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Amnesia: An Unexpected Arrival [RELEASE] - v1.04
Mexxi Offline
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Posts: 22
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Joined: Feb 2011
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#31
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

just wanted to uninstall amnesia and thought i could give this a shot. here are my 2 cts:

1. good choice for bgm, but you overuse the grunt sound

2. start in the woods shows graphical glitches in the sky. looks like you didn't you a sky box

3. i got stuck in the trees after i awakened in the woods.

4. the trees were designed to be looked at from afar. up close they look terrible and cheap. the fact that you line them up like in an alley does the rest to give this part a typical first generation 3d-game from the 90s look.
you should model your own trees

5. the clue to open the first locked door is far too much. you say "pry it open" and i know what to look for. don't treat players like 5 year olds. it's enough to say "may be i can find something to open the door".

another clue that was rather pointless was the one in the woods telling me to find shelter before i go insane. why would anyone go insane just by wandering through the woods? this is especially strange since the intro says that the character is remembering everything...so either he knows something we don't, or he's just a pussy. judging by the scared expressions from the cheap scares like the automatically lit light he must be the latter. and who wants to play as a pussy? anyway, the story short as it is has already plotholes and logic errors.

6. you do use some nice scares such as switching off the light. you should implement more of this stuff, because it was massively underused in amnesia itself, although this has quite some scare potential

7. on the other hand, having the character scream and look around all scared to scare the player is a cheap attempt. it's funny first, boring the second time and nerving after that, but it's not scary. you can use that in cutscenes to portray a character's fear, but in the game, the player should be allowed to have his own emotions.

8. you use the same old tired tactic to avoid the grunt...open the door, hide in the closet and wait for it to leave...yawn....

9. it's good that you enclosed the hand railing in the room with the water pool with an invisible wall. i was up for a swim. too bad it didn't work Tongue

10. entering the private chambers crashed the game. don't know if it was supposed to end there.

11. the few locations so far remind me of tunnel shooters. why not use wide open spaces? even the forest in the beginning plays like a tunnel.



just a random rant regarding all custom stories:

i wonder when the first mission author comes along that uses assets in totally new, thus unpredictable ways? why not use the dead bodies for zombies? why not let them suddenly jump up when the player approaches them? why not create new assets? why not use a new concept instead of copying that of the original game. why not allow the player to trap the monsters, or get rid of them in other clever ways like contraptions, collapsing walls, ceilings etc... the possibilities are endless. remember: innovate, don't imitate.
(This post was last modified: 02-12-2011, 04:09 PM by Mexxi.)
02-12-2011, 04:06 PM
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Nye Offline
Senior Member

Posts: 250
Threads: 8
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation: 2
#32
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

(02-12-2011, 04:06 PM)Mexxi Wrote: just wanted to uninstall amnesia and thought i could give this a shot. here are my 2 cts:

1. good choice for bgm, but you overuse the grunt sound

2. start in the woods shows graphical glitches in the sky. looks like you didn't you a sky box

3. i got stuck in the trees after i awakened in the woods.

4. the trees were designed to be looked at from afar. up close they look terrible and cheap. the fact that you line them up like in an alley does the rest to give this part a typical first generation 3d-game from the 90s look.
you should model your own trees

5. the clue to open the first locked door is far too much. you say "pry it open" and i know what to look for. don't treat players like 5 year olds. it's enough to say "may be i can find something to open the door".

another clue that was rather pointless was the one in the woods telling me to find shelter before i go insane. why would anyone go insane just by wandering through the woods? this is especially strange since the intro says that the character is remembering everything...so either he knows something we don't, or he's just a pussy. judging by the scared expressions from the cheap scares like the automatically lit light he must be the latter. and who wants to play as a pussy? anyway, the story short as it is has already plotholes and logic errors.

6. you do use some nice scares such as switching off the light. you should implement more of this stuff, because it was massively underused in amnesia itself, although this has quite some scare potential

7. on the other hand, having the character scream and look around all scared to scare the player is a cheap attempt. it's funny first, boring the second time and nerving after that, but it's not scary. you can use that in cutscenes to portray a character's fear, but in the game, the player should be allowed to have his own emotions.

8. you use the same old tired tactic to avoid the grunt...open the door, hide in the closet and wait for it to leave...yawn....

9. it's good that you enclosed the hand railing in the room with the water pool with an invisible wall. i was up for a swim. too bad it didn't work Tongue

10. entering the private chambers crashed the game. don't know if it was supposed to end there.

11. the few locations so far remind me of tunnel shooters. why not use wide open spaces? even the forest in the beginning plays like a tunnel.



just a random rant regarding all custom stories:

i wonder when the first mission author comes along that uses assets in totally new, thus unpredictable ways? why not use the dead bodies for zombies? why not let them suddenly jump up when the player approaches them? why not create new assets? why not use a new concept instead of copying that of the original game. why not allow the player to trap the monsters, or get rid of them in other clever ways like contraptions, collapsing walls, ceilings etc... the possibilities are endless. remember: innovate, don't imitate.

Great feedback! Regarding the skybox in the first level, I have fixed this now, you are right, I didn't use a skybox and it was an error.

I agree, that the grunt sound is overused, I will find an alternative, brand new (to the game) sound. When I tested the first map (out in the woods), I avoided running against the walls, so I will do my best to fix any stuck issues, although, it is quite tricky when you have such a long space to remove them all!

No way am I modelling my own stuff Confused, I don't have that much free time, though I don't feel that the trees look THAT bad, especially with the fog and low lighting, the player doesn't really draw most of their attention towards them, but if someone releases their own tree models, I might pinch them. Wink

I agree with you on the hints, they are a bit too easy for the player. This is something I will change after I've finished everything. I think the hint in the woods about going insane is fine, but maybe others would disagree.

The player reacting is over-used; I basically scripted the whole demo in one night, so I overused them a little too much. Confused
The final game has PLENTY of large open spaces. I have just finished a large, creepy "hotel wing" style room.

Entering the private quarters, shouldn't crash the game; though it may be something I need to address. It is supposed to display a message and then return the player to the menu...

Anyway, thanks for the great feedback, REALLY useful! Thank you!

02-12-2011, 07:56 PM
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Sel Offline
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Posts: 276
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Joined: Dec 2010
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#33
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

(02-12-2011, 07:56 PM)Nye Wrote: No way am I modelling my own stuff :s, I don't have that much free time,

What kind of a justification is this?

You obviously are setting apart time to work on this from your free time, there's no reason modeling couldn't be in there too :S
02-12-2011, 08:48 PM
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MooseTheScared Offline
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Posts: 52
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Joined: Oct 2010
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#34
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

For some reason I cannot launch this. I downloaded the story and unpacked it into Amnesia/custom_stories folder, but in the game main menu when I click custom stories I don't see it. Other stories work fine (I tried Magic Rooms and Fractured Life, both launch and run). What can be the reason for this?
02-12-2011, 08:52 PM
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Kurton Offline
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Posts: 533
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#35
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

(02-12-2011, 08:52 PM)Romendakil Wrote: For some reason I cannot launch this. I downloaded the story and unpacked it into Amnesia/custom_stories folder, but in the game main menu when I click custom stories I don't see it. Other stories work fine (I tried Magic Rooms and Fractured Life, both launch and run). What can be the reason for this?

The folder for the actual custom story is inside that folder... :p

(This post was last modified: 02-12-2011, 09:16 PM by Kurton.)
02-12-2011, 09:15 PM
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MooseTheScared Offline
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Posts: 52
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Joined: Oct 2010
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#36
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

Well, it is inside. I have ~/Amnesia/custom_stories/An Unexpected Arrival folder. And the story is not in the menu.
02-12-2011, 09:19 PM
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Nye Offline
Senior Member

Posts: 250
Threads: 8
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation: 2
#37
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

(02-12-2011, 08:48 PM)Sel Wrote:
(02-12-2011, 07:56 PM)Nye Wrote: No way am I modelling my own stuff Confused, I don't have that much free time,

What kind of a justification is this?

You obviously are setting apart time to work on this from your free time, there's no reason modeling couldn't be in there too :S


Haha, but I'm a noob at modelling! I have Maya 2011, if that's any help. Could you please add me on MSN Sel? So I can ask noob questions Tongue

02-12-2011, 11:10 PM
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Sel Offline
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Posts: 276
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Joined: Dec 2010
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#38
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

I don't use maya, so what I know about it is minimal, but for general modeling questions I can help you out. I don't use MSN, though you can use my AIM (SelenticThePanda) or just pm me on the forums when you need help.
02-13-2011, 01:03 AM
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Nye Offline
Senior Member

Posts: 250
Threads: 8
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation: 2
#39
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

(02-13-2011, 01:03 AM)Sel Wrote: I don't use maya, so what I know about it is minimal, but for general modeling questions I can help you out. I don't use MSN, though you can use my AIM (SelenticThePanda) or just pm me on the forums when you need help.


Thank you! Smile

02-13-2011, 01:34 AM
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guangling Offline
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Posts: 5
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#40
RE: An Unexpected Arrival - A New Custom Story [Download][Video]

Hi everybody!

same problem here. I downloaded the rar file, extracted it in the custom_stories folders and yet I don't see anything in the custom stories menu of the game! Anyone with an idea why it doesn't work? What's weird that some custom stories work (Wake, Forbidden Castle) and some don't (Cannibalism, Unexpected arrival).

cheers and thanks,

guangling

(02-12-2011, 09:19 PM)Romendakil Wrote: Well, it is inside. I have ~/Amnesia/custom_stories/An Unexpected Arrival folder. And the story is not in the menu.
02-13-2011, 11:15 AM
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