The Graham Cumhail Notes - The Forgotten Shield

[pmengel]

Keep you posted,

Peter

[saturn]

I got ~6 errors in two mins. The menu hotspots didn't appear so i had to guess where the buttons would be. I got into the game and to the car.
The end.

The graphics made me look like this btw...great work.

[Harvester]

I bet Harvester would like this game.. It seems to me this would be his kind of game..At least i think it would be..

Well, after reading this comment and seeing all the appreciation of the game here, I will definitely take the time to try it asap Sounds promising; I will comment it when I got to it.

Harvester

[pmengel]

I hope to have the fixed version ready by tomorrow, saturday, on the website for download. Including a game tutorial when you start the adventure.

Thank you, Peter

[pmengel]

I HAVE UPDATED THE DEMO.

After removing several plug-ins and the Umlaut(e) from filenames,
me and friends have tested the Demo on:
US Vista and XP
German Vista and XP
Hungarian Vista and XP
French XP

On all those platfporms it worked fine without any error.

Please feel free to download the demo at
http://www.cathedral-mysteries.com

Have fun to play it,

Peter

[Mystery]

Thanks Peter
Downloaded and played for a while until I died I found a few items, but that's it. Going to replay to see how far I get this time.
So far I have to say that this is a unique game with a great atmosphere

[mercedes]

I'm downloading it right now..!~ Although its froze on me twice..but I think 3X's is a charm
..so far @ 66%...67..68..

Will let u know as soon as I'm done..hoping i could finish it..

EDIT****

I don't know what happened..but I think i may have died....I am to be a victim set on fire..

I was actually pretty stuck in this game..I suck at going different directions though in a game...I couldn't remember if i was going east..north..west...

I found it a bit difficult to maneuver..That's probably just me though..

I found 3 additional objects..lantern--I couldn't light
Symbol--that grew hot..
Another symbol..--Only could drag it ..it gave me a word though..
Spoke to the wolf...but was catapulted from the grave..

All in all...I found it a bit difficult to play...I wasn't sure what it was i was doing in the forest--Where to go ..the hints made it sound like East--But I'm going to try it again..

Btw--Was there a machete to be found..?

The atmosphere is fantastic

Thanks for posting..!~

Peace

Edit...
Ok well i tried it again..with the same results.. Tough game..

[pmengel]

I am happy that it works now.

I am posting a hint booklet (PDF) later today.
Its a tougher game.

Better to save a couple of times...you have many but not endless moves until
the owner of the land catches you after some warnings.
Read the description of the items carefully, there are hints given.

Found items may have a use later in the game.

The forest is a mace.


Thanks a lot,

Peter

[mercedes]

Hi there..

You don't have to write a hints book if u don't want too..simply give us hints here ....up to u..Or do u mean the help document u have there..? That would be cool actually..Once u complete certain areas..more hints appear..

Ok..I"ve read the messages..

I"m assuming when u go into the cave..where it says its dark[pitch black]..Should u not at some point be able to light this lantern ? I"ve never been able to light it..

Also, When u look at the rope..it says there's something in the knapsack for it...yet i cant open knapsack..or combine them..

So far i have;

Rope----can't find a place to use it..
Lantern--can't light it
Symbol--when dragged to the ravine..it gives a word
Charm..--when i drag it to [wolf] it catapults me from the cave..lol or if i drag it to other text it gets warm..

Can u give a hint as to where i can use either one of those..

Thanks..!~

The atmosphere is great..---its why i keep coming back to it..but if i soon don't get a hint..i may freak out....

[pmengel]

I have the PDF hint booklet ready for download at
http://www.cathedral-mysteries.com/home.html (bottom of page).

Some items can be used later in the game, some items "fool" the player
and have no use in the game. Like the lantern...there are matches, but no oil to fill it in the game.

Mercedes: have you found the magic torch?

Feel free to check the hint booklet...

Have a great day,

Peter

[mercedes]

Hey...!! I got pretty far...to the eerie shape in the cave..Then the earie shape in the cave--[The one that catapults u back down to the arch..]

..I went and seen it twice..trying to drag an inventory item to it..Then my inventory dissappeared..!! I tried going outside and everywhere in the cave..Inventory is gone..! I'm unable to save or anything.. ahhh..

At that point i dragged my sword and torch..lit..I don't know..but inventory dissapears after dragging items to it..at that point in the cave..:cry:


Let me know if this is supposed to happen..

When i grab the dead fish--[Which would be when i was hoping to refresh inventory--by going outside.]..That's all that appears in my inventory from there...

I'm writing it here..so in case anyone else plays..I don't want them to get that far..Then have to start over like i do..

Unless this is supposed to happen..?

Excellent game so far though..After you are done with the wolf..The game really moves then!..
I"m hoping that I can remember how i got to where I am now--Provided i have to start over..I'm thinking i do..

Peace

[pmengel]

Hi Mercedes,

ni it shouldn't happen that the inventoy disappears. On my 4 machines (US Vista, X, Gertman Vista, XP) there is no problem. Also in the caves thereseems to be a sound error, someone reported,
when you load a saved game. It happens only in the caves.

I will check that out today and let you all know.
Peter

[mercedes]

Deleted Old Post**

Has this been updated yet Peter..? I got your mail..but wasn't sure if u had updated link or website yet...

Thanks..!~

[pmengel]

Hi, the demo is updated.

Peter

[pmengel]

...on the website for download...

[mercedes]

I have completed the game!!!!!!!!!!!...yayyyyy.. :D

Excellent game. I really enjoyed it.

The Only problem I had with it, was the maze at the beginning..I had difficulty with where to go..I prevailed second time around this time...

**********************************************************
There is just a few things I noticed different about the update..I was fortunate to complete the demo in one sitting...but

You can't quit/save the game.

Normally when you went to the frame that is the UPcoming demos frame-- whether it be after dragging magnifier to briefcase/options icon, or at the beginning--You could click any of the pictures, that were of the upcoming demos and it would take you out of the game. If you clicked this demo picture, it would start game. Now its like its one big hotspot to restart the demo.

I tried both to quit and to save, I was able to save it by giving it a name, but then it takes you to the frame I speak of above...leading me to restart. I had to CTRL Q to get out.

B.t.w.
Are there different endings to the demo..?

I don't want to ruin it for anyone else..so i'll ask my next question in an email.....It involves the game itself..

Thanks so much..for posting it..

Peace

[pmengel]

Okay, thank you, Mercedes, for the advices again!
You can normally quit now when the game ends. After being grilled in the wicker strawdoll, you are informed that you're dead. The fish works fine, i think you (Mercedes) have tried to find it on another beach.

Behind the thicket (in the north) there is now an errie victorian mansion. This is the property of the bearish landowner. Horror awaits Graham there and it is one additional part for the full version coming in Winter 2009.
Another 10% of the game.

For you guys in the forum here I will give access to the mansion as soon as I have it ready. Can take another month.

Peter

[Harvester]

I have only a little time to play yet, but I tried this one out. Didn't really get far, but I would like to share my first impressions...

I was amused. It absorbed me.
The artwork is unique, the scenes sounds alive, and the text is well written.

The only thing I don't like yet (since I couldn't get used to it) is that the amount of text to be read draws away my attention from the actual looking of the scene. For me it's a bit much of words

BUT I will definitely continue my adventure in your world since it is very-very impressive! At the moment the atmosphere reminds me a bit of the Gabriel Knight series, don't know exactly why, but it definitely caught me. It's worth downloading

Keep up the good work! I will post again when I finish the game.

harvester

[pmengel]

I will take your advices, Harvester and Mercedes, and will reduce the amount
of text. The player's imagination and own fantasy should be the focus.
Will let you know when I have it ready,

Thanks again for all the advice and support,
Peter

[mercedes]

I just wanted to add to this..

For those who may wonder of the Text in the frame..It' s the text u interact with. That's what makes this game so unique, most of us make hotspots on top of pictures in our frames. However this game took a different route and made it so the player interacts with the TEXT instead/only.

For example if you see the word DEER or HOLE--When u hover over it, u would see a magnifier...

As opposed to the actual DEER in the picture..The user would use inventory on the word DEER..

Just wanted to add that...this is also in the How to play section of the game..~

Adieux~

[Harvester]

Well, here's my second thought as I've spent more time with the game.

Well, I'm really into it. Not many games can absorb me like this one. Very well done, I'm deeply impressed. Even though I simply can't figure out what to do in the forest But I will try, if I need weeks for it then for weeks

About the text.... well, don't reduce it Me and them became friends by the time... and it is very well written! Hard to believe for me that it could make such effect on me... just reading some sentences in a game and then I can immagine those man coming out... well, definitely well done!

Well, as you see I'm not far in the game even after playing quite a long time with it... the only thing I would advice at the moment: try to integrate some sort of hidden tutorial section in the game. I mean, for me it's like if an action game would put me in the middle of a battlescene without letting me get used to the controls, style, etc. It's just a little thing, but some very easy puzzles at the very beginning could show the player how things really work in the game and what to expect.

That's all for now, will play forward soon

Harvester

[mercedes]

Hey Harvester...!~

Download the booklet..!~ It will help u get out of forest..thats what i used it for..after that, was smooth sailing..

I sent u pm..with hints..I put it in the subject title, to delete or read..

Hope that helps..!~

Peace

[pmengel]

Attached I have a photo of a possible Interface with a compass rose for easier navigation. Less text, more imagination.

What do you think?

With this I could more focus on excellent text for each action and work more on story and plot.

Thank you Harvester, I will integrate a few rooms in the beginning where it will be obvious to the player how to navigate and manoeuvre...

Peter

[mercedes]

HI there...

I love the compass idea...

I would just leave it the way u had it with text...but now u have compass..so its less text to search--It seemed like alot before cause you had N W E S...Now u don't..

I'm not crazy about it being "just words" at the bottom..but thats me..I prefer it to leave it as it was...but now with compass..---Really like the compass ~ If u eliminate words that are doubled..and include compass..I think that would be awesome.

It was at first difficult for us with text..but as u play it...U grow to really like the idea..of searching text as opposed to hotspots..

Just my opinion..~

Peace...

[Harvester]

Partially I agree with Mercedes, leave the text as before, I prefer the original one But at the moment I'd rather leave even the compass out, since it would be in front of those beautiful pictures.

Mercedes, thanks for the hints

Harvester

[Mystery]

I have to admit that first I found the navigation a bit "strange" - it was new to me. But after playing for a few minutes, I got the hang of it, and I found it very nice as it is different from what you see in other games.

If I was you, I would leave the text as it is (it's interactive fiction after all). And either leave the navigation as it was before (players can get used to it very fast); or if you want to add a compass, put it in the text area and not in front of the images.

Just my subjective opinion

[Zenoc2]

Agreed. The text-only navigation takes some getting used to, but I do think that I like it better, just because it's so unique.

[pmengel]

I took your recommendations and finalized the Interface as attached.

Text stays and Navigation is in the border below the graphics. A bubble over N,S, E... shows possible directions. So the view on the full graphic is not blocked by a wind rose.

Thanks for all your help to finetune the game...

EDIT
Could't attach the Interface screenshot...
Said file size reached...

You can view it here:

http://www.cathedral-mysteries.com/interface.html

Have a great day, Peter

EDIT
Hi,
i will have the update for download ready on sunday evening german time.
In addition to the interface, there are some other changes made too:
- Face in the water is now a graphic
- It is clearer in the cairn what happens and a hint is given that you may have overseen something - before you can cross the threshold to the other-world.
- and others

Have fun---Peter


<<multiple posts merged by admin. Make sure you edit your post instead of multiple posting>>

[pmengel]

I have enhanced the demo. It is on the website for download.

Peter

[reneuend]

I played the updated version for about an hour. I like the navigation you have applied.

There were 2 minor errors I found:
- Heading west from the grave, the forest sound doesn't start.
- Heading south from the dam, you can still hear the water.

I'll try more later.

[later]
I finished it without any more errors. What a demo! Nice work, Peter!