My Gold Rush playthrough

[notbobsmith]

Got it. I needed to pan for gold, buy a mule, brand it and then swap them. So what happens if you don't find the gold coin in Brooklyn?

[notbobsmith]

And I just finished! Final score was 169 out of 250. So you can only get a certain number of points depending on which route you take?

Very enjoyable game. Puzzles were nice and challenging without being too difficult. Subtle hints are given along the way that generally point you in the right direction. I should have realized this earlier when I was stuck. The mule seller needed a purpose to be there and I tried heating the iron but it cooled in a few seconds, so I had to have a mule with me. I liked the historical aspects of it. I did mention the random death thing earlier. I guess I'm okay with it now. I doesn't cause too many problems and they do make it clear that it was random.

Jerrod's brother went through a lot of trouble leaving clues for Jerrod.

Whenever I bought something, the seller always takes all of my gold. Is this normal? I bought a shovel for $37. They don't cost that much now.

Usually, I do another playthrough with a guide when I'm done, but since I have two other routes to explore, I'll do those first.

[Tawmis]

Very enjoyable game. Puzzles were nice and challenging without being too difficult. Subtle hints are given along the way that generally point you in the right direction.
I liked the historical aspects of it. I did mention the random death thing earlier. I guess I'm okay with it now. I doesn't cause too many problems and they do make it clear that it was random.
Jerrod's brother went through a lot of trouble leaving clues for Jerrod.
Whenever I bought something, the seller always takes all of my gold. Is this normal? I bought a shovel for $37. They don't cost that much now.
Usually, I do another playthrough with a guide when I'm done, but since I have two other routes to explore, I'll do those first.

I knew you'd enjoy this game!
It's up there as one of my favorites; because it sort of feels like 3 games in one!
As for taking all the gold; I honestly can't remember if that was the case. A shovel back then for $37 might have been a thing; supply and demand and all.

[BBP]

If you don't find the gold coin in Brooklyn you can pick one up at Room 12 so you can buy your first pan or shovel.

For maximum points you need to find gold 50 times in the river or on ground - not to mention the gold you can find in the mine! I understand finding gold is easier when you take the Panama route compared to the "slower" routes.
Your maximum amount of points goes up by 5 if you take the Panama route.

For max scoring there's another thing you can do: traverse the mines without lighting your lantern!

[Tawmis]

For max scoring there's another thing you can do: traverse the mines without lighting your lantern!

Seriously? I did't know that was a thing!

Why reward the player for illogical moves?

[notbobsmith]

For max scoring there's another thing you can do: traverse the mines without lighting your lantern!

Seriously? I did't know that was a thing!

Why reward the player for illogical moves?

The game does say "Next time, try it without the lantern." but I thought it was kidding! And you are right, this does seem out of place to give the player points for doing something dumb. You get points for solving problems, not for completing bizarre challenges. This is more like an Adventure Game Achievement.

Minecrafty: navigate the mine without the lantern.

[Tawmis]

For max scoring there's another thing you can do: traverse the mines without lighting your lantern!

Seriously? I did't know that was a thing!
Why reward the player for illogical moves?

The game does say "Next time, try it without the lantern." but I thought it was kidding! And you are right, this does seem out of place to give the player points for doing something dumb. You get points for solving problems, not for completing bizarre challenges. This is more like an Adventure Game Achievement.
Minecrafty: navigate the mine without the lantern.

[notbobsmith]

For maximum points you need to find gold 50 times in the river or on ground - not to mention the gold you can find in the mine!

That explains where a lot of my points went. I probably just mined half a dozen times or so.

[BBP]

It's not actually points you win with traversing the mine without lantern. You get an extra inventory item!

[notbobsmith]

Just started again. This time I hurried and got the ticket before the gold rush announcement. This happens after 14 minutes. I am going the Cape Horn route this time. I have 51 of 60 points after leaving New York. Better than my first time (48 out of 60), but I was expecting more of a bump since I got the ticket early. I think the only other thing I did differently was find the gold flake under the stamp, which I did my first time but later in the game. The game pretty much told me where I am missing some points (flowers for grave). I'll do that next time. The ship also leaves after a certain point. I'm not really a fan of timers like this. I like exploring.

[BBP]

Good luck!
Keep a savegame from when you sail on the boat through Brooklyn, just in case of random death.

[Tawmis]

Just started again. This time I hurried and got the ticket before the gold rush announcement. This happens after 14 minutes. I am going the Cape Horn route this time. I have 51 of 60 points after leaving New York. Better than my first time (48 out of 60), but I was expecting more of a bump since I got the ticket early. I think the only other thing I did differently was find the gold flake under the stamp, which I did my first time but later in the game. The game pretty much told me where I am missing some points (flowers for grave). I'll do that next time. The ship also leaves after a certain point. I'm not really a fan of timers like this. I like exploring.

Do you know where the grave is? That's what I was talking about before about sometimes you need to go to a screen that's not even important and a little out of the way/not obvious.

And normally, I agree with you 100% about the whole timer thing...

But a few things...

1. The timer doesn't break the game, where it can't be completed because of it (that I am aware of).
2. I think it fits the entire theme of the "gold rush" idea perfectly - like you're going about your normal every day life, suddenly the news breaks about a gold rush now everyone is trying to get out there!

This is perhaps the one time, I don't mind a timer, rather than an event trigger for it.

[notbobsmith]

Do you know where the grave is? That's what I was talking about before about sometimes you need to go to a screen that's not even important and a little out of the way/not obvious.

Actually, I found the graves on my first playthrough and I got the points for reading the headstones, but apparently I need to place flowers at the graves for more points. It's kind of odd that the game told me that when I left New York.

And normally, I agree with you 100% about the whole timer thing...

But a few things...

1. The timer doesn't break the game, where it can't be completed because of it (that I am aware of).
2. I think it fits the entire theme of the "gold rush" idea perfectly - like you're going about your normal every day life, suddenly the news breaks about a gold rush now everyone is trying to get out there!

This is perhaps the one time, I don't mind a timer, rather than an event trigger for it.

If the ship has sailed off, doesn't that end the game? I don't have enough money anymore to go the land route. And while it may fit the "gold rush" theme, it does force you to rush through the exploration of New York, causing you to miss details and possibly additional points. To be fair, a crew member on the ship will tell you how much time you have left, but I was lucky that I had a convenient save that didn't set me too far back and I just barely made the ship.

[Tawmis]

Do you know where the grave is? That's what I was talking about before about sometimes you need to go to a screen that's not even important and a little out of the way/not obvious.

Actually, I found the graves on my first playthrough and I got the points for reading the headstones, but apparently I need to place flowers at the graves for more points. It's kind of odd that the game told me that when I left New York.

Probably because, during the Gold Rush, a lot of people did not return from California... either because they made their living out there... or they simply didn't survive. So it's a "You may never 'see' these family members again..."

And normally, I agree with you 100% about the whole timer thing...
But a few things...
1. The timer doesn't break the game, where it can't be completed because of it (that I am aware of).
2. I think it fits the entire theme of the "gold rush" idea perfectly - like you're going about your normal every day life, suddenly the news breaks about a gold rush now everyone is trying to get out there!
This is perhaps the one time, I don't mind a timer, rather than an event trigger for it.

If the ship has sailed off, doesn't that end the game? I don't have enough money anymore to go the land route. And while it may fit the "gold rush" theme, it does force you to rush through the exploration of New York, causing you to miss details and possibly additional points. To be fair, a crew member on the ship will tell you how much time you have left, but I was lucky that I had a convenient save that didn't set me too far back and I just barely made the ship.

I am trying to remember, if you do miss the boat - if there is a way to still catch the wagon. To be fair, I can't remember. The game may dead end there. I don't think I've ever had that happen to me, so I can't really speak for that!

[notbobsmith]

Case in point about the timer thing. So I had to go back to a previous save in New York to buy some fruit because I got scurvy. So I decide while I am at it, I could get the remaining missing points. Which I do. I get all 60 out of 60. But... I don't have time to do everything before the ship sails so I will have to skip a few things. I'll have to be more careful with my time the next time through when I do Panama. I just seems like a waste to do all the artwork for the scenes and write all of the text descriptions and then force the player to rush through everything.