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RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Thomas007 - 02-24-2008

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

Most of the puzzles I enjoyed because they made perfect sense within the game world.

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

The part where you had to cover the holes in the dog kennel with boxes. I assumed I could just drop flares in the area and run like hell. It took me about 20 minutes to figure it out.

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

I enjoyed it, although the game was too short.

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

I enjoyed the events, however, removing the combat element was a tad bit annoying at times, when I just wanted to kill some of the zombies.

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

The characters were great, voice acting especially from Clarence was fabulous, definately creeped me out just like Red did.

6) How did you like the ending?

It was great, I want more from this series, as I'm sure everyone else does.

Overall this game was excellent, It reminded me of silent hill in terms of how it creeped me out and set me on edge. The game engine is superb for the job its doing. I can't stress enough that you guys are doing an excellent job, and you must continue onward with the story. It's so rare to see such a game series that captures you and wont let go. When I played overture, it had me right from the start, this game too has done a terrific job. I don't care what big name review sites say, you guys are a master of your craft, and each game you release allows you to expand upon it. Don't be afraid to try new things, and I know me as a brand new fan will look forward to whatever you put out!

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Crusher - 02-25-2008

Thomas Wrote:1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

Spoiler below!
I liked almost all the puzzles, mainly because they were logical and made sense, unlike other adventure games. The one in the computer room, the one to acces the cryo chamber and the one in the messhall were specially nice.

Thomas Wrote:2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

Spoiler below!
For me the hardest was the one in the kennels. While the idea of someone who turned into some sort of primal viscious animal is scary and works well, the puzzle itself was hard, there was not enough clues IMHO. I tried running, using the flashlight, flares, etc. At the end I needed to check a walkthrough.

Thomas Wrote:3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

Spoiler below!
The pace was right, the game kept me in tension most of the time, but there was a few places that felt secure, giving some rest.

Thomas Wrote:4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

Spoiler below!
The gameplay it's well balanced: puzzle solving, stealth and exploration perfectly mixed. For future games adding a bit of action could be good, but not too much: maybe giving a gun but a limited supply of ammo, using it as a limited and last resort to save your life, I dunno, just an idea.

Thomas Wrote:5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

Spoiler below!
The characters are ok. By the end, when Clarence is messing with your head, after killing the Dr I started to hate him. Considering that it's a fiction character that's a remarkable achievement, a character well constructed. With the Dr it's different, I think that the player don't know enough of her to feel connected. Maybe if we got to actually see her or interact more with her before the end it would change. The voices were good.

Thomas Wrote:6) How did you like the ending?

Spoiler below!
I liked it, it was really like a Lovecraft tale. A happy ending would not fit with the rest of the story, so the Tuurngait trials and the ambiguous and dark ending were great.

And seeing that this is my first post I would like to thank everyone at Fricitional Games for Overture and Black Plague. I have been playing videogames for almost 20 years now and lately it's hard to find games as good as Penumbra, I'm looking forward to your next project. Oh, and please, continue the Penumbra story some day, the Philip storyline it's clearly over, but who knows what other projects may the Archaic be working on? It could make some interesting plots.

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Pigov - 02-25-2008

Thomas Wrote:1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

6) How did you like the ending?

Spoilers ahead, duh

1) I quite liked the Kennels, even though it was simple (two crates in a blood covered room, two openings, and a note telling about it), but I really liked it. There's just something about that place I liked, but I sure didn't spend a long time there Smile

2) I had no idea at all how to figure out the chemical machine, I pushed buttons for some minutes and well, it worked in the end, but I have no clue on how to solve it normally.

3) The first part of the game (the first part of the shelter) was slower paced, and completely horrifying. After I entered the second part, I kind of lost the feeling - they seemed so dark, rushed, and full of the infected - as if put together only to slow us down to the previous pace. I found running in those corridors quite dragged and unexciting, even if I had the infected after me.
The ending was somewhat rushed aswell - it just went too quick.

4) Too few puzzles, and too few staged scenes. Seriously, first encounter with the enemies was mortifying. The scene in the computer room, creeped me the fuck out. The scream after I killed Amabel, holy shit. You guys are good at making those scenes - they were great, but too few.

One thing I was really disappointed with - you didn't include your best puzzle from the last game again - the morse code radio. That was, and still is the most clever puzzle I've seen put in a game. It's good that you don't want to repeat yourselves, but I really liked it, and wished it'd make it into this game aswell.

5) Amabel was way too calm. Her dialogue was fine, but she should've been scared in this situation, that would be quite freaky aswell, I mean, someone stayed down here for a lot longer than us, and if that person seemed to still be spooked by the place, it would add to the game.

Other than that - it was okay. Obviously you want to hear about Clarence - I sometimes just wished he would shut up. Overture had it's charm of total silence, except when Red spoke. Also, quit with the "monkey". Such a word does not have a place down here. I mean, I'm in these dark corridors, creeped out and I hear about me being a monkey. Come on, think of some better words Smile

6) It was great - but as said before, it was too quick. I liked the way the Tuurngait spoke - that was some clever and interesting writing! But yeah, too short

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - treiral - 02-26-2008

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

Dinamite security codes, because were the more complex ones. But I like the monster solutions too, specially the worm and the computer room guy. (In fact, i like more the tech demo winged monster and the chase from the worm in Overture)

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

Gas leak in Chemical Store, but because I throw everything I can to the pipe and didn't broke.
I like the Dinamite security codes too, jumping over them or finding the key.

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

I find pace in almost ANY room that I know there's not zombies (or dogs, lol). The timing of events where perfect, specially when Clarence mess up with what I see or hear.

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

I cpypaste this:
The gameplay it's well balanced: puzzle solving, stealth and exploration perfectly mixed. For future games adding a bit of action could be good, but not too much: maybe giving a gun but a limited supply of ammo, using it as a limited and last resort to save your life, I dunno, just an idea.

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

I hate Clarence, what is good to the game. And my hope with amabel where crushed perfectly by him. I have no problems with the voice acting and I like no character most.

6) How did you like the ending?

It's fine. Very Derleth, I would like a Lovecraft ending more but this is fine too.

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Guest - 02-26-2008

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

- I really liked the room where you have to decided where to stand to fry the worm

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

-I had problems figuring out the chemical machine. Took me pleeeeenty of tries. But I love the challenge!

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

- I loved it! The whole setting, mood and music in the game. I loved it all, I woulden't have changed a thing

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

- I loved it all, allthough the ending confused me abit. The game should have been longer, it was kind of short for me

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

-I loved it all. The voice of Clarence was creepy, and very fitting.

6) How did you like the ending?

- I'm not really sure what I thougth about the ending, I didn't not like it, and I'm not sure I did like it.

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - lake_utuqaq - 02-28-2008

(Seriously, what is the point of spoiler tags in this topic? It should be read by those only who have finished the game.)

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?
I think that puzzles are a strong point of Penumbra: Black Plague and you don't really need to evaluate your riddle making skills, because you're already mastered that.
Most of the puzzles were unique and interesting in nature. It's marvelous when the solution is in front of you but yet you can't see it because you haven't put the pieces together in your head. (e.g.: the trusted blood puzzle, the fire extinguisher system puzzle, the synchronize the items with the ones on the painting puzzle, the thermostat puzzle)

2) What puzzles were the hardest to solve? Why were they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?
The pipe puzzle was quite hard, because I didn't assume that I can break the pipe by simply throwing a box at it.
Before that, I tried to squeez the curved pipe piece into the system.
I followed the pipes in both directions looking for clues or valves.
And tried to hack the nearby dashboard then I started throwing a box at it, which will eventually lead to the final solution.

The scaffolding puzzle was tough because of the misleading seesaw on the ground level. Later I read that it had it's own purpose (getting up to the switch) but I did that in another way.
(I lifted up the depressed end of the wooden board, that is to the right of the switch making it laying horizontally on two iron pipes, then I hoarded two boxes on it, and from there I was able to jump on the platform where I can pull the switch.)
This was the only puzzle where I had to use help.

The chasm filling puzzle was simply annoying because of the cold that forced you to run back to the shack periodically. I remember when I was dragging the last element towards the chasm that should make it possible to jump through, I realized that if I screw it up somehow I'll have to start all over again... I got really scared Smile
And if the boxes fell in a wrong way you are out of luck too.
Before solving that puzzle in theory I was trying to connect the two ends of the chasm with those long thin pieces of wood.

The kennel puzzle wasn't entirely obvious either. First I gave up. Later I came back and tried everything, even hid in the dog shelters so that maybe they got so angry they come out and kill themselves with the light. I was poking the body of the dead dogs. I tried to hack the electric equipment. Even when eventually I found out that I'm supposed to block the holes in the walls, first I used the barrels instead of the metal crates and got gnawed upon.


3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?
It was okay.
Maybe except the part when you get through the emergency door in the chemical lab. The camera corridors were very pointless and out of context.
I thought that it just got made to show off a feature of the game.

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?
The events were well placed and good, and thankfully there were not too many of them because every scripted little scene is a chance to break the immersion if it isn't done right.
I liked how Clarance made the door disappear and then how he made me think that a corridor became a dead end for example.


5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?
The worst is, the female scientist, because her whole character was stupid and forced (not her voice, I liked her british accent).
And Clarance is the best, though sometimes he talked even when he shouldn't have to.

6) How did you like the ending?
There was no big boss monster, thanks for that. The Hive mind trials were a bad idea in my opinion, probably a recycling of something that was supposed to be something else.
Too much talking at the end (and it wasn't worth listening to anyway, just the usual obscure yaking of the all knowing nemesis) I found myself running around in the top of tower waiting for the hive mind to shut up.
I tricked the second trial by the way by jumping on the top of the wall, thus elevating the number of glitches used in the game to three. It's the most I found in a game without even looking for them. The first was (in the demo) on the trusted blood gate corridor when I clipped through the fuse box. The second was not using the seesaw to get up to the switch.

But hurray for the unusual no happy ending and for the room that was slowly eaten by darkness.

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Bou_Frost - 03-03-2008

Thomas Wrote:1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?
The puzzle with the Gaspipe. I've got no idea, then, I was so pissed of that I've taken some stone and smashed it against the pipes, then I laught ^^
Thomas Wrote:2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?
The last one, with the stonedoors and the blocks ... I didn't imagine that I have to kill myslef ^^ ...
Thomas Wrote:3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?
The pacing was right, I don't think there are slow moments. No, too many wasn't it too ^^ ... but 4 hours are a bit too less ... if you see the two games as one, then it is good, but at the next game, please no episodes and 8-14 hours gameplay ^^ that would be great!
Thomas Wrote:4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?
The events were cool, sometimes I've really thougt I am crazy ... when doors disappears and corridors are deadended ^^ ...
Thomas Wrote:5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?
Clarance! ... the crazy comments are priceless ^^ worst? I didn't think any was bad ^^
Thomas Wrote:6) How did you like the ending?
I don't know if I like it or not ^^ ... but it was really different from other games, at this point, the ending was great ... but, with this ending I'm waiting for episode three, I think the story isn't finished yet ...

RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Kedjane - 03-03-2008

Thomas Wrote:Below are some questions that we would like you to answer in order to make our upcoming games as good as possible:

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

6) How did you like the ending?

Thats all folks! Thanks to all who participate!
1)
Spoiler below!
The first "trusted"-blood puzzle was really neat and quite brutal.
Both that you had to combine items to clean the needle and then take some blood from a dead person felt really well and made a quite grand beginning to the game.
Second is surely the ending "Tuurngait"-puzzle. The first part reminded me of some point n' click escape games (Which I like) and the part where you killed yourself to let yourself live was great.
Third is the part where you had to run around in a corridor with flickering lights, that was somewhy very entertaining and felt a little more action-ish than the other puzzles.
Oh yeah, that mind-realm puzzle near the beginning of the game was really awesome too.

2)
Spoiler below!
I didn't find any of the puzzles hard. The only ones that took more than one try was the part where you had to kill yourself in the "Turngait"-puzzle and something near the middle which I can't really remember.

3)
Spoiler below!
I think the pacing was ok. I really don't know what else to write here.

4)
Spoiler below!
Not sure what the question means, but I liked the way the puzzles were variated.

5)
Spoiler below!
The characters in the game were ok and the voice acting was good, though nothing special. I liked Clarence because of his dark humor and for his constant efforts to make Philip kill himself.
The character I liked the least was probably all the infected ones, which were just plain annoying. The Tuurngait wasn't all too cool either, but didn't really bother me either.
I liked Red from Overture alot more than any of the characters in Black Plauge.

6)
Spoiler below!
I liked the ending. Both the final gameplay scene and the epilouge texts were ok. Makes me wonder what there is at those coordinates you got in the end.


RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - spukrian - 03-03-2008

Thomas Wrote:Below are some questions that we would like you to answer in order to make our upcoming games as good as possible:
Well, ok.

Thomas Wrote:1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?
Spoiler below!
I liked all puzzles, because most of them made sense, were realistic and logical. Some of them worked well even though they weren´t "logical", like the dream sequence or the trials. One I can think of that I didn´t like was the "seesaw-concrete pipe" puzzle in the cave, it didn´t make any sense to me.

Thomas Wrote:2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?
Spoiler below!
The hardest puzzles for me were those that you had to do under stress (i.e. the boss fights, the "gauntlet" you run after the chemical lab, etc), but that has just to do with me short-circuiting when stressed and in fact I think those puzzles are kind of integral to Black Plague.

Thomas Wrote:3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?
I found the pacing quite alright.

Thomas Wrote:4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?
The variation of gameplay elements is quite good, though I would´ve liked to have a little bit more non-linearity near the end of the game. But I guess that this would be hard to do given the size of the game. As for diversity, the diversity is fine for this type of game, if you´re asking if I´m missing the combat from Overture then the answer is no.

Thomas Wrote:5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?
Spoiler below!
I liked both Amabel and Clarence. All voices where good and gave me a good image of what kind of persons they were.

Thomas Wrote:6) How did you like the ending?
The ending was very fitting. I liked the fact that as the game ends, we still don´t have the all the answers.

Thomas Wrote:Thats all folks! Thanks to all who participate!
Thanks for making a great game!

But just one other comment:
Spoiler below!
I was kind of hoping to see more of the tuurngait tomb than just a grainy picture, but I guess if Frictional in the far future ever decides to revisit the world of Penumbra, they have their options open.


RE: Some quick questions. Please answer when you have finished the game - Guest7 - 03-09-2008

Thomas Wrote:Below are some questions that we would like you to answer in order to make our upcoming games as good as possible:

1) What puzzles did you like the best? Why did you like them?

2) What puzzles where the hardest to solve? Why where they so hard and what kind of solutions did you try before finding the correct one?

3) How did you find the pacing in the game? Where there any particularly slow moments or some moments where too many things happened?

4) How did you like the variation of events and gameplay elements? Could there have been more diversity or should there be more focus on the gameplay?

5) How did you like the characters in the game? Was their voices fitting? Was the voice acting good? What character did you like best / worst?

6) How did you like the ending?

Thats all folks! Thanks to all who participate!

1. The funnest puzzle, was the one with the flat rectangles floating around and you had to jump from one to another. Actually that whole particular group of puzzles was very unique. I liked them because going through this part made me forget about being under ground/ice in Greenland.

2. Alot of this was hard for me. The first hardest one was trying to find the snow path. You don't know how many things I tried to burn, and trying to get across that Gap, falling, etc.

3. Pace was good, but I played on Easy.

4. There could of been more story-line.

5. The Infected Umbilical-cord Ones, were definately one of a kind artwork. Their way of walking was perfect, balanceing out the UCord in front of them.
I had to turn off the "growling talking" of the Ucords, when they were thrashing in speach--because I thought my dog was going to Wig-Out! (no-kidding).

6. I got to the part where you sacrafice yourself and I couldn't get the game to let me. That is when I decided to reinstall the game. I'll write about the ending when I get there, this coming up time.