[beatchef]

That's interesting. It seems like it though, as the cpu is usually infallable, but sometimes makes stupid mistakesthat let you do the 2 mill trick and win easily.

[ATMachine]

Did anyone else notice that the version of Longbow on Christy Marx's website isn't the same as the final version that Sierra put out on its disks?

Besides having the mysterious "robin2" and "robin3" batch files, it's missing the SIERRA.EXE file that was standard to finished Sierra games back then. Also, the game logo in the finished version changes color, but in Christy Marx's version it doesn't. Finally, I've noticed that a few lines of dialogue present in the original disk version are missing in the downloadable version, and others are different colors than they "should" be.

Seems Christy Marx must have posted a very late beta of Longbow, not the final "gold" copy.

[Ninth]

Originally Posted by Kurufinwe

RTFM.

Too easy.

[After a brisk nap]

I have to say, although I love all parts of Longbow, and there's plenty of fun stuff still to come, I think the rescue of Hal, Hob, and Dicken is the high point of the game for me.

There's just so much stuff to do in this day! There's the initial choice between rescuing the sons or infiltrating the monastery. Then you can choose between an adventure game-type solution or outright battle (with a number of different strategies to select between). How many adventure games give you the option to bypass all of the secret passages, fetch quests and inventory puzzles and just storm the gates instead? Yeah, it may not be the smartest choice you can make, but at least you have that freedom.



Also, I like calling my most trusted men together for a war council. It really makes it feel like there's a lot at stake.



But, of course, the real path for this mission is subterfuge, and there's some classic Robin Hood stuff there. The game has already allowed us to practice archery and do-goodery, and now is the first time we really get to try some proper sneakery (the beggar outfit hardly counts), and even a bit of theft (stealery?). Bluffing your way in to see the prisoners and pretending to shrive their souls is cracking good stuff. And facing down the sheriff and offering him your "blessing" is every bit as amusing as the game makes out. This is what real adventuring is about!

I also have a very soft spot for Nine Men's Morris. The computer AI isn't great, but the game itself is very entertaining. Tactical without being impenetrable, and quick enough that there's always time for one more round. The way it has been integrated into the game may be the same standard contrived puzzle...

Spoiler:

You need to win an amethyst that protects you from drunkenness just as the abbot just happens to try to drink you under the table.

... but the little details, like using an authentic medieval game, and Old Harry's backstory as a soldier in the Crusades, makes it seem almost completely natural. Oh, and on that note, how cool is it that the pub is a real place, dating back (perhaps) to the time when the game is set? It even has the tunnels in the back! I had no idea that the place actually existed until now. Thanks for the tip, ATMachine.

Then there are all the small things, like the Easter eggs, the different conversations you can trigger, all the various ways Robin can die

Spoiler:

(how about putting the amethyst in the abbot's cup instead of your own?)

and another set of dialog portraits for Robin. It makes this day highly replayable, but more importantly it makes it tons of fun the first time through. Talk about interaction density!

[MadTricks]

At day 5 I stopped brown monk, and let him go. Then i got monk clothes from my cave. Went to town and St.Marys church after that. Then talked monk with purple clothes. He sent me to get beer. So i went to pub. Am i doing this right?

And(wtf):

[ATMachine]

Your post has to do with a game bug. As After a brisk nap pointed out to another member earlier in the thread, you probably should start a new thread in the Hint Requests and Technical Problems forum for that sort of thing. Once you do, I'm sure someone will be happy to respond.

The playthrough thread is for discussing our reactions to the game's story and puzzles, sharing our different ways of playing the game, and exploring new things to do and see.

[ATMachine]

Heh. I just discovered something amusing. Click the HAND icon on Robin while he's wearing the brown Monk's robe on Day 5. You'll find out exactly what he's wearing underneath.

[MoriartyL]

As lost as I was in the forest, that's how lost I am in the story right now. When I started playing Day 5 now (I had quit before because I picked the wrong monk and didn't feel like starting over yet.), I didn't remember about the three boys and there was nothing to remind me. So I wandered around aimlessly in Nottingham, until the end of the day at which point I was very confused as to how the men had died. I thought the whole thing was just to infiltrate the abbey, and then I'm informed, basically, that I'm an idiot.

And now all of you are talking about things I don't understand, and I feel like I've been excluded from the playthrough. This has been a terrible day.

When I tried getting the ale from the pub for the first time, I came across an error message:

535.tex not found.

And then I couldn't figure out how to get out of the error, so I had to restart DOSBox.

Nine Men's Morris is really fun. I have the Arcade slider pretty high up, and I've never played this game before, but I won on the first try. Yay! And then he gives you something which, unlike the vast majority of adventures, can be used very soon afterwards and before the player is likely to forget what it's for.

Something else I like about this game is that you can steal from enemies, but not from friends. You'd think this would be obvious in all games, but it rarely is. It's like I've always said: You define a character by creatively restricting what he can do.

After getting the box (and I have no idea what it is or why I should care), I went into the nearby maze, which was pretty pointless. At the end of all that, I got to an empty area. I suppose witch-burning is being set up for later, but I didn't see what the point of the whole maze was. So I went into the maze again, expecting that I must have missed something. As it turned out, I didn't, and it was just a huge waste of time. Then I went back to the pub and got myself locked in the cellar, for what purpose I couldn't tell. So I loaded and walked over to the cobbler to see if he could tell me about the box, but he wasn't in. So I walked around some more and was told I had lost. Terrible.




I'm dreading going back to the game now.

[ATMachine]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

As lost as I was in the forest, that's how lost I am in the story right now. When I started playing Day 5 now (I had quit before because I picked the wrong monk and didn't feel like starting over yet.), I didn't remember about the three boys and there was nothing to remind me. So I wandered around aimlessly in Nottingham, until the end of the day at which point I was very confused as to how the men had died. I thought the whole thing was just to infiltrate the abbey, and then I'm informed, basically, that I'm an idiot.

And now all of you are talking about things I don't understand, and I feel like I've been excluded from the playthrough. This has been a terrible day.

When I tried getting the ale from the pub for the first time, I came across an error message: And then I couldn't figure out how to get out of the error, so I had to restart DOSBox.

Nine Men's Morris is really fun. I have the Arcade slider pretty high up, and I've never played this game before, but I won on the first try. Yay! And then he gives you something which, unlike the vast majority of adventures, can be used very soon afterwards and before the player is likely to forget what it's for.

Something else I like about this game is that you can steal from enemies, but not from friends. You'd think this would be obvious in all games, but it rarely is. It's like I've always said: You define a character by creatively restricting what he can do.

After getting the box (and I have no idea what it is or why I should care), I went into the nearby maze, which was pretty pointless. At the end of all that, I got to an empty area. I suppose witch-burning is being set up for later, but I didn't see what the point of the whole maze was. So I went into the maze again, expecting that I must have missed something. As it turned out, I didn't, and it was just a huge waste of time. Then I went back to the pub and got myself locked in the cellar, for what purpose I couldn't tell. So I loaded and walked over to the cobbler to see if he could tell me about the box, but he wasn't in. So I walked around some more and was told I had lost. Terrible.

I'm dreading going back to the game now.

Don't waste time in Nottingham Town; go to each location and explore it thoroughly before going to another one.

The Cobbler doesn't figure into Day 5 at all.

Entering the abbey is important, and there's stuff to find there, but the boys aren't being held there. You need to rescue them from the Sheriff's castle. Although I don't recommend trying to rescue them through the front door.

The error is caused (I think) by giving money to the bartender; give him a large container to hold your ale instead, as the Abbot wants more than 1 cup. Check the Abbey for such a container.

Don't worry about the puzzle box for now. Obtain it, yes, but hold onto it for later. Later in the game you'll learn what it's for.

Mapping the hedge maze and the Witch's Court is important. You get points for it, and you should find a quick route through it for later in the game, when you really need it.

Being locked in the cellar is also important; there's another way out which you should find, which is critical to finishing the day successfully.

And if you get really stuck, you can always go back to your camp, change into your outlaw garb, and blow your horn. Then you can choose a battle plan to rescue the boys. You'll lose some men, but if you save before you choose the plan you can experiment to find the one that saves the most lives. Plus it'll be simpler than the optimal solution with puzzle-solving.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

Entering the abbey is important, but the boys aren't being held there. You need to rescue them from the Sheriff's castle. Although I don't recommend trying to rescue them through the front door.

Yes, well now I know that I have to save them. But I'm really not eager to play that whole long day over again. Maybe in a few days. (By that point, everyone else will probably be on day 7 and talking about day 12. )

Mapping the hedge maze and the Witch's Court is important. You get points for it, and you should find a quick route through it for later in the game, when you really need it.

I don't understand. I found a few ways through, and I didn't notice getting any points.

Being locked in the cellar is also important; there's another way out which you should find, which is critical to finishing the day successfully.

Why don't you just tell me where it is, since I couldn't find it?

[ATMachine]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

Yes, well now I know that I have to save them. But I'm really not eager to play that whole long day over again. Maybe in a few days. (By that point, everyone else will probably be on day 7 and talking about day 12. )

I don't understand. I found a few ways through, and I didn't notice getting any points.

Why don't you just tell me where it is, since I couldn't find it?

You should get 100 points for opening the door to the Witch's Court and going through. Then leave the Court and go back through the maze to the Abbey.

The secret passage:

Spoiler:

In the cellar, click the HAND on the tap of the second ale cask from the left. It may take a few tries to find the right spot, as it's a bit small. The secret passage leads both to the castle dungeon and to the Abbey. Find a way to spy on the guards in the dungeon BEFORE you enter, though! Look for a hole in the wall.

[After a brisk nap]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

As lost as I was in the forest, that's how lost I am in the story right now. When I started playing Day 5 now (I had quit before because I picked the wrong monk and didn't feel like starting over yet.), I didn't remember about the three boys and there was nothing to remind me. So I wandered around aimlessly in Nottingham, until the end of the day at which point I was very confused as to how the men had died. I thought the whole thing was just to infiltrate the abbey, and then I'm informed, basically, that I'm an idiot.

Well, the game tells you that you screwed up (though you're still allowed to continue, right?). Did the guys you were supposed to rescue die, or just some of your merry men?

I can admit that the game becomes more difficult on Day 5, but the fact that you forgot your mission for the day is hardly the fault of the game (blame the pace of the playthrough if anything). And there are reminders about what you're trying to do in Nottingham. For instance, walk up to the castle gates and talk to the guard.

And now all of you are talking about things I don't understand, and I feel like I've been excluded from the playthrough. This has been a terrible day.

Play through the day before you read it, and you won't feel excluded. This is a marvellous day with tons of exciting things to do, and by the end you'll really have achieved something.

I suggest you restart from the beginning of the day, and pay close attention to what you learn from your men and the old widow before going into town.

When I tried getting the ale from the pub for the first time, I came across an error message: And then I couldn't figure out how to get out of the error, so I had to restart DOSBox.

Yeah, that's the same bug MadTricks experienced. I wonder if it has to do with the version of the game on Christy Marx's web site not being the final version of the game. Like ATMachine says, give the barkeep the abbot's empty cask instead.

Nine Men's Morris is really fun. I have the Arcade slider pretty high up, and I've never played this game before, but I won on the first try. Yay! And then he gives you something which, unlike the vast majority of adventures, can be used very soon afterwards and before the player is likely to forget what it's for.

It's funny, in my opinion that's the only flaw with the puzzle: that you need to use the amethyst right afterwards. It feels awfully convenient. Too convenient. Besides, good stories separate the setup and the payoff, because it makes the payoff more satisfying. Q gives 007 all his gadgets at the beginning of the movie, and Bond doesn't use them all until much later.

After getting the box (and I have no idea what it is or why I should care), I went into the nearby maze, which was pretty pointless. At the end of all that, I got to an empty area. I suppose witch-burning is being set up for later, but I didn't see what the point of the whole maze was. So I went into the maze again, expecting that I must have missed something. As it turned out, I didn't, and it was just a huge waste of time.

Yup. Who said a game should never be frustrating?

Then I went back to the pub and got myself locked in the cellar, for what purpose I couldn't tell.

You need to pay closer attention to what the barkeep says to you.

Spoiler:

He indicates that there's a shortcut back to the abbey through there.

So I walked around some more and was told I had lost. Terrible.

I'm dreading going back to the game now.

Did you actually lose? Or did the game just move on with a less-than-perfect resolution? And, umm, why do you dread going back to it? You said yourself that the reason you lost was that you had forgotten what to do. Shouldn't it be straightforward the next time? And if you're stuck, you can always ask for a hint.

[ATMachine]

Originally Posted by After a brisk nap

It's funny, in my opinion that's the only flaw with the puzzle: that you need to use the amethyst right afterwards. It feels awfully convenient. Too convenient. Besides, good stories separate the setup and the payoff, because it makes the payoff more satisfying. Q gives 007 all his gadgets at the beginning of the movie, and Bond doesn't use them all until much later.

What bothered me just as much came right after that, when

Spoiler:

you search the Abbot's robes and find 12 pennies, which is exactly enough to pay his bill at the Pub!

That feels contrived to me, but I can certainly live with it.

[After a brisk nap]

Hey, maybe he had the money because he was just going to go over there himself and pay the bill.

[Ledz]

Or maybe Robin took just enough to give back to the barkeeper? I'm not sure but it would make sense for him to do that, wouldn't it?

[ATMachine]

Well, as I recall, Robin learns the exact tab when he returns the ale cask to the barkeep for the second time, at which point the player may already have lightened the Abbot's pockets. So the Abbot must have been carrying exactly 12 pennies.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by After a brisk nap

I can admit that the game becomes more difficult on Day 5, but the fact that you forgot your mission for the day is hardly the fault of the game (blame the pace of the playthrough if anything).

I am.

It's funny, in my opinion that's the only flaw with the puzzle: that you need to use the amethyst right afterwards. It feels awfully convenient. Too convenient. Besides, good stories separate the setup and the payoff, because it makes the payoff more satisfying. Q gives 007 all his gadgets at the beginning of the movie, and Bond doesn't use them all until much later.

I see what you're saying. But I think it's also nice to have a section of a game reasonably self-contained, so that if you just play one day you get a satisfying enough story.

You need to pay closer attention to what the barkeep says to you.

Spoiler:

He indicates that there's a shortcut back to the abbey through there.

I did pay attention to him. I looked all over the place looking for a way out to the abbey, and I couldn't find one.

Did you actually lose? Or did the game just move on with a less-than-perfect resolution? And, umm, why do you dread going back to it? You said yourself that the reason you lost was that you had forgotten what to do. Shouldn't it be straightforward the next time? And if you're stuck, you can always ask for a hint.

After hearing everyone else talking about how great the day was, and then experiencing that sudden ending practically before it got started, it sure felt like a loss. And I dreaded going back to it because I'd have to replay at least the whole day, losing all the progress I thought I was making.

My problem certainly wasn't the fault of the designers; now that I've calmed down a bit, I'll try it again. How much time do I have before you guys run ahead?

[Ledz]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

Well, as I recall, Robin learns the exact tab when he returns the ale cask to the barkeep for the second time, at which point the player may already have lightened the Abbot's pockets. So the Abbot must have been carrying exactly 12 pennies.

As I remember it, the first time you talk to the abbot he sends you to get a new keg, and as you go get it you find out about the 12 pennies tab, and also play some Morris. Then, you go and outdrink the abbot already having the information. I suppose it doesn't have to be done that way, but that would be the logical course of events.

[MoriartyL]

Okay, that was pretty fun. The battle was very disappointing, because you don't actually play it or even watch it. It shows the beginning, and then skips the important part. And the decision making process, while a brilliant idea, is somewhat cheapened by this, since it means that the more outlandish and clever plans can't possibly work, no matter what.

The day is much too short. There's not enough time to take the secret passageway, so I don't understand what it's there for in the first place. And if you visit the prisoners as a monk, you're condemning them to death.

[After a brisk nap]

Day 6

In which Robin battles the black monks.




and

Day 7

In which Robin learns something that comes in handy.




Stop and save after the cutscene that ends Day 7, at the beginning of Day 8. We will go on to the next bit on or around July 30th.