Apprentice

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 23:06

Featuring only 5 locations (if I remember correctly), but professional-looking graphics, nice music, interesting puzzles and HEAPS of humour game. It's so short that one can say it's only a demo, but since second part is a full-length game it's better to treat this one a separate one.

Download link: http://curlysworldoffreeware.com/game_i ... ?gameid=40

Download size:
-basic version: 6 Mb
-deluxe version (with voices iirc): 23.6 Mb

Developer: Herculean Efforts Productions

Release date: 2003

Status: hmmm...I'll check it tomorrow

(Chroelle sent email)

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 23:19

Fine that you opened a thread for this one (so I don´t have to do it). I downloaded it myself some time ago and it´s really a nice adventure game with challenging puzzles. Short indeed, but if you want to solve the "cheese puzzle" without using a walkthrough it will take some time (I don´t think this puzzle was logical and it´s nearly impossible to find the solution by yourself).

BTW, I played the deluxe version with english subtitles and it was very hard to read the subtitles bcause of the stranf fonts. Is it the same in the normal version?

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 23:26

The only problem I recall was with subtitles being too long (author explained it in readme file or in interview) - some of them were "breaking" screen edges. Fonts? I had no problem with fonts.

What is the difference between basic and deluxe version? Is my suspicion right - voice acting was added?

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 0:25

You´re right, voice acting was added and (as the homepage said) some graphics were improved (but I´m not sure if that´s true).

I didn´t have problems with the subtitles being to long and "breaking" the screen. I really couldn´t read some of the stuff because of the font. But maybe they changed it, because of being to long before? Think I really should try the normal version.

Post by **Chroelle** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:21

Ok I really ran into a problem here. I have been playing this for two days now, and I am totally stuck. After looking for more objects, using everything with everything and talking to everyone (well the highwaywoman and master, and yes I tried talking to all the animals too) I decided that I had to use a walkthrough to keep my sanity. I found one, and all of a sudden I got quite baffled, it said:
Walk to outside of tower
Walk to cliff
Walk to tree by cliff
Talk to snake

Well when I walk outside the tower, I see a high mountian with the tower on top, a horse one round down, and next thing I can interact with is the barn...
What am I missing? I can't be missing an entire location....

Oh, and I am playing the deluxe version, which has GREAT voiceacting.

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 19:04

Walk to the sandwich-eating giant (don´t know what it´s called inside the game) and when you´re there turn left. You´ll find a new location there: The cliff!

Post by **Chroelle** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 19:53

Yep I found out just half an hour ago. Had to turn to the developers forum.
Did you know that there are several puzzles in this game not needed to complete it?
Did you wonder why in the end credits there was a voice-actor for the dairy-girl?
And do you know that there is a puzzle related to the small writing on the scroll?
I just found out, but haven't figured them out yet.

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 21:14

Cool, some "easter-eggs" or extra puzzles inside the game. I really have to look at that...

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 21:38

Chrolle, maybe we need warp zone forum for such posts.

Anyway, spoiler-warning would be fine next time, we dont want any newbies coming here and seeing solutions for puzzles that ruin all fun?

Just a grumbling of hardcore adventurer.

Post by **Chroelle** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 22:54

Any news on the status of this game?
Shcssss... I'll add it for now, and delete it if we are not allowe to have it...

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 22:35

I´ve written a walkthrough for this game (including the hidden bonus puzzle). You can find and download it (as a doc. file) on the game info page of "Apprentice":

http://curlysworldoffreeware.com/game_i ... ?gameid=40

As it was the first walkthrough I ever wrote, I would be happy about any feedback! :feedback:

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 0:35

It looks good, but I always opt for minimum fancy stuff (no pictures, no special fonts, just plain text in either .txt or .rtf format) when it's something to be widely distributed. You should keep in mind that MS Word is not a free program.

Personally, I'd keep the descriptions of what happens in the game to a minimum, people will see that for themselves. I can't keep from making small, personal comments myself, but explaining everything that happens is a bit much.

Post by **Chroelle** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 15:00

I personally like Walkthorughs that go like
One 3rd door on your right
Talk to guy
Use cheesegrater with human skull
use skinpeeling with sandwichbread
Watch cutscene which gives reslut of eating human flesh.

A bit morbid, but I like it so simple that I only get to know the most important part. Sometimes people do some even greater WT's like Nick Bountys developer that made a hinty WT. If you got stuck there was three hints where you could choose to see them one at a time giving you the possibility of guessing how to go on before the WT revealing everything to you.

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 15:22

Thank you for the feedback. I will try to keep some of it in mind when I write my next one.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 16:06

Writing walkthrougs huh?
Mmm... I believe we stilll have 0 reviews

Besides review validation is not that simple when there's no PM/email if someone writes a review :/

Post by **Chroelle** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 20:20

IS it easily done?
I think walkthroughs would be a good thing to look into, especially if it is not possible to find other WT's for the same game. That would draw traffic.

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 21:13

I wasn't even aware that we had a working review system?! Writing walkthroughs isn't too time consuming, and fun as you're typically playing the game while writing.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:04

We have (badly) working reviewsystem.

IE Reviews are at the moment displayed lousy (Yep, even you did not know we had review system), there are no reward system for writing reviews, and validation pretty much sucks. But we still do have possibility to write reviews (If you browse info page for some of our game(s) and you're logged on, you should be able to see 'Review this game' button, and abowe (or was it below) it should be amount of reviews for the game). And each word should be stored in database. And at some day, if we'll get reviews, the system can be improved. IE reviews should get more visibility, validation thingee should be improved, readers should be able to rate reviews... Some day...

How ever, I doubt anyone has really tested the review writing after I added it (and styles we now have) to this 'real board' from development board. So if you suddenly get urge to write reviews, please write them on notepad & store them on your computer before submitting them. That way your writing does not vanish if something does not work right

Post by **Chroelle** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 14:35

I am currently thinking about writing more walkthroughs for some of the games in here, and at the same time I am wondering if I should maybe write some reviews. I made a list of games I want to review.
BTW: When you are done playing the apprentice please look into the Apprentice II that we have on site!
Also be ready for Apprentice III coming out anytime soon.