[ZeframCochrane]

Originally Posted by kuze

I've noticed it as well, but it didn't bother me.

Do you mean the halo, or the misbehaving aliasing? 'Cos I found out that if I set the "let the application choose" setting in the Nvidia control panel, the models would appear antialiased if the "HIGHEST" rendering option is chosen from the Gray Matter config.exe tool. But I just can't work around the faulty halos.
In a way, it's conforting to know that I'm not an only sod who's having this problem.
May I ask you to be so kind as to register to the DTP forum and reply in my thread to say that you're having similar problems? I'd be very grateful, as I think that it'd be easier to receive a reply if there's more than one person with the same problem.

Originally Posted by Roper Klacks

A few pics, also for the Robert Holmes fans

Oh wow. She is pretty.
:uberblush:

[kuze]

Originally Posted by ZeframCochrane

Do you mean the halo, or the misbehaving aliasing?

I meant the halo, and as I said, I don't consider it a problem. I'm pretty sure this is a deliberate effect they added, maybe so the 3D model doesn't seem so disconnected from the backdrop.

[brentus]

I've just started the game, but I wanted to clarify something about the graphics. The animations are a little off, yes, but the rest of the graphics are actually way ahead of other 2.5D point and click adventure games. It's not as good as the latest shooter-type games, but it's way better than the likes of Secret Files 2. You need to go into the configuration program and set it to higher settings before starting the game because it defaults to bad graphics. I put it on highest and the lighting effects and 3d models are the best I've ever seen in an adventure game. The only issue I have is a sometimes sluggish frame rate (about the frame rate I would expect from Crysis on "very high" settings).

[jamiehavok]

Originally Posted by brentus

I've just started the game, but I wanted to clarify something about the graphics. The animations are a little off, yes, but the rest of the graphics are actually way ahead of other 2.5D point and click adventure games. It's not as good as the latest shooter-type games, but it's way better than the likes of Secret Files 2. You need to go into the configuration program and set it to higher settings before starting the game because it defaults to bad graphics. I put it on highest and the lighting effects and 3d models are the best I've ever seen in an adventure game. The only issue I have is a sometimes sluggish frame rate (about the frame rate I would expect from Crysis on "very high" settings).

i'd agree with this, the graphics are really good for an adventure game and very atmospheric. i'm really enjoying the game so far (up to chapter 6) the game would be near perfect if they just animated the damn cut scenes properly.

[Phod]

I'm definitely in the camp that thinks the cut scenes are awesome. I love the style. Wish there were more of them.

[Phod]

Finished this tonight. Loved it. The ending is a little rushed... probably cause I wish it could have kept going forever. One or two more chapters of deepened mystery and conclusion support would have helped.

What do the chapter bonuses actually do, anything? I figured they unlocked concept art or something but at the end of the game, nada. Wish there was. That and an easy way to rewatch the cut scenes.

[millenia]

I think the cut scenes worked really well in this game and they were beautiful, but perhaps I would have preferred "normal animation" juuuust a bit more. Maybe because of the clarification it would bring, like someone earlier mentioned sometimes it was hard to notice who was who. Basically I couldn't make out if it was Helena or Angela a couple of times and anyone that wasn't fully facing the screen was hard to recognize.

After a few days I still think this is a great game, probably the best post 2000. I know because I really want to play it again and I find myself thinking about it often. From other adventures within 10 years only Culpa Innata, Dreamfall and Still Life gave me this strong feeling. (I mentioned these games already earlier.) I agree that a couple of chapters more would have made Gray Matter even better but then it would just be 5 and a half stars .

[Sceptic]

I finished the game, the story is fantastic( Its a Jane Jensen story, how could be different?), but the gameplay is too simple. I didnt found any challenging puzzles, there were some good, but most of them are too easy for me, what you needed to do was obvious for most time and rarely you needed to think. The magic trick system was a disappointment, I just needed to follow the instructions on the magic book, too boring.The story development was slow at the begining, and rushed at the end, I already knew who was responsible for the paranormal phenomenon on chapter 5, there wasnt surprises after that.I feel disappointed, the story( even with some problems) was wonderful and was enough motivation to make me finish the game. I really want a gray matter 2, but it needs a better gameplay.

[bee-rich]

so i bought the game off of that games-planet/gamer-unlimited German site (with a lot of help from Google translate). Downloaded it with my blazing fast work connection.. but got no serial number from the company. I saw they were supposed to email it to me after verification of my purchase.. but no dice! i saw on my bank statement the charge went through. But then i went back to the games-planet site and it says my order is "Gelöscht" (deleted). I wonder if this is due to my billing address being in the US?

I've already contacted their support dept, but since I found out about them from here I figured I'd ask about them here too. Anyone in the US had success purchasing through this site?

BTW, My wife just about needed a change of underpants, she was so excited about my surprise Gray Matter acquisition yesterday. We've been fans of Ms. Jensen for almost 20 years, and been salivating for this game since 2003.

[SamuelGordon]

I love the cutscenes too! I finished the game today and the story is great but with a disappointing ending. I'd rather it went the other way, it

Spoiler:

would be awesome if someone was playing a master game

..but yeah not a fan of the whole paranormal direction.

The puzzles were too easy but they were fun, my favorite is def the alice in wonderland quest. The ending was quite rushed and it should have involved everyone in the lambs' club, a final confrontation and

Spoiler:

Angela killing herself was pretty lame. I'd rather she was put in a nuthouse

and used in the sequel or something.

The last chapter's locations were absolute gorgeous, every room was pretty cool but it was TOO EASY!

Great game but it could've been more with better puzzles and involving the lambs' club more. I def want a sequel

[inm8#2]

Sequel in another 6-7 years?

[zane]

yeah.... and thats why i wish they had wrapped up the story better and made it feel more complete. Because im not sure a sequel will survive another 7ish+ year journey. If i was confident theyd pump out a sequel in 2-3 years i wouldnt feel too bad about how the game ended.

[Sar]

Originally Posted by bee-rich

so i bought the game off of that games-planet/gamer-unlimited German site (with a lot of help from Google translate). Downloaded it with my blazing fast work connection.. but got no serial number from the company. I saw they were supposed to email it to me after verification of my purchase.. but no dice! i saw on my bank statement the charge went through. But then i went back to the games-planet site and it says my order is "Gelöscht" (deleted). I wonder if this is due to my billing address being in the US?

I've already contacted their support dept, but since I found out about them from here I figured I'd ask about them here too. Anyone in the US had success purchasing through this site?

BTW, My wife just about needed a change of underpants, she was so excited about my surprise Gray Matter acquisition yesterday. We've been fans of Ms. Jensen for almost 20 years, and been salivating for this game since 2003.

If your transaction that went through was a credit card protest the charge on your credit card company's web site. They do not make instant payments on transactions. The credit card will hold payment until your issue is resolved. That will get the seller's attention quicker than anything else you can do.

[terhardp]

I've finished the game yesterday. I liked it very much, maybe even too much. Maybe I've jumped to conclusions by promptly putting it beside my favourite adventure titles, but the game made quite an impression on me.

One of the reasons for that is likely the fact that I'm not familiar with Jane Jensen work. Strange as it may sound, I've never played any of GK games before. Judging by the constant rave from fellow adventurers, those are "must play" games. But I've seen some screenshots of them and this drew me away. I know that graphic isn't everything, but I just can't force myself to play such old games nowdays, despite they might be miles away in depth from more contemporary titles.

Back to topic. The thing that impressed me the most in Gray Matter is the story itself. Despite some flaws and occasional hastiness, I could put it almost side by side with the titles which gripped me the most when it comes to story. I could mention Broken Sword, Still Life, The Lost Crown, Fahrenheit, Black Mirror etc. The story of Grey Matter may seem cliched at first, but it still has all the elements of a good thriller with a nice touch of melodrama. Characters are all pretty solid, but only Dr. Styles is the one with true charisma. He will definitely enter my book as one of the most memorable AG characters. Speaking of characters, voice acting is definitely one of the strong points of the game. All of the characters are convincing and portrayed to their image. I've also liked the music which is atmospheric and haunting.

Gameplay is IMO decent, with a few rough edges. The puzzles are not too difficult, but they are fitted to play nicely with the story as the driving element. I've appreciate that the game has a hotspot revealer as well as a discreet hints what to do next. Still, I must admit that I was stuck at times. I think that the diary feature isn't used to it's full potential.

I was somewhat dissapointed with graphic. I've regulary watched screenshots on Adventure Gamers, and the game looked gorgeous. However, when playing the actual thing, my enthusiasm dropped slightly. I'm not talking about the game engine here, but about some inconsistencies between the visual quality of the different scenes in the game. I've particulary liked the design of the cut-scenes. Animation and lip-sync are certainly red spots of the game, but I'll close one eye to that.

I was bit supprised by the game ending at first, but now when I think about it, there were many subtle and well-placed hints into this direction during the game. Generally, it's a well-rounded story with little unanswered questions.

I must say that Gray Matter surpassed my expectations. The game is surely not perfect (what is?), but it can IMO safely join the club of the "must play" adventure games.

[zane]

^you really need to try gabriel knight: sins of the fathers. It may not look visually appealing, but the voice acting is amazing (tim curry, mark hamil, and probably the best narrator voice ever). And the game is just so immersive.

But yeah i feel the same way about gray matter. Overwhelmingly positive to the point im not sure i should be ranking it so high, but i was just so generally happy with the game.

[Vine]

Can any one help me ? I did not understand the ending..

Spoiler:

So Angela was basically the "haunting"? and whats that fairies thing that Angela did......what exactly was she? where did she get powers....and why did she kill herself in end?

[zane]

ok, to my understanding....

Spoiler:

Chances are, Laura really was haunting the house in some form. As is evidenced by the message from the word device and what laura told david in the isolation chamber. But Angela was also sneaking around the house and becoming obsessed with david, and she wanted to become laura. Angela has some form of telekinisis. The paranormal scientist david visits talk about a shaman with the same ability to use energy from the mind to start fires. But when hes wet, his body cant generate the electric field that lets him do this "magic". Its implied angelas father also had this ability though he used it to create plants. And apparently while asleep angela cant control her abilities very well... it is pretty confusing and rushed at the end, but i think thats the gist of it. Oh and as to why she kills herself, it appears to be as simple as she went crazy and thought she was a fairy because she was also obsessed with those.

[Snatcher42]

Originally Posted by zane

ok, to my understanding....

Spoiler:

Oh and as to why she kills herself, it appears to be as simple as she went crazy and thought she was a fairy because she was also obsessed with those.

Well that and...

Spoiler:

...the guilt of inadvertently killing her own father, and Laura Styles. Seems her powers flare out of control when she's upset, and David had ridiculed her in his office the day of the accident. The police said the pedal of the other car had been fused to the floor as if melted. As for her father, maybe there was a subtext of sexual abuse there as well? I'm not sure.

[zane]

i guess thats what i really dont get....

Spoiler:

It seemed really unclear whether she was responsible for both the death of her father and laura. Did she kill both of them in her sleep? Were they both accidents? the game really leaves this up in the air. David also takes the whole thing way too calmly. He seems to realize it was angela's fault but he doesnt have anywhere near the reaction i wouldv thought. The other thing that still bugs me is the whole "blue tiles" part. What was that shadow in the picture? Its the same shadow he sees when hes trying to remember the encounter with angela... but no clue what its supposed to mean and why it shows up in that picture.

[Luther10]

OMG, I don't like chapter 8... And yes, I was begging for something new and exciting after running back and forth the same locations again and again and again for the first 7 chapters. And now in the last chapter,

Spoiler:

I feel a bit overwhelmed with all this new rooms, riddles, puzzles in this fantasy, out of this world setting... I was so excited at the end of chapter 7 getting out of Oxford finally, but now I wish I've never left that place...

I have to say I'm disappointed with this game. Yes, the story is interesting and original but the game has BIG gameplay and pacing problems. I'm not going to complain about the graphics (I think it gets the job done, good enough for an adventure game), but I have something to say about the music. Standouts are of course the 2 vocal tracks in the game but the rest of the soundtrack? 80% of the game time, I'm hearing the same instrumental track. Mr. Holmes, I love your music in the GK games, but what's going on here? Maybe a lack of budget???