Gold Rush!

[Rakeesh]

Anybody knows if I can speed up the time before the ship leaves from Brooklyn?

I started the game for a third time, I've done all my preparations, and I am fed up with waiting for those 17 minutes to pass

As a sidenote, I am playing it in WinUAE; although the speed is very good, for some strange reason, the timing is slower!!

[Rakeesh]

Found it. Just show them your ticket.

They were waiting only for ME!! What a solipsistic game!

[Tawmis]

Found it. Just show them your ticket.
They were waiting only for ME!!

[AndreaDraco]

What a masterpiece of a game

Still one of my very favorite!

[Rakeesh]

Unrelated to the previous question, but anyway...

When I bought the game, there was also a booklet inside the package. Of course I never thought reading it, since my English was far poorer than it is now and the topic did not seem very interesting, or helpful for the game.

Now, all my game packages are resting inside a closet in my summer house, but some years ago (2007 or earlier) I remember I had decided to take a brief look at that book, but it has been forgotten there ever since.

Recently I decided to finish Gold Rush!, and that mysterious booklet came to my mind and I really feel sorry that I don't have direct access to it. I think its title is 'California Gold' but somethings were strange about it: IIRC, it had no ISBN and it's shape was unusual; quite unlike the books you find in the bookstores. I really wonder if it had been published and sold in stores, or written especially for the game, or whether the game package was its primary means of distribution. Amazon doesn't list any book titled 'California Gold' and the Wikipedia article on Gold Rush! doesn't mention anything about the game package, so I wonder if it was included only in some 'special edition' of the game.

If any of you remembers the book, read it and/or knows its origins, I will be very happy if you please share your knowledge

[dotkel50]

I have that book. It came in the game box. I think it's used for copy protection??? ... besides giving you a history lesson.

[Tawmis]

It was indeed used for copy protection. If you got it wrong, they do a whole scene where they hang you.

[Rakeesh]

Are you sure about the copy protection? I think that the copy protection was based on the game manual, which also provided quite some historical information and background related to the game.

[Tawmis]

If my Sierra games were not piled behind an endless pile of comic boxes and books, I would pull it out and double check.

[Collector]

Tawm is right.

[Tawmis]

Tawm is right.

A rare event. We should sticky this thread!

[Rakeesh]

Finally finished that game. This is my overall impression, so here be spoilers

Wikipedia says that the game was the latest and one of the most sophisticated and best AGI productions by Sierra; however it is also one of the less well-known titles. I agree to both comments and I find it expectable since GR belongs to no series to be franchised with. Furthermore, it is one of the the too few Sierra games with no injokes or references to other games.

As I said, the game IS sophisticated, and quite realistic. Have three paths to reach California (Indiana Jones 4 also had 3 paths to reach Atlantis) and force you to make realistic choices, buy food or wares needed later or you'll die of scurvy or find yourself to a dead end. And do it on the right time, since you will lose your inventory at some point, because of a storm or a journey or an ambush. Dead ends were a common reality back then.

Other than that, the interface and the riddles were straightforward, provided that you 'look at' everything.

The real trouble begins when you leave Brooklyn, and then, when you try to follow the traces of your brother. No way I could have figured those 'clues' out. I think that things would be easier if the game was icon driven and had not to guess that I have to 'rent a particular room' or 'tie something on something' in order to pass a riddle

Edit, added spoiler tags

[AndreaDraco]

As you say, the game is undoubtedly hard and it has its share of frustrations, like the gold-pan sequence, which is a chore to complete in my opinion. However Gold Rush! is surely on of my favorite Sierra adventures, a true gem, historically accurate, deeply researched and even emotionally moving (especially if you take a particular route to California).

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Rakeesh]

Here's something I noticed concerning the game's backstory
*Jerrod's and Jake's parents died in 1839. It is mentioned that they were little and were adopted by 'Mr. Quail' until they could live by themselves.
*The game takes place in 1848
*Jake was falsely accused for a crime and left Brooklyn 'eleven years ago' and had no contact with Jerrod ever since; which is 1837

You see that it doesn't fit? He supposedly left two years before he became an orphan and was adopted by 'Mr. Quail'

The narration is clear that the boys were orphaned at an age when they could not sustain themselves and were together when adopted. There must have been many years between this and the time Jake could leave Brooklyn.

So, either their parents died earlier than 1839, either the eleven years gap (mentioned at least twice in game) should be shorter, or either the game doesn't take place in 1848.