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My two cents

Started by Sajomir, August 20, 2006, 01:13:41 PM

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Sajomir

First up, I just want to say that this game is going to be EXCELLENT! Someone will have to take a sledgehammer to every computer within 20 miles of me and steal my car keys to stop me from playing this one. :D

I do have some comments on the material in the demo, though.

--The paths that Graham can walk on seem very limited, like straight lines from a main path to all the points of interest. Previous KQ games felt much less "on-rails" if you know what I mean.
--The faces on every model are gorgeous! Graham's looked especially nice when talking to the ship captain and in the end cutscene. However, most of the male models (Graham, the guard dogs, etc.) seem to have an odd construction in the shoulders. It's like the arms hang down from shoulders that are too broad for their bodies, and that the arms don't connect to the torso in any way (like through pectoral muscles).
--Likewise, the facial animations impressed me to no end for an amateur game! However, Graham's walking animation reminded one of my friends of a zombie shuffle. His walking in his court costume looked just fine, but why was the animation changed for his adventuring model?
To be more specific about the animation, I think a lot of it has to do how his arms just seem to hang and wobble, and how his torso doesnt move at all.
--The scenery is BEAUTIFUL, all the plants and trees blowing in the wind really catches the eye. The backdrops are also incredibly faithful to KQ6 (my first KQ by the way), and it was very impressive. The weather effects work well, too.

I only have on issue with the gameplay so far (assuming that the point system will be added later) is that the room with the cloak is kind of hard to come by. I missed it my first two times booting up the game. Basically, in the large staircase room in the castle, the first door I tried was naturally the big one in the middle. However, since that didn't get a response, I assumed that the smaller two weren't going to be used, either. Perhaps if you added another camera angle when the player gets close to that left door, it would make it easier to find.
I also noticed that it didn't really seem that you NEEDED to get that cloak, either. I didn't try going on the ferry without picking it up, but it seems like there's no "in-character" reason that Graham needs to pick it up. (obviously the cutscene does, but the player deserves a reason to do a task before he has to do it)

This is an awesome game, I hope I got some things in there that no one's brought up yet. Thanks for reading this, and thanks for making something that I can look foreward to. Best of luck to ya :D

TribeHasSpoken

Quote from: Sajomir on August 20, 2006, 01:13:41 PM
--The paths that Graham can walk on seem very limited, like straight lines from a main path to all the points of interest. Previous KQ games felt much less "on-rails" if you know what I mean.

That's just for the demo. The full version features free movement.
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Yonkey

Thanks for the feedback! ;D

I'll ask Rich to comment on the animations and whatnot. :)

Regarding the cloak, this issue was brought up before.  In fact the original Narrator dialogue restricting you from leaving the island was modified in Patch v.2.0 in order to better accomodate this.  However, there are some things that you cannot explain logically.

The cloak itself was left there during the introduction sequence, so it's not completely illogical, but that sequence was left out of the demo because it was a bit too revealing. :P  As for why would Graham pick it up, it's hard to day, but it wouldn't be the first time the player picks up some seemingly random inventory item. 

I do agree though that the door is a bit misleading, but I don't believe that will be fixed.
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

Sajomir

Such speedy replies! :o

Ah, so the patch changed the narration there? By the time I noticed there was a 2.0 patch, it was my third time playing through it, so I just skipped the opening. :)

So does the game actually refuse to let you continue if you didn't pick up the cloak? If a message popped up when trying to leave the island hinting that you forgot some item, it should be just fine. (combined with the section of cut cutscene that you described) The two of those should get the players to go back and try every door. Gotcha. :D

Oh, something else that I just have to ask - will the player be able to go to the west of the castle's front door? I noticed that I couldn't enter the site of the hole-in-the-wall. Not that it really matters, I suppose, as it would be just another dead end... but it'd be cute to see that creature alluded to somehow.

Yonkey

There are definite changes to Narration!  Go download the patch now! ;D

As for the cloak, it never let you leave the island before either without it, but now at least it's not as ambiguous as to what you need to do.  Try it out! ;D

Hole in the Wall was actually used in the Catacombs not on the Castle of the Crown.  I don't think Graham would be able to walk through walls without knowing the magic paint spell anyway. ;)
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

Sajomir

Oh yeah, that's right... "Alexander" *cough cough* had to paint that door didn't he... But did you know that you actually could use the hole-in-the-wall there? It doesn't let you go through, but you can look through it and spy on the guards. ^^

Alrighty then... off to check out the new narration :D

kq fan007

The demo was awsome and it seems that all my fears about the game have already been adressed and answered which is even more awsome!!!! :jafar:
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May TSL be the best Kings Quest game to date!- KQ fan007