Barn Runner: The Prick Who Came in From The Cold

Ponch · Mon 20/12/2004 23:40:36

Well, I've been lurking here for quite a while and using AGS to make games for the amusement of my friends.

Now I am finally ready to make the big leap and let the forum know of my existence and open myself up for horrible, heartless mockery of my poor game designing skills.Ã,Â

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Barn Runner: The Prick Who Came In From the Cold.

This is actually the fifth game in the Barn Runner series which began as terribly misguided spoof of Blade Runner / Escape From New York / and The Andy Griffith Show. It's the far future imagined through the filter of the 1980s!

The game has a Christmas theme (sort of) and centers around a lazy, egocentric policeman in the distant future tasked with hunting down and destroying runaway robots who have had it with lazy, overbearing humanity and finally vented their mechanical rage on their hapless owners and anyone else within easy reach.Ã,Â

Naturally, like all humanity in the future, the cop hates his job and doesn't really put a lot of effort into it. So it's up to you to make him accomplish anything.

So without further ado, my game can be found here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~anvilpress/downloads/MiniGame4.zip

Don't worry, this isn't an action-oriented game and there are no arcade sequences. It only sounds terribly exciting, but rest easy: It isn't exciting in the least.

Please download and enjoy my little game. It isn't the greatest but I certainly could have done much, much worse. (And have on several occasions!)

UPDATED!

Now with cool screenshots (for as long as my bandwidth holds out)

The flying car you have locked yourself out of.

A dump filled with treasure (and rusty bed springs).

And finally a frame from the thrilling opening cut-scene.

And there you have it: My Christmas present to the AGS community! I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you all back here after Christmas vacation.Ã,Â

Neil Dnuma · Tue 21/12/2004 00:45:12

Thanks for that one

Who would think a robot hunter adventure would be like this? The old man is priceless, great dialogue and I laughed a lot in the end.

Everyone should make sure they sit through the end credits!

Guest · Tue 21/12/2004 09:12:02

Great game, but now I am stuck! I hate being stuck in minigames!!!

Spoiler

I got the present from the old man and unwrapped it, but I dont know what to do with the bird or what to do at all in this room.

[close]

Developer · Tue 21/12/2004 09:30:20

How about a screenshot?

Ponch · Tue 21/12/2004 20:55:45

Thanks everyoneÃ,Â for being kind to my new game!

For the guest stuck on the "Bird" Screen:

Spoiler

There is a small, shadowed nook between the trees on the lower right hand side of the screen. Walk back there and try to find a way to distract the bird once you've looked at him (or his nest) and learned about his weakness: Place something that glitters on the web.

[close]

Developer, there is a screenshot available on the games page. Should I post a link to it here? I'm new! I don't know what to do!

Potch · Wed 22/12/2004 22:15:05

Spoiler

I'm stuck... where is the screen with the bird?

[close]

Candle · Thu 23/12/2004 00:05:57

Quote from: Potch on Wed 22/12/2004 22:15:05
Spoiler
I'm stuck... where is the screen with the bird?
[close]

Spoiler

go north from the car then west .

[close]

pslocum · Thu 23/12/2004 08:03:08

Very nice little game. Kudos.

Potch · Thu 23/12/2004 15:08:46

Cool game. Good puzzles. The old man was funny. Only thing... the guy walked WAY too slow. COuld have just been my machine though.

SGK · Thu 23/12/2004 21:06:01

Nice game!!

i just dont like these kind of style of characthers and plotline (evil robots wants to kill an agent.. its kinda a cliche) but thats just me, the game itself is great!!

Vespr · Fri 24/12/2004 08:05:11

Nice game.

I really liked the opening sequence, the dialogue and the style. I also liked how his comments changed if you used the same action more than one time. My only complaint is the same as Potch's - that he walks very slowly. But aside from that it's perfect.

One question:

Spoiler

Was there anything else you could do with the bear?

[close]

Ponch · Fri 24/12/2004 20:35:36

I'm glad everyone seems to like it! I plan to turn out another one shortly. If I have the time, I may even polish up the Gun Range Arcade Code Test Game (working title, I assure you) I cobbled together for my upcoming opus The Forever Friday and make another mini game out of it.

SGK - I was sort of shooting for a sci-fi theme as imagined through the filter of 1980s Hollywood when I started the Barn Runner games a few years back. That's why everything has such a 'retro' vibe to it. The sports car with cheezy fiberglass drag to make it futuristic, the high-power energy pistol that is really a conventional automatic pistol dressed up with excitingly chunky bits, even the robot is a Boomer from the old Bubble Gum Crisis cartoon. (Every robot in Barn Runner is from old science fiction - witness C-3PO in the dump.) If it plays a little cliche then that's what I was shooting for. I'm glad you thought the game was great. That makes my day.

Potch - in the future, I'll speed up his walking a bit. Several people e-mailed me with the same complaint. Thanks for the feedback.

Developer - thanks for tipping me off on how to post images. My downloads went way up once I posted some screenshots. Thanks.

And as for Vespr's question:

Spoiler

About the Christmas Present / Teddy Bear - it's the same as the Antique Automatic Pistol you can find: It's just a little bit I threw in for flavor. I mean, what's Christmas without presents to open?

[close]

And to everyone else that posted or e-mailed me, thanks for the feedback!

And with that, I'm taking off for a few days.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Ponch

Doctor Oakroot · Sat 25/12/2004 17:11:16

Nice game. (Even if I'm stuck at the moment).

The guy does walk too slow, but OTOH that matches the 70s retro theme.

MrColossal · Sat 25/12/2004 20:04:51

I really want to play this game because I really like the humor from the old man but I can not play it with his walk speed so slow.

I have no desire to click around the rooms looking at things when he has to walk towards everything so slowly before he looks at something. Any chance of you just updating the game with a faster walk cycle? eh eh?

Mr Flibble · Sat 25/12/2004 20:32:59

The problem can be alleviated by playing through at low res.
With a slow walk cycle AND a snow effect, on a 200Mhz, I really have no choice.

Ponch · Tue 28/12/2004 00:51:22

Several of you asked for a faster walking speed and now you have it!

I've doubled Prick's walking speed and updated the game download link with the new file.

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=download&game=476

Enjoy!

Dave Gilbert · Wed 29/12/2004 12:08:13

Very short and sweet!

I really like the retro vibe, and the backstory of the BGCZ is brilliant.

I was kind of expecting some kind of fancy twist at the end - something to round off that excellent intro - but that's a minor quibble.

Can't wait to see what else you come up with.

-Dave

Ponch · Mon 03/01/2005 06:39:30

I'm glad you liked it Dave. I put a lot of work into the backstory of both the BGCZ and the City. Although the city wasn't featured in this game, I'll be showing off more of it in the future (and in the older Barn Runner games I plan to upload to the web shortly).

As for the rather conventional ending:

I originally had a snazzier ending planned including a nice long flyover of the BGCZ, across the fence line and out across the ash wastes and gun towers. But in order to get it out in time for Christmas, I had to axe it. Other sacrifices also had to be made- I lost another character (a woman ice-fishing in the hole the robot made in the opening cutscene) and an entire side-quest related to her and her cabin hidden deep in the woods.

I have every intention of releasing an anniversary edition of the game next Christmas with all this goodness restored. It will replace the current "Rated-E" version and come in two flavors: "Rated T" and "Rated M". After all, you can't have a hard-boiled detective story without a femme fatale (or at least the BGCZ version of one).

- Ponch

Ionias · Wed 05/01/2005 03:36:56

Cool game. I enjoyed the dialog with the old man, and the retro Back to the Future style. The opening intro was awesome! After that great intro the ending was a little bit disappointing though.

My only other complaint was the soundtrack. The music just didn't seem to fit the game's style. The story and puzzles were all well done. Even if you did steal my puzzle idea for unlocking the car!Ã,Â

Just kidding of course, good job, and I'm looking forward to that *full* version.

who?me? · Thu 06/01/2005 18:16:41

Very good game so far but im stumped.Ã,Â I probably missed something simple but....

Spoiler

I have gotten rid of the bird but can't get the ornament

[close]

Thanks in advance for any help

Babar · Thu 06/01/2005 18:52:21

who?me?

Spoiler

you have to get it something long enough to reach it. You will also need something to "grip" it

[close]

who?me? · Thu 06/01/2005 19:13:40

thanks for the fast reply but

Spoiler

I have the pole just can't figure out what to grip it with

[close]

Ponch · Thu 06/01/2005 23:14:38

Who?Me?, here is the answer to that puzzle. Hope it helps.

Spoiler

Use the Long Pole on the sap-covered piece of firewood. This will give you a pole with a plug of sap at the end. Use this to get the ornament down.

[close]

Glad you liked the game!

- Ponch

who?me? · Fri 07/01/2005 01:19:42

Thanks so much.... now that you say it I really should have known that lol... good games shouldn't be too easy though... good job 8)

splat44 · Fri 07/01/2005 23:05:04

Quote from: Ponch on Tue 21/12/2004 20:55:45
Thanks everyoneÃ,Â for being kind to my new game!

For the guest stuck on the "Bird" Screen:

Spoiler
There is a small, shadowed nook between the trees on the lower right hand side of the screen. Walk back there and try to find a way to distract the bird once you've looked at him (or his nest) and learned about his weakness: Place something that glitters on the web.
[close]

Developer, there is a screenshot available on the games page. Should I post a link to it here? I'm new! I don't know what to do!

What glitters thing you told about and where can I find it?

Ponch · Fri 07/01/2005 23:50:27

splat44

Here's the answer to your questions:

Spoiler

Use the empty pistol to smash the DataLink. Use the broken glass you get on the web.

[close]

Hope that helps.

splat44 · Sat 08/01/2005 05:31:53

Thank you Ponch for the hint

Cheers

splat44

desimaui · Fri 25/02/2005 22:29:19

Quote from: Ponch on Fri 07/01/2005 23:50:27
splat44

Here's the answer to your questions:

Spoiler
Use the empty pistol to smash the DataLink. Use the broken glass you get on the web.
[close]

Hope that helps.

Okay I got the ornament down from the tree but what do I do with it?

Ponch · Sun 27/02/2005 01:08:43

Hi, Desimaui. Thanks for playing the game.

As for what to do with the ornament...

Spoiler

You need to take the ornament to the old man in the cabin - Use the Multi Tool to open the door, if you haven't done so already. Then give the ornament to the old man.

[close]

And there you have it!

desimaui · Sun 27/02/2005 02:09:32

Quote from: Ponch on Sun 27/02/2005 01:08:43
Hi, Desimaui. Thanks for playing the game.

As for what to do with the ornament...
Spoiler
You need to take the ornament to the old man in the cabin - Use the Multi Tool to open the door, if you haven't done so already. Then give the ornament to the old man.
[close]

And there you have it!

Well Thaks Ponch