Virtual Cottage
A downloadable tool for Windows, macOS, and Linux
During quarantine I built myself this virtual cottage to help me get things done again. My goal was to have a super simple desktop app (so that I'm not even tempted to open the browser).
The app is meant to help you get started with your tasks and hopefully get's you into the flow state. You can only toggle music and sound to avoid distraction.
The "lighting" is tied to your OS clock and will change every couple hours.
- Simone (from DU&I)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAC USERS:
If the file "VirtualCottage_1.5.4_MAC.zip" does not work, please download "VirtualCottage_1.5.4._MAC_noadmin_plsreadinstructions.zip"
This file has tweaked permissions and will allow you to execute it, even without admin access. After downloading and opening, you will get the pop up "Virtual Cottage.app cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" please do the following:
- hold control and then click the .app
- it'll open the right click menu
- click "open" in the menu while holding control, this will give you the option to open the file
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Finally 1.5.4! (also no more permanent snow)May 11, 2021
- Let it snow!Dec 24, 2020
- Halloween Time!Oct 23, 2020
- A first round of small improvementsOct 20, 2020
- Cat Update ^W^Oct 13, 2020
- THANK YOU SO MUCH!Oct 12, 2020
- Virtual Cottage UPDATE TIME!Oct 11, 2020
Comments
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Can't open it on Mac even when holding ctrl. Any ideas? MacOS Sonoma: 14.4.1 (23E224)
You should make an ARM64 version for Raspberry Pis and Apple Silicon Macs running Asahi Linux please
you should add more rooms and song and also you should increase the quantity of tasks in it, please :)
I really love this! What i would like is to be able to customize the ringtone of the timer, i want to have a ringtone but not specifically that
It's a shame that the image of the cottage is tiny.
How do I remove the cat on the Mac version? I remembered that I can do it with my windows computer downloaded on steam..
Hi Developers,
Can I ask you to enlarge all the fonts, player shuffle, and clocks this is because I used 2 monitors (1 on my laptop and 1 is external monitor) The external monitor will have Virtual Cottage minimized to 1/3 view of the monitor..but unfortunately, the font, clock, player shuffle, and writing become too small.
When will virtual cottage have the android versions?
Would be very cool if there was an option to use an online lofi radio or add user songs. Nonetheless very nice app, I use the steam version.
Highly agree. Something like https://lofigirl.com/pages/use-the-musicor just a way to add my songs in a folder or something like that.
this app is AMAZINGG i use it to help me read!!
would it be possible to link one's own spotify or local playlists to the app?
This is really helpful and pretty great too
This seems like it would be a great screensaver on android and ios.
Can I join?
Do you have any plans to update the version that I can see (dog and cat)both?? :)
It would be nice of there was a mobile version.....
This has been super helpful for me. Having achievements for being productive has been really helpful to keep me motivated. I have a suggestion to add more achievements for being productive when the software is updated and new things are added.
Just to be sure but when I use the steam version, will it automatically turn to fullscreen mode? ( Pls answer me :( )
not 100% sure what you mean, but fullscreen is implemented in the itch version as well. Steam has an updated version that you can adjust more flexible :) So you can have it as a tiny window and also in fullscreen. Hope this helped!
Thank you for replying to me! ^^
i love this application, i just have one suggestion, would it be possible to add a youtube feature where you can add links to be played in a stored playlist?
Can you make it where our friends can join the study session & can chat with us please?
yes but this will unfortunately only be added to the steam version :(
Hello, i love ur game. If i dont check this site fluently, will i be noticed for the next undate?
We unfortunately only update this version every couple of month. If you want auto updates you'll have to use the steam version. We would love to notify users here, but we don't know how. Any ideas how other games do this?
I have a suggestion to improve this more pls. Can you add a custom playlist so we can put more music in and choose them, pls? :)
P/S: Have a good day!
It's an amazing software! I really hope that developers can port the software to the mobile terminal, such as IPad, etc., so that I can use the software on the iPad and continue to work on the pc side
Is this you? :d https://twitter.com/LowHighTech1
Nope not us. But we are aware of this game since it launched ^^
great, I'm downloading it :)
Instruction for linux user: mark `Virtual Cottage_LINUX.x86_64` as executable then run it.
this is what i did but it doesn’t work :( i remember getting it to work before the last update but now idk what happened
Yes i wasn't also able to then i saw that in file name there is space between Virtual and Cottage so i renamed the file from "Virtual Cottage_LINUX.x86_64" to "VirtualCottage_LINUX.x86_64"(removed the spaces between them). After that i also removed the spaces between the filename with extension .pck (did the same as above) , it was "Virtual Cottage_LINUX.pck" now it is "VirtualCottage_LINUX.pck" and then run this code by terminal - -
That's it now you can start it!
Hi, I was wondering if you figured out how to make it an application that you can just press from the taskbar. I can only see how to open it from the terminal with the coding...
This really helped me get in the flow of working on my projects in a way I never found before so thank you for this amazing tool!
Happy to hear that <3
Is there any way to zoom in?
Not at the moment. The steam version has a bigger resolution... we'll update the itch.io version sool.... probably.
can anyone explain how i could install it on a Chromebook, I already have linux on
I tried following the instructions on my mac to open it, but it still didn't work-
what should I do?
Hi ! I don't know if your problem is solved but if not you can get the game on Steam for free on mac ! Should be easier
yeah unfortunately we are not mac devs so we have no idea with some of the bugs on mac :/ Steam fixes a lot of that... it's not ideal, but a way to get the app to run :)
can you make a version that works for Chromebook? :)
Whilest not as easy, A chromebook is just linux. You might have to activate the ability for linux to play with chromebook. Look up how to run linux files on chromebook
thank you so much!!
how do a get it after it goes into my files?
This tool is incredible, I have used it when I have to study and I love it.
Does it have a version for chrome? i had chrome and i need help.
:(
There are threads here describing how to set it up on Chromebook with linux :)
uhhh nice game : )
Would really love the opportunity to customise the space and character.
It would just add a lovely and cozy personal touch to the space and even use colours that are a bit more "calming" for me :D
Can we have an update where we can put our own musics in the app ?
I just downloaded this app and I recommend it 100%. It has a really nice selection of music and ambient effects to help you focus.
I had to use the "fixed no admin" Mac version but otherwise it's running perfectly.
My only issue is with the size of the app on the screen. I wish I could make it much smaller so I can just have it in a corner and not occupying at least half my screen.
we have added this feature in the recent steam version :) might take a bit till it comes to itch. but we're on it!
This is such a great app, i normally have a terrible focus on something. But this helped me out so much. Thanks!
I love this sooooo much!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I just managed a full half hour on a writing project I have been avoiding for ages.
I would love to be able to add my own music to it :) Are there any plans to make that possible in the future? Love the game!