Ben Jordan Case 5

KristjanMan · Tue 04/04/2006 18:34:10

Hmm...

At the end of the 4th case
Ben: I'll be in touch
Percy: I'm sure you will

Well anyway I have one more question.
I haven't seen any conections to the Lost Galleon. Why is that so or am I just blind and haven't noticed conections?

Gord10 · Tue 04/04/2006 18:45:21

Quote from: KristjanMan on Tue 04/04/2006 18:34:10
Well anyway I have one more question.
I haven't seen any conections to the Lost Galleon. Why is that so or am I just blind and haven't noticed conections?

Spoiler

The newspaper reading guy in the information desk of the Yushishimato (or whatever, I don't remember its name) Building and the TV station. He was a character from the 2nd case, the cashier man in a coffee shop (or whatever).

[close]

And I have a small theory:

Spoiler

It is about how easily the Japan police allowed BJ to help them... Maybe Quentin Jones did know Yushi before, and called him with telephone to tell Ben Jordan can solve this case, and to tell that the paranormal things really exists (as PQJ witnessed the witches in Case 3). So, Yushi was already waiting for BJ.

[close]

Hammerite · Tue 04/04/2006 18:54:43

oh man, im gonna play ben jordan 1 as soon as possible.
thankfully my sis has just downloaded it so i dont have to download it again

passer-by · Tue 04/04/2006 20:11:00

Quote from: Grundislav on Tue 04/04/2006 17:35:09
KristjanMan: Yes, I have the rest of the main storyline planned out.
Hammerite: The picture of Smailholm was just an in-joke.Ã,Â But you are right about the BJ games being serious with humor.Ã,Â My intent wasn't to make comedy adventures with these, but also not to have a super serious melodramatic story either, I try to balance the dark with humor.
nihilyst: You're on the right track about the question.Ã,Â It could have been asked from Case 1, really.Ã,Â And you're also on the right track thinking there's something up with Percy.
If you sit down and think about things that seem a little "odd" in this game (like the police letting Ben in so easily) as well as stuff in other games, you might get the impression that it's not all coincidence...

Dear AGSers

Grundislav will not be able to give you hints and answer your questions for a while, he's under lock and key in his room (without lock suckers but with a new computer and stacks of dry food and water), working overtime on cases 6-10 of 10.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for your patience.

Gord10 · Tue 04/04/2006 20:19:50

Quote from: cp on Tue 04/04/2006 20:11:00
Quote from: Grundislav on Tue 04/04/2006 17:35:09
KristjanMan: Yes, I have the rest of the main storyline planned out.
Hammerite: The picture of Smailholm was just an in-joke. But you are right about the BJ games being serious with humor. My intent wasn't to make comedy adventures with these, but also not to have a super serious melodramatic story either, I try to balance the dark with humor.
nihilyst: You're on the right track about the question. It could have been asked from Case 1, really. And you're also on the right track thinking there's something up with Percy.
If you sit down and think about things that seem a little "odd" in this game (like the police letting Ben in so easily) as well as stuff in other games, you might get the impression that it's not all coincidence...

Dear AGSers

Grundislav will not be able to give you hints and answer your questions for a while, he's under lock and key in his room (without lock suckers but with a new computer and stacks of dry food and water), working overtime on cases 6-10 of 10.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for your patience.

It's no problem for us since BJ6 will be released earlier ._. You're free to execute him in case the game release date gets late.

Babar · Wed 05/04/2006 02:52:31

Just a minor thing, but

Spoiler

Shouldn't most call buttons have prints on them?

[close]

sergiocornaga · Wed 05/04/2006 07:36:34

I tried that with every single one... I guess all Japanese people wear gloves.

linus · Wed 05/04/2006 10:47:41

I loved BJ5 and I think it's the best of the series so far. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for almost anything Japanese (excluding Mangas), but I believe it's also because it has much depth. It's not hard to see that the series has become a lot more ambitious. I already like the Ben Jordan series as much as the GK series, which is not to say that the BJ "universe" doesn't have its own special feeling to it. The mixture between genuinely dark and dramatic elements on the one hand and some light, funny elements on the other is something that rarely works without one destroying the other, but BJ manages a very good balance between the two.

Spoiler

The TV show host was hilarious and also a bit mysterious at the same time.

[close]

The puzzles are very easy and intuitive most of the time, but I don't think that's a problem. BJ is just focused more on story than on puzzles and that's alright. You usually don't get stuck for long in a BJ game, so you can experience the story in one evening and allow it to completely drag you in. I like the new graphics style for the characters, I think it's also more consistent (previously Ben was a lot more cartoony than Alice, for example). I've never minded the blurry style of the backgrounds, they make the graphics look unique and allow to blend graphics from different sources. Also, I don't think the mixture of photographic images and drawn backgrounds was so bad. The temple with the two lions probably wouldn't have looked very good, if you had drawn them (no offense, these things are very difficult to draw).

There were some strange things that I noticed and which haven't been mentioned yet:

Spoiler

- Ben couldn't read the Japanese text in the newspaper. But why could he read Inspector Yoshi's name then (or even find out that it was a name)? Japanese names are usually written in Kanji (Chinese characters) and you can only tell them from other Japanese words from within their context.
- All the signs in the police station are in English.
- I've been wondering a while now: How much money does Ben make in his "job" as a paranormal investigator? Did he make any money from case 5 at all? If he's only had five cases in his career so far, how can he afford tickets to Scotland, London and Japan?

[close]

So, thanks for making BJ5. The Ben Jordan game are a great inspiration to me and they're always a pleasure to play.

Vel · Wed 05/04/2006 14:21:30

Congratulations on completing another Ben Jordan game, Grundislav.
I just finished it, and I think it maintains the high level of the previous games.Looking forward to the next cases!

KristjanMan · Wed 05/04/2006 14:52:26

Quote from: linus on Wed 05/04/2006 10:47:41

Spoiler

- I've been wondering a while now: How much money does Ben make in his "job" as a paranormal investigator? Did he make any money from case 5 at all? If he's only had five cases in his career so far, how can he afford tickets to Scotland, London and Japan?
[close]

Well he got money from first case and i think he got some from second too so he went to scotland and he got to london with percy and Miggs payd him too i guess

Divinefuror · Wed 05/04/2006 20:08:16

Well, ok, let me begin with the cliche "Great game! Thank you for making it" and just say that I downloaded it yesterday for both myself and my highly AGS addicted girlfriend.

I was alive and well when Adventure hit the market, and when Zork was a revolution, and I have to say designers like you make me misty-eyed for times past when a game wasn't all flash and glitz and 3d nauseating camera angles. I have the following criticisms/comments:

1. The plot with Ben being in love with Alice is unbelievable, given the context of your previous games. They don't talk, they don't have an extant relationship, the schtick is funny but if you really want to insert some romance, insert some romantic scenes.
2. Nice ambience for Japan, but there's nothing Japanese about the flow of the game. If you're going to immerse Ben in other cultures when writing these games, make the Japanese act like Japanese, not Americans.
3. Depth. This is an excellent short, extremely linear game. The handbook that accompanies it is kind of unnecessary, and I think you know that. Also, you drop the mystery development in favor of puzzle completion, instead of weaving the two together. I got the feeling by Day 5, as a programmer, you really wanted the game to end ASAP....and while I can imagine your tedium, better to delay distribution than short out your own creative potential.
4. NPCs that take up space take up space, you know? That poor guy in the front room of the police station, or that extra lab scientist...they just stand there uncertainly. Give them lives or lines. Even in TADS the NPCS can do hilarious self-repeating things that give them personality.

Rosie · Thu 06/04/2006 05:24:42

Great Game......... Thank you for all your time and effort

jimrh · Thu 06/04/2006 17:40:19

Are there any walkthroughs for the Ben Jordan games??

Scorpio_Phoenix · Thu 06/04/2006 18:33:04

http://arnjeir.borgarholt.info/ags/walkthrough_wizard/index.php?portal=home

ben jordan 5 walkthrough is gonna be added very soon!!

Hammerite · Thu 06/04/2006 21:54:50

i found a finito'd walkthru somewhere.
btw, added ben5 to mobygames.

switcharoo · Thu 06/04/2006 23:23:37

Here's a walkthrough for BJ5 - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=25869.60

It's the huge spoiler post about half way down the page.

dazmoose · Fri 07/04/2006 10:15:18

Just wanted to say I'm loving all the B.Jordan games so far! Keep 'em coming!

jetlag · Fri 07/04/2006 12:15:13

A custom end credit theme. Amazing!

Andail · Sat 08/04/2006 15:46:08

Good job Grund! I enjoyed watching it being tested at Wintermeet.
I think you've soon established a position as the currently most productive game creator.
In AGS, that is.
When it comes to Ben Jordan games, that is.

Ali · Sat 08/04/2006 17:13:31

Another great game, thank you!

Ben Jordan Case 5

Divinefuror

jetlag