Stuck in Psychonauts: Waterloo World

[Thrik]

Yeah, I have to say I really liked the camp ground too. On my second play through there was quite a lot of times where I'd be going around and realise there was a scenario that I'd missed before. I have no idea how many times the characters move around, but it seemed to be after each level, and even between the Sasha bits (hence me easily missing some, and one cutscene). There're still probably some I haven't seen yet -- replay later this year I think.

You're right though, it doesn't bring that same warm, fuzzy feeling that going back to something like Melee Island or Rubacava brings. I think that's more to do with nostalgia though in my case.

[elmuerte]

Dicking around in the camp is probably my favorite part of the game...

yeah.. you can find a shit load of arrowheads

[Wormsie]

Ok, I installed Psychonauts last night because of this thread! I gave it a quick go before I went to bed and............. (maybe it's time to burn me as a heretic) ........aside from the groovy opening video, and the cool set up, I have to say I've just been reminded that it's not an immediately gripping game. It's actually not that much fun to explore the camp... Sure, there's plenty to interact with, and there's some funny lines from the characters, but it doesn't necessarily feel like the nice warm and friendly place it wants to. I know it gets better, I know it's a brilliant game, but I've just been reminded of the beginning feeling.

The characters are a little strange, too. Their dialogue isn't really as amusing as it thinks it, either. The two kids arguing about what to name their band is actually more character driven than humorous, which given the fact that their characters are never really explored or expanded upon, seems odd. The same goes for most of the other kids, too. And the kid who's "practising" spying on the girls, well, it's just a bit odd considering how young everyone comes across. And that's when you go around "punching" people just to hear their reaction.... Hmmmm.

Please don't kill me.

I'm not alone in thinking Psychonauts isn't perfect! Yay!

I thought Coach's obstacle course was loads of fun, but after that the game felt like it sort of stalled. The time I accidentally fell into one of the stumps and was transported to Ford's lab, I was like "huh?", stopped playing and removed the warez from my PC.

Only after I bought it was I motivated enough to actually play it beyond that point and discover its true excellence (Lungfishopolis was about the time). Although I have still a death tank and a few levels after that to play through.

I hadn't thought of using clairvoyance on the kids. I hadn't thought of using clairvoyance at all, in fact... Must try! Though I got it later on in the game, I think, can't remember if it was before people started disappearing or not.

[Thrik]

Really? Man, funny how people can perceive the same things.

I thought the game was pretty good until I was randomly exploring and fell down a log, at which point I thought it very good. Ford is ace, you nutter. I can't even begin to understand how ending up in his HQ would turn you off.

With that said, in hindsight that guy really needed to get some better security on his place.

[castorp]

The campside is one of my favorite 'levels'. I loved returning to it after each outside-mission and finding out what the other kids had to say and what changed. And I liked playing around with the new powers and see how everyone reacts.

When the kids went brainless there were fewer things to discover and the camp felt empty and kind of boring - intentional, but still sad

[brkl]

Agreed about the camp being fun and cool. Wormsie, I think you're a nutter.

[elmuerte]

the campsite isn't cool, besides the MEAT CIRCUS it's the most boring part of the game

[Thrik]

My arse.

My arse!

[elmuerte]

wait... that's not correct ... the MEAT CIRCUS isn't boring... it's aweful

[Wormsie]

Really? Man, funny how people can perceive the same things.

I thought the game was pretty good until I was randomly exploring and fell down a log, at which point I thought it very good. Ford is ace, you nutter. I can't even begin to understand how ending up in his HQ would turn you off.

Yeah, he is, but at that point I was just sort of... bewildered? I was suddenly given a whole chunk of a game without much exposition. I was disappointed with much of the dialogue and came to the conclusion that Psychonauts isn't as perfect as people are saying it is.

[Wormsie]

Agreed about the camp being fun and cool.

I think the levels were fun and cool.

Wormsie, I think you're a nutter.

Thanks!

[brkl]

The camp is a level.

[Wormsie]

The camp is a level.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Do you remember Commander Keen? In, say, CK4 (I think it was CK4) there's a "game world" where you can enter different pyramids. And then there were the pyramids.

In comparison, the pyramids of CK4 are the levels of Psychonauts. And the whatever (which I called game world) in CK4 is comparable to the campsite in Psychonauts.

I never saw the campsite as a level you could finish. Sure, you can collect arrowheads and complete the scavenger hunt, but those are not things you must do.

[Wormsie]

Nutter! Nutter!

BTW, why the general antagonism?

[ThunderPeel2001]

It's simply because they love Psychonauts (and disagree with you).

You're right though, it doesn't bring that same warm, fuzzy feeling that going back to something like Melee Island or Rubacava brings.

Yep, you summed it up. This is definitely what I'm feeling. It's missing the warm, fuzzy feeling that really, the game needed. I also didn't find the character's lines all that funny. I'm sorry, but they're just not.

Compare. These are pretty much both the first conversations you hear in Monkey Island and Psychonauts:

You approach a crusty, impressive looking pirate. He notices you and says...

"Ahoy there stranger. New in town?"

You reply, "My name's Guybrush Threepwood. I'm new in town."

"Guybrush Threepwood?" (his face cracks) "Ha ha ha!! That's the stupidest name I've ever heard!"

"Well, what's YOUR name?"

(his face falls) "My name is Mancomb Seepgood."

you wander across two kids having an argument:

Phoebe: Ugh. That has got to be the worst band name I have ever heard, in the history of ever, of all time, ever.

Quentin: And by "worst" did you possibly mean "the best"? Because that's what I was thinking.

P: No I meant the worst. As in I can't believe we're friends it's so bad.

Q: Look deeply into your heart, Pheobe, and I think you'll find that even you believe that "The Levitators" is pretty much the dopest name a band could ever have.

P: The Levitators? Are we some sort of covers band that only plays graduation ceremonies for motivational seminars?

Q: I've been practising and I think I could levitate us both during our gigs. For real now.

P: No way, last year you dropped me and I broke my drums.

Q: Hey, at least those got fixed. I'll never get back those records you melted with that unplanned pyrotechnics display of yours.

P: Look, you know when I have a good solo going, sometimes things get hot. I can't help it. And it seemed like part of the show if we named the band the right thing...

Q: Oh, not this again...

P: Ahem. Ladies and gentlemen!

Q: Please...

P: Would you please welcome...

Q: No...

P: THE FIRESTARTERS

Q: Aw, man...

R: (crowd noise)

Q: If we're going to call it that we might as well call it "Burning Itch".

R: What? (makes angry noises)

(weird sparks - burning the insects close-by?)

Q: Hey, how's everybody tonight? You feelin' Itchy? I said, YOU FEELIN' ITCHY?

P: Watch it Quentin.

Q: Or what, you'll burn me? You know you can't burn me. You got a block. That's why we're friends.

P: Aw, you're right.

Q: That's why we're in a band together.

P: Yeah...

Q: And why we should call our band The Levitators.

P: Did you say Heavy Taters? Cuz that's what I heard.

Q: Levitators!

P: Firestarters!

Saying all this, I'm playing it again and really enjoying it... with the subtitles on (which is allowing me to appreciate the dialogue better as some of the jokes are lost - like "ass-tral projection" etc.)

[ThunderPeel2001]

It was 300 arrowheads.

It was 400 and the game just crashed on me :tdown:

[ThunderPeel2001]

Playing this game with the subtitles turned on how revealed how many lines are completely lost due to weird bugs. I spent ages listening to Quentin's and Pheobe's conversation in the main lodge while they practice (enjoyable, too) but there were lines that were cut short that were printed in full in the subtitles.

It's well worth turning them, IMO.

[Wormsie]

It's simply because they love Psychonauts (and disagree with you).

Hey, I love Psychonauts, too!

I think they're just nutters.

[brkl]

Hey, you said the game gets worse after the first proper level, which is verifiably the least fun level in the game.

[Wormsie]

Hey, you said the game gets worse after the first proper level.

Did I really? Or did I say that the first time I played it, the first level was fun, but after that the campsite felt lame enough to make me stop playing. Notice I didn't say anything about the game becoming worse in the long term. On the contrary, my favorite levels are Gloria's Theatre (or whatever it was), Black Velvetopia, Milkman Conspiracy and Lungfishopolis. Which are indeed great.

which is verifiably the least fun level in the game.

"Verifiably"?

[ThunderPeel2001]

I personally found the first two levels quite annoying, but probably the second worse than the first. Still, it made for a bad demo........ If they'd done the Lungfishoplis level, would it have sold more copies? Probably.

[brkl]

Did I really?

Well, no. Sorry.

"Verifiably"?

Ironic.

[Wormsie]

Meat Circus. Those bunnies are very, very scary creatures.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Just a note to anyone suffering at the Meat Circus: Use a joypad... it's a million times easier!

[Roderick]

I'll find out as soon as I have a 360 and start playing Psychonauts on it. Up until then I've only played the PC version and Meat Circus was tough, but doable after knowing what to do and how. Hopefully the gamepad will ease those tricky jumps some more.