The Blackwell Convergence

[Igor Hardy]

I'd also consider having much less Oogle, or a portable Oogle in the future. Constantly having to go back to the computer in Rosa's apartment was the only low point of the gameplay for me. Get Rosa an yPhone or something.

[Ali]

Congratulations on another charming game Dave! And congratulations on making yet another adventure in which the player carries a plausible number of items in their pockets.

So, in the end, I decided to remove it altogether for this one game.  It does remove some of the challenge, but I do believe it makes the overall experience much more pleasant.  I'll be working on reconciling the two camps for the next installment.

I really enjoyed Convergence and I continue to enjoy the 'talkie' puzzles, but I didn't realise how much I missed clue combining in the notebook until I read the last few posts. I loved it in Discworld Noir and I loved it in the Blackwell games. I admit that it could be frustrating (I've worked out that AZILE is numbers upside down, why hasn't LEWTON?!), but it was a feature that allowed the player to actively solve a mystery, instead of just helping the detective get from place to place in order for him to do the work.

The answer could lie in a more fleshed out version of Oogle (like cross-referencing in the paranormal encyclopaedia in Gabriel Knight 3). The Disworld Noir notebook was most successful when it offered Lewton's thoughts when you combined red-herrings and gave you encouragement when you were almost right. Perhaps there is a more intuitive way of implementing this kind of puzzle - and I hope you discover it in time for the next game!

[Dave Gilbert]

Bit of an old thread, but I just wanted to share the news that Blackwell Convergence was just awarded two Aggie awards from Adventure Gamers!.  It received both the Staff award and the Reader's Choice award in the category of "Best Dramatic Writing."

It wouldn't have won the Reader's Choice award without your votes, so thanks to all of you who chose it!

-Dave

[GarageGothic]

Congrats on the award! Convergence surely deserved it - great dialog as always, and what a way to tie up the first Blackwell trilogy. It's a shame that the game isn't eligible for this year's AGS Awards, I would totally voted for it in a handful of categories.

[Dave Gilbert]

Hah. Yes.  I forgot to add it to the AGS database in time.

[Crimson Wizard]

I finished this game not long ago. Took some time to get used to "new" Rosangela (she is much different from "Legacy" one), but I guess we may think she became more mature 

What really dissapoints me is the length of these games! You just start to really enjoy the game, and then - bam - it's the end. Yeah, I know that you are making this in your free time, and all, yet I don't stop hoping that one day there will be a full-length game from these series.
BTW, are there any future "Blackwell" series planned? Being curious.

[Dave Gilbert]

I actually do the game thing full time.  I'm not limited by time so much as budget.   I'd love to do a full length game some day.  Probably not a Blackwell (and yes there will be more coming!) but something else more stand-alone. 

[GarageGothic]

Purity of the Surf DELUXE!!!

[Calin Leafshade]

It was fairly clear I'd get around to this one eventually since I am one of those "it's all about the story" people. So I thought I'd give my thoughts.

I actually bought and played all three Blackwell games this evening in a row so presumably that's a fair indication of my opinion.

The games are expertly written and quite beautiful save 2 unfortunate blemishes.

Firstly, that rain effect in Convergence.. seriously though? THAT rain effect? I would've preferred it to have not rained at all.

and secondly the countess' VA. Now I think it was 2 difference actresses each time and both suffered horribly from putting on a voice they couldn't do. They delivered the lines perfectly well but that voice just grated on me. I assume the reason is simply that you're a hip young kid in the New York scene and you don't know any old women. Court an old woman or two, ya never know, you might like it.

Besides those 2 minor 'issues' I really have no other major gripes. The game performs what it set out to perform perfectly.

On a purely personal note I would've liked it to be much more sinister & creepy. It all seemed very PG-13 to me.. but thats just preference really.

I also did miss the 'connections' system a little in convergence but frankly I soon forgot about it half way through.

My only other thought is that this format you have for the Blackwell series will very soon become a little stale. Essentially you have an over arcing story punctuated by these little 'mini quests' in the ghosts. I feel there should be less of mini quests and more of the 'big picture'

- Steve, using inverted commas incorrectly since 1986.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Oh no, it's that rain effect!  HEAVY RAIN, y'all!

[Kweepa]

Not the CHOCOLATE RAIN!

[Calin Leafshade]

I never meant to cause you any sorrow Progz
I never meant to cause you any pain.
I only wanted to one time see you laughing
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain.

[IndieBoy]

It's raining men, Hallelujah! 

[Dualnames]

Here comes the rain again (No it's not Green Day)

[NsMn]

YOU JUST GOT RAINROLL'D!!!!!111111one

...wait, that doesn't work like that.

[Crincoq]

Hey Congrats! i played it!   really good game : -D