Comments on: Mantra Returns! http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8 Vintage Mac Software Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:22:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: musicman3320 http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-305 musicman3320 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:22:42 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-305 Hellena and Konrad: Glad to hear you enjoyed Mantra. It brings me indescribable nostalgia as well. Jeff: I have not encountered this issue, but I will look into it. I sent an email to the address you specified, we can continue discussion of the issue there. Regarding the ending, I agree it leaves a bit to be desired, but then again, so do most games of this nature. The emphasis was on gameplay, not storyline, and the rest of the game reflects this as well. If you would like to write a better epilogue, I would be more than happy to add it to the end of the game. Hellena and Konrad: Glad to hear you enjoyed Mantra. It brings me indescribable nostalgia as well.

Jeff: I have not encountered this issue, but I will look into it. I sent an email to the address you specified, we can continue discussion of the issue there. Regarding the ending, I agree it leaves a bit to be desired, but then again, so do most games of this nature. The emphasis was on gameplay, not storyline, and the rest of the game reflects this as well. If you would like to write a better epilogue, I would be more than happy to add it to the end of the game.

]]> By: Jeff Bridges http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-303 Jeff Bridges Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:21:40 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-303 Okay, so get this - I hacked my save file and figured out the 16 bit field for the key count. Turns out that somehow, instead of increasing my key count from 0 to 1, the game decreased my key count and set the field to 0xFFFF, which the game probably interpreted as -1. I had negative 1 key. I think the spider boss drops a negative key, you guys. You might want to fix that someday. In the meantime, if anybody else has this problem on Mac OS X, do this: Download a program called HexEdit. Now right-click Mantra and choose Show Package Contents, open Resources, then drag the Saved.dat file to HexEdit. Look for your save slot (the slot names are in clear text on the right side). Click the insertion point at the END of your slot name (so for Slot 4, click right after the 4), and drag down until the "Sel:" information in the top bar of the HexEdit window reads something like "$00000725:00000986 / $00000261". Ignore the first two numbers; the $00000261 is the important part. Make SURE it says $00000261, that's how you know you dragged to the correct location. Now, where your big selection ENDS is the BEGINNING of the key count field. If the two bytes AFTER the END of the selection say 0001, you have 1 key. If it says 0000, you have zero keys. If it says FFFF, you have negative 1 key, and are a victim of the negative key bug. Change it to whatever value you want... I changed mine to 007F, so 127 keys, just to be safe, LOL. Make sure you replace exactly two bytes, because if you accidentally only do one byte, or three bytes, or any other length, then you will ruin your Saved.dat file. Keep a copy of the original Saved.dat file elsewhere before doing any of this just in case you screw it up. Good luck all. Okay, so get this – I hacked my save file and figured out the 16 bit field for the key count. Turns out that somehow, instead of increasing my key count from 0 to 1, the game decreased my key count and set the field to 0xFFFF, which the game probably interpreted as -1. I had negative 1 key. I think the spider boss drops a negative key, you guys. You might want to fix that someday. In the meantime, if anybody else has this problem on Mac OS X, do this: Download a program called HexEdit. Now right-click Mantra and choose Show Package Contents, open Resources, then drag the Saved.dat file to HexEdit. Look for your save slot (the slot names are in clear text on the right side). Click the insertion point at the END of your slot name (so for Slot 4, click right after the 4), and drag down until the “Sel:” information in the top bar of the HexEdit window reads something like “$00000725:00000986 / $00000261″. Ignore the first two numbers; the $00000261 is the important part. Make SURE it says $00000261, that’s how you know you dragged to the correct location. Now, where your big selection ENDS is the BEGINNING of the key count field. If the two bytes AFTER the END of the selection say 0001, you have 1 key. If it says 0000, you have zero keys. If it says FFFF, you have negative 1 key, and are a victim of the negative key bug. Change it to whatever value you want… I changed mine to 007F, so 127 keys, just to be safe, LOL. Make sure you replace exactly two bytes, because if you accidentally only do one byte, or three bytes, or any other length, then you will ruin your Saved.dat file. Keep a copy of the original Saved.dat file elsewhere before doing any of this just in case you screw it up. Good luck all.

]]> By: Jeff Bridges http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-302 Jeff Bridges Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:28:04 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-302 Hi, so the spider boss didn't drop a key. He dropped SOMETHING... right after I killed him, I ran over his corpse, and I heard the "pick up bag of loot" sound. I assumed that'd be a key, but I have no key. What do I do now? Hi, so the spider boss didn’t drop a key. He dropped SOMETHING… right after I killed him, I ran over his corpse, and I heard the “pick up bag of loot” sound. I assumed that’d be a key, but I have no key. What do I do now?

]]> By: Konrad http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-293 Konrad Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:04:31 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-293 It's amazing that you brought Mantra back to the modern Mac system! I wish more developers did that, for example the team that made Realmz... It’s amazing that you brought Mantra back to the modern Mac system! I wish more developers did that, for example the team that made Realmz…

]]> By: Hellena24 http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-157 Hellena24 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:51:46 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-157 I'd love to say some very smart and awesome praise for this, alas i'm too busy making weird noises of sheer happiness. I think you brought meaning back to my boring and busy 16 year old's life I’d love to say some very smart and awesome praise for this, alas i’m too busy making weird noises of sheer happiness. I think you brought meaning back to my boring and busy 16 year old’s life

]]> By: musicman3320 http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-149 musicman3320 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:22:47 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-149 Hey Spencer, Glad to hear you like the game! With any luck, more such things will be in the works. That is the correct dungeon to enter first, but that pig boss is strong. You will need the Iron Sword (which I believe is also in that dungeon), and a little bit of luck. The best thing to do is get a few potions, go in with full life, and stab relentlessly until you kill it. The good news is, once you kill him, nothing stands between you and the first mantra, so even if your life is very low, your chance of dying in that dungeon is minimal. A walkthrough is something I hadn't considered, though I like the idea. The game has a "correct" path in terms of difficulty, but it is not always obvious what that is, and going the wrong way almost certainly leads to death, or at the very least frustration. Keep at it, young Saric, and victory shall be yours! Hey Spencer,

Glad to hear you like the game! With any luck, more such things will be in the works.

That is the correct dungeon to enter first, but that pig boss is strong. You will need the Iron Sword (which I believe is also in that dungeon), and a little bit of luck. The best thing to do is get a few potions, go in with full life, and stab relentlessly until you kill it. The good news is, once you kill him, nothing stands between you and the first mantra, so even if your life is very low, your chance of dying in that dungeon is minimal.

A walkthrough is something I hadn’t considered, though I like the idea. The game has a “correct” path in terms of difficulty, but it is not always obvious what that is, and going the wrong way almost certainly leads to death, or at the very least frustration.

Keep at it, young Saric, and victory shall be yours!

]]> By: Spencer http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-148 Spencer Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:58:05 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-148 HELP! I can't figure out a way to kill either that silver pig-looking (dinosaur?), or--if I have to go to the other castle--that ghost that's on the bridge that won't let me pass to get the treasure chest!! I remember playing this as a kid, and I must have had a walk through guide for moments like this; I can't remember. All I know is: A) I'M SO HAPPY I CAN PLAY THIS AGAIN! but B) I CAN'T PLAY BECAUSE I'M STUCK! HALP! HELP! I can’t figure out a way to kill either that silver pig-looking (dinosaur?), or–if I have to go to the other castle–that ghost that’s on the bridge that won’t let me pass to get the treasure chest!!

I remember playing this as a kid, and I must have had a walk through guide for moments like this; I can’t remember. All I know is: A) I’M SO HAPPY I CAN PLAY THIS AGAIN! but B) I CAN’T PLAY BECAUSE I’M STUCK!

HALP!

]]> By: ben french http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-61 ben french Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:21:02 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-61 well.... next time you consider it... just do it... if it gets nowhere... fine..you tried...also, find outside help... there are so many skilled people out there nowadays just waiting for an opportunity to pop up :) i was going to get into game developing.. but i couldnt..... it wasnt practical for how my life is :P... i have always loved music.. so now i make music and i work as a heavy duty sound techie... my biggest task is tomorrow :O ...small hall audience... but its being satellite transmitted to around 30,000 people !!!!! ..so.. you know... no pressure XD but i wish you good luck with whatever you do..and if you do make a game.. i will promote it as much as i can......rake in some new fans :D well…. next time you consider it… just do it… if it gets nowhere… fine..you tried…also, find outside help… there are so many skilled people out there nowadays just waiting for an opportunity to pop up :) i was going to get into game developing.. but i couldnt….. it wasnt practical for how my life is :P … i have always loved music.. so now i make music and i work as a heavy duty sound techie… my biggest task is tomorrow :O …small hall audience… but its being satellite transmitted to around 30,000 people !!!!! ..so.. you know… no pressure XD but i wish you good luck with whatever you do..and if you do make a game.. i will promote it as much as i can……rake in some new fans :D

]]> By: SunshineDuk http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-58 SunshineDuk Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:12:10 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-58 Oh my god. This game is literally my childhood in virtual form. I played this for HOURS UPON HOURS. Weeks! I went looking for the soundtrack (which I vaguely remembered acquiring at one point) only to find the ENTIRE GAME! You have officially made my month. <3 ~Duk Oh my god. This game is literally my childhood in virtual form. I played this for HOURS UPON HOURS. Weeks! I went looking for the soundtrack (which I vaguely remembered acquiring at one point) only to find the ENTIRE GAME! You have officially made my month. <3

~Duk

]]> By: admin http://www.syzygycult.com/mantra-returns/8/comment-page-1#comment-56 admin Sun, 03 Oct 2010 11:45:00 +0000 http://www.syzygycult.com/?p=8#comment-56 (Birney as admin) Ben French, I wish it were that easy! Every year or so (seriously) we discuss "getting the band back together" to do another game... and every year we look at our careers and schedules and families, and quietly drop the subject. I sure don't know what made Mantra so viscerally enjoyable to so many people (which partly explains why Mantra II wasn't nearly as good), but I am incredibly pleased that it did so well. I don't know that we could recreate that. When you make something wonderful by mistake, it can be hard to make the same kind of wonderful a second time. (Witness the Star Wars prequels.) Once again, Chris deserves a big shout-out for making this revival happen. (Birney as admin) Ben French, I wish it were that easy! Every year or so (seriously) we discuss “getting the band back together” to do another game… and every year we look at our careers and schedules and families, and quietly drop the subject.

I sure don’t know what made Mantra so viscerally enjoyable to so many people (which partly explains why Mantra II wasn’t nearly as good), but I am incredibly pleased that it did so well. I don’t know that we could recreate that. When you make something wonderful by mistake, it can be hard to make the same kind of wonderful a second time. (Witness the Star Wars prequels.)

Once again, Chris deserves a big shout-out for making this revival happen.

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