Let's Play KGB!

[Lightknight]

No, the thread is about KGB, but...ahem, someone derailed it with all this Tintin-ness.

The same conspiracy plotline and slightly over the top communist elements...

I'm sorry, but its not "slightly over the top", its pretty much a farce. Its foolish to think real KGB operatives had kinds of dialogs that were even remotely resembling what we see in the game. Maybe something like that is happening on daily basis in North Korea, i dont know, but in 90's Russia ?

 

[Tintin]

It's not supposed to be realistic, more satirical, a parody. I think you are taking it too seriously.

 

[Radisshu]

Tintin is an adventure comedy comic. The stories are serious, but there are so many jokes it also becomes a comedy. In fact, without the jokes, the comics would probably be quite uninteresting.

The initial quote which I argued against was this: "the focus is mostly on the funny stuff".

That's what I've been agreeing with.

 

[Tintin]

Then argue that. I don't see how "there are so many jokes" and "without humour, it would be uninteresting" prove that Tintin is "focused mostly on funny stuff".

 

[Radisshu]

Then argue that. I don't see how "there are so many jokes" and "without humour, it would be uninteresting" prove that Tintin is "focused mostly on funny stuff".

That's what I've been arguing. You don't seem to pick up on it, though, so whatever.

 

[Tintin]

Whatever you say.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

It is truly a lost cause.

Tintin is "focused mostly on the funny stuff" because, heck guess fucking what, humor makes action and adventure tolerable, and so it attracts a larger group of readers. Tintin would never have been the success they were if it hadn't been for Captain Haddock, the Professor and the two incompetent cops.

The jokes are everywhere. Oftentimes they're even more notable than the actual story. Oftentimes they are the thing that MAKES the story. So while these comics are great at teaching latin, history and the secrets of the moon landings to everyone, the focus of the comics is to make people laugh and continue reading. Because drunk people are funny. Because incompetent cops are funny. And kids and adults alike will definitely read a story like that. If it just had been Tintin and his dog, who I'm certain Tintin definitely was fucking, it simply wouldn't have been nearly as good. We're lucky Remi understood this, at least almost from the beginning.

Now, let's get back to KGB. It's one of the best adventure games ever made after all.

 

[Rhett Butler]

I get what Andyman meant (edit: at least I thought I did, he is contradicting me in the post above), he just said it in a silly way. Tintin had far too much humour in it to be called a serious comic, but it wasn't really a comedy. It was funnier for that. Even though the jokes weren't really subtle you read it to follow the story not with the expectation that you would laugh every other page, so you were surprised by them. I would go so far as to say that you could have read a Tintin comic, not laugh, and not really notice. Not that that ever happened for me, they really were very funny.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

I get what Andyman meant (edit: at least I thought I did, he is contradicting me in the post above), he just said it in a silly way.

That's usually the problem with everything I do.

Also, I second your post.

 

[piydek]

A truly wonderful game. I finished it twice. First time on an Amiga 1200. Without a walkthrough (almost nobody had internet connection at that time here) and with help from one friend at one place near game's end. Surely loads and loads of reloading, but i always enjoyed it immensely.

The game is bold, well writen, hard, with great atmosphere, music, pace....wonderful and completely unique.

 

[made]

The game is bold, well writen, hard, with great atmosphere, music, pace....wonderful and completely unique.

Indeed. Outstanding game.

 

[Tintin]

. Tintin had far too much humour in it to be called a serious comic, but it wasn't really a comedy.

And that's a much more acceptable way of putting it.

 

[DarkSign]

I definitely think that age and style of humor have something to do with how these games are received. Being 37, I dont remember playing this game, but am reliving in my mind games like it. There were a lot of games that had a serious (serious enough to seem worth your time) plot, but delivered a splash of parody, a bit of slapstick, and a corny joke or stereotype here and there...but weren't supposed to be over-the-top, all out comedic works.

Think Red Heat with the Gubenator and James Belushi. IIRC, It wasn't supposed to be a comedy, but Arnold's stereotyping and a few bad Belushi jokes did "tie it together" as someone said before. Much like 80s movies, 80s games (and 90s) were "lighthearted" without being slapstick.


EDIT: Great LP, btw. I'm wanting to find this on Abandonia or HotU now. Is there a website that has a ton of LP's on it? That would be a fun site to browse for hours.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

http://fromearth.net/LetsPlay/ collects some of the LPs at SomethingAwful. Should entertain you somewhat. Be sure to check out KOTOR2, Blade Runner, Animal Crossing and Oregon Trail (the one by Chewbot).

 

[piydek]

Darksign, i think you should definitely try it. I'm not saying it's necessarily everyone's cup of tea, but it's undoubtedly a unique experience and a great quality game. I don't know, it just has great atmosphere and vibe.

Shit, thinking about it and new games, its difficulty is uber-hardcore. Which is really a good thing. But you will hit the wall many times playing it...it doesn't have any really ridiculous solutions like "combine the brick with pig and marmelade to get a flying catfish" that can be found in some older adventures, but the passing of time makes it really freaking hard. And adds to the experience a lot. Things happen at precise time and if you're not at the right place in the right time, having right objects in inventory, having done all things you should have done before, then you can't pass situations.

 

[Tintin]

Dead already?

 

[poocolator]

We need moar of the LP! Stat!

 

[poocolator]

http://fromearth.net/LetsPlay/ collects some of the LPs at SomethingAwful. Should entertain you somewhat. Be sure to check out KOTOR2, Blade Runner, Animal Crossing and Oregon Trail (the one by Chewbot).

Oregon Trail:

Awesome, who knew Gomer Pyle from Full Metal Jacket could time-travel?

 

[Wyrmlord]

My exams were going on for a week. I have not been playing games.

Update will come today or tommorow.

BTW, poocolator, that facial expression is really like the one when he says, "I am in a world of shit."

 

[poocolator]

God that movie was awesome. That scene freaked me out when I watched, and I genuinely felt scared. Fucking drill instructor didn't know when to back down.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Anyway, trying to investigate, the superintendent refers me to a man called Belussov, who did time in prison. He might be dirty.

Bellusov then tells me to go after an old man who was imprisoned in a gulag.

The old man seems fairly respectable, but is alarmed on hearing that I know about his time in gulag.

And now, he sends me back full circle. Ugh, frustration.

But atleast, there is some lead. There's a suspicious meatshop owner.

I go to meatshop owner.

It's getting hopeless.

There's one apartment I have not tried. I go there.

A dead end. I go there without my clipboard.

Then, I have a bit more luck.

Or not.

Man, this is getting HARD. Is it that I forgot to pick up some important item early on? Is it that I made a wrong choice quite early in the game, and all these dead ends are the delayed consequences of it?

 

[piydek]

Haha, i remember that part and thigs related to it. It's quite fucked up. I managed to get through this all without any help/walkthroughs, but it took me quite some time. This part again makes me remember how non-streamlined those games were. They really didn't railroad you with stuff.

 

[poocolator]

It's time for me to DOSBox this bitch up.

 

[Tintin]

Man, this is getting HARD. Is it that I forgot to pick up some important item early on? Is it that I made a wrong choice quite early in the game, and all these dead ends are the delayed consequences of it?

If you can, load to a state before you talked to the meat shop owner. Now that you made him nervous, he might not open the door for you again.

Also, did you go and get the money from your house? When you enter the club, try to weasel out, and then just pay for membership. In case you didn't realize, this is the club that was referred to in the audio cassette.

Also, you have a lead. The meatshop. Why not follow it? If someone tells you that the meatshop is owned by mafia types, is going to ask the owner if it's true the best idea? The meatshop is located in the same street My hint is, when you left Ryuumin's house, you should have heard/seen two thugs going up the stairs to the club. That's not an arbitrary scene.

Man, I first played this when I was like 12 years old, didn't have any internet, didn't know what a walkthrough was, and just had to struggle to finish this thing. Took me a LONG time but it was really satisfying when you got something right.

 

[Tintin]

You alive, Wyrmlord? Quitting?