Messages

1

Gameplay / Re: Ixis' Treasure Hunter's FAQ

« on: January 07, 2008, 11:23:42 pm »

Also, quick question: When I finished the game will I still be able to explore, or can I only continue back from my last save point?

No, once the end credits have rolled you'll have to reload the last checkpoint in order to continue exploring.

Good news are, it's conveniently placed so there's nothing (well... Almost nothing) missable after it, and you can easily reach the rest of the ocean from it.

2

General / Re: Aquaria and Game of the Year lists and Reviews

« on: January 07, 2008, 02:59:19 pm »

I get its a digital only indie game, but IGN has reviewed indie games that came out online first, so it not like they just flat out dont review these types of games.  And as far as the quote about the game "not being for everyone", that is not a good reason for a place like IGN to not review it.  Kane and Lynch is a game that is "not for everyone" but that doesn't stop them from reviewing that POS.

As I said, if you're really curious you should just ask them about it. Or search through some reader mail, FAQ or the like - they've been around long enough for the question of their review policies to be raised before.

And I don't really agree about the specific awards. While on a personal level I can agree with the opinion that the art and music are great, neither they nor the voice acting are either very technologically advanced or remarkably original and daring. This is not a critique on the game itself - as I said I think it's gorgeous - I just think that the complete experience is what makes Aquaria great. Not being either an arthouse project or a multimillion dollar cutting-edge-tech project, it's not really pushing the envelope as far as details go.

3

Gameplay / Re: Ixis' Treasure Hunter's FAQ

« on: January 07, 2008, 02:06:51 am »

I'm having trouble with my last treasure, the glowing plant in the abyss...

""-Glowing Plant
-"Its twin bulbs drew jellyfish up form the deep."
-More jellyfish in Naija's home
Found: Hidden in a secret area in the western side of the abyss. Hint: Watch the minimap for the hidden passage."

and i've seen a hint elsewhere that it's in the room leading to the big jelly, on the eastern wall, but I STILL cannot find the passage! I found the passage leading from the one little circle room with the rock blocking it to the jelly room, but no treasure in there....

... If you look on the World Map (http://mods.whahay.net/Jester/aquaria/aquariamap1.jpg), it's in the Abyss about where the 'T' in the text "THE ABYSS" is on the map. There is one hidden path up and one down, so either search the ceiling below or the diagonal wall above (and IIRC, slightly to the left). If you hug the walls in one of these places you're bound to find it sooner or later.

Funny story - I found this before I entered the Mithalas Cathedral as hugging walls is something you do a lot when you travel through the Abyss without the sun form 

4

General / Re: Collectors Edition

« on: January 06, 2008, 03:34:53 am »

Well, out of curiosity, how would you guys suggest handling a situation like this OP?

I don't think my approach has been terribly effective, but I did greatly enjoy it.

I'm not really sure what Derek would have done, probably something more chill.

I think I personally would've just answered his question and ignored the piracy thing, figuring that if there was actually something I could say to make him pay for the game chances are I wouldn't come up with it. But your way, at least you got something out of it yourself which is better than nothing, right?

5

General / Re: Collectors Edition

« on: January 06, 2008, 02:39:24 am »

...Posts like the OP definitely are not exactly a friendly thing to wake up to.

Yeah, I see what you mean. And this is your place after all, with no publisher, boss or PR division looming over your shoulder I guess being allowed to be yourself is a perk you really should take advantage of.

6

General / Re: Collectors Edition

« on: January 06, 2008, 02:26:58 am »

Why do you let my posts get to you?

Could it be that every person is an individual who reacts to things in their own way?

Curiosity, I guess. I have seen some of what you're capable of doing and I'm mighty impressed, so I want to know more about the person behind it.

Individuality aside, I simply thought some of the replies you've given was a bit over the top, and I wondered whether it was some joke I wasn't getting or if you actually let it get to you - and if so, why. But reconsidering this now, I can see it was a little too personal so if that's the answer you're gonna give I'm not gonna keep asking.

7

General / Re: Collectors Edition

« on: January 06, 2008, 02:01:48 am »

...

Alec, I'm really not very empathic so do you think you could possibly clarify if you are actually kidding when you are acting up?

If so, I'm sorry to say I don't get it but that's just my problem.

I honestly don't mean to disrespect you or anything, I'm just wondering why you seem to jump at people posting (arguably) badly-worded criticism and now this piracy thing. Sure, you have every right to be pissed about it but I can't see any reason for the "i can't believe i wasted 2 years of my life working on this crap" - theatrics. What media coverage you've had has been overwhelmingly positive and even though some people are expressing dislikes around here there's at least 10 posts of praise for every negative one. Short of the the sales figures and any personal correspondence between you and other individuals (that I don't know anything about), I can't see any reason for why you'd let it get to you so I'm just interested.

8

General / Re: Aquaria and Game of the Year lists and Reviews

« on: January 03, 2008, 09:31:28 am »

...

... It's no secret that preview space is for sale, so I guess there is some merit to your argument but assuming that Aquaria gets neglected simply because bit-blot doesn't bribe the press - or hold a reasonable potential to do so in the future - is cynical. Assuming they have been sent review copies, maybe they have a policy about reviewing games that aren't readily available in general outlets. Maybe they just didn't feel like it was broad enough to warrant informing people about - both Alec and Derek have stated repeatedly that it's not meant for everyone. Maybe they just felt that the kind of people usually playing these kinds of games don't bother with reviews anyway...

... I could go on for awhile, but your safest bet would probably be to just ask said publications what their review policies are - not as much fun as drawing conspiracy theories, but a lot more educational.

9

General / Re: Hmm, First Negative Review?

« on: December 27, 2007, 02:16:43 pm »

... Well, he was actually wrong on most of the points that could be called objective, for example "At no point do you ever actually kill a boss by, say, shooting at it" is completely false. Usually you don't bother with a few such sentences since there is some point behind it and bitching about it would be nitpicking, but seeing as he is wrong about almost everything it's kinda hard not to take issue with it. But then again, defending Aquaria here is preaching to the choir and has been done already.

... I would like to say something about the Verse, though, because even though I didn't think much of the overall narrative, I thought the concept of the verse was very well implemented. It made sense, it had an origin, a purpose and a reasonable way of interaction - which quite frankly is more than you get about "the Force" from the Star Wars films.

10

General / Re: Aquaria review in local paper

« on: December 23, 2007, 08:43:03 pm »

Wow! 

I could mail you the actual paper if you want, but seeing as you're getting more and more mainstream attention I'm sure this will only be one of many in a few weeks' time so it might be kind of pointless 

11

General / Re: Colour Blindness Support

« on: December 23, 2007, 01:10:28 am »

Most color puzzles actually play the sound as well so if you have a good ear, that might help.

Are you completely color blind or do you only have trouble discerning certain colors?

Most things that are 'activated' by singing the note with the same color react in some way when you sing the right note - the flowers start growing and shrinking, for example - so you can usually try until you get it right.

12

General / Re: Aquaria review in local paper

« on: December 22, 2007, 04:37:55 pm »

There, changed it =)

13

General / Aquaria review in local paper

« on: December 22, 2007, 12:41:31 pm »

Staying at my parents home for Christmas, I was surprised to see a review for Aquaria in the local paper;

http://www.ekermo.se/tmp/aq_review.jpg

I'm not sure how many mainstream and industry reviews you've gotten so far, this is the only one I've seen apart from the eurogamer piece. I found this kind of interesting since it - being a newspaper and not an entertainment magazine - has a focus on major, recent releases but still dedicates most of the one-in-a-week- game page to Aquaria.

Basically, he likes the game (4 out of 5) saying a little about the story, something about Bit-Blot and the games Aquaria was inspired by and ends his piece by mentioning that while many indie titles are based on a good idea but fail to produce the complete games with overall high quality that large studios can more often afford, Aquaria is more polished than a lot of commercial titles.

The title translates to, "Sprung from Love" and the image caption is something like "Everthing was pretty cozy in the lagoon, disregarding the giant intestine someone had dumped"

14

Gameplay / Re: *SPOILER* Two fish, staring at globe (Easter Eggs - Spoiler?)

« on: December 21, 2007, 10:00:30 am »

Also try right-clicking them for extra funneh =D



... And how to find it...


... it's in the far left of the whale room. in the ceiling there's a small, dark passage that you can only enter with the fish form- although if you move along the walls with the sun form you should be able to find it easily enough.

15

Gameplay / Re: Can anyone tell me how to get the stone in the whale?

« on: December 21, 2007, 02:01:25 am »

Yeah, I had problems with this as well. I'll give you two hints and then the answer so you can decide how much you want to do yourself =)



... First hint, the answer is not in the room with the singing octopus.



... Second hint, you're on the right track with the lamp



... And here's what you do - go into the main "room" of the whale, the one you enter, and light the lamps in the order specified by the octopus' song