Omega Stone: too much adventure?

I'm finding myself not enjoying this game as much as I thought I would. I really looked forward to this game but I find I cannot get into it because of all the repetitive traveling required in the various sites to get things accomplished. The game seems too intent in showing off the very well done graphical representations of the sites and less focused on a well developed story with easy inventory management and accurate cursor locating.

I find myself longing for the intense, one site exploration that was done in the Riddle of the Sphinx (or, even better, in Dark Fall). It's as if the Toblers thought "If one historic/archeological wonder is good, then multiple sites must be better". This is the same reasoning that causes many authors to expand the number of pages in their subsequent novels after writing an excellent, concise first novel (like Tom Clancey).

The Toblers have done a very good job of recreating the sites, both graphically and sound-wise. But all of this going back and forth between the sites to find items or info to use at the other sites really does not improve the game play for me.

I'd have to agree. There seem to be a lot of intermediate steps in the passageways leading from one place to another, and so far I've seen little evidence that the individual steps contain information I've missed.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

Ta-ra,
The Gremlin.

I'm not that far into the game but I have to agree so far. Reminds me a lot oh Rhem, with a lot of back tracking without a logical reason as far as I can tell, especially in Chichen Itza.

That is why Myst is still my favorite game. Everything seemed to be in sequence and logical.

But nowadays, game developers seem to think they need illogical mazes and puzzles to make the game interesting. At least we have people like MaG who will do a walkthrough for us so we can at least finish the game.

You're right Satch. The only way I'm going to finish this game is with MaG's WT. I don't like all of the backtracking involved and I can get through the game with the WT and still enjoy the visuals, sounds, puzzles, etc.

Maybe we could start a new thread:

"When Walkthroughs Make Games More Enjoyable"

This is certainly the case with some games - not just games that have a lot of trekking, but games with a lot of illogical puzzles.

I don't think I'd call it "Too Much Adventure" though.

What a great idea, Jenny.
"My name is Howard and I'm a Walkthrougholic." Sometimes when I discover something through a WT that I think I could have done an my own I think I am missing some visceral thrill. But I have gotten through many parts of many adventures without a WT and it still remains just interesting and not a big charge. I guess I approach an adventure as a novel not a crossword puzzle. I know there will be many opinions on this - some will live for the "I did it" and some will just enjoy being there. I enjoy allowing it to unfold through me or through the WT while I sit back and thrill to the visuals, the music and the development of the story. I don't need a pixel hunt to make my day. I relish movement over frustration. I just finished Stupid Invaders, some easily on my own, some with a WT. Either way I found it to be one of the funniest and most enjoyable games I've played. (Thought it had the best voice acting, too. Louis, what part did you play?).

I must confess that like Howard the doc, I am an unreformed walkthrough-a-holic. I enjoy trying to figure out places and puzzles, but when it gets to the point that I can't stand hunting around anymore or getting killed anymore, I resort to the WT, otherwise I probably wouldn't finish most games. i do enjoy it when I figure something out, but if I have to look at the WT, it dosn't spoil the game, it only moves it along a little faster, cuts down on the frustration level, and makes the game experirnce more enjoyable-after all-that's what we play them for, isnt it?

Howard and bigmma1 I am so glad to read what you said. I have felt this way for a while, but thought I wasn't being true to the adventure if I used a walkthrough so much. I enjoy the game just as much when I use a walkthrough. It helps to relax and enjoy the ride, so to speak.

Hmmm...maybe I will wait to buy Omega Stone. All this talk of backtracking on top of the technical problems I've read about makes me think I should wait and see on this one...

Hi there, Fried....

Just want to add my two bits here on Omega Stone. I've played Chitzen Itza and most of Stonehenge and have had not so much as a small hiccup technically, in the game. It runs like a top and without the CD...which is a nice touch.

You definitely have to have a predisposition for classic point-and-click adventures to enjoy the major, major exploration and re-exploration requirements in the game. I don't pine for a great deal of burrowing about in the damp and darkness of the underground , however, so that portion did wear a bit thin. The considerable inventory is reflective of those in ROTS, so I wasn't surprised about that either. Its a great game!

A true adventure with reams of charm and mystery.

Witchen

Bruce,

I havn't played Omega Stone yet, but I wonder if your problem is not that there are too many locations to explore, but that you need items from one location to solve problems in another, causing a lot of backtracking. Whould it be better if everything you need to 'solve' Stonehenge was to be found in Stonehenge, for example? That way you could be completly finished with one location before you had to move to the next.

I too resort to walkthroughs when I get stuck (or impatient). I find this especialy true in games that are not so linear, since there can be so many places to explore and a missing inventory item may be more difficult to locate.

Louis

Thanks Witchen for putting a different spin on this for me. It just seems as though all I am reading about Omega Stone is negative. Lots of backtracking, too dark, crashes to desktop, cannot install, cannot play, etc. I haven't really read anything that positive yet. Kind of got me discouraged as I was planning to buy it.
Thanks again,
friedmonky

As for me...I am enjoying the game..I like the different places...I would definitely get bored if I stood in one place, looking at the same thing over and over again, but I do agree with inventory items, have to go to another place to find it to use in another place....why not leave the item you are looking for in the place where you are going to use it...This way you can finish solving the puzzles in that place and go to another place to start a new puzzle and finish it there and so on..instead of looking for an item all over the place to use it in one place...

As for the graphics I love no problems what so ever, no darkness no installation problems..running like a baby...thank God

As for walkthrough use them all the time, when I get frustrated...and use them just to finish a boring game fast....but with a game I am enjoying take my time and use the walkthrough only when necessary....hate those puzzles that make no sense what so ever, thats another reason why I use walkthrough just get through the stupid puzzle that make no sense....

Liz-but that is just me..

Hi Fried and Liz....

Well, if you still have reservations, Friedmonky, you could wait and buy a used copy or trade for it in the Trading Post thread. It is surely running beautifully for me.

Liz: The reason there is quite a bit of backtracking between sites (and within sites, for sure) is quite likely to draw your attention to the various components of the complex storyline, and it also directs you to consider how the different locations are ultimately linked. Additionally, the backtracking adds playing length to the game, as do the various mazes.

Love, Witchen =O)

I ignored this string because the "too much adventure" had me thinking it might tell too much about the game untill I was told that wouldn't happen. So, here I am. I see everyone pretty much agrees with what I had to say in my post here Is TOS slow or is it just me?. Guess it's not "just em". I guess it's back to roaming all over the world a few times to see if I can finish this game without a WT. Will be interesting to find out.

Hi BillyBee.......... I'm a bit of a purist too about consulting a walkthrough (silly, huh?...being is I write them all the time). LOL I have asked a few questions about what to do next and that's surely been enough to get me over a couple of "brick walls."

Love, Witchen =O)

I've had a similar reaction to TOS as most of you on this thread. I really enjoyed ROTS so much, and had looked forward to the sequel for such a long time. Early on in the game, probably when I was in one of those innumerable tunnels in Chitzen Itza, I was struck with the thought "This game is TOO realistic. If I want gloomy dark tunnels I can see them in real life. Give me some fantasy, a little excitement, or at least something interesting to look at along the way."

That said, I DID like the game, I just didn't LOVE it. I'm glad I bought it, played it, and I'm playing it again. With the WT!!!!

P.S. And if there's a third game in this series, I'll buy that, too!!!

Thank you! You know, on some unnamed boards (not this one), if you say you use a walkthrough, people act like you should be forever banned from ever playing an adventure game (though how that is going to help adventure game sales is beyond me).

I am going to play this game (I have to buy it first!) but I think I'll print off an excellent gameboomer walkthrough, for when I need it (trust me on this, I'll need it). That way, I'll be sure to enjoy my TOS experience.

Shorah

I've been avoiding Omega Stone discussions but Im glad I read this thread!

Actually We're NOT disappointed so far. TOS is beautiful & it runs smooth as silk. I just wish I understood better what I ought to be doing in some of these places.

I kinda like having the pace slowed down walking, crawling, etc. Its more like really getting to explore IMHO. However, We've been stuck awhile now because we've been doggedly sticking to the same spot(s) trying to solve our way forward and now I understand we need to move between ALL the sites.

Now maybe we'll get somewhere <vbg>

I prefer not to use walkthroughs unless I absolutely have to, but I am so glad people make them. Its great to know there's an answer in reserve!

Salar

I agree with Nolalu that if we could complete each section separately without having to return and have the inventory items be auto-deleted as you've used them, the overall gaming experience for this and other games would be greatly improved.

Hi all.....
I found this thread very comforting because I just had an awful time getting into this game...even with a walkthrough.

I guess it is just not my cup of tea. I found it extremely tedious and simply couldn't drum up any enthusiasm for finishing it. I have had no technical problems with it, though...after solving the "darkness" problem.

It's still sitting on my HD though...waiting for a day when I approach it with a little more patience or perseverence.
Cynch