EDIT: The game is out, my friends. Go to our web site (http://www.atropos-studios.com) if you wish to order it.
Dear friends,
I'm happy to announce that the making of our game is over. The production of the CDs has started and before long the program will be available for sale from our web page.
Diamonds in the Rough is a 'traditional', 3rd person point & click commercial adventure game.
You play the role of a 20 year old American called Jason Hart. Jason is a high school dropout who works as an office boy. All that is about to change in the beginning of our story, when he is approached by a mysterious man who seems to know more about him than Jason does himself.
The man claims to represent an organization that recruits people who are believed to have "special abilities". Those abilities could be telepathy, telekinesis, or other extraordinary powers. Jason has had such an ability all his life, fearing to admit it to himself, let alone others. He accepts the job offer for this organization, which is called "Diamonds in the Rough".
The story begins as soon as Jason moves to a town in the Midwest, where he will be employed doing this mysterious "work". He will soon start to wonder who he is really working for, and what the purpose of the organization is.
(http://www.atropos-studios.com/External/DITRbuilding.jpg)
I'd like to thank Chris Jones, all my associates as well as everyone who believed in me, especially those of you who helped me with AGS scripting. Never forget that this is a title made by a gamer for gamers.
Will there be a d/l-able demo?
Haha, SSH
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=27489.msg440266#msg440266
Congrats alkis. I'm looking forward to trying it out.
Good job, alkis. Read your interview in PCmaster and played the demo as well...
Looks like someone was working way hard and I think it's gonna pay off. i'm planning to buy this one.. Is there a deluxe version?
Well, er...
...well, do let us know when the game is actually released. :P
ANd with a link to the game.
And a link to the website.
Oh, and there will be a download for sale, too, right?
EDIT - BTW, not to be mean or anything, but, from the rules -
Quote1. There MUST be a finished download of your project available.
Forgive me if I sound cranky, but you see, you got my hopes up with this thread, and then you dashed them, because I am really looking forward for this game...
Rui! I guess Alkis got excited because the game left his studio and went to the factory for pressing ;)
To reply to your thoughts:
1. www.atropos-studios.com is the website
2. http://www.atropos-studios.com/demo.html is where you'll get the downloadable demo.
3. No, there won't be a download option, at least for now, as far as I know and like Alkis has mentioned in the development thread:
Quote from: alkisEver since I started this, I've been doing things the way I've always liked them to be in the gaming world: 3rd person game, multiple cursors, challenging inventory puzzles etc. The same thing goes for distribution. I like my games to be in a proper box, or DVD case at least, so that's what I'm doing for Diamonds in the Rough. My opinion is that the shipping expenses are not considerable and people will appreciate it. I don't want to sell an 'invisible' product, and I certainly don't want to bug people with DRM or other security constraints. Digital distribution may be the future, but I don't think it's the present yet. Most people are used to getting something solid when they pay for it. All in my opinion of course, we'll have to wait and see whether I'm right or wrong.
I see your point Rui, I just thought that the particular rule does not apply to commercial games that are sold in boxes. Otherwise I'll never be able to post in the "Completed Games" section.
Quote from: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Tue 04/03/2008 09:06:29Forgive me if I sound cranky, but you see, you got my hopes up with this thread, and then you dashed them, because I am really looking forward for this game...
No worries, it's only a matter of days now.
Dualnames, I'm not sure what you mean by 'deluxe version'. ???
Dualnames probably means a version which has extra features or levels and the such, a 'director's cut' perhaps?
I would love to play this game...but sadly I'm not in control of my bank account and honestly I'm not sure the CDs could be packaged to Brunei; I don't know, could they? Not a lot of people know that Brunei even exists...
Director's cut! It's too soon to talk about such a possibility, especially considering that the 'director' (me) will be sleeping 16 hours per day for the next month to make up for all those all-nighters. To be honest, there are no such plans, although we will seriously considering releasing the soundtrack as the music quality is exceptional.
That's a weird thing to say, why wouldn't the CD be shipped to Brunei? Have you had trouble with your post office in the past? And of course I know where it is, I've never been there but I've been as close as Singapore.
Shipping only? Damn.
Ok, you just lost a costumer. :'( Still, whenever the CD is out let us know, I'll add the info to the Commercial Games thread.
Quote from: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Tue 04/03/2008 15:43:35
Shipping only? Damn.
Ok, you just lost a costumer. :'(
Would you be willing to explain why, exactly? Alkis explained his case (in the quotes above), and I wouldn't imagine that you've never bought anything physical off the Internet, for this to be a factor.
EDIT: by all means, I didn't mean anything by the above. Just curious, nothing else. Sorry if it came the other way... :)
There is no need for an explanation, everyone has the right to select what they buy and how they buy it. No worries!
Well, for the record, I don't like to handle physical purchases from the net unless it's absolutely necessary. The extra fees of shipping and, in the case of a game, a box cover I could do without, and maybe some unexpected costums charge (I once had to pay 4 times the value of the book I ordered! I sent it back at once and ordered it through my local FNAC bookstore), are merely the financial bit.
It also unsettles me that my purchase may or may not arrive at the designated time, which will still be longer than a download - I prefer to purchase solid stuff, ayuh, but only if I can have the product in my hand immediately. And what if something went wrong with the shipping? What if the article is damaged? Not to mention the dreadful post office in my neighbourhood that consistently sends packages (not letters, just packages) somewhere else entirely...
Plus, everyone else is offering direct downloads, and I found out it's a marvellous thing, so I kinda converted. It's not really the future - it IS the present.
These are my reasons, mostly, and if they give anyone food for thought, I'm glad. If they don't, no sweat.
BTW, I really am sad, I really would have bought this game were it being sold in a friendlier format...
Indeed, I have to echo what Rui is saying. I think you'll do yourselves a lot of favours by doing a pay for download thing. I'd say we've reached the point where that is standard too, and that boxed versions are better off being collectors editions. It's also a great way of getting a second sale from someone who's already bought the game online should they like it that much. With online payments I'd imagine its practically impossible to make a loss, except maybe for transfer charges your end if it goes through something like PayPal (tho I don't think PP do any kind of pay for download system) whereas boxed versions you're going to have to cover the costs of the creation, shipping and so forth. It also means naturally that you can keep the actual cost of the purchase down, which again will appeal to more people. It sounds like you've found an outside company to deal with your boxes and stuff, which is great, because when you take that task on yourself its
very likely to knock you out for a while. Take Mike who created Fatman and sold it as hard-copies. He did all the hard work, but after that he couldn't face game-making for a long time and as a result made his game freeware. Dave G on the other hand has nothing to worry about, or so it seems, because its just a matter of resolving issues online.
So, despite your eagerness and generosity to put your game, which looks fantastic, into boxes - I'd seriously think about saving your pennies and giving more people a chance to get it. One person here says they won't get it cos they fear it won't come could already echo the thought of a thousand more potential customers!
QuoteBrunei; I don't know, could they? Not a lot of people know that Brunei even exists...
My parents went to Brunei once. And their luggage went to Australia...so, you have a point ;)
I think just the opposite.
When I'm buying something, I want something phsysical that I can hold in my hands. I LIKE having my games on cd, and I LIKE having the cd box to go with it. I just seems more real.
So many things can go wrong with a download - especially a large download.
Suppose you pay for it, and start downloading, then you have a powercut. Suppose the download gets corrupted somehow. Suppose something happens to your pc, and you lose the game. With a cd, you can easily re-install.
8)
Which is why, I feel I must say as an aside, I promptly burn my net-bought AGS games. Currently they all fit into a single DVD, which is most nice.
Quote from: Frodo on Tue 04/03/2008 21:32:49
So many things can go wrong with a download - especially a large download.
Suppose you pay for it, and start downloading, then you have a powercut. Suppose the download gets corrupted somehow. Suppose something happens to your pc, and you lose the game. With a cd, you can easily re-install.
If the download fails somehow, I'm certain they would provide you with another link. And nowadays, CD manufacturers are getting more savvy, and including special software on the CD which prevents you from installing it more than a certain amount of times, or requires you to have a random, uncrackable CD Key.
Overall I would side with Rui - overseas shipping is messy, and always has certain risks. Not to mention it lacks the instant gratification of downloading or taking it off the shelf (or, at least, you can watch it download, which I find far more reliable than postal workers)
I mean, fair play, a lot of people like to have something in their hands when they pay money, but what's the harm in offering both options?
Quoteprevents you from installing it more than a certain amount of times
Really? People are that stupid? That's just encouraging piracy. :P If they're gonna limit something I *buy*, then why should I waste money? Best to get a no-limitation version off the net.
The thread is getting more and more off-topic by the minute, but hey, we have no game to comment. ::)
EDIT - Hang on, I must be misunderstanding something.
Goes gold? How can it go gold if it doesn't, commercially, exist, yet?
Whew. All those commas.
Yes the thread has gone rather off topic.
Quote from: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Tue 04/03/2008 22:47:44EDIT - Hang on, I must be misunderstanding something.
Goes gold? How can it go gold if it doesn't, commercially, exist, yet?
It's an expression. When we say that a program "goes gold", it means that it is finished being made and it is sent to be mass-produced and packaged. Don't confuse it with platinum records or that sort of stuff.
Ditto on the downloadable option. You can distribute it however you like, obviously, but personally I'm not interested as long as physical shipping is required.
I really only want a box and CD and all that stuff for the games I really love. Those that are almost collection pieces. But while your game looks promising, it's not like I've already cleared a space for it on my list of Top 10 favorite adventure games, you know? With a game that I'm not so committed to, physical packaging is just so much junk wasting space on my shelf.
Then there's the professional vs. indie/homemade thing. I'm a big fan of independent adventure games, but somehow, I don't particularly feel a need for all the peripheral stuff for them. Maybe it's just habit, or maybe it's the fact that a box or a manual that is anything less than professional in design, material and printing is always going to look amateurish. Tell me: If I buy your game on CD, is it going to be professionally printed (and how much is that going to cost?), or is it going to be a writable disc burned on a regular CD burner, with a sticker on it? Cause, you know, I can do that at home...
Finally, I'm not entirely comfortable giving you my home address. I don't mind sharing it with a well-established company like Amazon, but you're just some guy on the AGS Forum, and I have vague memories of some unpleasant arguments you (and quite possibly me too) were involved in, a long time ago. How do I know that you won't get pissed off about something and mishandle that private data (in any number of ways that you can imagine for yourself)? I'm sure you'll say you'd never do that, but I don't know you, so how can I know for certain?
I know that there are people who much prefer a physical product over a download (Dave Gilbert found that out when he started offering his games on CD), so definitely keep that as an option. I just think you're cutting yourself off from potential customers by not offering a download option as well. Your call. Good luck, and congratulations on making it to the end of a long production process!
Oh Alkis with your Herculean Effort style avatar :p
QuoteYes the thread has gone rather off topic.
Yes, but we're discussing a game we can't even get our hands on yet in the completed games forum, remember ;) I want you to succeed, and I think you are genuinly limiting yourself by not offering it online, that's all!
Some fair, honest & hard questions Snarky. I'll do my best to answer them.
Let me start by saying that although we're certainly not a well-established company yet, Atropos Studios is much more than "some guy on the AGS Forum". You have every reason to believe that it's just a web site and a PC, but I'd like you to know that we do have an office in Athens, and all the paperwork and other bureaucratic necessities are as legitimate as that of every other company. All the people who worked on the game signed contracts (Nikolas can confirm that). Our address, phone number and tax information will be clearly stated in the invoices.
As you know, your private data is protected by law. If we mishandle a customer's private data, we will suffer the consequences. Sure, people may not sue but it's about the worst negative publicity I can think of. Yes I admit I'm human and I have taken part in Internet fights as much as the next guy, but I'm not stupid. I have no intention of committing professional suicide by sending a dead hamster to a dissatisfied customer, tempting as the idea might be.
You say that my game is not in your "must buy" list. Well, I'd be very surprised if it was at this early stage. After a month or two, reviews will be published and people will give feedback in forums. Your and everyone else's decision will be much easier then.
The DVD cover was designed by a professional. It will be printed in a factory, and so will the CD. It is certainly not a burned CD with a sticker.
Let me make it clear that I did not write any of the above to change your mind or to convince you to buy my game. I'm merely replying to your questions for you and anyone else who cares to know.
Thank you for your wishes.
No, those are good answers, Alkis. Thanks! That you've set up an official business does actually mitigate some of my concerns (I guess I'm not going to actually verify that, but I'll take yours and Nikolas's word for it), and I'm happy to hear the boxes and stuff are going to be factory-printed.
The physical shipping is still a drawback for me, but if everyone seems to love your game and the box art isn't going to be a blight on my shelf, I guess I might be persuaded to bite the bullet. Still, with a download there wouldn't be an issue in the first place...
I think that having both physical and virtual (downloadable) versions of your product are a great idea because it covers all the bases, but in the end it's your decision and people really should abide by it and either buy the game (or not buy it) without excessive complaint. It's your creation and you're free to do with your game whatever the hell you please, and I and other people need to respect that.
As for the game itself:
I played your demo and found it quite interesting plotwise. I'm almost concerned that you're giving away too much in the demo with the main character's long exposition, however. It's your call, though!
Good luck with your first commercial release!
Quote from: ProgZmax on Wed 05/03/2008 02:29:22I'm almost concerned that you're giving away too much in the demo with the main character's long exposition, however.
Trust me, I reveal much less than you think.
The introduction is indeed kind of long, but necessary because I want the player to get in the 'mood' of the story and learn the basics quite early. It is not indicative of the length of all the dialogs in the game, in fact the only long dialogs in DITR are in the introduction and the ending.
Regarding the box/download issue, I'm going to say this last thing and then I hope we can drop the subject now that both sides have presented their arguments. I don't think anyone who buys the DVD will regret it. Granted, it's no Infocom package with a map, a comic book and a T-shirt, but what is, these days? Hopefully it will make a nice souvenir that you can show your friends a few years from today saying something like "This was Polyrakis' first commercial game, before he became famous" or "This was Polyrakis' only commercial game. The dumb bastard thought he was going to make money out of it and went bankrupt. He jumped off a building as he couldn't afford a gun, which gave it some value after all. It's currently going for $1300 on eBay".
I'll just chime in with my experience here. 75% of my game purchases are from online sales. The remaining percentage who want it on CD are a minority, but significant enough to make the option worthwhile.
Anyway, good luck with this Alkis! I'll definitely give it a whirl when I find the time.
Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Wed 05/03/2008 11:42:13
75% of my game purchases are from online sales. The remaining percentage who want it on CD are a minority, but significant enough to make the option worthwhile.
The > 10 dollar price difference and no extras to speak of (a standard jewel case containing the game and a soundtrack CD) might have something to do with this. I'd expect to get at least a proper box and a printed manual for such a price difference. Not that your games aren't well worth the money, no offense intended.
It is true that Alkis would in all probability sell more games if he didn't limit his methods of distribution, but that's his decision and I find all the bitching and moaning in this thread rather childish.
One thing to consider Dave is that if you didn't have the download option, then the box sales would proably be up 50% or more... ;) Because there are many people who prefer one from another, but don't have huge problems in getting something physical...
Anyways, let's way for this game to be released finally... :) Good thing that all this talk is prior to the actual release of the game. ;)
Quote from: Nikolas on Wed 05/03/2008 13:55:16
One thing to consider Dave is that if you didn't have the download option, then the box sales would proably be up 50% or more... ;) Because there are many people who prefer one from another, but don't have huge problems in getting something physical...
Well, the simple fact is:
Sales with one option < Sales with both options.
Maybe it wont be significant, but it's fairly evident that you'll lose money by not including both options - at least eventually (after about 3-6 months, it's safe to assume all the "I prefer CDS" folks who are going to buy the game, would have, so you could add the option to download
then, to ensure you squeeze the most money out of everyone, but that seems sort of heartless...)
Now, I don't mean to 'bitch', but the fact of the matter is, there will be many people (including me) who will be disappointed by the lack of a download. It just seems like an unnecessary shame.
I think this debate should be moved into an Adventure Chat thread rather than hijacking Alkis's thread...
Perhaps the entire thread could just be moved and renamed, and a new completed game announcement posted when the game is actually available for purchase?
It's OK. Perhaps I was wrong to post this thread before release, but it's customary to announce when a game goes gold and I thought it would be rude to say it in every other forum but this one. It's just that in AGS, a "Completed Game Announcement" and a "Released Game Announcement" is almost always one and the same, which was not the case with DITR.
Quotebut that's his decision and I find all the bitching and moaning in this thread rather childish.
There's no bitching. People are saying they want to download it, Alkis is saying no, so people are saying they won't buy it. I think you'll find it's more a case of trying to persuade them but they're not willing to accept it. Also the fact Alkis is getting stressed that we're debating the download issue is more childish than the rest of us who are merely suggesting it. No-one has said
do that or die so I really don't know where these "childish" arguments are coming from, apart from this one, perhaps. I'll add in my real 2 cents. If this game is downloadable I'll probably offer it as a prize in something I do in the near future, but if it isn't, I probably won't. I don't buy AGS games myself, I'm afraid, but I like to know its easy to buy for friends or other people. Finally, we have every right to discuss this. Telling us your game has gone to press is a discussion for AGS chat, not the completed games forum.
At the end of the day I'd be willing to bet developers have more success with downloads than hard copies. Whichever way you go is fine, but if I'm going to be asked to buy this game then I have every right to let these people know
why I will not buy it :) And once people can actually get a hold of this game I will stop debating & let you do as you please. It's fine to distribute it as you want it but it's also fine to debate why it might not be so successful. Dave G has released figures and Mike Doak is making sure his next game is sold online, because he's been there and knows the hardships of trying to sell hard-copies.
I can totally respect that Alkis would prefer to distribute it entirely as hard copies because yes, that is a very cool thing to do. But for a company who obviously want to continue I would at the same time believe that maxising your profits for your next production would be of upmost importance. But the feeling I get is that you just want to keep things nostalgic, and not worry about any money making. That's great, but how will that develop your company? Reputation points are hard to come by in this field in this day & age.
Still, best of luck, and I AM wishing you the best of luck; I just don't quite get your "hard copies only" logic which I'd be glad to have a better explanation of, tis all :)
the only reason I dont like buying stuff online (apart from ebay and amazon) is that most sites require you to sign up with an account first. I hate having a million different accounts on a million different sites all with different passwords - its all too much! If a site has the option to buy with out signing up first then I'd do it.
A suggestion to alkis21. You said you were a fan of games in boxes. Will you be printing the minimum system requirements on the bottom corner of the box much like they used to in the old days with a big blue sticker that says 'VGA' and wraps around the side with '486dx or better - maths coprocessor required, etc). That would be cool.
ps I too thought that goes 'gold' implied that you had sold 50,000 copies.
One last thing I forgot to mention -
I only like buying boxed stuff if I can walk into my local store and see it on the shelf, or on a bin. Any chance I'll see Diamonds in the Rough on my local store, seeing as it's going the direction mainstream games go? If that were the case, I WOULD go into my store and buy them.
Hmmm, net-sale only and box-only offers, that's the main contradiction I kept forgetting to mention. And with that I think I've said it all, so I'll shut up.
And even though I seem to have opened this particular can of worms, hey, I wish you the best. I just hope you don't find that doing it just the way you want it, regardless of many other things, and with no other possible alternatives, backfires on you. Many a game, film, book, etc has gone down with its creator shrieking "But you don't understand, it's my vision, it's exactly what I wanted to DO!!!".
EDIT - Oh, you do know that when people can't buy things the way they want, or own it as fully as they feel they should, they turn to piracy, don't you?
Quote from: Mods on Wed 05/03/2008 21:14:58
Quotebut that's his decision and I find all the bitching and moaning in this thread rather childish.
There's no bitching. People are saying they want to download it, Alkis is saying no, so people are saying they won't buy it. I think you'll find it's more a case of trying to persuade them but they're not willing to accept it. Also the fact Alkis is getting stressed that we're debating the download issue is more childish than the rest of us who are merely suggesting it.
{SNIPPED}
I just don't quite get your "hard copies only" logic which I'd be glad to have a better explanation of, tis all :)
I never offered a full explanation because I didn't want people to accuse me of what you are exactly accusing me now: that I'm somehow trying to persuade them to buy my game. I don't see how calling me childish and throwing accusations is helping your argument. You're insulting me because of something someone else said, is that fair in your opinion?
I'm offering a product. You are the potential customer, you have the power to buy or ignore. I'm not going to try and persuade anyone. If people say they don't want to buy it unless there's a download option, I totally respect that. I do have my reasons for going with that option, but ask yourself, do you honestly care to hear them?
Do you want to hear about budget exceeds? As I don't have the technical knowledge to do a hack proof pay-to-download web site, I'd have to hire someone to do it for me.
Do you want to hear about me not being able to decide what the price difference between the boxed product and the digital product should be? Tube just told Dave that he thought the price difference of his game was too great (for the record, I think the soundtrack CD totally justified it).
Do you want to hear about me being unsure on how many boxed products I should order if both options were offered as I didn't want to be left with too many unsold boxes? Do you want me to tell you the price difference between ordering 100, 1000 or 10,000 copies in a factory?
Do you even want me to get started on how many months it took me to get the necessary legal papers for a sell-by-mail business, and how many more it would take me to get the formalities for digital sales over with?
I could go on and on... but my personal experience is that people don't want to hear any of these things, and why should they? They just want to play games, not be bored with my problems. This reminds me of a dreadful discussion I had in another forum, where people demanded to know why I wouldn't correct Jason's walking animation. So I took the time to explain to them what that would mean in production costs. You know what they said to me? "What do we care? If you don't have enough money, it's your problem. You're boring us. Go away".
QuoteTelling us your game has gone to press is a discussion for AGS chat, not the completed games forum.
I already said I was wrong about that. Do I have to kneel and beg everyone's pardon? This is a "completed games" forum, my game was completed, so I posted. If I was wrong, a moderator could correct me.
And I'm not "getting stressed that we're debating the download issue". I just thought it would be nice if people wanted to talk about the game itself, as in ask questions about what in my opinion makes the game good, what are its main features, how it is different and how it is similar to Other Worlds, that sort of stuff. You know, concentrate on what we have rather than what it would be nice to have. This discussion is no more helpful than a "why isn't DITR in full 3D" debate.
Somebody needs to explain to me what I am doing wrong in this forum, I don't post that often but whenever I do there seems to be a finger pointing at me.
To answer cosmicr's question, here is a (small size) sample of the cover:
(http://www.alkis.org/External/cover.jpg)
To the next posters: If you are going to add yet another accusatory post, at least please take the time to explain what I did to provoke it.
QuoteThis reminds me of a dreadful discussion I had in another forum, where people demanded to know why I wouldn't correct Jason's walking animation. So I took the time to explain to them what that would mean in production costs. You know what they said to me? "What do we care? If you don't have enough money, it's your problem. You're boring us. Go away".
Oh boy.
Thing is, as harsh as they were, they were also kinda right, you know. The maker shows something, the players give feedback. The maker says why he can't fix something they feel needs fixing, listing money as the cause.
The players are fully entitled to disregard any incarnation of the game in future, because they've had first-hand experience that the maker does not listen to the players.
Here's the tough part - even if that's totally not true and a gross generalization, it's still what they've experienced, so it's perfectly valid.
In a sense, it's not unlike this whole discussion right here, where you seemed to wait until things got big to explain your motives. :P Yes, we do care, didn't you get it from the very first post where I said I was sad I wouldn't get the game? Do you think I react like that to every game I see on the net? And if people didn't care, would they be writing the long posts they have been?
QuoteI just thought it would be nice if people wanted to talk about the game itself, as in ask questions about what in my opinion makes the game good, what are its main features, how it is different and how it is similar to Other Worlds, that sort of stuff.
Ah, so you wanted some discussion related to the game that isn't out yet, or to the demo you didn't link to, available in the site you didn't link to. Or a discussion of a totally unrelated game. Or questions about the features you didn't talk about.
EDIT - BTW, I have to say I admire your attitude, alkis, up until the previous post where you seem to have lost some of your cool (understandable if you feel accused, I'm not sure you *were* accused but if you felt accused then why shouldn't you lose some of your cool?). Calm, quiet, dignified. Always a big plus.
Quote from: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Thu 06/03/2008 00:36:28Thing is, as harsh as they were, they were also kinda right, you know.
OF COURSE they were right. Just like you are all right to want a download option. I never said the opposite. I just have trouble coping with the idea that no matter how I try to explain my reasons I seem to be making matters worse.
QuoteEDIT - BTW, I have to say I admire your attitude, alkis, up until the previous post where you seem to have lost some of your cool (understandable if you feel accused, I'm not sure you *were* accused but if you felt accused then why shouldn't you lose some of your cool?). Calm, quiet, dignified. Always a big plus.
I never lost my cool. Just my appetite, but as I can definitely lose a few pounds that's not a big problem.
Quote from: alkis21 on Tue 04/03/2008 16:11:32
There is no need for an explanation, everyone has the right to select what they buy and how they buy it. No worries!
and
Quote from: alkis21 on Wed 05/03/2008 01:05:48
Let me make it clear that I did not write any of the above to change your mind or to convince you to buy my game. I'm merely replying to your questions for you and anyone else who cares to know.
I'm somehow not convinced that Alkis is
explaining the reasons behind the boxed version only choice are here to persuade people!
Congratulations on finishing the game, Alkis and team - I'll put this one on the list of games to buy when I can spare the money :).
I wish you much success with your sales and hope to see you developing more titles in the future.
All I know is I am going to buy when we are able to. I look forward to getting the box. I like looking at the cover design and all that sort of stuff.
What in your opinion makes the game good?
What are its main features?
How is it different and how it is similar to 'Other Worlds'?
(Slightly unrelated) I've never played OW but I will in the future, can you send me a PM, telling me about it?
DITR is NOT in full 3-D?! Wow you could've fooled me; then again I once got sodium hydroxide into my eye when I was younger so... :o
Thanks for playing along.
Quote from: vertigoaddict on Thu 06/03/2008 15:33:56What in your opinion makes the game good?
I believe that the storyline is its best feature. It's an 'adult' story, and by that I don't mean sex or violence, I mean that although it has a fantasy theme it deals with a very real and serious issue. As far as I know, this is probably the first adventure game that deals with that particular issue, and I expect it to raise some controversy. The characters should seem very real and anything but paper thin, and the puzzles are more reminiscent of a 1990 game than a modern one (which in my book is always a good thing). The voice acting and music are on a par with any expensive commercial game.
QuoteWhat are its main features?
It's a 3rd person point & click adventure, with a Black Mirror-like inventory and a LucasArts-like dialog system. It also features the 'Thoughts Panel', a notice board that has the main character's thoughts displayed as post-its. Not only will that give you a chance to gain access to the protagonist's line of thought as the story progresses, you will also be able to use these thoughts as inventory objects, which is to say combine them together and click them on other characters or hotspots.
QuoteHow is it different and how it is similar to 'Other Worlds'?
The may look like two completely different games, but they both rely on a deep storyline and puzzles that vary in difficulty. They both have a plenitude of inventory items and an 'extra' feature; in OW, it was the spells. In DITR, it's the Thoughts.
Of course, DITR looks better (duh) and like I said it has a much more serious theme, whereas OW was a cartoonish, humorous adventure.
Quote(Slightly unrelated) I've never played OW but I will in the future, can you send me a PM, telling me about it?
I can do better than that (and no need to do it in private, either).
Official page (http://www.alkis.org/eworlds.html)
Review 1 (http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/OtherWorlds/OW.shtm)
Review 2 (http://www.gameboomers.com/reviews/Oo/Otherworldsbyinferno.htm)
Some comments from AGS members (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=471)
QuoteDITR is NOT in full 3-D?! Wow you could've fooled me; then again I once got sodium hydroxide into my eye when I was younger so... :o
Well of course all the graphics are 3D objects, but everything is shown in a 2D display.
Quote
Do you want to hear about budget exceeds?
Do you want to hear about me not being able to decide what the price difference should be?
Do you want to hear about me being unsure on how many boxed products I should order?
Do you even want me to get started on how many months it took me to get the necessary legal papers?
Seems if you answered "Why no download?" with "Setting up a downloading service is expensive and complicated and too much of a hassle" it would have stemmed the debate before it began. Rather than "I don't wanna..."
Anyway, I have a question -
How long is it, roughly? How many hours of dialog/music/cutscenes/etc. is there?
QuoteAnyway, I have a question -
How long is it, roughly? How many hours of dialog/music/cutscenes/etc. is there?
I don't know if I should share the details about the audio part, but don't think that the amount of music or cutscenes are what make a game long. At least I can't see it directly related.
If you've played the demo, the intro remains the same so it's a good 10 minutes long (more or less anyways). This should give you an idea that the game is on the long side... :)
This thing of having thoughts or ideas as inventory objects (pioneered, I believe, by Discworld Noir) seems to be really catching on. Dave Gilbert uses it in The Shivah and the Blackwell games, Vince Twelve is making a commercial game with not-one-but-two memory-based inventories, even Hal Barwood (who designed Fate of Atlantis back in the day) is using it in Mata Hari. Isn't there one more that I can't remember right now as well?
Anyway, I wondered if you could talk about what you think is cool about an inventory for thoughts, maybe give an example of how it works in the game, and also where you got the idea from.
Quote from: Emerald on Thu 06/03/2008 23:45:57How long is it, roughly? How many hours of dialog/music/cutscenes/etc. is there?
The music amounts to almost 42 minutes. Jason's lines alone are about 30 minutes.
I should probably add something like "the game is about 30 hours of gameplay" but to be honest I've never figured out how this is calculated in games. Let's just say that it's about average to long-ish size, I don't think anyone will find it too short.
There is no shame in me admitting that I got the Thoughts idea from Discworld Noir, which is one of my favorite games. I was glad to notice the coincidence of several new games using something similar, but I want to make it clear that I had no idea when I wrote most of the story of DITR in 2005.
As for what makes the feature good, personally I've always wondered what was going through my character's mind while playing a game. Some titles features diaries and notepads which are good, but not interactive. The access to Jason's thoughts seems to make him more 'human'. I like the way the description of a thought changes as the story progresses, and that I can combine two thoughts together to see how they are related. The use of them as inventory objects enriches the gameplay and makes it rather impossible for the player to give up thinking and solve the game by brute force (using everything on everything) as the possible combinations are just too many.
An example, hmmm.. I don't want to spoil anything so I recommend that you play the demo to understand. Let's just say that if the protagonist does not know what to do with a particular situation, or is reluctant to do it because it's out of character, you can use deductive thinking to help him make the right decision.
I must say that the description of the "thought inventory" alone has made me eager to buy that game, if only for trying out that feature. It's a nice concept, well described, and I can see the possibilities here. Good "hook".
Release date: Monday, March 17 2008
The first review (http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/DITR/DITR.shtm) of my game is on line chaps.
It is good to see such a positive review, and also good to see the music gets a mention in the review (considering the thread Nikolas made a while ago :)).
Well done, Alkis & team.
The game is officially released. I trust you will find it was worth the wait.
You may order it (http://www.atropos-studios.com/order.html) today.
I am confused: Why does shipping to EU cost and shipping to the rest of the world (which I thought was quite expensive) is free? ???
I'll wait a bit and get it on Amazon in a couple of months ;D
Do Jersey and the Isle of Man get free shipping, since they are not part of the EU? Also, I'd like to order a copy for my aunt in Antartica...
Shipping to Greece costs nothing 1.45 and I don;t care about such a small fee but I might be able to come and pick it up if at all possible. Wondering though shipping to the rest of the world free and in greece 1.45? I understand why it;s free for the rest of the world but why isn't it free to greece as well since you live here.. or you dont?
I wanted to offer free shipping to everyone but it was impossible (or should I say, too expensive for me). I managed to do it for non-EU members thanks to a logistic trick and favorable exportation laws. Please understand that this is an offer to non-Europeans, not a 'punishment' for Europeans. You know how a game is sometimes sold for $20 in the US and â,¬20 in Europe because of different publishers? It's basically the same thing. I didn't think people would take it the wrong way.
Dimitris (is that right?) I don't have a license to sell our product in our office but if you want to contact me in private it would be great if you joined us next time the members of Adventure Advocate get together. I can give it to you then.
I wish to give all of the team a congratulation on the release!
I will definitly buy a copy but it will have to wait till I can afford it! :P.
I wish you good luck and looking forward to see more releases from Atropos Studios!
Peder Johnsen.
So, I hope we can get a downloaded version?
Splat, you did read all three pages of this thread which basically concern themselves with little more than the "download issue", didn't you?
To answer the question clearly: For now Atropos studios is only offering CD copies, in DVD cases. Shipping to non EU countries is free! so anyone living in USA, or Australia, etc, can get the game for the price of 19.90 euros.
Of course all this is in the atropos website... And the fact that there is no downloadable option at the moment is all over the thread...
Quote from: Nikolas on Thu 20/03/2008 12:59:27
To answer the question clearly: For now Atropos studios is only offering CD copies, in DVD cases. Shipping to non EU countries is free! so anyone living in USA, or Australia, etc, can get the game for the price of 19.90 euros.
Of course all this is in the atropos website... And the fact that there is no downloadable option at the moment is all over the thread...
Ok but can they deliver to an unverified mailin address?
Splat and everyone else: Please contact me by e-mail (http://www.atropos-studios.com/contact.html) when you have a question because I don't always have the time to follow all the discussions in every forum.
What exactly do you mean by "unverified address"?
Quote from: alkis21 on Mon 17/03/2008 14:10:03
I wanted to offer free shipping to everyone but it was impossible (or should I say, too expensive for me). I managed to do it for non-EU members thanks to a logistic trick and favorable exportation laws. Please understand that this is an offer to non-Europeans, not a 'punishment' for Europeans. You know how a game is sometimes sold for $20 in the US and â,¬20 in Europe because of different publishers? It's basically the same thing. I didn't think people would take it the wrong way.
Dimitris (is that right?) I don't have a license to sell our product in our office but if you want to contact me in private it would be great if you joined us next time the members of Adventure Advocate get together. I can give it to you then.
I didn't know the adventure advocate members get it together? Where ? When ? How?
This isn;t all a talk from my side to avoid a 1.45e.. why not bother saying that game price is high? Which I don;t consider it to be. And i really like games where Nikolas writes music.. surprisingly the all go good. check at tale of two kingdoms. Yes the name is Dimitris..hehe.
Anyway, I'm planning to order it as soon as possible paying the fee as well.
Quote from: Dualnames on Fri 21/03/2008 09:34:54I didn't know the adventure advocate members get it together? Where ? When ? How?
Well, it's almost never a group gathering, but I do see Elessar and Fallen Angel now and then. They were in my house last Saturday. Would you like me to let you know next time we go meet?
Well, i guess so. I've seen you in pictures so I'll recognise you. i hope you haven't changed since january.
I finally got around to adding the game (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1006) in the Full length games category.
The following AGSers contributed greatly to the making:
nikolasideris (current nick: Nikolas): Music, sound effects, sound engineering
Ashen: Additional scripting
KhrisMUC: Additional scripting
monkey_05_06: Additional scripting
SuperScottishHero (current nick: SSH): Additional scripting
Their real names are listed in the game's manual.
After Just Adventure (http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/DITR/DITR.shtm) and Adventure Advocate (http://adventureadvocate.gr/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=151) (Greek), I'm glad to announce that one more web site hosts a very positive review of Diamonds in the Rough: Four Fat Chicks (http://fourfatchicks.com/Reviews/DITR/Diamonds.shtml).
I haven't been here for a while, but I remember looking at this game a while ago. Congratulations on it's release!
Good luck!
visionmind
After a few problems and attempts I finally managed to order a copy ;D (Not really big issues, its more my situation that made the problems)
Are they signed? :P
Anyway, looking forward to recieve it!
I will post a new post here when ive played it a bit!
Peder Johnsen.
Thank you for your purchase, Peder. I will gladly sign your copy if you want me to.
EDIT: One more review was announced today. Links to all four reviews can be found in this page (http://www.atropos-studios.com/diamonds.html).
Just finished the game now.
As I am sure most people feel, the character graphics and animation does let the game down. I stopped noticing this after a while, however, so I guess the good points must have overruled this.
Puzzle wise, whilst many of them were obviously well thought out they did have a tendency to be convoluted. While I know some people like this sort of gameplay, I personally do not. It made the game of a good length, but a lot of this length was me trying to figure out exactly what to do next. In one instance, I swear I did something the correct way 10 times before trying again and it suddenly working. This aside, the majority of the puzzles were logical, provided one was prepared to work hard to find the logic :).
The story and the issues dealt with are the obvious strengths here - well done for touching on some more interesting issues than are usually found in computer games, and for doing so in a way that didn't, at least to me, seem cheesy or overdone in the typical "evil villain" way.
Nik, with regards to your music: Thanks for making me jump at all the right moments and giving me goosebumps ;D. I always find something that has good music can suck me in much easier, and I found your work here exceptional.
Overall, nice game, and I shall play it again in a while, just to re-experience the atmoshpere :).
Quote from: Ben304 on Wed 30/04/2008 10:41:00
Puzzle wise, whilst many of them were obviously well thought out they did have a tendency to be convoluted. While I know some people like this sort of gameplay, I personally do not. It made the game of a good length, but a lot of this length was me trying to figure out exactly what to do next. In one instance, I swear I did something the correct way 10 times before trying again and it suddenly working. This aside, the majority of the puzzles were logical, provided one was prepared to work hard to find the logic :).
Hmmm...
While trying the various betas, I though that there are plenty of hints to go on.
But indeed, I think I know what you mean.
QuoteThe story and the issues dealt with are the obvious strengths here - well done for touching on some more interesting issues than are usually found in computer games, and for doing so in a way that didn't, at least to me, seem cheesy or overdone in the typical "evil villain" way.
I think that Alkis is being very brave for bringing such isssues on board of the game, in all honesty! I never expected it, it was a great surprise and it felt... right on place actually, after I saw the ending the first time!
There are various small issues, to talk about the ending actually, regarding some things that are implied but not shown in the end, the whole issue about the nature of DiTR, etc...
QuoteNik, with regards to your music: Thanks for making me jump at all the right moments and giving me goosebumps ;D. I always find something that has good music can suck me in much easier, and I found your work here exceptional.
Thanks! ;D
On a note to AGS people. The ending, as well as the "jump out of your place" moments were created after the game was complete! I had full access to the full game and I could very much create the "perfect" (up to discussion, I know) atmosphere for each track!
Still thank you Ben! I'm, personally, very pleased with the result! As well as the game actually! I found the experience more than rewarding and I really hope that Alkis will be able to move on to the next game soon. :)
Nik, with regards to the puzzles, it could just be me being dumb. I have played through 3 other commercial AGS adventures (being The Shivah, The Blackwell Legacy and Super Jazz Man) and this is by far the one with the most difficult puzzles. I'm not saying they're bad puzzles, necessarily. I'm just saying it took me a lot longer to work through them :). This made the game slower paced, and I bore quickly.
With regards to the being brave about bringing the issues to the table - agreed. A big, bold move, especially in his first commercial outing, which is why I am pleased he managed to pull it off without the typical fake Hollywood sheen applied to such story devices. I think it is safe to say that Alkis has presented these issues in a very mature way. I read a lot about the ending being a surprise, but:
Spoiler
When I saw the dream sequence, I pretty much guessed straight away what the ending would be, and was fairly well close. I did not expect one part right near the very end, so well done to Alkis for managing to surprise me, even just a little bit, when I thought I was the clever one who had everything figured out :)
There is no "discussion" about you getting the tracks perfect, Nik. It is obvious you captured the exact mood that was needed for the cutscenes.
There is a huge conversation that I could enter into about this game, and the ground it covers but I choose not to. Suffice to say that it is nice to have a game that makes you think about it afterwards as well - and not just because of the cool bit where you jumped the table in the kitchen and shot the guy as he was coming around the doorway.
Also, I meant to say this in my earlier post, but had to rush out to dinner with friends: Congratulations to Alkis for getting this game done, good luck with the sales of this, and I shall be watching to see your next steps :). Also to Alkis, as shallow as it may seem, your graphics, particularly character graphics, are holding you back. I encourage you to consider your options for the next game - enormous amounts of character scaling here made the walking animation seem even more awkward than the awkwardness it usually had, the angles were completely off perspective... the list goes on. I don't wish to offend your character artist, but considering this was someone who accepted a contract to produce graphics which are of a professional level, I believe you've been let down here :-\. I'm sure you know this already.
I'm glad you enjoyed the game Ben. Naturally, the ending is not a very big surprise after you've witnessed
Spoiler
Sydelle's dream
, it's part of the surprise. And yes, I know all about the problems with the characters, hopefully I'll have a bigger budget to work with in the next game and the animations will be much better.
Adventure gamers gave it 3/5
Btw, the game is listed on metacritic
Good job!!
I know... the AG review was the least positive (although not negative) review of the 10 I've read so far.
As the good reviews (http://www.atropos-studios.com/diamonds.html) continue, I would like to inform you that we're giving away three free copies of Diamonds in the Rough. Click here to enter the contest (http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,886/). Only hurry up because the giveaway will only last a week.
Ok, bought the game, should have done so 4 pages ago. Well, ok I haven't finished it yet so don't go spoiler me. I've reached the part
Spoiler
we're not diamonds, we're coals
. Ok, the intro is owning, this part got me thrilled as hell, and actually the game so far is actually quite the best I've ever played. The graphics surprisingly enough do not bother me at all. Except from the barman sprite(there's a white edge around him) nothing has bothered me so far. Concerning the controls they're good, had some trouble at the beginning but they're good, there's eventually some pixel hunt(library exit hotspot still bothers me), but no trouble. the characters have depth, the game despite many many games has ATMOSPHERE. And actually I don't believe it's a rough diamond. I think the game's a Diamond. Loved a couple of easter eggs so far. Anyway, definetely worth my time so far.
Some news that may please my friend Rui:
-Our game is now available from our web page at a new price: â,¬17.90.
-We now offer free worldwide shipping (as opposed to only non-European countries as it used to be).
-For the gamers who like to have the option to download games, the digital version of Diamonds in the Rough can now be purchased at an even lower price from The Adventure Shop (
http://adventureshop.gamesplanet.com ).
Hi Alkis,
I really want to buy this game. The "thought board" idea at first glance seems very fascinating, and I basically love the idea that there are still people who make commercial computer games based on the good old adventure game formula.
But when I buy something, I really want to know a little bit about what I get. I must admit that most of the things I ponder over are things I could probably find answers to if I downloaded the demo (I haven't -- I think 100 megabytes is a wee bit much to download for a ten minute intro), but I have a couple of questions about the game, and I hope I'll get answers to them by posting them here.
First: The thought system. Is it intuitive and easy-to-use? While I immediately love the thought of having full control of the character's thoughts, I don't really like the idea of having a second inventory screen unless it's done really, really well.
Inventory items are great when used right, but in many games the way they are used are just ridiculous. I want my inventory items to have a certain amount of logic to them. For instance, I just played an adventure game where my player character wanted to know what another character was talking on the phone about. To find this out, I had to take a cellphone (which also worked as a dictaphone even though its description never mentioned that), use double-sided tape to tape the cellphone to a cat, feed the cat old pizza, salt the pizza so that the cat ran into the room where the phone conversation took place to drink water, go to a phone booth to call the cellphone so that its vibrate mode made the cat come out again (even though it was never explained that the phone was in silent mode), and then, when the cat climbed up in a tree, combine a plastic bag, a broken off bucket-handle and a broomstick to create a landing net to catch the cat in. Of course, when inventory items are meant to be used in that way, the only way to progress in the game without a walkthrough is an immense load of trial and error... And if your game is anything like that, the last thing I want is "another inventory screen", adding more options to the big and meaningless mix.
A related question: is there an easy way to scroll through the different thoughts, or do I have to go back to the post-it board every time I want to change which thought I present to people?
Second: From the reviews I've read, I get the impression that the interface is Sierra-inspired (they mention that you use the right button to cycle through the various kinds of interactions). If this is correct: have you picked that interface because you think it's the best available interface for this game, or for other reasons (e.g. nostalgia)? As Vince Twelve recently wrote (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=35142.msg460095#msg460095) an excellent article on, the Sierra interface more often than not really doesn't fit its games. In most games, there's only one way of interacting with 99 % or more of all characters/objects/hotspots/etcetera in the game: You talk to people, interact with large items, pick up small items, open drawers, and so on. So what I'm wondering is: Is your game one of the games where I have to scroll through many different mouse cursors just to avoid getting messages like "I don't want to talk to the doormat" or "I think that woman would slap me if I touched her there" where a simple one-click interface would have worked a lot better, or do you have all the available interactions there for a reason, e.g. that it in several cases can be useful to try all different interactions on an object?
I'll check out "Other Worlds" to get an impression of your takes on story and gameplay (yeah, the graphics look great, but personally I don't care whether the graphics are made in Poser or MSPaint as long as the story sucks me in and the gameplay isn't too annoying), and most likely I will chip in with a couple of more questions here before I buy the game. Not because I don't really want to buy your game -- I really do. I just want to know exactly what it is that I'm buying before I buy it.
Quote from: olafmoriarty on Sun 24/08/2008 20:00:22
the Sierra interface more often than not really doesn't fit its games. In most games, there's only one way of interacting with 99 % or more of all characters/objects/hotspots/etcetera in the game: You talk to people, interact with large items, pick up small items, open drawers, and so on. So what I'm wondering is: Is your game one of the games where I have to scroll through many different mouse cursors just to avoid getting messages like "I don't want to talk to the doormat" or "I think that woman would slap me if I touched her there" where a simple one-click interface would have worked a lot better, or do you have all the available interactions there for a reason, e.g. that it in several cases can be useful to try all different interactions on an object?
Hi Olafmoriarty, you posed some really good points, especially one above that has helped me determine how I should have the GUI/point click icons as, for my games. I want to ask you a question - is the sort of point click on objects without having to "right click" to scroll/change icon types, a bit like the one in the game "Runaway - a Road Adventure"? (assuming u have played it - if you havent, maybe others here have?). I am interested in just having 1 or 2 icon changes for particular things.. like for example I point on a box of bottles and the icon is "Go To box of bottles" and then if its meant to be looked at then right click and it changes to "Look at box of bottles" and if its not meant to be taken, then there wont be an option to change to get it, but if there is, then the icon can be changed to that in one click. And for another object... say a door, roll mouse over it and it says "Go To door" then there is the option of "Open Door" and no other option. Is this what you meant? It makes things a lot simpler I agree, having specific mouse over on objects that are meant to be interacted with. So that the only things on a GUI might be the inventory bag and the save/load/quit buttons.
Also I am a little confused by "another inventory screen", what do you mean by this? I'm asking this as I am not familiar with the wording, so something new for me to learn in understanding how to develop games and avoid killer pitfalls that prevent people wanting to play my games.
Alkis, I am looking forward to purchasing your game when I am able to afford it - the price I am afraid is in Euros, which will make it WAY too expensive in Australian dollars. There should be thoughts on currencies but it is your choice. Other than that, I think its a game worth playing and supporting you in your endeavours. I am very glad to see another AGS member embark on a commercial venture with AGS games :).
Quote from: alkis21 on Sat 23/08/2008 09:05:48
-For the gamers who like to have the option to download games, the digital version of Diamonds in the Rough can now be purchased at an even lower price from The Adventure Shop (
http://adventureshop.gamesplanet.com ).
Great News!!! You have now given me the two things I was looking for: (a) affordable price for my income level and (b) convenient delivery method. Hence, I am downloading right now, I'll post my impressions as gameplay progresses, but if you were able to wrap 1/4 of the fun of "Other Worlds" I'll be satisfied...
Edit: downloaded in roughly 30 min and installed and activated like a charm. So far, so good....
Hey guys. I will try to answer your questions:
Quote from: olafmoriarty on Sun 24/08/2008 20:00:22First: The thought system. Is it intuitive and easy-to-use? While I immediately love the thought of having full control of the character's thoughts, I don't really like the idea of having a second inventory screen unless it's done really, really well.
A related question: is there an easy way to scroll through the different thoughts, or do I have to go back to the post-it board every time I want to change which thought I present to people?
I believe that the Thoughts Panel takes a few minutes to get used to but it becomes quite intuitive after a while. You will only need to open the Panel if you want to examine individual Thoughts or use one Thought or another. During the game, while you are holding the special "post-it" inventory item you can scroll through the available Thoughts using the mouse wheel.
QuoteAnd if your game is anything like that, the last thing I want is "another inventory screen", adding more options to the big and meaningless mix.
My belief is that puzzles should go along with the game's theme. The puzzle you just described wouldn't bother me if it was part of a humorous and totally wacky game. Diamonds in the Rough on the other hand has a very "serious" theme so its puzzles are more down to earth. In my humble opinion, every puzzle in DITR can be solved using deductive logic and a little bit of imagination. The Thoughts Panel just makes the "use everything on everything" method (which IMO is a lousy way of trying to solve a puzzle anyway) rather impossible.
QuoteSecond: From the reviews I've read, I get the impression that the interface is Sierra-inspired (they mention that you use the right button to cycle through the various kinds of interactions). If this is correct: have you picked that interface because you think it's the best available interface for this game, or for other reasons (e.g. nostalgia)? As Vince Twelve recently wrote (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=35142.msg460095#msg460095) an excellent article on, the Sierra interface more often than not really doesn't fit its games. In most games, there's only one way of interacting with 99 % or more of all characters/objects/hotspots/etcetera in the game: You talk to people, interact with large items, pick up small items, open drawers, and so on. So what I'm wondering is: Is your game one of the games where I have to scroll through many different mouse cursors just to avoid getting messages like "I don't want to talk to the doormat" or "I think that woman would slap me if I touched her there" where a simple one-click interface would have worked a lot better, or do you have all the available interactions there for a reason, e.g. that it in several cases can be useful to try all different interactions on an object?
I know of Vince's opinion, we have agreed to disagree on this one. :) I simply chose the Sierra interface because it's my favorite one, and I hate magic all-purpose cursors. I personally like to play with my left hand on the keyboard to chose the appropriate icon, I realize that some people don't like doing that but even so I don't think cycling through the icons becomes too annoying. Someone said to me that he liked to examine everything first on a screen, then try to use the other icons. That is perhaps another convenient way.
QuoteI'll check out "Other Worlds" to get an impression of your takes on story and gameplay (yeah, the graphics look great, but personally I don't care whether the graphics are made in Poser or MSPaint as long as the story sucks me in and the gameplay isn't too annoying), and most likely I will chip in with a couple of more questions here before I buy the game. Not because I don't really want to buy your game -- I really do. I just want to know exactly what it is that I'm buying before I buy it.
Other Worlds is a very different game but by all means try it out.
Quote from: gypsysnail on Mon 25/08/2008 04:38:11Also I am a little confused by "another inventory screen", what do you mean by this? I'm asking this as I am not familiar with the wording, so something new for me to learn in understanding how to develop games and avoid killer pitfalls that prevent people wanting to play my games.
You can read my description of the Thoughts Panel here (http://www.justadventure.com/Interviews/AlkisPolyrakis.shtm).
QuoteAlkis, I am looking forward to purchasing your game when I am able to afford it - the price I am afraid is in Euros, which will make it WAY too expensive in Australian dollars. There should be thoughts on currencies but it is your choice. Other than that, I think its a game worth playing and supporting you in your endeavours. I am very glad to see another AGS member embark on a commercial venture with AGS games :).
The game is sold by The Adventure Shop (http://adventureshop.gamesplanet.com) in multiple currencies (and prices) depending on where you live, I'm not sure but I think in your case it will be in USD.
I played this game a while ago. The voice acting and the story are definitely the strong points of this game. The ending is very unexpected and surprising. Good job and keep 'em coming Alkis.
Hi guys, I have a technical problem with the game. Not sure if this is the correct place to ask for help, apologies if it is not so.
I just purchased a copy of DITR from the adventure shop. When i try to run the game, all i see is a black screen. I'm able to hear the background music, and also able to independently run the opening video clip named "Atropos". But I can't see anything when I run the game.
I am running Windows Vista home premium on a laptop, my graphics card is titled "Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family". It supports DirectX 9, resolution is 1280x800 (32bit) (60 Hz). Is my graphics card too poor to run the game? I'll feel like an idiot if yes...since i doubt it'll be refundable...pls help!
Quote from: futility on Wed 03/09/2008 07:14:39
I just purchased a copy of DITR from the adventure shop. When i try to run the game, all i see is a black screen. I'm able to hear the background music, and also able to independently run the opening video clip named "Atropos". But I can't see anything when I run the game.
Do this. (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=34998.0)
Good tips in that thread. The video is not encoded so you don't even need the XviD codecs but there have been some issues with some computers, especially those who have mass codecs packs such as K-Lite installed.
Try overwriting Atropos.avi with this file (http://www.atropos-studios.com/External/Atropos.avi). If it still doesn't work, simply move it to another directory.
Let me know if it works.
Thanks to Ultra Magnus and Alkis! What i did was to simply remove the intro movie file. I got an error message at the beginning, but after that everything was fine. I even went on to complete this excellent game. Looking forward to your next production, Alkis!
Hey
I have reached I think the end of the game and I recorded this "animation" with my cell and am trying to show it to this person but I keep getting the message that this is hardly what he wants now.. I even checked some official walkthrough and tried all the steps it suggested but to no avail. I know that person can help me get the gun from the other room but what am I missing. I even have the animation but cant show it...
Nevermind... good ending btw :o
Will there be a sequel ???
Nice Job!
www.gamingkrib.com
It looks like DITR is attracting new people to the AGS community. Welcome and stick around; there are plenty of gems in this site and almost all of them do not cost a dime. Sequel! I doubt it.
I just finished this today. This is one of the best games made by AGS that I've played, if not the best. I look forward to your next game, hopefully it will be as good as this one.
Not exactly fresh news, but I wasn't really active online when it happened so I never posted it before: My game won the 2008 Best Independent Commercial Adventure award (http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,981/p,15) by Adventure Gamers, and it was the public's vote not a committee's decision!
With all due respect to award committees, the public's vote means so much more to us.
woot, congrats Alkis!! :D
What does these numbers: 4 8 15 16 23 42 and John 8:15 stand for ???
Quote from: jdash on Fri 14/08/2009 11:33:29
What does these numbers: 4 8 15 16 23 42 and John 8:15 stand for ???
The first are from Lost
john 8:15
"Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man."
I'm not christian or anything stupid like that.
Excuse me but being a Christian is not stupid so since you just disrespected me and the entire Christian community I take offense. And by the way an interesting commercial game that I like in images while the posts leave much to be desired. >:(
Quote from: wpowell on Wed 19/08/2009 19:07:50
Excuse me but being a Christian is not stupid so since you just disrespected me and the entire Christian community I take offense.
LOL okay! ::)
Quote from: wpowell on Wed 19/08/2009 19:07:50
Excuse me but being a Christian is not stupid so since you just disrespected me and the entire Christian community I take offense. And by the way an interesting commercial game that I like in images while the posts leave much to be desired. >:(
Chill out peeps FFS?!
Quote from: cosmicr on Wed 19/08/2009 10:24:46
john 8:15
"Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man."
I'm impressed that someone bothered to Google this. :)
Excuse me but what do you mean Chill out peeps FFS (what does that mean?). And no I was not angry I just think it is wrong to make fun of someone's religion but overall that game does have some pizzazz. Which rocks. And cosmicr don't lol me and roll your eyes. It is disrespectful. People need to have better maturity these days. The game rocks. :)
The game does rock, but it if you want a religion topic, there's one already there. If you felt offended by my comments, I do apologize, for it wasn't my goal.
FFS(For F&*^ sake)