I've just spent 6 wonderful hours lost in Obsidian. What a neat game! I got through the bureaucratic red tape, and am trying to fix the spider. I'm on part 4 of the miniworlds, the oil/water wave area. I've been to the water, and got the waves to synchronize. I've been to the small tower, and got the oil to gush into the thingy, by coding the correct number. Now I'm in the big tower. When I approach the slider puzzle, it doesn't allow me to work it. So I went to the console, and played with the topographical controls, but can't really find the correct place. On coming back from the water, one is supposed to see a "wave" on land, some land that has risen - don't know what/where this is. Even looking at the walkthroughs (all 3 of them), and it seems like I've done things in the correct order, but I can't make things happen. Any ideas would be appreciated.

If the land hasn't obviously risen, you didn't quite solve the wave puzzle. Be sure all the edges match.

Woe is me - the first time I played this one, I thought it was a musical puzzle, and was trying to smooth out the music by fixing the waves. Ha - needless to say that didn't work. It's totally visual, and fussy. Everything must be perfect. When you get it right, you will know. The whole thing comes up out of the ocean.

Oh! really? I wasn't expecting that at all! thanks very much - that's probably the trigger I was looking for!

The wave puzzle is a fussy one, Fairygodmother, but persistance pays.

Lady K.

Tally ho, that didn't work for me, please CYE, I've sent you a printscreen of my wave to show you what I mean.

Lady K - I've just sent a printscreen of my wave to Tally ho. It is as perfect as I can make it. I have done it 14-15 times now, and watched go thru several hundred cycles, and can see no asynchrony whatever, you can't even see the seams between the three rows of blocks, and th waves are perfect, and match the music. I really think I have a glitch.

Yep it looks like it's in sync, but I assure you, it's not. See the pointy edges on each wave? You must advance them just a little more, and find the spot where the pointy part goes away and the edge is a truly smooth wave.

Let's call the way the waves travel, 'back to front'. You have them perfect from side to side, but not from back to front. I forget the exact technique, but there is a way to stop the motion and tweak them just a little at a time. What you will need to do is start on the far side, and get that side fixed first, because you can see it. Then the middle row, then the side nearest you. Get that edge smooth, and you'll have it.

(I promise, there's no glitch.)

Tally ho, part of each wave begins with a sharp edge. I deliberately chose that part to printscreen for you, because it could show with precision that all edges are even. I also used that sharp edge to line them up, because it was easier to see when they were together, than with a rounded wave form. All the waves flow together, in unison, from sharp edge to round mound, slow decline, flat, then sharp again. I'll try them again later, but I've spent 90 min on it now.

Did I mention my hair pulling and knashing of teeth before I got this puzzle right? It's easiest to syncronize the wave is by beginning in the back and working your way forward. When you get it right, you will know.

Lady K.

Yes, the sides of each wave looks sharp; but imagine 'surfing' from the back to the front. Or even more effective, sliding from front to back. That little cliff would trip you up, that's where it needs to connect smoothly.

You DO have them synchronized side-to-side, but not the other way.

If you just can't get it, send me a save and I'll play it through for you.

I just wanted to post to let everyone know, that Tally Ho has taken a save of mine and done it for me, sending me a screen print of it partly done. My problem was one of understanding, not inability to synchronize. I was trying to make a wave in each of the three segments, instead of making two really smooth waves. I just never saw that in my mind, so I couldn't do it. Anyway it is working fine now, and I'm on my way again. Thanks for your help, everyone.

There are still quite a few challenges left, FGM! Let us know how you do.

Lady K.

Lady K - I just finished it. What an amazing game! That keypad puzzle at the end was tough, but I found if I kept looking at it, I was getting better each time. Several times I had 7 of the 8, and then I finally got it. BTW, I tried Tally Ho's save for the wave, but after seeing his screenprint, and realizing what I needed to do, I went back and did it by myself. It didn't even take that long to get. I just hadn't understood what it was supposed to look like.

I had a hard time with the Piazza puzzle with the robot, and of course, you have to repeat it again with the pilot. And there, I must have done something out of order, since I had to do it twice with the pilot. I definitely will play this one again. This was really great.

My sister had problems with the keypad at the end and even though it took me forever to do the wave, the second time I did the keypad, I had it done for her. She was very upset because I found it so easy. She is a nurse and I am an accountant and find numbers easy to remember. LOL We all have our different things in games we can't do and others we can.

Well done, FGM! I'm glad I was able to help.

Hey, if you liked Obsidian, you should try a game called 'Drowned God.' It has lots of environments, well-integrated puzzles, and a (somewhat fragile) story.

I've never even heard of it. Is it an old game?

I worked very hard to get that switch puzzle right. Did you save your game before you pulled the lever so you could see both endings? I like the "bad" ending the best!

I found the spider puzzle to be tricky but managed to figure it out with a lot of trial and error. At one point when I was using some short, terse Anglo-Saxon words, my husband walked by and said, "I thought these games were supposed to be fun!" Through gritted teeth I told him I was having fun but just wasn't showing it.

Is there a Mac version of Drowned God, Tally Ho? I haven't heard of it either.

Lady K.

It is. It may actually come from the same year as Obsidian, I'm not sure. I expect you'd have to hunt for it some - Traders or eBay most likely.

No, Lady k, I forgot. But I will play this again, I'm sure.

Tally HO - I will look for it, thanks.

A Mac version? I kinda doubt it. Maybe someone else will know for sure.