The last person to post here wins

[Yuanrang]

28 minutes ago, Sajoh said:

Both of those games originally made by LucasArts? I'm looking up Grim Fandango on Wikipedia right now. It says the majority of the gameplay is puzzle based. What is the gameplay like?

They are, yes. LucasArts more or less made many (most?) of the really good Point and Click puzzle-adventures, but there are some great games made outside of LucasArts as well. Many of the LucasArts games were later remastered by Double Fine, which consists of many of the old LucasArts veterans that worked on those games.

The gameplay is extremely simple. It is all puzzle and story based point 'n' click games where you collect items and interact with various characters, objects and events, using your memory, your wits and the items you find.

An example on how this works can be summed up with the example from "Broken Sword", another great game in this genre. This is the puzzle and the solution:

 

Quote

While investigating a murder, protagonist and player character George Stobbart finds himself uncovering a dark mystery regarding the Knights Templar. A medieval manuscript which he obtained during the investigation leads him to a castle located in Lochmarne, Ireland. As he cannot enter the castle through the main entrance door, he climbs a haystack, which stops short of the top of the wall. He puts a sewer key which he obtained at the beginning of the game in a crack in the wall, which forms a step, allowing him to climb over the wall.

Inside the castle, an entrance to an underground dig is located. A tied-up goat is sitting near the entrance; however, the rope to which it is tied is long enough to allow it to prevent George from reaching the entrance by butting him. An old piece of farming machinery is located at the left side of the screen, but George is unable to interact with it, as the goat continues to butt him.

George must allow the goat to butt him when trying to reach the entrance, but while the goat is returning to its original position, the player must click on the farming machinery, which causes George to quickly jump up and run to the machinery and slightly reposition it. When returned to its original position, the goat again charges and butts George, but while doing so, gets its rope entangled with the machinery, due to its repositioning. This allows George to move freely and enter the dig.

(Source: The Goat Puzzle )
 

I will also add two videos. One of the puzzle in the original version, one in the remastered Director's Cut:

Original Version (1:03)

Director's Cut Version (0:39)

Edited July 5, 2021 by Yuanrang
Forgot to timestamp the Director's Cut video.

[Sajoh]

47 minutes ago, Yuanrang said:

An example on how this works can be summed up with the example from "Broken Sword", another great game in this genre.

Great, I have actually played some of this a very long time ago. What I remember enjoying about it was that most often the solution (whether it be talking to an NPC or solving a puzzle) was not always the most immediate; the goalposts would consistently shift, that's how I remember it. Are you saying that Grim Fandango is in the same vein as Broken Sword? I understand that Grim Fandango is three-dimensional, so there must be some differences. Anyway, I think this kind of gameplay is soothing for the mind.

One thing that intrigues me about Grim Fandango is this from Wikipedia:

Quote

"Then I thought, what role would a person want to play in a Day of the Dead scenario? You'd want to be the grim reaper himself. That's how Manny got his job. Then I imagined him picking up people in the land of the living and bringing them to the land of the dead, like he's really just a glorified limo or taxi driver. So the idea came of Manny having this really mundane job that looks glamorous because he has the robe and the scythe, but really, he's just punching the clock."

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Sajoh
Better formatting.

[Yuanrang]

Yep, Grim Fandango is the same type of game in the sense that items, and solutions, are not necessarily obvious at a first glance, but through thinking and experimentation, you solve the puzzles.

There are a lot of these games around, and many of them have great stories, from old LucasArts games, to more modern Telltale games.

[Sajoh]

1 hour ago, Yuanrang said:

Yep, Grim Fandango is the same type of game in the sense that items, and solutions, are not necessarily obvious at a first glance, but through thinking and experimentation, you solve the puzzles. There are a lot of these games around, and many of them have great stories, from old LucasArts games, to more modern Telltale games.

These types of games seem to have eluded me so far, even though I have been gaming for over two decades. Anyway I am downloading the original Grim Fandango.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Sajoh

[Yuanrang]

1 hour ago, Sajoh said:

These types of games seem to have eluded me so far, even though I have been gaming for over two decades. Anyway I am downloading the original Grim Fandango.

You genuinely should play the director's cut of Grim Fandango, and remastered versions, rather than the originals. They work far better on modern systems, and smoothen out the visuals far more, so it looks more like how it "used to" on older TVs and such.

[Sajoh]

38 minutes ago, Yuanrang said:

You genuinely should play the director's cut of Grim Fandango, and remastered versions, rather than the originals. They work far better on modern systems, and smoothen out the visuals far more, so it looks more like how it "used to" on older TVs and such.

I would play the remastered version but probably cannot, I only own a cheap netbook. I can see what you mean already about the remastered version's graphics being tastefully done, however.

[Yuanrang]

55 minutes ago, Sajoh said:

I would play the remastered version but probably cannot, I only own a cheap netbook. I can see what you mean already about the remastered version's graphics being tastefully done, however.

Oh, I do not think the requirements of the games are taxing at all, it is mostly just changes to resolution, sharpered models and assets, and changes to music and lighting. That said, you know your hardware better than I do. I would just greatly suggest to use the remasters though. They are great ways to experience a really amazing genre that, beyond Telltale Games, kinda vanished into the ether.

[Sajoh]

1 hour ago, Yuanrang said:

Oh, I do not think the requirements of the games are taxing at all, it is mostly just changes to resolution, sharpered models and assets, and changes to music and lighting. That said, you know your hardware better than I do. I would just greatly suggest to use the remasters though. They are great ways to experience a really amazing genre that, beyond Telltale Games, kinda vanished into the ether.

It turns out I may have the exact, or just beneath specifications to run the remastered version; anyhow in the meantime I have successfully downloaded the original. It is up in the air but should I play both versions I will make note of comparisons. I guess I understand what you mean about these type of puzzle solving point-and-click games, maybe they are often overlooked by most.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Sajoh

[Yuanrang]

Honestly, it would not surprise me if they are just too hard for most people. While I love the Telltale-style of Point-n-click games like The Wolf Among Us, Walking Dead etc., the emphasis is always on dialogue and story choices. While that sometimes were a part of the LucasArts-style of Point-n-click games, the emphasis was far more on the complex and often challenging puzzles. Grim Fandango is not the hardest of games, but it has a few puzzles that can really make you work for it.

[Egghebrecht]

On 7/5/2021 at 6:09 PM, Sajoh said:

Both of those games originally made by LucasArts? I'm looking up Grim Fandango on Wikipedia right now. It says the majority of the gameplay is puzzle based. What is the gameplay like?

Grim Fandango is a classic 'point and click' adventure game 

(at least the remasterd one since the original one had horrible controls)

it has absolutely fantastic story, visuals and music

it's mainly reknown for it's visuals where they used the 'low polygon' technical limit as an art style and absolutely rocked it

 

it's simply one of the best games ever made 

seriously

[Egghebrecht]

On 7/5/2021 at 10:37 PM, Sajoh said:

I would play the remastered version but probably cannot, I only own a cheap netbook. I can see what you mean already about the remastered version's graphics being tastefully done, however.

should be ok, it's remastered, but still has the very low requirements

Edited July 12, 2021 by Egghebrecht
hmm no more automerge or delete function

[Make Max GP]

I was by myself from 7 am to 2 pm doing both sides getting buggies. I went to lunch @ 2 & one of my Managers did my lunch break. They sent some people out to help when I got back & my Manager was still outside helping me til I left at 4. On Saturday we got a new guy. He has 10 years experience from 2 other Walmarts & has 5 years of Cart Attendant so glad he didn't need any training, I got there at 11 am on Saturday & Roy jr was there at 7 & the new guy was there at 10. Bernard called out at 2 so the new guy just lined up the buggies for us. I went to the grocery side at 4 & someone came in at 6. Yesterday I got there at 11 am & they had the same schedule as Saturday. We had a thunderstorm at 12 & just stayed inside til 12:40. Bernard came in at 2 & I went to lunch at 3. We had another thunderstorm at 5 & I helped a lady load up her stuff & she was very thankful since she didn't have an umbrella. Today the RS3 Beach event started. I just got a haircut :)

[Sajoh]

20 hours ago, Egghebrecht said:

should be ok, it's remastered, but still has the very low requirements

Haven't downloaded the remastered version but have a free Repack copy of the original which is now fully installed. I have been both busy and lazy, not getting around to trying this game. I plan to finally start playing tonight.

In other "news" as I said before, one of the things I have been doing is trying to get hold of one of these, to prove my age. When I get it I am going to celebrate with a jug of beer, because that is what it enables me to do.

Edited July 13, 2021 by Sajoh
Grammar and such.

[Yuanrang]

19 hours ago, Egghebrecht said:

Grim Fandango is a classic 'point and click' adventure game 

(at least the remasterd one since the original one had horrible controls)

it has absolutely fantastic story, visuals and music

it's mainly reknown for it's visuals where they used the 'low polygon' technical limit as an art style and absolutely rocked it

 

it's simply one of the best games ever made 

seriously

The Remaster has the old controls if you enable them. There is even an achievement if you suffer yourself through it, but that was one of those I did not go for.  

[Egghebrecht]

2 hours ago, Yuanrang said:

The Remaster has the old controls if you enable them. There is even an achievement if you suffer yourself through it, but that was one of those I did not go for.  

I actually used the old controls on replay for a bit, but with an xbox 360 controller

it was OK with the joycon, but point and click ftw

[Yuanrang]

Quite frankly, considering Point-and-click games can have some nasty clues that are extremely well-hidden, or seem utterly inconspicuous, I think mousing over it with a cursor is a better control scheme in the first place.  

[Egghebrecht]

quite 

[Sajoh]

On 7/13/2021 at 8:07 PM, Yuanrang said:

The Remaster has the old controls if you enable them. There is even an achievement if you suffer yourself through it, but that was one of those I did not go for.  

Started playing the earlier parts. The controls are a bit stilted, can they be configured? The graphics are impressive for 1998, but the artstyle is something else.

[Yuanrang]

1 hour ago, Sajoh said:

Started playing the earlier parts. The controls are a bit stilted, can they be configured? The graphics are impressive for 1998, but the artstyle is something else.

If you play the remaster, you would be on the more practical control scheme, but you can configure them in the options menu. If you play the original, then no, you are quite literally stuck with those controls. 

[Sajoh]

With some good fortune and tact I will hopefully be landing a new job sometime soon, my current unemployment could quite easily be considered unhealthy karmically.

[Egghebrecht]

On 7/20/2021 at 8:33 PM, Sajoh said:

With some good fortune and tact I will hopefully be landing a new job sometime soon, my current unemployment could quite easily be considered unhealthy karmically.

good luck!

[Yuanrang]

Nothing beats a stable income, and feeling more and more like money is not that important anymore. 

[Sajoh]

Turns out the job may have passed me by, but I have enough money to see me through at the moment anyway and I can still help people by volunteering now. Money was never the end goal, except when playing Runescape.

[Yuanrang]

You know, I found that having too much money in RuneScape, really did not do much anyway. You reach the point where you are too well-off, and you just end up uninterested about it all. Money is something you are desperate for when you lack it, but an abundance of it just makes you all "Now what..?".

[Make Max GP]

7 hours ago, Yuanrang said:

You know, I found that having too much money in RuneScape, really did not do much anyway. You reach the point where you are too well-off, and you just end up uninterested about it all. Money is something you are desperate for when you lack it, but an abundance of it just makes you all "Now what..?".

Item Collections & 200M in All Skills!