So one of the few complaints about this game that I have seen repeated over and over again is the skimmer arcade sequence on the way to Ulence Flats. 

 

I have been thinking about an alternative to this pass or die sequence. Rather than force the user to play this sequence over and over again until they get it, how about if the points are diminished depending on the amount of damage, or the offer for the skimmer upon arriving also changes depending on the damage. So if you get there in pristine condition you get an extra 10 or 20 buckazoids, likewise if you get there after hitting 20 or 30 rocks the offer is far less.

 

Well, you need a certain minimum for the skimmer to purchase your ship from Tiny. If you render it such that however poorly you do on the skimmer sequence you can still get sufficient buckazoids on the trade-off, the skimmer sequence is reduced to a simple cockblocking exercise.

Actually you need the trade off funds to play the slot machine to get enough to buy the ship off Tiny. So a poor showing on the skimmer would require a bit longer at the slots. Which is the other big complaint that I have read about. This would really just minimize one of them... but still keep it intact for the must have a perfect score people. Hence the reason I offered up the points and cash as variable. Seems like a fair trade off.

The amount of money you get for the skimmer is entirely inconsequential. You just have to get the jetpack in the deal.

So in your world, is it impossible to die during the skimmer sequence?

That's what I am thinking

Okay, okay, you got me. But, still, making the skimmer sequence harmless takes away its impact. I liked how SQ1VGA just made it straight up skippable.

But wouldn't skipping it kind of take away it's impact as well  ;)

 

Trying to find a happy medium

Not being able to be killed I think defeats the whole point of it. I'm not sure there is, in this case, a satisfied psychic.

How about an alternate solution; a puzzle item that you can pick up either on the Arcada or the surface of Kerona to make the sequence significantly easier? But it's an item you have to go out of your way to get, and you have to deliberately attach it to the skimmer - perhaps a hover fan, like in Full Throttle?

 

And if you don't pick it up, you can still beat the sequence, it's just as difficult as it normally is. Unlike the SQ2 remake where you are punished for completing the root maze the way the developers originally intended. :P

-500 points for referencing a Lucas game ;)

 

I dunno, why can't it just be part of the game? Maybe there should be a way for action fans to skip all the puzzles / plot...

 

Interesting intersection I just realized: many Lucas games have arcade sequences. FT has a Road Rash rip-off minigame, S&M has wack-a-rat, both Indy games have fighting...

 

I couldn't sit through DOTT or Grim, so I dunno if they had action elements.

-500 points for referencing a Lucas game ;)

I didn't realize there was an active LucasArts-Sierra feud. I thought we all equally enjoyed adventure games regardless of the developer or publisher. Silly me. :)

Where's the fun in that? ;)

 

Nah, I'm sure I'm in the minority, but I have never found any LucasArts games outside of Monkey Island to be much fun. It always feels like you might as well watch a TV show than play one of them.

 

I've started DOTT about 5 times over the years, but I always get bored to tears after 30 minutes or so :(

IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS: Maniac Mansion, Zac, The Dig, sorta Sam & Max (but only because of the license).

Not even Fate of Atlantis?

I am not that big of an LA fan, but found Full Throttle to be a lot of fun.

Fate of Atlantis is the one game I never gave a fair shake. I liked the intro sequence, but I didn't really enjoy the overall atmosphere.

 

The Last Crusade was pretty neat for a while, but I hated the Nazi castle with all the fights -- ironic, I suppose, because it's basically just an arcade sequence. I couldn't get through the Nazi castle without losing...

 

Full Throttle I did finish, and it's ok, despite being easy/on-rails. My biggest problem with it is it seemed to want to be a cartoon rather than a game.

As far as I'm concerned Fate of Atlantis is better than Raiders and Last Crusade (the movies) combined. Love the vibe. Didn't like The Last Crusade game near as much. It was good, though. But too much enforced fighting. Unless it's just more of a harder puzzle to avoid fighting.