Hi

I'm playing Agatha Christie "Murder on the Orient Express" from the "Triple Murder Mystery Pack" version.

When I played it last time, from the original single game release, it required a patch - which I kept.

But does anyone know if this later Triple Pack release still needs it ??

Thanks.

Mad

My guess is that the patch is already incorporated in the newer version.

As far as I can tell from the patch description at Gamershell, you'll find out for sure at the end of "Act 2" when you fix the ham radio.
http://www.gamershell.com/download_17180.shtml
http://www.gamershell.com/infosheets/326722.html

Hi Jenny100

Thank you - but I already had that info along with the patch

What I don't want to do is get that far into the game, find I do have to use the patch, and then find my saves have been wrecked and I have to start the game over

What do you think ??

Cheers.

Mad

If you right click the .exe and look at the properties doesnt it give the version number?

No, mj2c. There isn't a version number showing.
And I have read the "Read Me" notes and they don't give a version number either.

So, I am going to carry on playing and hope that Jenny100 could be right in that this later (triple game) release has already been patched

Mad,

I have the Triple Murder Mystery Pack. At a guess, you'll need a patch eventually (if there is one) if you play Evil Under the Sun. I can't remember about Orient Express, I don't really recall any problems with it, but the cut scenes would not play in Evil Under the Sun. I was playing on XP then, I haven't tried it on Win 7.

Gil.

You can always try the patch, and if it refuses to install because it says you don't have the game installed, you'll know it wasn't for your version of the game.

I copied my saves folder for safety, Jenny100, and then tried the patch - but what it did was create a new install exe with a target of : "F:\Program Files\The Adventure Company\Murder on the Orient Express\motoe.exe"
And my existing saves were not available.

[My current (triple pack) exe shows a target of : "F:\Program Files\JoWood\Murder on the Orient Express\"]

So I am sticking with my current game and hoping for the best !!

As for Evil Under the Sun, traveler, I launched it and what I played of it was fine. But if I do experience the problem you describe - when I come to play more after I've finished Orient Express - I'll have to consider what to do at that time

Thanks, all !!

Cheers.

Mad

It doesn't sound like the patches are made for your version of the game, but if it's only a matter of changing the target for the game shortcuts, that's easy enough to do.

Hi again

If I changed the target do you think my existing saved games would then work ??

And if so, how do I change the target .. Am I able to just overwrite the address ??

[Into foreign territory for me already !! ]

Cheers.

Mad

Possibly. You'd have to try it. Did you restore the saves to the location the patched game uses?


With a shortcut, yes. Or just make a new shortcut by right-clicking the executable and choosing to Send to Desktop/Create Shortcut.

Hi Jenny100

I've copied what you've said to look at later - as I've got to dash off right now.

Thanks again !!

Cheers.

Mad

EDIT .... Much Later :

I just looked on the web and found that Murder on the Orient Express and Evil Under the Sun (on the Triple Murder Mystery Pack) DO need to be patched.
[Whilst "And Then There Were None" doesn't.]

So I've decided to uninstall both those two and then reinstall and patch them and then start again.

And that's surely GOT to do the trick !!!!

EDIT .... Even later

Well it DIDN'T do the trick
Neither game would even launch once I applied the patches.
So I've uninstalled everything again.

I think I'll have to re-install, re-instate my old saves and take my chances without any patches.

What do you think ??

Many thanks for your time and help.

Cheers.

Mad

Well, there's more, Jenny100 !!

Evil Under the Sun wouldn't launch once patched - but I found a different patch that specifically states it replaces the missing cut scenes and when patched with that one, the game launches and plays fine.
So I think I might have EUtS sorted


Murder on the Orient Express however will only work on my machine without the patch so far.
The error message I got when trying to launch it (patched) was that the file "granny2dll" was missing.
So I went on line and downloaded the file and put it in with the game files.
The patched game would then launch but was still unplayable because there was no cursor !!

The patch info says :

The Patch contains the following major fixes:

- Ham Radio Battery Combination: Towards the end of Act 2, you will attempt to fix a broken Ham Radio. Repairing the radio involves constructing a voltaic cell (battery) from various items. These items are: 'Punch Bowl', 'Carafe of Orange Juice', 'Bent Copper Bracelet', 'Small Statuette'. You will have two options to put these items together.
- You may assemble the voltaic cell on the table that the ham radio is on.
- You may assemble the voltaic cell by using the 'combine' in your inventory.
- The second option does not work in the US or UK version. If a player does try to 'combine', they will not be able to place the assembled voltaic cell on the table. The player must then disassemble the items and complete the task using the first option.
- Towards the end of Act 2, after the Ham Radio is in working order, you then contact Barnaby. Once the first set of dialogues appear, if the user does not immediately select a response, the game will crash. (You have approximately 10 seconds) This will only occur on the first set of dialogues with Barnaby. Any further conversations you have with Barnaby will not result in a crash.
- Once the player has opened the safe and has taken Ratchett's confession letter, there is a hotspot towards the mid-right hand side of the safe. Once the player clicks on this hotspot, Antoinette will say, "It's locked fast.", although the safe is already open.

Do you think I could get through the game without the patch - bearing these points in mind ??
[The one I am most concerned about is the last one .... regarding the safe.]

Sorry to write so much but wanted you to see what progress I have and have not made

Cheers.

Mad

Mad,

Would you mind telling me where you found the patch for the cut scenes in Evil Under the Sun? It really is annoying not to be able to see them.

Gil.

Hi traveler

I never took note of the site - and can't find it now
[I found it in the first place just by doing a bog standard Google search - so why I can't find it again I really don't know.]

And I also haven't played far into the game to experience any cut scenes so I can't swear it has solved the problem.
But, as the game plays with this patch installed whereas it wouldn't with the other, I have high hopes !!

If you like, I can zip a copy of the patch and send it to you direct
[Just email me if you would like me to.]

Cheers.

Mad

As I said in my email, Yes, Please!!


Gil.

I never needed any patches for any of these games on the individual discs which I played in XP.

That's good to know, oldbroad, thank you !!

[It's so long now since I played the originals that I don't remember much about whether I needed patches etc or not - but I did have that old patch for Murder on the Orient Express in my Patches Folder, so maybe I had to use that one ]

EDIT :

I've just noticed that an earlier post I thought I had made here ISN'T here so I'll repeat the gist of it ....

The "specific" patch I found for Evil Under the Sun did NOT provide the cut scenes.
So, having messed about unsuccessfully with two of these three Agatha Christie games for absolutely hours over the last few days - in trying to get them running properly - I'm giving up !!
I'll keep the Triple Pack disk because the "And Then There Were None" on it played fine but I went to Ebay earlier and have now bought "original" disks for the other two so hopefully they'll be OK

Saying that I once owned all three originals but traded/sold them on, that'll teach me to part with my games, eh ??

I'm sorry to hear only one of the Triple Pack games worked for you, Mad. I hope the individual games you purchased work better.

I've re-bought games I sold or traded before too. Sometimes it's hard to predict when you're going to want to play something again.

I found out a long time ago that as soon as I get rid of ANYTHING, I start missing it, so now I keep everything.

Good luck Mad with the individual games!

Oh, I've done it before in the past - traded/sold on a game and then regretted it and bought another copy !! [But not recently.]
Anyway, my Ebay "Evil Under the Sun" arrived today so I immediately installed it and I'm very happy to say the cut scenes played just beautifully

My Ebay "Murder on the Orient Express" also arrived but it wasn't the one advertised. It was a Double Mystery Pack which also contained "And Then There Were None".

A slight panic ensued !!

When I opened the pack though, there were two separate games (each in a cardboard folder of it's own) and both games were CD versions. So I think they are the original versions.
[I've emailed the seller for confirmation.]

Maybe my Agatha Christie saga is now over .... at last !!!!

EDIT :

Yahoo !!!!

I've installed the Murder on the Orient Express from my Ebay purchase and it installed faultlessly AND accepted the patch AND accepted my old saves !!!!

How brilliant is that ??

Glad to hear the versions you bought work for you.

+1 on that one Mad

Thanks, Jenny100 and InlandAZ .... And yes, I am very pleased indeed

I read this entire thread rather confused as I once had that triple pack. All three games played on XP without patching and had no issues. XP Professional Service Pack 3. I don't understand why so many had problems. It was the Adventure Company issue were there other releases in addition to the Adventure Company's?