Skumring: Extra Noir Edition! (v. 1.1)

SeamanNaranja · Sun 28/04/2013 23:13:01

Eight Bit Skyline presents...

Introducing the Extra Noir Edition! Now you can play the ultimate version of Skumring!

Port Horizon 1951. A city on the verge of collapse. Moral collapse. Crime. Corruption. Greed... Money. Join private eye Cooper Chutney on his mission of truth in a city that reeks of lies, deceit and go-go dancers. Solve puzzles and interogate bartenders as you make your way through the city while the sunset comes ever closer.

Trailer:
[embed=610,360]<iframe width="610" height="360 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kwG2Kp-e4CQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/embed]

Screenshots:

New features:

Black and white noir graphics!
Drastically reduced filesize!
New and improved cutscene system!
Removed critized voice acting!

Features:

3 act, a prologue and an epilogue
30+ locations
15+ fully voiced characters
2500+ lines of dialogue
40+ inventory items
Varied soundtrack (jazz/classical)
3-5 hours of gameplay

Official website:
Skumring.eightbitskyline.com

DOWNLOAD NOW!
(You can still find the old version on the official website, if you're into amateur voice acting!)

Download size: 180 mb
Installed size: 900 MB
Supported systems: Win XP/Vista/7

Stuck in Skumring? Here's the walkthrough!

Armageddon · Mon 29/04/2013 00:35:20

Congrats on the release. Looks awesome!

Stupot · Mon 29/04/2013 00:54:34

Sweet. I've been looking forward to this one. Congratulations

kaput · Mon 29/04/2013 06:13:53

Congratulations on the release

Looks cool, I'll certainly be setting aside some time to play this one! I'm really digging the comic book style graphics and the fact that everyone walks like they're boogieing to the music

.

CaptainD · Mon 29/04/2013 08:35:29

Hey congrats on the release - looks very cool indeed.

SeamanNaranja · Mon 29/04/2013 09:10:12

Thanks for the replies you guys! I hope you enjoy the game :-)

Quote from: Sunny Penguin on Mon 29/04/2013 06:13:53
I'm really digging the comic book style graphics and the fact that everyone walks like they're boogieing to the music .

This is hilarious! And it's also true! I didn't do that on purpose, but I guess the characters are just caught up in the catchy jazz tunes

Parafia · Mon 29/04/2013 10:01:31

Congratulations ! Very nice artstyle. I'll play it as soon as possible

Bloody Mimishu · Mon 29/04/2013 11:40:27

You have finally released your game Naranja? Congrat! Have watched your new trailer too. Hope the game has improved and rid of bugs since the last beta

Tabata · Mon 29/04/2013 17:21:03

The download doesn't work for me

It starts but doesn't download the files completely.
After several fails I give up now ~ or is there any chance for to get it from somewhere else?

SeamanNaranja · Mon 29/04/2013 17:53:17

Quote from: Tabata on Mon 29/04/2013 17:21:03
The download doesn't work for me
It starts but doesn't download the files completely.
After several fails I give up now ~ or is there any chance for to get it from somewhere else?

Weird! Have you tried to download from the mirror? (download here)

Tabata · Mon 29/04/2013 19:40:44

YAY! That did the trick!

I searched the site for the original download-link but obviousely that was the one that didn't work for me.
I didn't realize that the word â€žMirrorâ€œ is clickable and not the description for the button aside

Eric · Mon 29/04/2013 19:55:16

My biggest disappointment in this game is that I won't have time to start playing it until next week. Looks lovely. Congrats on the release!

SeamanNaranja · Mon 29/04/2013 20:03:00

Quote from: Tabata on Mon 29/04/2013 19:40:44YAY! That did the trick!
I searched the site for the original download-link but obviousely that was the one that didn't work for me.
I didn't realize that the word â€žMirrorâ€œ is clickable and not the description for the button aside

Yeah, that was kind of unclear. I have made it more logical now, and also added another mirror!

Quote from: Eric on Mon 29/04/2013 19:55:16
My biggest disappointment in this game is that I won't have time to start playing it until next week. Looks lovely. Congrats on the release!

Thanks for the kind words :-)

Gribbler · Mon 29/04/2013 23:16:06

Congrats on the release! It's amazing you did all that by yourself. Really impressive! Over 30 locations plus programming? Wow! Fantastic job!

Shadow1000 · Tue 30/04/2013 05:43:30

I'm 36% of the way through, or specifically, I just started Act 2. I am REALLY enjoying this game. Superb puzzles and plot. I've been challenged by the puzzles, but so far, never stuck.

I will give my full comments when I've completed the game.

Congrats!

SHADOW

SeamanNaranja · Tue 30/04/2013 11:19:12

Quote from: Gribbler on Mon 29/04/2013 23:16:06
Congrats on the release! It's amazing you did all that by yourself. Really impressive! Over 30 locations plus programming? Wow! Fantastic job!

Thanks a lot! It was probably overkill for my first game, but at least now it's done :-)

SeamanNaranja · Tue 30/04/2013 11:20:20

Quote from: Shadow1000 on Tue 30/04/2013 05:43:30
I'm 36% of the way through, or specifically, I just started Act 2. I am REALLY enjoying this game. Superb puzzles and plot. I've been challenged by the puzzles, but so far, never stuck.

I will give my full comments when I've completed the game.

Congrats!

Absolutely thrilled to hear that you have enjoyed it! Good luck on your journey to the dramatic ending

Cogliostro · Tue 30/04/2013 13:40:38

SeamanNaranja ,

I've downloaded and played the game to the 76% complete point and decided to finally take a breather and comment.

First, congratulations on your first release. I was a bit concerned when I saw the game was 1.5 GB when unzipped?! Honestly, a game of that size is usually scary bad, and first games even more so. Your game, however, has proved to be an extraordinary exception to the rule!!

The film-noir feel, the detective narrator, and the *HUMOR* are all spot on.

The puzzles are good. Chutney's abilities to make friends using nothing more than a broken wrench is heart-warming indeed.

SMALL BUGS:

Spoiler

* Inside the warehouse, at the beginning, there are a few areas where Chutney changes size while walking.
* I was able to get the goon outside the bar to leave before finding out that he and the actress inside were having a thing. Which made the conversations later a bit odd.

[close]

- Cogliostro

Shadow1000 · Wed 01/05/2013 03:55:28

I just finished the game and all I can say is WOW! One of the best games I've played lately.

Here's my complete assessment of the game:

OVERVIEW:

Skumring is the long-awaited 50s era detective thriller that will keep your pulse racing as you hunt down clues to solve an evil plot. Expertly rendered using classic comic book style graphics, painstaking animation detail, intriguing characters and voice acting, Skumring is certainly a must play for adventure game fans. One word of caution, though: the game contains some mature themes that may not be suitable for younger players.

WHAT I LIKED:

- First and foremost, the plot was excellent. The story develops and gets deeper and deeper as you progress. The pace of the plot is nothing short of perfect
- Which brings me to my next point. The puzzles, while slightly easy, were just easy enough and logical to pose a challenge without a struggle. I only got stuck once during the game because I didn't look at a certain item. Otherwise, enough thinking and experimenting kept the game going at a perfect pace.
- It almost goes without saying that the environment was splendid. It's obvious that a LOT of effort went into developing the graphics, animation, sound (I'd play it again if I had the time just for the music!

)
- Really good character development. I like when characters in games take on personalities that you can love, hate, find annoying or talk in character with who they are.
- Very impressive size world to explore.
- I think that the length of the game and plot complement each other perfectly. Some games of this length have almost no plot or only have one main objective. Conversely, some games have ridiculously complex plots for little game play. I think that this game balances the two perfectly.
- Great combination of dialogue-based puzzles with inventory-based puzzles.

I've never created a game but I would surmise that the most difficult part of the development is designing the puzzles, as it's very difficult to project what associations the player will make between items and different challenges to know what's a reasonable puzzle that will make the game fun and what is just going to frustrate the player. This aspect is superb in Skumring.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:

Being the awesome game that this is, I really feel bad criticizing anything.

I usually like voice acting in games and voice acting could have really added to this game, but the voices of the majority of the characters simply did not match the personalities. Cooper's voice was probably the most suitable but some of them just didn't work. I don't want to be specific, because I am sure that EVERYONE who contributed worked hard but I do want to raise this point.

CONCLUSION:

SeamanNaranja and the team have really clinched it in the most challenging aspects of creating an excellent adventure game. The perfect environment, plot and puzzles are executed masterfully for a superb experience.

Congrats to everyone who participated in this project!

SHADOW

SeamanNaranja · Wed 01/05/2013 12:32:40

Quote from: Cogliostro on Tue 30/04/2013 13:40:38
SeamanNaranja ,

I've downloaded and played the game to the 76% complete point and decided to finally take a breather and comment.

First, congratulations on your first release. I was a bit concerned when I saw the game was 1.5 GB when unzipped?! Honestly, a game of that size is usually scary bad, and first games even more so. Your game, however, has proved to be an extraordinary exception to the rule!!

The film-noir feel, the detective narrator, and the *HUMOR* are all spot on.

The puzzles are good. Chutney's abilities to make friends using nothing more than a broken wrench is heart-warming indeed.

SMALL BUGS:
Spoiler

* Inside the warehouse, at the beginning, there are a few areas where Chutney changes size while walking.
* I was able to get the goon outside the bar to leave before finding out that he and the actress inside were having a thing. Which made the conversations later a bit odd.
[close]

- Cogliostro

I'm so happy you are enjoying it! Thanks for all the kind words

About the size: I know it's way too big! I tried to get it down to a more reasonable size, but the voices and the music took 500 mb alone! And since there are that many locations and over 2000 sprites in the game it was simply impossible... Probably should have planned everything better before I started

I'll have a look at the bugs as well. Thanks for reporting them, and I hope you'll enjoy the ending of the game!

SeamanNaranja