Ah, it's Wednesday again! Normally that would mean the long, draggy day in the middle of the work week, and we here at Weekday Escape would be working to come up with some charming, fun escape to help ease the stress of the day. But this Wednesday is a little different, isn't it? You're dealing not just with the usual mid-week stress, but the unenviable position of being between two holidays as well. You've just managed to get over Christmas, and New Year's Day is rapidly approaching. What in the world could we come up with that would help with that? Have no fear, Grinnyp is here, and she has the perfect solution. Let's play Fireplace, the latest room escape from Petithima.
One of the things I've enjoyed most over this past year and a half (almost two years now) of writing for Jayisgames is the ability to see the progression of many talented room designers. It's been an absolute pleasure to see someone like Tesshi-e evolve from a fairly standard, somewhat strange room escaper to the powerhouse they've become. And now, we have a new talented designer whose progression we can see from the very beginning as well. Petithima hit big with our readers with an early game Choc-mint, and it's been fun to see each escape get better and better. Fireplace is no exception, and it is lovely to see this capable game designer stretch into a serious contender.
What makes Fireplace such a touchstone? Well, dear readers, Petithima, known for their lovely little two (or three) view games, has made the leap into the third dimension. Yes, Fireplace is a fully realized, 3D space that you can navigation around just as in other room escape games. Now that Petithima has discovered the Z axis, the sky is the limit.
Being the next logical step in room escape design is not all there is to Fireplace, though. While expanding our horizons Petithima has not neglected the things that make their games so good: excellent, original puzzle design, logical progressions, and a fantastic control structure in which to play. Navigation is by the usual bars at the sides and bottom of the screen, and of course there are all the bells and whistles included with a save option, a mute button, easy inventory control, and the blessed changing cursor that eliminates so much pixel hunting.
Analysis: Some game designers are happy to rest on their laurels, to coast a bit with each new game. Not so Petithima, and you can see the progression in each game as they stretch mightily each time around. You would think the leap into the third dimension would be enough, but no, Petithima has put a lot of effort into making sure that the puzzles are still fresh and original, and a nice mix of logic, math, and use of found objects.
The artwork is still pretty typical of Petithima's style, flat, cartoony, and somewhat sparse. The only complaint about the graphics, though, is that the game comes across as a bit pixelated. Not enough to be retro, just enough to look as if the game backgrounds are stretched a little too large. However, this doesn't detract from the gameplay experience. Adding to the experience is a nice little light jazz number playing in the background, mellow, but not quite elevator music.
So Fireplace fits brilliantly into Petithima's ever increasing catalog of escape games, a transition to bigger and better things, we hope. Amusing, entertaining, and original, Fireplace is not only a great escape game to play, it is the perfect mid-week mid-holiday stress reliever you've been looking for. It's still a few days early, but let's raise a toast to a talented new designer whose games just keep getting better and better. To Petithima, long may they challenge us to escape!
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
Walkthrough:
table side
check flower picture
note petals
534
back up
pick up BOWL
go right
bed side
*flower box puzzle*
click pillow twice
C=spiral
click flower box
use petal code
534
get SCALE
go right twice
computer side
open right drawer
get RED BALL
look at computer
check mail
spade = knight
heart = priest
club = farmer
diamond = merchant
look at SCALE
weigh RED BALL
367g
go right
table side
*bottom drawer puzzle*
click code box on bottom drawer (BR)
use RED BALL weight
367
open drawer
get BATHROOM KEY
go left
computer side
use BATHROOM KEY on door
enter bathroom
bathroom
get SHOVEL
click towel
R = onsen/hot water symbol
open toilet
use BOWL on toilet (dumps purple stuff)
look at BOWL
click bottom rim
L = paw print
back out of bathroom
go right
table side
*picture box puzzle*
click box on table
code is
LCR
paw spiral onsen
open box
take four CARDS
exit
go left twice
fireplace side
*card puzzle*
click picture frame
push red button
put item CARDS on their owner
spade knight sword
heart priest cup
club farmer staff
diamond merchant coin
push button twice (off/on)
take JOKER
exit
go left
bed side
click wall panel
put JOKER in slot
click handle to open
take MOLD
exit
use SHOVEL on mousehole
click on triangle that appears (CLUE PAPER)
go right
fireplace side
*secret hiding place*
click where the CLUE PAPER indicates
not the frame
on the floor between shine on floor
open floor compartment
take TOY CAT
take BROWN BALL
exit
go right
computer side
*left drawer puzzle*
*escape key part 1*
look at SCALE
weigh BROWN BALL
881g
click left drawer
enter weights of both balls added
367+881
1248
open left drawer
take CLAY
click right side of packaging to open CLAY
use CLAY on MOLD
look at TOY CAT
click right hand (its left)
go left
fireplace side
*escape key part 2*
use TOY CAT LIGHTER on CLUE PAPER
use CLUE PAPER on fireplace
use CLAY in MOLD on fireplace
do a spin around the room
go left four times :)
use SHOVEL on fireplace
examine MOLD
take BROWN KEY
go left twice
table side
use BROWN KEY on door
exit :D
Posted by: Tallo
|
December 29, 2010 1:27 AM
Walkthrough
In the first view, there's a bowl of purple liquid (that we can take), a box that needs a three-symbol code, a picture with three flowers, and a drawer with an open circle that needs a three-number code. Turn right.
The pillow lifts up, there's a box that says FLOWER that needs a three-number code, there's a strange panel on the wall, and there's a mouse hole near the floor.
Flipping the pillow reveals a clue: C and a spiral symbol.
What about that box? How does FLOWER help us?
Well, there was that picture of three flowers in the first view.
The flowers have five, three, and four petals, respectively.
Let's try 534 on the FLOWER box.
Success! Take the scale. Turn right.
There's nothing in the fireplace or in the windows, but let's look at that TV.
Pushing the button below it shows us four card symbols: spade, heart, club, and diamond. Interesting. Back out and turn right.
The plant doesn't do anything. The left desk drawer is marked with an open circle plus a dark circle, and needs a four-digit code. The right desk drawer here gives us a pink marble, and we can click the computer.
Hmm, We Got Mail. The mail gives us a clue. Spade:knight, heart:priest, club:farmer, and diamond:merchant. Good to know.
Let's mess with our inventory a little. That scale has to be good for something.
It doesn't combine with the bowl of liquid, but we can weigh the pink marble.
It weighs 367g.
Numbers usually mean a code, right?
Remember that drawer in the first view, marked with the open circle? Maybe that open circle represented the pink marble.
Input 367 into the drawer. A key! We room-escapers love those!
It doesn't open the door right ahead of us, but it does work in the door next to the plant.
A bathroom! We can grab that strange handle behind the toilet, which turns out to be a shovel of some kind. The towel flips up to show an R and, what is that symbol, a loaf of warm bread? We can also open the toilet lid. But what good would that do us? Do we have anything we might want to flush?
Well, there's that bowl with the strange purple liquid. Let's dump it. Now what?
Peeking into the now-empty bowl gives us an L and a pawprint.
We now have three symbols that appear on the box in the first view, with associated letters. What's their order?
C, R, and L. Center, right, left? So that would be paw, spiral, bread.
Yep! Inside are four cards, showing a wooden club, a coin, a cup, and a sword. Grab them all.
We've come across the idea of four cards before, on the TV. Turns out we can stick our cards to the TV screen. But where does each one go?
The note on the computer will help here. Spade:knight, so that's the sword. Heart:priest, that's the cup. Club:farmer, which must be the wooden club, because diamond:merchant is the coin.
Push the button, and they disappear. Push again, and we get a joker. But what to do with it?
Back to the strange panel near the bed. That looks like it will take a card.
Stick the card in the slot, and the light turns green. Press the bar, and a compartment opens, giving us a key mold.
While we're near the bed, let's look at that mouse hole. We need something long to reach into it.
The shovel does the trick. There's a piece of paper inside.
Hmm, X marks the spot, apparently centered between two arrays of four rectangles each. Look familar?
Kind of looks like those windows near the fireplace. But that puts the X on the TV, and there's nothing to click there. Somewhere else?
The sunlight on the floor also makes two arrays of four rectangles. Lo! and behold, there's a hotspot on the floor in front of the fireplace!
Click it, and take the dark marble and the...doll? from the compartment.
Clicking on the doll's left arm (our right) shows us that it's a lighter.
And last time we got a marble we weighed it, so let's try that again.
881g.
There's a drawer in the compter desk that needs a code, but it's four digits. Hmm, open circle plus dark circle?
The pink marble weighs 367g, and the dark marble 881g. The sum is 1248. And we're in! We got some clay.
Clay would be perfect for that key mold, so let's stick it in there. It goes in, but we can't get it out. What to do?
Well, we can harden clay by baking it. Maybe in the fireplace?
We have a lighter, the doll. We need something to burn.
The piece of paper will do just fine for that. Let's light it up and stick it in the fireplace.
Now in goes the key mold, and we have to wait a bit for it to bake. Take a stroll around the room.
The key's probably done now, but how can we get it out of the fire?
That shovel looks perfect. Fish out the key mold. We can see that the brown clay key is ready.
Take it out of the mold, go back to the front door in the first view, and we're out!
Posted by: Lucie | December 29, 2010 1:42 AM
Fireplace Walkthrough
General Information
Remember to examine objects that you pick up, they may be hiding something.
Most of the puzzles are not color-based, so no worries for the color-blind.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
Exploration
You begin facing the door out, but it is locked.
Right in front of you is a low table with several objects on it.
On the left side of the table is a box with a 3 digit code consisting of symbols.
On the right side of the table is a bowl with some purple liquid in it. Pick up the bowl.
To the right, on the wall, is a picture with three flowers. Click on the picture for a close up.
There are three flowers in the picture, a blue flower with 5 petals, a purple flower with 3 petals, and an orange flower with 4 petals.
Back up from the close up.
Beneath the picture is a small cabinet with three drawers. You can't open the two smaller drawers, and the bottom, larger drawer has a three digit code with a "0" drawn in front of it.
Turn right.
You are now facing a bed, with a box on the floor, a panel in the wall, and a mouse hole in the wall.
Click on the pillow to lift it and click it again to turn it over. There's a clue here, the letter C and a spiral symbol.
Click on the box on the floor and you will see it needs a three digit code and it has the word "flower" on it.
Click on the wall panel and you will see a slot at the top.
You can click on the mouse hole, but nothing will happen.
Turn right.
You are now facing the titular fireplace, between two windows. Above the fireplace is a flat screen TV on the wall. Click on the TV for a close up.
When the TV is in close up, click on the button beneath it and you will see four card symbols, spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds.
Back up from the close up and turn right.
You are now facing a computer desk, a plant, and another locked door.
Click on the right drawer of the computer desk to open it and take the object (tan ball).
Close the drawer and click on the code for the left drawer. When it is in close up you will see that it needs a four digit code, and there is an open circle plus a blackened circle above the code.
Close the close up of the code drawer and click on the computer for a close up.
Once the computer is in close up click on the "You Got Mail" link.
A clue! Apparently spades is a knight, hearts is a priest, clubs is a farmer, and diamonds is a merchant.
Back up from the computer and turn right.
Time to solve some puzzles.
The Flower Box
Turn right to face the bed. Click on the box on the floor to bring it into close up.
Since the clue is "flower", perhaps the code has something to do with the flower picture.
The code is the number of petals on the flowers, 5 3 4.
After you enter the code click on the top of the box to open it and take the object (scale).
Close down the box.
The Low Cabinet Drawer
Turn left to face the door and the low coffee table.
Click on the large lower drawer on the cabinet for a close up.
Note that in front of the three digit code is a 0, or an open circle. Note that the color of the drawer and thus the circle is the same as the ball you got from the computer desk.
Pull up the scale from your inventory, then use the tan ball on it to weigh it.
The weight is 367.
Take back the tan ball and close down the scale.
The code for the drawer is the weight of the ball, 367.
Once you've entered the code click on the drawer to open it and take the key.
The Bathroom
Turn left from the main door to the computer desk and the other locked door.
Use the key on the locked door and click on the door again to enter.
You are now in the bathroom.
Behind the toilet is a long metal stick, pick it up. This is actually a fireplace shovel.
Click on the corner of the towel nearest you and see another clue, R and steam.
Click on the toilet seat to raise it.
Use the bowl of liquid on the open toilet to empty the bowl.
Pull the empty bowl from your inventory then click on it to tilt it.
You will see another clue, the letter L and a pawprint.
Close down the bowl and back up to the main room.
The Table Box
Turn right to face the door and the coffee table.
Click on the box on the left of the coffee table.
This is a three digit code using symbols, and we have found three clues for it around the space.
The first clue was on the underside of the pillow, C and a spiral.
The second clue was on the towel in the bathroom, R and a steam symbol.
The third clue was in the bowl with the purple liquid, L and a pawprint.
Now we just need to figure out the order.
Do the letters L, C, and R indicate anything?
They stand for Left, Center, and Right.
The code for the box is pawprint, spiral, and steam.
Once you enter the code click on the box to open it.
Inside are four cards with four symbols on them, a stick, a coin, a chalice, and a sword.
Take all four cards and close down the box.
The Television Puzzle
Turn right to face the fireplace.
Click on the TV for a close up and push the button to turn it on.
Now, to solve the puzzle.
We know from the computer that the card symbols also represent certain people.
There are four symbols, and we picked up four cards in the box on the table.
According to the e-mail on the computer, spades is a knight, hearts is a priest, clubs is a farmer, and diamonds is a merchant.
The four cards are a stick, a coin, a chalice, and a sword.
The sword is obviously a knight, the chalice a priest, a coin represents a merchant, and that leaves the stick representing the farmer (why I have no idea).
Place the four cards on the four symbols on the TV, the sword on the spade, the chalice (cup) on the heart, the stick on the club, and the coin on the diamond.
Once the cards are placed clicked the button to turn off the TV. Then click the button again to turn it on.
When the TV turns back on there will be one card there, a joker. Take the card.
Back up.
The Wall Panel
Turn left to face the bed.
Click on the wall panel to the right of the bed for a close up.
Use the joker card in the slot at the top of the panel.
Click the button at the bottom of the panel to open it.
Take the item from the cubby (key mold).
Back up from the panel.
The Fireplace Puzzle
You should still be facing the bed.
Use the fireplace shovel on the mouse hole and a piece of paper will appear in the hole. Take the paper.
Examine the note closely. Do those symbols look familiar?
Turn right to face the fireplace.
Look at the floor in front of the fireplace. Note the patterns the sun makes on the floor.
The note would seem to indicate something in the floor between those two patterns.
Hover your mouse over the floor in front of the fireplace. When the cursor changes to a hand click for a close up.
There's a panel in the floor! Click on the panel to open it.
Inside the space is a toy animal. Click on the toy to take it.
While the toy is in close up, click on his hands. Notice that if you click on his left hand it lights up. A toy doll lighter, that's safe!
Close down the toy and take the other object (dark ball).
Back up.
The Computer Desk Puzzle
Turn right to face the computer desk.
Click on the left desk drawer for a close up.
Note the light ball + the dark ball above the four digit code.
Perhaps the code has something to do with the light ball and the dark ball in your inventory?
The four digit code for the desk is the weight of the light ball (367) which we already determined, plus the weight of the dark ball.
Pull up the scale from your inventory and weight the dark ball (881).
Add the two numbers together to get the code (367 + 881 = 1248).
Input the code into the drawer.
Click on the drawer to open it and take the clay.
Click on the clay to remove the plastic (on the right side), then close it down into your inventory.
Getting Out
Turn left to face the fireplace.
Time to make a key!
Pull up the key mold from your inventory.
Use the clay on the key mold. Close down the mold.
Pull up the toy doll from your inventory.
Click on the left hand to light it, then put it back into your inventory.
Pull up the note from your inventory. Use the toy doll lighter on the note to set it on fire.
Close down the flaming note, then use it on the fireplace.
Once a fire is lit, put the key mold into the fire.
Wander around the room a few times, then return to the fireplace.
Use the fireplace shovel on the fire to remove the key mold.
Pull up the key mold from your inventory and click on it to remove the key. Note the pattern on the key is the same on the door.
Turn right (or left) twice to face the door.
Use the key on the door to unlock it, then click on the door to leave.
Freedom!
Posted by: grinnyp
|
December 29, 2010 2:01 AM
WALKTHROUGH
Looking around.
Obviously, the door is locked. We'll figure it out though!
Look at the box on the table.
There are three symbols we can change.
There's a music note, spiral, treble clef, flower, hot spring and a paw to choose from.
Pick up bowl of... purple stuff.
Yeah, I don't know what this is.
Check out the painting to the right.
There are three flowers.
5 petals, 3 petals, 4 petals.
Underneath the painting, there's a set of drawers.
We can't interact with the little ones.
The big one is locked with a three-digit code.
It's also marked with a light brown circle.
Turn right.
Check out the bed.
You can lift the pillow, but there's nothing underneath.
Or is there?
Click the pillow to flip it over.
There's some symbols on the underside of the pillow; a 'C' and a spiral.
What's that box on the floor?
It has the word "FLOWER" and a three digit code panel.
Does that seem familiar?
Try 5,3,4.
Ok, now we have a set of scales.
There's a panel on the wall.
Looks like there's a slot for a card? Well, we don't have one yet. Let's continue.
There's a mousehole here. I wonder whether it's occupied?
Turn right.
There's a big fireplace here. But it doesn't seem like we can start a fire yet.
There's a panel above the fireplace.
Press the button.
Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds.
Turn right.
A desk.
The left drawer is locked with a four-digit code.
It's also marked; a light brown circle plus a dark brown circle.
The right drawer is unlocked.
Open the drawer to get a light brown ball.
Hey, a computer! Time for some snooping.
Someone has sent us a weird email.
Spade: knight.
Heart: priest.
Club: farmer.
Diamond: merchant.
There's another door here, but it's locked.
That seems to be the whole room... let's see what we can make of it!
Opening the first door
Ok, we don't have much inventory to go on, so this should be simple.
Let's get out the scales.
Apparently, the light brown ball weighs 367 grams.
Perhaps that's the code for the first drawer?
Yep, that did it! Grab the key.
Well, we've got a key now. Let's try it out...
Aha, it unlocks the door by the computer.
Now we have access to... a bathroom!
The bathroom
There's a long shovel here. Pick it up.
Check out the hanging towel.
Another set of symbols: an "R" and a hot spring.
Ok, I don't know what this purple stuff is, but it's starting to freak me out.
Open the toilet lid, and pour it down.
Better make sure we got rid of all of it...
Hey, more symbols! "L" and a paw.
That's about all we can do here. Let's return to the main room.
Back to the main room
Ok, we have three symbols for the code on the box. Let's crack the code!
L, R and C...
Left, Right, Centre.
The code is Paw, Spiral, Hot spring.
Gotcha! Get the cards from the box.
Ok, what can we do with these cards?
It seems fitting to use them with the panel above the fireplace...
But what order do they go in?
It helps if you know some history of cards, but it's easy enough to work out.
Use the clue from the email.
The Sword goes with the Knight, who goes with Spades.
The Cup goes with the Priest, who goes with Hearts.
The Coin goes with the Merchant, who goes with Diamonds.
The Staff goes with the Peasant, who goes with Clubs.
Once the cards are in place, press the button to get a new card, the Joker
Ok, Now we have a single card, the Joker.
Where else can we use a card...
How about the slot near the bed?
Ok, now we have... A mould for a key?
What else can we do?
Something we couldn't do before we opened the bathroom.
We got that loooong shovel in the bathroom... Where could that be applied?
How about the mouse hole?
Ok, we've found a piece of paper, with some odd markings.
You know, I think those rectangles look like windows...
Is there something hidden between the windows?
Not the windows themselves....
But their light!
Click the floor between the sunbeams, in from of the fireplace.
Ok, we find a doll, and a dark brown ball.
New items, yay!
Let's check out this doll.
Aw, it's a kitty!
That's funny... it's hands aren't quite the same...
Ah! It's a lighter!
A dark brown ball? This is familiar...
Get out your scales, and weigh the ball.
Ooh, this one's heavier. 881 grams.
I think we can open the desk drawer now.
The clue says light brown + dark brown.
How about we add the weights?
367 + 881 = 1248
Got it! Now we have some clay.
Time to escape!
This doesn't happen often in escape games... our inventory is full, but there's no key for the door!
I suppose we'll just have to make one ourselves!
Open the clay packet.
Squish the clay into the key mould.
The clay is too soft though, we need to fire it!
Let's start a fire in the fireplace.
We need kindling to start it...
How about that bit of paper you're holding?
Look at the paper, and use the kitty lighter on it to set it on fire.
You might need to make sure that the lighter is 'on'.
Throw your kindling in the fire, and watch it blaze.
Put the key mould in the fire...
Wait a while for it to cook...
(I like spinning around in a circle while I wait)
And pull it out with the shovel.
Voila, a key!
Use the key on the door, and you're out!
Posted by: jolson42
|
December 29, 2010 2:10 AM