The Omega Stone - What a disappointment!!!

I can't go on with this game. I am so totally disgusted and disappointed with this sequel to The Riddle of The Sphinx, which I've played about six times and absolutely loved. I'm sorry, but my idea of adventure is EXPERIENCING it... not FEELING AROUND for it. Why these people would waste all their time putting together a game that is so dark, you might as well click your mouse on your monitor that's been turned off, is beyond me. What were they thinking???? This is not my idea of fun. I can only say, if you want to waste $30.00, be my guest, but you've been warned. I've waited so long... and for THIS!! From now on, if it doesn't say "Nancy Drew" or "Cameron Files"... I'm not wasting my money on it. Why are these games so [blip] dark nowadays? Do they think gamers are vampires? No, wait... Dracula wasn't this dark!!!

I wonder if the other GB's now playing TOS are finding their monitors too dark to appreciate the game? Anyone out there willing to share their thoughts?

qtPAT2t, if your monitor doesn't go any brighter, check to see if your video card has brightness or gamma controls.
Right-click the desktop
Choose Properties
Settings tab
Advanced button
Check all the tabs to see if any has anything to do with brightness. In the computer I'm using at the moment, they're on the Color tab.

I haven't heard from anyone else that the game is too dark, but I haven't read all threads on Omega Stone yet. The only complaint I read about the graphics had to do with the fact that they are a bit blurry even in hardware mode.

I have to agree with Jenny100. I just finished the game and although their was a fuzziness issue with a stone slab with critical glyphs, the place was dark - but not game stopping dark. If I had thought to adjust my gamma settings - it wouldn't have even been noticed. I just did that and re-checked the game - big difference. Still it wasn't that bad before.

qtPAT2t, Sounds as if your monitor/graphics card doesn't have that adjustment. I can understand if you couldn;t see at all how the game would be too frustrating to continue

Laura

I didn't have much of a problem with the game being dark - I could see everything once I adjusted my eyes - this doesn't mean I could find things but I could see okay. And no it wasn't bright in the caverns by any means but then I didn't expect it to be.

But I also have a dark computer room so that may have been a factor. I doubt I could have seen anything had the afternoon sun been dancing off my monitor lol.

hrmn... I've always wondered what's the perhaps brightness and contrast to play certain games.

In Riven, they made you set up the brightness and contrast prior to starting the game, so you experience the same moods and settings that the creators designed the game for. But for other games, I am hesitant to turn brightness up to the maximum, because I fear it might ruin the mood and stuff

Well, you Boomers have never let me down yet. If you say it's not too dark, I have to believe there's something I need to adjust. When I adjusted the "gamma" feature in Post Mortem, it made all the difference. Thanks for the instructions, Jenny, I'll give it a try. I don't want to be disappointed in this game... it's Riddle of the Sphinx for gosh sakes... my favorite game's sequel!!!

I have an NVIDA video card and the brightness controls are under the "color management" tab.

qtPAT2t,

I hope that the suggestion of jenny100 works for you. I hate to think of you not being able to continue the game, particularly since you enjoyed ROTS so much.

Laura

I did what Jenny100 had suggested to do and it made all the difference in the world. It was so bright I had to turn my brightness down on my video card. Good game.
Richard

Yeah, thanks Jenny! It did work, however, until someone comes up with a WT that tells you things like "screen forward 3x" or "pan left and forward 2x", etc., I'm still totally lost. When I got to the end of the path where it's brown and there's supposed to be a chamber on the left and a ladder on the right, there were so many chambers, rooms, etc., I was still lost. I know... it's me... I'm an embecile. Nope, I don't spend $30 on a game to be frustrated, and this is one frustrating game.

Check out MaG and Norma's - it is very thorough. Also if it's chichen Itza that's nmaking you nuts there is an in-game cheat that will give you everything you need. You still have to do some roaming to two places underground - but it's not so much. I hate to think of you missing some of the amazing rooms and such down below though.

Try the WT and definitely read through all the posts or do a search at hints. Our super long Omega thread has just about every short cut and work around you can think of. The specifics about the cheat is also in that thread.

laura

I purchased my copy today at Game Stop, did a full install and it's running perfectly on my WIN 2000NT Professional OS. Thanks to Jenny's tip on adjusting my color levels, I can see everything clearly. My first destination choice has been Stonehenge and I'm having fun wandering around - - died twice already! I'm also glad to see the complete WT on this site and I know I'll be using it before too long for hints.

Stay with it qtPAT2t! Relax and just slowly explore those caverns. That's part of the fun. You'll find once you've brightened your monitor and wandered up and down the passageways a few times, they start to become familiar. I took my time with this game to make it last but it still ended too soon. My major problem was the cotton-picking maze, but the wt gets you out of that! Enjoy!

Hi Gang.........Well, I've managed to get my feet wet......bwahahahahaha, literally, with this game starting in Chichen Itza!

Having brightened my monitor, things are looking up.....a little. It does help considerably! The passages are now looking familiar, Joanie......much too familiar I'm afraid.

I've been to Easter Island and am now in the underground caverns of Chichen Itza and am finding the game rather gloomy so far. I guess I'm missing all the fantastic and colorful rooms and chambers of ROTS. Of course ROTS was set completely in Egypt, and TOS visits many locations, most of which I haven't seen yet. I just hope it gets a little more lively as it goes along.

The Chitzen Itza area as well as every location in the game is very realistic - that is what you do find when you're out spelunking in caves and digging in archeological sites. These are what an archeologist would find. You are playing an archeologist. The graphics are wonderful and are true to scientific papers. The details of the glyphs on the walls and murals are well researched.

Maybe we can find a disco at the inner chamber and have some dancing to go with Laura's drinks and hotdogs.

MaG

I share your sentiments exactly, Sumac. So far I'm finding the game very drab and for the most part...uninteresting. I suspect the fault lies largely within myself, though...as I never found archeology and the study of ancient civilizations all that exciting.

I was hoping this game might exceed my expectations and spark a new interest for me, but so far that hasn't been the case. At this point, I'm mostly impatient to get out of these dark drab caves and into some more colorful scenery. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />

I suspect I'll eventually change my opinion of the game...if I ever get out of this depressing atmosphere.
Cynch

["The Chitzen Itza area as well as every location in the game is very realistic - that is what you do find when you're out spelunking in caves and digging in archeological sites. These are what an archeologist would find."]

True, Mag, but I'll betcha an archaelogist would be carrying a flashlight!!! I'm going to try and carry on, I just went to ask a question. Thanks you guys... I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. There better be a HUGE payoff!!

I got the game a couple of days ago and i MUST agree with you, the game is way to dark...

Omega Stone was one of the Worst games I ever played

Finished it last night. While I can agree to some extent with the complaints I thought it was a great game. I think it might have been the hardest game in memory. And the graphics in the Celtic compound were absolutely gorgeous. That section really sucked me in.
Bob

It sounds like this game really needs to be played with a video card that can allow you to boost the gamma. However I had to turn up brightness on my monitor more for Mystery of the Mummy than I did for Omega Stone. I've only played Omega Stone with the patch, however.

Hopefully the next game in the series will have an in-game gamma control, the way Timelapse did.

I really enjoyed Omega Stone, though it was awfully grim in spots. So many skulls! I hope the next one will be brighter, though I think the authenic feeling of being in an archeological dig is massively cool!

I think it is an a-MAZE-ing game.