First of all, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas, and I hope you have a superb new year! Don't forget to buy A Peter Griffin Christmas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjABE6IsR2o) album! However, what I'm interested to know is how you feel you've gotten on in the world of game development this year?
This year has been a major boost for myself. Two to three years ago, I was attempting to develop about 6 things at once. I was slowly learning that a method like that was time-wasting and simply un-productive, which is why I whittled down all of the projects I was working on to 1. FoY! It wasn't until early this year, around February that the demo really looked like it was going to see the light of day. As the project began in 2001, that's a 5 year wait! The efforts of the team members was truly inspiring, they did a great job and it was their efforts that really made the demo, rather than my own. I just made sure there were no punch-ups :P Naturally, all the reviews, magazine articles etc were a real high-point. It was just a bit of a shame that the demo was well received everywhere except the AGS forums, but to be fair it's been a bit "hit or miss" for a lot of people.
Through 2005, I also felt my music work was lacking. I hadn't really worked on any soundtracks other than the music for the FoY demo and the small game Alien Time Zone. But then out of nowhere came a bundle of projects, including Trilby's Notes, Nelly Cootalot and a couple of others. Also, after the break-up with my girlfriend, I managed to find the motivation to sit down for hours on end and finish the Kinky Island demo. That was a very satisfying feeling.
Spain Mittens also topped it off. It was awesome to see everyone yet again, meet really nice new people and do some fantastically fun things - but also because from 8pm til 3am every night, it got extremely (and hillariously) sloppy, for reasons I won't mention because it might make someone like Scotch "angry". :P Also, the new Screen 7 website really kicked off during 2006, and has had a LOT of visitors over the year.
So I think it's fair to say that for myself, 2006 has probably been the most productive, most rewarding AGS year for myself. What about you, good year or not? :)
Please keep this AGS game related. For "life" in general, use this thread:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=28902.0
:D
m0ds
*waves at Mr m0ds*
Well I joined here in Oct 2005 shortly after getting a computer!
I started making one game, and made MANY mistakes and didn't release it. Learned many things though.
So this year was more productive because I actually released a game! Secrets has been downloaded 938 times so far, which I am pleased about. Especially as I thought it would sink without a trace 'cos of the graphics! 938 might seem like a small number to some more experience game makers on here (?), but little ol' me done good for a first game!
I'm already working on another game, but that's a 2007 title! (And having all that game making experience under my belt is making this new title better! Yay I learned things!) Okay so obviously this year is my most AGS-productive as I've only been here for around 14 months!
Oh, I also ditched one game, this silly photographs-glued-together-in-photoshop game where the people spoke from me taking two photos of them. One with their mouth open and one with it shut! That sure looked funny! I am going now. Later.
Wrote 18 modules, beta-tested two excellent games for Dave Gilbert, not bad in AGS terms...
Well, I don't have much talent or abillity to make a game. But I did join AGS this year in Feburary, I've downloaded and played many games. And I did get the privalage to beta test a game for my friend ManicMatt. So, this obviously was my best year here in the AGS community. I made some cool friends and played some great games! I am very thankful that I discovered the site!!! Cheers to all and happy holidays!!!
Well... Where to begin? I have really gotten nowhere when it comes to games development. I think I have cancelled one ongoing game from last year, started, and ended one game, and got a mac which I love, but removes any chance of me actually opening the AGS editor.
Forum related, I think I have gotten alot further. Not that there is an actual way to get further in forums, but I really like the way things are turning out. Dunno why.. Maybe people have started hating me less.
Lately though, I actually picked up my productivity. I am writing a story for a game, which are by now about 2 pages long. I have several backgrounds ready, a finished sprite with animation etc. :) I'm not promoting anything here, but it seems like I actually found a way to work. I do almost everything here on the mac, and when I feel it's time, I take the whole process to the livingroom where the pc is. So, I have a pc, but the family uses it alot, so it would be hopeless for me to make everything there. Setting my limit much lower too for this game so I won't get tired of the amount of work needed.
So to sum it up.. It looks like it's going better :)
As far as game development, I'd label this a bad year. Some of the problem stems from the fact that I probably had my hardest semester this year. And the last semester was a close second, so my free time hasn't been flowing as it did when I was in high school.
I did actually manage to get some work done on Ace Quest 2, but unfortunatly, had a situation where I needed to format the entire system, and the last backup I had was from 2003, and most everything there, other than graphics, had been reworked.
Over the summer I had been working on a project outside of AGS and finally took the time to learn some of the Allegro Libraries. Luckily, I had worked on that on my parents computer, and all the work is still there. However, due to a full-time job, I didn't get as far as I'd have liked.
On another note, I did finally delve into the latest version of AGS, my last version was quite old, and didn't have the new style of coding. While I do like the more object oriented approach, I still am adjusting to it. And right now I'm pretty inert because I just came home and am visiting all the family I can.
-MillsJROSS
2006 was, as the asians say, interesting times. I started out working for a french RPG, whilst I slowly spiralled down into bedlam. Yes, I was rather lost there, or rather, sharper than ever. It may be the beginnings of serious schizophrenia or just a nosedive from my funny-pills, but I was locked into the nut house for a couple of weeks. Very educational experience. Thought "One flew over the cuckoos nest" to be outdated? Not at all. Ok, I didn't receive a lobotomy, but did however lose my right to decide over my life and my freedom, and all due to a single doctors judgement. The nut house is like prison, only with less cavity searches and I didn't become anyones bitch. Ok, so I wanted out. And I got out. But hey, interesting times it was.
I spent the summer in a haze, didn't do much. Met friends. Roleplayed alot. No summer larp this season.. either. But a lot of larp-action going on in spring and autumn. I even started my own saga along with two good friends, one which currently reside in China, the other in Kloster, which has about the same technical advancement only the second being a dump in Sweden.
But the Autumn was salvation. I finally got my inspiration back. Or rather, forced myself to produce. I have been on a dry slope more than a year, but I started making comics again. And it felt good. Got a position as an assistant for a established swedish cartoonist, but it has run into the sand. Started up Vampires Suck, made a month worth of strips I will push upon unwilling publishers. Feels really good!
AGS then. No Mittens this year. Started up two projects, the second being the first evolved. But I have come to the rash conclusion that adventure games is not the medium I prefer telling my stories in. Will ILB ever release another game? I really don't know. Right now, I wouldnt count on it.
Still unemployed, but I do the occasional hours as a art teacher in my old school. Want to kill the little critters! Oh well, can't win them all. :=
2006 = great, because I stumbled upon AGS this year ;D
I discovered it after I got curious what that 'AGS' may be the credits of 7 days a skeptic refer to and... well... I wound up doing adventures three days later!
Well I certainly haven't had a productive year... Last Christmas I starting playing a free MMORPG I got rather addicted to. I looked at AGS less and less until I completely stopped. Finally broke free, but its left me feeling like I've wasted a year. Its not all bad though, I got to working on their stories and quest teams for a bit, so my writing has improved, especially dialogues. Now I have a lot more enthusiasm for writing, and I'm itching to work on my own projects again. :) So while this year hasn't been good, I'm hoping next year will be.
Oh, and I'm back. :=
This has been a good year for me. I was having a bit of a creative dry streak. In the past I used to do modeling, texturing, and level design for 3D shooters, but for a long time I just wasn't being creative. Then out of the blue I decided to make a 2D adventure game, and I've been working nonstop ever since.
2006 marked my introduction to AGS. Many thanks to the venerable Mr. Jones and this community. I've been impressed many of your projects, including BaRoN's "The Winter Rose", Ali's upcoming "Nelly Cootalot: Spoonbeaks Ahoy", DanClarke's "The Legend of the Lost Lagoon", and iSTVAN's "Sydney Finds Employment". It's really motivating to see people making quality products. So everybody keep working, ya?
I've been tinkering with an unannounced game for about three months. It's been a lot of fun so far. (I should begin a production thread in mid 2007, but content may begin to dribble into the Critics' Lounge before then. My plan is for 2007 to be even better than 2006 was!)
Happy New Year to all!
This year I made my first two games, which -- despite their bugs and crappiness -- both won in the MAGS competition. I wanted to start an RPG project, but failed in graphics, which I am currently improving. There are some other ideas floating in my mind. Let's see what 2007 will bring.
The game that really impressed me this year: 'Duty and Beyond' by Mordalles.
cheers
nihilyst
I would have to say 2006 has been the best for me so far because I found AGS and started working with AGS on my first ever game, realising my life long dream of making a game for the first time and I am going to try and make 2007 an even better year with working in AGS on my game. I have a really good teacher here from the forums ;) so my scripting is getting better. Good luck for 2007 all of you, I reckon if you put your hearts in it, you'll make the best of it ;)
I released two games this year, that means I'm slowly getting the hang of finishing my projects. If that's not an improvement, then I don't know what it is!
Good luck with both your running and future projects, all of you! :D
I beta tested other people's games this year. Yeah.
Well I released 3 games in total.
Joined some competitions.
Won one MAGS.
And had alot of fun!
And also made alot of music!
Only thing I would need to get this year perfect is my GF! (though that is not AGS related)
so yeah, I have had a good year.
Had some ups and downs but that is pretty usual I guess.
Won a short story competition, was more active in the AGS community than ever before, and I've got a pretty good thing going with my game.
I wrote... *counts* 17 songs in the past year. I wrote... *counts* 24 stories and 9 poems. I painted 12 paintings and made 4 pixel-posters for different people.
I got a new and amazing job. I'm single again, and hell I'm loving it ;D
If I hadn't been, none of these things would've been done :P
An uneventful year for me, sadly. I intend to make 2007 the year I get my book published!
Oops! I almost forgot that I became a Grand Slam Winner in 2006. ;D How did I forget that? ???