I don't believe that. If Keepsake had sold as well as the developer had hoped, they'd have continued to make adventure games, despite anything anyone said in this forum or any other. In fact, Keepsake was a lot better received by Gameboomers than in some other forums, where it was positively reamed for bad voice acting. If it had sold as well as TLJ, or as well as the average action or RPG game, I'm sure we'd be seeing more games from the developer.


Why would people mention that in this thread? People have certainly complained about the timed sequences in the Nancy Drew games in more than one thread in the past, even so far as saying they wouldn't buy any more of them. No one here has said they wouldn't buy Carol Reed because of the timed sequence at the end of this particular installment. Only that they thought the game would be better without it or with a bypass.


I applaud your attitude. It's one of the reasons I sometimes consider exclusively buying independently produced adventure games. I know I can get customer support if I have a problem.


I wouldn't want you, or any game developer to sacrifice the artistic/story side. I'm happy to say that Ghost in the Sheet was one of my favorite games this year and I look forward to your next game.

Jenny100, Re my first quote: I can't remember what game developer(s) made a very good game but got so many negative comments just gave up & have gone on to making action games - as mentioned earlier - it doesn't matter how many good things that are said it's the bad ones that stick in the mind! The developers of Keepsake came to mind but I didn't know for sure.
Re my second 'quote': it's out of context with what I was trying to say overall!

Thanx Beckie I was thinking of making it a spoiler tags myself but thuoght it was not nececcery.

I admire you very much jeny100 and i hope i wont offend yu. But i cant under stand at all the mention or importantce of time puzzles in this tcom puzzle.and also in nickie review

i too dislike time or action puzzles especially hard ones, and in many games they leasve me terrible anoyed and frustrated.But the copor of murder one is an abslute breeze
Also the time-action puzzle in Mikaels previous game east side story there was a very much more hard timed action puzzle near the end, than the 1 in color of muder but i don't remember any criticism in reviews or posts, mabe I forgot?"

just the finding of locations and items are much more dificult and caused me very much more tensions and frustration.and you can see that in many call for help on gb hints here specially in the theater workshop and industial area.

It's quite easy - it's a design choice. In GitS ( for your information the budget was $0 and we made it - two people in our free time, so the budget is not a factor here) - I've included the option to skip the arcade minigames and the sound puzzle ex-post mainly because of the reaction of Marita (and I can't thank her enough for that suggestion. ). When you build and finetune your game you also by the process of testing get totally proficient in it, which means that you do stuff thousand times faster than other gamers, just because you trained it for millions of times. It's vital to have a pair of fresh eyes and hands for some independent view.

I think that if anyone told Mikael the sequence is unplayable, he would consider putting in an optional-skip. But I think most of the testers never realized it's a time sequence (I deliberately don't mention the first version which was almost unplayable even for me. :D)

I personally find Mikael as one of those who really listens to his gamers and he's one of the finest game developers I've had the chance to meet, so I don't think there was any ill-intention in putting this sequence in. I am glad he got such a nice review for Colour of Murder here on GB, because he definitely deserves it for this very-well told story.

So come on Mikael - give us new Carol Reed game already!

Here's the GameBoomers' review commentary on the timed puzzle in East Side Story:

There was talk of a bypass for puzzles in Nikopol before the game was released. But the developers then made the decision not to include a by-pass -- here was the response in the GameBoomers' review:

There seems to be a concern on the part of developers that if they allow a bypass (or too many bypasses) that the gamers will use the bypasses to whizz through the game, and then complain that the game is too short! Or that the game is "more of an interactive movie, with insufficient gameplay." I think receiving gamer complains like this is entirely possible. Still, I think more people overall would be happy with a bypass -- just my humble opinion.

Chrissie -- for evidence of how much gamers struggle with timed puzzles, all you have to do is look in the Hints forum to see people requesting saved games for all kinds of timed challenges (including those from the Nancy Drew games) because they can't get by a certain section. That's a pretty clumsy way to have to bypass the puzzle, but it's what's sometimes necessary before people can progress in a game.

Becky-thanx for the correct and acurate info

I agree that more people would be happy with a bypass & I also think that the feature would sell more games - I've lost count of the time I've read posts from members here stating they would not be buying a certain game because of timed and/or arcade sequences.

There maybe some games that would be substantially shortened & lose their 'essence' by having a bypass feature where these elements are an essential part of the game & well integrated - one or two of the Nancy Drew games spring to mind & possibly Nikopol from what I've read??? (I haven't played it yet!) But for the most part I just can't think of any others that would be that much shortened.

I think many AGs in general are accused of being 'interactive movies with insufficient gameplay' anyway - usually, from what I can gather, players that are getting more out of other genres! As for them ending up like that if you introduce bypass features - I find the reviewers here on GB quite astute!



I frequently look at the hints forum as I'm always interested to see where people have got stuck on games that I've played. If there's a timed puzzle involved I'm never surprised to see so many requests for save games! When there is no other alternative I think GB does a wonderful job & I have been tempted many times (especially for Nancy Drews!) to ask for more saves than just the one I ever requested. The reason I have usually resisted is that there are slight variations in the order of gameplay so you get a save which is someone elses order of play - so I end up just battling away & making the air blue but would gladly use a bypass feature if available!

For a strict linear game I think saves are okay but agree that it is clumsy solution as I've also seen that it's difficult & frustrating for some players requesting them to work out what to do with them when they get them! Now that Metamorphium (thank you Metamorphium! ) has clarified how easy it is to incorporate a bypass I wish more developers would think about it as it just seems to be such a good compromise if they want to include timed/arcade sequences & keep their market as large as possible bearing in mind that it includes many elderly with sensory and/or mobility problems.

I've got a feeling now that if Mikael wants to add a timed sequence in his next game there will be without a doubt a bypass feature!

I have seen a very lot of requests for hints and help to color of murder but not single one of them is for help on that easiest of puuzzls ever at the very end-Iris at the door

i realy cant under stand why this particuler puzzle which every single person can over come easily if not first time then second or third time causes so much coment.Its not at all similar to the hard 'proper' timed action puzlles in so many other games-to many to list here but i can if anybody wants

The company which distribute the game Merscom are very very extreme pedantic about insisting there games which are being translated into many other languiges are free from nasty things or difficutys and Im sure would have objected strongly if thought hard on elderly players--also bigfish.

Honestly, if the game is as good as you say why do you feel the need to sell it? This is really starting to just sound like a sales pitch. Let it go already please.

For me, it's mostly an issue of CHANGE... I don't like it. I do like this series the way it is; for its seeming spartan simplicity combined with a complex, well-thought-out storyline. I get bored when something has been 'dumbed' down, and despite difficulties in solving, I'm drawn to and held by a challenge. So when there was mention of a timed challenge, I was more effected by any changes from the norm, rather than having to dash around in the endgame sequence.

I remember when I played Zork: Nemesis almost 10 years ago, I had to do a timed puzzle as well. The puzzle made perfect sense at that moment in the game. The same does the small timed puzzle in Nikopol - at least the timed puzzle in the demo did.

Timed puzzles that makes no sense in the game at all - I don't like.

Generally, though, many games have a tough last puzzle in them, I agree. Compared to say RPGs, a tough (timed) puzzle could be seen as the AG's (adventure games) equivalent to the tough boss battles in RPGs. I just hope any timed puzzles do not require the slight of hand, since my dexterity is not that great...

For timed puzzles in general, I think it would be a great to let the player choose the autosolve option say after the player has failed the puzzle 3 times or so. So Blonde had mini-games in them; you could just hit the autosolve button and then you could get on with the story...

First of all, I don't think that my game has been unnecessarily "picked on". The only one that should be hurt by criticism due to the timed scene is me, and I'm not, so let's leave it at that.

I generally don't like timed puzzles either. Most of the time, they are designed to make the game more difficult. These are not the kind of puzzles I personally like to solve, and I think that goes for most adventure game players as well. I'm also very bad at timed puzzles. There are lots of games I haven't been able to finish due to timed elements.

However, the timed scene in The Colour of Murder is not supposed to be challenging to the player. I didn't even think of it as a puzzle. My reason for implementing the timed element is that I didn't like the idea of the player being able to simply leave the game running without anything happening at all. If the scene isn't completed in time, the player does not die, and does not have to load a saved game. Neither is the scene more difficult to complete for people with sight, hearing, or cognitive issues.

I'm glad to see that several posters in this thread didn't even realize that the scene had a time limit, since that is part of the whole idea.

I can not say whether it was right or wrong to design the scene the way it is. I do, however, listen very carefully and take serious note of comments like these from players.

From the one who started this whole idiotic discussion, I humbly apologize. I loved the game and all the Carol Reed games and the posting here was in a moment of frustration. I am so sorry to have whined here about so small a matter. The timed puzzle was correct for the game as far as I am concerned and as long as they stay relatively easy, I won't complain again.

Again, I am sorry to have started this discussion.

Sarah, you have nothing to be sorry about. The fact that a mountain grew out of a mole hill was not your doing.

Ana

sarahandus, I wasn't going to post another thing on this thread as I feel I've said too much already! I feel so awful now reading your post as it is not you that should be apologising, you have every right to air your complaints, so I know that I'm one person that should be apologising to you.

I'm sorry - there was no intention on my part to be hurtful to anyone not least of all you.

seems theres agreeement Mikal

it would be very good if dificult slider and timed puzzls should have by passes.
ultra easy ones like the 1 at end of Tcom is no need cos there easier than all other ordinary puzles

You mean I can come out of the corner now?

Thanks all~

To me, discussion is good and great Communication are what it is all about. If or when a topic get many responses, it is because the topic or question is a good one, not because the commenters are angry or anything like that...

I'm just glad Mikael is listening...