Dr Who the adventure games

[Bedlam]

What do people think of the Dr Who computer game just released on the BBC web site?

I downloaded the first episode (city of the Daleks) last night and it took about an hour to an hour and a half to complete.

Graphically it looked quite good not state of the art but not terrible, the voice acting was good and the plot wasn't to bad.

It was rather easy but had quote a range of puzzels.

Anyone else try it?

[Zixinus]

I looked it up.

If you live outside the UK, the first Adventure Game will be available to purchase in early July. We will have more information shortly on release dates and where you can buy them, so watch this space!

[Soontir C'boath]

I think it's free for them since it is distributed by the BBC and UKers have already paid for it by their taxes/TV license.

Anyway, if it's five-ten dollars per episode, I may pick it up or wait until it's released as a serial.

[Bedlam]

Yep its free to us in the UK, as said above as we pay the BBC via the licence fee.

I had thought that it would just not be avalible to people outside the UK I didn't realise it was going to be on sale later.

[NecronLord]

Just played City of the Daleks. Quite enjoyed it really. The various games are supposed to, according to the producer, have some status as canonical 'interactive' episodes of the series, which I like, as it makes this series slightly less sucky. I look forward to the next.

As for the graphics limitations; well, my completely non-game optimised PC runs it well, which is a good thing in terms of making it accessible to the widest audience possible.

[Bedlam]

The second part 'Blood of the Cybermen' is up now.

To me a bit easier than the first part, I think I only died one rather than about half a dozen times the first time. The plot was ok a bit to much nano magic and no explination to how there were Cybermen about in the last ice age. I'm assuming they have mondas cyerbermen who just happen to look almost excactly like cybus cybermen.

Much the same puzzels and sneaking bits as the first part, the match the balls sections looked quite hard but once you think about them there rather easy.

[J Ryan]

It seems they were intended to be the original Cybermen. They did look identical to the Cybus ones but they didn't have the Cybus logo on their chest instead having a design I can't say I've seen before.

It seems though that this adventure isn't Canonical with Amy being unfamiliar with Cybermen both here, and in The Pandorica Opens.

[NecronLord]

The second part 'Blood of the Cybermen' is up now.

To me a bit easier than the first part, I think I only died one rather than about half a dozen times the first time. The plot was ok a bit to much nano magic and no explination to how there were Cybermen about in the last ice age. I'm assuming they have mondas cyerbermen who just happen to look almost excactly like cybus cybermen.

Much the same puzzels and sneaking bits as the first part, the match the balls sections looked quite hard but once you think about them there rather easy.

Either that or these cybermen had time travel.

[NecronLord]

It seems they were intended to be the original Cybermen. They did look identical to the Cybus ones but they didn't have the Cybus logo on their chest instead having a design I can't say I've seen before.

It seems though that this adventure isn't Canonical with Amy being unfamiliar with Cybermen both here, and in The Pandorica Opens.

She doesn't actually say she doesn't know them in Pandorica, she just goes 'Cyberman' and looks puzzled, then the Doctor launches into an explanation of them. It certainly implies that she doesn't know them, but it could just be that he rattled that off on instinct.
Spoiler

Of course obviously the adventures take place in the rebooted universe.

[J Ryan]

The second part 'Blood of the Cybermen' is up now.

To me a bit easier than the first part, I think I only died one rather than about half a dozen times the first time. The plot was ok a bit to much nano magic and no explination to how there were Cybermen about in the last ice age. I'm assuming they have mondas cyerbermen who just happen to look almost excactly like cybus cybermen.

Much the same puzzels and sneaking bits as the first part, the match the balls sections looked quite hard but once you think about them there rather easy.

Either that or these cybermen had time travel.

The Cyber Controller or whatever his name is did mention the ship being damaged by time waves or something similar.

[Bedlam]

Bit of a Necro but the third part of the story is up now (might have been up for a while I havent checked) TARDIS.

Unfortuantly its rather short compaired to the previous two part with only two areas to explore. Its interesting to have a look around the control pannel to see what things are suposed to do, I'm sure some of them were used in TV series.

Its a shame they didn't make it longer and give more places to explore.

[Bedlam]

I've just played the fourth part of the Dr Who adventures, the shadows of the Vashta Nerada.

I'd say its the weakest of the four parts, quite short and not much of a plot really. Only a few puzzels and most of them quite easy. Teh earlier light based problems were a bit tricky for me due to how my monitor works as it was difficult to tell the diffence between lit and unlit areas, the end of the section is you walking into a pitch black room which would previously be instant death, it look me a while to figure that out.

[Molyneux]

I'll let you all know what I think of it...when I can legally acquire the damn thing.
Honestly, limiting software releases by country is all kinds of silly in this day and age. It's goddamned code! You can send it anywhere on the globe with no more effort than required to send it next door!

[Stark]

I guess you don't know how licencing works, if you think its some kind of practical transmission limiation.

[Molyneux]

I guess you don't know how licencing works, if you think its some kind of practical transmission limiation.

What I mean is that licensing by geographical region seems to me to be a counterproductive artifact of the days before transmission of video games was practically effortless...something that would perhaps better be prohibited. Much like, say, DVD region-coding.

[DaveJB]

It's a much more complicated matter than you think. Firstly, since the project was funded in part by the UK TV Licence fee, it can only legally be released for free in the UK. Any release in any other region has to create some form of revenue, therefore they have to arrange to sell it on download sites. Secondly, because the game is earning money by doing this, the voice cast have to agree to licence their voiceover work (and physical likeness in the case of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan) and possibly negotiate royalties in order to make a release in these other territories possible.

Now, it would be a valid point to ask why this wasn't all done sooner, considering they already released three episodes in this manner, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's not a great idea to expect much efficiency in the entertainment business.