Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
#309545
04/12/08 07:57 AM
04/12/08 07:57 AM
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LindaMarion
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A thread closed because it got involve in but that only crept in at the ending and is really just like extremely many games with goodies and baddies and who wins. also lets not touch the end but 98% of the game before which is nothing to do with any controversy. i hope its ok to discuss the game itself and not get locked. i liked the game a very lot and enjoyed the playing.i thought the voice acting was exelent and the subtitles also.the puzzles were good also;not too easy and not too hard. what about other players?do you think it was good game and did you enjoy it? or not?
Last edited by Becky; 04/12/08 08:09 AM.
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: Becky]
#309551
04/12/08 08:27 AM
04/12/08 08:27 AM
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LindaMarion
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: Volkana]
#309613
04/12/08 10:17 AM
04/12/08 10:17 AM
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Darleen03
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I haven't ordered yet... "Maybe I won't" I will have to do some research & read some reviews on how far this game deals with controversial subjects.. 
Luv Dar
GameBoomers "Games Are More Enticing Because Of Our "MaG"nificent Efficient Radiant Site"
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: dragonuk44]
#309709
04/12/08 12:11 PM
04/12/08 12:11 PM
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nickie
Grand wizard of high mucky muck
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Grand wizard of high mucky muck
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I have a question. On the purchase page - they ask for a lot of information, but there's no lock thingee on the bottom of the screen to show it's secure. Are they using paypal for purchases? In which case they wouldn't need all the information. Or does the information once entered go to a secure location for a different method of purchase?
"How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: dragonuk44]
#309711
04/12/08 12:11 PM
04/12/08 12:11 PM
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sierramindy
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I liked this game very much in spite of some logic puzzles which were over my head, but I got the help I needed at Hints (Again, thanks Everybody!) and was able to finish the game without a walkthrough, a first for me. As for the ending it was right for this game and I can't find any fault with it. I keep going back to DITR in my head. I know it is over, but I guess I wish it wasn't, I miss playing it.
To love is to be happy with!
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: chrissie]
#309736
04/12/08 01:01 PM
04/12/08 01:01 PM
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nickie
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Thanks Chrissie! I don't need the link, I did read about the birthdays but I just don't see why I should send all that info via an insecure site, when paypal would have the necessary information for the seller. A one button click link to paypal would make it ever so much easier.
Last edited by nickie; 04/12/08 01:03 PM.
"How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: chrissie]
#309764
04/12/08 02:18 PM
04/12/08 02:18 PM
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jedi valius
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I do agree about the info, but it is quite useless without a credit card number to a person with fraudolent intentions , which was not requested on the page...so I guess no harm done but yes one link click to Paypal would be much easier! Alkis are you reading this? hehe Now on to the game.... What I liked: - Good engaging mystery
- Likeable character and good acting
- Very logical and original puzzles
- Super fast loading and gaming times
- The music was right on and at the end very very creepy!
- Captivating chilling ending
What I did not like much: - Poor graphics and static environments (I am probably spoiled by too many Sherlock Holmes games with superb graphic I suppose!)
- Too many mouse clicks to cycle through commands
- Non-stop music was at times a bit too much...
- Limited inventory items ( I don´t like a cluttered inventory but I thought there were too few items in DITR)
- Ending seemed to come very quickly
Those were my pro´s and con´s in a nutshell...
Gnothi Seauton
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: jedi valius]
#309784
04/12/08 03:17 PM
04/12/08 03:17 PM
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LindaMarion
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What I did not like much: Poor graphics and static environments (I am probably spoiled by too many Sherlock Holmes games with superb graphic I suppose!) Too many mouse clicks to cycle through commands Non-stop music was at times a bit too much... Limited inventory items ( I don´t like a cluttered inventory but I thought there were too few items in DITR) Ending seemed to come very quickly I didnt dislike following at all: "Too many mouse clicks to cycle through commands Non-stop music was at times a bit too much... Limited inventory items ( I don´t like a cluttered inventory but I thought there were too few items in DITR)" I didn't feel at all that "Ending seemed to come very quickly" but it did come rather suddenly.
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: jedi valius]
#309811
04/12/08 04:02 PM
04/12/08 04:02 PM
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chrissie
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Hi jedi valius, it was interesting to read your thoughts about the game but while I agree very much with the more positive comments you made, I do have to differ in opinion with some of the things you didn't like so much: "Non-stop music was at time too much" - I never noticed throughout the game the music ever being over the top or dominating. To was to me the mark of a good musical score that fitted perfectly with the game & reflected the mood of various locations & situations. "Too many mouse clicks to cycle through commands" - I may be wrong here but I'm sure I read in the in-game manual that there were keyboard shortcuts to avoid this if you wished? "Limited inventory items" - my preference is for inventory based puzzle games but I liked the idea that you couldn't pick up 'everything under the sun' & only picked up what you might use. I think there was enough considering other aspects of the game such as the 'thoughts' idea & the use of 'special abilities' "The ending came very quickly" - I didn't feel this & personally thought that it was extremely well done considering the limitations of a small developer. "Poor graphics and static environments" - the environments were static, so what! - I really loved the artwork - the locations were beautifully 'drawn' & very detailed & I thought the outdoor locations were gorgeous. The characters conveyed their personalities & characteristics very well partiuclarly in the close-ups - for me the only let-down was the main movement of Jason who moved a tad clumsily & was 'less delicate' than his surroundings. Overall I thought the game was very well thought out, & shines out from some of the bigger budget games 'contrived' to cater for a market rather than made with 'love' as DITR obviously was. It is a game that proves that you don't need all the latest technological trappings to convey a good story!
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: chrissie]
#309834
04/12/08 04:40 PM
04/12/08 04:40 PM
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jedi valius
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Hi Chrissie, the music as far as I can recall was not a score but was ever present in the game, kinda like in the first GK game if I remember correctly. While this may be entertaining for a while, it became too much for me at times. I prefer a game where I can hear other sounds like steps, birds singing, leaves ruffled by the wind..you get the picture  I don´t like to use the keyboard while I am playing. I only reluctantly justify it when playing action/adventure hybrids. I would have preferred a command system like in Broken Sword for example, so I can choose the command I want with one click , rather than having to browse through them everytime. A technicality maybe but it did get tiring for me during the game. I agree with you about the inventory items not having to be too many, however I felt that too few puzzles in the game were inventory based. Maybe cuz I like inventory puzzles a lot, I wish I had seen more  The ending to me came very quickly after I solved the computer passwords puzzles which did not take me long. Probably I felt the game ended too quickly or was a bit too short. Of course this impression depends greatly on how much time one spends on puzzles. I felt I got stuck only twice and briefly  The environments were static so what? Hmm well for me the immersion factor is crucial in a game and with static envornments I don´t really feel I am immersed in the story. With static I don´t mean that they should have moving elements in them , but that the actual locations did look pretty much the same throughout the whole game, giving a general stagnant feel to the scenes. Now I don´t know whether I would use the word gorgeous to describe any graphics in this game , but of course I also do appreciate that it is an independent release, so if you see it from that perspective they did a great job with a probably limited budget. Yep Jason moved really funny but you gotta love the speed with which the guy moved! That was nice  No doubt DITR was made with love, but I would love to see an offering from this author with a bigger budget. Let´s hope we will see that, otherwise I am sure he will come up with another fine story anyway.
Gnothi Seauton
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: chrissie]
#309839
04/12/08 04:53 PM
04/12/08 04:53 PM
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sierramindy
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I thought the graphics were perfect! But then it is a style I like and suits me just fine. Obviously, some gamers prefer different styles of graphics and that's okay, but that doesn't make this style poor or bad or anything the least bit negative. It is a matter of taste, not quality!
To love is to be happy with!
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: sierramindy]
#309923
04/12/08 08:55 PM
04/12/08 08:55 PM
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dragonuk44
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For me its not the grafics its the story so what can I say the story I thought kept me intrigued so to me its a winner
s wheeldon
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: dragonuk44]
#309986
04/13/08 02:24 AM
04/13/08 02:24 AM
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jedi valius
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Sierra: an old-fashioned kind of graphic might indeed be your cup of tea and Alkis has confirmed that was his intention with this game, however limited funds also play a part. There is no doubt these graphics are inferior (less detailed, less refined,etc) than other games. When I described them as poor I indeed meant inferior to a certain standard which is the norm nowadays. GK1 graphic is also poor (i.e. inferior to current standards). That was an objective observation, without any subjective negative connotations. That said, I totally understand how that old school style may indeed appeal to many players as it does and as you say it is then a matter of preference whether you like it or not. I also did like the feeling of being back at Sierra times: a nice trip down memory lane  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dragon: indeed the story was very good and it kept me going throughout the game, which is a feat many current games can not seem to achieve....
Last edited by Becky; 04/13/08 06:54 AM. Reason: Combining posts.
Gnothi Seauton
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: jedi valius]
#310065
04/13/08 08:47 AM
04/13/08 08:47 AM
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chrissie
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....... There is no doubt these graphics are inferior (less detailed, less refined,etc) than other games. When I described them as poor I indeed meant inferior to a certain standard which is the norm nowadays.......... That was an objective observation, without any subjective negative connotations.....
Your comments don't sit comfortably with me at all - it's like comparing a drawing done with coloured crayons to an oil painting where the artistry in both are on a par with each other. The crayon drawing could only be described as inferior if the artist was trying to emulate & compete with the effects that can be achieved with oils. As Alkis didn't set out to emulate & compete with the graphics of e.g Sherlock Holmes - The Awakened' I think it's unfair to describe those of DITR as 'poor', 'inferior', 'not up to standard' in comparison. The graphics should be judged within context of the style of game & from that point of view I thought they were on a par with more 'technologically advantaged' games. I also saw the 'static' scenes as part of the style & think that the addition of ambient sounds wouldn't be in keeping & could very easily come across as phony. When I used the word 'gorgeous' BTW, I was referring to the artwork (rather than the graphics) of some of the locations especially Jason's back garden. I found the locations varied enough, yes, the rooms in the apartments had similar layouts but can do in the real world. There wasn't a lot of clutter anywhere & there was a lack of personalization in homes but for me this reflected the isolation, boredom & lack of interests the characters must have felt/had when they weren't working (don't know whether this was intentional or not!) I thought the game was respectable in length & although I'd loved it to have been longer I think it was perfect for the relatively small gameplay world - I feel it would have needed a few more locations to have carried on longer. I appreciate where you're coming from with your comments but I can immerse myself in a game without the need for full 3D state of the art graphics - I guess it's down to preference!
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: chrissie]
#310074
04/13/08 09:00 AM
04/13/08 09:00 AM
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dragonuk44
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The grafics arn t brilliant in the Widgit games but I guess it comes down to money and every one as to start some where and to be honest a lot of makers think cause they have good grafics it will sell .Well for me it is the story and I love Joey and his personality and I liked Jason .Cant say to much don t want to give any thing away .
s wheeldon
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: dragonuk44]
#310103
04/13/08 10:09 AM
04/13/08 10:09 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
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alkis21
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I'm very glad to see that the game continues to generate so much interest in this forum. Thank you all for your comments. Regarding the information we request in our e-shop, yes it is for statistical purposes and the fact that Paypal has them is irrelevant as we of course don't have access to your Paypal accounts! Naturally, nobody is forcing you to enter your true birth date but if you do, all your personal information is protected as described in our privacy notice. Regarding the graphics of the game, yes unfortunately graphics = money. The bigger the budget, the better the graphics unless the graphics artist is one of the company's owners which was not our case. I'm willing to bet that more people worked on the design of Sherlock Holmes' nostrils than the entire DITR team! However, the technical aspect of a computer game is more than about the graphics. There's the music, the professional writing, the voice acting, the lack of bugs... and I think we did a good job with those. I'm surprised to read that the inventory items were considered limited! Don't tempt me because I can easily triple that number in the next game.  I'm a big fan of big inventories but I was under the impression that most people aren't. Don't forget that the Thoughts were objects that could be used as well.
Atropos Studios Nothing adventured, nothing gained Visit our web site to order Diamonds in the Rough
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Re: Diamonds in the rough - good or not?
[Re: jedi valius]
#310113
04/13/08 10:24 AM
04/13/08 10:24 AM
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chrissie
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......... I never said I needed a 3D graphic to immerse myself in a game....... No, you didn't! and sorry! it's not what I meant to imply. The comment stemmed from my view on 'static environments' which you made a comment about earlier.  One of the good things about AGs, I feel, is that as long as there is a good story with interesting characters and/or puzzles (whatever your preference)they can be developed on a comparitively simple basis on a relatively low budget. How many hardcore action fans would entertain less than state of the art graphics & gameplay? I am really pleased that technological advances are catching up with a lot of AG developers & love the rich, intricate & fully detailed environments that are now being created - I just hope that not too many people will be lured away from also playing the 'lower tech' games developed by small independants & that we all continue to value & appreciate the great diversity in styles that we currently enjoy!  DragonUK, I have all of the Widget games along with numerous others which I will gradually get round to playing!
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