AdventureX 2016 round-up: Part 2
The Mystery of Woolley Mountain
Garland Vanderbilt belongs to a group of Victorian scientists who have collectively built a time machine. When one of his companions and several children are kidnapped by the witch of Woolley Mountain, he knows what he has to do. Unfortunately, mounting a rescue mission requires the help of his other colleagues. Alas, they seem more interested in their own hobbies like watching old films. Garland must first convince the rest of the crew to help him if he is ever to see his friend again.
Indie developer James Lightfoot cites classics from the old Spectrum home computer as inspiration. Titles like Spellbound and The Trap Door, along with early LucasArts productions all served to propel him towards The Mystery of Woolley Mountain. The game is played in third-person, with a fixed camera angle for each location. Control is standard point-and-click. The graphics have a slightly cartoonish look, with Garland himself an extremely round gentleman with a stylish moustache and a top hat. The main action in the demo took place within the team’s vessel (which seems to be both an airship and a submarine), including a science lab and playroom. The developer’s inspiration was clear in the latter, with a Spectrum 48k (which will be integrated into the plot) taking pride of place. The adventure has a lightly humorous tone, and the intention is that the final release will have full voice acting for all characters.
More information can be found on the official website.
Out of Coverage
Having completed their studies, Nawwaf and his friends decided to spend a few days camping in the desert before graduation. Becoming separated from his friends, Nawwaf gets lost and passes out from lack of water. Later he awakes to find himself in the remote desert town of Scorpion’s Den, whose technology seems stuck in the 1970s. With no signal on his mobile phone and no land line available, it looks like he might miss his graduation ceremony. Perhaps he can persuade someone in town to help him get back. Maybe looking into the hauntings that have been closing down local businesses will help get people on his side.
With most of Semaphore Lab’s team based in Riyadh (plus some in Australia as well), it is not surprising that the setting of Out of Coverage has a Middle Eastern feel. The town itself exhibits the traditional architecture of the area, with the sun beating mercilessly down. The characters are slightly stylised, but the overall look is highly realistic. The presentation is third-person view, with fixed camera angles for each location. Some outside scenes include views from on high, providing a broader view of the surrounding area. In my brief play time, I started a search for missing library books and agreed to repair some curtains (though, to be fair, it was me that ripped them in the first place). I also got an understanding of the ghost problem and, given the similar signs on all the closed businesses, a likely source of investigation. The game is completely playable now, but certain content including some walking animations is still to be completed. The final version is to be fully voiced in English and Arabic, with several text-only translations as well.
More information can be found on the developer’s website. With only the final details to be completed, the current release target is early next year.
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