Murran Chronicles 3: Lifedrinker of Landsdowne *Update - Following Freeware*

[david]

@ srnickolas

Have you tried to

Spoiler

talk to the bush outside of the hotel?

[close]

[poc301]

lol I put a lot of little things like that into the game.  Hidden little funny things and easter eggs

-Bill

[Cogliostro]

Bill --

This game was worth the three year wait.  Just a great game.  The last day works especially well.

Now, I like to offer up feedback that justifies that amount of time you put into the game.  So, I was going to back through it again, see what differences my choices could make, and point out any bugs that were missed.

This started by downloading the newest version, and I found a bug immediately...

Spoiler

The current version of the game SKIPS the opening cutscene, dumps Ken into the caves, and when you talk to Gary, you AUTOMATICALLY try to help him.

[close]

- Cogliostro

[poc301]

Note to anyone who downloaded the game over the last day - If you downloaded v1.10 during the brief period my brain stopped working, and when you begin the game, the very first thing it does is dump you into a cave, this was an error during one of my bug fixes.  Please download this modified exe file to run the game.  It fixes the problem without you needing to download the full 120mb game again.

This is ONLY if the version you have dumps you into a cave when you first begin the game.  It is fixed in the game download now, so it was only for a short time online.

Fixed .exe file for bugged v1.10 version (8mb) : Click here for fix-file.


Thanks,

Bill

[poc301]

Bill --

This game was worth the three year wait.  Just a great game.  The last day works especially well.

Now, I like to offer up feedback that justifies that amount of time you put into the game.  So, I was going to back through it again, see what differences my choices could make, and point out any bugs that were missed.

This started by downloading the newest version, and I found a bug immediately...

Spoiler

The current version of the game SKIPS the opening cutscene, dumps Ken into the caves, and when you talk to Gary, you AUTOMATICALLY try to help him.

[close]

- Cogliostro

Hi Cogliostro,

Thanks for the kind words  It was a long process, but I really enjoyed it.  I was trying to turn out a product superior to the first two games.

That being said, I got some pie on my face when my most recent version of the game (with fixes) got through messed up.  I forgot to revert back to the main splash screen, and instead left the game to begin where I was troubleshooting (oops!).

The game online now is fixed, and there is a patched .exe file to resolve it too:

Fixed .exe file for bugged v1.10 version (8mb) : Click here for fix-file.

Thanks again!

-Bill

[poc301]

Hi all,

I've gotten 2 PMs now and one email from people asking if I'd like to have feedback or critiques on the game.  The answer is a resounding YES.  This was only my 4th game (3rd real game, one was just a learning experience I released to the public), so any feedback is much appreciated.  I took the feedback from Murran 2 to improve on things in Murran 3, and plan on doing the same with this game as I make Murran 4. 

Also, please feel free to leave comments or vote on the game at the Games page : http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1483


Thanks guys,

Bill

[Cogliostro]

Bill -

Okay, you asked for it, so here it is.

I'm going to give a serious critique of the game, because there's enough to this game to justify it.   (And by that I mean enough high quality to justify it.) 


FIRST MY REACTIONS AS I HAD THEM

DAY 1
Opening cut scene is nicely done.  The goat transition is just bizarre and unnerving, in the way that real nightmares actually are. 

The quality of the graphics is odd.  Much of it is nicely done, and that's drawing attention to some elements that are lacking.  Ken's marriage proposal, comes not on bended knee, but in some strange squat.  Then the girl's hair is pink, not any actual color of red that doesn't come out of a bottle.

Dialog between Ken and Turner works, it has the distinct feel of a recap, but it works.  For a bit, all I could think was that their conversation was nothing the FBI would ever talk about, but hey, they're Lamplight.  The occasional prophetic dream has to be considered.

The music you chose for the "Investigation # / Quotes" is good.  The menace is really there.  The "Walking around town" music that follows is also good.  Oddly, I find this casual music to be a tougher choice to make.

Gary is a great character, I think we've all known a Gary to two in our time. 

Maury walks like an old man!! 

Talking to the police chief... It seemed odd to me the way the information was presented about the free-roaming goats.  Why would they already be part of the information Turner and Ken are using if the chief didn't think they were important?!

Map!  This is a critical addition, but perhaps it would have worked better if it and the notes had been the own button in the toolbar.  (I can easily be wrong here.)  I can say that the map was cramped!  Was the town going to be twice the size at one point, because there's a lot of dead space on the map.

At the pub it finally dawns on me.  Every character we've met has had their own personality, including a way of talking AND moving!  It's not as if they all stand around freakishly still and spout only a single tidbit of information.  You really did fill the town with PEOPLE!!

"Danny Boy" playing in the pub was the right choice to establish the Irish Town feel.  (Though I suspect it's the last song they ever want to hear on the Green Isle.)

Putting the gated area with a fence at the back of the warehouse was just mean.  It is supposed to be the crime scene, so getting back there stayed as a priority in my head for most of the first two days.



From here forward everything kind of qualifies as a spoiler, so I'll hide it...

Spoiler

NIGHT 1
That stupid leprechaun scared the bejeezus outta me!

Stupot!  I can't believe you went through all the effort to make that poem!  The stage seems unnecessarily huge.

The dream left me suspicious of Turner.  Honestly, I was keeping an eye on my partner.  Kinda weird that he only comes out of the hotel at night...


DAY 2
The deputies look like vampires?!

Roberta Williams is dead!  The name was used numerous times before I finally pieced it together.

Using the MAP inside the bar gives the response, "You can't get a signal here.  Wherever HERE actually is." 

Cliona seems to be a freakishly well-informed, a veritable  fountain of knowledge on all things Fae.  Shouldn't this strike Ken as odd or suspiciously convenient.



NIGHT 2

Once again, Turner only comes out at night.

Cliona is providing all of the useful research.  Turner hasn't discovered a thing.  He won't talk about being a wizard.  He tried to convince Ken the Phooka's were dangerous.  Turner's looking awfully suspicious -- and then comes that dream.

=====================
PRONUNCIATION NOTE
SIDHE is not SIDDY as the Chief mispronounces.  It's pronounced SHEE
Thus  BAIN-SIDHE is pronounced BANSHEE
=====================

CROSSING INTO TIR NA OG
Deceitful guides, multiple solutions, a realm that refuses to stay in focus... Tir Na Nog is beautifully done.

After all of the trouble and misunderstanding in the dreams, I was SOOOOOO ready to trust the wisp.

In the magicweaver’s guild, if the last spell you cast is the sun shield, Ken will walk out of the shield when the cut scene takes over.  If you stuck that code in a "repeatedly_execute" function, switch it over to a "repeatedly_execute_always".

There are still points with "smart quotes", specifically, with the hobgoblin. "Yes, let[]s play with dead things... sicko."

The magical solution to defeat Vaektor was rather clever.  However, at one point I tried to use "Far Hands" to levitate myself, and then because I had it active, I tried it on the rock, this teleported me out of harms way?  BUG?!

Great last strike for the villain.  For a setting that's only there for a few minutes, the dark lands are disturbed!


CREDITS
In the Kellar's Music, when the Leanan Sidhe attacks, Gary is pounding away at the computer.

When stepping up behind the hobgoblin, the boxes are missing.

Quoting W. B. Yeats was a masterful touch.  I just checked with WIKIPEDIA and realized he's the one who emphasized the Leanan Sidhe's vampiric nature.

[close]

Looking forward to the future chronicles of Ken Murran.

- Cogliostro

[tzachs]

Hey Bill, played the game and overall really enjoyed it!

You have now been Goat Parked! 

[poc301]

Hey Bill, played the game and overall really enjoyed it!

You have now been Goat Parked! 

Thanks for taking the time to write up the review   All the suggestions will be taken into account during Episode 4 development.

Just one thing to clarify the comment about the endless maze puzzle :

Spoiler

The solution/path to take is in the poster on the wall of the Gaelic R Us shop in town.

[close]

Again, thanks for the kind words, and I am glad you enjoyed it

-Bill

[Shadow1000]

Ok, my remarks/review now:

INTRODUCTION:

Lifedrinker of Landsdowne is (so far) the crown jewel in the Murran Chronicles series. Reworked graphics and a compelling plot made the long wait well worth it. A game like this only comes around every few years and is on par with some of the Ben Jordan games. The length of the game is about half of what would be considered a full-length game.

What I liked about the game:

There really is so much positive to be said about the game that I can only touch on what I felt were the best points:

- As I said in the introduction, the story really makes the game worth playing. Some games have stories that are just too complex to follow and detract from the game. This story has enough twists and surprises, is very well-researched and easy enough to follow to keep the game compelling. There are two parts to the plot that really make it into a non-linear story (one surprise and one sub-plot) but I don't want to post too much detail here. The fact that there are multiple endings and more than one way to get to the end certainly adds to the overall value of the game. There are few games I can think of with this much character development. Each character in the story has a unique and identifiable personality that really brings the game to life!

- The graphics and music created an enjoyable experience. The detail of the animation and effects was not overlooked. The perfect score was chosen for each room in the game.

- Very important: the puzzles were (for the most part) not random or illogical. I hit very few dead ends in the game. Anything that was not solvable with some thinking and trial and error was found in the Hints and Tips so I was never frustrated while playing the game (however see next section)

- As mentioned in the first point, the research that went into the game is very impressive. Combining detailed folklore with a modern environment was a great effect, rare in most adventure games.

- I liked the GPS navigation. One beef I have with most games (think king's quest) is that you spend oodles of game play time just walking. All that does is prolong getting anywhere in the game

What I didn't like about the game:

I know I'm nitpicking here but if I didn't, there wouldn't be anything to put into this section!

- I did say that the puzzles were logical but I do think that they could have been a bit more challenging. Other than the few that were not logical (see next), the solutions were very obvious. This kept the game moving at a nice clip but less satisfying to solve.

- Some puzzles that were not logical:

- There was a pixel hunt:

Spoiler

searching for the guitar pick. I know it was the scene of the crime so it's expected to comb the area so not REALLY random but still...

[close]

-

Spoiler

Expecting the user to have jotted down hidden information about the cave directions BEFORE entering the cave. If you didn't make that connection (like most people), then you're stuck!!

[close]

- I also have colour-recognition problems so I got really stuck on the related puzzle. I know that many games use colour puzzles so I can't really complain about something that is standard but I figured I'd toss that in here. It SHOULD have been easy but I needed the cheat that you posted.

- One thing I would have done differently: most of the progress of the game is dialogue-based rather than inventory-based. Unlike some games with ridiculous amounts of irrelevant dialogue, most of the dialogue here is meaningful and contributes to the game, but a better balance of saying the right things to the right people and using items as needed to create puzzles would have been better in my opinion.

CONCLUSION:

The amount of work and attention to detail in this game, combined with exceptional creativity and excellent gameplay makes Lifedrinker of Landsdowne a compelling must-play for any adventure game fan.

NOTE: I've been writing software professionally for over 17 years and I know what goes into a good, polished product. You have a LOT to be proud of, Bill!

Kudos!

SHADOW

[poc301]

Thanks so much for the feedback Shadow, I appreciate it.  

I can't say how happy I am that so many people like the character development in this game (especially Gary, the punk-rocker), since that was the primary concern people had in Episode 2.

I appreciate the criticisms, and will try to incorporate the feedback into Game 4.  Until the one puzzle here, I had never considered how players with various forms of color-blindness would be able to progress.  Needless to say, I will try to keep it in mind for the future.

Thanks, and I'm really glad you enjoyed the game

-Bill

[Shadow1000]

Thanks so much for the feedback Shadow, I appreciate it.  

You're welcome. Do you mind if I PM you?

SHADOW

[poc301]

Not at all, PM away.  In retrospect, this could've been done in a PM, but what the heck, one more bump for my thread

-Bill

[LocutusofBored]

I want to also thank everyone for the kind words about the game.

Cogliostro, thank you for noticing all the different people. We did indeed intend for them to all talk and move differently. I had asked Bill that since all the characters were so unique if he minded that I did different walks and movements for them. We were both pleased with the outcome. I was pleased how Maury and the other characters turned out. Gary is my one favorite characters too. I will definately work harder on the graphics next time, to make them better, this was a learning experience for me.

tzachs, thank you for goat parking us! I had fun drawing the goat's face, Bill did the awesome sprite for us, plus gave them all the magic powers!

Thank you Shadow1000 for all the nice comments, I love little details too.

Last I want to thank Bill for being a great guy to work with. He is always encouraging and helpful. Our ideas really meshed together and I had a lot of fun. Thanks for putting some of my ideas in the game!

We're getting started on Murran 4 already, Bill's got some great stuff done already. Well, I don't want to spoil anything. So, thanks again everybody for the thumbs up

[Tabata]

I made it, too finally!   

I like the story and to find things like this:

 
Oh yeah â€" I can see that!   

Some little irritations

Spoiler

like a doors hotspot at a window, missing talking reactions, going through things or loosing the shield while walking

[close]

didn't stop me from having fun to play and (after countless frustrating death's) I was rewarded very well at the end with the amusing bloopers  8)

[poc301]

I like the story and to find things like this:
 

Haha, you were actually the first person to notice the screen on his computer are these AGS forums   Or at least the first person to mention it.

Some little irritations

Spoiler

like a doors hotspot at a window, missing talking reactions, going through things or loosing the shield while walking

[close]

didn't stop me from having fun to play and (after countless frustrating death's) I was rewarded very well at the end with the amusing bloopers  8)

Glad you liked the ending bloopers sequence.  That was Neil's idea, and I think it turned out quite well.  I will look for those issues you mentioned and work them into the next bugfix.

-Bill

[Sslaxx]

Possible bug time...

When playing Astro Chicken (and winning), the "Click to Exit" button didn't work...

[poc301]

  Will look into it.

Thanks!

-Bill

[poc301]

Just found out that Adventure Gamers.com reviewed and recommended Lifedrinker in their September 2011 "Following Freeware".

http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,1375/p,2

-Bill