This odd feeling (MAGS entry Feb 2010)

Started by Wyz, Fri 26/02/2010 00:36:46

Previous topic - Next topic

Wyz

This odd Feeling

Gary and his girlfriend are on a camping trip
when their car nearly hits a deer and needs gas.
They set up their tent and Gary looks for help the next day.
What he finds are even more problems;
Mystery, conflic and deceit.

An old school game with a lot of humor,
mystery and adventure.

The intro can be skipped by pressing Escape.



Download (1.3 MB)

All questions, comments or tips about the game or the game play are welcome.
Expect spelling error's, I made this game under great time pressure. ;)

I hope you'll enjoy it.
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

piperhcombs

I have just downloaded your game; however I've encountered a technical issue. It seems that you have optimized your games to run with the Direct3D graphics driver, and as the PC I'm trying to play it on doesn't have it installed, I switched over to DirectDraw. This usually isn't an issue with other games. However when I launch your game the game window is all greyed out like the contrast is off or like I'm viewing it through fog. It's the same all the way through the title screen, cutscene and gameplay. I'm pretty sure that's not how its supposed to looks because the screenshot above is completely clear. I tried a different AGS game and it was perfectly fine. Any idea why this would happen? 
:cheers: + :claps:

Temperance&Booth  Sydney&Vaughn  Nadia&Weiss

Wyz

There is a filter that tints the complete screen, I'm pretty sure that is what's causing problems. I'll create a way to turn it off in the next release for you. :)
Thanks for pointing this out!
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

Vukul

I think that there's no need to flood the MAGS thread anymore. So I'll put my question here (it's the same as Lisa's, but still): is there any hint (other than Gary's words about 'heating sight') that can help to solve the fence puzzle?
  

-=Lisa=-

figured it out..

Spoiler

You need to show the barbwire to the farmer.
[close]

-=Lisa=-

And found a game locking-bug...

Spoiler

After sorting out the feud...

If you talk to Hector before using the next card you get an empty dialog with hector that you cant exit. so its quit/restore save.


[close]

Vukul

Just finished it and rushed here to say something: Well, I really liked the game! In the end, I had just one feeling, that the only weak point were the graphics and animations. But as you were making it alone, it doesn't count ;)
Everything else, the plot: the dialogs and puzzles were about right and sensible (well, almost always, as it got very challenging when it came to the use of the cards, but the idea itself I find very good and original!).

Very good work. And quite long one, too, which also an advantage.
  

Wyz

Thanks for you feed back! I've solved the bugs you mentioned so far. For the weird screen tint when playing with direct draw, go to settings and set the Eeriness all the way to the left. I have to say that it looses some of its charm, but at least it's playable.

Version 1.0.0.1
Changes:
+Added a way to disable screen tinting
*fixed hanging dialog of hector
*fixed use interaction of gary
*intro music stops when intro skipped
*minor error's fixed
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

JimmyShelter

I get stuck way in the beginning. Talked to everyone, but I have no idea what I can do now.

Can't buy anything, can't pick up anything, I seem to be missing something.

Leon

Did you speak to the fortuneteller? Then you must have the cards.

Spoiler
Use the cards while talking to the fruit & veg guy. At first it seems a bit strange when to use the cards but after a while you'll get the feeling.
[close]
Ultimate Game Solutions - Because there is a solution for everything

JimmyShelter

#10
Quote from: Leon on Sun 28/02/2010 20:14:03
Did you speak to the fortuneteller? Then you must have the cards.

Spoiler
Use the cards while talking to the fruit & veg guy. At first it seems a bit strange when to use the cards but after a while you'll get the feeling.
[close]

Thanks!

Spoiler

After I found out how the cards work I got a lot further already.
[close]

Edit:
Seems I got stuck again.
Spoiler

I asked Rosa about the dirty tractor, and she gave me a sponge, only I don't see it in my inventory. Is this a bug or don't I need the sponge?
[close]

Leon

That's right, another awkward moment.
Spoiler
You need to get it out of her backpack first (she only said you could have it... ;-)
[close]
Ultimate Game Solutions - Because there is a solution for everything

JimmyShelter

Finished!

I did get just 490 or something points of the 900, so I probably still missed a few things.

All in all a fun little game, especially considering it was made so quickly. If Wyz puts more time into his next game, I'm certainly looking forward to it!

Wyz

Thanks! :D

About the feud:
Spoiler

Originally all chores could be done in two ways, but I cut them all out because they were either confusing or very lame. The dirty windows + tractor chore on the other hand can be done in six different ways (both in 3 ways).
Spoiler

1. Your own sponge  2. Rosa's sponge  3. That hideous scarf
Option 2 will give you 10 extra points because you either keep your own sponge, or it isn't costing you any money ;)
[close]
[close]

The cards give a maximum score of 100 points,
each time you use a card at the wrong place or time it will lose a quarter of its value:
100 75 56 42 and so on. :)
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

Vukul

Quote from: Wyz on Sun 28/02/2010 23:46:04
The cards give a maximum score of 100 points,
each time you use a card at the wrong place or time it will lose a quarter of its value:
100 75 56 42 and so on. :)

A-ha! Now I see why I got only 500+something points in the end :)
Hm... Now I definitely should go and play once again to get the full score... Is there any reward for it in the end?
  

Leon

#15
You can get a maximum score (and over) if you keep talking to Farmer Jake. It's only 10 points each time but still....  :)

typo when talking to the farmer: I bag your --> I beg your

Not sure if this was mentioned already:
Talking to Rosa after returning to camp the first time, suggests that Rosa has been to the village already...
These topics should appear after visiting the village.

Ultimate Game Solutions - Because there is a solution for everything

SinSin

Will get round to finishing this game dude, really enjoying the graphic style and the feel   good work
Currently working on a project!

tzachs

Whoa, just finished the game with the scary unintended score of 666!!! Yikes...

Anyways, I really liked the game overall: nice story (with an interesting twist), nice graphics with a certain charm to them (I wasn't a fan at first but it grew on me  ;) ), and the idea with the cards was brilliant, very innovative which I love.

However, I also had many problems with the game:
The story: Some parts of the story were illogical to me.
Spoiler
What was the motivation for the guy to help solve the feud after the farmers already told him they would help him with the gas (it's not just solving the feud, it's doing hard work)? If I want to be consistent with the twist that follows, I guess the girl should 'order' him to solve the feud even if he didn't feel like it. Why did the girl kept it a secret from the hero all this time (and made him lose control over the car which is very dangerous)? There were more things, I think, though I can't remember them now...
[close]

The puzzles: I felt some of the puzzles were artificially put there to make the game longer, but they didn't really have any useful addition to the game... The most obvious one was
Spoiler
Two identical cleaning puzzles?
[close]
but I also found some other ones unnecessary
Spoiler
Using all the vegetables, using the knife, asking the farmer for the chair...
[close]
Also, some of the puzzles missed hints (this was probably due to lack of time)
Spoiler
Using the bucket with water on the window gave no hint that soap was needed too... The puzzle with the bird was even misleading: if you use the tree he goes and hide behing the tree which implied to me that beyond that the bird will see me, then when using the cape when I was behind the tree said that I wasn't close enough I was sure that I can't go any further, and was even more sure that I need to give the cape to the girl which is standing right next to the bird... took me a lot of time to figure that wasn't true  ;)
[close]

The cards: while the cards are a great idea, I found it hard to use them because they didn't have description when you hovered the mouse over them and they didn't give any indication when you selected them, and also because
Spoiler
I had no idea I needed to play the cards in the middle of the conversation, I was sure I needed to play them in between the conversations and that will make him ask the questions. Also, there was another misleading thing: when talking to the fortune teller and asking her about the cards she says that she is showing them in 'chronological order' which made me think that I need to use the first card first, and only then go onwards etc, which of course isn't true...
[close]

Metagaming: there was a discussion about this not long ago here. Basically, most people thought that saying "I don't see a reason to take that object" is not a good design choice, and you used it a lot. Even if you do choose to go that road, then I think you need to be consistent and you weren't
Spoiler
You can take the coal for example long before you need it, as opposed to the snail...
[close]

I believe if you had more time to design the story&puzzles, most of these issues would have gone away, and then you would have an absolute gem in your hands... However, the game was nice enough to give me a good impressions even with all these issues...

Wyz

QuoteAnyways, I really liked the game overall: nice story (with an interesting twist), nice graphics with a certain charm to them (I wasn't a fan at first but it grew on me   ), and the idea with the cards was brilliant, very innovative which I love.
Thanks!
Well I feel I should explain a few of my decisions as they had certainly thought in them.

About the story
Spoiler

I actually knew people would fall over the fact Gary would still try to resolve the feud, I put in some hint but none very obvious. Gary is just the person that has the fix things, we want to make things good again, no matter what  he has to do. Even more, since he's stranded, he quite bored (let's say the guy has a case of ADHD.) Rosa actually doesn't really know much about the feud since it was after she left. The car accident was also not her intention, she was afraid that if Gary saw her reading the map, he would get suspicious.
[close]

About the puzzles
Spoiler

Yes, I could have thought up better chores if I had more time, but there is a pattern which also is quite subtle until you know it.
The farmers released Hector's bird so hector cut the fence so the cows would get away.
The farmers would be angry and drive their tractor over Hectors chair.
Hector would be angry about the tractor, so he throws rotten tomatoes at it.
The farmers would throw cow dung on Hector's windows.
Hector would be angry about the cows, so he scares them.
I could even let it get worse, but this was sufficient :D
[close]

About meta gaming, well I do't share your opinion about consistency. I like to tune the amount of things a player carries around at a certain point, so he is either not confused, or not bored. But I'll leave the rest of that discussion for the meta topic. :P

Quote from: Sinsin on Mon 01/03/2010 17:11:59
Will get round to finishing this game dude, really enjoying the graphic style and the feel   good work

Thanks! :D

QuoteHm... Now I definitely should go and play once again to get the full score... Is there any reward for it in the end?
That's actually a good idea! I'll look into that.

Quote from: Leon on Mon 01/03/2010 10:51:24
You can get a maximum score (and over) if you keep talking to Farmer Jake. It's only 10 points each time but still....  :)

typo when talking to the farmer: I bag your --> I beg your

Not sure if this was mentioned already:
Talking to Rosa after returning to camp the first time, suggests that Rosa has been to the village already...
These topics should appear after visiting the village.

Wow, thanks for pointing these out! I'll fix them in the next release.
Life is like an adventure without the pixel hunts.

Leon

I have the feeling there's something not completely right with the scoring? Using the monster card and the bearded man card didn't give me any points although they were removed from the bar and hadn't been used before. Are there other moments in the game they should be used? Why is a card removed without earning points?

Before entering the final ceremony I have 530 points. At the ceremony I use my last card and at the credit screen I see I've earned 674 points. ??

You can see my actions here. If there's any error or wrong sequence, please let me know.
Ultimate Game Solutions - Because there is a solution for everything

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk