Adventure Gamers - Forums

Welcome to the long-awaited playthrough of Still Life!

This first post is just for opening the thread. I will lead this CPT (although I have never played the game, so I will be in the dark as you). I am giving a couple of days so people who want to join us can check they got the game (it is available at Steam and GOG) and that it works fine. Please, confirm here.

In the meantime, I would like to settle the timing of this CPT. Provided that the game is divided into seven chapters and gameplay seems to last 8-12 hours, I can think of two proposals depending on how long you want this CPT to be:

-To play a chapter per week.
-Ten days for playing two chapters.

What do you think?

Good news. Bad news. I installed the game from my discs. It installed perfectly, although it was a lengthy install. Bad news is it won’t run on my Win10 system. So I guess I will need to go to GOG and get another copy. Because I have other stuff going on, that will probably delay me for a day or two.

I have played the game before. I recall it being fairly difficult. Certainly more difficult than Amerzone or Syberia. There are two puzzles that may require a walkthrough. One is the infamous baking puzzle. I don’t think it was that difficult, but it is tedious to the extreme, so you may want to consult a WT just to make sure you’re doing everything that needs to be done in the right order. The other is the “spider” puzzle which requires you to move around a grid while avoiding mechanical spiders that are trying to kill you. I used a printed wt, and it still took me quite a few passes before solving it. (Video walkthroughs were still a few years in the future.)

Once I get up and running, I’ll have a better feel for things. But for right now I would prefer the chapter-a-week plan.

You just revealed two important puzzles.

Well, I guess rtrooney edited the post and used the spoiler option after your warning.

I hope everybody will do that in future posts when discussing potential spoilers about the game.

walas74 - 22 August 2022 04:22 PM

Well, I guess rtrooney edited the post and used the spoiler option after your warning.

I hope everybody will do that in future posts when discussing potential spoilers about the game.

I did it as a courtesy. I didn’t think describing a puzzle without in any way discussing its solution didn’t appear “spoiler worthy” but if you want to play it that close t the vest, I’m fine with it. You’re the leader.

BTW I installed the game from GOG and entered the building. I’ll wait for everyone else to sign in.

FWIW Still Life and Still Life II are on serious sale. $0.74@ US. So I bought both figuring SL2 might be a future playthrough.

Ok, then I think we all agree in one chapter per week (or at least we will begin that way and see how it works).

Tomorrow I will add more information about the game before start playing and the official kick-off.

walas74 - 23 August 2022 11:20 AM

Ok, then I think we all agree in one chapter per week (or at least we will begin that way and see how it works).

Tomorrow I will add more information about the game before start playing and the official kick-off.

One thing I don’t remember is how to use items in inventory. I’ve got the camera and the forensic tools. But when I try to do what Clair said, (take a picture before capturing the evidence) I can’t do anything. The spot where I tried to do this is the nail in the wall with hair and fabric hanging from it.

I was going to do this tomorrow, but as you are asking, here there are some tips before start playing (from UHS Hints):

Inventory

There are actually two separate inventories in “Still Life”—Victoria’s and Gus’s.  As you change between characters (something that you cannot select to, but which takes place automatically as you progress through the game), everything relating to your character will change accordingly—inventory items, journals, notes, etc.

At times, you may find that items will have “disappeared” from your inventory, compared to a point earlier in the game.  This is simply the game’s way of “cleaning up” the inventory of items that are no longer necessary, and should not be a cause for alarm.

Use of inventory items can sometimes be a bit different than in many similar adventure games.  Once Victoria (or Gus) is close enough to use an object (indicated by the “closed fist” icon appearing in the top-left corner of the screen), then selecting the correct item from the inventory will cause the item to be used automatically.  The key is to watch for the hand symbol in the upper left corner of the screen.  When that symbol appears, that indicates that an item form inventory will need to be used nearby where the character is currently standing.

To use an inventory item, right-click to open the inventory screen.  Left-click on the inventory item you wish to use, then click on the “closed fist” use icon near the top left of the inventory screen.  Once the “closed fist” icon is selected, one of two things can happen.  If it isn’t possible to use an item in the character’s current location, the “closed fist” icon will make a sound, but nothing will happen.  However, if it is possible to use an item in the current location, the inventory screen automatically closes and the game screen returns.  Normally, the inventory item will either be automatically used—as mentioned above—or will be pictured at the top left corner of the screen, indicating what item is currently “in hand.”

Movement and cursor interaction

Movement within “Still Life” is accomplished through a simple point-and-click interface.  Since the game is primarily played in the third person, you can direct your character (either Victoria or Gus) to move to another location simply by clicking at that point on the screen.  When the mouse cursor nears the left or right sides of the screen, or rests over an open doorway or stairway, etc., a cursor icon will indicate that clicking at that point will cause the scene to change to the new location.

Double-clicking to move a character will often result in the character running to the designated spot.  There are some places where running is inappropriate, and double-clicking will perform the same function as a single click.

Using the maps

Both Victoria and Gus will be moving back and forth between a number of different geographical locations.  In both cases, this is accomplished through the use of a map.  Victoria’s map is in her vehicle; it is an electronic NAV COM system that will present valid locations to go to.  Clicking on any location will take her there.  Gus’s map is a simple paper map.  It, too, will have locations marked, and clicking on them will take him to that location.

Not all possible locations will show up on either of the two maps initially.  Each character must learn about new locations—typically by talking with other characters in the game, or reading documents or letters—after which, a new location can be found on the map.  In rare cases, a previously existing location may no longer appear on the map.  This is because it is no longer necessary to return to that location.

The “closed fist” icon

As you play through the game, you may notice a “closed fist” icon appear in the upper left corner of the screen.  This indicates that there is something nearby that requires an inventory-type item.  If you are pretty sure that a specific item needs to be used in a specific location, but the hand icon isn’t at the top left of the screen, it will not be possible to use the item.  This may indicate that you will need to move your character closer to a particular object before being able to interact with it.

For example, just because you have a key to a lock, and the locked door is in view on the screen, if your character is not near the door, the hand symbol will not be displayed, and the key in inventory will not be usable.  However, if your character walks closer to the door, the hand symbol will appear, and the key will be usable on the door.

The hand icon is not an indicator that the correct item is already in inventory.  It can appear at times when the correct item has not yet been discovered.

Using subtitles and transcripts

Subtitles can be turned on from the main menu.  Since there is a lot of dialogue between the characters within the game, it will make it easier to follow the story, if you keep subtitles turned on.

If you are having a problem with any of the conversations, or wish to go back to a previous conversation and review it, you can refer to the journals that are kept by both Victoria and Gus.  This will provide in chronological order—with the most recent additions at the bottom—a written text of all dialogues that have taken place so far in the game.  You can scroll back through these at any time for information you think you may have missed.

When accessing transcripts, be sure to click on the appropriate chapter on the left side.  The screen always defaults to the first chapter for that character.

Thanks for the information. The use of inventory items is similar to the way items were used in Syberia 4. Although the actual mechanics are different.

I’m not sure if chrissie noticed, but at my GOG version of the game has subtitles pre-loaded. And yes, I did manage to figure out the camera/film thing on my own.

Well, let’s get this CPT started!

Victoria McPherson, an FBI agent is the granddaughter of Gus McPherson (Post Mortem fame). While visiting her father, she learns of criminal cases in Europe and Chicago investigated by her grandfather 75 years ago. The cases are similar to the serial murder she is investigating

Chapter 1: The Anatomy Lesson

We will play as Victoria in this chapter, and you will know it’s over after a cutscene of Victoria reading a journal and because next chapter will be played as Gus, so please stop there.

As we spoken, I’ll give one week to play the chapter (we can always stretch or reduce this time period), so you have time until August 30 to complete this chapter. I usually play on weekends.

Remember to use spoiler tags when talking about things you consider that may be spoilers of the game.

May you have a good investigation!