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So as long as you install all the games in the same folder, this launcher helps you find where they are? That sounds... err... huh?

I probably should have worded my post better  . If the launcher was designed to find the games, you're right, it would be pretty much useless! Right now, I guess the launcher is more of a 'wrapper' to allow easy access the games and setups; I thought it would be a nice alternative to having twenty short-cuts on your desktop. 

Of course, I can always add more features later on!

Hello!

You've probably noticed that the final Ben Jordan game was released recently. To celebrate, I made plans to play through of all of the games again, only to give up because I couldn't be bothered to navigate to all of the different folders where I kept the games.

To facilitate my laziness, I created a launcher to run all of the games and setup programs from the same place. Immediately after doing this, I realised that writing the launcher actually took significantly more effort than just navigating to the folders in the first place.

Anyway, I thought you guys might be interested in it! I've uploaded version 1.3 here.

It still has a couple of issues right now; for instance, if you have Windows UAC turned on, the only setup program you'll be able to access will be the one for Ben Jordan 8. You'll also have to put the games in the same directory as each other, as specified in the Readme. If there's anything I've overlooked, or the program doesn't work, please let me know! I'm still a fairly new programmer, so any criticism is invaluable.

I hope it helps!    

Fantastic! I've been waiting for another Rolando game. I loved the lore of the last game, especially since it felt like you were setting up a larger world for us to explore. It'll be interesting to see if

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Malacastor returns. He was definitely the creepiest element of the last game.

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Most of all, I'm hoping that the game will clear up one major mystery... The purpose of the mysterious rope!  

I'm looking forward to it!

Yep, that worked. I could have sworn I tried that before though . Oh well.

Thanks!

Hello!

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I'm stuck in hour 6, at the part where you're supposed to get help for Gordy after his run in with the skeleton. When I try to walk down the road, Jack tells me that he's not going to just wander along the road hoping that he'll find a friendly motorist. I've managed to make a candle out of the string and the wood polish, and I think that I'm supposed to light it to flag down help, but I can't find a lighter anywhere. Am I missing something really obvious?

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Thanks! 

This looks very Simon the Sorcereresque! I loved the first game in that series, and this looks to continue on in that tradition.

Looking forward to it!

You may want to check out these videos, In which Dr. Ashens attempts to discover the quickest game overs ever. They should be pretty helpful for your article!

My first AGS game was Ben Jordan 2 about 5 years ago, followed by 5 Days a Stranger.

The Ben Jordan series helped me realise that yes, it was possible to create an amazing adventure with a small team. I've been tinkering around with AGS ever since.

Not that I have much to show for it, though.

Jesus Christ! I just remembered about them! Wow... Ridiculous that they were banned.

Were they? Fuelled by a sudden rush of nostalgia, I looked them up on Wikipedia. They recently had a faux fantasy series called the legend of Dick and Dom, which is apparently still available on I-player. I don't dare watch it as they're probably not quite as funny as I remember them, and I'm not sure I want to ruin the fond memories I have of creamy muck-muck.

Interestingly, Al Murray was a guest on season five, which IS slightly suspect for a children's programme. But any TV show that decides to lock Treguard up in a cage as a background joke is fine by me.

Best £3 I ever spent! This just may be the funniest game I've ever played. Damn near every line was a hit, and I loved that fact that not once when I tried to use Item(x) on Item(y) was I greeted with the response: "That doesn't work." Even if you're no closer to solving a puzzle, the constant witty banter greatly mitigated the frustration factor. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming episodes!

Also, Ben and Dan kind of remind me of cruder versions of Dick and Dom, BBC's anarchic (children's ) television presenters. Admittedly, I haven't seen or heard of them for near 5 years now, but the memory remains.

The more wizardly crimson guy is correct:

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The doll is Malacastor. He escaped from the ring and possessed the doll.

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In retrospect, this makes perfect sense.

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It was Malacastor's renewed power/influence (due to Lily) that angered the Sea People, and this, along with Kara revealing her secret, made Lord Fern decide that the Sea Stone had to be found fairly soonish. The reason that Okotoko never decided to off Lord Fern before is that because he didn't believe that Lord Fern had anything to do with the situation. When he sensed the return of Malacastor, he suddenly realised the two were connected, and decided that murder was the best solution. The fact that a long since gone sea person's 'essence' had reappeared, yet she was nowhere to be found, can't have helped the situation.

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Good to know that you have plans for a prequel!

P.S. Crimson Wizard: I assure you that the similarities in our nick-names are purely coincidental, yet still pretty awesome.

I finished the game yesterday, and I really enjoyed it, especially the story.

However, I have a few (heh) questions:

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What did the sad white doll signify? My guess is that it was meant to represent the plight of the sea people, seeing that it was sad when they were dying, but when they were restored, it was floating serenely in the ocean. Either that, or it was an avatar of Okotoko, since it seems to watch you in a sinister fashion after you leave the room.

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Speaking of the doll, if the fairly tall Rolando can't reach it, how the hell did Lily get it up there? There don't seem to be any portable ladders or the like ANYWHERE on the island.

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Also, if Kara wasn't of magical blood, how did she trap Malacastor in the ring? Or if I read the signs wrong, and she was of magical blood, why didn't she just speak the spell herself? What was the purpose/significance of the rope in the lighthouse? It seems Like Angela may have hung herself there, after she failed to save a loved one. Finally, what role, if any, did Malacastor play into the current events of the game? The fact that you give the ring to Lily, and that conversations preceding that seem to suggest that Malacastor has escaped, but nothing seems to come of it.

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Overall, it seems like there are quite a few loose ends you could pick up if you decide to pursue a sequel . The mythology of this world seems to be really thought out, which is something I always like in a story, even if only small chunks are revealed.

Thanks!