Talking about Wikipedia, I was trying to find more info about the House of Hell movie (Superteam Productions Website didn't have any recent updates). However, I clicked on one of the links in the text for 'Kris' - I had no idea it was a Javanese weapon! Steve Jackson must have gone for on holiday there and was inspired by it. If you're interested, look it up on Wikipedia for more info, fascinating stuff!
Yes, sorry about that, like I said: the text makes more sense in either the downloadable version on here or the one found on Official Fighting Fantasy Website. However, I didn't alter this for the online version in the list (top left). Sorry to all who've struggled with it. The webmeister did actually mention it before posting the adventure, but I didn't realize
I figured on many fans being familiar with The Omen - ah, well! Or, they could have asked their parents or someone with knowledge of these religious things. In hindsight, what I should have done was have the player discover it someplace before-hand (although there wasn't much opportunity between the start and the clock to place a scrap of paper, or overhear an acolyte conversation, or something). Very tricky! And even worse if people believe the number to be something else (there are variations in religious beliefs, including the 'number of the Beast) That damn clock puzzle has been a bit of nuisance for many people - including myself.
SPOILER
What I could have done was: 'Hey, did you play that Max Payne 2 video game?' 'No...why?' 'I couldn't stop laughing when that janitor said: " the combination's 665 - neighbour of the beast, get it?"' Hindsight is a nasty old curse!
Yeah, assuming that the player would just know the answer wasn't exactly a great idea. Unless it's common knowledge, or something you can google easily. Actually, maybe googling for the answer would work, I don't know :-D
Perhaps the webmeister could alter it in some way? I know where to insert that little conversation, by the way, two people talking about the Max Payne games would hint at the right number for those who don't know it? It would also act as a tribute to Max Payne, one of my favourite PC games.
Yes, the ending where you live happily with Angela is the "true" path. You can ultimately get to it no matter where you choose to explore in the beginning- club, park or coffee shop.
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And
SPOILER
the dream sequence gives a little back-story, but is not necessary to complete the game.
Yes, of course you're right...Mr Webmeister, are you there? We need something altering if that's alright? Let me know if it's possible and I'll send you the details for insertion.
I would suggest that knowing '666' to be the number of the beast (or as even a number associated with evil) is far more common knowledge than the content of Max Payne.
Personally I consider your expectation of prior knowledge (i.e. of 666) to be reasonable. Even if people have not seen 'The Omen' films the number is everywhere, on personalised car licence plates, people's tattoos, etc. Associating 666 with evil is as common as associating 13 with bad luck.
Regardless, if you want to provide a clue, my suggestion is to have a reference to 666 come up in the discussion in the pub at the start. Perhaps the description of an incident where the number was found painted in blood at a scene of a sacrifice in an abandoned house or something.
I actually thought the clock puzzle was a bit of a `gimme' in that I thought "I can't believe it is that easy!". Honestly, I don't know where I found out about 666, but it seems to me to have been present throughout my entire youth, and I still see references to it today. Maybe this shows my age.
Thanks for all your comments, ppl! However, I must confess to have been a little concerned, during writing TCOD, whether some adventurers would have known the number of the 'fallen one'. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to creating gamebooks; I hate making mistakes. I have to get everything as right as possible.
@ Ulysses,
Thanks for the suggestion and your kind words of reassurance. But yes, actually I could have used two games fanatics in the pub talking about Max Payne, one of whome is quite humoured by the 'neighbour of the beast' gag. There's a code number in Max Payne 1, and another one in Max Payne 2. Both 665 and 667 respectively. BOTH neighbours of the beast. The player would then realize it's slap-bang in the middle '666'. FF fans don't have to play Max Payne to find this out as both punters literally give them the information in their dialogue! And, like I said, it would double as a sort of cheeky tribute to Max Payne so I'd like to include it (if Rockstar and Remedy developers don't mind, that is!)
The only problem is that they'd have to be a time travellers: Max Payne didn't come until sixteen years later than TCOD's setting!
@ Glen,
As long as you don't start obsessing about the number 23 aswell, you should be alright! Or maybe '42' is the answer to everything, as claimed in Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
Perhaps I really am in a minority here. Apologies if I've annoyed people with this topic. But I think Ulysses' idea of the number coming up in the pub sounds pretty good. Of course, I understand if this is too awkward to add in now, but at least we wouldn't have to rewrite or add in any paragraphs this way.
I got the 666 reference in Drumer fine, but all that other talk about halving and it making a marriage really didn't fit in, for me anyway. I kept putting in 623 or 632.