[Dea ex Machina]

Hello, folks. I am attempting to play the old game "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Rose Tattoo." I'm maybe halfway through it, and I'm stuck on the darts minigame. In order to get information out of someone, I need to beat them at darts. There are two problems with this:

1. I have the hand-eye coordination of a drunken slug.

2. I have NO IDEA HOW TO PLAY DARTS.

The games I can choose from are 301, 501, and Cricket. I have no clue how any of these games are played and scored. I've googled them, but most of the explanations just confuse the crap out of me. (Bowling? Wicket? ) The rules might be explained in the game manual, but it's long since lost.

I know you can't help me with the sucky aim, but maybe some nice person could explain the rules and scoring of one or more of these games (or provide me with a non confusing link)? And maybe give me some strategy tips? That way, even if my aim is poor, I'll at least know what I'm aiming poorly AT.

[Intense Degree]

I've never played the Rose Tattoo, but I can tell you a little bit about darts.

301 or 501. This is a game where both players start with a score of 301 (or 501, dependant on which one you choose) and basically have to get the score down to zero. You throw 3 darts each, turn by turn, and essentially your score with the 3 darts is taken off your total score. Just in case you don't know, the outer ring is for "doubles" and the middle small ring for "trebles". So if you hit a 20, that's 20 points, if you hit double 20 it's 40 points etc. In the middle is the Bullseye (50 points) and the outer bull (the small ring round the middle) is worth 25. Clear as mud?!

The only other rule of note is that you have to finish on a double (or a bullseye), so if you have got your score down to 20 it's no good just hitting a 20, you must finish with a double 10 (or 10 double 5 or any other combination equalling 20 and ending in a double!)

As I say, I haven't played the game so I don't know if the rules are definitely the same, but they probably are (he asserted blindly! )

[Fien]

Aaaaahhhhh... the awful, infamous dart game in the Rose Tattoo!
My memory is a bit hazy, but for what it's worth, here are some tips.

I think you may have to beat your opponent 3 times. Not sure though, maybe someone else knows. But the good news is that the developers took pity on us poor players, because the longer you keep at it, the better your chances of winning. At first the other guy will play very well, but after a while he starts making bad mistakes.

301 and 501: You both start with the same score. The score of each throw is deducted from your score. The player that reaches zero first, without going over, wins. Cricket is a little trickier. You and your opponent must each try to hit the Bull's Eye and the numbers 20-15 three times. Yes, terrible. You're better off with either 301 or 501.

I do remember I found it easier to use the space bar instead of the mouse for the dart game. Always aim for Bull's Eye, untill the very last. Hit the space bar exactly halfway the vertical and horizontal so-called aiming bars. You'll know what I mean when you try it. There's a learning curve, yes. But the learning curve for the other scores is much harder.

That's all I remember. I did beat the game, so don't despair. Maybe someone else with more and better tips will come along. Good luck!

PS: I see that Intense Degree has already explained the rules. IMPORTANT: that rule he mentioned about finishing with a double does NOT apply in the Rose Tattoo. Phew, thank God for that.

[Methodical MaN]

Rose Tattoo is a great game. One thing about the darts game. in 501 and 301 you dont have to finish on a double so that makes it a bit easier. just concentrate on getting to exactly zero. Good luck its not that hard. although it would have been nice if there was a way to bypass it by outsmarting the character you need to beat with words like the darts game in "Serrated Scalpel".

[Dea ex Machina]

Thanks, folks. This helps. This is probably gonna take me a while, but knowing is half the battle.

The other half, I imagine, involves swearing. And patience. LOOOOTS of patience. Sigh.

Ah, well.... The first half of this game was awesome, and I love anything Holmes, and I really want to see the rest. Thanks again, and wish me luck.

[SharonB]

Good luck with the game! It must have been hundreds of times I tried to beat that blasted darts game and couldn't do it. Eventually, I required the assistance of my nephew who was able to learn the rules and complete the game in about 20 mins.

I tried and I tried, just didn't have the coordination to do it. My nephew found that scoring 60 several times gave you a good lead and allowed you to win it.

[zobraks]

Originally Posted by Dea ex Machina

... I need to beat them at darts. There are two problems with this:

1. I have the hand-eye coordination of a drunken slug.

2. I have NO IDEA HOW TO PLAY DARTS.

Ho-ho-ho, welcome to the club! I remember playing "Rose Tattoo" in 2003: it was a great game until the darts part. I couldn't win if my life depended on it , so (since nobody in my neighborhood had even heard of AGs, let alone had played them) I looked for help on the Internet. Beeing a total noob to the medium (the Internet) I somehow stumbled upon Mr. Bill (yes, THE Mr. Bill with that famous site) and asked him to help me. Mr. Bill is a very kind gentleman, so he sent me a saved game (immediately after the notorious game of darts), and I was able to proceed (only to meet other frustrations with this strange adventure ).

I think I can dig that saved game if you want it, Dea (although it's not the same as when you play on your own and you know exactly what you did before the saved point). Just say so and give me some time.

EDIT: Here it is.

[crabapple]

I've heard that the longer you play, the worse your opponent gets. So eventually you may be able to win even if you aren't terribly good at it.