The McCarthy Chronicles: Episode 1

[ddq]

Do you have someone to proofread episode 2? Grammar nazis like me would certainly appreciate it, and would love to help.

[Calin Leafshade]

A proof reader would be welcome thank you.

I'll get in touch when I need you.

[Timo.]

Basically, this thread has so many 'I love this game' and 'It was great' comments on it, so I'll spare the shit.

It was good, but I think that there was a small inconsistency in the graphics.
No, it's not the scripting.
Well for one, the game is in black-and-white. However, fire in the fireplace burns red. And, some of the greens around are green (very dark shade). Okay I know I'm a freak for detail and everything, but I love consistency and
I set very, very high standards for the best Point-and-Click makers in the globe. Maybe you just wanted to add a feel to it, but I really don't know. That's why I'm asking.

Well, not to say that you're a cut above the rest in PnC game making. Keep up the excellent work, and am looking forward to the sequel with anticipation.

[Layabout]

I wouldn't call that an inconsistency. I'd call that evoking emotion through selected use of colour. It's very common, more so than you'd think. Most films and modern games do this.

[Calin Leafshade]

Yeah, I didnt forget I was supposed to be making a black and white game half way through...

The use of certain colours (most notably red) is deliberate.

[Arclight]

I wouldn't call that an inconsistency. I'd call that evoking emotion through selected use of colour. It's very common, more so than you'd think. Most films and modern games do this.

[Calin Leafshade]

plus ofcourse schindlers list.

[ddq]

plus ofcourse schindlers list.

The game was good, Steve, but let's not get carried away...
In all seriousness, I think you struck a good balance between black and white and color splotches. The dialog colors were the only thing that sort of stuck out.
Plus Schindler's List was a little longer.

[Calin Leafshade]

Ha ha i wasnt saying my game is on a par with schindlers list :p just saying that it used colour in a similar way.

unless you were joking in which case: 

[ddq]

When have I ever not been joking? Okay, maybe a few times, but that wasn't one of them and I accept your colon-P. 

[Timo.]

Okay, I get the point. Thanks for giving me the idea of it though. It might prove useful to my black-and-white brain sooner or later.

Thanks, guys.

[2ma2]

Just finished it. I guess I can relate to most of the praise and the criticism. The mood and execution is excellent, but the puzzles are somewhat straightforward. It plays more like an interactive story rather than a classic point and click adventure. I've been toying with the same kind of execution and would have stumbled in the same pitfalls. Even so, as a detective game, slowly uncovering more and more of the story behind the gruesome events, it unravels pretty sweet. And I was left with one desire: more.

Two thumbs up, a grand start and hopes of a sequel! 

[Igor Hardy]

I finally found some time to finish McCarthy. Overall, I have a bit different impressions than the majority. "Different" not meaning negative, just different.

But first, something I agree with everyone - the quality of the audio presentation alone is worth playing this first episode through. As for the visuals, the combo of the (maybe a little too) bare locations and snazzy visual effects in B&W gives a very striking, attractive effect.

Also, I must strongly compliment Calin for the cliffhanger at the end. Especially the choice of that rising musical piece and the way you put it in sync with the shown events is great. In general, there are little things in the game that make me think of cinematic movie editing. Even if the scenes usually are from only one angle.

Now, there's one thing about the game I can't understand... Why do so many people (the author included) describe this game as film-noir inspired? It has a chain-smoking PI for the lead and we hear his internal monologues, but otherwise nothing of the story, characters, or dialogs is any bit like film noir. The game is very much a perfect pastiche of 19th century Gothic fiction, with its larger-than-life characters, their melodramatic lives, depressions, poetic flowery language, search for enlightenment, falling in love on first sight etc. The only major difference is that the story is set in modern times.

I didn't find the game too short or puzzle-less as some, but I have a different serious complaint - the huge amounts of walking inside and around the house. Partially, this is caused by several events being just randomly triggered in different locations, which requires the player to search the entire building again and again to progress within the story. I started using the solution later on, just because I was tired of wandering aimlessly. This would be easily fixed with giving the player an optional map of the house, so he can get around faster.

The puzzles on their own are not particularly interesting and the hints just spell out what to do sometimes which is annoying. The one that I liked was how McCarthy used the coathanger. It was used for a believable problem and in a believable way. However, the coathanger was too well-hidden and the player didn't even know he needed one. I would much prefer if it just hanged in an open closet in McCarthy's room. The puzzle that gets McCarthy in the house for the first time was also nice, except there was too much trouble with finding the item needed for a certain easy to guess action.

As someone already said, the verbcoin was a bit underused because the mouth icon didn't seem to be used to anything else than talking. However, it's always nice to have more action choices than just the "it chooses the right action by itself" button.

It's too early to say much about the story (it was getting interesting when the game ended). It does seem a bit style over substance, but that's appropriate for the fiction genres McCarthy is the most close to. I also suggest thinking about adding an atmospheric title for each individual episode. To be honest if I was an AGS newbie I wouldn't be able to tell which games are called Blackwell, which Blackstone, which McCarthy, which Murran... There are a couple more of this sort which I can't remember now. Those names don't strike any sort of associations, they are nothing beyond common names.

[Calin Leafshade]

It seems McCarthy is IndieGames Freeware Game Pick:

http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2010/01/freeware_game_pick_the_mccarth.html

Already there are two comments saying its a 5DAS ripoff... Ah the internet, how I love thee.

EDIT: Thanks to Ascovel by the way for the plug.

[Layabout]

Hah, what douchebags. Had to reply to that. I did in fact see it earlier before they had replied. Well done for that, you should get loads of exposure.

[Calin Leafshade]

I got a little annoyed at the guy who said he hadnt played it but thought the plot devices were too derivitive of 5DAS.

Firstly how would he know what the plot devices are without playing it?

And secondly, which plot devices exactly was he talking about? Suspense? Foreshadowing? Because Yahtzee clearly invented those.

[MrCheminee]

Thought, to be honest I find the  Edit!!! *Trilby * games still better and more believable...

[Calin Leafshade]

i presume you mean "the yahtzee games" since there has only been one mccarthy game so far :p

[abstauber]

Technique & Storytelling: McCarthy
Game length & Puzzles: Trilby

Final verdict: thanks for finally making a better scary game, it was about time

[karja]

Just tried this game, I havent got through the whole thing yet.

But i do really think you did a wonderful job getting the right atmosphere, and with the voiceacting.

This one I will really play through.

Keep up the good work.