Topic: Nine Hours to Dawn

[mkennedy]

Typos

hour 1
when about to break into the house, and Jack ask Gordy "How's your leg? Gordy replies, "The bleed's stopped. Thanks." Bleed's you might want to change Bleed's to Bleeding's
When interacting with the last car in the pile up Jack says, "There's a bunch of stuff can't use right now." Should probably insert an I between stuff and can't.

hour 2
When Jack talks to Astrid she says "I was heading back to Klamuth Falls for my sister's wedding." It should be spelled Klamath.

CRASH

hour 4
When Sal tries to interact with the painting of the last supper the game crashes with an error saying
"Error: prepare_script: error -18 (no such function in script) trying to run 'hPaintSupper_Interact' (room 14)

typo

hour 4
When Sal looks at the balcony he says "... A great was to show off the space in here." Was should probably be way.

also happens in hours 5, 6, 7

CRASH

hour 4
When Sal tries to interact with the shed door:

In "room20.asc", line 6

Error: Satbackgroundframe: invalid frame number specified

also happens in hour 7

Plot Incongruity/problem

hour 7

When on the upstairs balcony and looking at the lower half of the room jack says
"... and Gordy and Darcy getting increasingly friendly." The description should probably be changed since Darcy is in the room tending to Gordy  after he was nearly hanged.

Typo

hour 7

After tying up Sal at the cave and taking him back to the cabin Sal  says ".. I had it in my head it I didn't get all the way to Seattle" should probably be "head if I didn't"

[Tabata]

started the new version directly by stepping in ...

# hour 7:

To go on I need a hint about how to solve the lock-code. I'm stuck there, because I couldn't find a way to read the bible, ask someone else about it or study something else for to get it.

[Cogliostro]

mkennedy -

Fixed all the errors and typos you found.

Wow!  I never would have caught the typo with Klamath Falls

---------------------------------------------------------

Tabata -

In the first room Darcy's character is NOT responding to the resizing.  Which has two results, it looks like she's sitting on the backrest and the other characters look like midgets in comparison.  Her character is properly sized when the game is played from the beginning, or even from the start of the 6th hour.  Since this is a problem with the Development Tool / "Easter Egg" and will not be part of the normal game I am not going to worry about it too much.  Several of the other problem you pointed out also only occur when using the "Easter Egg"

Already resolved the problems with the GPS light and the balcony railing.

I was unhappy with my first solution to the Lock Puzzle and have changed it. 

So in order to get the door open:
1) Look at the lock
2) Figure out how to read it
3) Go talk to Astrid. 

I really wanted Astrid to have a more important role in the game.

If you REALLY REALLY want to charge ahead and see the rest of the game the solution for the lock is:

1311 - Of course, you'll be wondering why Astrid shows up out of the blue.

I'll be adding responses to various items/interactions: Bellucci / Bible / lighter / etc and giving something for the characters to say, but that will be tomorrow.

Uploading today's changes.

 - Cogliostro

[Tabata]

Okay - since I'm not able to talk to her (I tried) I might start it over, beginning with hour 6.

Everything should be fine then.

... but this will have to wait until tomorrow after work ...
Sorry, but otherwise tomorrow morning they won't belive me, that I really have been on holiday  

C U
Tabata

Edit:
Oh, an interesting edit while I was typing! - Nooo, no, no, I'm not lurking - I must be strong!
I already was on the right way, that's enough for me to know right now - but thanks for the chance! 

[mkennedy]

Wow!  I never would have caught the typo with Klamath Falls

It just happens that I'm form Oregon so that's how I spotted it.

Bugs

hour 4
When Sal talks to Darcy she says "...squander your whole life looking gold and find nothing." there should probably be a 'for' between 'looking' and 'gold'.

Also the game still  crashes when clicking the shed door after you all ready been in there and the response for looking over the balcony after hour 6 is the same.

also I noticed that You can give the candle and salt to Darcy in hour 7 before she has any need of them. Is this intended?

Second play through I let Gordy die, but then I didn't have the rope to tie up Sal or climb down to the cave.

[Cogliostro]

mkennedy -

You're from Oregon?  I must try to get a native involved in all my future projects.

Darcy's typo fixed.
Missing Rope - Obviously, while coding, I assumed that the positive outcome was the only possibility.  This has been resolved.
Shed Door - It should open and not crash the game any more -- took me forever to figure out where I made the mistake.
Balcony - Jack's comment has changed.
Salt & Candle - This was NOT intentional and would have prevented you from seeing the end of the game.  I've resolved this issue.

I'm also trying to change the skeleton attack animation.  Honestly it needs to look creepier.  So these changes will not be uploaded until later today.

 - Cogliostro

[Tabata]

First I started the version from 250411;18:23 by stepping in ...

# hour 6:

...and when Jack goes back in the bathroom (using the mirror) the same wrong reaction comes up

# hour 5:

-  The right shoe of Jen still has this transparent spot.

# hour 6:

# hour 7:

Until now I could not figure out, how to read the signs on the lock/gate, which are suddenly too small in this version (but that is real-gamers-life) - Hopefully I don't need something else from the sheet for it - but I wanted to report, what I have so far - and go on with searching for a solution.



Edit:
A bit more about version from 250411;18:23

Okay, I am guilty!
I couldn't stand it any longer and cheated to open the lock.

I think, that this whould be possibly done from gamers, too. So I'm able to tell you a bit more about
# hour 8:

... and this way I saw a wonderful hour 9 (one of possibly different ones I will have to try).

[mkennedy]

Well after getting the neutral ending and the good ending, I wanted to check out the evil ending so I let Gordy hang since the ghost talks about how you chose to save him at the end.

Some other things to consider is you may want to make it so that in chapter 7 you have to find out that the ghost was growing weed in his cave before you can tell him you're the sheriff come to bust him.

[Cogliostro]

mkennedy -

I'll probably code that in soon.  Changing the green skeleton and add a screen after the judgment are my focus currently.

EDIT

Okay, it is now only possible to take the salt, star, and woodcleaner only once.
All item interactions should have a comment
Skeleton has been graphically updated

You need to know why the silver star will upset the blue ghost.

If you really want to lay on the "Bad" ending, run away when the zombie comes for Gordy.  You lose more points (slightly) for cowardice than for slow reflexes.

NEW GAME VERSION UPLOADED

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALL NEWCOMERS (Timo, mkennedy, Old Guy):
1)  I assume I've been successful with characterization and atmosphere, am I right?
2)  What do you think of the puzzles?  (Too hard/too easy/have nothing to do with the story) 
3)  Does the wolf/mini-game offend?
4)  The new toolbar, is it over the top?


 - Cogliostro

[mkennedy]

Tried out the new version. Saw that you could now interact with the bones in the cave, but didn't notice any other changes.

There may be some transparent or brown pixels in Astrid's boots when she's facing sideways and walking.

For hour 3 when the ghost hunter looks at the mirror you may want give the mirror a walk to point and have him walk over to it before the skull comes flying out of it so he is facing the correct direction.

Was able to enter the shed once after having all ready been in it, but all other times the game crashed. Might this because I have both the spray paint and gas can in my inventory and they are no longer in the shed? It would be interesting to see Sal's comments about the shed contents, especially the poison.

Still the incongruity of looking down on the lower half of the room after the skeleton takes Gordy and saying he's down there with Darcy.

In hour 6 looking at the telescope before the skeleton attacks doesn't seem to do anything.

How do you get the rope if you let Gordy  hang? Also after I cut him down and then ran away when the skeleton comes to claim him the cabin was dark when I went back inside and Attempting to walk back to either the tree where Gordy was on the the other side of the house where the shed was either made me say that's not the way to the road or just had Jack shrink real tiny, but not actually go there so not sure how running from the skeleton to get extra evil points works.

Attempting to look at the wolf seems to act the same as hitting it with the axe.

Also it appears kind of out of character for Jack and Astrid to be flirting if he let's Gordy  hang to death or if  Gordy's still in peril.

Was still able to give the candle and salt to Darcy in hour 7. Was still able to show the star to the ghost before finding out that he was growing pot in the cave.

For hour 8 when the tentacle attacks I was still able to talk to Darcy. Also my thought was to try and interact with Astrid to grab her and get her away from the tentacle but it just gave me the general response of "... my approach needs work."

Didn't notice any extra scenes at the end of chapter 9 though.

You may want to double check the game files and play test them before uploading the next version to make sure all changes are in place and working properly.

[Cogliostro]

mkennedy -

It cannot be the game file that's at fault - not in this case.  I changed the green skeleton into a zombie.  If that *little* change didn't show up, then you somehow downloaded an old version and that means something is up with my server.

Half of your comments apply regardless of the version, and I'll get to work on those tomorrow.

 - Cogliostro

[Tabata]

... using version from 280411; 09:06

# entry:

http://www.Bildermonster24.de/images/477_9h2d_path.png

# hour 1:

http://www.Bildermonster24.de/images/759_9h2d_jack.png

# hour 2:

# hour 4:

# hour 5:

http://www.Bildermonster24.de/images/659_9h2d_shoe.png

# hour 6:

http://www.Bildermonster24.de/images/211_9h2d_railing.png

-  If Jack is running away after using the flashlight on Gordy he cant interact with Astrid or Darcy in the (dark) main hall and is unable to go back to Gordy, but he will go the way to the mini-game.

# mini-game:

Didn't you mention to make it harder? It is still possible to pass without using any item on the wolf. (only wondering about that)

Edit:
I had to go on (no chance for sleeping)

I started the game to load from the main site, but not one of my actual savegames were visible. Only by using the taskbar to load, all savegames of this version appeared (and worked)!?

# hour 7:

# hour 8:

-  If you try to go back in the ceremony-room bofore you gave both items to Darcy, Jack now refuses, but the game freezes

# hour 9:

-  made it to the good, the undecided and the evil ending (and one more to go, but too tired now)

greetings

Tabata

[mkennedy]

Got the newer version, Must have unzipped an old one by mistake. Sorry for any inconvenience. Here's what I found in the new version

The crash when entering the shed a second time no longer occurs. Though you may want to have Sal respond differently when looking at items in the shed, especially the bug poison because it's something that could conceivably be used to get rid of Jack.

A new bug I did find in hour 4 is that when Sal clicks on the fallen tree he still gives Jack's response of "I allready got the axe..." before giving his own. Also if Jack didn't all ready take the spray paint from the shed then Sal can swipe it when he enters it.

The zombie is much more evil looking then the green skeleton, Good job with that!

If you let Gordy  hang though Jack still refers to The zombie as a skeleton "The skeleton had strung him up on a rope and left him to die."

Perhaps when Jack runs from the zombie when it shows up to claim Gordy Jack can issue some sort of comment when leaving the room or going back in the house so you know he chickened out?

Good to see the problem with giving Darcy the salt and candle have been fixed 

Also see that you fixed the problem with giving the star to the ghost before finding out about his pot, but it looks like the topic for police stills shows up early.

You may want to make Astrid check both the cabinet AND the fridge in hour 5 and also have Astrid change into her raincoat before following Jack outside in hour 7.

Also when entering the shed when it's dark in chapter 6 onward you may wish to allow the lighted area to move about the room if that can be done.

Don't think the bit with fighting/running from the wolves needs to be any harder, though a skip button of some sort to bypass the scene would be nice, or maybe allow the player to continue even if the wolves did get him?

EDIT April 30,

The problem with looking at the lower half of the room and getting the response of Gordy and Darcy getting friendly after the attack still sometimes appears though not often, not sure what the triggers are involved though. Maybe after the attack Jack can comment on the mess of broken glass the zombie left in the lower room?

[Cogliostro]

Took the weekend off, and now I'm back on the job.

Tabata -
Going through your comments and cleaning up those errors. 
  1) Yes, I "tried" to make the wolf more dangerous. 
  2) I cannot figure out why the GPS isn't responding better. 
  3) You commented on her shoe... that made me go back and check the original images and I found a problem there.  Then I decided I could make Jen work better and look gruesome when she's killed. 

Resolving problems with graphics always takes longer.

mkennedy -
Will be getting to your comments tomorrow.

 - Cogliostro

[Cogliostro]

mkennedy -

You are now mentioned in the credits.

Sal has an appropriate comment and a clue when interacting with the poison.  Neither can he snatch the spray paint.  He also responds appropriately when looking at the fallen tree.  The lighting in the shed should move with the mouse now.

Glad you like the zombie!  And now every converstation refers to it as a zombie. Originally Jack was attacked even if he ran away from the zombie.  Apparently I lost that bit of code during one of my few crashes.  It is now back in place.

CANDLE & SALT: Thanks for double checking these things

The dialog about the police badge has been eliminated.  I *THINK* there are enough clues about what you should do.  Hoping one of the new guys comments on the difficultly of this challenge later.

Astrid now comments on the refrigerator, and will remember if she already checked the cupboard.

WOLF FIGHT:   I intend to go back and make this harder.   If you manage to get killed, then on the death screen, you have the option to SKIP AHEAD now.

Glad I was right about the "old version problem."  After I commented on that, the problem gnawed at me and I spent an hour looking through log files.


Tabata -

I spent a LOT OF TIME working on Jen's death.  I think it looks a lot more dramatic now.  If the demand is there, I could make it really gruesome without out too much more effort.

Haven't had the chance to get back to the GPS.

No further updates until Friday.

 - Cogliostro

[Tabata]

...
WOLF FIGHT:   I intend to go back and make this harder.   If you manage to get killed, then on the death screen, you have the option to SKIP AHEAD now.
...

Would it be very difficult to code something like:

After several death's (maybe 9, like we have hours to dawn) the player will get the chance for skipping and maybe also adding an automatic-save (when using the skipp-button) for those, who prefer to go on with the story first, but including the possibility to retry this challange whenever they want later again?

This way every player will get in the right mood, given from the fight, but won't get stuck endlessly until it is won. In my personal opinion this would be a great service for the player, getting the choice to try as long as he want to.

...
I spent a LOT OF TIME working on Jen's death.  I think it looks a lot more dramatic now.  If the demand is there, I could make it really gruesome without out oo much more effort.

...

Let's take a look and measure the intensity of shudder to tell, if I could endure more

[Darth Mandarb]

This is getting slightly out of hand!

Please take the blow-by-blow beta testing into PMs (or email, something) and the the critics/suggestions into the Critics Lounge (or also PMs, emails).  It's now a full-page now of unreadable/hidden code that makes finding information about the game difficult and is cluttering up the thread!

Thanks.

[Cogliostro]

This is getting slightly out of hand!

Please take the blow-by-blow beta testing into PMs (or email, something) and the the critics/suggestions into the Critics Lounge (or also PMs, emails).  It's now a full-page now of unreadable/hidden code that makes finding information about the game difficult and is cluttering up the thread!

Thanks.

Okay, PM me your email address and we'll move this off the forum.

For the record, I have no self-control and have uploaded a version that give closure during the credits.

 - Cogliostro