A Vampyre Story - Group Play

It's here!  The group play-through of A Vampyre Story <--Game thread

Never done a group play before?  No worries, you're in good company!  I've only done one before now

Here's how it works:

The people who are participating come to this thread to discuss the game.  Anything about the game:  The graphics, sounds, story, impressions, and cries for help.  The only thing you need to remember is that we don't want to ruin any surprises or storyline specifics for those who haven't played yet, so please hide this kind of information!

There are two ways to do this:

Use spoiler tags, which look like this [ spoiler]Type your spoiler here.[ /spoiler] (without the spaces inside the brackets.  When you do it right, it will look like this once you submit your post:
[spoiler]Type your spoiler here. /spoiler]
You can click on the Preview button (to the left of the Send button) if you want to be sure you've done it right before submitting.

Change the color of your text.  To do so, highlight the text whose color you want to change, click on the button at the top of the reply box that looks like nine little colored squares, and choose the color you want.  Once you post, the background will be a light blue color, so keep that in mind ;)

The goal is to have fun playing this together, whilst still having the information in the thread be helpful for anyone who comes along later -- even if it's a year from now!

That's it!  I'll be adding some information on game controls in the next post, straight from the manual~!  We start tomorrow, and hopefully, not 'til late morning on my part -- I'm hoping to get to sleep in a little!

From the manual:

Main Menu
By pressing the ESC key you go to the Main Menu at any point within the game.
The various items on the menu are explained individually here:

Return to game
This option returns you to the current gamebeing played.

Save game
When this option is chosen, the game automatically creates a new game status. Once the game has been saved successfully, the option is shown in gray. Please note that the game cannot be saved during a dialog or video sequence.

Load game
Clicking on this menu item takes you to the screen where saved games are displayed. Each of those games is represented by a picture showing the game status when that game was last saved. To continue a saved game, all you need to do is to click on the corresponding picture. The progress of a game you might have been playing just before this will be discarded thereby. If you have created a status for more than 12 games, you can use the arrows in the lower right or left corner of the screen to display games with an older status.

To return to the Main Menu, click on the corresponding option in the middle of the lower edge of the screen.

New Game
This option starts a new game. Please make sure that you have saved the game you are currently playing, because progress that has not been saved will be discarded.

Exit to Windows
This option takes you back to the Windows desktop without saving a game.

Effects Volume
This option sets the volume for the sound effects. The volumes for music and spoken language output
are set separately.

Voice
The volume for spoken language can be adjusted here.

Subtitles
This option defines whether subtitles are to be shown during the game when dialogs occur.

Anti Aliasing
When “Anti Aliasing” is activated the picture looks softer. This option should remain activated as long as game play continues to run smoothly.

CONTROLS:

Moving Mona and carrying out actions:
Clicking with the left mouse button (LMB) on any point chosen on the screen moves Mona as close as possible to that point. If an object or character is located on that spot, holding the LMB down calls up a menu that allows 4 actions to be carried out. Those actions are: examine object, use/pick up, talk, and fly to the object in the shape of a bat. The exact action that Mona can carry out will be different depending on the game context involved. This will be shown to you by holding the cursor over the various actions.

Inventory
Each object you have gathered up is kept in the inventory. You can view them at any time by pressing down the right mouse button (RMB). Just the same as described above for objects located in the surroundings, Mona can carry out 4 actions with things in the inventory. Mona can try to combine an object from the inventory with any other object or character, both in the inventory or in the surroundings, via a brief click using the LMB on the mouse. To combine 2 objects from the inventory, simply connect the item to your mouse button by clicking the LMB, and then move it over the item you want to combine with, and click the LMB again. To use an object from the inventory together with an object from the surroundings, first click on the object in the inventory, then leave the inventory by moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen, and then click on the object that is supposed to be used together with the first one. Once again: To leave the inventory, just move the cursor to any edge of the screen.

Conversations:
A conversation can be started by moving the cursor to a character; then keep the left-hand button pressed down and choose the “Talk to” action. Frequently you can choose between different questions or replies. Various options are shown in the lower part of the screen so that you can do this. You can select the option you want with a left-click. A question that you’ve already heard the answer to is greyed out, so you always know what questions are still left to ask. If there is more than a handful of talking points available, a scroll icon will appear on the lower right side of the screen.

Exits:
If the mouse cursor on the screen turns into an arrow, this means it is showing you an exit into another scene or the picture will be cropped differently. Here, a RMB click enables you to jump directly to a different scene without having to wait for Mona to reach the spot that was clicked on.

To sum things up once again:


Brief LMB click: go to a place, pick up object from the inventory, combine object from the inventory with object/person, choose conversation option.

Longer left-hand click: open action menu.

Right-hand click: open inventory, jump to scene referred to.

If you don't have the manual and would like to see it, you can find it online HERE.

Good morning! Okay, game loaded and begun. In truth, this is a busy weekend for me so I will not be able to play hours on end (not healthy for my derriere anyway) but I've just played for about 40 minutes, and have a few comments.

The game is going to be lengthy and man, is it wordy! Now don't get me wrong, The Longest Journey is super wordy too -- BUT you can speed up or close the dialogue and generally move things along. Not so with this game. You are stuck with the long-winded yakking and - the cardinal sin of adventure games - you can't speed up your character's motion (at least I haven't found how to). And our heroine Mona doesn't just walk, she slowly glides and insinuates herself from one side of the room to another.    Cute for the first time, but then it turns into adventure game torture. Come on, this game isn't ancient; the devs should've known better. So that's a big disappointment and will make the game drag for sure. Also, the opening scenes were very glitchy for me, but my computer is no young 'un and is packed with useless memory wasters that I need to get rid of. So I'll blame that on me.    

The game itself is cute and humorous but so far I find the humor to be a little juvenile so it feels like a(n older) kids game. (For comparison, Tales of Monkey Island is funny too but its humor is def more mature while remaining 'zany'... also helps that Monkey Island allows running characters and preempted/sped up dialogue.)

Sorry to sound whiny. I am enjoying the game so far but with the s-l-o-w movement and s-l-o-w dialogue trees I can see this game will take forever to make headway.  

Have to run but will be back to play more and see what happens.

and generally move things along. Not so with this game. You are stuck with the long-winded yakking and - the cardinal sin of adventure games - you can't speed up your character's motion

Whoops!  I guess I missed that part from the manual.  Yes, you CAN on both points!

"Mona is as much a lady as she is an upcoming opera star, so you will hardly be able to make her run across the screen like a record athlete, and usually, she prefers to let people speak full sentences before answering or asking new questions. So, if you ever feel like you want to travel to a certain point faster or skip a dialog or a certain animation, try pressing the SPACE BAR.

You can also skip videos with the space bar, although we encourage you to watch each cutscene at least once. Try it out! With the SPACE BAR, you can skip almost everything, except maybe your next class."

Also, you can press the TAB key to show all of the hotspots

By the way, I won't be able to start until my sis comes to pick up the kids, not sure when that will be.

AHA!!! Yes, yes, yes, thank you! I tried everything BUT the space bar -- what kind of adventure gamer am I?!

Off to play some more. Genki, I look forward to your joining in when you can.  

Oh, and in case you missed it, Right-clicking on an exit will also allow you to jump directly to a different scene without having to wait for Mona to walk there.

You know, I am so stupid because I just realized I have that manual too. I must've tossed it aside on a pile of papers when I loaded the game.  

OK, I have to say the game is much, MUCH better now... intricate and layered. Gonna be a long game, I'm thinking!

Don't forget the "tab" key will bring up all the hotspots in any scene. I thought I was scrupulous but missed a few.

I've been fumbling my way around for a while now.  I'm not as experienced at adventures as you are!   I just met the think-they're-mafia characters in the castle.

Oh my gosh... there are SO many pop culture references!   Did you notice Ozzy the Gargoyle?  Sheesh!   Even a Harry Potter reference!

Well, I've been playing for over four hours now, and have just left the castle and gotten to the second location!

Hi Genki! I've not been playing all this time but I'm now about to go back in. You are way ahead of me, lol.
Yup, around the time a casual game is over and this one's just beginning.  

Okay, done playing for today...phew!

I've made it to

Spoiler:

where I am wandering around. I'm hanging around

Spoiler:

trying to figure things out.

It's midnight here, so good night!  

I remember   That part's more complex that I originally thought it was going to be!

Sleep well!  I likely won't be playing any more until late morning, so see you then~!

genki-  I am not in the group play,  but I would like to buy the game in the future.

I was wondering though,   will it play on Win7,  as I think it only showed Vista and I forget
what else.
I already have 2 unplayable games from Gamersgate and I really do not want any more.

Not sure, luv. I would suspect yes, but have you tried googling that question to see what others' experiences are/have been?

I'm off to a neighbor's funeral service, then have prep work for school. I'll be able to play for a bit but I'm going to a friend's play early this evening, so probably won't be able to play much today. Which is okay, as playing this game requires a longer commitment anyway.

R-mom--No,  I just come here or to Challenger's for my gaming questions.     

Enjoy your day.   It looks cold outside and I am just not motivated to step out,
though I think needing food my inspire me.

YOU KNOW WHAT???    

I can just demo it and see if it works  from Gamersgate.    

I'm on Windows 7, and while I've had a couple of technical difficulties, they're no big deal.  The transition cutscenes have no subtitles and want to play twice, but I just hit the space bar when they begin to repeat, and that's the end of that.

So I played for a while but am not really much further along.  
I have

Spoiler:

conversed with

Spoiler:

and am still trying to figure out

Spoiler:

Hopefully I will get to play some more this evening but I will be out so maybe not til tomorrow.
How's it going on your side of the country, Genki?

Nothing here.  I've been feeling really ill today, and just got up from a nap (kids are out, yay!)  I'm hoping to get some game time in after I eat.

Need any hints?

genkicoll wrote:Nothing here.  I've been feeling really ill today, and just got up from a nap (kids are out, yay!)  I'm hoping to get some game time in after I eat.

Need any hints?

I'm sorry you're not feeling well today. Hope you bounce back soon!
I've been out most of the day so haven't played any further -- no need for hints yet.   I'll pick it up again tomorrow.

Again, feel better!

Thanks!  Once I go to bed tonight, I won't be able to get back to it 'til evening tomorrow. 

I finished, and I'm sad.  Boo hoo, it's over! ;_;  It's only chapter 1, and chapter 2 is on hold.  See news about A Bat's Tale HERE.

What?! I'm about to go in and play some more, but hadn't realized it's not a complete story.
ETA - I'll be ready to go in and play another adventure with you anytime, Genki. One with a proper ending, lol.

I'll work up a review as soon as I'm up to it.  I really loved it, and I don't regret playing it, even if part 2 never comes out.  It's got a good stopping point, so don't worry!

Well! I am in the midst of putting together the golem spell and I'm truly stumped. I have every ingredient except for the

Spoiler:

Other than that I have everything else I need. But I can't proceed.  

I can go back to an earlier saved game and try again of course, but I played for a LONG time without saving.