Episode 2 - CONSTRUCTIVE feedback (No fighting, please!)

[calmlunatic]

It was very refreshing. After getting a hint for how to get the deadly liquid, I was in the correct mindset of how to get the other two items.

One bug though: After I gave the candy to the kid, I tried to follow him right (off-screen). Graham disappeared to the right and was not able to come back.

[kindofdoon]

That is a known bug with no easy solution in our implementation of the game engine. It would require loading a new map exactly the same as the first one, except with the small gap where the boy runs through closed. The map cannot be easily changed in real-time.

[snabbott]

I'm not sure...
I think it should be possible to restrict the walking area so that Graham can't go places he shouldn't. A lot of times, when Graham can't come back, it's because he has fallen through the ground/floor.

[Lambonius]

That is a known bug with no easy solution in our implementation of the game engine. It would require loading a new map exactly the same as the first one, except with the small gap where the boy runs through closed. The map cannot be easily changed in real-time.

Are my eyes deceiving me or is this really an official team response of "we know about it, but we aren't going to try and fix it because it's hard?"   

[kindofdoon]

Fixing the bug would be easy, but it would require implementing a virtually unnecessary loading screen, which would detract more from gameplay than it would add. It is a simple decision when you weigh the costs and gains, considering how rarely the bug is encountered by the average player.

[calmlunatic]

Fixing the bug would be easy, but it would require implementing a virtually unnecessary loading screen, which would detract more from gameplay than it would add. It is a simple decision when you weigh the costs and gains, considering how rarely the bug is encountered by the average player.

One thing I noticed was that when I/Graham walked towards the lighthouse, I went back towards the city. Could this same technique be applied?

[kindofdoon]

I'm not sure about that one.

[Lambonius]

Fixing the bug would be easy, but it would require implementing a virtually unnecessary loading screen, which would detract more from gameplay than it would add. It is a simple decision when you weigh the costs and gains, considering how rarely the bug is encountered by the average player.

One thing I noticed was that when I/Graham walked towards the lighthouse, I went back towards the city. Could this same technique be applied?

It seems like the problem with that one is that the whole back of the area is defined as an exit to the previous town screen, when really, it should only be the path that takes you there.  Add to that the fact that the lighthouse is a prominent part of the scenery and seems like an interesting place to explore, and it turns into an issue that most players end up experiencing at least once.

[snabbott]

Fixing the bug would be easy, but it would require implementing a virtually unnecessary loading screen, which would detract more from gameplay than it would add. It is a simple decision when you weigh the costs and gains, considering how rarely the bug is encountered by the average player.

So... I don't know quite how the walking area area works, but I don't think it has to affect NPCs. I don't see any reason the walking area couldn't be changed to prevent Graham from going there (and toward the lighthouse, as well) without loading anything extra. Am I misunderstanding the functionality?

[kindofdoon]

I'm not sure, really. I was just relaying how Weldon explained the bug. As for the lighthouse, the path should be made narrower to prevent the player from walking too much off the path, especially to the extent that they think they're going to the lighthouse and end up in the village instead. I'm not sure why it is how it is at the moment.

[calmlunatic]

If I might make a suggestion for future episodes...

In the previous games during conversations, you could left click to go to the next line of dialogue and right click to skip to the next important part of dialogue (one you need to listen to to get information on how to advance in the game), or skip the entire conversation completely. I noticed that you can skip cutscenes entirely but this wasn't really what I was referring to.

[Cez]

If I might make a suggestion for future episodes...

In the previous games during conversations, you could left click to go to the next line of dialogue and right click to skip to the next important part of dialogue (one you need to listen to to get information on how to advance in the game), or skip the entire conversation completely. I noticed that you can skip cutscenes entirely but this wasn't really what I was referring to.

We've considered it, and been wanting to implement it for a while, but it's a little more complicated that it sounds because of how our sequence handler is built. You could end up skipping over a variable or a sequence that needs to happen and it would require a lot of testing to the new episode plus the past episodes. So, we'll consider it again, but I wouldn't count on this one, even though we want it too.

[daventry]

I have a curious question about the Hole in the Wall.

Graham return to the Isle of Sacred Mountain to pick up the Flower and he knows the Winged Ones told him to stay away, so how would Graham know on what to do next if he used the invisibility Cloak and couldent get the Cup out of the Closet, even knowing the Cloak would only work once.

the Point im trying to make is, why cant Graham pick up the Flower and then the Hole in the Wall comes tumbling down the Stairs, begging to be taken Home.

What would be the Point anyway of going up the stairs if theres No Quest thing to be done, yet i read that we will be flying in an Air Balloon to the Winged One City.

So in Conlusion, cant you guys Change the way that the Hole in the Wall should come to Graham instead. 

[snabbott]

It's always a good idea to revisit locations to see if anything has changed. I don't remember hearing that we're going to be riding in a hot air balloon.

[daventry]

It said so in one of those Four Winds Interview about two guys with a Hot Air Balloon and then we would be able to go to the Winged one City

[KatieHal]

There was an article about the Mountgo Brothers Balloon Service, and separately from that we confirmed that you will see the Winged One City. We never said just how you'll get there, however.

[wilco64256]

I have a curious question about the Hole in the Wall.

Graham return to the Isle of Sacred Mountain to pick up the Flower and he knows the Winged Ones told him to stay away, so how would Graham know on what to do next if he used the invisibility Cloak and couldent get the Cup out of the Closet, even knowing the Cloak would only work once.

the Point im trying to make is, why cant Graham pick up the Flower and then the Hole in the Wall comes tumbling down the Stairs, begging to be taken Home.

What would be the Point anyway of going up the stairs if theres No Quest thing to be done, yet i read that we will be flying in an Air Balloon to the Winged One City.

So in Conlusion, cant you guys Change the way that the Hole in the Wall should come to Graham instead. 

I think it's a safe bet that pretty much everybody will go up the stairs.  The Winged Ones didn't say Graham isn't allowed to come to the gates, in fact they specifically said that he could come back if he could find a way so naturally I expect most everybody to go up those stairs at some point.

[writerlove]

I just watched some of a play through for episode 2. I'm excited for 3 now I forgot how heart wrenching the end is.

[razor436]

I generally enjoyed the second episode as I enjoyed the first. The storytelling and writing continues to be superb, voice acting is decent at worst, and I got my first taste of puzzles.

Praise for:

• voice of Hagatha
• voice of the vines guarding the key
• voice of the white knight was cute
• voice of the winged king (though i think that was from first episode)
• Story and writing
• Details in graphics (like weather/sky) and facial animations
• Descriptive narrations for pretty much every environment object in the game (i.e. the narrator describes the sky, wall paintings, furniture, ... almost everything. More wouldn't hurt either).
• Very impressed by the musical score
• Love the artwork

Now for the things I did not like.


I am fine with the voice of the narrator, but I get annoyed when she makes a funny  or says anything that breaks the game immersion, such as references to Roberta, Gabriel Knight, and that Graham is a character in a game.

While I praise the writing, there are two choice of words I found inappropriate: "comatose" and "supernatural". To me, comatose sounds medical and supernatural sounds scientific which I would associate with modern society. I'd prefer something along the lines of "in a deep sleep" and "magical".

I also wish there was a true pause feature: one that actually paused narrator and character dialogue audio (and preferably music as well).

When I bought candy, I was promised one of each.I counted six kinds on the stand, but I counted only four in my inventory. FOUR! And even if we pretend Graham took one for himself to taste, that leave me with ONE MISSING CANDY! I must maintain my calm.

Wait. There will be no KQX?   [insert negative comments here]

[Cez]

thanks for the comments and feedback!!!