Messages

[Green Boy:]

Green Boy: Thank you!

seaduck: I never said the game was set in the Carribean! I get your point though, I'm glad you thought it was sweet. Nelly will be envious of your real-life spoonbeak encounter.

On another note. I find it odd that no one has mentioned Roger....

Surely some of you have seen him?

It's technically stunted, its design having absolutely no redeeming features. I've stated in the past that adventure fans as a whole have a tendency to be very forgiving of their chosen genre, and people who "like" GK3 have taken this failing to the extreme.

I won't dispute that GK3 is poorly designed in terms of interface. I feel most of the puzzles, with a few well known exceptions, are well excecuted.

The problem is not that you shouldn't use cat fur and sticky tape to make a fake moustache, it's that you shouldn't do that in a predominantly realistic game. That puzzle is particularly misconcieved, but it does suit the light-hearted mood of the game's opening. The later puzzles are more inkeeping with the style of the game and the tone of the narrative.

I'm not interested in being overly forgiving my favourite genre; I didn't enjoy Gabriel Knight 2 at all, the puzzles, the graphics, or the performances. For these reason I suggest that to a significant extent, the flaws you identify in Gabriel Knight Three are down to taste.

I still can't win the duck game; I've tried to use the hook with everything in my inventory, I tried using the shovel. I think that I am missing something in my inventory.

Spoiler

You might have solved this, but I'm still stuck at it. After I pick up the defective hook, I try clicking the new hook on it, doesn't work. Try interacting with it (and I get the message that it's unscrewable, but still Nelly doesn't unscrew it), nothing happens. Tried interacting with it AFTER I attempted to get a duck with the defective hook, nothing happens. It's somewhat annoying, because I figured out what I need to do, but I don't seem to be able to do it.

[close]

Spoiler

Use the iHook head on the regular Hook handle. Louise, if you haven't got the iHook, you need to get it.

[close]

I'm no coding wizard, and I can't open AGS and test your code at the moment. I can see a couple of things that are wrong though.

You don't want a ProcessClick in the on_mouse_click. That should happen when the mouse is released.

In the "if (mouse.IsButtonDown(eMouseLeft) == 0)" bit, you want a condition checking in the verb coin is visible and checking if there are any GUI buttons at the mouse's position. If the verb coin isn't visible (because the player clicked for a short period of time) THEN you should call ProcessClick, with the appropriate mode.

Once you know what button the player released the mouse over you can write the appropriate ProcessClick function.

If I was you though, I'd just download this template:

http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsresources/AGS%20resources/Templates/ENH_VERBC.zip

And examine the code.

As Gilbot pointed-out, it enhances images. It sort of polishes off pixel edges, if I could put it in layman's terms (and I am a layman).

So I guess I would have to draw the characters outside AGS, import them, and then I would have ... say the same graphical quality.

Exactly. If you're worried about 'polishing off pixel edges' you can have characters with anti-aliased edges in 32 bit, though at the moment you have to choose between anti-aliasing and smooth scaling.

This recently released hi-res demo shows off how lovely anti-aliased characters can look:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=29077.0

And the link in my signature takes you to a hi-res game without anti-aliasing but with smooth scaling. Technically, if not artistically, my game exceeds CMI (640x480 16 bit).

I could be wrong, but I've never noticed anything like that happen. I have an idea of what the problem might be, but I'm not sure.

When you click to make the character move he will turn, and then walk. After that, the "Characters turn to face direction" thing doesn't come into play as far as I'm aware.

Lets suppose that your character is facing down. If you call a blocking animation in which the character appears to be facing left, he will appear to turn and turn back. This may be what you're seeing when you observe an additional swing.

I would use...

cEgo.FaceLocation (cEgo.x+10, cEgo.y-10, eBlock); (or whatever values you need)

...to get the character facing the same way as he does in your animation, then so LockView and Animate.

[Syberia]

Syberia isn't particularly popular on these boards, but I love it. Syberia II is good as well. It has some of the qualities of Myst, but it is third person.

Beyond Good and Evil has similar qualities to psychonauts, in that it's principally an action game with adventure elements.

EDIT: Rui beat me to reccommending that by mere seconds!

The Longest Journey is the precursor to Dreamfall. Again, they're not hugely popular 'round these parts. They both have terrific graphics and, I think, engaging characters.

I also suggest that you play some first person games that aren't Myst. Not all first person adventures have the same sense of melancholy alienation (which I like and many people hate). Take Rui's advice and play Black Dahlia. It's first person but you play as a character.

I'd also say that you should take BOYD's advice seriously. There's a whole wealth of terrific adventure games you'll be missing out on if you limit yourself to post 2000.

This is the most visually appealing thing I've played since Psychonauts. I love the music and sound too. Great stuff!

[blueSkirt:]

blueSkirt: Thanks, that's a lovely thing to hear.

Afflict: Thanks for the comment, and well spotted on the tankard.

Groogokk: I'm pleased you weren't bored by the dialogue tree!

Canardo: I've been putting off buying Ankh, because I haven't got the money. Now I want to play it just to see if my game is better.

AnT hook: I'm glad you had fun!

I was just interested to know what it was about your art they didn't like

Actually, I'd like to hear that as well, it would be interesting to know.

sometimes I wonder if there's just a voting troll.

Here's the plan: I'll lure him out from under the bridge, you set a billy goat on him.

[Sythe:]

Sythe: Thank you, the Vin Diesel joke is also one of my favourite.

Steel Drummer:

This game is awesome but.. I think you need to add this to the game database. A lot more people will play it that way.

The game is on the database! Here.

AliceLiddell: THANK YOU!

A package of gum: I'm pleased you weren't disappointed. I'll investigate the crash you described. If you could PM me any error messages I'd appreciate it.

Jon: Since this was for my girlfriend, I thought better too easy than too hard! Glad you had fun.

Mods:

Ali, pretty sure you showed me a screenshot once with a real voodman man - what happened to that "room"? Can you post the screenshot for me to see, to prove I'm not going mental? Maybe I am .^^

Um... I just looked through the screenshots I sent you. As far as I can remember, there's never been a real voodoman man....

*Edges slowly away from m0ds*

Who voted the graphics as poor on the games database, along with average immersion and poor puzzles? Please make yourself known

When will people learn... democracy doesn't work!

Seriously, I don't think we should be calling anyone out. Whoever voted has a right to their crazy opinions.

Fisher: Four hours and no bugs? That's nice to hear!

Cinfa: Thank you!

Postmodern_Boy: And thank you too, sir.

I've downloaded AccessBeta.zip and AccessBeta2.zip... which one should I play?

Looking forward to the game,

- Ali.

The second image feels more full and lived in, but I think you've lost a sense of depth by upping the contrast of the exterior. A pale haze, to give the sense of distance and the glass would look better, I think.

I'm glad this background wasn't lost, it's lovely!

That update looks a lot stronger. The foreground looks much better. I think you could do with a little shading on foreground, leaving it still mostly black. If the bottles had some shading, like the chest in the bottom right, I think it would help pull the foreground and background together.

The curved cobwebs at the top left and right still don't look right to me. I like a good vignette, but I think it spoils the clinical rigidity of the location a little.

The details are gorgeous though, the windows and the bed look terrific. They make you want to pull out the old eye cursor and give 'em a good looking at!

[Afflict:]

Afflict: I'm glad you didn't hate the code puzzle. Most people seem to hate code puzzles, but my girlfriend and me love them. That's why it's in the game!

Ghost: Thank you!

*Ali salutes the Ghost in return*

Sparky: I think all of your comments are very fair, and I'm pleased you like the game. I'm glad to hear some constructive criticism, so here are my responses:

The game isn't actually in 32 bit, so there isn't any genuine anti-aliasing. I just animated the characters that didn't walk in front of a flat colour that was close to their surroundings so they appeared to anti-alias. I realised about half way through that the game should probably have been 32 bit, but it was too late to turn back by then! The sharp edges are one of the things I'm least happy with in terms of aesthetics.

I've consciously taken the Elizabethan/Jacobean theatre approach to disguise in this game (i.e. unconvincing disguises are entirely convincing). You're right that it doesn't make a lot of sense, but it made me laugh!

I agree about most of those solution-before-puzzles, I may make changes to them in the next update. However...

Spoiler

The non-standard response to using the boiler pipe with the rock was intentional. I hate it when games offer a generic or no response to actions that will be useful later on. I can't really justify that, I guess it's a matter of taste!

[close]

You're right that there are elements which are recognisable from other games. I promise they were entirely unintentional, and I only spotted them after I'd already done all the animation!

Besh: That bug's not as insignificant as it may seem, but it should be fixed in version 1.1. When you say 'EXCELLENT', is that a Mr Burns-esque 'Ehh-xcellent'?

Sorry for the bump. This game has now been released:

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=30440.0

Also, I'm now clear that this happens occasionally to both dialogue speech and speech using the cEgo.Say command.

The download includes the fonts I used as .SCI files. If anyone plays the game and thinks they might know what causes this problem, I'd appreciate any help.

Ali, I downloaded the patch and did what you said but...

Spoiler

Nelly still says that the moustache is a great disguise but she should only use it if she needs it.

[close]

Here's
my save file.

I could quite easily play through the whole game and get back to where I was, but it might be worth your time to fix it if this is a genuine bug. Thanks!

Piperhcombs is right. The patch will fix the problem, unless you've already got two Saucy Sues. Sorry you had to play through again!

[little]

I've spotted a little MI reference

Spoiler

when I looked at one of the paintings inside the bar, is in the place you enter after making the donationÃ, 

[close]

Am I right?
Oh and by the way, GREAT game!. Thanks for sharing itÃ, 

Yes, you win the imaginary gold doubloon! I mentioned it was imaginary before, right?

I am a little confused.... If there was a bug that made the game impossible to complete, then how did some people finish the game before the updated version? Where do you get the patch? Or should I just re-download the entire game???

As Peder says, download and install the patch. The bug did not always make the game impossible to finish, but it did under specific circumstances.

voh: I'm glad the game lasted a decent ammount of time. I thought it would take around 2 hours. Huzzah!

ida: The soundtrack is the longest m0ds has produced for a freeware game, so it takes plent of time before some of the tracks loop. Also, Nelly is a tough pirate! Who said she wasn't?

ProgZmax: Thank you!

sthomannch: I'm glad you liked the style.

jonqueztor: I'm pleased you thought it was funny. I thought it might have had a few too many silly puns.

[Version 1.1 is available.]

Version 1.1 is available.
This version fixes a critical bug that makes the game impossible to complete. A patch is also available. See the first post.

Da Elf: I very much appreciate the addition of nautical vowels in your post. Thank you!

Buloght: I'm delighted that you think so highly of the game. I'm also delighted that you wrote 'laughed out loud' without abbreviating it, well done!

cotlc: I think you're a little too generous with your rating. I don't think there are any stolen MI gags, but there may be one oblique reference. I'll give this doubloon to the first man that spots it.

*Ali nails coin to mast*

There are no doubloons for spotting Moby Dick references in this post.

peter: I'm glad you enjoyed the game, and I'm sorry you got caught by the bugs. On that subject...

When i used (try) the map in the inventory in the jail, the game crashed ?

Until I get version 1.2 online... don't do that!

Spoiler

using the moustache

[close]

here did work that ?

Peter:
Nope, I've already tried that. Unless there is a certain place I need to click it. Thanks for getting back so quick though.

This may be a different manifestation of the bug peter mentioned. Download the patch from this page:

http://themonkeyhut.tripod.com/NellyDownload.html

Once you've installed it...

Spoiler

Ask the Baroness what kind of pants she wants again. Then try the moustache. Hope that works! If it doesn't, upload a saved game and PM me a link, and I'll try to work it out.

[close]

[Hmm Why don't you tell how to get the underwear ?
I have the same problem as Louise Ã, 

Spoiler

I'm also having trouble with the underwear. When I use voucher on underwear, she says to show the voucher to the salesperson. When I do that, the sales person asks what she wants, and Nelly hasn't decided yet. When I interact with underwear, Nelly doesn't use the voucher

[close]

My apologies. As m0ds says this is a bug identified during beta testing, and I thought I'd fixed it. Until I upload a patch, the only option is to load a saved game and try again. I'm sorry you had to do that, peter!