Gnome's Homebrewing Adventure

Started by gnomix, Tue 26/12/2017 09:45:52

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gnomix

Hi there!


So let's get started. Gnome's Homebrewing Adventure is my first AGS game. It's a point&click sort-of adventure, where the goal is to brew and bottle a beer in the gnome's kitchen. Homebrewing is a topic I am familiar with, so I decided to use that as the theme of the game.
The images, sounds and music are all home-made.
Didn't mess too much with the controls, the cursors represent actions: Walk, Look At, Use/Pick Up, you can change the cursor using the mouse right-button or the scroll-wheel. The action panel, inventory link and the menu are on the top of the screen. If you get stuck, try asking the wise cat for instructions.

Here's the DOWNLOAD LINK
I've created an installer for the game, but for those who don't like them, it's possible to skip adding any desktop shortcuts and similar stuff.

Any comments, thoughts and suggestions would really be appreciated.
I hope you'll enjoy the game, and perhaps it might also get you interested in homebrewing. (nod)

Cheers!


Cassiebsg

Hi, congrats on your first game. (nod)

Can you provide a zip file for the game too? Some of us really really hate installers! 8-0
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

gnomix

#2
Thanks!

HERE is a link to the ZIP file, since you asked so nicely. (nod)

CaptainD

Looks nice - have some family and friends who have homebrewed, haven't tried it myself.  Nice different take for an AG plot - not making a potion to save the world or anything, just making some beer! :-D  Congrats on releasing your first game (of many, hopefully ;)).
 

Click'd

Two things: Why "evil" gnome? And the hotspot for the thermometer does not disappear when you take it. Can be interacted with infinitely.

Looks good so far.

Oh, and you should have gone with the name of the folder, "Gnomebrew", as title.  (laugh)

gnomix

Quote from: ClickClickClick on Tue 26/12/2017 11:19:43
Two things: Why "evil" gnome?

It's this homebrewing blog I write, called "zao gnom" (in Croatian), meaning "evil gnome".
The origins of the name... heh. I had been using "gnome" as a nickname a lot, and "evil" because I wanted to express a punk-ish/metal attitude.
Maybe not such a great explanation, but it doesn't really matter much for this game anyway. :-[(laugh)

Thanks for the bug report, found one more hotspot with the same problem.

Cheers!

Frodo

That gnome is just so CUTE!!!  :cheesy:

Must play this when I get home. 

gnomix

Fixed some more nasty bugs, you might want to download the refreshed game.
My testing department is underpaid. :D

Cheers.

Cassiebsg

#8
Hey, found a game crashing bug, disregard if you already found it and fixed it (I was playing the 1st version of the game).
Spoiler

Quote
In the inventory I used the sanitizer on the hose and...
---------------------------
Adventure Game Studio
---------------------------
An error has occurred. Please contact the game author for support, as this is likely to be a scripting error and not a bug in AGS.
(ACI version 3.4.0.13)


Error: post_script_cleanup call stack exceeded: possible recursive function call? running iHoses_UseInv

---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

[close]

EDIT:
So I've finished it now. (nod)
Nice little game and cute graphics and good animations. The "nope" sound was annoying to be honest, and I missed the option of turning it off. I didn't want to turn all the sounds and music off, cause I loved the ambient music and the SFX added some great atmosphere.

Now for some critic (hopefully constructive one):
Spoiler

First thing to notice is the huge drop down menu, I think it would have worked much more subtle if it was half the height. Second is that this game should have used 2 click interface, since there's no really need for any other mode.
The Gnome was often in front of the action, since you can't click or do anything with him, just set him to non-clickable, and maybe move him to the side, so he's not in front of what you wish to interact with.
Inventory item cursor should have a mark for the interacting hotspot, as it can be a bit hard to place things in the right spot.

However, I found the order of doing stuff a bit annoying and with no real help in his reply (instead of "nope" you could say why not since many times I knew what to do, just not the order or doing it)... like you tell me to use water and sugar to melt in the small cup, but I had to ask the cat to figure out I needed to measure it first. :-\ This just an example of many. Like for instance why did I need to but the cap before putting the bottle? I realize you need both, but the order here is irrelevant and just frustrated me.

And just a little thing in the cutscene when he takes the brewer to the storage... I had turned the light off, so he walked in the dark and put the stuff there. Think it would be better to make him turn the light on, place the brew and turn off the light. (this is really just a tinny bit of nitpicking to be honest... (laugh) (roll) )
[close]

Anyway, great little 1st game and hope you continue to make game! (nod)
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

gnomix

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Tue 26/12/2017 18:22:26
Now for some critic (hopefully constructive one):

Thanks for the comments!
Some of the things you mention were done on purpose, some were just the easy way out, I admit. :)
I'll think about the possible improvements. Not sure if I'll adjust this game, or just try to use this wisdom in my future projects.

Glad you liked it in general, cheers!

Shadow1000

My comments:

First, as noted, the graphics and effects and sounds are excellent. As far as gameplay, I don't think this was intended so much as a traditional puzzle-solver or story game but rather as a proof of concept to get started with AGS where the player goes through the motions of the author's hobby, using inventory and a hint system and so on. As such, it was a nice experience.

Unless I'm wrong I don't think that any player on his/her own would be able to get through the game without help from the cat. I did play around a bit to try to figure out what to do next by trial and error rather than using the cat for instructions and I did get a few tasks done but I don't think there would be any way to complete the game that way.

Anyway, I hope to see more releases from this author!


gnomix

Quote from: Shadow1000 on Wed 27/12/2017 15:08:54
...

Thank you for the kind words. :)

You're pretty much right, I needed a topic to try out AGS, so I used my hobby - homebrewing. As it went on, I decided to finish it into an actual game. (the result is code which might not be my best work :D )
The game can be used to teach people who are interested in getting into homebrewing, as this is pretty much how it works. So, even if you didn't ask the cat for instructions, you could actually  search the web for homebrewing topics and figure it out like that.
There is SOME freedom in the order in which you can do things, but some for some parts the "story" is forced. Sometimes because I wanted to make small "sub-chapters", sometimes because it's the way I do it in my kitchen (and find it to be the best way), and sometimes because it was easier for me to animate and code it with a "forced action order". :)

Cheers!








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