Strawberry Tomato
Strawberry Tomato is a victim of it's own success, or rather of the success of the previous Gotmail games. Yes it's got the familiar high quality graphics, yes it has some nice point'n'click puzzles to figure out, yes the "escape the room" goal is one that we know and love. But it's all somewhat overshadowed by the difficulty in loading the thing - it's so popular that if you are lucky enough to get the thing loading you can almost see each byte arriving one by one. So much so that sopdox has sent in a pre-game walkthough which I'm going to include as it's rather accurate and helpful:

Pre-Game Walkthrough:
1. Wake up, do not stop for the bathroom or anything else, go to your computer. Type URL in browser.

2. Get black screen with Japanese writing with Yellow Japanese word in the middle. Don't bother clicking, this is the Server to Busy page. Refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh OOOH! you got a black screen with a red outline in the middle.

3. Go to the bathroom. Come back, if you're lucky you got a picture with a language choice. Cool, make your selection. If not, repeat step #2. Finally get screen with status bar. Oh no! No numbers on the status bar, status bar not moving. Repeat step 2 again. Continue refreshing until your status bar reads 0%.

4. Take your shower, get dressed for work/school/whatever. Have breakfast, drink coffee or tea and read the morning paper. Check your computer screen, oh good you're at 2%.

5. Leave your house, go to work, school, or whatever you had planned for your day.

6. Come home, have dinner, watch television, read, check your e-mail, rent a movie or go out and see one. Come back, get ready for bed. Check your computer screen...90% Maybe tomorrow you can actually play.

And whatever you do don't accidentally shut your game off, or it's back to step 1...

[subbed by Think~Pink, sopdox, handyrman, cyberjar88 & winniethepooh].

Entry 2863, Monday, August 20th 2007, Filed In Games
Rating(56%)

The 170 comments on 'Strawberry Tomato' span more than one page, use the links below to see them all by page:

[1], [2], [3] & [4].

Hanako

:
First! I'm actually first!

The game won't even load.

Comment 1, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:29:07 AM

Carlymau

:
i can't get the pesky thing to load!!

Comment 2, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:35:49 AM

Zushai

:
woo got to stage 3 on pregame walkthrough. now just the refresh button a couple more hundred times >.<

Comment 3, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:40:09 AM

Aywy42

:
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh
refresh

.
.
.
.
i
got it load!!!!

Comment 4, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:41:47 AM

...

:
5th?

Comment 5, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:43:15 AM

Lady Lark

:
6th or so. I tried getting into this yesterday, same problem as today. Guess we'll have to wait a few days or until someone sets up a mirror or two!

Comment 6, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:45:40 AM

...

:
They said tat this game dun work for Window Vista sometimes when i tanslated some of the notes below the game. I cant get the game to load either...

Comment 7, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:49:35 AM

Zushai

:
omg on 1% of loading *faints*

Comment 8, Monday, August 20th 2007 09:59:33 AM

Strangeandenigmatic

:
my refresh button hates me

Comment 9, Monday, August 20th 2007 10:23:26 AM

Phantom of the Arse

:
Broken than the backside of a camels ass

Comment 10, Monday, August 20th 2007 10:31:52 AM

Stellaruby

:
seems to be loading ok, albeit slow - now on 16%...

Comment 11, Monday, August 20th 2007 10:38:10 AM

Hikari no sakura

:
i even tried to register. i think the japanese says there's an exclusive channel for members or something. but maybe that's for people who actually pay... altavista is not all-powerful...

Need to learn jap! for the sake of games and manga!

Comment 12, Monday, August 20th 2007 10:38:50 AM

Werewolf

:
If anyone gets it to load, please save the .swf file, zip it up, and post it to Rapidshare or something. On the other hand, if it's like the one they made about meeting your favourite music group, we're screwed until a mirror shows up. Those cut-scenes took forever to load, and multi part games like that don't take too kindly to being saved. =/

Comment 13, Monday, August 20th 2007 11:50:12 AM

Zushai

:
got it to play and am now totally stuck. argh!

Comment 14, Monday, August 20th 2007 12:18:47 PM

Nina

:
After 2 hours 52% loaded...................argh

Comment 15, Monday, August 20th 2007 12:29:38 PM

Zushai

:
got a
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
electric fan, a t-shirt, an adapter, a stick, a tree, a ball and a jelly and a possible safe code i cant get to work
any hints from anyone who has got this to play?

Comment 16, Monday, August 20th 2007 12:35:46 PM

MsFreddie

:
How to rate a game that takes forever to load - 11.39pm New Zealand time so the server shouldn't be overloaded. Given up and going to bed.

Comment 17, Monday, August 20th 2007 12:42:35 PM

Capt Fantastic

:

HINT: (click box to highlight/fade)
i think the safe code is linked with how dark each of the accompanying pictures is.. but i cant get any even half-way sensible order to work

Comment 18, Monday, August 20th 2007 12:59:14 PM

Stella

:
grr ditto msfreddie.
I've never had this problem with gotmail, theyr usually fine.
After much refreshing I now have a black screen with 2 lines of jap incl 1 line link. but no good. :(

There has been a lack of good games out recently.

Comment 19, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:17:05 PM

D

:
Loaded in 2 minutes :)

Comment 20, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:25:13 PM

D-

:
I have
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
adapter, stick, tree, ball, and found a plug which the adapter can't fit into. Have no idea what to do next.
Am stuck.

Comment 21, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:35:15 PM

...

:
i cant get the tree, however, i can when i played this game this afternoon. Wher is the electric fan and t-shirt...?

Comment 22, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:38:51 PM

Werewolf

:
D-

SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
If you examine the stick, you can place the ball in the hole at the end. The adapter works, but you have to examine it, then click it until the three-pin side is facing away from you - then you can select the adapter and plug it in.

Comment 23, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:42:18 PM

Zushai

:
t-shirt
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
is in the cupboard thats stuck tight use stick to open it

Comment 24, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:46:38 PM

Strangeandenigmatic

:
im mad i cant play it

Comment 25, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:46:53 PM

...

:
thx Zushai

Comment 26, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:50:20 PM

Werewolf

:
Thanks Zushai. :D

Strangeandenigmatic:
I know how you feel - I waited over an hour for it to load. I would have saved the .swf file and uploaded it, but I can't find the file. Not for the want of trying, since I know how to do it....the file just doesn't show up. =/

And a new happening:

SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
In the corner by what I assume is a fireplace (the brick thing that says you can't look inside because it's dark), you can open the top-left window. No idea what it does, but it doesn't look like you can close it once it's open.

Comment 27, Monday, August 20th 2007 01:54:35 PM

Micprop

:
test

<test>

Comment 28, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:04:43 PM

Micprop

:
OOps I can't seem to make spoilers, sincerest apologies!! My first post anyway. Werewolf when you said: "you can place the ball in the hole at the end..." Do you mean that the "ball" is that pearl looking object on the table laying on what looks like some type of vase? If it is, I can't seem to grab it to add to my inventory and even when I use the stick with the hole it can't seem to get it either? It sure is tricky!! I love these games but I need HELP can anyone offer some insight? Werewolf....anyone???

Comment 29, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:11:31 PM

...

:
if the things can be taken, one u clicked on it they will automatically appear in ur inventory =)

Comment 30, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:15:56 PM

Werewolf

:
Micprop:

SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
The ball you put in the stick is under an upturned bowl in the tall cupboard. On the right-hand side, I think. It's red, so you'll know when you have it. :)


I think that thing on the table is a lamp, so I've been spending an inordinate amount of time trying to remove the bulb. XD

Comment 31, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:16:05 PM

Minxi

:
How do you examine items?I'm scared of pressing the wrong thing and losing the game.Thanks for the pre-game walkthrough!Lots of fun!

Comment 32, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:18:31 PM

Zushai

:
now i have
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
the stick stuck in the floor
still cant open the safe or click on the mirror ... have no idea what to do with
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
the t-shirt, the jelly or the tree
and I cant find anything else.

Comment 33, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:19:36 PM

Corona

:
I'll skip this one till the hubbub dies down.

Comment 34, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:19:43 PM

Zushai

:
Minxi: double click on them

Comment 35, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:20:15 PM

Werewolf

:
Minxi:
Double-click on the item in your inventory, and it should bring up the item in a larger window with an 'X' at the top-right corner. :)

Comment 36, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:20:18 PM

Capt Fantastic

:
fire place
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
you can redirect light into the fireplace. the item you find there can be used on the table next to where the gooseberry is

Comment 37, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:21:04 PM

Micprop

:
Werewolf, many, many thanks for the helpful hint!! And that thing on the table is a LAMP???!! Sure looks odd! Thanks again!

Comment 38, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:21:32 PM

Zushai

:
Capt Fantastic : how?

Comment 39, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:22:05 PM

Capt Fantastic

:
@Zushai
SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
combine the red stone with the stick and place it in the hole in the ground over by the large window. Then you need to come out a screen and click on the redstone in the stick... which should give a screenshot sequence where the light bounces off the mirror on the table. you should then be able to see into the fireplace

Comment 40, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:26:42 PM

Zushai

:
Thanks Capt fantastic

Comment 41, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:28:12 PM

Stellaruby

:
Where is hole in ground?

Comment 42, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:33:08 PM

Micprop

:
AAARRRGHH!! Werewolf...I've done that thing you told me with regard to the cupboard. Still can't seem to get the object. Also did anyone notice there's something special about the last cupboard (below) on the right? Can't seem to figure out what to do.

Comment 43, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:33:15 PM

...

:
erm sory if i sound stupid but wher do i place the stick with the red ball...?

Comment 44, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:34:40 PM

Stellaruby

:
you need to open both cupboard doors at same time

Comment 45, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:34:48 PM

...

:
sory i gtg bye good luck =)

Comment 46, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:35:57 PM

Werewolf

:
A brief heads-up to those celebrating the fact that they can play:

SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
Clicking the stone in the stick did precisely nothing for me, so I was left spinning around and looking at stuff, and no way to continue playing. I'm assuming the asstacular loading time for this game is causing bugs by occasionally not loading something, so be aware that you may need to refresh even when you've solved some of the puzzles.

Comment 47, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:37:17 PM

Werewolf

:
Micprop:

SPOILER: (click box to reveal/hide)
The right-hand cupboards can be a nuisance to get into, so you need to keep clicking around the open door until the view shifts to show you what's in there. Annoying, but you'll manage it eventually. :)

Comment 48, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:41:12 PM

Micprop

:
Thanks Stellaruby I was just able to do figure out the darned thing and realised it was somewhere else entirely but in the same area as the cupboard.

Comment 49, Monday, August 20th 2007 02:44:21 PM

Mimitheone

:
Is this a joke or what? What's the sense of this link if you can't play the darn thing? This reminds me of when they came out with the Cabagge Patch dolls, there were lines outside the store to buy the ugly little critter.

Comment 50, Monday, August 20th 2007 03:11:23 PM

The 170 comments on 'Strawberry Tomato' span more than one page, use the links below to see them all by page:

[1], [2], [3] & [4].

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Sorry, but comments are now closed for "Strawberry Tomato".

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