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Time for the big prison break...

Spoiler

Stuck in the tile room.  Turned off red shield.  Teleported across room.  Cannot open doors.  Can't use the "Far Hands" to bend the bars.  The side tunnels are apparently *NOT* tunnels.  I've tried to teleport to them and tried to walk to them.  Nothing.  Tried various combinations of sunshield, dash across tiles, and then teleport before I get fried, just to see what happens.  Still stuck.

[close]

Can I get a hint?

- Cogliostro

Bill - 

That's a good touch for Gary.

Now...

Spoiler

Stuck in the caves.  Got past Clef.  Wander aimlessly.  Anytime I accidentally backup I repeat the conversation with Clef.  What's the path through the maze?  Or is there somethign I'm supposed to do?

[close]

Okay, I have access to a florist, a gardener, and three gardens, yet I still cannot find any roses.

Can someone give me a hint?

- Cogliostro

Okay, wandered around town.  Talked to all the witnesses.  Talked to everyone I could find.  I know about the foxglove, the green mist, the murders, and the goats.  I haven't found a single thing to pick up or any evidence. 

I tried to follow the green mist, but I can't "walk around the fence" like the comments state.  I go to the screen to either side and there is no fence and no lake.  Checked out the pond in the Mobley backyard.  Nothing.  Check out the end-all-be-all garden behind the pub.  Nothing.

In one sense, it seems like a real criminal investigation.  Pound the pavement.  Talk to witnesses.  Hope to stumble across a clue.  But now I'm just repeating myself.  And the supernatural clue I did find, I can't seem to follow up on.

Can I get a hint?

- Cogliostro

Congratulations on finishing!  Downloading now!

- Cogliostro

Overall I get the impression you liked the demo, despite its shortcomings at this point. I've been gathering feedback for a little while now and aim to keep doing so in the future and so far it seems that people are generally feeling positive, although some people are voicing concern on some aspects.

Anyway, thanks again for the deedback!

Yes!  I liked the demo!  I don't put that much effort if I don't see any potential in the game.

As far as the narrating goes, it is possible to have Sarah give some of the backstory without sounding schizophrenic (i.e. having long conversations outloud with herself.) 

On the other hand, giving your most recent comments and the ending a little more thought, I have to say I'm even more intrigued by what you're planning to do with this game.

- Cogliostro

[great]

WHAM -


Okay, I'm going to go through this as I would a story.  The first set of comments are the impressions I get at the EXACT MOMENT I HAVE THEM.  This bit is important because these things are easy to forget later, yet, can influence the feel and atmosphere of the game directly.  After that I'll comment on the game as a whole.



Dropping the player into the game and leaving the back-story to the README file... Not the choice I would have made, but what the hell.

I like the gamma setting feature on the page.  Well thought out and technically critical.

Cell phone as inventory... a novel approach, I like it. 

Get my mitts on a candle, there's a burning candle in the room, yet I cannot use the burning candle to light the unlit candle?!

Lunatic in the darkness.  The sound effects accompanying this are almost non-existent, sound is fantastically important in horror games.  Either this is an oversight, or you're saving the more sinister sound effects for later.

Honestly, the voice that told me he was waiting upstairs, prompted me to save the game on the spot. 

I'm playing this game in the bright hours of the morning in a window rather than full screen.  I'm going to have to reconsider that choice. 

Love use of the SD card and having to ration out your candles?!  The idea has such an phenomenal creep factor. 

Turned off the lights, playing the game full screen now.  A different experience!

Got the house key, and got outside... beautiful fog.

Too many clicks to get the candles lit.

Opened the door on the upstairs... conservatory/green house/whatever, experienced the first ending.  Anti-climactic.  It looked like it was just a "wow, was that all a dream" endings.

Giving it another go.

The baby's room is damn creepy.

From main entrance, go left, open the draw, and there are - "Candles covered in GOBWEBS"

I started lighting candles in every room where there was a candle holder, just to see what kind of difference it made.  I was rather shocked to discover that I COULD light two candles in the same room.  How many different times did you have to draw the same background? 



Okay, my opinions about the game overall...

I'm assuming that the wake up in your own bed is the only ending that currently exists, after all this is a beta. 

Work the information from the README file into the game.  Sarah narrates when she's in the car, a few more sentences and the background given in the README file become unnecessary.

I was quickly willing to accept the game-logic of leaving a burning candle in each room, but having the character comment on not taking the candle with her might be appropriate.  (I may be scarred on this regard, since I have had it out with too many fire inspectors not to be squeamish about leaving burning candles unattended.)

The cut scene for the ending seemed like the time to pull out the best graphics, not use some so grainy.  I thought it was well framed and laid out, but the resolution was at an all time low.

I said it before and it bears repeating.  There are several points where whisperings come out of the darkness.  The accompanying sound effects need to be louder.   You're clearly going for a game heavy on atmosphere, but Sarah's footsteps are louder than the monsters in the dark.

After reloading the game I rushed into the waiting arms of the shadowy figure and... I'm teleported away?  If I do something phenomenallly stupid, I expect a suitably gruesome death.   (Yeah, you don't want unforeseeably and random death to mess with the players experience, but just have Sarah some to a complete stop and say something so the player realizes what is going on.)  Right now the specter of death is lurking in the shadows of the mansion, and if you bullrush him, he just teleports you around the mansion, and if you fall through the fall, he takes you home and tucks you in bed, neat as you please.

The music and lighting and atmosphere create a wonderful CREEP OUT.  The villain, however, is a wuss.

Also, the help and question button seemed ill-explained.  I happened to experiment with them and get the specter of death to deliver his lines.  I suspect most people will have stopped using them by that point.

This game has great potential to creep out and scare everyone who plays it.  Take the time you need to get it right.

- Cogliostro

[REALLY]

dbuske -

Okay, I'm going to list my first impressions, just thought I had in response to the documentary as I played the game in the order that they occurred to me.



FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

Because of my cheap video card, I switched from "Direct3D 9" to "DirectDraw 5".  I'm not sure this is the *cause* of any problem, however,  Holmes spends two seconds perfectly still, then flickers to half size, then back to normal.  The flicker is driving me nuts!

The music is well chosen, though I cannot capture in words why.

This is a personal choice, but I REALLY prefer to have the onscreen comments stay until I click the button.

The comments on the opening screen shift from directory's commentary to Sherlock's voice without any warning.  Something should have been done to indicate that, yep, now Sherlock is breaking the fourth wall and talking to the player.

When Holmes was done talking, the flicker went away?!

Okay, the changes to the toolbar == The first 6 are good, but save, load and exit are a mess.  Cursor images are alright.  I like the button-movement from room to room, it works well with the documentary nature, but having a giant Sherlock drift across the screen when I click walk, is just weird!

TWO RECOMMENDATIONS
1) Don't have the Sherlock character appear at all.  When he speaks, have his face appears "SierraWithBackground" style.  But as an on-screen character, it works against everything else.
2) Since the interactions are so limited, reduce the cursor to JUST the arrow and do away with the toolbar and statusline all together.  Honestly, Sherlock was carrying items.  That took effort and didn't add to the documentary.



OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

The idea that Sherlock is doing the investigations was obviously central to how you wanted to present the documentary but the murder scene investigations had none of the Sherlock-Holmes-Flair to them.  The basic bio of the victims obviously needed to be presented, the photos were good too.  However, after presenting those details you needed to have Sherlock pull out the clues that built up a case for one suspect.   (If you opt to build another documentary, consider doing it in 1024x768, the pictures did a lot to bring out the history, but were too small / low-res.)
 
Have Sherlock talk about police interviews with butchers, slaughterers, surgeons and physicians, and how they confirmed the alibis of more than 76 butchers.  Discuss how the police checked the schedules of boats to confirm that the murders did not correspond with the schedule of any one boat, thus eliminating another group of suspects.  A few more clues and a few more suspects eliminated.  This way the fictional Sherlock works his way into the historical investigation.

At the end you presented your two primary suspects in a rather haphazard manner.  You obviously wanted to discuss Druitt as a suspect.  Fine, but discuess him and dismiss him BEFORE moving on Tumblety.  Don't switch back and forth.



Finally, take this critique in a positive light.  You chose interesting material, did your research and actually put something out there.  However, it's a documentary, not a point-n-click, and therefore requires a different approach.

- Cogliostro

"When you eliminate all other possibilities, what remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer." - Sherlock Holmes

[not]

Hollywood has no idea what makes a movie a hit.  I think that we have only a slightly better idea of what makes a good adventure game.

I'm convinced that it begins with strong story-telling which demands interesting characters.  These both need to work around a single theme.  Music and sound are probably more important than any of us are willing to consider.  Oddly enough, graphics, which get so much attention, are probably not that important.  If the game is working for us, we adjust our level of expectations to adapt.  So as long at the graphics are decent but consistent that's all that's required. 

Beyond that, it helps if you're blazing into new territory for an adventure game. 

- Cogliostro

Maze. 
Timed Maze.
Timed Maze with limited or blocked option for saving.
Unscramble the picture / letter / sliding block puzzle.

- Cogliostro

How to clean the monument...

Spoiler

First, there's something in your sister's hospital room that you need.

There's also something in the main gallery of the museum.

EXACT SOLUTION IS NEXT

Get the industrial cleaner from your sister's medicine cabinet and the scrub brush from the bucket underneath the egyptology display.  Hit the monument with cleaner and then scrub it.

[close]

Getting the cake to appear...

Spoiler

The bartender's wife cooked up the cake.  So, I'm pretty sure you need to talk to him as well.

[close]

- Cogliostro

MDM2968,

Thanks for the help with the hanging dinosaur I got through that part of the game. Now how do you figure out:

Spoiler

which symbols in which order to press on the owl casket.

[close]

I've listed a couple of hints with breaks in between so you can be choosey about how much help you want.

Spoiler

The park bench told you to open the owl.  The bit of graffitti showed an infinity symbol being the key to the owl.  Where have you seen an infinity symbol?

It was near the park bench.

The riddle on the monument tells you the order to press the button in order to open the owl.

Of course, you need to be able to read Chinese numerals.

The open book in the professor's office tells you what all the symbols stand for.

Solving the riddle on the monument is just good brain exercise, but if math isn't your thing, use the camera, take a photo and show it to Tiffany.

[close]

- Cogliostro

Witht he top of the wand over your target, right click and move in a circle.  Clockwise ages the target.  Counter clockwise reduces the age of the target.  It doesn't mater how fast you move, I just make a little circle about the size of a quarter.

So to ripen the fruit, move in a little circle, clock-wise.

- Cogliostro

Don't think there's a walk through for the game, but as far as the wand goes...

The spells work off the movement of the mouse.  Hold down the right button on the mouse, while the tip of the wand is over some poor helpless test subject, like the rat.  Move the mouse straight left, and release the right button after the mouse has moved an inch or so.  No effect.  Try the same thing to the right... now the poor defenseless rat has been turned blue?!  Go back and try the to the left now.  He's back to red.  Now try up, the rat goes semi-transparent.  Try down and he's back to normal.

Now the curse that's effecting the princess is also effecting the land, and you need to get the weather to act like it's spring.  So....

Spoiler

Use the wand on the clouds, right click, move down, release the button, it should start to rain.

[close]

- Cogliostro
(aka the voice of the rat)

I need to know

Spoiler

How to get the ouzo water from the vending machine in the bar.

[close]

.

thanks,
Michael

Spoiler

You're going to need a drachma - a Greek coin.

Fortunately there's one nearby

In the sewer just outside the bar, the item sparling behind the sewer grate is the coin you need.

If you try to climb up the fire escape in the back of the bar, you'll end up with a long slender pole.

That fits through the sewer grate, but there's no way to make the coin stick to the pole.

COMPLETE SOLUTION IS NEXT

Use the gum from the tourists on the airport on yourself.  You'll end with a wad of gum.  STick that to the end of the pole, and use that on the sewer grate to get the coin.

[close]

- Cogliostro

I *assume* that this is a mistake...

Spoiler

When talking to Gwen in the apartment the background music is romantic.  Unless you're setting the stage for Tiffany betraying Jeff later on in the series, and having him fall in love with the red head.  This struck me a very odd choice.

On the other hand, traversing through the sewers in the dark, that music was perfect.

[close]

- Cogliostro

Shadow,

In order to open the STONE chest...

Spoiler

Each of the three circles/spots is labeled with a number of dots.  Now go back and look at Suzie's symbol book.


The book is divided into three sections as well.


SOLUTON NEXT


For button/circle/spot ONE select the symbol that is not listed in category ONE.  Each button/circle/spot includes a symbol that does not belong.

[close]

In order to get into the subway....

Spoiler

You need to show the subway stub to Simon / Moose Guy.

[close]

- Cogliostro

how do i find light to go back to the sewers??

Head into the subway station.  It'll be obvious.

- Cogliostro

[up]

SHADOW

Here's a series of hints, followed by the out and out solution.

CAKE HINTS)

Spoiler

Your right, get the cake to the tourists and get candy in exchange.


You cannot get up to the cake.


Don't worry about the cake being in edible condition when you get it down.


There's something you need from the monument in the park.


SOLUTION IS NEXT


Grab the stones from the park, throw them at the cake, give it back to the bartender.

[close]

MAGNIFYING GLASS HINT)

Spoiler

When you talk to her she doesn't give you any hints.  So where are you going to get your hints?


Most of the stuff in the store is for sale.  She put up exactly one things of her own.


The girl's a fan of the DustBusters and has one of their posters on the counter.


Have you met anyone from the band recently?



SOLUTION IS NEXT



The drunk at the bar is in the band.  Go get his autograph.

[close]

NEXT IMPORTNANT HINT)

Spoiler

You need an autographed photo from DustBuster


Buy the drunk a drink in exchange for his autograph.  Oops he forgets the deal.


Of course, the autographed photo is already on him.


It's in his jacket... and you're not a pickpocket.  You need him to take his jacket off.


I think I'll let you sweat this one out for a bit.



SOLUTION IS NEXT



With his jacket on, buy him the drink.  Then head into the basement.  Turn the heat up in the bar to WARM.  Go back into the bar, the jacket will be on the seat next to him.

[close]

- Cogliostro