Messages

You've created a strong second release here, Sektor13, and you have every reason to be proud of it.  The opening logo and title screen reminded me of games like Albion which is probably the highest compliment I could give to a free game author.  That said, I had a few issues with puzzle-kludginess, such as:

Spoiler

the whole freeing the frozen rod bit.  Why not use the pickaxe head to do it?  Also, the rounded pickaxe end could just as easily pried the metal panel up enough or used the gum to get the object, and there are several places where the inventory was filled with items that could have achieved a similar logical result but had too specific a purpose.  This, ultimately, is the problem with games that have huge inventories: multiple solutions logically possible but not scripted.  It also becomes a problem when you start making puzzles just to extend gameplay, it feels tacked-on rather than a part of the narrative.

[close]

Don't feel discouraged though, most indie authors have difficulty making really intuitive puzzles and companies like Lucasarts performed extensive testing to make a puzzle 'work' (and even then they failed at times imo).  I think if you wanted to go back and make the core puzzles solvable in different ways you would reap the benefits later, but this is only a suggestion.

At any rate, congratulations on your release.

You're right about the puzzles... I must admit i never thought of using picks head to get frozen rod, but it's very logical. I must think about it -> for possible updates

Oky

I've added 4 seconds to every "screen" in intro and 1 second to every "screen" in "story explanation" part in space ship, which was long enough i think...


I think it should be readable now

Done - two screenies

I am waiting some feedback from someone to fix some things, v1.03 will be ready as soon as i get it, and fix certain problems, i hope very soon.

Sektor 13- amazing!
I'm not really that far into the game (solved a couple of puzzles) but so far i'm blown away! Great atmosphere, beautiful graphics and interesting story.
To be honest, it's the first adventure (be it amateur or commercial) in a long time, that really got my interest.. and i can't stop playing it.
Bravo

Hvala ti .

Upam da vidmo tut tvojga Ignaca prosim

Hey, crap, i forgot to remove 1 line... hmm I guess i'll have to make another linux version than..

Hey

Thanks for the strong critisism.  I really like it !

I agree, dialog were short -> problem is that somewhere in the middle i didn't want to spend much time on the game anymore.  And you can see that in some parts of the game.
Story is kind a complicated and i guess i am not that good at explaining it -> i was kinda afraid about that, it's a mess, thats why I tried to explain that with the FAQ on the previous page.
I always have problems with drawing "living" objects... and i think this won't change soon.
I agree even with backgrounds too.

I'll think about it -> but i don't know if i will make another game... Don't worry, not because of your critics, but it just take soo much time, and I really had to force myself to complete this game.

->

Spoiler

Only clones can use necklace, you were made clone few years ago and sent into the world to get some experience without any enhancements, so you wouldn't be suspicious to the world and yourself. Afte you got necklace you had to be "recloned" to add brain chip and some extra features to use necklace..")

[close]

Hmm never thought about those 2 guys, still in the intro , they were brutaly murdered, in that room one was shot. And at the end they talk again. And colour of the jackets don't match..

Here is one, with images taken from BG competition area:

This game looks top.

However I don't want to start playing it until I've seen the Intro movie.
Unfortunately my poxy little laptop won't let me watch it nd I've tried 3 different media player, downloading codecs left right and center and nothings working?
Do you have a stream of the video on YouTube or anywhere that I could watch?
Or does anyone know why the movie won't work for me?

Cheers.

That is why i didn't add movie to the game, as some people have problems playing it, still you can try the game without seeing intro....
----------------------------------------

OK here is story explanation, SPOILER , READ ONLY IF YOU?VE COMPLETED THE GAME:

Spoiler

Infinity String - Plot !


What happened in the game FAQ:
------------------------------

Q: Why did Delegian home world "explode" ?
A: There is more complex story behinde that and will be explained in Infinity String 2, if ever made.

Q: What's with those two guys talking in the beginning and the end of the game ?
A: Those two persons are actually only one, the good and the bad side of Yerik Elnar (one wants necklace the other one doesn't)

Q: So Yerik was a clone of that guy we see talking to coucillors and to the ships captain in another cutscene (memories)
A: Yes, DNA for Yerik was collected from the escape pod, found in antartica, the one you found the necklace in.

Q: Whats with the doctor Selec ?
A: He was one of the first humans to find cloning facilities. He was scaned and cloned (original was killed) with the brain chip, so he could be controled.
   He feed you bits and pieces of the story slowly and to unknowingly force you to use the necklace.

Q: But if the base was found in 2009 and Yerik was cloned there, how can he be so old in 2011 when he visits the base ?
A: Goverment said it was found in 2009. In truth they first found it in 1943. After they've sent elite troopers to find German secret base in Antartica.
   Delegian technology is far more advance than human.
   They needed over 20 years to adapt some of the human technology to work with Delegian tech.
   Not only that, but most of current human technology is based on Delegians. Like microproccesors and other stuff that only army uses for now.

Q: Whats with that beast, that's chasing me throught the first part of the game ?
A: That beast is you ! Beast is trying to scare you to use the necklace (with the help of Dr. Selec too)
   
Q: But I never choose "bad" end of the game, to be the beast.
A: Because that happend before. The necklace was designed specialy for Yerik and it's a cloning device too. When you put the necklace on
   regeneration process killed the original clone,added brain chip, transfered all memories
   and ability to control necklace to a new clone. This cloning procedure was fast. But before new clone was aware of himself, brain chip controled
   his sub-consciousness and made him go back to the past and first kill all the soldiers, to prevent more interference and to scare Yerik to use necklace.
   In the end of Antarctica, when you use necklace on yourself in front of a monster (other self), you become aware and try to take control back to your hands.
   2nd clone than wakes up a week later in the jungle shuttle. As he is actually a week older, he has a beard and his genes were "upgraded", he doesn't need
   glasses anymore.

Q: But 2nd clone was first walking skeleton and later again normal man with a beard, how is that ?
A: Walking skeleton actually represents his position. If he wants to use/is using necklace he becomes empty inside, no feeling, no life.
   While if he doesn't except the necklace, he is still human and is unable to use necklace powers.

Q: Whats with the Earth and reptiles ?
A: When the Delegians found Earth (Terra), reptiles were the dominant species and were evolving in inteligent creatures.
   But Delegians were mammals, and they wanted to crate clones that were mammals too.
   They didn't have much time, so the made reptiles (dinosaurs) extinct and made mamals the dominant species.
   From there the humans evolved after few thousand of years. Clones were ment to be weak and pink skined.
   But through evolution that changed and humans become stronge with longer life and new skin colors.

Q: Delegians councillors were all black, why is that ?
A: All Delegians are darker and stronger than usual human.

Q: So were Delegians saved if you choose "bad" end ?
A: No, necklace didn't work as it should. Living mind dies, so the clones begin to "die". Their minds were lost over time. They are only empty shells.

Q: What happened to the humans after the "bad" end ?
A: Althou military was very cripled, they've survived.
   About 10 000 people died in the attacks and another 1000 were kidnapped to be changed into clones.
   Other humans were left alone.

Q: What happened to Yerik ?
A: In the "good" end he sacrificed himself and didn't use the necklace. As he was binded to it, he died.
   In the "bad" end he created the army but before they've learned to control the necklace powers, their personality was gone. They scattered around the time
   and universe but succeded in nothing. Yerik was the stronges. He is still "fighting" with the necklace to gain ethernal life and keep his mind.


Here are logs, that i didn't put in the game, but could be there.

------------------------
Delegian Space Ship log:
------------------------

-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 2

We have arrived to sektor K.
130 light years away from home, we finaly found suitable planet.
We've named it Terra.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 4

Close exemination shows that it supports carbon units.
Atmosphere consists of, 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, and small percent of carbon dioxide.
Dominant species are reptiles.
They are showing first signes of inteligence, as we can notice crude buildings and tools.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 6

Colonizing this planet proved very difficult. Reptile species are very hostile.
We must reases possibility of colonization of this planet.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 8

We come to agreement. We cannot afford to travel any further. Talks for Reformation plans of Terra is already in motion.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 10

We will send asteroid back in time, to criple reptile population and add humanoid lifeforms, to suit our needs.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 12

I am feeling a bit guilty for extermination of indigenous species. This doesn't feel right, but it must be done.
So we can preserve ourselfs.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 14

Plan is complete, bioengineers are working on humanoid-gene dispersal unit.
We will made new kind of life.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 16

Sun is being used to charge time device and add extra speed boost to steroid.


-Universal Time 130 500 9 par 18

Our calculations were precise. Reptile species is almost extinct. Mammals evolved.


-----------------------
LOG of chief scientist:
-----------------------


Now it's time to explain this situation to you.
I really wanted to help ! I work day without sleep on string project. But those council bastards just didn't listen. Their master plan was more important
to them as the real thing, strings. They "moved" my project far away from home planet. So I wouldn't be in a way. But I know, that strings are our only
solution. Our enemy is too strong and far superior in technology, aside string research. It's real miracle that we survived this long.
Newertheless I won't abandon my brotherens.

As we found suitable planet to colonize, I talked to captaion about my plan. He did't agree with me at all.

Its tearing me from the inside. Nobody listens to me. Those fools.

I guess I am on my own. No matter, I can do this. I have a complete knowladge about current string achivements and capabilities. It is time for me to act.

MY first step will be to "improve" our yunglings. I will made them stronger and smarter. Three groups will be enought.

After close studies they found out that some of the speciment evolving on Terra are far superior to those we were trying to make. They found my boys.
They don't know that I made them, they think it was an error.

Captaion ordered termination of all "evolved" speciments on Terra, with clean nuclear weapon.

Damn. MY plan failed again.

There is no doubt, they are abstructing me. A can't execute my plan while they are around.

I sabotaged all the emergency escape pods. Nobody will survive, not even me.

But before that, I must do some work on our ground station.

I rearanged all cloning facilities, so that they are in auto mode. I used internal scaners to gain any speciments DNA.
When scaners detect any life, they first check basic abilities and if they are in range of certain parameters they begin no measure brainwave patterens.
If all parameters are good, subject is "guided" to a special room where he's cloned with few extra abilities and special control chip is added it his brain.
I've written all the instructions.
I've set coordinates for escape pods to "land". As there can be only one gathering point, I cannot make other pods to crash out of my way. But with some fine
tuning I will be able to crash my pod in the exact spot for me to be found first. My puppet will do the rest.

It is time to damage the ship, it's an emergency guys !

-----end of log-------

[close]

I made two versions 1.02, one for linux (without plugins) and one with plugns for windows. The only thing is that i didn't upload version 1.02 for wins, as i will soon add/correct few other things and release version 1.03.

So lets just say that 1.02 with rain/snow was skipped.. and will be available in v 1.03


And i think version 1.02 will be the only version without the snow/rain plugin - > only version for linux, as i won't upload every version twice.

Hmm i'll already fixed vine and skeleton bug for now, and i'll probably add a bit better explanation in game, in version 1.03

I'll also write story explanation here..

I don't agree with the fact that only award winner should be put in banners, i think all ART that is good should be put in the banners, even from critique lounge... and i will try to make one out of that, or two

Check the first page to DL LINUX VERSION, 1.02 -

or click here: http://rapidshare.com/files/41226700/StringLinux.zip.html

Enjoy

Hey

By the way, Intro music and Credits music is original to Infinity String, and I want to know if you like those two tracks ?

Version 1.02 will be ready soon (for linux too). I tried to fix some grammar problems, added responses when interacting/looking "characters" (as i totaly forgot to do it before ). And added few extra responses as some people suggested (like half opened door in the ship).

Linux version will be just like v 1.02 only without rain and snow effect.

...

Yes, game doesn't work under Linux because of the plugin.. I'll remove it from the game and upload it to rapidshare, probably tommorow..

I'm gonna save the congratulations for a bit later, since I don't really have time now. I'm just posting about a bug:

Spoiler

If you pick up the pulse meter before helping the janitor, the extra line of dialog will be added to the dialog box and will exit the screen. Apparently you're not supposed to pick it up, since the janitor asks for you to get it. So if you have it already, the dialog choice "Here's the pulse meter" or something is added unintentionally. I at least have the habit of exploring each bg at a time, so I naturally picked up anything that wasn't glued even before going into the caves.

[close]

So far looking to be a great game ! Can't say I haven't waited for this for a long time .

Hmm I don't see the problem with the dialog, as he ask you to get it, you can reply immediatly if you have it... as far as i have test it, you can't give him the pulse reader before he ask you for it.

1st - so the intro movie is part of the game, i.e., it's the game's actual intro? Or something else? Posting something as "intro movie" and saying it's "not part of the game" is confusing.

2nd - downloading, but I'd like to know - one of the things about you and your games is that your graphics are usually great, your stories are interesting, your puzzles are quite good, and your english is somewhat lacking, so that often (Xenophobe and Stargate) we have to wait for an updated version of the dialogs. So I was wondering, did you do the dialogs yourself, trying to hone that particular skill?, or did you get someone else to work on them?

Well, it's meant as, AVI is not included in the RAR file, it more like a bonus thingy... thats all

About typos, game was corrected, but only thing is that i had to copy/paste all the corrected words into the game, and l looks like a miss many of them .

Huh, I expected that some puzzles would be a bit more challenging, but some of you already made it to the end . I guess I was wrong .

MadEvie what do you mean your game crashed ? And how did you loose youre savegame ? A bug ?

If the monster gets you, that the game restarts- as it's the only way to die in the game..

Hi

Well, english should be fixed more or less, it was checked and correctet before the release...

But you can send me all typos to CHRONOSEKTOR@hotmail.com and I'll fix them.

thanx