dollhouse
Here is a solution to the doll house puzzle that I got to repeat. I tried it at least 50 times and as long as the first 4 moves for you and Stauf are the same as the solution you win. Really I found if you can get him to do the right first move you win, I only had 1 time where he did the right first move and then he did a different 4th move so the solution didn't work. But it worked every time once I got him to make the first 4 moves, so just keep starting the game over till he makes the right first 4 moves after your moves. You have to start in the right place on the floor or it doesn't work, I tried it in other places and even if you can get him to start in the right place he doesn't repeat the other moves. To find the right place go to the left and find the first row that you can put beans in and that is row 1. Count over 11 rows and go up 3 spots from the bottom and start there. When you make the first 4 moves Stauf has to move directly above you each time for the solution to work. After you make the 5th move he sould cut you off but he doesn't I guess because he knows if he goes on either side of your 3 in a row you can capture his beans, even though if he did this it would keep you from getting 4 in a row without him being on either side. So once he doesn't make his 5th move on either side of your 3 in a row you can get 4 in a row and the game is yours.
Now if you want repeat the solution to see all the endings of the game, you have to do 1 of 2 things. Either after the credits have gone by and your back in the game book you have to get out of the game and move or delete the file s11h.0 that's in your 11th Hour directory. You have to do this because this is your Save 0 which is your open house file that the game just made so you can go all around the house. What happens if you don't do this is even if you go back in the game and use your save file that is right before the doll house puzzle the game knows you have all ready won before and plays the doll house puzzle by different rules. First thing Stauf gets to move first which I think in this game if you know what your doing puts you at a big advantage. Next he plays alot smarter, in that you can tell he is analyzing many moves by sometimes it takes him a few seconds to make a move where in the first time you play the game he moves instantly after you move. It is alot harder to play him in this situation and the solution will not work for you. The other thing I did was instead of letting the credits finish I hit my reset button on my computer, this works because the game doesn't make the open house file till after the credits have finished. The one thing you want to do (if you haven't done it all ready) is before you try the solution have a game saved right before you grab the inkstand as this is the last place you can save before the doll house puzzle. That way if you want to see all 3 endings that's the fastest way you can start the game over and get to the doll house. By the way don't let the clock strike 12 to see what that will do because it doesn't do anything the game just ends and the credits start.
Now before you try the solution, even though the puzzle might be driving you crazy I think you should try to solve it on your own. I think if you follow a few rules you find that the puzzle really isn't that hard, I know what your thinking easy for him to say( I would have said the same thing). The puzzle was driving me crazy too, I hate these puzzles ( I never did solve the microscope puzzle in T7G) and I wasn't getting anywhere in it till I started playing to lose and just watched the moves Stauf made to get a strategy on what to do. After finding these rules I found I could win about 50% of the time. I found the puzzle actually to be easier than the beehive puzzle and its better because it's short so you can play it alot more times to get a stategy going. I think you'll find more satisfaction in beating Stauf by yourself I know I did. Some of the rules I found were:
1 Don't put beans in a row at first because Stauf always puts a bean next to one of your beans, this makes it easy for him to capture your beans.
2 For the first rew moves put a bean next to his bean but not in a row with your other beans, you can see how I did this in the solution. This sets up for captures later.
3 After the first few moves you can put a bean in the same row as your other beans but leave a space between them, or if he doesn't have a bean next to your bean you can put them together.
4 Don't worry at first about getting beans in a row and more about getting beans just around in a certain area.
5 Try to keep him making defensive moves at first by getting him to spread out all over the board on the outside of you so that none of his pieces are close to each other. You have the advantage by going first so keep it by making him make defensive moves.
6 Try to set him up so you can capture his pieces first as this usually is a big advantage in that you can alot of times set up a win. I found by capturing his pieces first before he got any of mine was better in that even if he gets your pieces later you can set up a win. I had games where he got 4 of my pieces and I still won. A good way to set him up is to have a piece off to the side where he has a piece next to it and then get 4 in a row a couple rows up so he has to put a bean next to it and it puts his 2 beans together and you have the 1 bean next to them so you can just put a bean on the other side of his 2 beans and get him.
7 Make sure you don't get wrapped up in trying to win and forget to watch his beans. I had a few games I could have won but I forgot to watch him. The place to watch is if you get 3 in a row and both ends are clear and after you make your move he doesn't put 1 on either end of it watch out he probably has something else going that you forgot to watch for. I did this a few times in this looks like a sure fire win because you can make it 4 in row and then you can't lose but forgot to notice that he had 4 in a row already.
8 Take your time in moving especially when it looks like your winning so you don't make a stupid move and go from winning to a loss. Especially watch that your not putting 2 of your pieces in a row where he can then capture them and there goes your win. I found it was better to leave spaces open until later till you can set it up to capture his pieces if he then trys to capture your pieces. I found he sometimes will not capture your pieces if that means you'll capture his pieces after.
9 After you capture his pieces don't just automatically start putting your pieces in a row, look to see if can put a piece somewhere that will get 2 rows going that he doesn't have pieces on either end even if the row has spaces between the beans. This usually sets up a win.
10 The thing you are trying to get is 4 in a row without him having a bean at either end, this is a win because even if he captures pieces out of the row you can just put them back and there is no way for him to stop you from winning unless he captures 5 pairs of your beans.
11 If it looks like you are having a good start and want to save it so you can use it later you can use the screen capture by hitting F12 and look at the pictures later to see the moves you made and use them again. This saves you from having to write down your moves while your are playing and destroying your concentration. This is how I came upon the solution, I had a start that was almost the same and used it to find the solution.
I think if you follow these rules and take it slow and watch what your doing you'll find that in a short time you can beat him. Remember you have the advantage by starting first so don't give it up. It only took me about an hour of playing him to be able to beat him 50% of the time and believe me I am terrible at these games. I think the first time you play he doesn't really analyze his moves that much and goes more by set moves in that if you move to a certain place he has counter moves for it. I noticed this especially after a win and tried to play him again, he doesn't make the stupid moves he sometimes makes before you have won a game(like in the solution game where he should cut you off when you get 3 in a row but doesn't). So keep trying for at least alittle bit more and if you can't make it you always have the solution. The solution never fails on my computer so it should be the same on yours. One thing I think you'll find is that the endings are no big deal, I at least thought they would be longer.
Mark Gradowski 73023,24