Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 03:33:06 am
Here’s a funny thing. ‘Trials of The Outsider’ does not appear to exist. Games do not just disappear. This is actually unnerves me a little. I’ve even asked around, but nobody knows what I’m talking about. Anyway, I’ve decided to do a Let’s Play to see if there’s anyone out there on the web who knows what it is, since I haven’t asked around on this forum. Hopefully this’ll jolt your memory. Or perhaps this game has faded into obscurity so much it really has just disappeared.
So!
Trials of The Outsider came out… I actually don’t know. To be honest, I don’t know much about this game. I just found it in program files about a week ago. Which is weird, because it’s definitely a game and my laptop has been re-imaged so many times it’s not the same laptop. It even had its hard drive replaced once. But I found it, played through a bit and it was okay. So I moved it to my documents for easy access, as you do. But that doesn't matter. Here’s the really weird thing:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Correct me if I’m wrong but it needs more than that to run, right? I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t been thinking much about this and right now, I’m a little creeped out. But however it works, it does. So I’m going to play it.
In case you're wondering, I changed it to a .txt file to see if there was anything there that might explain it. No joy. Quite frankly I don't know why I did it.
There’s no intro movie. The game starts automatically.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Our protagonist awakes. His name is never given. He is only ever referred to as ‘The Outsider’. For those of you who aren’t fanatical followers of ascii (and what the hell is wrong with you?), he’s the @ symbol. Common enough.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sorry for the wonky editing. I'm trying to make the pictures look clean
Let’s have a look around then. The text parser accepts 'l'
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Our protagonist, ladies and gentlemen. Speaking of which, let’s get a look at him.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Yep, our protagonist is something of a Tabula Rasa. Something for me to project my image onto when I’m playing, which is probably what the developers intended. I quite like it. There are only two things that we can be certain about with The Outsider. That he’s a man,
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
And that. Ominous. Asking about it gets us the exact same line so we won’t bother.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Well, okay mysterious stranger. Let’s get-a going. You move using the directional pad, and everything else is controlled by the text parser except for space, which pauses the game when you press it unless you're typing something, when it works as a spacebar.Incidentally, during my first playthrough, wherein I played for fifteen minutes and got called away, I got sick of typing examine so I typed in ‘autoexamine on’ and it worked, funnily enough. It means every time you near an object it displays what the object’s name is and what direction it’s in. I’d say it inspired Dwarf Fortress, but a) this game doesn’t appear to really exist (or something. I’m trying not to think about it) and b) that’d be blasphemy. It starts turned off, and I’ll leave it that way for now. Anyway, out we go.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Outside we have grass, a forest, and a lake. The colors dictate the shallowness, presumably. I haven’t been swimming. The lake appears to be calm anyway. It’s not moving. But hang on, who was doing the talking? Are they around the other side of the house?
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
What are they hiding in the forest or something? Where is that voice coming from?
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
JESUS FUCK
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Original. In case you’re wondering, this seems to be a cutscene. I can’t move, and that little down arrow thing doesn’t appear, the words just change after a period of time. Seems pointless but there you go.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
And it was all a dream. Wonderful. Anyway, that’s the start of Trials of The Outsider. This will continue until I’ve beaten the game. I’ve only played a little after that point, so we’ll be figuring it out together. Give me suggestions on what to do next, as this seems to be a text adventure. I’ll go with what I feel is best, including my own choice in case you all ask me things along the lines of ‘eat a bookcase’.
Let’s see where this goes.
Post by: Synzig on January 26, 2010, 09:30:06 am
Post by: Spartan 117 on January 26, 2010, 02:09:08 pm
I think Toady is testing you to see if you're worthy of becoming Toady Two.
Post by: Glacies on January 26, 2010, 02:09:24 pm
Post by: Cthulhu on January 26, 2010, 02:43:34 pm
In addition, make a thread for it on /x/. They eat this stuff up.
Post by: Reasonableman on January 26, 2010, 03:53:33 pm
Post by: DFNewb on January 26, 2010, 04:46:06 pm
Post by: Reasonableman on January 26, 2010, 04:50:49 pm
Post by: DFNewb on January 26, 2010, 05:07:31 pm
Well even if it is this will nonetheless be interesting. Also, DFNewb, I am sort of in your signature after a fashion! Wowsers.
Yea that was a while ago on your livestream.
Also I suggest we head outside to see whats happening and to examine all of our items and the small house.
Also I did not want my observation be taken in anyway as a negative comment. I was simply pointing out that they kinda look the same.
Post by: andrea on January 26, 2010, 05:13:58 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 05:18:19 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 05:24:08 pm
http://uploading.com/files/edda4225/Trials%2Bof%2BThe%2BOutsider.exe/ (http://uploading.com/files/edda4225/Trials%2Bof%2BThe%2BOutsider.exe/)
Check the file size. This is starting to freak me out.
Edit: And also, if it matters, I'm annoyed I double posted. Sorry for hosting it on a site with so many adds, I went with the first one.
Post by: andrea on January 26, 2010, 05:31:36 pm
I am not downloading a file that has a size of 179 6a(n?)t.
but maybe that is just an error in translation since I get the italian version of the page... still odd. doesn anyone else sees a random string of characters instead of MB/GB?
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 05:32:51 pm
Post by: Nirur Torir on January 26, 2010, 05:34:13 pm
Post by: andrea on January 26, 2010, 05:40:40 pm
did you compress it when uploading?
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 05:41:38 pm
And play a bit more of it at the same time.
Post by: Aqizzar on January 26, 2010, 05:46:38 pm
At any rate, I just downloaded it, and it doesn't run. I get "The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction. CS:0000 IP:0077 OP:f0 37 05 17 02" and then another bundle of garbage like that again. Whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean. So yeah, either it's missing something, or you've cooked up a very elaborate act Jack. I am intrigued.
Post by: Gunner-Chan on January 26, 2010, 06:09:25 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 06:25:04 pm
Huh. This is probably something the school techs were working on when they fixed my laptop, or something. That's about as much as I can figure out and I'm pretty confident about it.
Post by: sonerohi on January 26, 2010, 06:31:59 pm
Post by: DFNewb on January 26, 2010, 06:57:50 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 07:01:41 pm
EDIT: Also, I guess that disproves the theory that there are some other files tucked away on my PC specifically, unless it runs off files on all computers or something.
Post by: Reasonableman on January 26, 2010, 07:23:54 pm
Also also, "Not compatible with the version of Windows you're running."
Post by: Mr.Person on January 26, 2010, 08:54:22 pm
Post by: Spartan 117 on January 26, 2010, 10:10:55 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 26, 2010, 11:45:34 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I guess you don’t need to see me typing it, but I took the picture and it’s going in, damn it. Also, a chair.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Deer meat and water. Presumably it goes off at some point. Or maybe it’s salted, I don’t know. Moving one space removes the examine effect unless autoexamine is on and I don’t feel like turning it on. I have this feeling it’ll get to be a bastard when we’re in the forest, and I have no idea what’ll happen when I get to the city. Now, let’s check out inventory.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Slim pickings. But hey, we have a bow and arrow, so that’s nice. Presumably our PC is good at hunting, or we wouldn’t have deer meat. I have not fought anyone as of yet, so I don’t know how combat works. I’ll take some deer meat, and then we’ll head outside.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I have this habit of occasionally being retarded. Therefore, the first time I played this, it took me what felt like forever (5 minutes) to figure out that you can type ‘travel’ and it goes to a travel screen.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
We’ll try Other later. This is as far as I got the first time by the way. From here on in we are exploring this together, hand in hand. To Nehmotep!
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Woah, awesome, random encounter. My first fight in this game! Let’s get going.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Again, some similarities to DF here. Not the trees though. DF has better trees. Also I like the little light throwing effect, though there should probably be shadows from the trees. Can’t have everything though. Spacebar is useless, by the way. As this is a rougelike, everything happens in turns and so spacebar does not appear to serve a purpose. I guess this lends credence to the theory that it’s an alpha, or at least incomplete. Anyway, I don’t know what I’m doing so let’s try ‘attack’.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
My bow? Yeah, let’s go with that.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Annoying Arrows is once again subverted it seems. The wolf dies, and I appear to have won. It took me a little bit to work out what to do next (and the fire flashes from red to yellow and back every time I make time move for a bit by walking around, by the way), but I eventually realize you just type ‘travel’ again. Back to the travel screen and on to that city with the vaguely Aztec-like name!
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hey, that’s a nice touch. Anyway, we’ve arrived.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Oo, Impressive. By the way, saving is handled by typing in save then typing in the name the save file is under when prompted, then you can call it up with load <savefile name>. Standard stuff, really. I admit, I have no idea what to do here, so I’m going to type ‘help’. It might help me find out who made the game, too.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Okay, what? Are you intentionally trying to creep me out, game? I typed that into Google, by the way. Everything beyond the ‘tis part is a Shakespeare quote (apart from the ‘and forever it shall be so’) and I can’t make head or tails of it. It doesn’t even seem to fit the situation that well. On the next page -
Okay fuck. I’m writing this review in real time because the game doesn’t run in real time and the next line freaked the hell out of me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Either way that’s the end of this update. Suggest what we do next as long as it isn’t ‘ask for help’. I’m never typing that again.
You know what? Maybe my hard drive is possessed by demons. The pricks.
Post by: Reasonableman on January 26, 2010, 11:57:32 pm
We're all counting on you. We need you.
We cannot help you, though.
You are alone.
Alone.
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 12:19:10 am
Check in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Whatever
This is where a lot of games "hide" things you aren't supposed to tamper with. Invaluable for modding and possibly related to your game.
Although, I still suspect you made a fake broken EXE and are playing with Asciidraw.
Post by: ein on January 27, 2010, 12:32:58 am
This is pretty awesome.
I'm willing to believe it's real.
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 12:34:33 am
Code: [Select]
And then it started like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons.
itwashereitwashereitwashereitwashereitwashereitwashereitwashereitwashereiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiWhich is from Hamlet. I suspect that someone (Jackrabbit?) is leading us on a scavenger hunt.Full error message:
Code: [Select]
C:\users\USERNAME\Downlo~1\TRIALS~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:e700 IP:6951 OP:ff ff ff ff ff Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.The tilde nonsense is a result of it being on DOS, in BASIC I believe (maximum 8 letter filenames). The other nonsense is the fact that, shockingly, the code does not recognize anything from hamlet. What's "IP:6951" though?Running it in DOSBOX, it just crashes. I'm pretty sure there's nothing more hidden than a bunch of shakespeare.
Edited for filepath typo
Added: Also, Jackrabbit, I demand that you open it in Notepad++ and textdump it, so we can see what you supposedly have nine kilobytes of.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 12:36:31 am
What? Seriously?
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 12:40:43 am
Anyway, IF there is actually mysteriousness here, it happened between you and Uploader. I wanna see a nine kilobyte file. And don't tell me you can't get notepad++ to work.
Post by: Aqizzar on January 27, 2010, 05:40:43 am
Also, insert obligatory "No Jack! You are the demons!" reference here.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 06:25:04 am
And don't worry about it, I'll do what he asked. I haven't been doing it because I was out all day and posting from my iPod and when I got home I couldn't be bothered. Severe headaches do that.
EDIT: I can't open it in notepad. I know I already did before, when I was confronted with, well, code, but now it won't let me, saying that it's being used by another person or program or whatever. I know how much of a copout this must seem, but it's true.
But that doesn't matter. What does matter is this:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
First off, I copied the file and pasted it here because I got the fairly ludicrous idea that moving it would change the file size.
It appears to have done so. But that's not the worst of it. I took a picture, closed the document, put the picture in paint to ready it for imageshack and then when I went back to open the document:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The filesize had fucking changed. And the game refused to work. And then there's this, the what the fucky'est of the what the fucks.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The actual file had changed. And I can still play it, oh yes, it still works. But it changed for no reason. I've reuploaded it, because I don't know what else to do. I guess I'll submit it for your frank approval, Sensei.
Here. http://www.2shared.com/file/10934134/5f1fc349/Trials_of_The_Outsider.html (http://www.2shared.com/file/10934134/5f1fc349/Trials_of_The_Outsider.html)
Post by: Mr.Person on January 27, 2010, 11:27:06 am
Of course, it still doesn't work, but whatever. Viruses for me and all that.
Because this is obviously ASCIIDraw, in case any of you haven't figured it out by now.
Post by: Synzig on January 27, 2010, 03:08:46 pm
Post by: andrea on January 27, 2010, 03:44:06 pm
Post by: Aqizzar on January 27, 2010, 04:30:02 pm
EDIT: I can't open it in notepad. I know I already did before, when I was confronted with, well, code, but now it won't let me, saying that it's being used by another person or program or whatever. I know how much of a copout this must seem, but it's true.
Restart the computer. Really, I'm all in favor of going along with this narrative, but you have to really try.
By the way, I love how you took screenshots of the folder in front of your browser with the forum open, like a newspaper in a ransom photo. Completely ignoring that you just edit all the text in Paint anyway.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 06:13:05 pm
EDIT: And I don't know about that thing with the bow. I guess I just assumed that if I had arrows I had a bow. Possibly a different inventory screen? That wouldn't make much sense but this does appear to be a very early version of the game. I guess I'm just lucky my bow wasn't lying around before I left.
Oh, oh oh, and the full name folder thing is because I moved the game from Program Files and gave it it's own folder and it's capitalized because, well, because it is.
Spoiler: The Truth, if you honestly haven't caught on (click to show/hide)
Post by: Mr.Person on January 27, 2010, 06:36:46 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Go north. Let's see some more of this town.
Post by: Aqizzar on January 27, 2010, 06:54:08 pm
I don't really know what difference it makes where I took the photo if you honestly think I edited it anyway.
And once again my spotty typing bites me in the ass. Completely ignoring that you CAN just edit all the text in Paint anyway. That's what that sentence was supposed to be. You know I got your back Jack.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 06:59:49 pm
Post by: Dakk on January 27, 2010, 07:06:31 pm
You should have posted it somewhere people aren't as roguelike/DF savvy, but are willing to believe in evil vydia games, like /v/ or /x/. I wish people would've let it fly for more, it was an interesting story, a poorly disguised fake, but still interesting.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 07:09:14 pm
That doesn't mean I'm going to stop. I'm certain I can make this fun.
Post by: Aqizzar on January 27, 2010, 07:11:27 pm
Post by: Synzig on January 27, 2010, 07:15:23 pm
Now that I -know- it's faked it just doesn't seem the same. Didn't OJ Simpson teach you anything? If you're going to lie, you are to bring it to the grave with you.
Post by: Dakk on January 27, 2010, 07:16:47 pm
You could also post it somewhere else, watch it develop, and post results here for the lulz.
(http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/c/c1/Baddude_lulz.png)
Are you bad enough to do it for the lulz?
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 07:19:54 pm
Aw, damn.
Now that I -know- it's faked it just doesn't seem the same. Didn't OJ Simpson teach you anything? If you're going to lie, you are to bring it to the grave with you.
I would have said Napoleon but whatever. Ignore the end of the third page right up until the next update.
Post by: Aqizzar on January 27, 2010, 07:21:00 pm
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 07:23:57 pm
Post by: Mr.Person on January 27, 2010, 07:25:53 pm
Heh. Maybe.
You have to change the name since if they googled "Trials of the Outsider", guess what they'd find?
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 07:29:03 pm
But yeah, let's see if we can't pull this off somewhere else. Although I think Penny-Arcade may have some DFers.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 07:29:36 pm
Post by: DFNewb on January 27, 2010, 07:37:10 pm
You know I was actually about to help keep it up before Jackrabbit decided to come clean. ;)
But yeah, let's see if we can't pull this off somewhere else. Although I think Penny-Arcade may have some DFers.
Yea I tried to make this thing seem real, and I think Janet tried as well. Well I am still interested so you better keep it going. ;D
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 07:47:31 pm
Okay, so Jackrabbit managed to get his file to me through a private chat link. I opened it up and it appears, as far as I can tell, the language it's programmed in isn't native to english. No idea what to make of that. Just nine kilobytes of garbage as far as I can tell, some of which might just be a red herring.
Anyway, I booted it up, and I'll post screenshots if anything especially new comes up. But the important thing is this: In the introduction, it mentions me having an extra ear (which I can wiggle, apparently) instead of an eye. It's the same no matter how many times I reboot it. The wolf killed me though, I'll try again later.
This requires more testing.
Post by: Cthulhu on January 27, 2010, 09:58:57 pm
They will eat it up and ask for more.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 27, 2010, 09:59:53 pm
Post by: Dakk on January 27, 2010, 10:15:25 pm
Post by: EuchreJack on January 27, 2010, 11:22:45 pm
Post by: Sensei on January 27, 2010, 11:36:36 pm
Move to creative projects/forum games now? Maybe change the narrative to "You find a mysterious game on your computer..."
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 28, 2010, 12:01:05 am
Post by: Heron TSG on January 28, 2010, 12:21:44 am
Post by: mainiac on January 28, 2010, 08:44:12 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 28, 2010, 08:55:25 am
Although, I feel that this isn't going to be nearly as interesting or popular because of that. Ah well, it was fun whilst it lasted I guess.
Post by: Armok on January 28, 2010, 07:05:29 pm
Post by: ein on January 28, 2010, 08:47:26 pm
The King demands a story!
Post by: sonerohi on January 28, 2010, 10:47:18 pm
Post by: Mr.Person on January 29, 2010, 06:21:39 am
Also, if you did run it on 4chan, you'd run it on /tg/. They wouldn't fall for the ruse or anything, but you'd get much better results.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 29, 2010, 06:23:13 am
Post by: Sensei on January 30, 2010, 02:44:02 am
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 30, 2010, 03:45:32 am
Post by: Supermikhail on January 30, 2010, 05:27:16 am
Also: I believed until that fateful spoiler!
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 30, 2010, 05:28:06 am
I'm quite proud of myself, really.
Post by: Outcast Orange on January 30, 2010, 01:45:28 pm
So, wait, if I made a thread where I would let's play a game which existed only in my imagination (e.g. because I can't program), with fake screenshots - that would be fine with this forum?
Do it.
Do it now.
Jack, you too.
Do it again.
Post by: Jervous on January 30, 2010, 02:09:32 pm
Post by: The Mad Engineer on January 30, 2010, 03:28:53 pm
You can make it do anything. This game can be more complex than any before it, or after. And it will scare the crap out of anyone who plays it.
You can have it reference the clock times on the computer. You can make the npcs yell at you for past mistakes. Every now and again the screen will go dark and PARAGRAPHS of mindrape can be dumped on the screen. No regard for gameplay or story. This wasn't meant to sell, or even be seen.
Post by: Jackrabbit on January 30, 2010, 03:38:34 pm
Post by: NUKE9.13 on January 30, 2010, 04:09:21 pm
Holy shit dude
Rawrsomesauce
This must become the internet hoax of spring 2010.
Post by: LeoLeonardoIII on February 01, 2010, 04:51:42 pm
This RTS game Stronghold would occasionally pipe up and say, using the advisor's voice, "You've been playing for an awful long time, m'lord" or "It's well after midnight m'lord, shouldn't you get some sleep? We can handle things for a while."
But I mean full-on mindscrew like you were doing. Mess with the interface. Reference past mistakes even though the player savescummed.
Post by: Outcast Orange on February 02, 2010, 05:18:35 pm
That game is the best ever ever.
"Iynnnfidel!"
Post by: Supermikhail on February 05, 2010, 10:54:07 am
So, wait, if I made a thread where I would let's play a game which existed only in my imagination (e.g. because I can't program), with fake screenshots - that would be fine with this forum?
Do it.
Do it now.
Jack, you too.
Do it again.
Bonkers, needed to check my replies.
Anyways, what I meant was a let's play with fully graphical screenshots, probably drawn (and passed for cell-shading) and that would take some time (and improvement of drawing skill)... For believability throw in a couple of death screens, random encounters, glitches and a rare bug... That would likely be cool, but for life.
Post by: Outcast Orange on February 05, 2010, 12:23:10 pm
Even concept designers use Photoshop to get their fake screens,
or some sort of resource viewer.
Just make a bunch of tiles in paint if you want, and put them all together.
Or use the draw app from before.
Post by: alfie275 on February 05, 2010, 12:32:12 pm
Post by: Supermikhail on February 05, 2010, 02:56:22 pm
Actually, my original idea - that is only semi-related to this thread - was to make a let's play of my game idea, so that people would have fun, and I would get a chance to show off my own brilliance :) . That would, of course, require some sort of design document, or even more. And drawn screenshots, my second main point. Of course, it is kind of strange to bring up that idea on a forum, based around ascii, because my mental images are HD HDR, no less.
And obviously, my original idea didn't have the fourth wall at all.
Post by: Cheddarius on February 11, 2010, 01:00:46 am
Post by: Sensei on February 14, 2010, 05:42:11 pm
Post by: Jervous on February 14, 2010, 08:43:52 pm
You could implement this with monkeys trained in AsciiDraw.
i am a monkey and also am trained in asciidraw