Messages

That's fair, Mandle, but I personally can't stand being told what I should do, no matter how well written. Not. At. All.

And it's something other people simply read over, because it's not addressed at them.
Anyhow, I think this thread is done with the game no longer available.

Sebastian

Hey 2ma2

I know you mean well... but please stop patronizing me in my own thread.

Thanks, Sebastian

@CaesarCub

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and putting things in perspective for future readers.

I was well aware of this problematic ahead of release, and it's true that I have no right to complain.
In hindsight, my biggest mistake might have been notifying Chaosium beforehand, otherwise we could
all be enjoying the game right now.

I just want to make clear that we didn't boast to have 'stolen' their story, it was necessary to have such
a disclaimer exactly because we didn't came to an agreement with the company.

Sebastian

That's a nice suggestion, Mandle, but to be completely honest: I've had it with this game!

We were already one in-game day (equals dozens of hours of work) into the next chapter, before
Chaosium pulled the plug. It's hard to tell who the good guys or the bad guys are, if these terms
even apply, but I expected that they would handle my request quite differently (as in: this is so
cool, you go ahead, kid!).

Sebastian

Okay, trying to clear up the whole copyright infringement thing:

When I started experimenting with the engine I was DM'ing 'Masks of Nyarlathotep' and very familiar with its plot.
It was the perfect stepping stone for designing a point'n'click adventure with a theme I can fully embrace. Also,
the relatively small AGS-community and an abundance of fan games made me think this is acceptable.

I DID reach out to Chaosium (boy scout style) before even uploading the game, kindly asking for permission. And
even though I've met some of their staff at conventions they were adamant about their copyright and took it down.

It IS debatable if the adaptation of a tabletop roleplaying-game counts as 'theft', but since I was using their title,
it really depends on the coolness/generosity of the business people at Chaosium. I don't want to risk endangering
the platform or other community members, so I complied to their demands...

@Mandle et al: If you're really interested contact me at bestieunlmt@yahoo.com and I'll send you a private link.

Sebastian

Hey Shadow

You might've noticed on your first playthrough, that reaching the bottom of the stairs triggers a short exchange with Mrs. Castaigne every day.
You must've interacted with the telegram before triggering the 'Good morning, Randolph'. Okay, don't speedrun, take your time...

Except, if you're growing more frustrated with the game than you're having fun with it, it's probably time to quit.

Sebastian

Shadow,

I hate to break it to you, but you need to start over to finish the game. Everyone has the same copy and I can't say what went wrong in your playthrough.
If you speed-run the walkthrough it'll take you half an hour to reach the point where you got stuck. It's cool that you want to complete this, by the way.

Sebastian

Okay, on popular demand I'm presenting the

'Masks of Nyarlathotep - New York chapter' Walkthrough


Day 1 - January 14th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into the clothes hanging over the paravent. Then pick up your
homework on the table, open the upper drawer and take the five dollar bill. Leave the
room through the door and walk to the bottom of the stairs, then pick up the telegram
on the cupboard and watch the cutscene about your friend Elias. Talk to Mrs. Castaigne
next and exhaust all dialog options regarding the Carlyle-Expedition, then get Erica
Carlyle's phone number from the drawer of the cupboard.
Leave the foyer through the main door. On Castaigne's front yard, enter the tool shed
in the background. Pick up the oil flask on the workbench, the rope from the wall and
the crowbar by the door, then leave again. Talk to Al Condillac by the car and ask him
to drive you into town. On the city map steer to the northern end to reach the next
location, Columbia University. At the university, enter the door to Professor Moon's
office. Give your homework to the professor, then ask him about the Carlyle-Expedition.
Leave his office and enter the library through the other door at the campus. Walk to
the news archive on the far right containing articles from the past decade and interact
with it. Search the drawers labeled '1919' and '1920' to receive the official backstory
of the expedition. Leave the library through the door you came in, and it should be
night time by now. Talk to Al to drive you back to Castaigne's estate, walk back to
your room, change into your pajamas and go to bed.

[close]

Day 2 - January 15th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into your clothes and make your way to the foyer. When reaching
the bottom of the stairs, a small cutscene with a phone call from Elias will follow. Leave
the house and speak to Al, who drives you into town again. On the city map, drive to the
Chelsea Hotel in the southeastern corner of Manhattan. Before entering the hotel proper,
walk off-screen to the left. You reach the backyard of the hotel with a wailing bum and
immediately return to the lobby. Open the glass door and (to save some time) interact with
it again to close it behind you. Talk to the portier, tell him about the bum in the
backyard and he will leave his desk for a short time. While he is gone, interact with the
key cabinet to attain Elias' room key and a letter from Harvard. Wait for the portier to
return, then leave the lobby to the upper floor.
In the hotel staircase, pick up the fire extinguisher and use Elias' room key (or the
crowbar) with the door. Watch the cutscene with the villains fleeing over the fire stairs.
Inside Elias' room, pick up the letter on the desk, the keys from his jacket and the business
card from the carpet, then look at his corpse. In the close-up window, interact with the scar
symbol and the breast pocket, then leave the close-up view. Use the radiator to climb out to
the fire stairs. Outside, take the brownsock from the clothesline, walk down and interact
with the flyer which gets stuck in the broken rain pipe. Walk down further and use the oil
with the mechanism of the fire ladder, then use the lever. Climb down the fire ladder, use
the old sock with the opening of the rain pipe, climb up again and interact with the tilted
rain pipe. Et voila, climb down the ladder one last time to retrieve the flyer from the sock,
the leave for the hotel lobby.
Use the small keys from Elias' jacket with his suitcase on the cart, and pick up the last
two clues at this location. Leave the lobby (just to make sure), then come back again and
use the phone receiver to alert the police (119). After a short discussion with officer
Poole, leave by talking to Al and head back to the estate. Walk back to your room and
inspect your inventory to catch up with the story. Change into pajamas, go to bed and
enjoy the bad guys cutscene.

[close]

Day 3 - January 16th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into your clothes and make your way to the foyer. Talk to Mrs.
Castaigne and she will offer to help you get in contact with Erica Carlyle. Use the drawer
of the cupboard to find the numbers of both Harvard and Miskatonic (36363 and 54680). Call
those numbers for more information regarding the case. Walk outside and talk to Al to drive
you into town. On the city map, visit Prospero Press first, located in the middle of Manhattan.
Open the door, walk to the upper floor and have a long talk with Jonah Kensington about Elias.
When finished, inspect the file cabinet behind you and read/collect all the different entries,
then leave again to the city map. Visit Emerson Imports now, located at the docks of the Hudson
River. At Emerson's, talk to the dock worker and learn when Mr. Emerson is expected to return.
Talk to Al, drive up to the university, show your sketch of the scar symbol to Prof. Moon.
When returning to the city map now, it should be night time and you have to visit Emerson
Imports once more. Use the crowbar with the crate outside on the left, only to find unsuspicious
knick-knacks. Leave to the city map and drive home for good. Walk to your room, change into your
pajamas and go to bed.

[close]

Day 4 - January 17th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into your clothes and make your way to the foyer. Mrs. Castaigne has
arranged an invitation to one of Erica Carlyle's cocktail parties she's holding today. There is
a package from Prof. Cowles you need to pick up as well. Leave the estate for the city map and
drive to Carlyle's penthouse, located next to Central Park.
At her party, talk to Erica Carlyle but she's in too good of a mood to discuss her brother's
death. Walk over to the piano player and ask him about a sad piece. Give the five dollar bill
to the piano player and the music will change, then talk to Erica Carlyle again. Exhaust all
dialog options until she gives you a clue about forbidden books in her library. After that, walk
next to the staircase on the left side and wait for the guest to put down his glass after a short
while. Quickly pick up the glass, then use it with the plant right next to him. This will result
in the guest giving way to the upper floor and the library.
Inside the library, notice the one open lid with the trophy, while all the others are closed.
Arrange the movable stairs so you are able to close the lid, which then will open another one.
Close all required lids (and choose the romantic novels over the clock) to reveal the safe behind
the final panel. You need the combination from E.A. Poe's works (in-game) first, arrange the
movable stairs to reach them and write down the numbers (it's R4-L5-R1-L7). Then interact with
the safe and solve the mini-puzzle. After acquiring the books from the safe, open the door to the
balcony, use the rope with the railing and then use said rope to leave the place. Drive to the
university next and show all three books to Prof. Moon. Entering the city map now will trigger
night time, and there is nothing left to do than to drive home. Walk to your room, change into
your pajamas and go to bed.

[close]

Day 5 - January 18th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into your clothes and make your way to the foyer. Leave the estate and
drive to Emerson Imports on the city map. Enter Emerson's office in the back of the warehouse and
exhaust all dialog options with Mr. Emerson to learn about the Ju-Ju House in Harlem. Back on the
city map, drive to the new location in Harlem to the north. Here you may enter the store, look
around and talk to Silas N'Kwane, but it's not necessary. In the Harlem street, you need to walk
left and use the crowbar with the planks covering the pawn shop entrance. Use the ladder to reach
the second floor and walk right until you reach a gap. Interact with the loose cables to make your
way across, then inspect the chute and you will be advised to return after dark. Walk back to Al,
who has a new dialog option to drive around the block until night time, choose it.
At night, the store is closed but you are now able to enter through the chute after getting there
the same way as before. Inside the store, interact with the rug to reveal a trap door, then pick
up the coin jar and leave again by placing one of the bongo drums under the chute opening. Walk
back down to the Harlem Street and talk to Al to leave for the city map. Drive back to Castaigne's
estate, enter the tool shed, then use the coin jar with the vice and bust it open. Among the coins
is a key to the Ju-Ju trap door. Sou you leave the shed, talk to Al, drive back to Harlem and make
your way into the store (again, I know).
There you must use the Ju-Ju key with the trap door to enter the ritual room. (NOTE: The following
section has an arcade element and you are able to die, sou you might want to save the game here.)
Upon entering their ceremonial chamber, the steel door slams shut behind you. Inside the chamber,
before opening the curtain, you should lift the heavy stone plate by using the winch. Then open the
curtain and you will be chased by two (slow) zombies. You can lure them over here and there, but
most effectively you walk straight down to the lower right corner - wait there until the zombies
are approaching, then run to the upper right corner when the tentacle is absent. By forcing the
zombies through the narrow sacrificial spot, they are most likely to be devoured by the Chakota
inside the pit. When the zombies are gone, lower the stone plate again, pick up all the artefacts
(i.e. bowl, book, leopard fur and mask), then pull the hook to open the steel door.
Outside, you will meet officer Poole again, basically wrapping up the New York chapter. Talk to
Al, drive to the estate, walk to your room, change into your pajamas and go to bed.

[close]

Day 6 - January 19th 1925

Spoiler

After you wake up, change into your clothes and make your way to the foyer. Mrs. Castaigne has gone
to Elias' funeral as should you. Talk to Al, leave the estate and drive to the cemetery. Enjoy one
last cutscene setting stuff up for the sequels.

[close]

You're welcome,
Sebastian

@Ibispi

And isn't it amazing that I'm taking all these risks for the sake of your entertainment?

Sebastian

@Shadow

I'm pretty sure you missed something before the Ju-Ju House that messed up the journal entries but let the game still continue:

Spoiler

Did you visit Emerson Imports a second time on the 18th and had the plot advanced by Mr. Emerson in the back office OR did the Harlem Location (Ju-Ju House) appear without that and/or after visiting Prof. Moon at the university?

[close]

Trying to sort this out now,
Sebastian

Hey everyone

Sorry that I had been neglecting this thread so far, I've had some trouble around the realease.
It's pretty cool to see all of you helping each other out though!

What do you guys think, would it be helpful to post a detailed,
(fool-proof and fastest) walkthrough for the game?

Sebastian

Hey Shadow

I've exhausted my propositions now. Take a deep breath, let it rest for a few days and start over. Many people finished the game without any hiccups.

Thanks,
Sebastian

Hey Shadow

I just had a look at the code, and there is an extra variable the game checks to make sure you can't access the chute before getting there properly. You need to 1. remove the boards by InvUse with crowbar 2. Use the ladder to access the second floor 3. Use the loose cables, so the game knows you're on the right of the chasm ---> then, looking at/interacting with the chute should update the journal and unlock the new dialog option (I know, you've seemingly done all that, but it's my best explanation).

As mentioned before, I'm an illustrator first, programmer fourth? fifth? I'm simply using the engine and can't claim to understand it. The crash never appeared before, I hope you still reach the end.

Sebastian

Hey Shadow

Yeah sorry, it's my first (hopelessly over-ambitious) effort with AGS, and the game never crashed at that place before. All I can say is that other members of the community finished the game just fine. Try an earlier save, break the planks before the ladder or start over. Anyway, it's cool you're digging that deep into our game at all, hope you've enjoyed it so far.

Sebastian

@Shadow1000

Thanks for pointing that out, both bugs never occured during our numerous play-throughs, but then, testing the game in the later stages gets much more tedious, needing all the variables in place as well. MILD SPOILERS: After he says to 'wait until dark' you are supposed to talk with Al, who has the (new) dialog option to drive around until dusk.

Sebastian

@Peder

Thanks a lot, that'll do!

Hey everyone,

Since people started downloading my game 'Masks of Nyarlathotep - New York chapter', you can hit
me with any question regarding in-game puzzles, bugs or the development progress, like, right here!

Have fun with the new game.
Sebastian

Hello Athanor et al

Thanks for the interest, the mediafire link is up now.
The size of the game is (half) due to the excellent
symphonic soundtrack by my good friend Chris.

We really hope you enjoy our game.

BTW: We've tried to 'Add Game' to the AGS-archives twice now,
any kind of help (moderator?) is appreciated.

BESTIEunlmt presents 'Masks of Nyarlathotep - New York Chapter'

Hey everyone, so without much fanfare the finished game!
I hope you enjoy it, go check it out, it took us about four years.





January 1925. The mysterious message from an old friend
sheds new light on the tragic fate of the Carlyle-Expedition,
that went missing in the African bush some years ago.
Soon, the case evolves into a globe-trotting adventure
to thwart the plans of an evil god.

'Masks of Nyarlathotep - New York Chapter' is the first part
of a classic point'n'click adventure campaign, inspired by
the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

Some features:
- A length of 2 to 3 hours on the first playthrough
- More than 20 hand-drawn, walkable screens
- More than 15 characters with conversations
- More than 15 music tracks composed for the game
- English and German translation
- Logical puzzles (and you get a crowbar)
- With a story 'stolen' from Chaosium

DISCLAIMER: We weren't sure if the 'Add Game' function worked, so here's the link to the game:

EDIT: Please download the game from the AGS archives from now on:


https://www.agsarchives.com/game/58defae0a8813928a1397f21

Hello .M.M.

Please excuse my delay as well, I don't utilize Google Alert or such.
I guess I'll really have to kneel into this to implement the sort of Journal I imagined...

It's about whether my game will be linear or non-linear, with the latter posing much more difficulties then just the Journal.
Anyway, thank you very much for the effort, I'm sure it's going to work with a little experimentation.

BESTIEunlmt