Adventure Gamers - Forums

Anyone try this game yet? It looks interesting but I’d like to get some opinions on it first.

http://www.gog.com/gamecard/miasmata

This actually looks intriguing. Especially this part:

Run lab experiments on the various plant and fungal specimens in order to find a cure for what ails you

I got it this morning and have been playing it most of the day. It’s like an outdoors version of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and I have to say, it’s been very interesting and enjoyable so far!

The game really gives you the feeling you are lost on an island and on an adventure. For example you have to collect water when you are thirsty, and research plants to find their properties, which can help restore your health and endurance and things like that. Which makes it sound like an action game, but it really isn’t. I don’t think there is combat. You also have to use a cartography system using landmarks - the game doesn’t do automapping for you.

Anyway, back to the game!

No one playing this except Zifnab and me? I wasn’t sure what to think of it at first but now I’m loving it. It’s like Amnesia crossed with Dear Esther but much more open-ended than both.

Zifnab - 30 November 2012 08:54 AM

The game really gives you the feeling you are lost on an island and on an adventure. For example you have to collect water when you are thirsty, and research plants to find their properties,

The botany of the island is really central to the game, I’ve found. It does a great job in putting you in the position of a scientist hopelessly stranded on an unknown island. It feel likes you are fighting for your life, not with swords and a shield but with your scientific knowledge.

GreyFuss - 28 November 2012 08:48 PM

For those that are curious about the controls for Miasmata

It’s not an action game if that’s what you’re suggesting. Far from it.

I’m playing it too…
The triangulation idea is really nice, but somewhat simplified implementation. As for the science, it’s basically a case of find plant, return to base, click microscope, use for plant is described. The places you need to go or things you need to find seem to be generally linked by paths or described in notes at other such places.
Life is made more difficult by the movement. I think your character must be very obese or something, as he gets tired after jogging a short distance, and has a huge amount of momentum. Go too fast down even very small inclines, and you trip, roll a long way, get a fever(!), and drop anything you were carrying. Managing your speed is more a factor than managing thirst… Added to that is the limited “inventory” and “storage” space…
Then there’s the beast, who seemingly appears at random. I’ve tried all kinds of ways of avoiding being killed by the thing, but the only way that usually seems to work for me is reloading. Maybe I need to make some potion to help with this or something.

The beast was annoying for me at first until I got the potion to make me hide easier. I think it’s the only way to get past it.

The mapping is really important. I’ve found you need to get to the highest points where the giant heads are and map those to be able to provide any continuity to your map.

Monolith - 28 November 2012 04:21 PM

Funny because its one of the Steam Greenlit projects.

Hahahaahaah! Oh wait, how is that funny?

Anyway from the screenshots I thought it was going to be static pre-renders a la Myst, quite surprised to find that it’s 1st person (nature is so difficult to make real time!).

However my main concern from the trailer is that it told me NOTHING of the story, which makes me think of it more as an 3d-engine-demonstration than a tale. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

Niber - 09 December 2012 03:57 AM

Monolith - 28 November 2012 04:21 PM

Funny because its one of the Steam Greenlit projects.

Hahahaahaah! Oh wait, how is that funny?

Anyway from the screenshots I thought it was going to be static pre-renders a la Myst, quite surprised to find that it’s 1st person (nature is so difficult to make real time!).

However my main concern from the trailer is that it told me NOTHING of the story, which makes me think of it more as an 3d-engine-demonstration than a tale. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

The story is told through notes you find, so that would be pointless to show in a trailer.

The question is: what do you want out of a tale? If it’s watching characters do and say things, you won’t like Miasmata. If you’re fine with Myst style of storytelling then you will.

And at risk of sounding like an effete game development enthusiast, the tale is also in what you as the character do in the game.

Oscar - 09 December 2012 06:07 AM

The story is told through notes you find, so that would be pointless to show in a trailer.

The question is: what do you want out of a tale? If it’s watching characters do and say things, you won’t like Miasmata. If you’re fine with Myst style of storytelling then you will.

And at risk of sounding like an effete game development enthusiast, the tale is also in what you as the character do in the game.

Oh, a story told through written notes may indeed be next to impossible to portray in a trailer. I recently wrote an article on adventure game trailers where I concluded that adventure games CAN present its story epically despite its slow-paced narrative. But I was thinking the spoken kind, note-based might be impossible indeed!

Not sure if I’m buying the “tale is what you do”-argument tho. Even the most open-ended, open-world games I can think of still isn’t open enough to alter the premise of the story.

Well I just finished it.

The gameplay might be the best I have played in an adventure game all year, and even I’m surprised to hear myself say that about a game like this. It’s completely open choice - from the start it is totally up to you what to do and every player’s game will be vastly different (an adventure game first?). To me, this WAS the story in Miasmata - how I survived, what I did, where I went. The notes held minimal interest for me, although they do tell a fairly comprehensive story.

I don’t know if it will get an AG review. I hope it does
4/5 I think . If they could make some parts less repetitive like travelling over long distances so much it would be higher score. Though such nice graphics made it so pleasant!

Niber - 09 December 2012 07:30 AM

Oscar - 09 December 2012 06:07 AM

The story is told through notes you find, so that would be pointless to show in a trailer.

The question is: what do you want out of a tale? If it’s watching characters do and say things, you won’t like Miasmata. If you’re fine with Myst style of storytelling then you will.

And at risk of sounding like an effete game development enthusiast, the tale is also in what you as the character do in the game.

Oh, a story told through written notes may indeed be next to impossible to portray in a trailer. I recently wrote an article on adventure game trailers where I concluded that adventure games CAN present its story epically despite its slow-paced narrative. But I was thinking the spoken kind, note-based might be impossible indeed!

Not sure if I’m buying the “tale is what you do”-argument tho. Even the most open-ended, open-world games I can think of still isn’t open enough to alter the premise of the story.

You’re right about that. The story in the notes is more of a background information. What I mean was, like Zifnab said, the story is in the journey too. I think game design freaks call it ‘emergent’ storytelling or something.