Lucas Mendoza - Amateur Detective (Demo)

[sthomannch]

Ian Aloser,

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You can open and close the doors - try it out and look carefully

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[Ian Aloser]

Thanks sthomannch,  found that , nice puzzlee :-))

I thought the demo

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would end after finding the 3 clues and now I am surprised at how far I can proceed in the game

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Now it's getting difficult .....

[Ian Aloser]

Diego, This is a great game , the puzzles are really challenging, great work.
And there's lots of great humor, too.
I never imagined it to be this long and I am really stuck now.
I have:

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Wallet, Cell Phones (2x),Ice Cubes, Ladder, Bucket with Cement, Eggplant, Bank Records, Bank Paper, Cross&Banner (Rope with Hook) and Wrench.
I know I have to get into the bank, I guess I have to enter from the subway station,
just don't know how.
Also,is there a way through the window of the secret room? Rope with hook doesn't work...

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A slight nudge would be highly appreciated !

P.S.:
The game says "Bench" instead on "Bank", surely a translation error,
There also are still a few untranslated lines still in Spanish, but that doesn't spoil the great gameplay ...

[sthomannch]

Have you talked to each worker about the strike?

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Have you picked up the note about the strike from the fence close to the docks?

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How could you persuade the worker down at the docks to remove the fences and cones?

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A drink - you have seen the blender in the office, now you need three ingredients but also a "container"

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I assume you have not yet visited

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the warehouse. Try it, you need a password.

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Examine every spot in the coffee shop thoroughly - especially the espresso machine

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[Ian Aloser]

Thanks sthomannch once more !
It's amazing how many puzzles there are in this fine game!

Here's what I did or didn't

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Have you talked to each worker about the strike?

Yes, I did !

Have you picked up the note about the strike from the fence close to the docks?

Yes , I did, the worker to the left is now gone, the one in the ceiling is still there

How could you persuade the worker down at the docks to remove the fences and cones?

No , don't know how .....
A drink - you have seen the blender in the office, now you need three ingredients but also a "container"

I noticed it, and I know I somehow have to use the eggplant and the ice cubes,but don't know why

I assume you have not yet visited the warehouse. Try it, you need a password.

I noticed the coffee in front of the door

Examine every spot in the coffee shop thoroughly - especially the espresso machine

I noticed that there is a note on the espresso machine, but I cannot read it

Also, no idea how to get into the secret room's window, despite my grappling hook :-(

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[sthomannch]

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Make sure the barrista vanishes again for a moment, then take the note from the espresso machine and read it

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A good cocktail

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needs sometimes more than two ingredients, and people might appreciate strong stuff - you know where to find it?

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About the window

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you can use the grappling hook once the window is open, so you miss another item. There are still a few other steps before you can enter the secret room

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[Ian Aloser]

Hey sthomannch, thank you again for your help !
I am in the EDIT :

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Store now and I assume that I will make more progress now.
Still don't know why to make a drink, don't know what I missed.
And I don't know how to get rid of the fence , but I will see what the shop brings
I believe Mia needs an ID card to convince the worker that she is working at the radio station,
no idea where to get it, have no option when talking to the guy in the radio station ......

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EDIT: I am afraid I missed something essential, just don't know what .....
Thanks , great game , more people should play it !!

[Shadow1000]

I am so completely lost that I don't even know what to ask.

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the first part of finding the 3 clues was solid and coherent with some great puzzles. After that, I wasn't even sure if it was playable and was going to delete the game till I saw that some people progressed.

I spoke to all the people I could and the only clear objectives are to get to the bank deposit box and into the RV.  Other than that I don't even know what to ask. I have the bank records, wrench, gloves, ice cubes, cross sign, ladder and bucket and that's about all.

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Any help appreciated!

[Ian Aloser]

Hey Shadow1000, glad to read that I am not the only one having trouble :-))

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I don't remember which character has to give the note to the worker, try it with both,
you can interchange all items except cell phone and wallet

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[Shadow1000]

Hey Shadow1000, glad to read that I am not the only one having trouble :-))

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I don't remember which character has to give the note to the worker, try it with both,
you can interchange all items except cell phone and wallet

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Yes! I just realized that

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Mia can do things that Lucas can't and I got the ladder and bucket and cross sign. I guess I should try passing items around and retrying all actions I couldn't do before....sigh...

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[Ian Aloser]

This game is actually HUGE and I love it !
You are on the right track !

[Shadow1000]

This game is actually HUGE and I love it !
You are on the right track !

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I think things could be tightened up in terms of pacing. I did not like the endless dialogue or the huge amount of walking around but it seems that I am able to progress. Because of this I'm not even 100% sure what's going on in the game.

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I'll come back when I need more hints.

[Ian Aloser]

Shadow1000, I agree, the dialogues are sometimes a bit cumbersome to follow,
however, they contain a lot of good humor.
I am amazed at how much work Diego put into this game.
Carry on, it's worth it !!

[sthomannch]

Mia's actions are 3 days in the past, while Lucas' actions are done in the present. So Mia can prepare the stage for Lucas' actions.

Objective is

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to get the two books the professor mentioned that belong together. There is more to be found, for example who paid how much to the professor.

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[Shadow1000]

Mia's actions are 3 days in the past, while Lucas' actions are done in the present. So Mia can prepare the stage for Lucas' actions.

Crap..I actually didn't know that. rhat pulls together a LOT of what's going on. I actually was wondering why her clothes were different between the office and on the street. So when they meet in the office, is that in the present or past...?

[sthomannch]

In the office, it is the present, but she talks about what happened 3 days ago (the dialogs tell). It seems that with the actions done by Mia and Lucas, her memories become sharper. As soon as you see Mia outside the office, it is the past. For Lucas, it is the present.

[Ian Aloser]

sthomannch, I believe I am pretty close to the end

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Got one book from the RV, guess the second one is in the secret room.
I cannot break the window with the pick, guess I need the chain OR the fishing rod

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Am I on the right track ?
Thanks yet again for your kind help !

[sthomannch]

Ian, you are not on the right track

What you need

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A fishing rod would help you to open the window - don't ask me why you can do it from the outside

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Where to get it

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The fisherman doesn't want to give his rod, but perhaps you can persuade him? He needs a catch,  a swordfish

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And how

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You cannot get a real fish, but have you tried the bucket of cement on different items?

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Solution

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If Mia uses the bucket of cement on the bucket with ice, then Lucas can get a "concrete" fish three days later and trade it

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[Ian Aloser]

Wow sthomannch, would have taken me ages to find this out !!!
Thanks yet one more time :-))

[Shadow1000]

I made a lot of progress. I am finally

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In the room with the deposit boxes. It says I need a key to open D-4. I tried the electronic key but it says only the key will work. I had Mia search De Marco's apartment while he was in the kitchen but still no key. My first guess actually was the key holder near the door but not there. Any hints?

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[sthomannch]

Shadow1000

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Have you visited the secret room? And looked at everything?

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Have you opened everything there? The door to the other room cannot be opened, but there is more.

Also, read carefully the messages when you touch things

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[Ian Aloser]

I am afraid I found a severe bug

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I am in the secret room and of course I couldn't figure out the password for the briefcase
(Must be a combination of EST ,ALEA and ACTAL, reminds me of my Latin in school :-))
ALEA I(L)ACTA EST ? Tried all possible combinations, but to no avail :-((
When trying to leave the room I end up in an infinite loop (" I'm not leaving empty handed"),
forcing me to press the abort key. Also cannot access the menu at this point.

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[sthomannch]

Looks like a bug that I found in the first version.

When you are in the secret room

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Look at the refridgerator, first aid kit and fire extinguisher

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one word seems to be mirrored -> JACTA -> ALEA JACTA EST (use "J" - ever seen "Indiana Jones" and the "Search for the Holy Grail"? People tend to repeat mistakes, haha)

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You find a key to the deposit box and a book in the strongbox

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You can leave the room without triggering the bug.

If you happen to get into the room a second time

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open the strongbox, take the book (again), several items can be picked up a second time without messing up the inventory. If it is about memories, why not?

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[Ian Aloser]

Thanks sthomannch, where would I be without your help ?
I actuall used the

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"J", Reversed"C" , but without the blanks, how stupid of me
Still don't know how to turn off the alarm system.....

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[sthomannch]

Ian Aloser

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Mia should read tthe noticeable book (the yellow one in the inventory) after she becomes aware that she needs authorisation for switching off cameras.

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[Ian Aloser]

Thanks again sthomannch !
Finally finished it, great game !

[Amateur Detective]

Wow! I've just seen this! Thank you all for playing the demo!

And thank you sthomannch for the great hints!

Sorry for my English, that's probably why things get a little complicated. I tried to give hints of what you're supposed to do through the dialogs and the interactions with the hotspots and items. I have to adjust the pacing, mostly for chapter 2, I'm working on it.

And will surely fix the bugs!

My question is...

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It's really important that the player can tell that one character is 3 days in the past, and the other is in the present day. If that's not clear, then it's my bad, and the whole thing makes no sense.

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Thanks for all the feedback! Feel free to write me with any ideas or suggestions.

[Ian Aloser]

Diego, you did a great job !
It was clearly understandable that there is a way to influence the present by doing things in the past.
You don't have to apologize for your English, it was absolutely good enough to follow the story.
There were a few minor grammar errors and typos, but they could easily have been corrected by a single
person doing proofreading. All in all your English is very good, don't forget that your native language is Spanish.
Almost every English speaking developer would be proud if their Spanish were as good as your English.
Your game is very well stuctured , I really enjoyed it and can only recommend it to the community.
Graphics and humor were great.

Cheers and keep up the great work !

[Shadow1000]

Shadow1000

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Have you visited the secret room? And looked at everything?

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Have you opened everything there? The door to the other room cannot be opened, but there is more.

Also, read carefully the messages when you touch things

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No, I haven't. I looked around and don't see it. Where can I find it?

[Ian Aloser]

Shadow1000,

you have to

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open the window in the Doctor's appartment, walk to the very left as Mia
while the Doctor is still in the kitchen

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If you read the hints above, you will know what to do then !

[Shadow1000]

Shadow1000,

you have to

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open the window in the Doctor's appartment, walk to the very left as Mia
while the Doctor is still in the kitchen

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If you read the hints above, you will know what to do then !

I would NEVER have guessed that. Anyway, it's locked and nothing in inventory will open it. Any hints?

[sthomannch]

Amateur Detective: It was clear to me that Mia told what happened 3 days ago and that the game went into a lively retrospective. I would keep it the way it is.

I had no problem understanding the text. In a few places some Spanish shined through, little accidents (a few sentences in Spanish, "Bench" for "Bank"), but finally it is a demo and somebody else could do proofreading. It is better to have somebody else doing the proofread, from my experience I often overlook errors that are easy for others to spot.

Again, it was much fun and interesting to play this game.

[sthomannch]

Shadow1000

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I assume you have opened the window in the "corridor" and see the outside of the house, two rows of windows?

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Above are a few hints how to proceed. Mia also gives a few hints:
- First you have to open the window that leads into the secret room
- Only when the window is open you can try to enter the room

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Spoiler

You need something to open the window and something else to move yourself to the other window

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Ask again if the hints here and above seem to make no sense 

[Ian Aloser]

Shadow1000,
all important hints are found in the spoilers above,
thanks to sthomannch's help !

[Shadow1000]

You guys give me too much credit! I didn't know that

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you can enter the corridor. Once I saw that it was actually pretty easy to get in.

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Thanks, guys

[Michael2968]

I have got the

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first 2 clues which I gave to the guy in the hallway.

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I am not really sure what to do next. I would appreciate any hints.

[Ian Aloser]

Michael2968,
there are more hints in AGS Games in Production

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When in the kitchen, close the kitchen door !

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[Michael2968]

Thanks for the hint. I have

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the paper and the coordinates from the globe but I can't figure out where the safe is. Someone in the hints said it was in the living room but I can't find it.

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I would appreciate any help.

[Shadow1000]

Thanks for the hint. I have

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the paper and the coordinates from the globe but I can't figure out where the safe is. Someone in the hints said it was in the living room but I can't find it.

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I would appreciate any help.

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Behind the books on the bookcase

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[sailorfreak]

Hi, I'm stuck and I need help getting into the RV...

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I know that the key is in the seagull's nest and I've tried every verb and item I have on it and nothing. I think I might be missing something.
I've already been in the secret room and have the 2nd part of the research, but I haven't got the other one in the bank yet. Thanks!

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[heltenjon]

Hi, I'm stuck and I need help getting into the RV...

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I know that the key is in the seagull's nest and I've tried every verb and item I have on it and nothing. I think I might be missing something.
I've already been in the secret room and have the 2nd part of the research, but I haven't got the other one in the bank yet. Thanks!

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Been a while now, so I'm not sure if I remember this. But have you tried:

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With both characters?

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To lure the seagull away with something?

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[sailorfreak]

Been a while now, so I'm not sure if I remember this. But have you tried:

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With both characters?

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To lure the seagull away with something?

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I've only tried with Lucas, cause Mia can't get down to the docks. I gave the worker the drink and tried to push the fence but he won't let me down there.

I've tried all the items I have on the nest. (Phone, Wallet, Bank records, Subway map, $ key, Pick, Fishing rod, Coffee machine note, The Dr's treaty part 2, and Ladder.)

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[heltenjon]

Getting Mia to the Docks:

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Have you convinced him that you are a journalist?

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Seagull nest:

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Isn't there an ice cream seller down at the docks, or do I remember this wrong?

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[sailorfreak]

Getting Mia to the Docks:

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Have you convinced him that you are a journalist?

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Seagull nest:

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Isn't there an ice cream seller down at the docks, or do I remember this wrong?

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No. I gave him the bank paper and the drink. I can't talk to him anymore and he won't let me get past the fences.
I haven't seen an ice cream seller only a fisherman.

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[heltenjon]

Fisherman:

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I think you need to help the fisherman.

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Isn't there a gigantic fish somewhere else?

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[sthomannch]

See a bit earlier in the his thread

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how to get a fish. Mia needs to put something in the sculpotor's bucket so that Lucas can get the fish three days later.

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[Wiggy]

It looks like I'm stuck at the same place, and cannot proceed. I suspect that the puzzles are somewhat linear, meaning that if you do an act at a point in time without having all the necessary items, the outcome cannot be realised. The "hints and tips" that people have posted here assume that one has done all the acts that they have, and if one has not then the "yellow book in inventory" that enables you to shut down the alarms and cameras you will never possess. This game has huge potential, but it needs a lot of work because at the moment I rate it unplayable. One wrong turn is a dead end, and there should be no dead ends.

[sailorfreak]

It looks like I'm stuck at the same place, and cannot proceed. I suspect that the puzzles are somewhat linear, meaning that if you do an act at a point in time without having all the necessary items, the outcome cannot be realised. The "hints and tips" that people have posted here assume that one has done all the acts that they have, and if one has not then the "yellow book in inventory" that enables you to shut down the alarms and cameras you will never possess. This game has huge potential, but it needs a lot of work because at the moment I rate it unplayable. One wrong turn is a dead end, and there should be no dead ends.

Glad to know I'm not the only one.

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I gave the fish to the fisherman, got the rod, and been in the secret room. I don't have a yellow notebook. 

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[heltenjon]

It looks like I'm stuck at the same place, and cannot proceed. I suspect that the puzzles are somewhat linear, meaning that if you do an act at a point in time without having all the necessary items, the outcome cannot be realised. The "hints and tips" that people have posted here assume that one has done all the acts that they have, and if one has not then the "yellow book in inventory" that enables you to shut down the alarms and cameras you will never possess. This game has huge potential, but it needs a lot of work because at the moment I rate it unplayable. One wrong turn is a dead end, and there should be no dead ends.

I think you perhaps don't know that the two characters

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can exchange objects.

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You can also manipulate time, because the two characters are acting on two different days. This is crucial to grasp. If the past is changed, the present may change as well. I'll write that much without spoiler tags, because that's basically what the second chapter is about. I can't remember any dead ends that weren't fixed almost immediately.

Edit: I remember there was an issue that you could only enter the secret room once - meaning a potential dead end if you didn't take stuff from there. But I think it was fixed, and it doesn't seem like that is what you're missing now.

[Wiggy]

Yes Heltonjohn, we know all that. In real simple words - how do we get Mia to the docks? What items do we need? when do we need to do it? There are players who have entered the RV, so we know it is possible. My reference to the dead ends means that when you have tried everything with everyone and everything else what further action can one take? Hang in there Sailorfreak, I'm starting the whole game again.

[Amateur Detective]

Hey! I'm the one who made this  , sorry for the bugs! Thank you all for playing the demo, it really helps me test it.

So I've been reading this and it seems to be some code issues regarding the seagulls nest. I don't know what happened, but it's fixed now. And the links are updated. You can use your old save states too. Sorry! I'll keep polishing it.

So, for the thing in the seagull's nest:

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You can't take Mia to the docks, just Lucas. And you can just grab the card from the seagull's nest after you've talked to the writter about it. With the card you can enter the RV.

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I think there are no dead ends, hopefully.

Again sorry, and it really helps me all this testing. I'll keep coming to this post, and feel free to write me with any question or sugestion. I'll keep fixing the bugs!

[heltenjon]

Yes Heltonjohn, we know all that.

My apologies. Now that the author is answering, I'll keep my gob shut to not cause further confusion.

[sailorfreak]

Ok, I re-downloaded and finished the demo. Thanks for your help everyone. 

[Wiggy]

Same from me too, great game! (oops, demo) Thanks!

[selmiak]

alright, I am in the right spot

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under the bank and have pick and plan but mia says we should get rid of the camera and alarm. I have no idea how!

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[sthomannch]

Hacking!

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Read the dialogues carefully, try to find out about the other detective (not mia), try to find a way to sabotage the alarm system and cameras from within the police station

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[selmiak]

Hacking!

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Read the dialogues carefully, try to find out about the other detective (not mia), try to find a way to sabotage the alarm system and cameras from within the police station

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well, that's mean,

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the detective buero is the police station, that was mentioned by the bank clerk, alright. So I am in his computer but need an activation code, but there are no more hints to that and the other detective Johnsen has no more lines other than the zodiac conversation, but that was used for his password already... any more hints?
I cannot talk to him in the present and I tried to PUSH Johnson already with Mia, but she does not want to do that...

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edit:
While the forums were down I found it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5M9oimg9b0

[sthomannch]

Mean? Sorry, it just appeared when I played. I smelled that it was important.

Their memories ... It only pops up if you read every written material