[Kaelistus]

So far, I'm having a great time! I'm in the early third of the game (3 dead so far), so its early on, but I'm hooked in for sure. I love the riddle puzzles. And the characters, while not pretty, do the job just fine.

I share the hope for more Agatha Christie games in the future.

[RLacey]

Originally Posted by Scott Nixon

AudioSoldier: I definitely WANT to make another AC game, but the decision is not in my hands. I can't comment even speculatively on what mystery they would choose next (I don't have any idea, but best not to rock the boat), but my guess would be it would feature Poirot. That much seems a no-brainer, although I thought the same thing about the first one

I'll pay you lots of money if you get David Suchet in to provide the likeness and voice :

[Jackal]

Originally Posted by Scott Nixon

I keep waiting nervously for AG's review, which I'm sure will incorporate some of the general discontent about several issues, while still being sweet about the whole thing...

Hmm, our M.O. has been publicly revealed!

Rest assured, that review is coming, but a mailing fiasco set us back, I'm afraid.

Going back to the original post, Wargrave's voice wasn't like I imagined it, either, but I've got to say I consider the voice acting for that role to be among the best performances in any game. He absolutely nails the arrogance and cold, analytical personality behind it. Miss ("it would have to be, wouldn't it?" - love that line! ) Brent was excellent, too. Her voice sounded awfully familiar, but I couldn't place it.

[AudioSoldier]

Originally Posted by Jackal

Hmm, our M.O. has been publicly revealed!

Rest assured, that review is coming, but a mailing fiasco set us back, I'm afraid.

Going back to the original post, Wargrave's voice wasn't like I imagined it, either, but I've got to say I consider the voice acting for that role to be among the best performances in any game. He absolutely nails the arrogance and cold, analytical personality behind it. Miss ("it would have to be, wouldn't it?" - love that line! ) Brent was excellent, too. Her voice sounded awfully familiar, but I couldn't place it.

Brent is played by Carolyn Seymour. I think she's relatively famous. Or so I've heard, during my Internet escapades.

Edit: Oh, on the topic of the voice-work, it's a bit off-putting that Narracott jumps straight into the: "thanks for speaking to me", or, "I appreciate your candour judge". It seems...a little too scripted...overly FORCED. If that makes any sense. Nonetheless, I'm probably being overly harsh. Aah, the frankness of youth. ;-) At any rate, I must applaud any development house that has the nous to recreate a Christie game.

[fov]

Originally Posted by RLacey

I'll pay you lots of money if you get David Suchet in to provide the likeness and voice :

Um... didn't he die earlier this year?

[AudioSoldier]

Originally Posted by fov

Um... didn't he die earlier this year?

Nope. He's only 59 and he's still alive and kicking.

[bianchigirl]

David Suchet is doing more Poirot's so he's very much alive and kicking

[fov]

Weird. I could have sworn he died. (Not that I want him to have died. I just don't like the feeling that I'm losing my mind at 27...)

Sorry. Back to ATTWN talk.

[Kurufinwe]

Originally Posted by fov

Weird. I could have sworn he died. (Not that I want him to have died. I just don't like the feeling that I'm losing my mind at 27...)

Sorry. Back to ATTWN talk.

Maybe you're confusing him with Peter Ustinov, who also played Poirot and died last year?

And sorry for going on off-topic, but, eh, ATTWN hasn't been released in Europe yet.

[fov]

Originally Posted by Kurufinwe

Maybe you're confusing him with Peter Ustinov, who also played Poirot and died last year?

Thank you. I'm sure that's who I was thinking of. I heard about it on the radio and only knew of one Poirot, by face (David Suchet's) but not by name. Glad to hear I'm not going crazy.

It's too bad all the TAC games seem to come out so much later in Europe than here. I don't think Voyage (Journey to the Moon) is scheduled for release until January... it came out here back in August.

[RLacey]

Originally Posted by fov

Thank you. I'm sure that's who I was thinking of. I heard about it on the radio and only knew of one Poirot, by face (David Suchet's) but not by name. Glad to hear I'm not going crazy.

Does this mean that Suchet's Poirot is seen in America? Cool . They really should use him for a film at some point...

It's too bad all the TAC games seem to come out so much later in Europe than here. I don't think Voyage (Journey to the Moon) is scheduled for release until January... it came out here back in August.

Well, changing the game's name for no reason takes lots of time, you know . This is now becoming an incredibly stupid running joke - with the exception of And Then There Were None there don't appear to be any TAC games that don't change title when they hop across the pond.

[Antoinetta]

Beware!!!! Rampant spoilers below!!!!

I just finished the game and enjoyed it thoroughly. I do have a few questions though.

In the game’s opening movie, Marston is racing along in his hot-rod, then pulls over to meet someone at a parked car; this person hands him a small package. Does anyone have any ideas as to what this was; I can’t see it has any bearing on the game nor do I recall any references to this scene during the game itself. Does anyone know who the man that gave him the package was? Is this the same package we see Marston carrying and that Narracott asks him about when he runs into Marston on the trail just after having discovered his boat is wrecked? I feel it is probably the same package, but wonder at its significance, as it, as far as I can see does not reappear in the game. My first thoughts after finishing the game was that the guy in the car was a German, one of Marston’s handlers/contacts and he was passing along the number-code and the decoder. But the code and the decoder were single sheets of paper, and it was clearly a package, not an envelope that was handed over.

If the narrator, Patrick Narracott is filling in for his brother Fred, why, during the conversation with Blore in his room (when you are interrupted in trying to get Blore’s notebook) do both Patrick and Blore use the name Faine, Patrick and Fred Faine? Who is Faine, and why, a moment later when Blore throws Patrick out, does he then call him Narracott? Why the inconsistancy? Where does the name “Faine” come from?

Patrick was simply the ferryman delivering the others to the island. He was expected to return to the mainland promptly after letting them off, and was only prevented from doing this by the even prompter destruction of his boat by Blore. Yet very early on in the game, just before you make your first mouse-click, Narracott delivers an aside, referring to his brother that “Now it begins; I won’t let you down, Fred.” Also, shortly thereafter he confides to Vera that rescue might not be soon, as no alarm would be raised by his absence because “I had told my brother that I might not be returning right away”, or words to this effect. But Patrick couldn’t anticipate the fortuitous destruction of his boat which made his staying on the island inevitable. Did he intend to somehow hide his boat and hide out somewhere else on the island? This doesn’t sound too logical, as he didn’t know about the grotto or deserted villages or other safe places to hide until he discovered them during the course of the game. And what kind of investigation could he undertake if he couldn’t mingle and converse with the others?

In the opening scene, as the boat approaches the island, Mrs. Rogers is watching it arrive from the front porch, and she makes the comment that “It won’t work.” What “won’t work?” This is just supposed to be a rather extravagant party, certainly not something beyond the capacity of a servant to the wealthy, used to putting on such affairs. This also seems to tie in with the argument that she has with her husband early on in the game, when she reproaches her husband, saying that “you promised that this would not happen again.” This implies that the Rogers’ had some scheme of their own concocted, surely putting on a party for ten people wouldn’t be a big deal for people of their class. But there are no hints in the game as to what these statements were supposed to mean.

Supposedly Cyril, the child being watched over by Vera when he drowned was the heir to his family’s titles and estates, and Vera let him drown so his older brother Hugo (who was also Vera’s lover) would inherit instead. But this makes no sense, as inheritances pass to the eldest first, so Hugo should have been in line for everything anyway.

From the dialogue and stuff found in the game, the island was occupied at one time by the British Admiralty. Yet it was also a base of German spies. How could it be both? Also, the game ending reveals that the actress, Gabrielle Steele bought the place from it’s builder, Rodman, and never actually sold it. So when would either the British or Germans have had a chance to set up shop here? The chronology of the island seems as if it would preclude this.

What is the significance of all the stopped clocks?

What’s with the poster for the movie “Willard” on the wall of the screening room? This movie, a thriller about rats taking over didn’t come out till 1971.

There is clearly a string or some kind of line tied to left-side pier in the Grotto. You can’t take it or elicit any comment by clicking on it, so I’m wondering why the game designers put it there?

Did anyone catch the several Sherlock Holmes references in the game? I thought this was a nice touch, but I don’t recall Agatha ever including any references, veiled or otherwise, to Sherlock. (I could be mistaken on this, however)

Other than Narracott's reaching out to open doors and in fact opening them while his hand was still a foot away from the doorknob, and the amusing way in which all the apples were picked from the tree simultaneously when Narracott climbed the ladder and sort of waved his hand, the only technical glitch that I actually found annoying was the in-game cut scenes. These ran haltingly, with both motion and speech stopping and starting about every second, and those seconds where it hung up were accompanied by an annoying hiss. Yet the entirety of the introductory movie ran as flawlessly as any Hollywood production on the silver screen. Again, I'm wondering at this inconsistancy.

Anyway, I hope the Agatha Christie series does like the Nancy Drews, and continues on for many more games!

Antoinetta

[fov]

Originally Posted by RLacey

Does this mean that Suchet's Poirot is seen in America? Cool . They really should use him for a film at some point...

Yes, on Mystery which airs on PBS. (PBS airs a lot of BBC stuff.) My parents used to watch that and Masterpiece Theater every Sunday night. I don't think I ever really watched one of the shows myself, but I definitely recognize him as Poirot.

Well, changing the game's name for no reason takes lots of time, you know . This is now becoming an incredibly stupid running joke - with the exception of And Then There Were None there don't appear to be any TAC games that don't change title when they hop across the pond.

They could change it to "Ten Little Indians".

[RLacey]

Originally Posted by fov

I don't think I ever really watched one of the shows myself, but I definitely recognize him as Poirot.

You really, really should. He's miles better than any of the actors that have appeared in film versions, and I'd be the first to criticise poor acting in this part. In fact, it's a testament to his quality that he looks set to become the first actor to portray Poirot in every story written by Christie.

Oh, and it's an ITV series, not a BBC one .

[Antoinetta]

Completely agree with RLacey on this. Suchet seems 100% authentic; Agatha's printed descriptions of Poirot come to life.

Antoinetta

[fov]

Originally Posted by Antoinetta

In the game’s opening movie, Marston is racing along in his hot-rod, then pulls over to meet someone at a parked car; this person hands him a small package. Does anyone have any ideas as to what this was; I can’t see it has any bearing on the game nor do I recall any references to this scene during the game itself.

I assume it has something to do with

Spoiler:

Marston being a spy. Maybe it's the beacon that Narracott later finds, that Marston was supposed to plant (according to the decoded telegram)?

Who is Faine, and why, a moment later when Blore throws Patrick out, does he then call him Narracott? Why the inconsistancy? Where does the name “Faine” come from?

I think it's Fred's assumed name (in whatever gang he used to be in).

Did he intend to somehow hide his boat and hide out somewhere else on the island? This doesn’t sound too logical, as he didn’t know about the grotto or deserted villages or other safe places to hide until he discovered them during the course of the game. And what kind of investigation could he undertake if he couldn’t mingle and converse with the others?

Yes. He wanted to spy on Blore. This is part of the story that was added into the game, not in the original book. Scott or Lee could probably explain it best, but here's what I got from it.

Spoiler:

Patrick's brother, Fred, was involved in some kind of a gang that Blore was also involved with. While in this gang, Blore framed Fred for murder. Fred had to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Fred and Patrick both believe that Blore's the one who framed him, and they somehow got wind that one of the people who was going to be ferried to the party was Blore. Fred, who is the usual boatman, stayed home so as not to have to confront (and risk being turned in by) Blore, and Patrick went instead, with the intention of getting evidence that his brother was framed. (Come to think of it - maybe it's that Faine is their real last name, and Narracott is an assumed name that Fred took after he was framed for murder?) Anyway, Patrick had no intention of returning right away - his plan was to hide out on the island and get some dirt on Blore and/or evidence that Blore framed Fred, so he could clear his brother's name. He and Fred agreed ahead of time that Fred would not start to worry unless Patrick didn't return by Monday (which is when the guests were scheduled to come back, too).

This also seems to tie in with the argument that she has with her husband early on in the game, when she reproaches her husband, saying that “you promised that this would not happen again.”

Something to do with what happened at their previous employers'.

Spoiler:

Someone says at some point (it might be in the part where we learn the book's true ending?) that Mrs. Rogers was just a pawn under her husband's influence. The implication is that whatever happened before -- killing the boss and stealing from her -- is what Mr. Rogers had in mind this time, too. Remember, they didn't know that Owens wasn't a real person... maybe they were intending to steal from all the guests? Owen's letter to Blore about expecting people to steal from him implies that this might be the case.

Supposedly Cyril, the child being watched over by Vera when he drowned was the heir to his family’s titles and estates, and Vera let him drown so his older brother Hugo (who was also Vera’s lover) would inherit instead. But this makes no sense, as inheritances pass to the eldest first, so Hugo should have been in line for everything anyway.

I'm not sure about this.

Spoiler:

I think Hugo and Cyril were half brothers. Maybe Hugo was illegitimate? (Maybe the inheritance was going to be split, and with Cyril out of the way Hugo inherited the whole thing?)

From the dialogue and stuff found in the game, the island was occupied at one time by the British Admiralty. Yet it was also a base of German spies. How could it be both?

A base for German spies? I don't think so.

Spoiler:

I thought Marston was spying for the Germans ON the British Admiralty, who they (the Germans) thought were still using the island as a base.

Also, the game ending reveals that the actress, Gabrielle Steele bought the place from it’s builder, Rodman, and never actually sold it. So when would either the British or Germans have had a chance to set up shop here? The chronology of the island seems as if it would preclude this.

Good question. I'm not sure about this. Unless...

Spoiler:

...the admiralty owned it BEFORE Rodman. The Germans wouldn't necessarily know this when they sent Marston out to spy. Patrick doesn't find anything that suggests it's still being used as a base... just that it was at one point.

What is the significance of all the stopped clocks?

Adds to the creepy factor?

There is clearly a string or some kind of line tied to left-side pier in the Grotto. You can’t take it or elicit any comment by clicking on it, so I’m wondering why the game designers put it there?

I saw it too. It was bugging the crap out of me!

...the only technical glitch that I actually found annoying was the in-game cut scenes. These ran haltingly, with both motion and speech stopping and starting about every second, and those seconds where it hung up were accompanied by an annoying hiss. Yet the entirety of the introductory movie ran as flawlessly as any Hollywood production on the silver screen. Again, I'm wondering at this inconsistancy.

I had the exact same problem. Do you have an nVidia card? Several people at GameBoomers had this experience and also have nVidia cards. Updating video drivers didn't help. I emailed TAC about it a week ago but never heard back.

[fov]

Originally Posted by RLacey

Oh, and it's an ITV series, not a BBC one .

Silly me. I thought all British television was produced by the BBC.

[AudioSoldier]

Originally Posted by fov

Silly me. I thought all British television was produced by the BBC.

fov

[Stalin]

Originally Posted by fov

It's too bad all the TAC games seem to come out so much later in Europe than here. I don't think Voyage (Journey to the Moon) is scheduled for release until January... it came out here back in August.

I don't know why you think in that way.Journey to the Moon is Already out in several Europen countries including mine(Bulgaria).ATTWN is already out here in Bulgaria in its european Box.I don't know why Amazon.co.uk say that JTTM and ATTWN will be released in Europe next year.I'll enjoy the games very soon although i am from european country.
Stalin

[Skyrain]

Originally Posted by Antoinetta

Beware!!!! Rampant spoilers below!!!!

I just finished the game and enjoyed it thoroughly. I do have a few questions though.

Thanks!

In the game’s opening movie, Marston is racing along in his hot-rod, then pulls over to meet someone at a parked car; this person hands him a small package. Does anyone have any ideas as to what this was; I can’t see it has any bearing on the game nor do I recall any references to this scene during the game itself. Does anyone know who the man that gave him the package was? Is this the same package we see Marston carrying and that Narracott asks him about when he runs into Marston on the trail just after having discovered his boat is wrecked? I feel it is probably the same package, but wonder at its significance, as it, as far as I can see does not reappear in the game. My first thoughts after finishing the game was that the guy in the car was a German, one of Marston’s handlers/contacts and he was passing along the number-code and the decoder. But the code and the decoder were single sheets of paper, and it was clearly a package, not an envelope that was handed over.

This is supposed to be the beacon and Marston's instructions. Yes, Narracott discovers Marston with the balled-up paper and twine later. Unfortunately the package as drawn is too small. And yes, the man was presumably one of Marston's Nazi handlers.

If the narrator, Patrick Narracott is filling in for his brother Fred, why, during the conversation with Blore in his room (when you are interrupted in trying to get Blore’s notebook) do both Patrick and Blore use the name Faine, Patrick and Fred Faine? Who is Faine, and why, a moment later when Blore throws Patrick out, does he then call him Narracott? Why the inconsistancy? Where does the name “Faine” come from?

Patrick and Fred's real surname is Faine. Fred has been living under this assumed name ever since bolting after he was framed in the Purcell case. Patrick and Fred saw Blore's name on the list of passengers. Fred agreed to keep out of sight and let Patrick investigate. Yes, Patrick planned on staying on the island (although not being trapped there obviously). Both brothers are familiar with the island (not the grotto). He could have stashed the boat any number of places, This is all my backstory adapted from Blore's original secret. Blore goes back to calling Patrick Narracott, as do the other guests, to keep things from getting too muddled.

And what kind of investigation could he undertake if he couldn’t mingle and converse with the others?

Surveillance, attempting to search Blore's luggage, trying to learn what he can about Blore. Maybe he planned on returning under some pretext. We don't really need to know the details since Blore inadvertently gave him a reason to be on the island.

In the opening scene, as the boat approaches the island, Mrs. Rogers is watching it arrive from the front porch, and she makes the comment that “It won’t work.” What “won’t work?” This is just supposed to be a rather extravagant party, certainly not something beyond the capacity of a servant to the wealthy, used to putting on such affairs.

Her attitude--that the house party is an uneccesary burden to be thrust upon them so suddenly after their being hired and without warning--is taken from the book. I certainly meant her comment to be mysterious however, until the later overheard dialogue between her and her husband. Some other dialogue refering to this when she meets Narracott after dropping the sheets may have been removed. I can't remember now.

This also seems to tie in with the argument that she has with her husband early on in the game, when she reproaches her husband, saying that “you promised that this would not happen again.” This implies that the Rogers’ had some scheme of their own concocted, surely putting on a party for ten people wouldn’t be a big deal for people of their class. But there are no hints in the game as to what these statements were supposed to mean.

Again, taken from the book: she is refering to their murder by neglect of their employer. They expected never having the need to be in service again. Rogers is responding that he never expected their employer to be so stingy with the inheritance.

Supposedly Cyril, the child being watched over by Vera when he drowned was the heir to his family’s titles and estates, and Vera let him drown so his older brother Hugo (who was also Vera’s lover) would inherit instead. But this makes no sense, as inheritances pass to the eldest first, so Hugo should have been in line for everything anyway.

Taken from the book. Hugo was a half-brother. I trusted Agatha's knowledge of such things.

From the dialogue and stuff found in the game, the island was occupied at one time by the British Admiralty. Yet it was also a base of German spies. How could it be both?

Not sure how you infered it was a German base. Because it was a secret Admiralty base, the Nazis were most interested in learning what they could of the experiments there. This subplot is my addition.

Also, the game ending reveals that the actress, Gabrielle Steele bought the place from it’s builder, Rodman, and never actually sold it. So when would either the British or Germans have had a chance to set up shop here? The chronology of the island seems as if it would preclude this.

Presumably she leased it to the Admiralty through Morris.

What is the significance of all the stopped clocks?

I have no idea. I had no chance to review the extraneous dialogue that was added to the game like the clock references, and those silly radiators. (Central heating? In England? On an isolated island?)

What’s with the poster for the movie “Willard” on the wall of the screening room? This movie, a thriller about rats taking over didn’t come out till 1971.

Is it really? The posters were supposed to be from Gabrielle Steele's movies. I guess "generic" poster art was borrowed instead, like the portrait--of I think George Washington--that is in the dining room. One of the posters--a film about Lucretia Borgia--would have shown Gabrielle wearing the raven earring found in the safe. I suspect this was all done due to time restrictions.

There is clearly a string or some kind of line tied to left-side pier in the Grotto. You can’t take it or elicit any comment by clicking on it, so I’m wondering why the game designers put it there?

The line is supposed to be attached to a submerged gasoline can, one of Owen's party game rewards. If it no longer is, it was probably cut out.

Did anyone catch the several Sherlock Holmes references in the game? I thought this was a nice touch, but I don’t recall Agatha ever including any references, veiled or otherwise, to Sherlock. (I could be mistaken on this, however)

I'm not sure about Agatha refering to the Holmes canon. I suspect she must have at some point though! Several Holmes references? Remind me! I certainly had fun writing the bee-keeping book.

Lee