Unofficial Tex Murphy

I think it's great all around... Just one thing seems strange to me... It's able to pass through walls and everything, why didn't it ever leave the compound???

I'm currently playing Pandora... I just had my run in with Cross... Barry Corbin is just awesome...

Why spoil the illusion and ruin the great feel of a great scene in a top-notch game?

The way I've been currently playing it, it would not spoil the feel, it would bring it back. Here's what I mean:
I know exactly what I have to do to contain the alien, so I just zip through, an pickup all the items I need. Don't even examine them, run to the generator and voila.

I don't stop to look at all the creepy dead bodies, don't pick up the cd or the cd-player (and therefore don't view the video), don't look at any of the clues that are scattered around trying to tell me what to do.

Playing it fast makes things happen faster and more frantic - and there is merit in that- but I think that playing it slowly is more in keeping with the original feel of the game because you wouldn't know what to do without examining all the clues.

Just one thing seems strange to me... It's able to pass through walls and everything, why didn't it ever leave the compound???

The alien doesn't actually pass through walls. It goes into the ventilator shafts via grill openings on the walls. Apparently, when the base was sealed up, the vent-shafts were also sealed from the outside.

Yeah when I first played, I saw the video (or audio, can't remember which), it does add to the atmosphere. Similar to what I said about the room in the anasazi ruins, you explore all the clues and stumble upon a recording of the twisted murder that happened in the very same room you're in (and if that sadistic killer came back you have no way of escape). In Roswell it's the same, you get to hear the last panic stricken dying moments of the one of the last survivors of the massacre that happened there, ending with his own murder, and you know that you will be the next victim if you don't do what you need to do and get out of there.

Great games.

DrPaul wrote:One thing about the alien entity and the race against time that I've noticed:

When I first played the game, I didn't know the entity was going to get me and I searched around very casually and for a looooong time. Yet I was still able to survive. I think the entity's progress is triggered by particular events instead of time. Meaning, you can actually take your time with the alien entity as long as you are careful about the items you pick up.

Actually Paul, I tried playing the game once and just stood there to see if it actually does catch up with you. I actually sat and watched the game for probably about an hour (bored I was, having already finished it X amount of times already) but it never actually reaches you. And the cutscenes are time based, no action based, because if you will recall the last two cutscenes (in order) are of it coming through the vent shaft, and the one of it coming through the door to the fan room. However, after that, if you leave it, it simply cycles through the two of these animations over and over, never actually reaching you. Although it might be different in game player mode, as this was entertainment mode.

I do know, however, that it can kill you in the Generator Room.

On a side note, in relation to Bafitis' comment about it going through walls, it actually does go through one when it comes through the door to the fan room as the final cutscene, so it dose pose some questions, unless of course the animators could not be bothered animating the entity seeping through some cracks we could not see.

-Cub. =o)

Cubase wrote:Actually Paul, I tried playing the game once and just stood there to see if it actually does catch up with you. I actually sat and watched the game for probably about an hour (bored I was, having already finished it X amount of times already) but it never actually reaches you. And the cutscenes are time based, no action based, because if you will recall the last two cutscenes (in order) are of it coming through the vent shaft, and the one of it coming through the door to the fan room. However, after that, if you leave it, it simply cycles through the two of these animations over and over, never actually reaching you. Although it might be different in game player mode, as this was entertainment mode.

I do know, however, that it can kill you in the Generator Room.

Hmmm...interesting. I haven't played through Pandora in quite a while, but I could have sworn (assuming I remember correctly) that the entity did kill me once in one of the other rooms besides the Generator Room. I wonder if it depends on how active you actually are in the game. Maybe if you're sitting around waiting (like Cub) it doesn't get to you, but if you're still moving around looking at things, it will eventually kill you.

Yeah the timer for the Alien doesn't start until you pick up certain objects I believe... Haven't done any really detailed exploring on this option, but from what some of you are saying it sounds about right, that the creature isn't Qued into hunting Tex until you've done certain things...

I like the subtle things in the games myself. For instance, the reel to reel recording in the war room down inside Area 51...when you play it and it talks about putting the tracker in the ventilation system...I just think that is so cool....and the video of the guy getting killed by the alien....there are so many little things that add to eerie atmosphere of the game in certain situations.

GRS - I really hate that droid, but enjoy beating its rotating head by locking it into that room.

PD - Roswell was a lot of frustration for me, especially with a slower computer. I died a 1,000 times trying to get out the laser field after placing the bomb. Then one day someone here said you do not have to negotiate the laser field to place the bomb at the door. What a relief! Also, my anxiety level ran high while trapsing around knowing that fiendish alien was feeling hungry for my energy and blood. My gut literally tightens when I replay that part of the game.

TMO - Yeah, those Alcatraz droids gave me fits for a while. Finally figured out their patterns and haven't been caught since.

Then one day someone here said you do not have to negotiate the laser field to place the bomb at the door.

I didn't know that!

It's really time saving and conserves the nerves. Once you put the bomb together and light it, enter the laser field compound, WAIT till the door closes, square up with the inner Roswell door, place the bomb and exit. Easy as fallin' down.

I just did it last night in fact... Yes you can be on the other side of the laser field and place the bomb on the door... Big Time Saver...

All you need to do is make sure you have a clear line of sight through the lasers to the door so you can place the bomb, but that can be done by just using the stand and crouch button...