Graphic Novel Adventures On AGS?

[Xionix]

One of my favorites games of all time is Snatcher, an adventure game for the Sega CD. Also, my favorites non-indie games of this gen are the Ace Attorneys series and 999. I wonder is there are any games like that in the AGS engine, or at least a work progress. I think in those type of games you can have more dialogue between the characters, and good character development.

[Eric]

Ponch's latest game, Barn Runner: The Mayor's New Dress, might fit what you're looking for. I've only played it for the first time this morning, and it's part of a series in which I've not played the other games, but it was still fun. Kind of a graphic Choose-Your-Own-Adventure.

Could you give some more details about Snatcher? Is it a game with still images and mostly dialogue / choice of a few actions options? I'm thinking of trying to enter a MAGS competition one of these months, and this format might be doable for me.

[Xionix]

Thx!!! I will check that game. About Snatcher, the easiest explanation is to compare it to the Ace Attorney series, if you have not play it is like this:
Is with still images, with lips moving and the portrait of the character change when there's a emotion like fear or sadness, but its got action sequences in the style of Point Blank, I think is called lightgun shooter or something.. You choice dialogue options, explore the enviroment (still image) for clues. Is a very simple tactic, but work well if you want to put a lot of dialogue in the game. Good luck on the contest btw.

[Armageddon]

I'd say Ponch's entire Barn Runner series plays a lot like Snatcher. There was also a rural england detective game with portrait speech and such that was in development.

[Jimbob]

Not made in AGS but definitely of the Snatcher mold, are the Fedora Spade series in Game Maker. Along with a similar adventure called Missing.

http://studioeres.com/games/fedora
http://studioeres.com/games/missing

I really wanted to start a similar engine in AGS at one point, but I've not really got around to it.
I do like the style...

[Xionix]

I see, I will take a look at the Barn Runner series. Fedora Spade, I remember hearing about that a long time ago, I will check it out, must be real good if you compare it to Snatcher (yes, I really love that game). I don't know why so few adventure games use this style, but that makes
them more unique.

[Ponch]

I hope you view the first few Barn Runner games with a charitable eye. They're almost ten years old and I didn't know as much about AGS (v2.5) then as I do now. 

[Xionix]

Will do, also, I discover AGS like 2 years ago, so there were some old games I played to catch up, like the Yathzee games so I also like the old stuff. Now that you are here, I wonder, it was difficult making your 1st game? You have a bit of knowlegde on how to make it? I have not knowledge on programmings skills, or drawing or anything to make a game lol, but I like writing and have some ideas on my mind.

[Ponch]

Now that you are here, I wonder, it was difficult making your 1st game? You have a bit of knowlegde on how to make it?

The first few games weren't too hard to make because I designed them to be very small. I kept the puzzles straightforward and the arcade mini-games simple. I mostly focused on conversations and the inner monologue of the hero because writing was the one thing I was certain I could do properly at that point. Plus, back in those days, AGS featured an easy to use interactions editor that made it a snap to plug simple puzzles and conversations into the game. Of course, later I stopped using the editor, but it was crucial to those first few games and probably the reason I stuck with AGS long enough to get the Barn Runner series up and running. (Personally, if I were to discover AGS today, given its lack of an editor and its "code everything" approach, I'm not sure I'd stick with it. It was pretty daunting at first, and without the editor there to help me understand how the room code worked, I'd have probably given up and tried to make more action-oriented games with Game Maker or something instead. )

The later Barn Runner games had increasingly complicated cutscenes and action bits (though the puzzles remain pretty easy, for the most part) because by that time, I had a much better understanding of how AGS worked "under the hood." And as I wind up the Barn Runner series (three more games to go!), I'm finally able to do the things I originally wanted to do but couldn't at the time.

Start slow, is what I'm saying. I see a lot of new guys starting interesting projects, but then those games just sort of fade away because the creator bit off more than they could chew and they abandon the game in frustration. If there's a really great game you want to do (and I'm sure there is), then do a couple of little games first. Don't be afraid to take the long road to your masterpiece. It will be worth the wait, I'm sure. 

[Xionix]

After reading all that its really make me a bit afraid lol, but thx for the words and the advice. Is good to see such a nice and big community on AGS forums. Guess for now I will stick on playing other ppl games, maybe in the future I will gain the courage to try it, and of course, the patience..

[EKM]

I'm a fan of the "choose your own adventure" type games. I've played a LOT in the past few years more than ever. I'm particularly fond of Japan's visual novel style where it involves little interaction from the player and most of the focus is on the story and character interactions. Ever play a game called Steins;Gate? My god that's one of my favourites. There's also a game called Ever17: The Out of Infinity that came out a long time ago which has many "choose your own adventure" routes that change the story's outcome. The same applies to a game called G-Senjou no Maou, which is a crime mystery drama with erotic elements. It's so character driven and story focused though. It blew my mind away and I couldn't stop playing it. Some awesome stuff out there.

With that being said, I'm trying to find some time to work on a visual novel of my own on the AGS engine. I'm a lousy game maker (if at all), but I pride myself when it comes to storytelling and character interaction (specifically in dialogue). I've written 30 stories in the last 7 years and I feel like there's one story that feels like it could be told as a visual novel. It's basically a melancholic drama with hints of romance. The problem is, I would need someone to do the music to match the atmosphere. I need to experiment to see if I can even pull it off using the AGS engine as there are many other engines out there specially designed for making games of this nature.

[Eric]

Ponch, since you've pulled it off well, this might be a good opportunity for you to share best practices with us on how you set up your games. Each background is a different room, with a GUI for options? Buttons take you to different rooms? Invisible player?

[Ponch]

Ponch, since you've pulled it off well, this might be a good opportunity for you to share best practices with us on how you set up your games. Each background is a different room, with a GUI for options? Buttons take you to different rooms? Invisible player?

1) Invisible player (a small 4x4 square).
2) Each background has it's own room, unless the background includes a simple animation (for example: DuChamp leaning back from her desk)
3) Two kinds of rooms: Rooms with no choices, only text; Rooms that have choices that branch the story with the two button GUI.
4) Lots and lots and LOTS of scripting. 

Seriously, every time the player clicks the "next" arrow, there's scripting. Each dialog button? Scripting! Player leaves the room, check the script to see what choices they've made so far that decides what will happen next. Player enters the room? Check to see if they're carrying an inventory item so we know what will happen while they're in the room.

To be honest, it's not really all that different from making the usual adventure game (in some ways it's a little easier). But in a few ways, it's more work than I expected. If I had to do it over again, I'd make a better outline (probably in flow chart fashion) so I'm not constantly checking my notes to make sure I'm not missing a narrative off-ramp and messing everything up.

Also, I wouldn't attempt something so new on a MAGS schedule. 

Who knows, maybe one of these days, I'll make an OSD visual novel and release it as a template. 

[EKM]

Who knows, maybe one of these days, I'll make an OSD visual novel and release it as a template. 

Please do. That would help a lot.

[Ponch]

No problem. I'll try to come up with an idea and have it out in two or three months -- gotta finish the next Barn Runner game first.