I have a couple questions which I would like answered.

**Godamit** · 07-16-2010, 05:09 AM

Hi there, long time Penumbra fan, first time poster here Smile

Anyway, my questions regard the Beta of Overture, which I recently got my hands on.

First, I noticed that as soon as I gained control over Phillip, that the surroundings were somewhat similar to that of Black Plague, the office type of environment. However, the final game was entirely different, the first room in the retail release was pretty much a cave, which was carried out through the rest of the game until the end (leading to environments in Black Plague). I would like to know what brought about this change (from office areas to the cave mine we know Overture as today).

(Note: I do not have any problems with this, I greatly enjoyed the whole experience within these 2 games, just a little something which made me curious is all)

Second, in the beta, there was a point where you were walking down a corridor when there was a brief moment where the colours changed a bit to red... I read somewhere that this little event would be explained fully in the final release, however as the game changed to being in a cave-mine, we never got to find out. So my second question is, what exactly were the plans for this?

I would greatly appreciate answers to these questions Big Grin

**Sexbad** · 07-16-2010, 06:02 AM

I believe you're speaking of the tech demo, not any beta. Big difference.

I'm pretty sure that the TD was built before they got a real writer to help create the story and help make the game's path logical, so it's not all able to be explained and has no real connection to any of the other games. It's similar because it takes place in mines and follows very similar styles of gameplay but it's not more than an outline of things to come, basically.

There's a section in the forum for the Tech Demo at the bottom of the index page. There's a whole bunch of information you might find neat in there.

**MassacrMan** · 07-16-2010, 06:04 AM

I would like to know the answers to these too.

Great and well thought out first post too, welcome to the forums!

**Godamit** · 07-16-2010, 06:23 AM

(07-16-2010, 06:02 AM)Lee Wrote: I believe you're speaking of the tech demo, not any beta. Big difference.

I'm pretty sure that the TD was built before they got a real writer to help create the story and help make the game's path logical, so it's not all able to be explained and has no real connection to any of the other games. It's similar because it takes place in mines and follows very similar styles of gameplay but it's not more than an outline of things to come, basically.

There's a section in the forum for the Tech Demo at the bottom of the index page. There's a whole bunch of information you might find neat in there.

Ah, sorry, I called it beta due to the readme present in the folder, would've been better to say Tech Demo, thanks. I have searched for topics some days ago, but didn't find precise answers to what I was looking for, though that section seemed to escape my mind as I was preparing this, thanks again Smile

heh, and thanks MassacrMan, cosy little forum we have here Smile

**Yuhaney** · 07-16-2010, 09:06 PM

(07-16-2010, 05:09 AM)Godamit Wrote: Second, in the beta, there was a point where you were walking down a corridor when there was a brief moment where the colours changed a bit to red... I read somewhere that this little event would be explained fully in the final release, however as the game changed to being in a cave-mine, we never got to find out.

You're infected.
Like said during Black Plague.

**Godamit** · 07-17-2010, 12:47 AM

Wait, so Phillip already got infected?
Nice to know, thanks Smile

**Yuhaney** · 07-17-2010, 09:03 AM

Well, I think that's what it is.
Because there's no other good explanation, and on the other hand, in Black Plague, there were tons of similar moments thanks to Clarence.

**Godamit** · 07-17-2010, 09:14 AM

It does fit I suppose, your vision going funny, similar to the symptoms caused by Clarence.
Won't know a definite answer, unless Thomas still remembers, or has documented his idea (It was one of his posts which said that section would be answered).

**Kedjane** · 07-21-2010, 01:41 AM

The Tech Demo had the Shelter setting because it was their original idea.
This was changed due to the series becoming a trilogy and the player simply stumbling upon the Shelter randomly and then spending three games worth of time in it simply didn't add up. So instead they let Overture Ep. 1 be sort of a prelude to Overture Ep. 2-3, giving a bit more story about how Philip found the Shelter. Then when the trilogy was replaced with just one sequel they squeezed together the story line of Ep. 2-3 into Black Plague.
So originally the Shelter was supposed to be a lot longer, instead the mine got about half of the story.

In the Tech Demo the screen probably goes red due to some supernatural attack, or a virus, but it's quite possible that they hadn't thought of the virus idea yet.

This is what I think, anyways.

**Godamit** · 07-22-2010, 08:01 AM

That does seem to work, except, if it was meant to be a trilogy, it still isn't one. I believe I read somewhere that Requiem was non-canon, and playing the game, it is very believable. Though what you said on this does make sense.

Yeah, as for the hallway event, I've only seen speculation on what it was, I had a feeling it was just the virus already kicking in, but I was curious if the dev.'s had an idea other than the virus at this point, we'll need confirmation from any one of them who knows.