...Galaxy Of Fantabulous Wonderment (new Yahtzee)

Gonzo · Mon 25/07/2005 15:15:38

I haven't seen this mentioned here yet, but Yahtzee (of Rob Blanc, Odysseus Kent and 'X Days an X' series fame) has unleashed another AGS game, Adventures in the Galaxy of Fantabulous Wonderment.

As far as I know he still doesn't come here, but I thought his last few adventure games were awesome, and I know many here have enjoyed them. So I thought I'd announce it for him, with his own proviso: "Please note that, at time of writing, this is a largely untested version of GFW (at least, untested by anyone other than me). Play it now by all means, I'm just saying that later versions may have less bugs."

I've only played a few minutes so far, but it seems very interesting. He marks this one out as an attempt to push AGS's potential, adding space trading, free-roaming exploration, side quests etc. to the typical adventure formula.

Adventures in the Galaxy of Fantabulous Wonderment info & download
Home page of Yahtzee's website - latest post (25/7/05) talks about the game and some inspirations for it

Kweepa · Mon 25/07/2005 20:13:59

Looks bloody superb so far!
Where does Yahtzee get the time??

magintz · Mon 25/07/2005 20:26:37

What a coincidence I was thinking not more than 10 minutes ago if Yahtzee has made or is making another game.

Cyberhead · Mon 25/07/2005 20:59:18

He says he's quit but he never does.
Yipee-ky-ay!

earlwood · Mon 25/07/2005 22:20:34

Quote from: Cyberhead on Mon 25/07/2005 20:59:18
He says he's quit but he never does.

I'm glad he never keeps to that.

I just got done reffering 7 Days a Skeptic to someone when I found this..Oh happy days!

sovka · Mon 25/07/2005 22:37:28

I guess Yathzee is reading this thread as well, so I post my thoughts here, can't be bothered to register at dozens of forums.

The only major bug I found that caused the game to crash was when I tried to buy too much missiles at the Bloody Towel, the error message was:

"(Global script line 1214)
Error: NewRoom: two NewRoom/RunDiaolg/StopDialog requests within dialog"

Other than that I only encountered minor design flaws such as the first boss fight. Come on, there was absolutely no need to rescue me, my opponent didn't even shoot at me once. But since that's the story, the boss should really be more resistant against the Tractor Beam to give me some trouble.
The dialog puzzle on the asteroids belt could have also been done better. At first he didn't want to work with me because he thinks I'm from the university, but then I just claim something else and he's happy. How about showing him an item to back my story up?
Mr. Hole's gun shooting sound is missing in the first pistol duel.
I can still see the severed hand in the GUI after the long cutscene.

The rest was great, it had nice mini games and graphics (that Matrix room with all the victims was pretty darn impressive) and most important really good gameplay, although I don't believe I only saw 31% of the game as stated in the end. I'm going to look at that fishing bit tomorrow.

edmundito · Mon 25/07/2005 23:20:58

When is Yahtzee going to get the nuts to post his completed games on this forum?

KrisMacDee · Tue 26/07/2005 13:45:30

Edmundo: I've noticed that myself.Are the ags forums not good enough for him?
Anyway, I'm downloading now with high expectations!

Bigmac

pcj · Tue 26/07/2005 14:27:53

Woo! Bloody brilliant, I say. Great job.

Pod · Tue 26/07/2005 18:42:37

Basically: It's not really important; he doesn't want to post here.
Simple

Kweepa · Tue 26/07/2005 23:18:14

The Redshirt is an awesome creation.
It clears up the logic of Ego's death and subsequent foreknowledge of what to do.
I'm impressed.

pcj · Tue 26/07/2005 23:35:12

Dude! Just beat it...great game.

I really liked the Star Trek references.

Nostradamus · Thu 28/07/2005 14:20:53

This game is so cool.

It's so very Star Control.. only not as complicated, easier battles and no dozens of irrelevant empty planets. So for me it's better than Star Control. So thumbs way up for doing that Yahtzee!

Helm · Fri 29/07/2005 07:36:08

QuoteBasically: It's not really important; he doesn't want to post here.
Simple

Not sure what you mean, Pod. Care to clarify a little? What's not important? The reason he doesn't want to post here? Or do you mean that this forum is not important?

Obviously, people who don't hang around the forums generally should be free to post their games (wasn't No Action Jackson released by a person who never posted?) around here, but I'm really sceptical of the by-proxy release. If Yahtzee doesn't care enough to release in these forums, Gonzo, don't do it for him. I knew of the game like anyone else who is interested in what Yahtzee does, without having to come here. He has a high-traffic website. He's distanced himself from this forum for his own respected reasons, and to a degree I feel your posting of his game here undermines them.

The game is enjoyable and well-made, from the few hours I played it. Sadly the mechanics are a bit transparent, which I guess is the price to pay for putting space fighting, trading and adventure game elements in the same game. I mean, the overal mechanic is easily to see, and it becomes a trade-route routine, with the occasional adventure game segment. The space fights are the most rudimentary of all. Generally, the space fighting/trading part of the game is not nearly fleshed out enough to stand on it's own. The adventure part is quite a bit more up to yahtzee's standards, though. So I guess the sum of the parts for me makes for a quirky but interesting experience. It feels 'light' I guess. A better implemented space dogfight system and the ability to explore space rather than go from checkpoint to checkpoint would be a definite plus for me.

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Fri 29/07/2005 08:15:42

No, no, please Gonzo and anyone else. If he doesn't like his games being announced here, let him say so somewhere. Until then, since I don't check his page (and am not about to do it every day jyst to know when he's made a new game), this is the only way I have to know when he's released new games. And I like to play his games AND intend to collect all released AGS games - that's why I've enabled notification for this board.

Besides, it's not undermining at all - it strengthens his positions. He doesn't want to post, and yet we WANT his games. So we're forced to post ourselves. I don't like by-proxy release any more than you do, but it's certainly not undermining. In fact, it's quite like a fan forum, or free publicity.

Gonzo · Fri 29/07/2005 10:26:42

No, I don't think it's wrong or undermining Yahtzee to let people know he has a new game, once he's published it on his website.

I thought it was important to repeat what he said about it possibly being a little buggy, but he's put it out on the Internet because he wants people to play it. Is it meant to be a secret?

Someone here would have drawn our attention to it at some point if it wasn't me. Maybe this particular forum wasn't the best place to post in hindsight, as I was 'announcing by proxy', which is a bit iffy, but the effect is the same - AGS people see there's a new Yahtzee game, and check it out.

I have no idea how high-traffic that website is, or how many of you visit it regularly, but a large amount of the people who'd enjoy a new Yahtzee game visit these very forums, so I just thought I'd point it out. If Yahtzee says he hates his games being announced here for whatever reason, my sincere apologies of course, and I certainly wouldn't do it again. But I would have guessed he'd be happy for people who like this kind of game to download and play it.

Helm · Fri 29/07/2005 13:15:42

It's not so much that I'd guess he hates his games being released here -- quite the contrary. Anyway, I won't make an even bigger deal out of this, wouldn't want to derail the thread further.

Pod · Fri 29/07/2005 13:39:07

Quote from: Helm on Fri 29/07/2005 07:36:08
Not sure what you mean, Pod. Care to clarify a little? What's not important? The reason he doesn't want to post here? Or do you mean that this forum is not important?

The reason! I thuoght that was clear from the post, sorry

Anyway, there has been a few bug fixes and changes if any of you care. Just go to his website and see.

Gonzo · Fri 29/07/2005 17:09:57

Not sure how far in I am now, but I did a big chunk of the game today, and it's a lot of fun. I think I'll echo Helm's comments about space combat - for how much of it there is at times, it is pretty samey and simple. But as an experiment in combining different types of gameplay it's just part of a very cool bigger picture. You have to make cash, which you can do in several different ways (most obviously in exploiting lucrative trade routes) and the game diverges into neat little minigames, some optional, some part of the main storyline. It becomes a very different flavour of AGS game, which is good to see.

Also, quite funny at times. The stupid Redshirt deaths are great! Nicely referential (Star Trek/Sierra).

Another hit from Yahtzee, it seems. Nice one.

pcj · Fri 29/07/2005 17:34:28

I thought the civilization dedicated to math was interesting...Silly Necroxians.