It’s true this isn’t really obvious. The game tries to be somewhat realistic though (like a flying van).
An actual flight to/from Mars takes a long time, and if the game tells you it takes 2 months it means it. You have just arrived there after such time, if you think taking off again right away is the solution, well…
That’s IMHO much more annoying because it can be used on EVERY thing and for some reason the whole bucket is wasted every time. It’s more likely people do it once, nothing happens and go on. Maybe not even realising the item was lost. Later they won’t remember they had this item until they start a new game, finding it again.
One thing first timers won’t know is that they actually will take off. But you will be warned (since it’s unlikely you have both characters in there already), so you have a chance to save.
The first time(s) you are actually experiencing the flight. I don’t see a problem skipping them later on (or not taking them actual hours of real time), but a flight to Mars is orders of magnitudes higher.
In Zak you can keep playing with the others and it’s not an obvious dead end like a character’s death. But this “realism” is something I particularly like about that game.
Agree. But while on Sierra you must save every 2 minutes (I’d say 30 seconds), because you can’t know where the unfortunate events will lead you, in Zak it’s less frequent. I save only when I am visiting a new place, or after an important event, just in case.
I mean:
you run out of money? OK, it’s your fault You can restart the game and optimize your travels, or sell something to earn money, or win Lotto (by chance or by knowing the numbers).
you leave Mars with the bus? OK, it’s your fault Why you have to leave Mars if Melissa and Leslie are saying that the dream told them to STAY there and wait for instructions?
you take the train with only one token and discover only later that the monolith on the left side is broken? OK, that’s a dead end.
you fell off the plane without a parachute? OK, it’s your fault
you go out of oxygen and die? OK, it’s your fault You were warned many times that the oxygen was running out.
I remember starting the van when I played the game for the first time. I immediately realized that they were still required on Mars, so I restored a savegame and went on. Even if you don’t realize this, the urge to explore the Mars should prevent you from doing this early on.
This is really nothing in comparison to all those mean dead ends in Sierra games at the time.
).
is that a game hint?
