picman050967 wrote:The lead developer of MCF came by my office this evening with an early holiday gift...MCF: Dire Grove "feature complete alpha version" on a DVD!!

There goes my weekend I have played bits and pieces, but this is the whole enchilada!

Yes...most of you now hate me.

Picman

Sheesh ... the only thing missing from this is the

"NEENER, NEENER, NEENER!"

Just remember my dear, sweet, sadistic little clown(fish) --- we may not know exactly where you live, but we ALL know where you work!

Please insert Poodle's maniacal laughter here!!

Jules

Okay, I finished the game without the acorn and I did it in relaxed mode which meant I had more time and no dying. I then went back in under a different ID and replayed to the level I remembered having to find my first acorn--which was level 4 or 5 I had played the game all the way through -- so I now knew what each item looked like and could spot them immediately -- with ONE exception . . .

NO ACORN!!!

I am now 75% through the game for the second time and I have intentionally let myself get whacked by some dumb elemental, or sooty skeleton just to find that one little item . . . I can honestly say -- this game is full of coffee beans, hazlenuts, that asperic thingie and multicolored insects, but it is guaranteed, absotively -- positutely ACORN FREE!!!

The Sierra Club can now stand-down!!

Jule

MissAbby wrote:Hi Fishies!

This is the weirdest thing...I too searched for that dang acorn (and could never find it) throughout the entire game until just tonight...when I fought the final battle with the big bad guy. I got so frustrated I just started clicking all over the screen, and from somewhere in the upper left quadrant an ACORN popped out and into my potion!!!!!!!!!!! I almost fell outta my chair! So there is at least ONE acorn..even if only in my game LOL!!! Has anyone else found this out? I know it wasn't there in any other battle scene...I just KNOW it!! Who else has finished the game? Just curious...but I swear..It WAS AN ACORN!!! Really, honest, seriously..it just popped out!!! Let me know if anyone else had this happen. It really did help me finish the game btw!
Love and hugs...Abs

The EXACT same thing happened to me. There was nothing there -- NOTHING!!! But suddenly the sparkles came up in the cauldron and the only thing left to find was that #$%^@*!!!!!! ACORN. We have an invisible acorn running amok from computer to computer -- the phantom acorn!!

I also had the same thing happen to me that happened to dlindab! I had to do a cold reboot as well and then everyone of those items were there -- I just about went blind searching for yellow pollen -- and we all know what the pollen looks like now -- and it wasn't there -- nor were other things that I had clicked on time and time again for other spells. I'm not sure what kinda glitch the game has going -- but it is the most original game to come across in a LONG time!!!

Look into it Picman!!! Please!!! The game has story, it has interest, it has an 0angle we haven't had much if any before -- fix the game!!
Jule

Hey -- has anyone mentioned the fact that according to the HE-DT game page, the game requires 1280 mb of ram.? I am pretty sure that's a typo -- I hope that's a typo because I just purchased it!

I was just about to start a thread to see if anyone had heard of this game or played it before. I demo'd it on the other site --

It is so DIFFERENT from anything I have played before, I don't even know what category it would come under. It was a little confusing at first, but I figured out that you can control the speed of the game and then you could get what was happening.

It is a card game but you are building decks (as in the one in your backyard), furnishing a condo, painting that condo, furnishing houses, holding garage sales for charity -- and it is all done using cards -- sort of in the vein of UNO and Skip-Bo--ish.

I'm telling you -- if it makes it here -- it is a KEEPER!!!

Okay all -- I haven't weighed in on a new game in quite some time -- but I gotta tell ya . . . I really enjoyed this game. I have now played it front to back 3 times and I still enjoy it. There are some choppy video issues once you get to some of the higher levels, but I found that no where near as distracting as it could have been -- i.e. Wandering Willows!!

I found it amusing and still challenging. HATED Zorm and that level where he is throwing everything at you but the kitchen sink (you know the one -- in the volcano where you have to build the jewellers and the gold shops). The graphics were great -- but i'm a colorful kinda gal!!

The storyline was amusing -- to a point -- and I found myself really having to concentrate to figure out just how to get all of the required buildings in the limited space available!! (For me the secret was the "restart" button).

Being the Queen of all things "Build-A-Lot" I found this a refreshing and amusing change and I'm interested enough to wonder if the creators are planning sequels. If so -- look me up!! I'll Beta anything you have!!!

Jule

I checked all my drivers -- all are current, active x is up and running perfectly, and I can't get through the front door without my entire system crashing. I've checked out the help topics and to no avail. I need a Justin from Tech Services fix!!!

Jule

Okay . . . I can't get past the front door and into the foyer -- having been part of the big fish family for as long as I have I know that the type of blue screen error message I am getting usually means that I need to update my video card driver --

that being said ...

I can't remember how to do the dumb thing!!!!!

Jule

Kyttynjirr wrote:Oh wow whoa eek yipe wow . . . .
Yeah, that's about all I can say. This story is COOL, Jule! Thanks for writing it!

You are welcome! I've been working on and posting the next one in the Devenwood thread! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I loved every moment of creating it!!

Jules

rosiebvt wrote:JULIA!!!
How on earth did you ever get to be so thoroughly devious and despicable? And here I though you were this lovely sweet Southern belle out to charm us with a story . I am shocked, SHOCKED, to read what's coming out of that evil little brain of yours! The voices in your head have come back, big time, and we're all thrilled.
Cheers to you .
Rose

Rosie . . . how did I become the diabolicly twisted person creating and then divulging the deep dark secrets of Manny Prov???? I'll tell you -- years and years of PRACTICE!!! Besides -- i'm a transplanted southern belle -- from Southern(ish) California!!! (Which means I can parallel park and shoot straight from a road-ranger simultaneously) And you will NEVER guess what I have planned for the rest of this part of the story (and yes i'm already working on the next one)!

MUAHH AHH AHH AHH!! (Oh crap -- I don't know how to type an evil laugh!)

Jules

Just bumping it up so the readers can find it. I kept my promise (actually I posted a day EARLY)!!

Jule

mmaiden42 wrote:A BIG WARM WELCOME, JUDYJAYE This is a very nice thread indeed. There are a lot of posters who I thoroughly enjoy and most of the posters in this big ol Pond have contributed something good or something thought provoking. Then there are some that have "Ahem, defected" to FS who have also been a big part of the Pond . I do have to say that all posters bring something to this Pond. This Pond is ever changing, sometimes I go back to look at how it was. We had a Grand Lobster Lane full of fun and mischief. We had our Cafe, later our Diner, Costume Shoppe, Spa, Drs, Pond Police, Lobster Protectors, Lobster Hunters, Newspaper, Jewelry Shop, Mercantile, Candy Shop, Mutant Muffins or something on that line, etc... I could go on for hours but I won't. We had a huge neon sign listing most, if not all of our businesses. There is still that comaraderie in this Pond but there are things that have changed. We have here now and need to remember to wear our tin foil hats. The Costume Shoppe has shelves of them in all different colors and sizes. You just have to swim around a while and find it. Or sometimes fishies will leave their hats in odd places and you can pick them up and use them.
*quickly puts on tin foil hat*


................/tin\
............/foil hat\
........./tin foil hat\
......./Tin Foil Hat\
...../Tin Foil Hat\
.. /Tin Foil Hat\
TIN FOIL HAT .....
(
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(
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(
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(
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(
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Paperclip chain. (Have to stay grounded for added safety)
So, Welcome!!!

Okay . . . who gave her back the tin foil hat?!?!

“Shut your mouth little brother, or I’ll do it for you!” Freddie hissed through clenched teeth, “That wench had the impudence to refuse me . . . ME! She’s nothing more than a five-shilling harlot – if even that dear.”

“Now, now brother. Your grapes are showing!” Felix was beginning to enjoy himself.

Freddie jumped to his feet and would have lunged at his brother if his mother hadn’t been faster than he, bolting from her seat and placing herself between her sons—a position she had been in more times than she cared to count.

“That is quite enough, both of you! This ‘woman’ has obviously no understanding of her place and position within this world. It is time she was educated and enlightened.” Pippa secretly thrilled, knowing she had obviously gained the true objective in summoning the boys. She had begun laying the groundwork that would engage her sons in aiding her in her little coup d’état. This could very well be easier than she originally thought it would be.

“Again mother, what do you need me for?” Felix asked.

“It is quite simple son. I need a viable alternative to Geoffrey. I believe you will serve to that end.” She answered matter-of-factly.

“Felix is to be Duke – why him? I am the eldest son here!” Freddie demanded.

Knowing her eldest’s penchant for sulky obstinance , Pippa decided to provide both her sons with a carefully condensed version of what she intended to do.

“Felix has managed to avoid the appearance of all things distasteful. You, on the other hand, have never hidden behind the illusion of respectability. Therefore, I need Felix to champion my cause before parliament – if it goes that far—and you and your particular talents to remedy the ‘Verbena’ situation.” She offered up as an explanation.

“To which of my brother’s diverse talents are you referring?” Felix quietly demanded of his mother.

Grinning openly at the two, nearly identical young men standing on either side of her;

“To any and all of them, my dear Felix. Anything his little black heart—and any other part of his body desires.”

“About this ‘unsuitable’ match . . . do you have a name?” Felix inquired.

“Oh yes my darlings . . . in fact I am quite sure that Freddie knows the young woman ‘biblically’, or at least has attempted to gain such knowledge.” Venom fairly dripped from the older woman’s lips as she spoke of the Actress who undoubtedly shared the Duke’s bed, at the very least.

“Now I am truly intrigued. I can’t imagine Uncle Geoffrey finding anything remotely palatable that my dear brother would . . . no offense Freddie!” Felix offered.

“Again—none taken! In fact, surprisingly enough, I agree!” The eldest of the brothers responded.

“She treads the boards of the Drury Lane Theatre. And she most definitely is NOT a mere chorus girl.” Pippa’s gaze hardened as she called up the image of Geoffrey and the wench as they stood in her brother’s study.

“That narrows it down to a mere handful, if you add to it the possibility of Freddie NOT having his way with her . . . that takes it down to just one.” Felix verbalized as he mentally ran down the list of beauties populating the back alleyway of the theatre.

Pippa smiled as she turned towards the eldest of her sons. “Well Freddie, are you sober enough to know to whom I am referring, or do I have to spell it out for you?”

“You are speaking of Verbena no doubt.” There was a hard edge to Freddie’s voice as he responded.

“Obviously mother, you caught him on a good day, and by that I mean sober day!” Felix chuckled as he watched the dawn understanding in his brother’s eyes.

“Of course not!” Pippa snapped, “ Do you honestly believe I enjoy having the two of you here anymore than you enjoy being here?”

“Then get on with it old woman!” Freddie hissed.

“I have come to believe that there is a very good possibility your Uncle Geoffrey may be less than an adequate choice for the Duke of Devenwood. I believe that the duchy should fall into the more capable hands of quite another heir.” Pippa carefully began.

“Mother, what specifically are you trying to say?” Felix quietly demanded of his mother.

“I believe that Geoffrey is about to make a most unsuitable match and that the time has come to secure the further survival of the Devenwood duchy,” Pippa replied, “In any way possible!”

“Well, knowing Freddie’s penchant for all things unpleasant, why call me in on this particular scheme of yours?” Felix was growing more and more suspicious as the moments ticked by.

“There is an unsavory bend to everything Freddie does – no offense darling!” Pippa explained turning to make her apology to the eldest of her twin sons.

“None taken mother. We all know that this particular acorn hasn’t fallen far from the patriarchal tree.” Freddie bowed his head in mock acquiescence.

“Ahhh, I see I haven’t missed too terribly much!” Came a familiar voice from the doorway of Pippa’s morning room.

“Well Felix, how goes the battle to own Britain?” Freddie sarcastically asked his twin brother.

“Quite well, thank you!” Felix answered as he stooped to kiss his mother’s cheek, “How goes the battle to perfect each and every one of the seven 'deadlies'?”

“Splendidly! I’m even creating a few new ones of my own.” Freddie replied, hate dripping from every syllable.

“Well, be sure to advise me as to your progress with that.” Felix offered his brother even as he turned his attention to the only other person in the room. “On a different, but no less unpleasant note – exactly what was your purpose in summoning me here?”

“It never ceases to amaze me how truly different each of my sons are, considering the fact that I carried both of you beneath my heart for the same 9 month period of time.” Pippa said to neither of her sons in particular.

“Please tell me THAT isn’t what you dragged me here for?” Felix responded, his patience beginning to wear thin. And it always wore thin when dealing with his mother and brother.

She heard the arrival of a carriage and the voice of her youngest as he reprimanded her hired butler for taking too long to open the door once he had arrived. She made a mental note to advise her son in the risks of such actions towards temporary help. If he kept behaving in such a manner her temporary staff may decide to “temporarily” serve another household. A situation she could ill afford this late in the season.

“Well mother, this better be good. You pulled me away from a most promising afternoon of ‘entertainment’. “ Her eldest son warned as he pushed his way past the butler and flopped unceremoniously into a chair.

“Do you honestly believe I would waste my time and energy tracking you down through every pub, brothel and gambling establishment in London if it wasn’t?” was her clipped reply.

“Now, now mother—do we really want to discuss personal problems?” the young man shot back.

“Frankly Freddie . . . I couldn’t possibly care less where and how you spend your time, as long as you are disceet—something your father never quite managed to grasp.” She retorted.

“Of course Mother . . . above all else we must maintain the illusion of respectability for the benefit of London society. I can go to blazes just as long as no one knows about it.” It was impossible to miss the disdain in the young man’s voice.

1876: Pippa had made her decision. Geoffrey was quite obviously incapable of holding the rights and responsibilities of the Duchy. Therefore, it was up to her to remove him as Duke of Devenwood and to do whatever was necessary to secure the future of the Deven and Wood legacies. At least that was what she told herself she was doing. It would make the actions she was about to take easier to live with.

She had contacted her sons and requested –no, demanded their immediate presence. There was a tremendous amount of work to be done and few she trusted to assist her. Frankly, there was no one she completely trusted in this particular case, she had learned the dangers of trusting long ago. Her sons, however, would be the major beneficiaries of the hand she was about to play and therefore, she would demand their full cooperation and ultimately their culpability in such matters.

It was society’s season and the city was awash with eager young maidens and their financially eager match-making mamas. It had been her hope to have one of her sons married to someone more fiscally suited to Pippa’s taste and lifestyle preference. But apparently matchmaking mamas – the well-heeled ones at least—would require a title in a future son-in-law if he didn’t come equipped with a suitable fortune. Having no fortune, thanks to her late husband’s penchant for riding to hounds, horses and wh***s, she would have to obtain a title for at least one of her sons.

Once Kevin had finished reading the missive aloud, it was Gordon who was first to speak.

“How . . .?” was all he could manage.

“That would be the million pound question!” Kevin whispered, his mind still reeling from the contents of Lodge’s letter.

“Any idea where we should begin?” The younger man asked.

“We acknowledge we have received Lodge’s message, then we head to the nearest estate agent to discover how one goes about purchasing a lighthouse,” the administrator began, “but only after you re-seal that cavity.”

Please gather all information you can regarding the ownership of these beacons as soon as you possibly can. Once obtained, please advise us as to the severity of the situation. You can leave written documentation within the confines of the opening behind the Patron’s Wing plaque. Her Majesty has graciously provided one of the smaller Cullman diamonds to assist in creating and focusing a small “singularity” as our detective friend would say. We can remove small written items for short periods of time, returning them once the information has been gleaned. This form of communication between your time and ours is the safest manner we have available. Once you have completed reading this missive, please return it to its hiding place, making sure to mark that you have read it by using the pen and ink we have provided.

Once you are ready to provide the knowledge we seek, prepare a sheaf of paper from your time, as well as a writing implement – we will do the same as we have instructed you to do above. In this fashion we are limiting the exposure of both times to each other. We have also obtained the full cooperation of the administrator of Manny Prov in our time—a Mr. Archibald Mattingly. In his capacity as administrator of the hospital, he will have constant, viable access to the secret behind the plaque—just as you would Kevin.

I do not have to remind you of the dangers that we all are facing when it comes to Martindale. Be quick, be careful, be safe.

Oliver Lodge