'Rhiannon' playable demos released

noelbruton · 10-03-2008, 03:50 AM

Hi all

Thought you might like to know that we've made two playable demos for 'Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches'. You can download them from http://www.rhiannongame.com.

Cheers

Noel Bruton
Arberth Studios

silent_m · 10-04-2008, 07:50 PM

Downloading now! Good luck with the game!!

rtrooney · 10-06-2008, 02:42 PM

DL'd mine today. Hope to get to them before the weekend. I appreciate the fact that you did a demo. I no longer feel comfortable purchasing a game without having given it a test drive first.

rtrooney · 10-11-2008, 02:53 PM

I admit to being a bit confused by the demos, although I have only started the first.

Confused enough that I dl'd a walkthrough for the entire game just to play the demo.

It seems that, for demo purposes, some steps have been removed. E.g., I am able to enter the house without a key. The electricity is already on. Etc..

Ergo, there are some logic elements that seem to be missing. As such, the demo is doing a great job of giving me samples of graphic styling. (Really good!) But is doing a poor job of telling me how the game actually plays.

I guess there are two ways of going about a demo. One, such as the infamous Freddy Pharkus Frontier Pharmacist demo, was a game all by itself.

Another, such as the Still Life demo, was nothing more than the first chapter.

The Rhiannon demo falls somewhere in between, and it isn't working very well for me.

In essence, it isn't helping me make a buying decision.

rtrooney · 10-12-2008, 03:01 PM

I've played the Chapter 1 demo some more. Calling this a "playable" demo is a HUGE exageration.

As mentioned earlier, nothing can be explored except the main house. Once inside the main house, it is impossible to exit. (So much for starting a fire with the firewood that not in the house.) Also mentioned is the front door being unlocked and the electricity is turned on. (So much for finding the key or the electrical box.)

Other than finding the daughter's note, picking up a lighter, adding a note to inventory and finding a photograph, there is nothing to do.

There are many, many things the WT of Chapter 1 says to do/take/read that can't be done in the "playable" demo. It is possible to look at things the WT says to take. Other items that you are told to look at or read simply aren't there to look at or read.

I have not played the Chapter 5 "playable" demo, but I can't imagine it's much different.

I really wonder what the intent was when these demos were released. If anything other than giving a feel for the graphics, they fail completely.

One last complaint...you can't save a game, so you have to start from scratch every time you play. Which requires you to sit through the intro every time because you can't skip past it. Not good execution

Nothing here that tells me "Buy this game!"

rtrooney · 10-14-2008, 04:38 PM

FWIW, "playability" of Chapter 5 demo is less than Chapter 1. What were they thinking?

AndreaDraco83 · 10-15-2008, 02:34 AM

I agree with you, rtrooney. I've played only the first demo and there isn't really anything to do, but I also think that the atmosphere - or the little we see of it - was great, and the atmosphere is what I mostly expect from this kind of games!

rtrooney · 10-15-2008, 03:26 PM

I agree that the graphics are quite good. The "atmospherics" are fair. I mean if this is a semi-horror/supernatural adventure, the demos of Scratches and Barrow Hill did it much better. Which leaves the question of 'how much fun will it be to play the game?', and the demo leaves you without a clue.

orient · 10-15-2008, 07:14 PM

I played the first demo and, at the risk of sounding a little harsh, it felt very "1998" in terms of 3D graphics and design. There was nothing exciting about playing this demo. However, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt until reviews come in.

mike in brier · 11-05-2008, 05:08 PM

Aside from what rtrooney already said, there is one other thing you can do in the first demo. Try using the lighter on the stairs........

rtrooney · 11-06-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike in brier

Aside from what rtrooney already said, there is one other thing you can do in the first demo. Try using the lighter on the stairs........

That's the ONLY interactive thing you can do in either demo, and it gets you...............?

10-03-2008, 03:50 AM	#1
noelbruton Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 16	'Rhiannon' playable demos released Hi all Thought you might like to know that we've made two playable demos for 'Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches'. You can download them from http://www.rhiannongame.com. Cheers Noel Bruton Arberth Studios Share Share this post on Twitter

10-04-2008, 07:50 PM	#2
silent_m Restless Dreamer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Kemah, TX Posts: 75	Downloading now! Good luck with the game!! Share Share this post on Twitter

10-06-2008, 02:42 PM	#3
rtrooney Codger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,080	DL'd mine today. Hope to get to them before the weekend. I appreciate the fact that you did a demo. I no longer feel comfortable purchasing a game without having given it a test drive first. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ For whom the games toll... They toll for thee

10-11-2008, 02:53 PM	#4
rtrooney Codger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,080	I admit to being a bit confused by the demos, although I have only started the first. Confused enough that I dl'd a walkthrough for the entire game just to play the demo. It seems that, for demo purposes, some steps have been removed. E.g., I am able to enter the house without a key. The electricity is already on. Etc.. Ergo, there are some logic elements that seem to be missing. As such, the demo is doing a great job of giving me samples of graphic styling. (Really good!) But is doing a poor job of telling me how the game actually plays. I guess there are two ways of going about a demo. One, such as the infamous Freddy Pharkus Frontier Pharmacist demo, was a game all by itself. Another, such as the Still Life demo, was nothing more than the first chapter. The Rhiannon demo falls somewhere in between, and it isn't working very well for me. In essence, it isn't helping me make a buying decision. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ For whom the games toll... They toll for thee

10-12-2008, 03:01 PM	#5
rtrooney Codger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,080	I've played the Chapter 1 demo some more. Calling this a "playable" demo is a HUGE exageration. As mentioned earlier, nothing can be explored except the main house. Once inside the main house, it is impossible to exit. (So much for starting a fire with the firewood that not in the house.) Also mentioned is the front door being unlocked and the electricity is turned on. (So much for finding the key or the electrical box.) Other than finding the daughter's note, picking up a lighter, adding a note to inventory and finding a photograph, there is nothing to do. There are many, many things the WT of Chapter 1 says to do/take/read that can't be done in the "playable" demo. It is possible to look at things the WT says to take. Other items that you are told to look at or read simply aren't there to look at or read. I have not played the Chapter 5 "playable" demo, but I can't imagine it's much different. I really wonder what the intent was when these demos were released. If anything other than giving a feel for the graphics, they fail completely. One last complaint...you can't save a game, so you have to start from scratch every time you play. Which requires you to sit through the intro every time because you can't skip past it. Not good execution Nothing here that tells me "Buy this game!" Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ For whom the games toll... They toll for thee Last edited by rtrooney; 10-12-2008 at 06:42 PM.

10-14-2008, 04:38 PM	#6
rtrooney Codger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,080	FWIW, "playability" of Chapter 5 demo is less than Chapter 1. What were they thinking? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ For whom the games toll... They toll for thee

10-15-2008, 02:34 AM	#7
AndreaDraco83 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 2,684	I agree with you, rtrooney. I've played only the first demo and there isn't really anything to do, but I also think that the atmosphere - or the little we see of it - was great, and the atmosphere is what I mostly expect from this kind of games! Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Top Ten Adventures: Gabriel Knight Series, King's Quest VI, Conquests of the Longbow, Quest for Glory II, Police Quest III, Gold Rush!, Leisure Suit Larry III, Under a Killing Moon, Conquests of Camelot, Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist. Now Playing: Neverwinter Nights, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

10-15-2008, 03:26 PM	#8
rtrooney Codger Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,080	I agree that the graphics are quite good. The "atmospherics" are fair. I mean if this is a semi-horror/supernatural adventure, the demos of Scratches and Barrow Hill did it much better. Which leaves the question of 'how much fun will it be to play the game?', and the demo leaves you without a clue. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ For whom the games toll... They toll for thee

10-15-2008, 07:14 PM	#9
orient Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 468	I played the first demo and, at the risk of sounding a little harsh, it felt very "1998" in terms of 3D graphics and design. There was nothing exciting about playing this demo. However, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt until reviews come in. Share Share this post on Twitter

11-05-2008, 05:08 PM	#10
mike in brier Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 7	Aside from what rtrooney already said, there is one other thing you can do in the first demo. Try using the lighter on the stairs........ Share Share this post on Twitter

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