chineseroom

Please never, ever, ever stop making games.

I just want to say I love Dear Esther and I am going to get Conscientious Objector in a few minutes if it has been released and I am looking forward to the new version of Dear Esther even though the original is brilliant and its great to see some local guys (im from Southampton, not a footie fan so dont even start) making some top stuff in the mod community! Nice one!

....how can i top what the last guy said? oh yeah, I Like Dear Esther!

You know, since experiencing the HL2 and the source engine, ive been looking more for art than shooting in mods these days. Like, in a mod ive been playing called fistful of frags, in one of the maps is a tower where you can snipe people down on the ground (maybe 200 - 300 ft away). So far that spot has been my favorite because the skybox in the background against the cliffs in the map itself and the town down below looks amazing. Makes me think wow.

The thing about your team's mod is the fact that it is not a game anymore, it is more of an art that only keen eyes and in the case of the game, ears, to really understand the beauty in it. In a way, this mod deserves to be hosted in a site dedicated to art, not games. Of course i and others with the same perspective may never have experienced the mod's story.

There are faults but you and your team are already aware of those. Just remember that there are not many people in this world who can see past traditional rules of play and see the beauty behind the action. i look forward to playing the newer version.

Cheers!

Forget those losers who need something to shoot or are too dumb to understand the mod. You stoop to their level and we would have missed this fine work of art :)

I wouldn't worry about people not understanding this mod - I didn't fully understand it, but I loved it all the same. Its a nice change from shooting stuff to get a chance to just wander and take in the sights, which is exactly what you've delivered in 'Dear Esther'. The stark and eerie visuals coupled with the excellent music and soundtrack made the island feel like a little universe of its own - a small, hidden place full of history and secrets.

To address some of your points in your post above:

1) I didn't find any glitches with the map particularly troubling. A few rocks become a bit see-through from certain angles, but that's far from earth-shattering.
2) I think the length of the game was fine, though I'd be lying if I said it didn't leave me wanting more. Through the use of the monologues and the strange paint markings I was left dying to know more about this eerie place and its inhabitants, which is a great achievement from a storytelling point of view.
3) The caves looked fine :)

I can understand why some people might have trouble understanding/appreciating a game like this (adventure games aren't exactly at the height of their popularity these days), but I for one thoroughly enjoyed exploring the island and would love to see more from you in the future.