It's here!!! (some spoilers inside)

[hppav]

My favorite things in the level (Spoilers)

The SS Minnow lifering

Funny you should mention that since I had you in mind when I suggested it to, Remdul.

It was because of my first model, wasn't it?

Sorry for posting twice in a row, but I just noticed your post.

[Rebel]

hppav's super wonderful walkthrough to get to the deck of the SS Venture (Venture 5888) in TC Isle:

From where you discover the ship, move to the port (left) side of the ship and climb a boulder and into the ship, a section of the ceiling will fall, blocking your exit. Now, follow the exit sign up the stairs and you will here someone moving around and locking the door. Move back through the ship and through the big room in the center. Head downstairs and into the engine room. Pick up the wrench that's next to the engine on your left and throw it at the duct grating above you. When it opens, pick up your wrech and head to the left side of the left engine and hit the valve on the pipe that is leaking and the room will begin to flood. Head back to the duct and wait until you are high enough to jump into it. Crawl through the duct and into the cargo hold. You will need to push a fuse back into place on the machinery and remove a pipe from the gears before you can open the doors. Now getting down, I will leave to you, as I have yet to figure that one out.

Ha! Found out that you could flood engine room, nice work. Can also use the ol' crate method of getting up into ductworks as well.

On starboard side of ship you're warned 'not to jump'. Leaves the portside.

Seems clear: runnin' jump onto the big ol ****

[Markosaur]

u can also open the duct and put a box under and jump up

[machf]

More spoilers here...

I'm assuming the security codes that computer inside the complex is asking for are the ones at the botton of the various ID cards? If so, they are barely readable... using the scope as a magnifying glass, I can read something like "03045" (Hammond), "35140" (Nedry) and "75112" (Muldoon), but so far, none has worked. Then again, maybe that's not it, or I've screwed up with the keyboard by punching numbers at random at first...

PS: you really need to find a way to save games in progress...

[Rebel]

03015, then enter. (I can read the numbers and I've got bad eyes)

PS: you really need to find a way to save games in progress...

Yea, I know... your #1 complaint. I'm working on it. I think I've got the 1st two problem areas figured out and I'm working on the 3rd. As soon as I figure all of it out, we'll issue a patch.

[machf]

(I can read the numbers and I've got bad eyes)

It's something to do with texture dithering, I suppose...

As soon as I figure all of it out, we'll issue a patch.

No need for that, after all, this is just a beta - but the final version should have that fixed, beyond any doubt...

[machf]

Another question: does that box marked "danger - high voltage" do anything useful aside from killing you if you touch it with your bare hand?

[Rebel]

No, we just enjoy finding ways to kill the player. Let's call it a hobby.

Danger or not, most people just need to find out for themselves, don't they?

(guess it was the purty wires; hard to resist)

[Markosaur]

yeah nice job on the broke cables in the warehouse, gave me quite a jolt just flew back against the crates lol

[machf]

Is there anything of importance on the ship, or is it there just as an additional eye candy/trap?

The same with the lighthouse, is its only purpose to let you watch the pelicans?

I suppose (and hope) the level will still undergo several modifications/additions prior to its final release. As it is right now, you can avoid most of the eye candy and make it to the end of the level.

You need to add more dinosaurs in unexpected places (BTW, were you planning to include some crocodiles, be it "modern" ones, sarcosuchus or somesuchus? First I was thinking of sharks in the waters surrounding the islands, but crocs are better, since they can follow you to land). And accordingly, more weapons, but in locations away from the dinosaurs (it's too convenient to find a weapon close to the spot where you meet a dinosaur).

Why do gallimimuses (gallimimii?) make that disgusting, gurgling sound?

About your reported difficulties with the ankylosaurus, wouldn't it just be a matter of taking a stegosaurus and "flattening" it somewhat?

About those underground tunnels: they don't seem to match the topography of the island. Either they should be longer (implying that they run under the sea and in the end you arrive at another island), or the island should be changed accordingly, and making the proper places inaccessible from the surface.

No more things I can think of right now, I need my sleep.

[Hilwo]

God I hope there isn't a person that locks you in in the S.S. Venture. Please tell me it just collapses right after you enter, very coincidental

[Rebel]

Galis make either a caw type or squeal type sound. Check audio acceleration - uncheck in tres menu, or turn down in dxdialg) Same thing with the compys, if anyone is having problems with the the dino sounds.

To be honest machf, I accept and respect your opinions above, but I disagree with your criticizms. As far as why go here, why go there, for that matter, why go anywhere? Take the lab level; if the invisible blocks weren't in your way, why not just go right to the cray, open the pen door and leave the level, ignoring everything else?

Why not do that? Because, you explore....

But, you're entitled to you p.o.v.

[Hilwo]

Rebel,

Even if the S.S. Venture and the lighthouse would be there pure for eye-candy (I know they aren't, at least the Venture isn't), I wouldn't want it any other way. Because for me, exploring will always come first, that's the thing I like most about Trespasser.

[machf]

But some people won't want to explore (and no, I'm not talking about myself, I'm OK with all that), just to get to the end as quick as possible. My suggestion is to make them regret not having explored more if they attempt to "take the shortcut". Er, I mean, motivate them to explore more (something like a big, angry, hungry dinosaur coming after you when you have no weapons can be a wonderful motivation).

Also, keep in mind that, if Trespasser is known for something (aside from the arm and the physics, that is), is for allowing more than one possible solution for the puzzles. Take the Town level, for example: you can get access to the security office without a card if you know how to do it (I won't spoil it for those who don't), and in a perfectly "legal" way (not exploiting any bug in the game or anything). You could do something like that with the gate to the main complex in the island: I tried climbing the gate, jumping to the small tin roof over the keycard reader and then climbing further to reach the ledge and enter through the watch tower - I almost managed to do it, but not quite, so I'm not sure if the level design allows it or not. That would give the watch tower an additional purpose.
Or take the sniper rifle: right now, I guess it's useful if you plan to go hunting (which I intend to do some time), but it would be better if you combine it with the watch tower, be it that you have to shoot at something with it to gain access and the tower is the proper spot, or that some dinosaur has spotted you and is coming after you once you manage to cross the gate (it would be too cruel to do it while you're still trying to either open the gate or climb it), be it from the inside or the outside of the complex...

As for the underground tunnels, hmmm, I haven't checked if you can take the lift back to the surface or not, but if you can't, well, so far, the weapon you find down there isn't too useful... maybe a crocodile there... (hmmm, crocodiles in underground tunnels, where have I heard that before?) I also wonder if you can use that pick-axe instead of the dynamite to clean the blocked way... I haven't tried it yet (and I don't have the time to play the game again right now, from the beginning).

(Regarding the lab level, once you've already played it and know where to find the green card, a lot of it can be ignored too...)

[Rebel]

Where appropriate, our puzzles do have alternate solutions to them. As for others, well, if you have to undo the minor sabotage to a machine, then that's precisely what you have to do.

No offense to dreamworks, but I think our puzzling works far exceed their own efforts.

Regarding the crater entrance, well 2 separate tools can do the trick and though that's not technically 2 sparate solutions, it's much better than finding a green card. Noting a 3rd solution, I've actually considered it myself, so I agree with you that another element and method of entry can be added.

Elevators: Nothing stopping you from going back up to the surface again, you're not trapped down there. The elevator is even scripted to be recalled back up to the surface from the crater control panel, although you can't really access it right now.

Dynamite: two methods to get it to explode. Either with the detonator or a bullet. The bullet solution will get you killed everytime unless you've taken up a safe position, angling your shot. Again, comparing this puzzle to a town puzzle, I'll take this puzzle over finding the white card.

Cheating the town level: I love the town level, always have. But it's easy to circumvent it. Hop up over the gate, never bothering with the town itself, and zip on down the road. Beyond a few moments of necessary combat, I could be at the end gates and onto the lab in under ten minutes.

(Regarding the lab level, once you've already played it and know where to find the green card, a lot of it can be ignored too...)

Yea, but that's actually true about any level, or for that matter, just about any other game. Once you've played, if you just want to get to the end, you can cut alot of your travels out. The only true forced, progressive play that I can recall is in dino crisis. Very few short cuts.