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Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.


I have never heard of this game.

That's cool. Monument Valley is a mobile game by the distressingly indie developers at ustwo in which we guide a rather quiet Princess Ida through the ruins of her long-dead kingdom. These "ruins" are surprisingly cheerful, if a bit strange, and interacting with them rather than with Ida directly is how we'll be doing the majority of our exploration.

It's basically like being trapped in an MC Escher music box.

...Huh.

Yup.

So how's this gonna go?

In a word: low-key. Each update will be about ten minutes, maybe less, (The first two are really short but it gets better, honest) and I'll be running subtitles to intrude as little as I can. The puzzles are pretty straightforward, and there's little room for audience participation, but even with that, Monument Valley has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

Thread stuff?

No spoilers, I guess? There's not much to really preempt here, but let's keep all discussion to current and previous levels, just because their design is a really big part of how this game is experienced and we don't want to ruin the surprise. Updates every Tuesday and Thursday.

Any other questions?

Nope, I'm good.

Then without further ado:

Let me tell you a story,

Once upon a time
There was a brave princess
From a quiet kingdom
Who wanted to set things right.
She traveled the long-forgotten Valley
With its paths of dust
And its pillars of regret.
There were many strange adventures,
And when she came to the end of her journey
She received a wonderful reward

Appendix i: On Fleeing from lava
Appendix ii: On Twisting, weirdly
Appendix iii: On Wretched thievery
Appendix iv: On Relaxing with Water Puzzles
Appendix v: On Losing something precious
Appendix vi: On Surreality
Appendix vii: On the sides of boxes
Appendix viii: Onwards

Awakening from a pleasant dream

Fanart
Warning: Contains spoilers. Sort of.


Thanks, Grimwit!

Trenchfoot fucked around with this message at 14:48 on Sep 8, 2015

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Ghostwoods
May 9, 2013

Say "Cheese!"
Looks very cute!

Grimwit
Nov 3, 2012

Those eyes! That hair! You're like a movie star! I must take your picture!
Interesting.

I hope it tumbled towards mind-bending.

You can never have too much mind-bending.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
It may not be mind-bending yet, but episodes 2 and 3 are up. Check out our first real level and some conversations with the questionably dead!

Ghostwoods
May 9, 2013

Say "Cheese!"

Trenchfoot posted:

It may not be mind-bending yet, but episodes 2 and 3 are up.

It'll help, in general, if you put links to new episodes in the new post as well as in the OP, particularly once we're past one page.

Drowning Rabbit
Oct 28, 2003

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Ghostwoods posted:

It'll help, in general, if you put links to new episodes in the new post as well as in the OP, particularly once we're past one page.

Not only this, but also put them on separate lines, it is hard to read and you can't see that there are actually THREE different episodes at a glance.

Grimwit
Nov 3, 2012

Those eyes! That hair! You're like a movie star! I must take your picture!
This kind of reminds of me Kairo.

I'm liking the atmosphere some more.

Also, I wonder if the Princess is the only living one in the valley right now. Maybe she's a g-g-g-ghost, too! :ohdear:

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
In, Episode Four, Princess Ida continues in a stalwart fashion, as we visit a koi pond and meet the Crow People. Also, I retouched the OP after some solid advice from the peanut gallery. Should be a little more straightforward now.

Thanks guys!

ally_1986
Apr 3, 2011

Wait...I had something for this...
Love this game, and hey even Frank Underwood loved advertising it and playing as a princess!

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

Grimwit posted:

This kind of reminds of me Kairo.

I'm liking the atmosphere some more.

Also, I wonder if the Princess is the only living one in the valley right now. Maybe she's a g-g-g-ghost, too! :ohdear:

Don't worry, her fate is much more bizarre. Plus, it's kind of a trope in this game that all ghosts are dicks so it's unlikely by that margin too.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
Sorry about the delay, there were some minor technical glitches.

Anyway, as we slouch toward Chapter Five Princess Ida moves in mysterious ways, this becomes a stealth game, and we are well and truly bothered by the Crow People.

Godspeed.

berryjon
May 30, 2011

I have an invasion to go to.
Odd. The Princess looks like a color-negative crow with her hat on. Mayhap she should take it off, and the Crows won't recognize her?

Mraagvpeine
Nov 4, 2014

I won this avatar on a technicality this thick.
I started watching this and it has an interesting art style. In episode 2, the subtitles are a little hard to read.

EDIT: Watching 3 now, subtitles are a little hard to read here too.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Even when you're not in their way they still turn to squawk at you. Jerks.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

Mraagvpeine posted:

I started watching this and it has an interesting art style. In episode 2, the subtitles are a little hard to read.

EDIT: Watching 3 now, subtitles are a little hard to read here too.

Yeah, sorry about that. Four should have bigger font and be easier to read.

Meis
Sep 2, 2011

I absolutely adore this game. the art and sound in it are phenominal. I think it won an award even? Good LP. Are you going to do the DLCs too?

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

Meis posted:

I absolutely adore this game. the art and sound in it are phenominal. I think it won an award even?

It won several.

Meis posted:

Good LP.

Awww, thanks.

Meis posted:

Are you going to do the DLCs too?

:ssh:

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

berryjon posted:

Odd. The Princess looks like a color-negative crow with her hat on. Mayhap she should take it off, and the Crows won't recognize her?

I get the feeling they would squawk at us even still. I don't think two crows ever run into each other in-game, but if they did the bellyaching would probably last forever.

SSNeoman posted:

Even when you're not in their way they still turn to squawk at you. Jerks.

I know right, they're as bad as the dead guys.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
In Chapter 6, Princess Ida carries on through certain peril, as we make a new friend, say some tender goodbyes, and apparently leave a throne vacant.

GeneralYeti
Jul 22, 2012

Look at this smug broken asshole.
For some unknown reason, I love how we keep turning an apparent cube to the right and yet despite being on chapter 6 we keep having more sides. Yeah, I know it's just a level select, but it's one of those things that I like about this game.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


I do wonder what's up with those shapes we leave on the pedestals. They don't seem to have a pattern to them.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
Hey gang, it's Chapter 7, where we carry on despite our losses, encounter the most perturbatory architecture to date, and get some of our own back against the Crow People.

berryjon
May 30, 2011

I have an invasion to go to.
Was it the Princess who committed the crime? Or the Crows? Or was it both, and for whatever reason, the Crows are being punished but not the Princess as implied by that last Ghost?

Or will these questions be answered in upcoming videos?

Mraagvpeine
Nov 4, 2014

I won this avatar on a technicality this thick.
I think the Princess is returning the Sacred Geometry that was stolen.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


The crow people penrose triangle would make for a great avatar.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

berryjon posted:

Or will these questions be answered in upcoming videos?

Hold that thought for, like, two updates.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
And now for Chapter 8, where Princess Ida, now returned to us, continues her quest in a grand fashion as we explore The Box, apologize to the Crow People, and encounter strategically placed fish.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Wow that was really cool. I can see why you like that level. The way it folds in and out is really nice :allears:

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

SSNeoman posted:

Wow that was really cool. I can see why you like that level. The way it folds in and out is really nice :allears:


I'm glad you liked it, because this is really the level that inspired my LP.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
Things fall apart in Chapter 9, where Princess Ida faces fate grimly, we meet an old friend, see what I'm assuming is a Queen, and learn that flowers are the most sacred of all geometry

berryjon
May 30, 2011

I have an invasion to go to.
what.

Also, does anything happen when you approach the mirror?

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


If Ida is a crow person, I guess she was outcast because she was white, unlike the other red and black crows. Maybe that's why she stole their sacred geometry.
On the other hand the ghosts aren't crows, so hmmmm.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

berryjon posted:

Also, does anything happen when you approach the mirror?

Just mirror things.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
Things fall together in Chapter 10, when we light three lights to end the world, the architecture stops even pretending to make sense, and I have surprisingly little to say.

berryjon
May 30, 2011

I have an invasion to go to.

Trenchfoot posted:

Things fall together in Chapter 10, when we light three lights to end the world, the architecture stops even pretending to make sense, and I have surprisingly little to say.

Well that's an ending.

That was the ending, right?

Mraagvpeine
Nov 4, 2014

I won this avatar on a technicality this thick.
This is a short but sweet game.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Oh. So the crow people could no longer fly because Ida stole (?) the sacred geometry? Huh. But it seems to have cursed her as well...?

Grimwit
Nov 3, 2012

Those eyes! That hair! You're like a movie star! I must take your picture!
:allears: That was lovely.

And also...


What secrets await the Princess/Queen in the sky? More in the Sky. Somewhat less in the valley.

Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.

Grimwit posted:

:allears: That was lovely.

Yeah, I thought so too. Doesn't really explain itself, but with a game like this I wasn't expecting it to.

berryjon posted:

That was the ending, right?

Mraagvpeine posted:

This is a short but sweet game.

Yup. Just about ties it all up, really. You all are invited to stay for some coffee and DLC, but that's rather more addendum. Hope you liked it!

SSNeoman posted:

Oh. So the crow people could no longer fly because Ida stole (?) the sacred geometry? Huh. But it seems to have cursed her as well...?

Liking your take, but I'm still a little confused by the subtitle for Chapter 10. There are a lot of ways to read this, and the ending itself.

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Trenchfoot
Mar 1, 2015

When guns are homosexual, only homosexuals will have guns.
And now for something complete different with Appendix i, in which Princess Ida takes matters into her own hands as we dodge molten rock, rapidly run out of stairs, and wonder what happened to the wings, or for that matter, the ending.

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