Arx - Updated English Demo

TazMan on 2/10/2002 at 02:39

Quote:

Originally posted by MsLedd
I've got a question... does the demo have an end? I mean, is there a point where you can progress no further and it tells you you're finished? Or, can you just wander about aimlessly forever?

Yes, it has an end... but you can still mess around in the last area after the end.

alkene on 2/10/2002 at 05:03

Quote:

Originally posted by twisty
I've actually experienced that "change direction unintentionally" bug in both versions of the demo. I thought that it might have been due to a sudden loss in framerates and so I didn't report it.

I'm suprised that Tels isn't out hunting ;)

Arrg. Looks like I have this same problem too. Didn't happen in the original demo - that one crashed frequently.

The new one doesn't crash (except ONCE when I fell through the grate at the begining).

Still buying this one - it's too good to pass up.

Alkene

Avalon on 2/10/2002 at 05:44

Ah, the new demo is definitely better than the old, but it still has a lot of things that need work.

The interface is indeed clunky, and I might even go as far as saying it's clunkier than in the old demo.. I usually pick up on things pretty fast, but I had to read the instructions several times to figure out how to do things as simple as using inventory items and what not. Either the instructions are bad (most likely - unlike other games, it tells you the default key to hit to do things, rather than the key you actually assigned - for example - or it simply doesn't tell you how to do things and leaves you to figure it out yourself), or it is the interface (also likely - there seem to be a lot of keys, and logical things aren't put in logical places; such as, for example, you would think that equipped items would be shown in your inventory and not in the Book). It seems half of the gameplay is working with the interface. Yeah, you can get used to it, but that's no excuse for shoddy design.

Besides that and other little things, it's a great game, better than it seemed in the first demo. If the price is reasonable (unlikely, in this day and age), I'll definitely buy it.

(Err, does the real game have any more character faces? You seem to be limited to a choice of apes, inbreds or bleached goths, and none of them appeal to me)

twisty on 2/10/2002 at 06:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Avalon
(Err, does the real game have any more character faces? You seem to be limited to a choice of apes, inbreds or bleached goths, and none of them appeal to me)

Agreed :laff:. I complained about them in the first demo.

Quote:

Originally posted by Msledd
I've got a question... does the demo have an end? I mean, is there a point where you can progress no further and it tells you you're finished? Or, can you just wander about aimlessly forever?

[spoiler]After you've recieved the gemcutter permit from the head soldier guy (in the fort), head back to the prison. It took me a while to work that out in the original demo as I really didn't think that it made sense to go back to what seemed to me to be an already explored prison.[/spoiler]

edwardhuggett on 2/10/2002 at 07:47

I dont think the bug is related to the Kyro2 specifically - the first demo version didnt have this problem at all. And i dont think mouth smoothing has an effect either, unless you need to change levels for it to "correct" itself. My gfx card although a bit rubbish should still play the game well. As long as Arkane include a readme with the best settings for the card I dont mind.

So I have these bugs:

1. "Lag" type screen jerkiness, random, frequent and crazy. (This does make it unplayable) Less serious in combat mode?

2. In-game hints - symbol appears at top but cant see text (probebly related to Kyro2 setting)

3: Choppy voice audio - often characters stutter.

So, do they still check these boards or have they all gone off on holiday ;)?

Ed

TazMan on 2/10/2002 at 15:57

Quote:

Originally posted by edwardhuggett

So I have these bugs:

1. "Lag" type screen jerkiness, random, frequent and crazy. (This does make it unplayable) Less serious in combat mode?

2. In-game hints - symbol appears at top but cant see text (probebly related to Kyro2 setting)

3: Choppy voice audio - often characters stutter.

Sounds more like a weak machine / video card combo, than bugs. I get none of those situations. However, it may be a winblows problem too... try re-installing direct X, or upgrade to 8.1b if you haven't already.

edwardhuggett on 2/10/2002 at 21:20

well my machine aint weak but my vid card is just *not* supported at all. could be drivers but .... if someone with geforce 3 had same prob, i dont think it is. maybe doesnt like some crappy micro$oft service running or something, god knows!

TazMan on 2/10/2002 at 22:30

Quote:

Originally posted by edwardhuggett
well my machine aint weak but my vid card is just *not* supported at all. could be drivers but .... if someone with geforce 3 had same prob, i dont think it is. maybe doesnt like some crappy micro$oft service running or something, god knows!

Well... the only two things I encountered was the "sudden change in direction", which I fixed by turning on "mouse smoothing" in the options... And the "Black Screens" in some of the cutscenes.

Try re-installing Direct-X or upgrading to 8.1b. :)

Shadowcat on 2/10/2002 at 23:45

As people are reporting bugs here, I'll add one taken from the thread on Blue's News:

11. GRRRR (was Re: Off to download...) Sep 30, 20:25 Ray Marden

Quote:

I may have to give up on this one; for whatever reason, I simply cannot get the darn thing to run on my system. I tried the demo a few times, but it kept on having problems a few seconds into the introductory cutscene (knight is dead, mage/prophet character holds up his hands and begins to speak, video cuts out while the sound continues).

Anyway, I decided to scale back what I could (do not overclock GF4, set AGP aperature to 256MB, set all memory settings to "auto," etc.), but I don't know if it helped at all. I started the game yet again and escaped out of the intro, which did take me to the options screen. From there, I disabled EAX and configured my controls. I was able to load and play the demo for a bit, but only until I broke through the trap door and fell down it. After that...<bam>...back to desktop.

The farthest that I have ever gotten in this demo has been a few minutes into the area below the trap door, killing a few spiders and...I believe making it to some type of doorway or walkway out of there (it has been awhile, after many failed attempts).

It is driving me insane, though, because it obviously works on other systems and this is the only game that I have problems with. Meanwhile, I can run UT2K3 with full overclocking and my poor Argonian has jumped all over the world of Morrowind with details (including the nefarious view distance) set to maximum, all at 1024x768x32.

<insert swearing here>

Well, I am not sure what else to try. I will uninstall the game, reintall it to its default directory, not mess with any of the graphic options (bump mapping, view distance, etc.), try bumping down my audio hardware acceleration, and go from there. I cannot honestly say that I am all that hopeful. This game is a must-buy for myself, I love the Ultima Underworld-ish setting and gameplay, but I will not purchase it if I cannot get it to run.

Just mumbling to myself :|,
:( Ray :(

17. yep Sep 30, 22:39 Weas

Quote:

Ray, try turning down your AGP aperture to 128 or even 64 just to test it out.
With my MSI Gef4 I find that some games are nary impossible to run when I have my aperature set to anything over 128.
I can run this demo with nary a hitch though.

Re: yep Oct 1, 00:09 Ray Marden

Quote:

Wow, I will be a damn, dirty ape. That works...mostly.

First off, the ubiquitous "I hate you!" comment. Jaime ;P

Secondly, thank you.

Setting it to 128MB, I get the following:

Cinematic - It plays up until he throws up his arms and then the video cuts out while the audio goes on. The audio stops and then the computer just seems to sit there (nothing on screen, monitor *is* reporting a signal from the adapter, case lights are not blinking) for a good five minutes. Suddenly, it picks up with the sage being attacked by Mr. Rodent :), plays through the tail end of the cinematic, and then takes me to the options screen.

Game - As for the game itself, it seems to be working. I made it to the dungeon below the trap door. Wow! :D I killed an anemy! WOW! :D I found a room...two rooms...three rooms...LOTS OF ROOMS! WOWOWOWOW!!!!! :o

I did notice that the cursor is a little jumpy now, especially when falling on or near an item, but it is something that I can live with. If this holds up, this means that I can at least play the game.

w00t! ;)

<whiney PC user mode: ON>
So, why out of all my games is this the only one to be like this??? After years of having it at 512MB???
<whiney PC user mode: OFF>

Just searching for the tree of life now... %),
Ray

TazMan on 3/10/2002 at 16:18

Yeah... I get the same cinimatic bug. Intro screen... guy throws arms up... screen goes black... audio works... screen comes back near end of cutscene. I also get the black screen on the "Go tell the King" quest / cutscene, near the end of the demo too.

Other than that... the Demo played fine after turning on "mouse smoothing" and fiddling with "mouse sensativity". I had 1 crash to desktop, trying to exit the game.... so no biggie.

Minor Bug in Bar, manipulating Ale mug. (Cursor with mug not shown on top of character doll, when trying to drink it)

Oh yeah... I set everything to max and turned on bump mapping too. Very pretty.

System:

Asus A7N266-C (nForce 415-D, no Integrated Graphics)
AMD Athlon XP 1800+
512 MB Kingston PC-2100 266MHz DDR @ CAS 2
PNY Geforce 3 Ti500 64MB
Windows XP Pro, w/ Service Pack 1
nVidia Detonators 40.41
DirectX 8.1 (4.08.01.0810)
nForce Reference Drivers 1.13
AGP Apature set at 256
FSAA and ANISO Filtering Off
Nothing Overclocked