Adventure Gamers - Forums

My “Dark Fall” radar was tripped!

I am very excited to see Agustin’s insider information on the game, and I’ll be following along.

This CP won with 11 votes.
Now I count 10 (ten!) new posters joining in.
Makes one wonder if spontaneous, unofficial CPs could be succesful too… 

Karlok - 09 May 2015 01:47 PM

This CP won with 11 votes.
Now I count 10 (ten!) new posters joining in.

, i wonder where were they when this game craved for one vote to get here? but anyways i am happy to see this playthrough is drawing a lot of gamers in, now I can rest in peace

Duck of Doom - 09 May 2015 03:57 PM

Advie - 09 May 2015 02:19 PM

, i wonder where were they when this game craved for one vote to get here? but anyways i am happy to see this playthrough is drawing a lot of gamers in, now I can rest in peace

Can only speak for meself, but I´ve been off the big net for some time. Voted for Scratches for a playthrough before though.

you need not to talk of anything Duck of Doom, its not like the game had lost. Scratches won and all are happy ,the ones who voted and the ones joined later.

So we play until we reach Day 2?

Karlok - 09 May 2015 01:47 PM

This CP won with 11 votes.
Now I count 10 (ten!) new posters joining in.

There is always some that didn’t vote for the game, or didn’t participate in the votes at all, that join when the actual playthrough starts (and some that voted but don’t actually join ), but that Agustín Cordes has joined us probably hasn’t hurt the interest in this CP

TechnoSpike - 09 May 2015 01:20 PM

Hey, can a first timer still come on board for this playthrough? I’ve already played Scratches, but it was some time ago, and I would enjoy wandering the Manor again, specially with the man himself giving detailed insights about the game!

Hey, TechnoSpike!  It’s good to see you here.  Of course you can join in and welcome!

Ah, the whole mirror thing. It was a budget thing but also a design decision. Budget-wise, reflecting Michael would have meant rendering an avatar every time you’re in front of a mirror—except a barebones static character wouldn’t have cut it as there’s much movement in the game. So we’d have needed to animate it, especially as you rotated the camera around the section near the mirror, and animation is very expensive. At the same time, I had this idea that no human presence should be seen in the house to enhance the feeling of isolation, and that meant your avatar as well. I can’t put my finger why but seeing your reflection would’ve spoiled the atmosphere.

Really, we simply should have gotten rid of all mirrors

In Asylum we approached the issue in a different way: there are mirrors as well, yes, but they’re all dirty and smudged (although there will be some faint reflection in a few occasions). Similary, there is far more interaction with characters this time around, but it still doesn’t feel right to see you, the protagonist. Ah, maybe I’m just nuts.

Speaking of budget, the setting of Scratches was ideal for our limited resources: you see, the story demands that you speak with characters from time to time (Better Call Jerry!), but since you’re stranded in a faraway location, your only means of communication with the outside world is through an old telephone. And that’s how we got away with character interaction without ever showing them—dirty cheap and still effective!

Karlok - 09 May 2015 01:47 PM

Makes one wonder if spontaneous, unofficial CPs could be succesful too…

Wonder?!? We proved it.

Duck of Doom - 09 May 2015 03:57 PM

on another note: I don´t know if I missed some things (first time playing), but I´m on day 2 now. Makes me worry a bit about the pacing…

The pacing of the first day is excruciatingly slow, so I’m glad you’re through with it. It was a make or break thing for many players—the first day is so boring, many folks just stopped playing. Granted, nothing ever happens: it’s just exploring the place and looking around. Design-wise, the major problem is that I was holding players’ hands too much by introducing these artificial goals (look for candles, try starting the car, etc). So while I invited you to explore the place at your own pace, at the same time I was forcing you to achieve the exact things I wanted (for example, it’s a mandatory condition to visit the attic and read something there). The first day is all about the illusion of freedom, and it mostly failed.

That said, I consider the second day to be the highlight of the game. Instead of pushing you around, I casually drop two important hints and let you pursue them on your own, no hand holding. Hope you all enjoy that moment!

I wanted to ask, is reading diaries, notes and newspapers crucial to puzzle solving during the game?

zobraks - 09 May 2015 05:35 PM

Karlok - 09 May 2015 01:47 PM

Makes one wonder if spontaneous, unofficial CPs could be succesful too…

Wonder?!? We proved it.

Yes! An excellent playthrough with an excellent leader and no more than 6 or 7 participants. Remember this one? It says “official”, but it was another spontaneous CP.