Barrow Hill the Dark Path 2: Aha! I'm in!

So I was right that once I turned on the lights I could get in! Actually, what I did was turn on the electricity. 

But first . . .

Instead of just stumbling around in the dark woods, I realized that Matt has given us a map. I thought that it might just be possible that he gave us that map so that we could navigate through the dark woods successfully. And yes, it works! I found the farm and a nifty sound puzzle that I will no doubt return to. I also realized that the reason I couldn't get back to the hole in the fence the first time I went behind the building was that apparently my character climbed over something and dropped into another part of the yard, so no, I couldn't retrace my steps to get out. I had to navigate through the dark woods (without the map at first) to find the communications tower and thence the hole in the gate to get back to my car. I'm using my car as a starting point for my saved games, so far.

Another nice starting point: the memorial outside the station

But once I realized that I could probably get into the building, I successfully navigated my way there and found a nice variety of inventory items, many of which are working to get me much further into the game. I got into the garage and made myself a fishing line magnet, which worked to get one item, but then I ran into another game glitch.

Glitches: First, Matt has already fixed the glitch where you couldn't get an inventory view of Gus's MP3 player, although it doesn't go into a close-up. But here is a new and obvious glitch. (1) I found the car keys in the garage and retrieved them, but they did not show up in my inventory. I was able to retrieve them again, but again, they didn't go into the inventory. So I can't use them. I know Matt is working diligently to fix the glitches! Can't wait to see what I find when I can use the keys! (2) Another glitch might be a box we find in the area outside the garage in which you move some cups and a teapot to reveal a cloth of some kind at the bottom of the box. But we can't pick it up or do anything with it. (Update: actually, I found an inventory item there, but I forgot! So, not a glitch.) (3) And, we can move some papers on the wall in the garage to reveal a diagram of something underneath, but we can't get a close-up of it. Another (4) is that I got the copper weathervane off the top of the house, but when you click on it in the inventory a copper cup appears. I betcha we're supposed to fashion that weathervane into a cup somehow. Anyway, it doesn't make sense.

So far everything else is working great. I got into the kitchen and dining room, where I found a nifty clue that no doubt will be used later. I solved a little candle puzzle where that clue was located but there was no reward (unless you're not supposed to be able to access that clue until you solve it—but I got the clue first). Another glitch? 

UPDATE: I "talked" with Matt (live!) last night via Facebook Messenger, and it turns out that this indeed is a glitch. You're supposed to get a reward for solving the candles, a round object that has appeared within some leaves is supposed to rise and give you an inventory item—but it just sits there. It will be interesting to see if he's fixed this one by tonight! He already knew about the car keys problem. Ha! I feel like a beta tester! 

UP-Update: No! It was not a glitch! I did not solve the puzzle! I missed a candle!

Note: Matt needed, yes he really did, to get this game published on the Autumn Equinox. He knew there were still glitches in the game, but he's diligently fixing them every day! When you open the game from Steam you will get updates every day!

I have a so-far unsolvable puzzle putting wires into a plug, but I think that's intended. Clearly I need to find one more wire to fit into the plug. Presumably that will get the microwave oven working so that I can either use it or find something in it.

I have found no less then five sim cards, but have no place to use them yet. Maybe somehow in the computer? But I still need to find the password for that.

Clearly there are going to be more places to go in the game. Out by the farm there is a red cable on the ground, but we can't follow it. I'm pretty sure the cable leads to where Emma Harry is with her radio station (the only place in the game that isn't following the original layout—in the original you got to Emma's trailer by entering on the other side of the road. However, if this game is like the last (and so far it's following it almost faithfully) we'll only meet her on the phone.

I cannot yet get out of the dining room/waiting area to go to the motel rooms. That bothered me a bit. The only thing blocking the door is a moveable cart. But, we can't move it. I know there's somebody in a motel room, but hey, maybe we're never meant to get into the rooms this time. We only meet other characters on the phone, and no doubt it will remain that way.

It's a moveable cart. Why can't we move it and get out the door?

What I'm really loving about this is that all the sites in the original game are still there—with plenty of items from the old game too! For example, our basket from the old game in which we gathered mushrooms is placed nicely in a  cupboard in the kitchen. The kitchen and the dining room still look the same, although wrecked. But the old items are there. It's nicely satisfying. (One of the few things I didn't like about Jonathan's Darkfall 3: Lost Souls is that the hotel did not have the same layout as in the original game. That really bothered me.)

The destroyed office with the vacuum cleaner from BH1, and a table from BH1!

This time I brought a notepad and took abundant notes! It felt good, like I was taking control. I know I've found one clue to a later puzzle. I'm navigating successfully and without frustration. I'm finding lots of great stuff. I'm getting more of the story from Emma's radio interviews and from notes I'm finding.

Again, as in the old game, I need to restore the balance by giving the spirit what she wants. Eventually I will find out what those things are! Next time I'll go back to the little grotto where there are books full of clues and take good notes on everything.

So! I am really having fun with this, despite the glitches! Matt will fix them!

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