u/GamingNomad

I reached >!the 46th room!< but I still have trouble with the safes.

I >!cracked the message that's If We Count Small Gates Eight Dates Crack Eight Safes!< and that didn't help much. I finally went ahead and cheated for the safe >!in the Drafting Studio!< because it just didn't make sense how I couldn't get since it seemed so obvious.

When I found out the code I couldn't tell how I was supposed to figure that out. >!I know there are 8 gates on the calender but it's LITERALLY the 7th of November marked! I tried 0711 and 1107 and I still think it's just kind of stupid how it's turned around!<

To be honest it just made me want to stop playing. Are all the safes equally hard or counter-intuitive? Was I missing a piece of the puzzle?

I did it! I found the >!46th room!< !

To be honest, I felt I was in a for a longer run since at one point the game felt much bigger. I admit I'm a bit burned out and need to take a break, although I'm assuming there's much more to do. I'm especially stuck on the safes. Although, though I'm not quite sure, I think >!the message is supposed to be If We Count Small Gates Eight Dates Crack Eight Safes!< but I'm kind of filling in the blanks, though I haven't unlocked a single one since some of them are pretty hard and English isn't my first language.

For those curious, how I finished the game

1 >!I had found the Foundation Room before reaching the Antechamber, so when I finally did through the Secret Garden I knew what the key was for. I didn't know what to do afterwards.!<

2 >! I finally realized I could drain the fountain through the pump room, so I tried to get the key again to unlock the door at the bottom. I also built the power hammer assuming that I could break down that wall in the basement, and it worked! !<

3 >! on the same run I got the key for the fountain door I got to unlock the final antechamber lever, so it was only a matter of going back. luckily I had a LOT of steps in me so I was able to do that easily !<

I need to take a break but I'll probably come back later and see if I have it in me to crack more mysteries. HUGE props to the team for making a game so full of life and ingenuity instead of a time-sink of a game with good mechanics but no soul.

I'm still dumbfounded how they could get so clever parlor puzzles. Those were so much fun to figure out.

I got this book because I recognized the author's name, even though I've never read the Alchemist. Maybe I should have done that.

At first the basic concept intrigued me, I liked the idea of spiritualist and it seemed more esoteric instead of straight forward and sappy. However, as the book went on the worse the writing got and the less I enjoyed it. I confused at the beginning because I couldn't tell if this was a novel (which I had assumed), a biography or some fictional retelling.

The story revolves around 3 characters, Paulo (who's name is mentioned only once), Yao and Hilal. I kind of liked the ensemble because it didn't really fit into anything I'm familiar with. But as the story went on the Author's character was less and less likeable, and not in a good way that's appropriate for a villain.

The author has half recollections of his past lives and is also 59, and despite that he doesn't seem as wise as he should be. He goes out of character just to get one of the characters annoyed or jealous, he talks about how the universe is one whole being and yet is sometimes inconsiderate. How could this character possibly know his past lives (and have a soul over a 100 or 200 years of age) and yet act this immature? Let alone be 59.

Yao actually mentions once about how he made comments that were inappropriate, so I liked that, but his whole striving for spiritual growth felt shallow, focusing on having his spirit grow and yet be oddly aloof and inconsiderate of the feelings of those around him. The character also pushes away Hilal who loves him and wants to make love to him, but the Author doesn't reciprocate because he's shallow, and yet he has no problems stringing her around and playing around with love words and manipulating her to forgive him for what he did in a past life, all while being content at how faithful he is to his wife (who he says will tell everything when the journey is over). I would've liked it more if he said he was faithful but ended up struggling with that and wanted to fool around with her, that would've been at least interesting, nuanced and more realistic.

There's also a scene or two that are supposed to be profound yet utterly fail, especially the scene where he's in the hotel room and Hilal has him under violin like a gun.

There's also a confusing ensemble going on other than the 3 main character. He's on a trip to attend book signing sessions, so he has an interpretor (Yao), and a bunch of publishers and editors and their wives and it feels odd. By the time I really wanted to put the book I only had 25% of it left (which is at the scene where he's in the hotel after Lake Baikal).

I'm usually content what what I've spent my time on even if I don't enjoy it. This is not one of those times. Might still read The Alchemist though.

I had my eyes on my hand entering this sub. I'm you guys get this a lot I've been trying really hard to do on this on my own and I'm surprised I endured for so long.

I FINALLY reached the A>!ntechamber!< . I almost can't believe it. I got the >!key and immediately knew I had to go back to the basement and finally enter the mysterious door, and I did!<.

I found the >!paper with the locations of the antechamber levers and I also clicked the button that opened the secret entrance to where the water and the big gear is.!< HOWEVER, I have no idea what to do next? I only have 4 steps and I don't want to restart the game because I still find it hard to believe I finally reached the >!Antechamber AND had enough steps left thanks to the running shoes!<

Please just give me a hint on what to do after unlocking the secret door. Because I'm close to calling it a day without getting anything permanent.

Oh, I did get >!Mechanarium btw!< thank you!