Island of Doctor Wooby hints

I’m playing Ryan Veeder’s The Island of Doctor Wooby and I think I’m stuck: Is there a way to get through the locked Volcano Access door? I’m a little unsure whether there is even a goal, or if it’s just the kind of game where you explore a little and play with the randomly-generated dinosaurs. And yes, I have found the hidden workshop.

There is a way through the door, and there is a goal for the game.

A little more, if you need it:

There’s a key.

It’s inside another object.

Have you found the stuffed heart yet?

OK, I looked around some more, but still haven’t found the stuffed heart. I’ve looked inside a few dinosaurs but I only find stuffing. I’ve also found food and hats, some mysterious characters on the bottom of a rock, and a non-ad for Clash of the Type-Ins! No heart though. Need some more hints I guess…

Hmm, lemme see if I remember this right…

There’s something you can do with the shovel you find by the Volcano Access door.

Specifically, in the garden where you find the treasure chest.

Aha, thanks! I had done this:

[spoiler]>x flowers
Which do you mean, the real flowers or the literary flowers?

x literary flowers
Yeah, those flowers aren’t really here. I couldn’t really say with 100% certainty what any of those names refer to.[/spoiler]
but apparently I never bothered to x real flowers, which is where the hint I needed was. I’m still confused about what/where the literary flowers are, though.

I think the literary flowers are just a reference to the quote that pops up when you first enter the garden. I’ve gotten on just fine without ever interacting with them.

Thank you so much for playing my game!

Here are some photos of dinosaurs I have generated non-procedurally:

Awwwwwwwwwww.

Are you going to make some felt dinosaur cover art?

Now, those would be some awesome feelies.

Heck, I forgot to make cover art!

I finished the game, but there are two things I never understood…

1) The letters on the bottom of the rocks. Do they mean anything?
2) Is there a purpose to the hats?

For your second question:

Did you put the hats on the dinosaurs?

They will affect their behavior.

Oh! Not much. I put the crown on the Ur-Dinosaur, which was adorable. Then I put a cowboy hat on another dinosaur and didn’t see an effect, so stopped putting hats on things.

Ah, well, I noticed effects for the pirate hat and sombrero. I should try crown on Ur-Dinosaur sometime!

Do this! It is perfect.