This game sounded so enticing I installed it months ago! But with so many negative comments about the controls etc & being so busy I was put off! After having some time over Christmas I've managed to catch up with a few games & just started this one today - it's wonderful!!! I am just using the default keyboard on it - it took a little bit of getting used to along with a few awkward camera angles but so far I have found that this is a game definitely worth it!!

Glad you are enjoying it CHrisie. That is why it really is better to make your own decisions over whether or not a game is good. Reviews are great to get a feel for what to expect, but it's still nice to try it out for yourself.

Ana

Yeah, some people had some problems with the controls and reached some dead ends, save very often because there are some points where you reach a dead end and the only solution is a saved game.

I stil believe that there are no dead ends. Just a need to find new approaches to a problem. There might be glitches on some computers. I didn't have one on mine.

I started Dead Reefs recently too, and was pleasantly surprised. I like the main character and the story so far is quite intriguing. The music is also unusually good. I am still adjusting to the interface, though I am getting better at it.

Obviously I loved the game, and I agree with MaG - I don't think there are dead ends, just different approaches to the problem that may involve something somewhat obscure. Anyway, I played it three times back to back trying to find them, and couldn't. Glad you're enjoying it Chrissie!

I totally enjoyed this game...

Granted you have to get use to using the keyboard...But It worked great for me...

A very nice enjoyable game !!!!

I haven't played this game yet, it's on my to-do list. This may have been asked before. I understand that most people liked the game, but had to get used to the controls. From a developers piont of view, what maks the decide between keyboard, or point and click?(since most gamers seem to like using the mouse better)

thracia

Thracia, that is a great question, and one I've often wondered about.

The easy answer for me is that I have to look at the keyboard to use the keys, otherwise I often find myself using ESDF instead of WASD, and with the arrow keys I tend to go left when I want right or down when I want up, I'm clumsy that way. With the mouse I can control things a lttle better even when I click wrong, since even there I get left and right mixed up.

If anyone lives near a Circuit City, I bought Dead Reefs there a week ago marked down to $21.99 -- the box wasn't marked as a sale item, the price came as a pleasant surprise at the checkout counter.

After a bit of a marathon on it I've just finished - wow! what a great game!

If you have a chance to pick this up at a bargain price it is well worth trying even if you can't get on with keyboard controls. I'm not a great lover of them either but once you've got used to them I didn't find it spoilt playing the game at all - sierramindy, there is no hurry in this game - you can play along & practise the keyboard at your own pace (I found it very relaxing) & there are only 2 or 3 places where you have to be organised & prompt with your actions! I did play through most of the game though with my hand on the mouse without realising what I was doing! - I ended up having to hide it!!

thracia & looney4labs - I can see some developers may want to use keyboard control for a game to move more fluidly/naturally along - I really couldn't see any advantage in this game as it would have worked just as well with a point & click interface.

Butcher, I didn't come across any dead ends but thanks for the warning anyway!

I wasn't able to play the game as I only made it to page 2 of MaG's walkthrough where ...



So I gave up! To this day I'm not sure if the game had a glitch or if it was my fault because I didn't use the keys correctly. In any case, neither the graphics nor the character caught my imagination so I don't think I will ever try it again.

Thanks for the info on saving often. I always forget to save as I go and I've gotten myself into some frustrating situations when a game has crashed. I just get so into the storylines.

I started Dead Reefs about two weeks ago but haven't had time to get very far with it. I too found the keyboard controls a bit of an adjustment but I got used to it. Just took some practice and some scowling at the main character for not doing what I wanted him to do. I like the graphics and the story intrigues me enough that I plan to continue on with this one as soon as I get some time.

Sierramindy -- did you try scrolling through your inventory using the "a" or "d" keys? (I know, it's not what we adventurers are used to.) :Grin:

I don't remember what keys I clicked, but it seems to me there was something in the lower right corner of the screen where you clicked on various choices and one was to use the inventory item.

That's right. But to see more than the cane, you have to use the "a" or "d" key to scroll through what's in the inventory, just like you have to use those keys to turn the pages of the notebook. (Odd, I know, but there it is!)

Good Grief, I had no idea that was how to get to the inventory. I saw the cane and thought that was it. Now that I know maybe I will try it again some day. Or not.

Well, just to get to the inventory, you do first press the down arrow key -- but to access anything other than the cane (which seems to pop up first) you scroll through the inventory using the "a" or "d" keys, then to actually use that inventory item, you press the down arrow key again.

EDIT: I just played a bit further into the game -- the information above isn't accurate.

To use an inventory item you press the down arrow key, then use the "a" or "d" keys to scroll through the items, and then to actually use that inventory item, you press the RIGHT arrow key.

I found accessing & scrolling through the inventory & notebook N pretty straight forward by just using the A & D keys - but it took me until halfway through the game to suss out how you accessed all the documents (including books) after pressing Q as the A & D keys didn't do it!! I did discover the space bar worked to scroll through the items & then pressing the A & D to scroll through books!

I didn't look to see if there was any detailed manual on the disc & just jotted down the basic controls but thought this was a game that could have definitely done with something more detailed in the booklet rather than on the disc!

Well, after reading your correction, Becky, plus the information that you added, chrissie, I can see why I didn't warm up to this game, much too complicated for me. Add that to not bonding with the character and not caring overly much for the graphics either, it just didn't (and won't) work for me!

Hi sierramindy, I can appreciate we don't all like the same sort of games & keyboard control can put people off (I always have to psyche myself up!) but I am curious to know why you didn't care for the graphics?? I thought they were gorgeous! Out of curiosity - which games that you've played had better graphics in your opinion??? Also what are your favourite sort of games to play??

If you have a control pad you may want to build a profile to use that instead of the keyboard. It does make controlling a lot easier.

Hi Chump253 and welcome to GameBoomers!

Thanks Becky