The Talos Principle: Road to Gehenna Expansion OUT NOW, PS4 version August 25th!

Undead Scottsman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6Edwcn469M

You remember those Serious Sam games? Well, the guys who made those decided to take a stab at the first-person puzzle genre popularized by games like Portal and Antichamber, and are nearing release of The Talos Principle. The best way I can describe it is if you made a non-linear Portal and swapped out the black humor for philosphical ponderings. You are spawned into the a world of ancient ruins filled with futuristic technology, solving puzzles to gather Sigils (i.e. tetris pieces) to progress, as you try to piece together what your purpose is from leftover records, words of wisdom from a booming voice in the sky with a god complex, and a enigmatic, self aware computer program. Personally, this game is hitting all the right spots for me and I'm actively salivating it's release. There's some additional pre-release stuff out right now, so I figured I'd make a thread pointing it out.

The game is available now on Steam at a 10% discount until the 18th
http://store.steampowered.com/app/257510/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIhrPzvZgg
Additionally, you can try out the public test of the game for free on Steam. It's a quick four puzzles (and maybe a secret fifth puzzle, if you can find it ) but I think it's worth checking out. Not sure how much longer it's going to be available for, so if you want to try before you buy, he sooner the better
http://store.steampowered.com/app/330710/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTnDPXniNE
Also, there's a prelude game called Sigils of Elohim, that's a simple puzzle game where you take tetris pieces and try to construct specific squares and rectangles with them (You do this in the full game as well, fyi). Completing puzzles in the Prelude gives you codes to unlock stuff in the full game.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/321480/

For a more official line, here's the blurb on Steam.

The Talos Principle is a philosophical first-person puzzle game from Croteam, the creators of the legendary Serious Sam games, written by Tom Jubert (FTL, The Swapper) and Jonas Kyratzes (The Sea Will Claim Everything).

As if awakening from a deep sleep, you find yourself in a strange, contradictory world of ancient ruins and advanced technology. Tasked by your creator with solving a series of increasingly complex puzzles, you must decide whether to have faith or to ask the difficult questions: Who are you? What is your purpose? And what are you going to do about it?

Features:
Overcome more than 120 immersive puzzles in a stunning world.
Divert drones, manipulate laser beams and even replicate time to prove your worth - or to find a way out.
Explore a story about humanity, technology and civilization. Uncover clues, devise theories, and make up your own mind.
Choose your own path through the game's non-linear world, solving puzzles your way.
But remember: choices have consequences and somebody's always watching you.

Undead Scottsman

Here's a 25 minute timelapse video of the level editor in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEy4lwukCo0

Undead Scottsman

Preload is now available for those of you who preordered.

...Anyone?

Panda4You

Saw this featured on the Steam frontpage today, seems quite interesting!

PMAvers

I think there were two things in the demo that sold me on the full game.

The first was the conversation on the terminal when

you tried to hack the demo to convert it into the full version.

The other was the puzzle involving the connector that was outside the puzzle areas and what it was used for.

My mind was blown when I realized that everything in the puzzle areas stays active, even after completing it. And that you could actually get a laser outside of the puzzle zone.

Undead Scottsman

LUNCH TRAILER! Sounds delicious!

...I'm being told this is in fact a LAUNCH trailer, not a lunch trailer, on account of r game coming out today. Pity. (also, if you're already sold on the game, I'd recommend skipping this trailer so some of the environments aren't spoiler for you)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9QFBWb7WQ

PMAvers

So the red puzzle in 3A:

Is it supposed to be unsolvable? Feels like I need two Jammers, but I can only find one. And eventually Magic Voice tells you that you should probably peace out and save it for later.

Cabezone

Wow....this game looks like something I'd really like, great surprise for today.

PMAvers

Oh god I was wondering if they were going to sneak that in somehow.

There's a Serious Sam reference in world B. I would've been surprised if they didn't make that one, seeing as the world's theme...

Artereis

I got a look at this game at PAX, but never got to actually sit down and play it. It looked pretty cool and the booth seemed to have a good buzz about it.

Cabezone

PMAvers wrote: »

So the red puzzle in 3A:

Is it supposed to be unsolvable? Feels like I need two Jammers, but I can only find one. And eventually Magic Voice tells you that you should probably peace out and save it for later.

I did that last night but don't recall which one it is exactly. If you're still stuck lemme know and I'll post the answer when I get home and look it up.

TychoCelchuuu

Rock Paper Shotgun's Philippa Warr liked it.

Undead Scottsman

Played a bit yesterday. Man those stars are hard to find.

PMAvers

Cabezone wrote: »

PMAvers wrote: »

So the red puzzle in 3A:

Is it supposed to be unsolvable? Feels like I need two Jammers, but I can only find one. And eventually Magic Voice tells you that you should probably peace out and save it for later.

I did that last night but don't recall which one it is exactly. If you're still stuck lemme know and I'll post the answer when I get home and look it up.

I actually figured it out.

It was the one where you had to lead the mine up the stairs to take out the turret that's sitting on the red sigil.

Cabezone

Yeah that one stumped me for a bit, it's the first

mine not moving in a straight line I think

Cabezone

I like it so far. I thought maybe it was going to be too easy because of how slowly it brings you along but I'm reading it's up to a 15 hour or so game, which is long for a puzzle game. It's supposed to get significantly more complex.

Undead Scottsman

I cleared out area A and while I like the laser/block/jammer etc. puzzles, finding the fucking stars is like pulling teeth. I found MAYBE 4 in the entire area and even then I only recovered two of them. Yeesh!

I wish there was an automap or something, so I could at least see where I've been.

Undead Scottsman

Okay, I cleared out area B, and basically got the hang of finding the stars (got all of them in area B, just need to go back to area A now.)

It's kind of cool how you basically have to figure out how to break the game to get some of these stars. I was starting to feel like real,hot shot after awhile.

Overall. I'm super liking the game, and it's probably I the running for my game if the year. The sole weak spot for me is that there's a lot of reading, and some of the bits of reading are entirely flavor text that has no direct bearing on the game or plot, and are basically just tying into the themes. I would mind, but there's a LOT if that stuff, and when I've been up all night solving puzzles, my eyes just start to glaze over when reading the text if it was directly about the plot.

PMAvers

Jim Sterling really liked it.

Cabezone

Finished the game, mostly, in about 13 hours. I didn't try to hunt down all the secret stuff but after you finish you can still go back and gather everything. I figure there's at least another 6 hours of solving more puzzles to finish everything up. Those stars are a bastard to solve.

Cabezone

PMAvers wrote: »

Jim Sterling really liked it.

I definitely agree with over thinking some of the puzzles. I can think of at least 3 where I was working on an overly complicated solution while the solution was actually quite simple.

Undead Scottsman

Well that star in C-3 was a right pain in the ass. Hint below

Getting it is about as elaborate as you could imagine. This definitely isn't a "I'm overthinking it" situation.

DaxterMax

Has anyone else felt a little nauseous or a headache coming on playing this at all?
I've played a lot of FPS games but for some reason this one is uncomfortable. I can only manage about 20 - 30 mins at a time.

I've tried playing about with the graphics options based on a similar thread that was in the steam forums.
It mentioned increasing FOV to 100 or 106 depending on your monitor aspect ratio.
Turned off motion blur and a few other things, but not sure if it's helping much. My fps are generally over 60 in most cases too so it doesn't seem to be the case of a poor refresh rate.

As for the game itself, I'm loving the puzzles so far. Just what I wanted.

Cabezone

I read that's a thing but it didn't bother me, fov set to 90. I did get motion sickness from Portal.

Undead Scottsman

There's definitely something weird going in whenim moving the camera at a fast pace, but I get used to it quickly, thankfully. Any who, there's some updates, the first of which is to Sigils of Elohim

Sigils of Elohim is a free mini-game companion to The Talos Principle that challenges players to solve dozens of challenging sigil puzzles under the watchful eye of Elohim.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/321480

Features
Pack C with 32 new puzzles to twist your brain.

Items and relics acquired in Sigils of Elohim on PC, Mac, and Linux, Android and iOS can be used in The Talos Principle on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Android.

The second is for The Talos Principle itself

Build 220675 for The Talos Principle is now live on Steam. This is the same as last "publicbeta", with a small addition of a fix for a blocker bug caused by localization on some languages.

Here are the changes since the last version:

Language fixes:
- Elevator control codes were generated wrong in Spanish, Italian and Croatian, causing inability to unlock some floors.
- Game now properly detects change in Steam language and resets user selected language.
- Language menu screen is now updated with correctly translated language names once desired language is changed.
- Terminal dialogs were sometimes in wrong language if language was changed without restarting the entire game. Fixed.
- Improved translations for Spanish, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese.

General fixes:
- Terminals were unusable if HUD was disabled. Fixed.
- Grass/pebbles were sometimes not immediately recached when (re)loading a level, causing visual pops within a few seconds. Fixed.
- Tentative fix for a rare crash when creating window on start on some machines.
- Tentative fix for rare crash when opening texts in terminals.
- Fixed a rare crash that happened if you held a key pressed during loading of an ending cutscene.
- Fixed some models disappearing too early on Lowest.

Misc fixes:
- Fixed occasional performance stutter when rotating view on B2.
- Fixed a hole on Abode C.
- Fixed shadows on Prototype Roman Villa.
- Added a secret star on Prototype Roman Villa.
- Fixed various small visual/functional issues on several Easter eggs (details not provided for spoiler prevention).
- Fixed visibility issue in 3rd person on C1.а
- Fixed cliff-terrain hole on B3.
- Added a wire for visual hinting that was missing on "Big Stairs, Little Stairs" (C3).
- Fixed missing collision on some decorative support models on the "boss puzzle".
- Fixed wrong placement of grass on A4.
- Fixed visual issues on A1, including wrong shadows on Lowest settings, visibility in 3rd person and others.
- Fixed some light/shadow issues on Lowest settings on the Nexus.
- Fixed a rare crash in Redeem Rewards menu.
- Fixes for frame rate sometimes stuttering a bit during background loading.
- Fixed HUD on some Easter eggs not showing correctly if MaxMPix is not unlimited.
- Fixed problem with dynamic shadows not rendered when changing to/from prebaked lights mode in menu when there's a level in the background.

- Editor: Fixed several cases where vertex move tool was working wrong.
- Prototype DLC: Prototype puzzles now use the old prototype versions of Jammers, Connectors and Mines.
- Prototype DLC: Fixed a broken fan setup on one puzzle.

Undead Scottsman

Finally beat the game; I got a few more achievements to get (some of which will require new playthroughs) but I'll get to that stuff later after I plays some of these other games I have :biggrin:

Really loved it. Some of those puzzles were real brain melters, but I almost got through the entire game without looking up any hints. (Had to do one, which I regret, since it was a case of something I had see tons of times before and went "Heh, that's clever, but that's never gonna trip me up." Fooey!)

P10

Game is a lot of fun. Some of the puzzles were annoying (mostly the vague QR hints ones). I'm kinda interested in replaying it because I'm wondering how much the little details can change.

Undead Scottsman

There's 3.5 different endings, one of which requires you do some some specific things before you get one of the endings.

I'm going to wait for the DLC to go on sale though; apparently there's an option that, if i understand it correctly, makes Elohim sound like Serious Sam.

P10

I'm more curious about

What happens if you try to summit the tower before having the requisite sigils, and how the different Terminal/Milton conversations can play out (if they are railroad-y or if you can actually make some ground against him)

Undead Scottsman

This is totally to post about a new update and not a pale attempt at thread necromancy.

The Talos Principle - Update 220996
Build 220996 for The Talos Principle is released.
If you have previously opted into public beta, you already have this.

Here are the changes:

New features:
- Added Korean voiceovers.
- Added a "toogle sprint" binding that inverts the meaning of the sprint button. This can be used to have both "toggle sprint" and "invert sprint" functionality.
- The first-person raising sequence at the game start can now be interrupted.

Bug fixes:
- Bonus content is now properly opened from the Extras menu, if installed.
- When unlocking a door, the key is now inserted from that side where the player is standing.
- Fixed zoom being stuck when entering a Sigil lock or terminal.
- Player is no longer allowed to leave QR codes on direction signs.
- Duration options for setting up the benchmark, and the FPS display after it's finished is now correctly shown on languages other than English.
- Fixed a cornercase exploit with jammer at the end of "boss puzzle" that caused a gameplay blocker bug.
- Fixed an exploit with guided jump onto a box flying on a fan stream.
- Fixed a rare random crash that occurred when subtitles were displayed while level loading was completing in background.
- Fixed wrong lightness fading when entering the Tower in 3rd person mode.
- Fixed some rare crashes when picking up a Sigil.
- Fixed some walls disappearing in distance on lowest settings.
- Fixed the name on Logitech LCD app.
- Several fixes and improvements on the autotest bot.
- Added workaround for potential crash when shutting down D3D11 which wasn't started correctly.
- Fixed some debris disappearing too early even on high/high/ultra settings.
- Some Mines on Prototype DLC were newer models.
- Fixed numerous small visibility, light and geometry issues in various places.

Linux/OSX:
- Linux: Fixed problems with detecting the GPU on some Linux systems.

New Beta Version

Update 221394 - public beta
Build 221394 for The Talos Principle is now available in beta "publicbeta", which does not require a password.

To install the beta, do this:
- locate the game in the Steam's "Library" panel
- right click and invoke "Properties"
- select the "Betas" tab
- choose "publicbeta"

NOTE: If you want to later change back from publicbeta to default, savegames may be lost! We test for forward upgrades, but not in the other direction.

Here are the changes:

New features:
- Added Japanese voiceovers.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed a crash when opening credits before playing anything.
- Fixed an issue where performance settings would sometimes be reset on game start.
- QRs are now decoded and displayed even if HUD is turned off.
- Fixed several minor issues with game mechanics.
- Fixed numerous small visibility, light and geometry issues in various places.
- Several fixes and improvements on the autotest bot.
- Several localization improvements.

Linux/OSX:
- Screen saver will no longer activate while playing the game on Linux.
- Added Linux config file for PS4 controller.

Apparently even Yahtzee liked this game
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/9981-The-Talos-Principle

Undead Scottsman

New Patch

The Talos Principle - Update 221394
Build 221394 for The Talos Principle is released.
If you have previously opted into public beta, you already have this.

Here are the changes:

New features:
- Added Japanese voiceovers.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed a crash when opening credits before playing anything.
- Fixed an issue where performance settings would sometimes be reset on game start.
- QRs are now decoded and displayed even if HUD is turned off.
- Fixed several minor issues with game mechanics.
- Fixed numerous small visibility, light and geometry issues in various places.
- Several fixes and improvements on the autotest bot.
- Several localization improvements.

Linux/OSX:
- Screen saver will no longer activate while playing the game on Linux.
- Added Linux config file for PS4 controller.

New Beta Patch

Update 222414 - public beta
Build 222414 for The Talos Principle is now available in beta "publicbeta", which does not require a password.

To install the beta, do this:
- locate the game in the Steam's "Library" panel
- right click and invoke "Properties"
- select the "Betas" tab
- choose "publicbeta"

NOTE: If you want to later change back from publicbeta to default, savegames may be lost! We test for forward upgrades, but not in the other direction.

Here are the changes:

New features:
- Upon collecting all main story sigils, a backup of your progress is created which is never overwritten. This makes it easy and safe to try out different endings.
- Text files no longer require signed credentials. In other words: .lua, .xml, .txt and any other text files can now freely be created/modified by any external tools, even for the non-moddable version of the game.
- Added motion sickness menu.
- Added 'Fast Forward' command which causes in-game time to pass at an accelerated rate. By default, this command has no binding.
- Added hints for using puzzle arrangers.
- Benchmark can now be used in the full game without completing the demo episode.
- Added alternate version of soundtrack without Elohim voiceovers.
- Jammer shenanigans will now be interrupted via Developer Intervention(TM).

Bug fixes:
- Cheats now persist between level changes.
- Fixed an issue with time recording mechanic preventing the correct solution of 'A Ditch and a Fence' puzzle from working at poor framerates.
- Fixed an exploit on 'Oubliette' puzzle allowing it to be solved without using time recording mechanic.
- Launching the game in safe mode no longer overwrites all previous settings, but merely supplants them temporarily.
- Fixed an issue where Steam avatar images would sometimes not be visible on tombstones under OpenGL.
- Fixed issues with water rippler and shadow rendering on certain multi-GPU setups.
- Fixed an issue with erroneous model culling on ultra-wide screen setups.
- Fixed a rare crash that could happen during OpenGL initialization on certain systems.
- Fixed a rare crash when changing sound devices.
- Fixed a memory leak when editing meshes or painting textures in the Editor.
- Fixed a rare crash when exporting animations from the Editor via FBX.
- World scene selection was unintentionally unavailable in Editor scripting. Fixed.
- Error messages will no longer pop up if the game is played in Big Picture mode.
- Improved timings on QR painting animation to better match the appearing of the painted QR code.
- Upon saving player profile, a backup of the existing profile is first created (with added .bkp extension), before overwriting it. This should prevent data loss in case of disk errors or crashes during profile saving.
- Several fixes and improvements on the autotest bot.
- Several localization improvements.

Optimizations:
- Improved LODs on many models.
- Optimized memory usage and performance of water rendering and made visual improvements (e.g., water ripples now bounce off surface edges).
- Optimized tombstone and computer terminal screen rendering.
- Several fixes and performance improvements in the OpenGL renderer.
- Improved appearance of turret lasers for players with disabled MSAA.

Linux/OSX:
- Added support for additional gamepads on Linux.
- Added support for DualShock 4 controller on OSX.
- Fixed an issue with copy&pasting on Linux.

PMAvers

Oh, hey, Talos is getting a expansion!

The Road to Gehenna. Playing as a different character, comes out this spring on Steam and as a combo pack on the PS4 later in the year.

Undead Scottsman

FUCK YEAH!

Woooooooooo!

Undead Scottsman

New voiceover DLC is free until the 7th. Replaces elohims voice with that of Serious Sam.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/360820/?snr=1_5_1100__1100

Hell yeah.

Undead Scottsman

Oh damn, the game and all its DLC is 50% for the week!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/257510/

TelMarine

Really enjoyed this game, expansion should be great.

Undead Scottsman

Ha, the Serious Sam DLC doesn't just replace the voice, it replaces the dialog too.

Undead Scottsman

Serious Sam VO dlc was totally worth playing through the game again. Finished up all the achievements too. One thing I don't think I've discussed is how good the story in this game is

The notes/letters and audio logs from the staff building the simulation, and the other stuff from various people dealing with whatever epidemic that's ending the human race.. Man, it made me feel some shit; and not in the manipulative way a game like, say, the Walking Dead makes me feel stuff. The backstory in this game makes me feel sad, powerless, melancholy, hopeful, enthusiastic, intrigued...

Between the grade A puzzles and the great story, this game was really a gem. Everyone should buy it, dammit!

I can't wait for that expansion!

Bobble

Beat this yesterday after picking it up on as soon as it went on sale. Loved it, had trouble stepping away to sleep or eat. Some of those stars were pretty crazy hidden, but they really got me to think outside the box.

agoaj

Stayed up to 3 am two days in a row playing this, just beat it. The game has an astounding number or eureka moments, as well as moments that make me feel like an idiot because I had a disabler right next to the end gate for 15 minutesand I've been trying to move a fan or something.

So what are the ?'s you collect from opening the tombs of the servents hidden behind the wooden doors?

Undead Scottsman

agoaj wrote: »

Stayed up to 3 am two days in a row playing this, just beat it. The game has an astounding number or eureka moments, as well as moments that make me feel like an idiot because I had a disabler right next to the end gate for 15 minutesand I've been trying to move a fan or something.

So what are the ?'s you collect from opening the tombs of the servents hidden behind the wooden doors?

They're hints. Basically there's a little writing area on the harder puzzles and you can use a hint there to help you out.