Legend of Grimrock

[Sabreman]

I've been stuck at the 'Checkered Room' for a couple of nights now, and I'm way too stubborn to look at hints (I completed DM as a kid without the help of a guide, and I'll do the same for this dammit). The upshot is that while idly and somewhat desperately retreading the upper levels I've uncovered quite a few secrets I'd missed, and figured out a couple of optional puzzles I hadn't managed before.

[Darklord]

No, the stand alone version is truly stand alone, it doesn't contact anything external and has no way to auto update. Instead you will need to download the new version from the same location you did originally.

Daniel.

[Ameena]

Hmm, that sounds like I'll then have to replace the old files with the new ones - don't want to risk messing up and losing my saves so I think I'll live without the patch for now . I'm sure I can live a bit longer without a quicksave feature .

[Darklord]

No it's fine the saves are in a different location. (in my documents atm) You can always back up the save files if you are worried.

Quick save is very nice!

Daniel.

[beowuuf]

@Sabreman: I'm almost possitive you'll have everything you need when you entered the rcheckered room. The principal is simple, and logic of how the puzzle needs to end will tell you exactly how to to it, since there would be a couple of ways to solve it otherwise.

[Gambit37]

Ameena, the stand alone patch works fine and won't affect your save games.

[moogie]

I have not be on for a while.

I restarted from scratch (was playing on hard) and was getting killed on level 3 by the

Spoiler

spiders

all the time. The

Spoiler

Spiders

really scare me... they always show up when I do not expect them.

Like all of you I find this game way out there. I'm 38 and I played all the old ones but this game really scares me. I have my6 speakers on and it,s all dark in my living room and boy do I scream like a little girl when the monsters show up out of nowhere.

I hope some of you will make new dungeons when the editor comes out. it's way cool.

I'm glad to see there is a patch out with auto save. I use that a lot. And I love the door trick. I use it all the time to kill the monsters one at a time.

[isamuu]

Hi guys, just wanna say congratulation to Petri on releasing LoG!

I don't have the game yet but will soon. A few questions if you don't mind....

1)Someone over at NeoGaf had mentioned that the game comes with 3 tile sets. I am unsure as to what this means. Can someone please explain what "tile sets" are? Does it mean we can choose from 3 different graphics for the walls of the dungeon, similar to how you apply graphics to DM Java?

2)How closely does LoG resemble DM in terms of gameplay, length, speed and style? Are the enemies similar? Are the puzzle similar? Does the atmosphere feel like DM?

3)Does the game have a "movie" record feature? Where you can record an input recording like you can in CSBWin and play it back from within the game?

4)Are there plans for both a dungeon and character editor? Will the character editor allow changing of stats?

5)Does the game support 5.1 surround? Does it support Direct X 9 and the effects dx9 provides?

Please let me know, thanks?

[Gambit37]

Hi Isamu, a lot of this stuff is on the LoG forum: http://www.grimrock.net/forum/index.php

Some quick answers (I should be in bed!)
1) Three different wallsets in the game as you play through it
3) No
4) Dungeon editor in the works. Probably no save game editor though.
5) yes, yes, yes.

[isamuu]

Thanks dude. Get some sleep

[sucinum]

Hey petri, I have a question:

Now that you have created an awesome game and actually hit the spot of 100s or even 1000s of dungeon crawling veterans and gaming press loves your game, too (see: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/legend-of-grimrock) - how do you feel when you get tons of lists with minor or major suggestions? Is it more like "now we will make this game even better and then a sequel and then..." or rather "are you guys never happy?"
I just wondered since there is a lot of "this game is awesome, but" (I did that by myself) and very few "this game is awesome period".

About my solo run:

Spoiler

I first started on hard, but after a few snails I have found out that it will take quite a while to beat monsters down with only 1 prisoner, even if it's Toorum. I'm not that patient...
I will spec him on Swords and Fire Magic, which is quite the opposite of what he already has skillpoints in, but I still think that's the better choice. The first 2 levels I invested in spellcraft, not only to be able to cast light, but also for early +2 willpower, which will help a lot with energy later. That leaves me with another 65-70 skillpoints to distribute, which is just enough to maximize swords and get fireball. Otoh, I wonder if a fireball will really help me, since a staff costs me my shield.

[linflas]

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/legend-of-grimrock

Reading "goodterling"'s review made me rofl !

[Ameena]

Phew, I'd deleted the e-mail containing the download link 'cause I thought I wouldn't need it any more - fortunately my "Deleted Messages" folder hasn't been auto-emptied since I did that so I was able to get the message back, lol.

[Darklord]

If you'd lost it, you could have contacted the team they would have sent you a new link, they're good like that.

Daniel.

[Darklord]

2)How closely does LoG resemble DM in terms of gameplay, length, speed and style? Are the enemies similar? Are the puzzle similar? Does the atmosphere feel like DM?

Well I'm not as DM experienced as the rest of you guys but I will take a crack at this.

Gameplay - LoG has many DM inspired puzzles, using dastardly teleporters, pressure pads and pits etc, you attack similary but you don't have multiple options (like chop, parry) for each weapon. Casting spells is very similar, but doesn't have power levels. (I do prefer the DM system here, more variety)
Length - LoG may be a little shorter. but still lasted me 30+ hours. (including reloads)
Speed - LoG is faster, certainly movement speed anyhow, less sluggish. (In my experience)
Style - Similar.
Enemies - Some are very similar, some quite different.
Puzzles - covered in gameplay
Atmosphere - This is one of LoG's strongest points, for me it surpassed DM's due to the enhanced graphics and sound effects, when a monster appears and jumps into the screen at you, it is very scary, over elements that I don't want to spoil and incredibly atmospheric.

There are points of DM which are excellent, (I do like DM leveling/multiclassing) I'd say LoG is a worthy modern day Dungeon crawler, and those who enjoyed DM will likely love it.

Hope that is helpful.

Daniel.

[Ameena]

I'm on Level 6 now, in the

Spoiler

"Halls of Fire"

area. OMG this bloody

Spoiler

pit puzzle thing

is soooo annoying! I've already

Spoiler

got the key

, but as I only needed to

Spoiler

push two of the buttons on the pillar in order to get it, I figure there's something cool to happen if I manage to push them al

. Trouble is,

Spoiler

I can't seem to push that fourth button 'cause I'm not sure which pit(s) is/are closed by pushing the third one, and I don't get enough time to look around and find out

.
Timing puzzles are soooo frustrating!

[beowuuf]

If you have the key you probably have done it well enough. I think you do just

Spoiler

go for each button in order, so you only need to look for pits closing aroudn where you are

[ZalewaPL]

I just wondered since there is a lot of "this game is awesome, but" (I did that by myself) and very few "this game is awesome period".

This game is awesome, period.

[Ameena]

Yeah, I got the key, but the thing is,

Spoiler

the first button, on the wall to one side of the room, closes a pit in front of one side of the pillar, allowing access to that button. Pressing that button closes pits so you can get to the button on the opposite side of the pillar, but this also allows access to the key so technically that's al you need to do. But if you push that button, then the pit closes just around the pillar to your left (as you face the button you just pushed). Pushing this button presumably allows access to the button on the opposite (fourth and final side) of the pillar but I haven't managed to get around there and find out because there's so little time to look around - it's a case of push the button and instantly move or you get dumped down the pit

. I presume there's a secret to be had if you can get it all done but so far, no joy .
I also found a secret which led to an area containing

Spoiler

nothing but a closed door (with no visible means of opening it) at the bottom of some stairs and an inscription on the wall reading "Fighter's challenge". I've checked for secret buttons but can't find any

. Couldn't figure that one out yet so I'll go back to it at some point. Maybe I'm missing an item or something...

[Darklord]

Timing puzzles have proved tricky for many people, there's a load of ways to make them easier though, I wrote a sticky post here that covers them all.

http://www.grimrock.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2055

Daniel.

[Jan]

What, you've managed to pile 1100 posts on the LoG forums in less than two months? That makes even Beowuuf look bone idle!

By the way, to bring the discussion back on track, Matt Barton is going to present his "LoG retrospective" next week in Matt Chat 146 (MCh 145: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFiSv-z98rY)

[Ja'Ph']

Cool article on Grimrock.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/04/25/legen ... ple-input/

[raixel]

I'm on Level 6 now, in the

Spoiler

"Halls of Fire"

area. OMG this bloody

Spoiler

pit puzzle thing

is soooo annoying! I've already

Spoiler

got the key

, but as I only needed to

Spoiler

push two of the buttons on the pillar in order to get it, I figure there's something cool to happen if I manage to push them al

. Trouble is,

Spoiler

I can't seem to push that fourth button 'cause I'm not sure which pit(s) is/are closed by pushing the third one, and I don't get enough time to look around and find out

.
Timing puzzles are soooo frustrating!

Ug. I *really* wanna read that spoiler cuz of the way it ends. I'm about ready to enter lev 6 right now, myself. Ive already had a hellacious time with a few oblagatory timing puzzles in level 5. Really not looking forward to this.

[beowuuf]

It's a non-essential puzzle she'd tryign to solve, although the start of it bit might give you frustration. Then again, you only need four keys, so you can ditch out of this puzzle for this key anyway, let alone going for the full unlock.

@Ameena: I still beleive it's pretty straight forward in going aroudn the pillar, just timing is the issue.


@Jan: Hey, I can only work with what I'm given. If you guys could flood the fourms with posts maybe I could counter flood with answers :p

[Ameena]

Yeah, I just don't know which way to go around the pillar - every way I step I fall down something - I have no idea which pit(s) is/are closing so I don't know which way to go, and by the time I turn I'm already falling . I'll probably just skip it since I've got the key, just it'll bug me that I'm sure I've missed a secret .

[Gambit37]

Just keep going clockwise. This guys shows it, though he falls down the last pit by mistake, a bit too slow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEEZLm8BIEA

[Crash.]

I think that what confused me about that puzzle was that

Spoiler

you have to be completely off of any pit when it starts to close, or you fall in. I was a millisecond too late, and kept falling down. Once I figured this out, and a safe place to step, I was able to continue to the next challenge

. I'm still not sure I got everything in that room.

[Gambit37]

The buttons open the secret with the

Spoiler

Sword of Nex

which is required to

Spoiler

open the Fighter's Challenge downstairs

. The southwestern most pit in this room also leads to a treasure IIRC.

[raixel]

Timing puzzles have proved tricky for many people, there's a load of ways to make them easier though, I wrote a sticky post here that covers them all.

http://www.grimrock.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2055

Daniel.

Thanks for this! I'm a completionist, but literally can't complete some of the timing puzzles due to reasons ive explained before. The tip about slowing down the gameplay is a good one. Gonna try it out next time I never wanna play again in frustration. One thing I would like to recommend to the developers is an option to have an "alternate key" for bindings, so that 2 keys can be bound to the same set. It would help *immensely*, for me at least, to be able to use both WASD and numpad at the same time without having to constantly go into the options and switch. I didn't have this much of a problem in DM with the timing puzzles, I think overall cuz it was slower.

But my *one* complaint about Grimrock is the brutal timing puzzles. Everything else I can deal with, but as I said before, it frustrates me to no end to know exactly how to do a puzzle and not be able to do it, no matter how much I try.

On a side note. Just entered Lev 6. I see now why it is called "Trapped". YEEESH!

Edit: So I

Spoiler

run to the nearest gate with a chain and hide behind it. Then I decide to look around to make sure that nothings gonna sneak up on me from behind while I deal with the spiders. After finding out the area appears to be safe, I head back to the gate to chop up some arcahnids. However, there is no spiders waiting for me on the other side. So I go into the main area to see where the spiders have gone, and a horned giant comes charging outta nowhere at me and smashes me into paste! Weeee!

[Crash.]

There is one puzzle in there that had me about 30 seconds from getting out a joystick and mapping it to the movement keys - a bit much. Another where I think I was clicking too early, and since it was not possible to hit a switch until the forward movement animation was complete, I had to try numerous times. This is another thing that is new to a fully animated dungeon crawler with timing puzzles. I would rather that the timing was a bit more relaxed, because there is nothing more frustrating than knowing exactly what to do, but being unable to get the game/controls to cooperate. I'm more entertained by the thinking than the reflexes.