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InThe Crimson Diamond, you play Nancy Maple, a young woman who dreams of studying geology and mineralogy. During the game, she travels to the town of Crimson, Ontario to investigate reports of diamonds found in the area.
This being a game that takes much inspiration from the mysteries of yore (including Nancy Drew and Miss Marple, naturally), things don’t play out as simply as they could. The first chapter, however, is merely a setup, and has you working out how to navigate and interact with the world through the text parser. If you’re struggling at all, we can help.
When we give youtext parser stringsto enter, we’ll surround them with[square brackets], so be on the lookout for those!
How To Get A Map
The first step you’ll need to take in the game is to secure yourself a map of the lodge that you’re staying in. This is very easily done from the room you begin in.
Start with a[Talk to Kimi], which will give you a short conversation between Nancy and the lady you met on your journey to Crimson. She’ll tell you of a brochure with a map in it to be found in a drawer. Use the following commands:
The game will then give you a tip about asking about certain topics, so try this now with an[Ask about brochure], followed by a[Map]to see the lodge’s layout. You’ll be using this often, so don’t worry about the large number of rooms you’ll have to navigate.
Remember that to leave a room, you will first have to stand by a door and then enter[Open door]into the text parser.
Where To Find Everyone
It is now time to deal with the main quest of the chapter: introducing yourself to everyone. Using the map, head to the following locations and talk to everyone when you encounter them. You begin in the upper-right corner of the second floor, insideGuest Bedroom 1.
The text parser will work with[Talk to person], [Talk to man], [Talk to woman], or [Talk to people]if you don’t remember the names of the people you’re with!
Jack
Kitchen
When you are about to approach the Parlour, you’ll be alerted to the possibility of[Listen]ing to a conversation that is just out of earshot. Do that now to learn about Nessa and Corvus’s reasons for being in Crimson. You can also[Listen]to a conversation between Evan and Nathan in the Conservatory.
Upon speaking to the last person on your list, you’ll be directed to theDining Roomto head for supper. Head there now to progress.
After the cutscene, you’ll be tasked withhelping Jackto pass the time. To start, though, you’ll need to[Stand].
You also know of some interesting conversations that you may wish to eavesdrop on. These are optional, but to witness everything:
In the Dining Room,[Get plates], and then head to the Kitchen and [Help Jack]. The conversation after will have Jack hinting at your next goal: to find out what’s going on between him and Margot.
Before you head up to the Inkeeper’s Quarters to try and listen to Margot and Jack’s conversation, you canlisten to another one from Nessa and Corvusin the Bar.
How To Eavesdrop On The Boudoir Door
Before you attempt to head up to the Boudoir, walk up to the top-right corner of the Kitchen near the back wall and type[Open cupboards]. The cupboard you need is on the back wall and filled with glasses. When it’s open, you can[Take glass].
If you missed the opportunity to hide behind the tapestry earlier, you can[Listen with glass]at the Study door to hear Evan and Nathan’s conversation now.
With the next action, the first chapter automatically ends, so make sure you’re satisfied with what you’ve learned, and that you’ve spoken to everyone about the things you want to speak about before continuing.
With the glass in hand, you may now head up to the Inkeeper’s Quarters on the second floor, and then[Listen with glass]at the door on the left.
This will send you directly into chapter two and the next day.
