admin
Level: Legendary Smitemaster
Rank Points: 8
IP: Logged

Hi, I'm Jacob. I'm a final year medical student in Edinburgh, Scotland, due to be a doctor in a few months; a move which will probably result a sudden exponential increase in UK mortality rates. I've been a forum regular, and DROD architect, for a couple of years now, with 7 published holds under my belt (available from the Holds board). I hope you enjoy my new hold, Beethro and the Secret Society, one of the two Smitemaster's Selections this quarter and part of Halph Stories. It all begins near the entrance to yet another deadly, tricky dungeon in the town of Hester...

I couldn't have made it without the consistently excellent beta-testers:
Oneiromancer, Stefan, Abbyzzmal, Atch, TripleM, Doom and MeckMeck Gre.
They provided comments and encouragement and found many playability problems, unintentional solutions and bugs. Stefan and Doom deserve special mention for their last minute extensive bug searching. Tim also deserves a mention as this is the first ever hold of mine he hasn't tested.

Once this hold had been beta-tested, ErikH2000 and MRimer thoroughly tested it all over again, and made many extra corrections. At this stage many crucial dialogue changes were made, the plot was tightened and a whole extra level was added. They're also responsible for compiling, editing and adding all the dialogue.

Voice actors:

Beethro - Sten Ryason
Halph - Tyler Downing
Goblin Leader - Erik Hermansen
Golem Leader - Michael Abbott
Head Conspirator - Steve Anderson
The Voice - Steve Anderson
Citizen - Michael Abbott
Lost Man - Neil Frederick
Conspirator 1 - Michael Abbott
Conspirator 2 - Neil Frederick
Guard 1 - Michael Abbott
Guard 2 - Neil Frederick
Guard 3 - Michael Abbott
Guard 4 - Michael Abbott
Guard 5 - Michael Abbott
Goblin 1 - Michael Abbott
Goblin 2 - Erik Hermansen
King of Hester - Erik Hermansen
Lost Son - Erik Hermansen
Mother - Erik Hermansen

Enjoy!

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[Last edited by mrimer at 03-14-2006 03:55 PM]

Rabscuttle
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2494
Registered: 09-10-2004
IP: Logged

Five thumbs up. Or one thumb raised five times :)

cotlc
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 13
Registered: 06-10-2005
IP: Logged

Hi,

I've never had any problems downloading holds before, but this one just doesn't want me to play it for some odd reason.

I've looked in the drod.err file and there are a few lines stating that:

Internet warning 28: Operation too slow. Less than 1 bytes/sec transfered the last 10 seconds

However, I downloaded the other Halph related hold by Jacob a few seconds earlier absolutely fine in less than 10 seconds.

Any ideas would be most appreciated. It *may* be because of the corporate firewall but it's unlikely due to the fact that I can and have downloaded all the other user-created holds.

Thanks

Dan

Syntax
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1218
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged

cotlc wrote:
Hi,

I've never had any problems downloading holds before, but this one just doesn't want me to play it for some odd reason.

I've looked in the drod.err file and there are a few lines stating that:

Internet warning 28: Operation too slow. Less than 1 bytes/sec transfered the last 10 seconds

However, I downloaded the other Halph related hold by Jacob a few seconds earlier absolutely fine in less than 10 seconds.

Any ideas would be most appreciated. It *may* be because of the corporate firewall but it's unlikely due to the fact that I can and have downloaded all the other user-created holds.

Thanks

Dan

Hey Dan,

There are known issues with firewalls blocking some of the holds. It *seems* to be linked to file size, but haven't found any concrete evidence.

In my case however, I need to disable Norton if the size of a hold is approx 800K +

Cheers,

Syntax

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Up untill now (third level) this hold has really reminded me why I am DROD edicted. It has everything I look for in a hold, and I end up playing more than I wanted to in advance. The dialog is wonderful, and so are the puzzles. I agree with Rabscuttle. Five thumbs up (the last one is there just to make it five thumbs up, and not because anything is bad )

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
IP: Logged

cotlc wrote:
I've never had any problems downloading holds before, but this one just doesn't want me to play it for some odd reason.

I have the same problem - I can download other holds just fine (including the other SS hold), but not this one. Strange ...

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1917
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

I found a little unintended solution in-

Entrance Halls 3S:5W

Heee-heee-heee..

michthro
Level: Smitemaestro
Rank Points: 679
Registered: 05-01-2005
IP: Logged

larrymurk wrote:
I found a little unintended solution in-

Entrance Halls 3S:5W

Heee-heee-heee..

I found another one. Not being an architect, it's not as satisfying as it is for larrymurk, though.

Blondbeard
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1486
Registered: 03-31-2005
IP: Logged

Finaly done, and I really liked it the whole way through. Some rooms might have been in need of more checkpoints. That is my only complaint

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1917
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

I didn't want to comment before completing the hold, which ended up taking some time!


This is one rock-solid, great hold!!


I found the 9 puzzles to be the most difficult level and judging by the percentage of people who've completed it, I've got company. I highly recommend that anyone having trouble ask for hints or demos.

Among things I often don't like are multiple rooms with the same basic design, but Jacob did such a good job on a room variation that I dare say it was my favorite part of the hold.

Another design feature I'm not generally fond of is rooms that must be conquered multiple times. It confuses me and unfortunately creates a situation where you don't get high scores/demos. But what do you expect from Jacob, the master of creating multiple re-entry rooms?

The point here is that this hold has a solid storyline and great rooms.

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[Last edited by larrymurk at 03-28-2006 01:08 AM]

jbluestein
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1670
Registered: 12-23-2005
IP: Logged

Having finally mastered this hold and completed all rooms behind the master walls, I wanted to give serious kudos to Jacob for creating a fabulously challenging and entertaining hold.

Level by level:



All in all, I give this hold a 10 and would gladly give Jacob and the hold a bunch of mod points, but I seem to have foolishly spent all of mine. So consider this a debt I'll be paying when I can...

____________________________
"Rings and knots of joy and grief, all interlaced and locking." --William Buck

jbluestein
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1670
Registered: 12-23-2005
IP: Logged

A question, though:

Having completed and mastered the hold, I went to look at the High Scores table, and I see that it has me listed with 52 of 57 High Scores.

I figure this means that either some of my scores haven't been uploaded to caravel.net, or I have somehow missed some rooms.

But if I've finished all the secret and non-secret rooms, dropped the master walls, and beaten all the rooms I could find behind the master walls,



what could I have left? I look at some of the top scorers for the hold and they're up at 55 and 56 high scores, so I assume it's not just an issue with unscorable rooms.

Ideas?

Josh (off to count the rooms)

____________________________
"Rings and knots of joy and grief, all interlaced and locking." --William Buck

eytanz
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2708
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

One thing you can do is go to the hold's entry in the highscores and look at the levels, and see if there are rooms listed in which you don't have scores. That will help you catch rooms which you've been in but the score was not properly uploaded. It won't help you with rooms you've never visited.


____________________________
I got my avatar back! Yay!

jbluestein
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1670
Registered: 12-23-2005
IP: Logged

eytanz wrote:
One thing you can do is go to the hold's entry in the highscores and look at the levels, and see if there are rooms listed in which you don't have scores. That will help you catch rooms which you've been in but the score was not properly uploaded. It won't help you with rooms you've never visited.

Ah. This does actually show something. There are five rooms listed that don't show a high score for me, and they're definitely rooms that I've completed (scattered throughout the hold -- one in the Nine Puzzles, one in the Entrance Halls, two in Headquarters, one in the Bunker). So I guess I just need to figure out how to make DROD upload the scores.

Ah well...not that important, really, I guess.



____________________________
"Rings and knots of joy and grief, all interlaced and locking." --William Buck

Syntax
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1218
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged

If you want DROD to upload scores, just go to Settings -> upload my scores.

If this doesn't upload, then try editing your .ini file, and look for "fulldemoupload=0" to "fulldemoupload=1", and then try the same option.

This may take a while, but should upload all your demos. No need to change the option back to =0 as this happens automatically. I'd be interested to hear if this does not work, as I'm currently (on and off) adding demos which won't upload. It's in the bugs thread, so if it doesn't work, then please add to it. The more examples the better

Ezlo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1227
Registered: 01-08-2006
IP: Logged

Well, this is the first Jacob hold that I have mastered, and I do say that I now know why he is such a great Architect! Most of the rooms made me cry out in frustration, only to solve it 15 minutes later. The story was nice, the only problem I had was this:

SPOILER


____________________________
Call me Citrus.

Pilchard VIII
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 392
Registered: 01-21-2006
IP: Logged

For some crazy reason, I can't get the voices to work on it. I got all the sound on full. I mean, is it just that the first bit is quiet? Or is there something wrong with the hold? Or do I need to delete it and download it again?

____________________________
The DROD Dragon

coppro
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1309
Registered: 11-24-2005
IP: Logged

Did you download with 2.0.14? You need to patch up to 2.0.14.1 to fix it.

Syntax
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1218
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged

Which version are you using? There was a bug with .14 involving voices not being downloaded with the hold. That's why there's also a 14.1 patch which fixes this.

I'd recommend upgrading and redownloading the hold...

Pilchard VIII
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 392
Registered: 01-21-2006
IP: Logged

What teh hell? I try to re-download, and it says I can't delete BATSS. What should I do? You know, I can't delete it!

____________________________
The DROD Dragon

eytanz
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2708
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

Because of what is essentially a bug, you cannot delete SmS holds directly. It will be fixed in the next update; but for now, you either have to play it with no sound or export your player, reinstall DROD, and re-download everything.

This is discussed in a bit more detail in this thread.

____________________________
I got my avatar back! Yay!

Syntax
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1218
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged

If I was you I'd play the hold but with the speakers off. In that way, you can get the feeling that you don't hear the voices out of choice and it makes everything ok again

Briareos
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3516
Registered: 08-07-2005
IP: Logged

Syntax wrote:
If I was you I'd play the hold but with the speakers off. In that way, you can get the feeling that you don't hear the voices out of choice and it makes everything ok again

What about us people that need sound to drown out the voices in their head?

Can't just turn off the speakers then...

np: Yello - I Love You (12'' Mix) (You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess)

____________________________
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
R.I.P. Robert Feldhoff (1962-2009)

key-smiter
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 121
Registered: 06-15-2003
IP: Logged

Well . . . I finally finished this hold (not easy) and have only one secret room left to go - in The Town of Hester. OK so far . . .

Where is this room and how do I get there? I suspect I need to bypass the various inert guards, but I've not yet figured out how to do that.

Thanks -

Jacob
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3749
Registered: 10-01-2004
IP: Logged

The way into that room is clear for all to see.

____________________________
New to DROD? You may want to read this.
My Holds and Levels:

key-smiter
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 121
Registered: 06-15-2003
IP: Logged

Jacob wrote:
The way into that room is clear for all to see.

Umm . . . yeah. If the entrance isI'm afraid my original problem still stands, which is how to get there. Another level, maybe? Nothing I can find . . .

Thanks -

Jatopian
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1842
Registered: 07-31-2005
IP: Logged

key-smiter wrote:

Jacob wrote:
The way into that room is clear for all to see.

Umm . . . yeah. If the entrance is

Click here to view the secret text

×accessed by going south out of 1S 1W, I agree that it is as visible as all get out.

I'm afraid my original problem still stands, which is how to get there. Another level, maybe? Nothing I can find

You indeed must use another level, but the way may be too obvious.
Take a good look at each thing in that room, & what it does.

____________________________
DROD has some really great music.
Make your pressure plates 3.0 style!
DROD architecture idea generator

key-smiter
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 121
Registered: 06-15-2003
IP: Logged

Got it. Thanks.

eytanz
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2708
Registered: 02-05-2003
IP: Logged

Ack. Just wrote a long review of this hold and lost it to a bad keypress .

Short version:

- Great hold. Lots of fun.
- Interlocking rooms are great, but sometimes annoying as I had to replay tedious room sections because of mistakes I did in other rooms.
- I really didn't like secret walls used to obscure room solutions. Especially one room which was impossible from the original entry point and other entry was hidden so I was totally stuck, and not because of anything about my puzzle-solving abilities but rather because of a silly eyesight test.
- Room behind master walls is insane (in a good way)!

____________________________
I got my avatar back! Yay!

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[Last edited by eytanz at 06-28-2006 03:30 PM]

Fafnir
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 315
Registered: 11-05-2004
IP: Logged

Muahahaha! Rise from your grave, my pet, and do my evil bidding!

Yeah, sorry to necro - I just found an unintended solution in The Secret Gates, 1W:



Sorry!

____________________________
Stupidity kills.
Absolute stupidity
Kills absolutely.

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[Last edited by Fafnir at 10-03-2006 11:05 PM]