Escape Ancient China Room
If—in reality—you were trapped in a room that you couldn't get out of, you wouldn't be solving tricky puzzles or finding scraps of paper with clues on them, you'd be looking for objects in the room to help you break down the door, smash a window, or attack whomever locked you in if they bothered to come back. So let's play a game that focuses almost entirely on the use of found objects to escape. Welcome to Escape Ancient China Room by Flash512, a Chinese room escape that depends more on your ability to combine objects than to solve puzzles.
Not to say that there aren't any puzzles in Escape Ancient China Room, there's a right tricky one at the end to get out. However, the bulk of the game is finding and using what you've found. Navigation is accomplished by bars at the sides of the screen to move you around this lavishly appointed room. Unfortunately, there's no changing cursor, so be prepared for some pixel hunting to find the items that you'll need.
Take some time to enjoy the beauty of the room itself. Done up in the style of ancient China, you can almost feel the intricate lattice-work of the wood in the furniture. Adding to the feel of a time gone by is a lovely Chinese tune that plays in the background. And if the tune gets annoying there's a handy button to turn off sound in the upper left of the screen. Inventory is stored at the right of the screen. Simply click on an object to use it, or click on the little magnifying glass in the object corner to bring it up for a close up. Remember, there's going to be a lot of object usage and combing to get out of this room.
Analysis: Escape Ancient China Room is a little trickier than most escapes featured in Weekday Escape. Still a nice break in the middle of the week, with the lovely scenery and the calming music. Don't worry that it's a Chinese escape game, there is an English option, just remember to click it before the game begins. When you follow the link to the game, scroll down a little and you will see three large blue buttons. Just click on one of the blue buttons and enjoy the casual gameplay.
There is a lot of combining objects and use of found objects in this little gem, so be prepared. Some things are quite intuitive, but some are a bit of a logical leap. The lack of a changing cursor means that there will be pixel hunting nigh, which can be very frustrating. Fortunately, most objects are fairly easy to spot. The final puzzle will be very easy or very difficult, depending on your knowledge of peg jump puzzles.
Despite the flaws this is still one lovely, well put together little escape. A little something to take your mind off your troubles and the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the holidays. Sit back, relax, and escape to ancient China.
Play Escape Ancient China Room
Note: The links above take you to a page where you will see 3 blue buttons with Chinese text on them. Click on any one of those to be taken to the game.
Walkthrough Guide
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Escape Ancient China Room Walkthrough
General Information
There's no changing cursor, so there is some pixel hunting involved.
When you click on something in your inventory, you will see a magnifying glass in the upper right corner. Use the magnifying glass for a close up of any inventory item.
To use an inventory item click on it until it is highlighted with a square then click where you want it used.
Hope you remember how to play peg jump games.
The balls (pegs) in the final puzzle will only move in the direction of the arrows on them.
Remember to try and combine objects.
Main Room (front of screen)
You are facing a pretty pink screen. Click on the chair on the left for a close up.
There's an object on the left arm of the chair. Take it (hare's ear).
Back up and turn left.
You are now facing a musical instrument and a pot full of scrolls.
Two of the scrolls are plain paper. Click on them.
These are directions for solving the final puzzle, so try to remember.
Click on the instrument for a close up.
There's a wooden object on the left of the instrument, take it (stick with hair).
Back up and turn left.
Click on the door lock for a close up.
This is the final puzzle, but it is missing some components.
Back up and turn left.
There's a lamp here, but it's too high to reach.
Click on the chests for a close up.
Open the chests. One of them is hiding a special stone. Take the stone.
Turn left.
You are now facing the screen again. To go to the back side of the room click between the screen and the window on the left.
Main Room (back of screen)
You are facing a chest that doesn't open. Turn right.
You are now facing a bed platform, with three wall hangings behind it. Click on the wall hangings to lift them. Notice that there are holes behind the one on the right and the one on the left.
Turn right.
You are now facing some pretty shelves with vases. Notice the stool in front of the shelves.
Take the stool.
Look closely at the empty shelves. In the lower middle there is a shelf with what appears to be a thin lighter line on it. Click on that shelf for a close up.
Take the object on the shelf (iron board).
Back up.
Turn right. You are now looking at the back of the screen with the chests on the left. Click on the chests.
You are now by the chests, looking at the shelves from an angle. Notice that there is something on the floor underneath the shelves. Take the object (hare's ear).
Turn right.
You are now looking at the chests and the lamp again. Place the stool to the left of the lamp.
Click on the top of the lamp. There's a reddish object there, take it (red bead).
Back up and take the stool again.
Turn left and go back to the back of the screen.
Turn right once until you are facing the bed platform with the three wall hangings.
Let's put the "hare's ears" into the holes behind the posters, the one pointing to the left underneath the left poster, the one pointing to the right underneath the right poster.
That didn't seem to do anything. Hey, don't hare's ears point up?
Click on the ears in the holes to make them point upwards, rather than downwards.
Lift the center poster. Hey, a switch!
Pull the switch.
Turn right.
Wow, there's a doorway that wasn't there before. Go through the door.
Secret Room
Hey, it's dark!
Perhaps we need some light?
Time to do a little combining.
Pull up the stick with hair from your inventory. Doesn't that look sort of like a torch?
Now if only we had something to light it with.
We do have an iron bar and a strange stone.
Iron plus flint (a type of stone) makes sparks.
Place the iron bar on the stick with hair.
Place the stone on the iron bar, this produces sparks.
Click on the "hair" part of the stick, it should light up.
You now have a lit torch!
Close the torch into your inventory and look down the stairs.
There appears to be a bowl on a green platform down there. Click on it and it says that it is a lamp bowl.
Use the torch on the lamp bowl to get light.
Click on the door to move down the stairs.
Hey, there's some sort of switch beside the door. Click on it for a close up.
Click on the switch. It moves a little then sticks.
Back up. What do you know, the door raised a little.
Turn left.
You are looking at a wooden bench with wood stacked underneath.
There's a plank of wood to the right leaning against the wall. Take it.
Click on the top of the bench for a close up. Hey a tool! Take it (knife).
Back up. Now click around underneath the bench until you find a stick (towards the back against the wall).
There's something of a lighter wood underneath the bench, on a seat underneath. Click on the light brown area for a close up.
Take the object (head of a rake) and back up.
Turn left.
There's a table full of pots here. Click on the ones in the middle until one lifts up revealing a weight. Take the weight.
Turn left. You will see a giant put underneath the stairs. Click on the pot for a close up.
Take the blue bead.
Back up and turn left to face the door.
You know, we probably have everything we need to lever that door up.
Let's make a lever.
Place the stool in front of the door.
Place the plank of wood on the stool.
Place the weight on the upper end of the plank.
Hey, we managed to get the door open partway!
Click on the open area of the door to see what's in there.
There's a yellow ball in there, but we can't reach it.
We do have a stick.
But if we hit it with the stick it might roll away.
Hey, we do have the rake head.
But it's not long enough to reach.
You could try fitting the stick to the rake, but it's too big.
We do have a knife.
Pull up the stick from your inventory.
Use the knife on the stick to sharpen one end.
Close down the stick and pull up the rake head.
Use the stick on the rake head, you now have a rake!
Use the rake to get the green ball.
Endgame
You now have three colored balls (beads).
There were three empty circles in the door lock puzzle.
Let's go solve the puzzle.
Back up and go back upstairs.
Before we tackle the door, let's look at the scrolls one more time.
One scroll indicates red on the top, green on the lower left, and blue on the lower right.
The other scroll indicates movement and arrows.
Face the door.
Click on the door lock for a close up.
Let's place the balls first. Red in the top circle, green on the lower left, and blue on the lower right.
Well, that's lit up the lock.
It would make sense to get the red arrows up to the red ball, the blue arrows to the blue ball, and the green arrows to the green ball.
Basically, this is a peg jump puzzle.
The "white" circle is an open slot.
This is a little hard to explain, but here it goes.
Remember, the balls will only move in the direction of the arrows.
You can move a ball forward into an open slot, or you can jump over other balls.
Let's start with the red.
From the red ball at the top, there are three black balls, an open space, and three red balls.
Move the bottom black ball forward.
Now jump the first red ball over the black ball.
The pattern should now look like (from the top): black, black, red, black, white, red, red.
Now move the second red ball into the white space.
The pattern should now look like (from the top): black, black, red, black, red, white, red.
Jump the lowest black ball over the red ball, then jump the second black ball over the red ball.
The pattern should now look like (from the top): black, white, red, black, red, black, red.
Move the top black ball forward so that the white space is at the top near the big red ball.
Take the top red ball and jump it. It should now be at the very top, just underneath the big red ball.
Jump the second red ball and then the third. The white space should be at the very bottom.
Now move the bottom black ball forward into the empty space.
Jump the second black ball then the third black ball. The pattern should now look like (from the top): red, white, red, black, red, black, black.
Move the second red ball forward, then jump the third. Move the last black ball down and now they are reversed, with the white slot back in the middle.
You will notice that one of the bolts from the lock has opened up.
Repeat this pattern with first the blue balls then the green balls until all the balls are in the slots next to the big balls.
If you get stuck you can use the arrow button at the upper right to reset the puzzle to the beginning.
Once all the balls are moved the three bolts of the lock should be open.
Back up and click on the door. You are out!
Posted by: grinnyp
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December 2, 2009 4:50 AM