[MystGirl]

Howdy. Just thought I'd start a thread since I'm newer to this type of genre. Quick history, I only discovered adventure type games a couple of years ago, when I first saw the game Syberia at my video store. That led to my discovery of the Myst games and then looking up really old games like King's Quest on Wikipedia online.

I didn't grow up with a computer as a kid in the 80's, so I wasn't even aware of these types of games until recently. As much as I'd like to check out really, really old games, even the old text ones, my budget is very tight, and I have to limit what I can buy, and possible downloading things to my newer computer to play really old games. (I'm also still kind of computer "illiterate" and not familiar with a lot of computer software, terms, and older/newer computer technology. Still learning. I started looking up the info on how to download/install DOSbox on my computer and got lost very quickly. Guess I need to keep things more simple for now and stick to PC games I know my computer can play.)

I have a few questions: For someone on a very tight budget, is it better to buy the PC version adventure games? Are they cheaper overall then the console games? I do buy games used online, but sometimes, I'm not sure if I should go with the PC or console version of a game if they have both versions. I always wonder, if the console version is missing some of the details that are only included in the PC version. I notice the prices for used games online, either for PC or console, are kind of all over the place depending on where you buy.

Also, I have Windows XP, and my computer is only like two-three years old. How far back can I go to play older PC games that will play on my computer?

Should I check out amateur adventure games? I'm not familiar with those at all. I've noticed many of those types seem to be featured on this site. Are those games just produced at a private level, instead of by the big game company guys? I'm not quite sure what the difference is between amateur adventure games, and regular adventure games.

I do love puzzle solving games like those in the Myst or Syberia style. But I'm open to other types of adventure games, if you liked something you played a lot and want to recommend something I've never heard of. I played an older PS1 game called "D" recently (about a girl who discovers she's a vampire). That was quite fun.

I do remember one old computer game as a kid. I think I played it on a friend's computer. It was either a haunted house or something about Dracula. Can't remember. Any games involving having to solve a mystery or "spooky" settings are cool. I enjoy those too.

[misslilo]

If you like the spooky mystery puzzle kind of games, then you should try the Nancy Drew games for PC.

As for playing "old" games using Dosbox, then look in this thread.
I know it says for Vista, but I put a few links to sites, that tells how to install them and all
http://www.adventuregamers.com/forum...ad.php?t=21904

[Melanie68]

Welcome MystGirl. Glad you found us.

Most AGs come on PC. There are actually very few that are on consoles (the ones that are there are ported from the PC version, console-only adventures are rare).

Insofar as Windows XP and games, you can get a lot of older games to work using either DosBox or SCUMMVm. You can also use compatibility mode (95 or 98) for some older games. XP is pretty forgiving of older games.

Check out this thread for links to those two emulators, other advice, as well as threads with game recommendations and a general tour of our forums and main site.

That's all I'm thinking of now. Others will be around too.

I should also add I came to adventure games when I was 27 or 28. I had a VIC-20 computer as a kid but none after that until I got my first job after college.

[ShadeJackrabbit]

Howdy.

Hello new person! I'm the local rabbity-thing!

Now that pleasantries are aside...

For someone on a very tight budget, is it better to buy the PC version adventure games?

If you've got a tight budget, PC is the way to go. I've found a lot of good adventure games for 10-30 dollars, as opposed to their 40 dollar console equivalent. Also, controls are often easier. Old games can be hard to come across, but check any local "stuff that people drop off" stores as they occasionally can be found there for about a dollar. (Or at least, that's how it works over here.)

Should I check out amateur adventure games?

Hell yes.

I do remember one old computer game as a kid. I think I played it on a friend's computer. It was either a haunted house or something about Dracula. Can't remember. Any games involving having to solve a mystery or "spooky" settings are cool. I enjoy those too.

Creepy Adventures - A topic made by me, as I also enjoy "spooky" games.

Oh, last thing I want to say is that I call myself a Treasure Hunter. Why? Because I'm always looking for a good deal. So here are my treasure hunting (for adventure games) tips:
-Use sites such as Amazon.com to find second-hand games. I've never had a problem and the games are at good prices. (Anywhere from 5-30 dollars.)
-Check local "drop-off" places for games. You'll usually find lots of bad stuff, but there's often a diamond among the coal.
-Gaming stores are good for little-known titles, but they're sometimes more expensive.
-Stores such as Wal-mart usually sell good games for around 8 dollars. Always a good deal!
-Check bargain bins.

[Tuesdays Gone]

Welcome MystGirl.

You may want to give the Delaware St. John series a try as they fall into the spooky category. I'm currently playing the 1st one (there are 3 in the series so far), The Curse Of Midnight Manor am and really enjoying it. They are pretty cheap to, you can get all 3 games in a bundle for $24.99

Thanks and enjoy!

Tony.

[MystGirl]

Originally Posted by misslilo

If you like the spooky mystery puzzle kind of games, then you should try the Nancy Drew games for PC.

As for playing "old" games using Dosbox, then look in this thread.
I know it says for Vista, but I put a few links to sites, that tells how to install them and all
http://www.adventuregamers.com/forum...ad.php?t=21904

Thank you for the link. I was checking out the Dosbox instructions on this forum actually that's linked in the first sticky thread. (just got confusing once I got there) I just need to take some time one day, to read more up on it, to install it properly. (I'm also lazy with my computer)

[MystGirl]

Originally Posted by Melanie68

Welcome MystGirl. Glad you found us.

Most AGs come on PC. There are actually very few that are on consoles (the ones that are there are ported from the PC version, console-only adventures are rare).

Insofar as Windows XP and games, you can get a lot of older games to work using either DosBox or SCUMMVm. You can also use compatibility mode (95 or 98) for some older games. XP is pretty forgiving of older games.

Check out this thread for links to those two emulators, other advice, as well as threads with game recommendations and a general tour of our forums and main site.

That's all I'm thinking of now. Others will be around too.

I should also add I came to adventure games when I was 27 or 28. I had a VIC-20 computer as a kid but none after that until I got my first job after college.

Thank you Melanie. Those were the links I was checking out, but got lost and confused too quickly. I'll work on it though. I am glad to know many games are compatible with XP. I figured most adventure games are still PC over console. (unfortunately)

Thanks for the extra links.

[MystGirl]

Originally Posted by ShadeJackrabbit

Hello new person! I'm the local rabbity-thing!

Now that pleasantries are aside...


If you've got a tight budget, PC is the way to go. I've found a lot of good adventure games for 10-30 dollars, as opposed to their 40 dollar console equivalent. Also, controls are often easier. Old games can be hard to come across, but check any local "stuff that people drop off" stores as they occasionally can be found there for about a dollar. (Or at least, that's how it works over here.)


Hell yes.


Creepy Adventures - A topic made by me, as I also enjoy "spooky" games.

Oh, last thing I want to say is that I call myself a Treasure Hunter. Why? Because I'm always looking for a good deal. So here are my treasure hunting (for adventure games) tips:
-Use sites such as Amazon.com to find second-hand games. I've never had a problem and the games are at good prices. (Anywhere from 5-30 dollars.)
-Check local "drop-off" places for games. You'll usually find lots of bad stuff, but there's often a diamond among the coal.
-Gaming stores are good for little-known titles, but they're sometimes more expensive.
-Stores such as Wal-mart usually sell good games for around 8 dollars. Always a good deal!
-Check bargain bins.

That's what I suspected. (that PC games are the better choice over console for these types of games as far as overall price)

I have ordered older Myst games on Amazon and Ebay type sites. Got good prices on them. (I just happened to find PS1 versions of them.)

I do check out gaming stores and Wal-Mart too, just in case I find a "good" find in this genre. Sometimes, I luck out. That's where I found some of the older Myst games too.

It's funny though, when I ask about older games like Myst at the gaming stores. I love to see the puzzled reactions from the 16 year old kids that work there. lol. Lord, these games do age us. But I don't mind.

[MystGirl]

Originally Posted by Tuesdays Gone

Welcome MystGirl.

You may want to give the Delaware St. John series a try as they fall into the spooky category. I'm currently playing the 1st one (there are 3 in the series so far), The Curse Of Midnight Manor am and really enjoying it. They are pretty cheap to, you can get all 3 games in a bundle for $24.99

Thanks and enjoy!

Tony.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm a bit overwhelmed with gaming info right now, so I have a growing list. I'm pretty sure The Curse Of Midnight Manor sounds very familiar to my ears. I wonder if I've played that one before but just don't remember since it's been so many years.

Thanks!




Nice to meet you all by the way. Thanks for the warm welcome and info.

[Collector]

For a limited budget, if you want to explore the old Sierra Quest series, you can find the re-releases of King's Quest, Space Quest, Police Quest and Leisure Suit Larry collections for $15 - $20 US. Just be sure to get the patches from the VU boards. ScummVM has a number of free adventures for download. There are also some very good free King's Quest fan remake games - http://www.agdinteractive.com/ and http://www.infamous-adventures.com/

[Tuesdays Gone]

Originally Posted by MystGirl

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm a bit overwhelmed with gaming info right now, so I have a growing list. I'm pretty sure The Curse Of Midnight Manor sounds very familiar to my ears. I wonder if I've played that one before but just don't remember since it's been so many years.

Thanks!




Nice to meet you all by the way. Thanks for the warm welcome and info.

I know the feeling. I was out of the gaming loop for years and only rediscovered my love for adventure games. I have a wish list myself that keeps growing on a daily basis.

Midnight Manor was released in 2005, so it's been around for a couple of years.


Take care,

Tony.

[lipsum]

Hello and a big welcome!

If you're on a tight budget (like myself), check out Game Trading Zone (www.gametz.com).

To be absolutely clear, I'm not a GTZ team member or have any other connection with it beside trading.

I've been trading for the past 7 years. It is a wonderful way for getting almost every game you're interested in, and all you have to pay is shipping costs which are many times lower than the actual price of the game.

The trading system is based on mutual trust and respect, backed by strict rules.

And the best thing is it's absolutely free (though payed membership is optional and will give you many benefits).

[Sik]

Since you don't seem to be concerned with up to date graphics, only that the games should work on your computer, I suggest you try to get your hands on games from Lucas Arts' golden age. They work flawlessly using ScummVM, which requires much less fiddling than DOSbox, and should be fairly easy to get hold of since they have been re-released several times.

The must haves (my opinon of course)
Day of the Tentacle
Sam and Max: Hit the Road
The Dig
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Full Throttle
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

These games are all pretty much perfect "traditional point and click adventuers", and are as good as, or better than any modern adventure game you'll find except for graphics. Try to find the CD versions of these games if you can (available for all except Monkey Island 2). The voice acting is great for all of them.

Should play:
Monkey Island 1: The Secret of Monkey Island
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Loom

The only reason I didn't mention The Secret of Monkey Island at first, is that there are a lot of different versions out there. The game is basically the same no matter what, but the interface of the older ones is less stream-lined, and might put you off. It's definitely not a game you should miss out on, though, and if you find a CD release, it's going to be a 'new' version. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a good game, but I'm reluctant to recommend it because it's less forgiving than newer LA games. Try it if you find you like the others. Finally, Loom is a lovely little game, but nothing like the others. If you think you'll like a game where every puzzle is solved by learning songs and playing them in the right place at the right time, give it a go.

Just so you can say you played all of them...
Zac McCracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Maniac Mansion

I didn't care much for these, but that doesn't mean you won't like them. These games are older than the rest I mentioned (except loom) and show their age more, in my opinion. The interface can be annoying, and there are deaths and dead ends. Don't let that scare you if you find you like the other games mentioned, though, just don't try to play them first just because they were released first.

Finally, newer games:
Monkey Island 3: The Curse of Monkey Island
Monkey Island 4: Escape from Monkey Island
Grim Fandango

All newer games made for the Windows platform, which unfortunately means they are more likely to give you issues. They all work on Windows XP, though, it just might take some work. Especially for MI3. All good games, and since you didn't grow up with MI1 and MI2 you will probably like the sequels as well, even if they aren't as faithful to the originals as some fans would have wanted. Grim Fandango is an all time favorite of a lot of adventure gamers, by the way, so it's kind of odd that I mentioned it last. That's just how the post turned out, though, since I wanted to recommend (probably) cheap games playable with ScummVM. Definitely pick of Grim Fandango if you get a chance.

[MystGirl]

Originally Posted by lipsum

Hello and a big welcome!

If you're on a tight budget (like myself), check out Game Trading Zone (www.gametz.com).

To be absolutely clear, I'm not a GTZ team member or have any other connection with it beside trading.

I've been trading for the past 7 years. It is a wonderful way for getting almost every game you're interested in, and all you have to pay is shipping costs which are many times lower than the actual price of the game.

The trading system is based on mutual trust and respect, backed by strict rules.

And the best thing is it's absolutely free (though payed membership is optional and will give you many benefits).

Thank you so much for the link! I'm always looking for other "cheaper" gaming websites to buy from besides the usual Amazon/E-bay routes.

Originally Posted by Sik

Since you don't seem to be concerned with up to date graphics, only that the games should work on your computer, I suggest you try to get your hands on games from Lucas Arts' golden age. They work flawlessly using ScummVM, which requires much less fiddling than DOSbox, and should be fairly easy to get hold of since they have been re-released several times.

The must haves (my opinon of course)
Day of the Tentacle
Sam and Max: Hit the Road
The Dig
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Full Throttle
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

These games are all pretty much perfect "traditional point and click adventuers", and are as good as, or better than any modern adventure game you'll find except for graphics. Try to find the CD versions of these games if you can (available for all except Monkey Island 2). The voice acting is great for all of them.

Should play:
Monkey Island 1: The Secret of Monkey Island
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Loom

The only reason I didn't mention The Secret of Monkey Island at first, is that there are a lot of different versions out there. The game is basically the same no matter what, but the interface of the older ones is less stream-lined, and might put you off. It's definitely not a game you should miss out on, though, and if you find a CD release, it's going to be a 'new' version. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a good game, but I'm reluctant to recommend it because it's less forgiving than newer LA games. Try it if you find you like the others. Finally, Loom is a lovely little game, but nothing like the others. If you think you'll like a game where every puzzle is solved by learning songs and playing them in the right place at the right time, give it a go.

Just so you can say you played all of them...
Zac McCracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Maniac Mansion

I didn't care much for these, but that doesn't mean you won't like them. These games are older than the rest I mentioned (except loom) and show their age more, in my opinion. The interface can be annoying, and there are deaths and dead ends. Don't let that scare you if you find you like the other games mentioned, though, just don't try to play them first just because they were released first.

Finally, newer games:
Monkey Island 3: The Curse of Monkey Island
Monkey Island 4: Escape from Monkey Island
Grim Fandango

All newer games made for the Windows platform, which unfortunately means they are more likely to give you issues. They all work on Windows XP, though, it just might take some work. Especially for MI3. All good games, and since you didn't grow up with MI1 and MI2 you will probably like the sequels as well, even if they aren't as faithful to the originals as some fans would have wanted. Grim Fandango is an all time favorite of a lot of adventure gamers, by the way, so it's kind of odd that I mentioned it last. That's just how the post turned out, though, since I wanted to recommend (probably) cheap games playable with ScummVM. Definitely pick of Grim Fandango if you get a chance.

I am definitely interested in the Lucas Arts games. I haven't downloaded the ScummVM as of yet, due to the fact that I'm kind of working my way backwards on PC games currently. (I change my mind every week on what to play) The Monkey Island games are definitely of interest to me.

I don't mind older graphics at all. I kind of find them charming. It's always a good story I'm interested in.

It's just a bummer that many of the gaming stores, don't even carry PC games anymore, of if they do, it's a small "PC bookcase" in the rear of the store. I tried out places like Best Buy and Circuit City, but they usually only have a few adventure games there. (like the Nancy Drew series which I just started playing) I know I can order all these games online, but a part of me enjoys "holding them in my hands" before purchasing them. That's the only gripe I have about ordering things online. I like to "touch" it, before I buy it sometimes.

Ah well. The nice thing about ordering these online, is PC games tend to have rock bottom prices, whereas, at a store, you have to pay the retail price. So I can't complain too much since my budget is limited.


Thanks all.