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May Maturity 05: The Dig (Intro)

By Mento 3 Comments

Well, I crashed and burned on Jagged Alliance 2. It wasn't pretty, and it didn't make me look cool in front of my peers and the girl I like, which is the only reason I write these things. I also can't flit over to another LucasArts graphic adventure game so soon either, since I only just reviewed the remastered Day of the Tentacle for last week's Indie Game of the Week.

So instead, I'm going to cover a LucasArts graphic adventure game (What? Of course I proofread, what kind of question is that?) and see if I can avoid another embarrassing failure. The Dig is a 1995 point-and-click game that, like The Legend of Kyrandia, opted to streamline a lot of mechanics common to the genre at the time for what I can believe is the sake of making it feel more cinematic. It's a contemplative sci-fi mystery about aliens and asteroids and a trio of intrepid astronauts who find themselves marooned on an alien planet after the completion of a routine space operation which was later stolen as the plot for Armageddon. Notably, it was "based on an idea Steven Spielberg once had" - I want to believe the same is true for Boom Blox too, and that Steven just stammers out whatever's on his mind whenever game developers come up to him at LA parties so he can end his engagement with them faster. "I dunno, aliens. In a big asteroid. They communicate through D&D dice. Leave me alone, I have to talk to George about these damn CGI walkie talkies again."

Anyhoo, while the game has been a bit on the slow side so far, between the fine pixel graphics (which I maintain age better than mostly anything else when done right) and the contextual controls in lieu of the usual "wall o' verbs", The Dig's held up surprisingly well. So far, at least. You don't have to take my word for it though, to quote an actor who appeared in another space thing which is not the same thing the quote came from. (Nailing it this week.)

The Dig! A.K.A. "Alien Mining"

Welcome to the Dig! We start in Borneo Deep Space Ob... oh right, you can read that.
Welcome to the Dig! We start in Borneo Deep Space Ob... oh right, you can read that.
Starting as any good
Starting as any good "asteroid peril" movie should, we overhear some dweeb getting distracted from a job with zero distractions while the only thing important that's ever happened there happens. Did you know they call it "SETI" because the one guy that's supposed to be watching the computers will be sleeping on a settee when an alien finally does makes contact?
NASA decides to send a team of astronauts, some of which are new to space travel, to the asteroid with a bunch of nuclear bombs with the intent to blow it off course. Aerosmith was not contacted.
NASA decides to send a team of astronauts, some of which are new to space travel, to the asteroid with a bunch of nuclear bombs with the intent to blow it off course. Aerosmith was not contacted.
We then get the (marginally) animated cutscene of the press conference with the shuttle's crew, which normally happens *before* the shuttle takes off into space. (I swear I didn't mix the screenshot order up.) Our Don Bluthian heroes include: Commander Boston Low, our protagonist with the gray temples; the standoffish archaeologist and geologist Dr. Ludger Brink (far right); the star reporter and linguistics expert Maggie Robbins (center); shuttle pilot Ken Borden (left); and payload expert and technician Cora Miles (far left). As far as voice talent goes, the cast includes the usual culprits with the exception of Boston Low, who is voiced by the T-1000 himself Robert Patrick. It's a good crew. No Ben Affleck, at least.
We then get the (marginally) animated cutscene of the press conference with the shuttle's crew, which normally happens *before* the shuttle takes off into space. (I swear I didn't mix the screenshot order up.) Our Don Bluthian heroes include: Commander Boston Low, our protagonist with the gray temples; the standoffish archaeologist and geologist Dr. Ludger Brink (far right); the star reporter and linguistics expert Maggie Robbins (center); shuttle pilot Ken Borden (left); and payload expert and technician Cora Miles (far left). As far as voice talent goes, the cast includes the usual culprits with the exception of Boston Low, who is voiced by the T-1000 himself Robert Patrick. It's a good crew. No Ben Affleck, at least.
See, this is what I was talking about.
See, this is what I was talking about. "Based on a concept by". That could anything from "Hi LucasArts dev team, I'm Steven Spielberg, here's a script I was working on but couldn't figure out how to turn into a movie" to "hey guys, you never believe who I sat behind on a plane! And he mumbled something about asteroids in his sleep!".
Here's our main party of three: Brink, Robbins and Low, from left to right. You might've noticed some kind of sprite-smoothing filter on the characters. I have no idea how to turn it off. For now, we'll have to get used to it looking like a SNES emulator someone configured wrong.
Here's our main party of three: Brink, Robbins and Low, from left to right. You might've noticed some kind of sprite-smoothing filter on the characters. I have no idea how to turn it off. For now, we'll have to get used to it looking like a SNES emulator someone configured wrong.
I can use this device to talk to anyone in the crew, whether they're in EVA suits next to me or still in the shuttle. This must be set in the near-future, because I don't recall any 1995 PDAs having Facetime installed. (Uncanny how accurate they were, though.)
I can use this device to talk to anyone in the crew, whether they're in EVA suits next to me or still in the shuttle. This must be set in the near-future, because I don't recall any 1995 PDAs having Facetime installed. (Uncanny how accurate they were, though.)
The dialogue system is a little quirky in this game. As well as specific topics represented by ideograms (you can talk to Robbins about Brink, and vice versa), there's a general question prompt which occasionally relates to whatever you're trying to figure out next and the
The dialogue system is a little quirky in this game. As well as specific topics represented by ideograms (you can talk to Robbins about Brink, and vice versa), there's a general question prompt which occasionally relates to whatever you're trying to figure out next and the "say something profound" exclamation point button that is usually met with sarcasm. It reminds me a lot of how Toonstruck handled dialogue, actually.
The PDA also has this little Lunar Lander mini-game, which is kinda fun in small doses. If you ever wanted to hear Robert Patrick curse at an arcade game from the 1970s, The Dig has you covered.
The PDA also has this little Lunar Lander mini-game, which is kinda fun in small doses. If you ever wanted to hear Robert Patrick curse at an arcade game from the 1970s, The Dig has you covered.
Our goal up here is to clear debris and plant the explosives at specific points on the asteroid, which will redirect its momentum from a collision course into a stable orbit. You wouldn't want to plant the bombs INSIDE the asteroid because that would cause it to shatter and rain thousands of deadly meteors on the planet. That's what a stupid Earth vs. asteroid story would do.
Our goal up here is to clear debris and plant the explosives at specific points on the asteroid, which will redirect its momentum from a collision course into a stable orbit. You wouldn't want to plant the bombs INSIDE the asteroid because that would cause it to shatter and rain thousands of deadly meteors on the planet. That's what a stupid Earth vs. asteroid story would do.
This requires some minor adventure game work. Just floating around, clearing room and planting the bombs. I suppose you might consider it a tutorial, since it's the only part of the game where anyone tells you what to do.
This requires some minor adventure game work. Just floating around, clearing room and planting the bombs. I suppose you might consider it a tutorial, since it's the only part of the game where anyone tells you what to do.
I phone in our progress to the guy from Out of This World and float back to watch the fireworks from a safe distance.
I phone in our progress to the guy from Out of This World and float back to watch the fireworks from a safe distance.
I like that they thought about the science in this for more than five minutes, which is more than I can say for Armageddon. They know the asteroid is lighter than it should be, and Brink determines that it's because it's probably a porous rock that'll withstand a direct nuke or two. Or it's hollow, but that's incredibly unlikely.
I like that they thought about the science in this for more than five minutes, which is more than I can say for Armageddon. They know the asteroid is lighter than it should be, and Brink determines that it's because it's probably a porous rock that'll withstand a direct nuke or two. Or it's hollow, but that's incredibly unlikely.
Right, I neglected to mention that they named the asteroid Atilla. I figured it's because he was a Hun and there's only one asteroid, and what do you think of when you hear
Right, I neglected to mention that they named the asteroid Atilla. I figured it's because he was a Hun and there's only one asteroid, and what do you think of when you hear "Hun Solo"? Space stuff, exactly.
The crew decide that, since they're here and all, they might as well explore what's underneath the now cracked surface of the asteroid. It's technically our new moon, so we might as well learn all we can without charging NASA for another trip. Hence the geologist expert.
The crew decide that, since they're here and all, they might as well explore what's underneath the now cracked surface of the asteroid. It's technically our new moon, so we might as well learn all we can without charging NASA for another trip. Hence the geologist expert.
But hold on! There's a bunch of weird shapes on the wall. I guess the asteroid features some sapient tinkering, which - inexplicably - the mission was prepared for. We're suddenly speaking codes back to Washington and getting new orders, in an example of
But hold on! There's a bunch of weird shapes on the wall. I guess the asteroid features some sapient tinkering, which - inexplicably - the mission was prepared for. We're suddenly speaking codes back to Washington and getting new orders, in an example of "smash glass in case of aliens", while making sure the reporter we - equally inexplicably - brought with us is sworn to secrecy. Some good decisions made here.
Pushing in all the indentations opens the way into the center (it was hollow after all, take that Brink) and man, did it just get a whole lot more chilling. What kind of Borg-ahedron is this?
Pushing in all the indentations opens the way into the center (it was hollow after all, take that Brink) and man, did it just get a whole lot more chilling. What kind of Borg-ahedron is this?
I just solved a puzzle involving shapes and a grid and I am twelve and what is this
I just solved a puzzle involving shapes and a grid and I am twelve and what is this
OK, so the asteroid turned into a big D12 and is flying in the opposite direction from Earth. Don't panic.
OK, so the asteroid turned into a big D12 and is flying in the opposite direction from Earth. Don't panic.
This is... I'm sure the shuttle can come pick us up from here. How many light years can a D12 possibly travel? It's the dumbest of the D&D dice anyway, you only ever use one if you're playing a barbarian.
This is... I'm sure the shuttle can come pick us up from here. How many light years can a D12 possibly travel? It's the dumbest of the D&D dice anyway, you only ever use one if you're playing a barbarian.
We find a bunch of contrived reasons to remove our spacesuits - there's a breathable atmosphere, alien microbes won't be able to interact with our cells because of separate evolutionary paths, etc. - but I think it's so we don't have to use the EVA suit voice filter any more. And also tell each other apart.
We find a bunch of contrived reasons to remove our spacesuits - there's a breathable atmosphere, alien microbes won't be able to interact with our cells because of separate evolutionary paths, etc. - but I think it's so we don't have to use the EVA suit voice filter any more. And also tell each other apart.
This early part of the game is suitably creepy, as we figure out where we are and how we might be able to get back home. There is no-one around, and this ancient wreck of a starship is the only sign of intelligent life. Of course, if they were truly intelligent they should've watched where they were going.
This early part of the game is suitably creepy, as we figure out where we are and how we might be able to get back home. There is no-one around, and this ancient wreck of a starship is the only sign of intelligent life. Of course, if they were truly intelligent they should've watched where they were going.
Talking of spooky, it's an alien ghost! That is, a ghost of extraterrestrial origin, not necessarily the ghost of an alien creature, which would be a ghost alien.
Talking of spooky, it's an alien ghost! That is, a ghost of extraterrestrial origin, not necessarily the ghost of an alien creature, which would be a ghost alien.
At any rate, we've been accumulating all the junk around here in case we need it. Along with the shovel, PDA and flashlight that we brought with us, we have a length of fiberoptic cable from the starship, a blue marble tracking device, an orange stick, a tusk and a jawbone. My puzzle game senses are tingling.
At any rate, we've been accumulating all the junk around here in case we need it. Along with the shovel, PDA and flashlight that we brought with us, we have a length of fiberoptic cable from the starship, a blue marble tracking device, an orange stick, a tusk and a jawbone. My puzzle game senses are tingling.
We let Brink start digging the hole near the center of the plateau, since the ghost alien (dammit, alien ghost) pointed us in this direction. It was a good decision too, because he falls down the hall and breaks his darn neck. That's one way of escalating drama.
We let Brink start digging the hole near the center of the plateau, since the ghost alien (dammit, alien ghost) pointed us in this direction. It was a good decision too, because he falls down the hall and breaks his darn neck. That's one way of escalating drama.
Robbins ain't exactly baskin' in our leadership, and decides to take off. She figures we have an equal chance to survive apart as we do together, so we might as well split up and use our separate vocations to find a solution. I like the implication that she thinks of Boston as an idiot, despite the fact he's a trained astronaut. Like that's something you can pick up in night classes.
Robbins ain't exactly baskin' in our leadership, and decides to take off. She figures we have an equal chance to survive apart as we do together, so we might as well split up and use our separate vocations to find a solution. I like the implication that she thinks of Boston as an idiot, despite the fact he's a trained astronaut. Like that's something you can pick up in night classes.
The game really begins in earnest at this point, with a huge number of areas to explore - though all the doors are shut right now, it definitely feels hubbish around here - and little direction than to poke around and figure things out. The training wheels are off, a third of my team is dead and another third is off being feisty and assertive somewhere else, and I've no idea what to do or where to go next. Ahh, adventure games.
The game really begins in earnest at this point, with a huge number of areas to explore - though all the doors are shut right now, it definitely feels hubbish around here - and little direction than to poke around and figure things out. The training wheels are off, a third of my team is dead and another third is off being feisty and assertive somewhere else, and I've no idea what to do or where to go next. Ahh, adventure games.
The doors are all locked with these shape combination things: there are three colors and five possible shapes (based on the five Platonic solids, which I used to think meant solids you got along with but didn't want to bang), so it's not something you can brute force. However, these sticks we've been finding have combinations on them. The issue right now is that there's no power, so none of the doors will work even if we do have the codes for them.
The doors are all locked with these shape combination things: there are three colors and five possible shapes (based on the five Platonic solids, which I used to think meant solids you got along with but didn't want to bang), so it's not something you can brute force. However, these sticks we've been finding have combinations on them. The issue right now is that there's no power, so none of the doors will work even if we do have the codes for them.
The center of the hub is a ramp down to this area, which overlooks the power supply for...
The center of the hub is a ramp down to this area, which overlooks the power supply for...
...the whole universe? Holy moly, this thing is gigantic. It's also currently off-kilter: that object on the bottom left is one of the focusing mirrors, which ought to be on the far left podium. The first puzzle of the game involves programming a drone to pick it up and place it back on its podium. This isn't particularly intuitive, but you can work out what needs to be done with some experimentation.
...the whole universe? Holy moly, this thing is gigantic. It's also currently off-kilter: that object on the bottom left is one of the focusing mirrors, which ought to be on the far left podium. The first puzzle of the game involves programming a drone to pick it up and place it back on its podium. This isn't particularly intuitive, but you can work out what needs to be done with some experimentation.
One puzzle down already. This probably won't... wait, where the hell am I?
One puzzle down already. This probably won't... wait, where the hell am I?
What on not-Earth is all this?
What on not-Earth is all this?
Wha? A giant ball of yarn?
Wha? A giant ball of yarn?
Whaaaaat is this, where am I going? I thought the hub would just have rooms, not these Gummi Bears-ass Quick Tunnels.
Whaaaaat is this, where am I going? I thought the hub would just have rooms, not these Gummi Bears-ass Quick Tunnels.
Now what? Am I in The Longest Journey now?
Now what? Am I in The Longest Journey now?
The flying f@*% am I looking at?
The flying f@*% am I looking at?

Well, I guess this game isn't done with dropping mysteries on my lap quite yet. If anything, the amount of places to explore and alien technology to suss out is getting a little discombobulating. I'm not throwing in the towel - I can't quit a May Maturity game twice in a row, my pride forbids it - but I'm getting less confident in completing this game with every new geometric puzzle or Myst-like lithograph it sends my way. Dammit Spielberg, why can't all your ideas involve something simple like Jenga towers?

Look forward to the Outro some time in the coming week. I'm hoping to squeeze at least two more games out of this month, so I'm optimistic I can figure all this alien business out before too long. I just have to watch out for something called the "turtle bone puzzle" according to @zombiepie. Definitely ominous... (and so is his hint).

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