestly believe academic scholars need to recognise and explore their potential.

There’s SO much fertile ground for writing about Journey in particular, since there are so many complex and unique aspects to the game’s design and impact.

I am more than happy to help you out: at the present moment, Tumblr tells me this blog has 131,017 followers. (Unfortunately, most of them aren’t active contributors/rebloggers, of course, or this blog would be a whole lot busier)

It might also interest you to know that roughly 1,260 stories have appeared here since the blog’s creation on March 16 2012, with about 990 of them being submitted specifically to this blog (rather than reblogged from other sources.)

If there’s anything else I can help you with, I would be more than willing. Best of luck for your article! I’d love to read it when it’s done.

First Time Flyer~

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:09:00 +0930

One of my friends is visiting from across the country, and brought his PS3 with him, so after over a year of wanting to play, I finally had a chance to!

Though he was occasionally harassing me for taking too long and messing around too much, I had a lot of fun. I ran into a white cloak after the bridge level that danced around and was willing to fly and chirp with me! I felt awful when I lost them after the ‘underwater’ level, after the war machines. After that, there was a red cloak, but I got attacked by the war machines on the mountain and lost them… After that, I met a very lovely red cloak on their way up the mountain, just before the end, and we chirped the entire way up until we collapsed.

Luckily, we both entered the last area together and flew all over the place, chirping! We even drew hearts at the end, dancing around a little before walking side-by-side to the end…

Shame I wasn’t using my own account, and I think if I tried to play again, he’d strangle me xD

I love this game, and can’t wait to get it myself~

On about my fourth or fifth trek through Journey, I learned what a White Cloak was. At first, I...

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:51:54 +0930

On about my fourth or fifth trek through Journey, I learned what a White Cloak was. At first, I thought you got it by playing through the game a certain number of times. Kind of like the golden embroidery that you gain on your cloak after each play. Soon after that, I learned about the power of automatic regeneration that comes with the White Cloak. That’s when I started to spend every trek through Journey looking for orbs, in order to get a White Cloak of my own.

After finishing two treks while looking for all of the orbs, I was met by a White Cloak companion on the bridge chapter. He began immediately to show me where every single one of the orbs was in that map, and the next, and the next, guiding me with his frequent singing.

After we had played through the first and second chapters, I had began to feel a deep sense of gratitude towards my White Cloak companion. When I had first met up with him, I had just been ecstatic over the fact that he was showing me where all of the orbs were, and all I had to do was follow him. But as we went through our trek, I began to become attached to this companion, and I didn’t much care for the fact that he was showing me where all the orbs were anymore. I was just happy to be with such a wonderful companion.

But, when we got to the chapter with the light tower, I had to go eat dinner. I was so worried that as I ate, he’d get bored and move on. I ate my dinner probably the fastest I ever have in my life, hoping with all my might that he hadn’t gotten too far into the stage, and that I could at least catch up to him.

To my surprise, when I got back from dinner, there he was. He had waited for me for almost fifteen minutes, not moving an inch without me. I was so happy, so full of gratitude, I nearly cried. Never before in my life of gaming had I ever met anyone patient and caring enough to wait for me that long, just so he could spend a game experience with me. He ended up showing me where the rest of the orbs were, and I received my White Cloak. We finished the game together, though I had wished that we could continue playing together forever as we walked into the light.

Now that I have my White Cloak, I always wish that I’ll join a companion with a red one, just so that I can help them, the same way my friend helped me. I can only hope that I’ve given someone else the same loving experience that he gave me.

I also try to apply the same kinds of actions into my daily life as well. Journey is not only the most beautiful game I’ve ever played, but also the most heart-warming one. So, thank you, Journey.

And thank you, my patient, white cloaked companion.

Something I noticed

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:34:45 +0930

The chapter select hub is a lot like the top of the tower level. The sides have areas that look like the chapter select structures, there’s a bridge that connects to the gate to the next level, and the graves around the area….. Not to mention, the original chapter select hub could have been a tower buried in sand. Just something to think about.

Glitch warning signs

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:17:39 +0930

Okay so it seems like black screening is becoming kind of frequent, so I’ll just go over what I know of the dangers that glitch worlds have.

Before I start my biggest word of advice is to either explore the worlds by yourself and go through trial and error until you find the safest route, or try to let a more seasoned robe go the route they are familiar with and try to remember said route. Planning a safe path for new explorers to follow is a pretty big thing in general, but once you get a path in and out of the world down, then you don’t really ever have to worry about getting your partner in trouble.

General glitch issues

Flat Snow/Sand/Black Sand- ALWAYS BE CAREFUL WITH FLAT SAND. While it’s not as dangerous as say, flying out of bounds, it is still a notable danger that can very easily black screen you and force a reset.

Most of the glitch world tends to have some kind of incline or hilly mountains/smooth and fluffy sand everywhere. That sand is not questionable and is pretty safe to walk on for the most part. But if you happen to see large, vast plains of flat sand, do not walk on it. If not by the vastness, you will probably notice that the edges of the flat sand clips from time to time, like noticing little black lines when you move the camera.

When stepped on you will initially stand safely on top of it, making it seem like safe treading ground. But take a few more steps on top of it and you will, for lack of a better definition, suddenly find yourself launched about a whole 10 meters below where you were just standing, and you don’t just pop back up above the sand. You actually have to manually fly out of it, and for red cloaks this is an absolute nightmare if someone isn’t there to recharge

The entire time you are under the sand, mind, you will lose almost all camera control and find it very hard to see where you actually are without fighting it. So just watch out for flat sand to avoid all the trouble, or if you get caught in it, fly up until you breach the surface and stand very still to look around the area until you see where the flat sand ends. (The only glitch where flat sand is okay to walk on is in the Underwater City, since most of its outside has flat sand.)

Rock clips and boundaries- Clipping through rocks like nothing is pretty neat. Clipping through a bunch of rocks towards the level is not. It’s not really the rock clips that are dangerous, it is just that most of the rocks surround the edge of the level.

And it’s really the edge of the level you should be worried about. There’s no real way to fly back into the level map because there’s an invisible wall blocking you at almost all times, so no real reason to get too close to the wall either. Sometimes, when you get too close to the level, your camera will lose control, or you’ll find yourself stuck between two invisible walls and find there is no way outside of the trap. Level boundaries are just bad news in general, so try to keep a safe distance from them and flat sand to avoid problems. (Again another contrary, the Underwater City is a level you will be walking on top of the borders of, and generally messing with the walls of the level so long as you are on top of them.)

White ancestor land- If you become lucky enough to find one of the glyphs used in the white ancestor cutscenes (There’s one for every out of bounds if anyone’s curious), don’t get close to it. You will actually fly into ‘white ancestor land’ where all of the area around you becomes a blinding white color and you won’t be able to see where you or your partner is.

Individual levels

Got lost? We all do

Make sure you keep track of what direction you are going/where you are in relation to the level/how far you have walked from the glitch entrance. There’s also a series of little details that can happen that could help you get your sense of direction back.

Flat snow for example, usually serves as the ultimate glitch world boundary. Glitch worlds have no invisible walls stopping you, but instead have flat sand beyond the glitch world boundary. So, when you see flat sand, move the other direction to find the actual level again.

Underwater city

I noted in my previous glitch world post to make a ‘leap of faith’ to the outside of the level box and move parallel to the wall. What I forgot to note is how to know you are going the right way.

You want to be far enough so you can just barely see the shadow of the wall looming in the distance when moving parallel. What you are really looking for is when the atmosphere suddenly turns into a deep algae green color. Then your worries are over, just make sure you stay inside the green atmosphere and look for the aforementioned sand plateau connected to the wall to climb back to the wall of the level.

Snowy mountain

I’ll be sharing my route. Route A (Scarf path) at least.

Came in through the glyph? Look to the right, there’s some definite snowy walls there. Don’t walk in them, just use them as a guide and move parallel to them. Follow the edges of the wall until you make it to a rock wall. Again, don’t clip in here, just move parallel to the wall. The rocks end but you can see more ahead of you, walk in a straight path towards them (You will probably now notice there is a long mound of flat snow to the left, don’t touch it. It’s the reason I am instructing to hug the wall)

Eventually after moving from rock to rock you should notice a large hill ahead of you. Give yourself a pat on the back for making it that far and walk straight towards it, then climb up the hill. You are now in the blizzard area, and almost done.

Here’s a shocker- move parallel again to the little wall clips you see to the right. Do not move up the hill. Once the blizzard sequence and music starts, NOW you can move up the hill as usual. You clip through the hill if you move too far up.

Need help for route B (Guardian path)? I know the way, but I can’t quite explain it in words. So instead of making matters worse for everyone reading, you can personally send me an ask about it! Believe it or not, I know a surefire way to connect to individual people through Journey, so what better way to show the safe path than to make you follow it with me in person. uvu

Actually, I can lead you safely through every glitch I know from Pink Desert to The Summit if you really want to.

Annnd that’s about my general knowledge of most the dangers. Just keep in mind anything can happen in a glitch, so general knowledge might not cut it at times.

I had been on several journeys before, from the very first time to eventually my rise into...

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:43:18 +0930

I had been on several journeys before, from the very first time to eventually my rise into transcendence. And then once or twice more to actually be a white cloak. But that was quite a while ago, and I decided to go back to Journey just yesterday.

The atmosphere and music was still as striking as ever, and instantly reminded me of why I had gone so many times before. I actually decided to forgo becoming white, as I wanted to find a new player and see how they experienced it. A kind of study if you will. So naturally the first player I came across was a white cloak, which pretty much was the opposite of my intended companion. I chatted with them a little, and released part of the cloth bridge together, before I scooted off to grab the waterfall glyph and find another companion.

Except when I came back to the area, my companion was still there where I had left them. And I had already felt a little guilty for leaving them there, so when I saw they had stayed there waiting for me I decided to not leave hir behind again. (using neutral pronouns cos I have no idea what gender they were) And that turned out to be great, with us both exploring the pink desert and even almost managed to fly to the Third Confluence platform without falling into the darkness below! (we ended up landing on the bridge underneath it)

And so we continued, with me being somewhat daring by actually leaping on the back of the first War Machine as it erupted out of the ground - which just knocked me away but still - and later got ravaged by the other machines on the Mountain, with my companion taking so much punishment my red cloak ended up with a longer scarf than hir white strand. But then at the final ascent, after both of us were reborn into the land of running water and red cloth life, I lost them just as I went down into the river-like section and rising up the waterfall - I think ze tried to fly above it, possibly successfully.

So I was left alone, flying and looking for my companion without a trace to be seen. Even once I ascended to the mountain itself, and waited for a couple of minutes there drawing patterns over patterns over patterns, I still saw nothing, and assumed they were gone, and walked towards the entrance of the summit. But as I walked towards the light, and everything grew quiet and still, I heard footsteps, almost drowned out by my own. I stopped, one step before the light, and stood still as my companion walked into frame behind me. We stood still for a few seconds, before taking that final step into the light, together again once more.

Hearts in the snow

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:26:10 +0930

So today i wanted to play with my friends and take them to the glitch levels, however, none of them were around, so i just decided to see if i could find a patient companion to run around with.
During the bridge area i had finally figured out how to speed fly, and it was exciting to me!
I ran into an incredible red cloak who waited for me when ever i had to pause to feed the cat or what ever. I was making my way to the desert flower with this wonderful player, and then my cat meowed again so i went and took care of him.
I returned to see them sitting with me in one of the shrines.

I stood and chirped on them when I was done, however, this time they didn’t stand, so i kept standing and waited for them. They finally stood after a while, However, they sat back down again, and then they vanished!
It was the first time that had ever happened to me, and it was really quite sad.
I continued on anyway, playing around with speed flying and collected the glyphs.
i ran into a red cloak who might’ve been on their third run through, however, they seemed to be doing their own thing so i left them.
I met my final companion while getting the second symbol in the sand surfing level. They were amazing!
I took them into the glitch at the end of the level, and we explored around a little bit.

Afterwards we continued on through the trials, and that was as it usually was.

We climbed the tower together, not filling it, so it was some fun team work. We got up to the chamber where the cloth whale was. We flew up to and and around it, and it was calming.

As we got into the winter level we huddled in the corner for a moment, making sure our scarfs and cloaks didn’t have any frost. It took us two tries to get into the glitch world, but once we were in i immediately took them to the left side of the level (left side from when you enter the actual level) we climbed up the little snow hills, and then we just ran a little more.
I drew a heart for them, they always waited for me when i left, and even though i worried about them getting up and leaving, they never left and it was extremely relieving.
After enjoying this wonderful glitch world i took my companion up near where the end of the level so we could finish it. The night before i learned you could cross the level up there and get to the left side, where it would be easier to get into paradise.
However, i didn’t take my companion up far enough in fear of the screen blacking out and me loosing them. It took a seemingly long time for us to die, but i’ll say with a smile, we died with out huge scarves still intact!

When we got to paradise, i took my companion on the mountains and walked along those instead of sliding down the snow. From there we co-operatively flew up and all the way to the beam of light.
I tried to take them into the paradise glitch, however, my luck didn’t work again, so we didn’t get in it.

We were chilling there, i drew another heart, and then they drew one coming off mine, and i couldn’t help but think that it was completely adorable. Then they drew half a heart and i drew the other half, afterwards we walked in a zig zag fashion as far as we could into the light.
At that moment, when our forms blurred together, i tried to let my companion go first, as i was a white cloak and that’s just how i roll. However, they stopped, so i went first. Then i realized that they didn’t follow me, so i started to panic. After a few moments though, their body blocked out the camera, and i felt relived, again.

My words don’t do this journey justice, but honestly, it was just wonderful!
Thank you very much red cloak buddy :3

An old shirt, bleach and inspiration =)

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:09:02 +0930

An old shirt, bleach and inspiration =)

We used Journey for one of our video projects at our school, and...

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:52:03 +0930

We used Journey for one of our video projects at our school, and I wanted to share it so others can (hopefully) enjoy our work. It was our first time shooting anything like this and a huge learning process. We wanted to document the experience of playing Journey in real-life.

<3

Well, it was my first mural and who could I draw other than good...

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:34:43 +0930

Well, it was my first mural and who could I draw other than good old red cloak? It’s about 3/4 a yard tall. I’m pretty happy with it.

Shiny new cloak.

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:17:44 +0930

In the past I’ve played on my friends console and now I’m borrowing my housemates so I began as a shiny new red cloak today.

I went through the first chapter by myself and came across my first companion shorty after, a 4th run red cloak. We both completed the second chapter and started the third together, wandered around together for a little while before I wandered off to explore the level, we bumped into each other a couple more times before I lost them entirely.
I climbed up the tower to go to the next level but found I was missing a shiny emblem, so I went exploring again.
Having found it I came back to find a first run red cloak, we both got to the top and I thought I should ask them if they had all of the emblems by standing over each one and singing. Somehow we agreed that they didn’t so I took them back to where it could be found and in doing so found the flower I had originally be searching for.
We finished the level together and continued on.
I loved the sand surfing together. Sorry we didn’t get the sneakily hidden emblem.

I had to assure them when they saw a golem that they weren’t going to get eaten, showing that if you just stuck to the edge and ducked behind a wall or two you could be safe, jumping down the slope first when the golems chased us.

Everything went pretty smoothly, I showed them the ancestor, with whom they seemed to really like flying around with. Where to find the murals I knew of. Singing the whole time.

We reached the ice levels and we hid together behind the stones when the wind pushed us back.
I do feel bad because in the last segment before the wind tunnel I got us attacked by golems twice. I didn’t see them and I sang to my companion each time trying to say sorry. We made it to the stairs and I waited when they were blown back by the wind.

The best part though was just as we just landed in the snow before walking in the light we both drew hearts all over the snow. Sometimes over each others drawings.

Afterwards I sat back and felt relaxed for the first time in a month. Felt so good to play the game again.
Thank you to my companions.
Drakin83
OrgaCoaty
Larghetto
And DismalWanderer.
I’m not sure what my account name would have turned up as because it was my housemates ps3 account.

I hope I'm not too late to be saying this, but wow I cant believe how huge and popular this blog as become. I still remember when it was pretty much just starting out and really I am truly happy how much it has grown and how much people truly love Journey. You have been doing a wonderful job taking care of this blog, answering all this lovely people and posting their stories. Really, thank you. <3

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:47:33 +0930

Goodness, thank you for your lovely message! It’s really thanks to people like you that the Journey fandom is flourishing so splendidly. You were one of the very first Journey ask blogs on Tumblr, if I remember correctly, and I’m so happy you’re still blogging too! Seeing so much love for Journey, and so many followers willing to submit their experiences, is such a joy. I’m glad I can share it with you all. <3

Oh I would just like to point out an interesting thing some people could have missed. When you go through the ending credits, the cloaks of the two wayferers at the sand slide change color depending on what cloak you were using. If you were a while cloak, one of them is red and one white, but if you went red cloak, there's no white cloaks in the ending credits. Neat huh?

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:18:13 +0930

That is SO cool! I remember noticing white cloaks on later playthroughs that I hadn’t noticed before, but I didn’t realise it was directly tied to what cloak you used. How awesome! I guess they didn’t want to spoil the mystery of the white cloak for the early players.

I was wondering why I suddenly got so many likes and such on my post. O//w//O~ /flattered

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:13:52 +0930

You’re more than welcome! It’s my pleasure to promote awesome posts like yours :)

Okay… I have not listened to this song in a few years, but...

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:43:14 +0930

Okay… I have not listened to this song in a few years, but when I finally did a few minutes ago, I was like “O…M…G!!!” I’ve always loved this song since it first came out in 1997 but I love it even more because it sounds like it was meant for Journey. It’s a beautiful song for the theme of Journey, and if you listen to the words and think about companionship and the vast desert, please let me know what you think and come back to me with your thoughts :) beautiful beautiful song :) it’s called “Snow On The Sahara” by Anggun.

Doodles84

Only tell me that you still want me here
When you wander off out there
To those hills of dust and hard winds that blow
In that dry white ocean alone Lost out in the desert
You are lost out in the desert
But to stand with you in a ring of fire
I’ll forget the days gone by
I’ll protect your body and guard your soul
From mirages in your sight Lost out in the desert

If your hopes scatter like the dust across your track
I’ll be the moon that shines on your path
The sun may blind our eyes, I’ll pray the skies above
For snow to fall on the Sahara
If that’s the only place where you can leave your doubts
I’ll hold you up and be your way out
And if we burn away,
I’ll pray the skies above for snow to fall on the Sahara

Just a wish and I will cover your shoulders
With veils of silk and gold
When the shadows come and darken your heart
Leaving you with regrets so cold Lost out in the desert

(Mod: What beautiful lyrics! They definitely remind me of Journey. Here’s a link to the song, if anyone wants to hear it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHXyPTmliNs)

Being a playful red cloak

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:26:20 +0930

I’ve been playing Journey a lot, as both red cloak and the white one…but for some reason I really enjoy being the new coming red cloak…because in my opinion this one seem like the most free, most playful one…

As a little red cloak, it allows me to fully observe each companion I’ve met since they didn’t expect you to lead the way you can just chirp happily every time you meet new people and follow them to see how each of them experience this journey…or just hang out and do silly stuff with your companion

In the bridges level, I often run into the white cloak or a mature red cloak. Some of them ignore me or disappear right at that spot, some of them actually be friend with me and help with everything throughout the pink sand level only to dissolve right at the exact spot once we find all the symbols in that area, as if that has done their job and moving on to guide the new comer on this area again (which happen to me a lot and make me wonder if it a new trend or something….)

But for most of my recent journeys, I often meet the new comers as I am, and I’m so happy that all of them stick with me from the very first time in the bridges level to the very end every time (unleash I run into the white cloak who immediately dissolve at the first level first before I actually meet the red one)

All of them are very friendly, playful and curious…I really love to see how they experience stuff…and the best part is we are actually on the same level, walking side by side not as a mentor and apprentice but as friends…I will show them glyph and symbols sometime if we walk passed it, I will chirp at them like “oh hey look what I found!” XD

Some of the little red cloak are really make me suspicious too if that person is really the new comer since they seem to know everything a be the one who lead the way…look like I meet the one with the same idea too! One even try to have me cross the bridge without the clothes and we tried for about twenties time until I chirp at him like ‘okay I’m sorry I will be back’ and go on to get the symbols to increase my scarf and walk back to him…he seems very cheerful at my action since he probably thought I was going to active the clothes. We finally crossed the bridges successfully.

And every time at the end, those who stick with me from the very beginning will spend good among of time with me just to play around will snow, spinning, chirping, and drawing…..I have to say the these recent journeys are really moving me

endearinglycreepy: Journey — The Drop by SpoonfishLee (The...

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:08:55 +0930

endearinglycreepy:

Journey — The Drop by SpoonfishLee

(The timelapse video of this is unbelievable.)

kitkatpurrpurr: My boyfriend used Journey as a way to describe...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:51:58 +0930

kitkatpurrpurr:

My boyfriend used Journey as a way to describe how he and I would pass on to the next life in the future when we pass away. He said “if I go first, then when you pass on as well, I’ll be waiting there to take your hand and we’ll walk into the light together.” He sure knows how to make me cry.

journeyletters: To the White Cloak who couldn’t finish with...

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:34:43 +0930

journeyletters:

To the White Cloak who couldn’t finish with me;

I just want to let you know. I waited.

Source: Currently Unavailable

Submitted by: xxcosmic-beatsxx

feffu: I think one of my favorite parts of playing Journey is randomly getting thank you messages...

Mon, 20 May 2013 03:17:45 +0930

feffu:

I think one of my favorite parts of playing Journey is randomly getting thank you messages from the people you play with through the game. It’s, by far, the only game where this has happened to me numerous times. That sense of camaraderie with strangers in a video game is rare.