Messages

AGS can now be used to create music videos!  Apparently it can do anything.

Focusing on IAE...

The line drawings work really well to convey the emotion of break up -- when the romance ends the world has no color and the food has no taste.  The facial expressions were dead on too.

However, it felt odd listening to one set of lyrics and reading another. 

All in all, you captured angst without being too Twilight/Bella Swan.

- Cogliostro

For those of us who don't speak French, use this link:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdl.free.fr%2FcWg0XxDsd&sl=frl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

- Cogliostro

The original Case 2 was good, this version was great.  If your artistic vision for Case 8 continues to prove elusive... a remake of Case 3 & 4 would be AWESOME!!!!!

- Cogliostro

Hints for the song:

1st line:

Spoiler

Look at everything in the hotel lobby.

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2nd line:

Spoiler

Look at everything at the desert crossroads.

[close]

3rd line:

Spoiler

Look at everything where you park the car.

[close]

4th line:

Spoiler

Look at everything by the Salton Sea.

[close]

I can gave you the answer outright if you want.

Somehow I missed the original Living Nightmare, but I have to say I liked this game.

Using a five-year old's continuous nightmare is an amazing storytelling device.  Basements at night can scare kids, the reason the player won't open the basement is that he's scared.  It made a perfect way to limit what the player can do.  Additionally, the music, sound effects, muted colors at night and especially the expression on James's face, all worked together to build the atmosphere.  The puzzles helped advance the story as well.  Expect for the one that didn't make sense... because it wasn't supposed to.

In order for this to be a useful post, I usually try to come up with something constructive to say.  In this case there isn't much to improve upon.   So I'm left with a lame suggestion of... better graphics would have been nice.   Of course I can't draw, so feel free to ignore me.

Keep up the good work,
Cogliostro

I enjoyed this game, and since your looking for feedback, I'll offer some up.

Spoiler

I have to agree, being able to interact with Crowley was annoying and got me killed at least once.  Also, the rooms were too large for the most part.  A normal sized dining room and a foyer the size of a small warehouse seemed odd. 

I liked the bit where Crowlety paniced and tried to get out the front door and discovered it was chained shut.    It added nicely to the panic/atmosphere.  However, why did Crowley's back story go into the README?  You have the talent to work it into the story.  DO IT! 

Now for the elephant in the room, 5 Days a Stranger.  That game still represents one of my all time favorite AGS games.  So basing your first game on that is understandable.  However, the similarites between your game and 5DAS didn't add anything to your game.  Using the random creaking is nice, but there's a lot of royalty free music which might have accomplished more.  Additionally, there was no reason to use a similar layout to the house.  Finally, making Crowley a thief...  was one similarity too many.

As a thief, the moment Crowley realizes he's not alone in the house, he should have bolted.  The moment he realized there was danger... ditto.  But no, he escapes from the homonculus, refuses to bust out a window to escape, but instead uses ancient magic to banish a supernatural entity.   This doesn't fit with Crowley as a thief.   Even after he escapes, he still plans on investigating more.  You clearly laid the groundwork for a sequel, so Crowley needs a personal interest in the supernatural. 

A common device is to have the main character be a paranormal investigator or a family member.  Both of these give him reason to show up at the house and stick around.  You could use a different profession and have the homonculus *mark* Crowley so that supernatural threats will plague him for all the sequels you intend to create.  Think up Crowley's history and decide how he ties into this family's history.

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Hmmmm..... Let me sum this up.  The game shows promise, but you need more of YOUR ideas in it.

Just my two cents,
Cogliostro

Let me start by taking Helme's advice and then talk about advice...

One last bit of advice. We're throwing a whole bunch of what we consider "improvements" at you - take it all with a grain of salt. What you did the first time worked very well; don't let us push you around. If you think something's a good idea, do it; if you don't, don't - even if someone says you should.

Your ideas have served you well so far. Don't try to please everyone against your better judgment - you'll end up pleasing no one.

A bunch of us have offered up advice about what you should do to improve your next game.  All of us did this because we were excited about what you created, however, that only makes us sincere.  Listen to all of the comments, but don't feel compelled to act on ANY of them.

Cogliostro

First thing I wanted to say is that this game is absolutely amazing: the look, the atmosphere, the voice over, the dialog, everything!  Having said that, I thought I'd toss in my two cents about what could be improved.   (Yes, that's a bit of a contradiction, but most of the game  works perfectly so that the spots where it's off stand out.  )

The coin verb should go, of course you've already decided on this point.

The dialog... there were a few points where the word choice struck me as odd. 

When talking to his newest client he thinks she sounds breathy and *seductive* and more than a little terrified.  If she went to that church voluntarily then she should know what could happen and should be more than a little terrified and not seductive at all.  The same applies if she was *forced* to make the phone call to McCarthy. 

During the voice over on the way to the hotel, they way McCarthy spoke I was convinced that the hotel was closed  since McCarthy says: "...they haven't had guests for years." 

McCarthy's reaction to Sarah... this struck me as just odd.  *IF* his previous case had involved him trying to save a girls life, where he had failed, then he might be determined to see damsels in distress everyone and want to rescue one to make up for the sins of the past.  However, he's already determined to save her when she sounds like someone cheerfully going about her job.  Nothing fearful or desperate in her voice or in the words at all. 

McCarthy and Michael Grovesnor use similar speech patterns.  I saw nothing wrong with this, both of them have become fatalistic because they have certain doom hanging over their heads.

But the gardener spoke the same way?!  Before and after he was turned into a... zombie(?)  So did Tabitha in her diary.

You as a game developer are trying to find your voice.   Part of that is giving each of the different characters their own distinct voice, because each of them will say things differently.

Here are three different ways for a character to say they work at a book and coffee store named BORDERS:

1) "I work at Borders. Weekends. Nights."

2) "I work at Borders because I just love books and they give you an employee
discount. How cool is that? Of course that means all my paychecks ends up back in their
pocket, but that happens anyhow, so I might as well get more books out the deal.
Anyway, I like to work nights -- I'm a night owl kind of person."

3) "Whoever came up with the bookstore cafe marketing plan was a genius. People
are going to browse, so why not encourage them to cough up money for overpriced
coffees while they do it? Two addictions at once."

Any how, you might use that as a bit of advice to re-write dialog.

Finally, and I think this bears repeating, the only reason I am bothering to offer any advice is because "The McCarthy Chronicle" is just so amazing.

Keep up the good work,
Cogliostro

I was going to join the ranks of everyone who was begging for longer games, but then I realized that Chicky is right.  Sometimes having a great 15 minute game is EXACTLY what you want.  

Also, I really liked the interface.

Please keep up the great work.

Thanks for the tip.  I was finally able to get it working.

Spoiler

THE ENDING...
Oh, so that was the end.  Let me explain my confusion...

All four of them stared at the mismatched pair of monsters and complimented themselves on a job well done. So, when Noah said, "Oh crap!" it felt like the SETUP for the last punchline. 

To me it would have worked better if they had their backs to the cage - everyone except Ham - then when Ham tried to get Noah's attention, then Noah turns around and gives the "Oh crap" line.   I think that was the delivery you were hoping for.

BUGS:
And YES - the stick still cannot be connected to the round circle of wood.

Also, it was a little odd that between the cistern/vegatrium room and the workshop/milling room the direction changed. 

These are all very minor issues, but I assume people want to know what they can improve on.

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I downloaded and tried both the Speech and No_Speech version.  Neither of them have the setup file and both of them cause the error - OUT OF RANGE - Which is an error being generated by the monitor and not Windows, AGS or my video card.

Any chance you can get the SETUP file out there so I can try to work around this?

I'm going to hide all my comments so I don't accidentally give anything away, but most of these comments are about bugs / problems.

Spoiler

BUGS:
1) I get the second key, get the DNA sample, get back to the ark, see the creature we created from the sample, and everyone talks.  It gets as far as Noah saying, "Oh crap!" and then it crashes.

2) It is possible to added the circle with glue to the broom handle but it is NOT possible to add the handle to the circle?

3) This is just a personal preference, but when I've used an item and don't need it again, I prefer it when it is used up and disappears from the inventory list. 

[close]

Trouble with the cistern

Spoiler

Okay, I have the wooden circle with glue on it.  Now what am I supposed to do to get the key out of the cistern?

BUG: I though I might need to pump air into the system so I went back to the glass tube and tried to pickup the bellows after I already had the key.  That locked up the game.

[close]

It's a good thing!

But I could use some help....

Spoiler

Because the calipers measure the size of the cistern I assume I need to machine something before I can get the first key.  Since I don't have any plans onwards to the next puzzle the laser beam.

I can block the beam with the mirror attached to the frame and the brain warns me to stop - of course.  Then I can look at the looking glasses and realize I'm being watched.  So I try to cover it with the violet cloth, but I need to attach it to the balloon.... AND GLUE DOESN'T WORK?!?!

Also, obviously I need the gramophone to stop the brain from hearing me.  When do I pick up a record?

[close]

Spoiler

Okay, just got the balloon to the ceiling.  Now back to that record....

[close]

Downloaded it and playing now.

In case no one ever mentioned it before, you have a wonderfully disturbed sense of humor.

Nevermind!  I can't believe I didn't think to try the first.

Okay, made it to the end.  Have the silver coin... What am I missing?  I how do I get the third ending?

Okay, I've made the potion, but I need Lily to speak the magic words.  When we go back up the stairs, I get attacked.  I've tried every combination of replies to get this buy to stop, but nothing ever deters him. 

I work QUICKLY through the talk-options and tell him the cave door is open and he should check for him self.  He says he will after he kills me.  I tell him to talk to Angela -- after all she is the only human he trusts -- and he tells me he will not listen to my lies.  I've been through the this scene about thirty times and end up getting killed every time.

Any hints or suggestions?

On that note, should most of these comments be in the hint section?