Messages

OK, thanks for moving this thread to the right forum.

Thanks for letting me know that it is showing up. I wonder why the banner doesn't show up for me? I'm using Firefox. Odd. Anyway, it's not too much of a big deal if others can see it OK.

This seems to be the most appropriate forum for this question, although it is about the forums themselves rather than AGS or adventure games.

I have a banner in my signature but I never see it in my postings. Klaus says he can see it. Here is the (deliberately broken) BBC for it:

[ center][ url=http://www.freewebs.com/paoloags/][ img]http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/452/bannerfh1.gif[ /img][ /url][ /center]

and the code without the spaces after the open square brackets works correctly if I put it in this post and then preview it, but not when I actually post it.

So what do I need to do to make it show up for me? Can anyone else see it at the bottom of this posting?

Thanks, and apologies for the noise.

Another thought on the portraits, Ben - I would suggest losing the line round the bottom of the neck to show that they continue downwards, or else it looks like they've been decapitated. Or will these images be cropped when they are shown as portraits? If so, this doesn't matter.

Ah, OK, thanks for that. I saw 3.71 on the download page and thought that was the version number rather than than size. Duh.

I'm still using an oldish version (2.71) and would like to upgrade. Version 3.x has some very nice features (the script editor looks a lot nicer) but the thread on the lastest version suggests that it is not yet stable. I could just upgrade to v2.72 (if it is available - is there a download link for it?) for safety's sake, but then of course I don't get as many of the new and improved features as I would with version 3.

So what would people recommend? I'm just wary of downloading version 3 and then having problems with upgrading existing games or losing data. I'd prefer not to wade through all 23 pages of the thread on version 3.0 before I come to a decision, so I'm hoping someone can give me an answer based on how that thread is currently panning out.

Thanks.

Hints and solution (Nostradamus - I recommend you read hints 5 to 7 before you read the solution, even if it is only to understand why the solution is what it is.)

Hint 1:

Spoiler

Again, the Memo is the key here - if you can somehow interfere with the captain's memory of the operation, that will put an end to it.

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

However, you can't use the Memo on the captain while the bartender is there, because he has a Memo too and so would know what you are doing.

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Hint 3:

Spoiler

You need to find some way of using the Memo on the captain without the bartender being able to see what you are doing.

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Hint 4:

Spoiler

Speak to Eve. She has a hint.

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Hint 5:

Spoiler

Think back to the conversation in the bar in the introduction - what Vince ask Eve about?

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Hint 6:

Spoiler

Vince asked Eve how she did the trick with the glasses and plates.

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Hint 7:

Spoiler

Eve is saying she is planning to do a trick from her show. What prop will she need?

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Solution:

Spoiler

Give Eve the glass.

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It should be fairly obvious what to do after that. If you get stuck after doing what is fairly obvious, then:

Spoiler

speak to Eve, and pay attention to her hint.

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Hints for those who want them, and a direct answer for Nostradamus (the hints also suggest what to do after that):

Hint 1:

Spoiler

You want to stop the secret operation. The bartender is involved, so stopping him or finding out more information from him is a good idea.

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

What could you use to find out more about what is going on and so stop the operation?

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Hint 3:

Spoiler

The Memo of course, but it won't work on the bartender because he has activated the block mode on his Memo.

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Hint 4:

Spoiler

You need to find some way of overriding the block.

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Hint 5:

Spoiler

Where could you find out how to do this?

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Hint 6:

Spoiler

What's a good way to find out information about any gadget?

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Solution:

Spoiler

Read the manual (that is, look at the manual in the inventory).

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Nostradamus:

I'm glad there wasn't a bug in the end. Note that

Spoiler

Eve and Nick hint that you need to speak to the door again,

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so I think the puzzle is fair.

Note also that

Spoiler

you can't speak to the door until you have interacted with it. This makes sense because this is what you would do in real life - try the door and find it is locked, and then call out to see if anyone can hear you.

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In the corridor:

Spoiler

Talk to the steward. If you run out of things to talk to him about, look at things in the room until you find something to ask him about (a new conversation option will appear).

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Something that might be a mistake, but not being a native speaker I can't be sure (emphasis added):

Spoiler

When trying to talk to the woman standing by the exit of the airport for the first time, the game tells you: "The woman shrugs and shakes her head. She must not speak English."

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OK, I'm putting my teacher's hat on. Grammar lesson coming up... Ignore if you aren't interested.

The sentence is correct but ambiguous, because "must" can be used in at least two ways in English, and this sentence can be read in either of these two ways.

"She must..." can mean either "she is required to ..." or "It must be true that she ..." (in other words, "I think that she ..." or "I believe that she ..."). So

Spoiler

"She must speak English" can mean "She is required to speak English" (rather than another language) or "It must be true that she speaks English".

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Now, in English, "must not" usually means "is required not to", so when it is used to mean "It must be that ... not ...", it can look a bit strange because the meaning is not always clear. So

Spoiler

"She must not speak English" looks like it means "She is required not to speak English" (but to speak another language instead) rather than "It must be true that she does not speak English."

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So, to avoid this ambiguity, you can reword the sentence as something like

Spoiler

"It must be that she doesn't speak English." or rewrite it as something like "I don't think she speaks English."

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So the sentence is fine as it is, but ambiguous.

The same applies to "can":

Spoiler

"She can't speak English" might mean "She is not able to speak English" or "It can't be true that she speaks English."

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OK, grammar lesson over... does that help, Amyn? Maybe you knew all this already, because your English looks as good as any native speaker's to me.

Hi Nostradamus,

Sorry if I seemed a bit over the top. Yes, of course I want people to play the game, and I would like to help you or to find out if there is a problem with the game. I know how frustrating it is when you are enjoying a game but nothing you do gets you any further.

I'm not sure exactly what you have and have not done up to this point, and I hope that you haven't found a bug. Here is where I think you should be so far and what should happen if you try these steps again. I'm posting it as a spoiler (direct solution, no hints), because others might not have done all these things yet - please bear with me.

Spoiler

* Speak to door at bottom right of room (Vince should say "The captain's not there... something fishy is going on." because you've already tried it at least once)
* Interact with main door (Vince should say "It's still firmly locked." because you've already tried it at least once)
* Speak to main door repeatedly until you get no further reply (that is, until Vince says "There's no point - he's not going to let us out.")
* Use the Memo on the door on the left of the room. If you have completed the above step, you should be able to hypnotise the steward through the door.
* Speak to Nick. At this point, there will either be a short conversation about Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves if you have not already spoken to Nick at this point, or he will say "What's in the drawer?"
* Check the desk - a drawer should be open.

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Please let me know whether this works for you. If not, you can PM me and I'll arrange to have a look at your savegame.

OK, Nostradamus, a few things...

Yes, you're right, this is the hints and tips forum. However, people looking through this thread don't want to see hints for parts of the game they have not yet reached. That is what spoiler tags are for - they show consideration to other users who are not as far through the game as you might be, even if where you are is pretty much near the start of the game.

I mentioned at the beginning of the thread that I would prefer it if people didn't post solutions. This is the hints and tips forum, not the solutions and walkthroughs forum. Furthermore, someone stuck in the same place as you might prefer a hint as opposed to the solution, hence I posted both. You can always ignore the hints and go straight to the solution.

I did indeed read your question, but there are two doors in the room. You say you have "used and talked to the door", but you didn't say which.

Finally, I think it is rather impolite to ask for help and then to criticise the person who goes to the trouble to give it to you because they didn't do it in the way you wanted and what they said didn't help you. Maybe someone else would like to help you instead.

All I can suggest is that you try something else. There has to be something you haven't yet tried.

Please use spoiler tags.

OK, but some hints first. There are two things you need to do.

Hint 1:

Spoiler

Who are you there to see?

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

Maybe you should see if the person who are there to see is in.

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Solution:

Spoiler

Knock on the captain's door (bottom right of the screen).

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If you've already done that, then:

Hint 1:

Spoiler

Talk to the steward outside the door over and over again, until you get no further response.

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

Talk to Nick and Eve again - their hints change as you progress through the game.

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Hint 3:

Spoiler

How can you persuade the steward to let you out?

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Solution:

Spoiler

Use the Memo on him through the door.

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Wow, I am honoured, and I'm sure Ben will be too. Thank you to eveyone who voted for our game. This was the first game we have written, so being voted best MAGS game is especially flattering.

CosmoQueen

Hint 1:

Spoiler

Think about it - what is it Vince and the others want to do?

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

Who is the head of the operation?

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Hint 3:

Spoiler

Vince and the others want to stop the oil-smuggling operation. How could Vince do that?

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Hint 4:

Spoiler

The bartender can't see what Vince is doing now.

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Those should be enough to suggest what you need to do next, I think.

EDIT: I see you had already finished the game before I posted these hints, but I'll leave them here in case someone else needs them.

Thanks, CosmoQueen. I'm pleased you liked the game.

A sequel? No firm decisions yet on that. Maybe, maybe not. Remember from the epilogue that

Spoiler

Memos were withdrawn from sale and Vince's broke, so if we did do a sequel, it wouldn't have a Memo in it... but of course the bartender had one too, and we don't know what happened to that one... 

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Thanks wyls. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Please read the first posting in this thread to see how to post spoilers.

we tried hard to avoid the "get key for door" puzzles.

Not only that, but we make fun of some of the classic escape-the-room tricks (for example, try interacting with the vent after you've spoken to the steward outside the room).

Thanks everyone for your encouraging feedback and votes. Ben and I definitely appreciate it.

I have to say too that I am impressed with the response to this month's MAGS, and the games have been fun to play as well.

Thanks for the feedback and comments on the game.

TheJBurger

The bug where

Spoiler

Vince can talk to people even though he wants to be quiet

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should be fixed in the latest version available for download (version 1.02).

TheJBurger and BradNewson

Yes, branches in the plot and choices that lead to bad or less favourable endings would be great. Of course we didn't have time as this was MAGS game, but if we revisit the game I'd certainly like to include this. As you say, TheJBurger, all you have to do is click on every option, but most of the wrong ones give an explanation so there is a little entertainment to be had by choosing the wrong options too.

If you find or remember any typos, please PM me and I'll be happy to correct them.

Have used code on door device but it stays firmly locked.  Have used dictaphone  and M. Need help!

Hint 1:

Spoiler

Speak to the others and see what happens.

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Hint 2:

Spoiler

See if someone with talents you were previously unaware of can help you with it.

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