MAGS February "Into the Woods" (RESULT)

[Stupot]

Theme: Into the Woods
Set by: nobloski

The winner of MAGS February is Brian Eggs is Lost in the Woods by @OneDollar.

	The Second Secret of the Orbs by jwalt
	Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods by OneDollar
	Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery by newwaveburritos
	Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball) by Kastchey
	The Green & Red by Babar and jfrisby

Make a game about:
something that takes place in the forest or woods or at least has something to do with it.

Have fun. I'll leaf it to yew guys.

[noblonski]

let's go!   

[cat]

For people new to MAGS, here are the rules (copied from a previous month):




What is MAGS?
Started in 2001, MAGS is a competition for amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to create a game in under a month, following the guidelines set by the previous winner. It aims to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and provide a kick-start into making adventure games. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you have bad art skills, use it as a chance to do some graphic work. If you're sub-standard at coding, use it as a chance to give scripting a go. Ultimately, people will vote for the most enjoyable entry.

Rules
Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualize your game following the month's criteria (see above). Second, create your game fuelled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

* A working download link
* The title of your game
* A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fourteen days, and the winner chooses the next month's theme.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Stupot]

Thanks cat. I was going to add that stuff later but just wanted to get the thread up quickly.

[jwalt]

What-ho! The RON assets include some "forest" assets. Looks like they might lend themselves to creating some sort of maze adventure?



So, I might be able to continue my effort to get Josh and Davy back to their real Reality? As soon as I figure out what the First Secret of the Orb actually is, and as soon as I figure out exactly how many Secrets the Orbs have.

[Ponch]

I'm in! 

[newwaveburritos]

I've had a bolt of inspiration today and made a background so I think I'll throw my hat in.

[jwalt]

Making good progress. Close to being able to play it all the way through. I'm attaching an image, but hiding it behind the spoiler tags, since it may reveal too much about one end game. While this image doesn't have anything seemingly related to the forest topic, most of the game has you wondering around a woodland area.

Spoiler

[close]

However, it is always possible that I'll make some nasty bug that prevents me from completing the attempt.

[heltenjon]

It just struck me that the stuff we make over in the Puzzle Making Practice contest thread could fit well in this month's MAGS, too. So, if there is someone reading this who wants to make a MAGS entry but lacks an idea, feel free to steal my setup and puzzles. 

[Kastchey]

It just struck me that the stuff we make over in the Puzzle Making Practice contest thread could fit well in this month's MAGS, too. So, if there is someone reading this who wants to make a MAGS entry but lacks an idea, feel free to steal my setup and puzzles. 

Thought I might as well...

[cat]

This is beautiful, @Kastchey ! I love the colors. I hope you are really making a game and this is not just a nice mock-up for fun.

[Kastchey]

This is beautiful, @Kastchey ! I love the colors. I hope you are really making a game and this is not just a nice mock-up for fun.

Thank you cat! And no, for real. No guarantees because life is life, but it's a screenshot from an actual game, not a mockup.

[newwaveburritos]

Oh wow @Kastchey that looks great!  I'm glad to see a few people working on something.  I've been putting quite a few hours into mine. 

[jwalt]

So, here it goes, again. My entry:



Link:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/fr4qs3as66ukirn/secondOrb.zip/file

Think it's playable but had a persistent problem with the baseline of the Seenai sprite. Could not figure out a fix. Noted, also, a warning in the compiled folder about a Wait() directive in the wrong place, which I'm not actually seeing in my code. Doesn't seem to be messing anything up, at least until this point.

Continues my effort to get Davy and Josh back to their real Reality.

[newwaveburritos]

I was about to post that because I am dumb and too ambitious that I might need an extra day but I forgot that this is a leap year so my request has been granted.  Thank you Leap Day William!

[Kastchey]

My game is *almost* playable, but needs a lot more polish. I hope to be able to finish the bare minimum before the end of the day tomorrow, though.

[Ponch]

I'm dropping out.    My game is only 1/3 done. It goes into the giant "failed MAGS" projects folder. Good luck to everyone else.

[Kastchey]

Sorry to hear that, Ponch :<

I'm still quite a leap from finishing mine, but it still seems possible.

[Kastchey]

I should be able to upload a rough version in a few hours, is that ok?

[glurex]

I should be able to upload a rough version in a few hours, is that ok?

I have not the "power" to decide it. But I'm looking forward to play your game, Katchkey. So I think is ok.

[OneDollar]

Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods


My occasional acquaintance Brian asked me to submit this game on his behalf. I think I fixed most of the game-breaking bugs for him. Unfortunately he wouldn't let me do anything about the rest of it because it would, and I quote, "ruin my artistic vision".

My apologies.

Download here

[newwaveburritos]

Here is my submission!

It's woefully unfinished although it's technically possible to complete it there's just a lot of content missing and I think a few game-breaking bugs.  Once more I fell into the trap of being way, way too ambitious.  Still, the flip side of that coin is that there's a lot to look at and explore even if it's missing a few things to do along the way. 

All the debug features are intact in case you get stuck somewhere.  I also added a few of my own: "w" to teleport to a walkable area.  Backspace to bring up the story beat counter and +/- will raise and lower that although some weird behavior will certainly result from using that one lol.

Anyway, I had a blast making it and I'm certain I am certain I have spent at least 100 hours this month on this.  I had a few of the characters and backgrounds lying around already but I created almost everything this month which was wild.  1100 sprites and 22 rooms!  It was an insane grind!

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

[Babar]

Tough competition!

I was hoping to sweep in with a surprise last-minute entry, but even with the extra day this year, Feb is too short! I pounded away at it into the night with my secret team member, but it's a weekday, and I'm at work now, and can't continue.

I'd appreciate a tiny bit of an extension (maybe 15 more hours?), so I can get back home and not have it be totally barebones, but if that's not possible, do tell, and I'll release as is!

[Kastchey]

Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball)


Based on "The Golden Ball" scenario by The Great Underground Empire and heltenjon.

Download here

Untested.
There will be missing interactions.
Some items only work one way for now.
Music on/off doesn't work.
Help button doesn't work.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edit: Replaced the original link with v1.1 that removes a game breaking bug.

[Babar]

Extension? Who said anything about an extension?!
I'd like to present to you

The Green & Red

Made by myself and jfrisby in the last week or so of this month. You can download it here

[Stupot]

Wow. Lots of beautiful entries. Thanks everyone.

The voting will be up and running soon.

[newwaveburritos]

Yeah, it's a good turn out!  Happy to see so many entries this month especially since it's the shortest month.

[jwalt]

Yeah, it's a good turn out!  Happy to see so many entries this month especially since it's the shortest month.

With some difficult puzzles, apparently. At least as far as I'm concerned. Currently stalled out on each of the entries I've tried, excluding mine. May need some lifelines, aka hints.

[Kastchey]

With some difficult puzzles, apparently. At least as far as I'm concerned. Currently stalled out on each of the entries I've tried, excluding mine. May need some lifelines, aka hints.

I've managed to beat all of them except Dracula, if you still need some help?

@newwaveburritos , I'm not sure if I'm missing something or ran into one of the gamebreaking bugs you anticipated Here's where I am:

Spoiler

I found the cooking book (the book title cracked me up, btw =]) and some ingredients, but for each recipe there's at least one that I'm missing. The Woman says I should help myself to the herbs, but I can't seem to find any that I could click. I'm also unsure how to start cooking,

[close]

[newwaveburritos]

That's exactly what I meant, yeah.  You've pinpointed my exact location at 11:59 on the day in question.  That's where it all falls apart.  Half the stuff you need is missing so it's not a fun puzzle so much as an exercise in futility.  If you press the backspace key a GUI will pop up and give you a number. 

Spoiler

If that number is 6 enter the kitchen and you can find a new item I added as a way out to skip the puzzle but also it's not like the "ending" is that great, either, but I suppose it does technically exist.  Anyway, if your number isn't 6 then advance it with the +/- keys to 6 then re-enter the kitchen. Then you'll find a new item which finishes the puzzle for you.  Re-enter the kitchen after that (counter==7) and you can talk to Dracula one last time to finish.

[close]

But the fact that you made it all the way to the last part is something!  That's most of the game except for the things that also seem like the got trimmed!  Next time I'm doing a one room puzzle!  I'm glad you liked the name of the book as that was kind of the idea I had that made me put the whole last part together.  If you can call that put together lol.

[Kastchey]

Spoiler

If that number is 6 enter the kitchen and you can find a new item I added as a way out to skip the puzzle but also it's not like the "ending" is that great, either, but I suppose it does technically exist.  Anyway, if your number isn't 6 then advance it with the +/- keys to 6 then re-enter the kitchen. Then you'll find a new item which finishes the puzzle for you.  Re-enter the kitchen after that (counter==7) and you can talk to Dracula one last time to finish.

[close]

Spoiler

The item being the gravy boat? I found it (thought this was one of the ingredients), but the game state is still 6. I think I've visited all the rooms at least twice since then. But that probably doesn't matter I've advanced the counter and finished the game. Lovely backgrounds by the way, and I loved the joke of the "back in time" cellar being drawn in an even more retro style!

[close]

[glurex]

In Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery I found a little bug where the hand with a pencil cursor remains for the rest of the game. Since it happens in the very start of the game that's not  a problem: restarting the game and it doesn't happen again.

Spoiler

[close]

[eri0o]

(hey any idea about March mags?)

[newwaveburritos]

Since it happens in the very start of the game that's not  a problem: restarting the game and it doesn't happen again.

Yeah, that was also making the cutscene act funny and hang the game in a blocked state and it was intermittent so I couldn't pin it down completely.  This is a buggy release!

[glurex]

Since it happens in the very start of the game that's not  a problem: restarting the game and it doesn't happen again.

Yeah, that was also making the cutscene act funny and hang the game in a blocked state and it was intermittent so I couldn't pin it down completely.  This is a buggy release!

No problem at all! I like the EGA aesthetic in your games, it has even a psychodelic touch that reminds me to the january theme!
I'm playing the other submissions, too. It was quite a prolific MAGS.

[jfrisby]

These games are awesome, thanks all

@newwaveburritos
I broke your game!

Spoiler

Before getting the Necronomnomnomicon (hahaha), if you talk to the Ice Spirit twice, she slides left twice...  and when you get the book and reenter, you're stuck in place :p

[close]

[newwaveburritos]

They were having a "buy two get three free" sale down at the bug store and I really can't resist a bargain.

[Stupot]

Five games! Thanks everyone.
It's now time to vote.

Vote using the poll above.

	The Second Secret of the Orbs by jwalt
	Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods by OneDollar
	Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery by newwaveburritos
	Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball) by Kastchey
	The Green & Red by Babar and jfrisby

[cat]

@newwaveburritos Is there a download version available for Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery?


@Kastchey I need a hint

Spoiler

I have the needle, gold teeth and the broken instruments. The sheep is dead, the rock is hot, the fox is in its hole and the pig is wearing my garter

[close]

[Kastchey]

@Kastchey I need a hint

Spoiler

I have the needle, gold teeth and the broken instruments. The sheep is dead, the rock is hot, the fox is in its hole and the pig is wearing my garter

[close]

Have you

Spoiler

examined the golden teeth? Just by right clicking.

[close]

[newwaveburritos]

@newwaveburritos Is there a download version available for Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery?


No, I didn't post one but I can.  I think I've made a few revisions though and I'm not 100% sure that I have the same exact version as the one I uploaded.  Just full disclosure.  Anyway, it should be up by the time you read this.

[Kastchey]

So, um, there's a dead end in the game You need to do things in a very specific order to trigger it, but it is there.

If you

Spoiler

haven't tampered with the animal tracks yet, but have the horned tiara in your inventory already, that will be a dead end.

[close]

Please download the fixed version below. It won't break your current saved games so you don't have to replay from the beginning.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V45NrFgbeAgf5gWAdWbgzHNaHOG0QStC/view?usp=sharing

Spoiler

You can now use the shears on the corset again to get another pair of bone spikes.

[close]

Thanks Shadow for pointing that out!

[Kastchey]

I have played all the entries, here are my thoughts:

The Second Secret of the Orbs

Spoiler

These are getting more and more adventuregamey The puzzles were simple but fun. I was a little bit confused with the skunk puzzle, it made me madly run around for a good while trying to figure out how to use the odor masking spray only to realize I just need to have it in my inventory to progress. I'm already curious where the next part will go!

[close]

Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods

Spoiler

A truly captivating tale of a solitary man's struggle against nature in its full beauty and danger, as well as of the protagonist's inner journey to combat his weaknesses and fears. His quest to throw off the shackles of traditional society is both thought-provoking and endearing. Paired with artistic visuals and freestyle spelling, this is a real gem of a game.

[close]

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

Spoiler

A memorable game thanks to the stunning retro graphics and unique atmosphere. Obviously it's unfinished, but the game is worth a go for the visuals and the exploration alone.

[close]

The Green & Red

Spoiler

Wow, that was unexpectedly dark! I loved the subtle hint of a merciless post-apo world where little kids are already skilled scavengers who keep spiders for pets. Very cool.

[close]

I ended up voting for:

Spoiler

Brian Eggs, because you can talk to every object and some of them talk back.
(and also because the puzzles are surprisingly logical and fun)

[close]

[cat]

@newwaveburritos
I broke your game!

Spoiler

Before getting the Necronomnomnomicon (hahaha), if you talk to the Ice Spirit twice, she slides left twice...  and when you get the book and reenter, you're stuck in place :p

[close]

I have the same issue

Spoiler

I have a safe game before I walk up to the castle but everytime I leave the book room, I'm stuck on the stairs. What shall I do? I play the downloaded version.

[close]

[Kastchey]

I have the same issue

Spoiler

I have a safe game before I walk up to the castle but everytime I leave the book room, I'm stuck on the stairs. What shall I do? I play the downloaded version.

[close]

Yes, that always happens when you leave that room. 'w' key teleports you to a walkable area. Alternatively, when you use ctrl+x to teleport yourself, and 'House Afar' will land you on a walkable area from that position.

[newwaveburritos]

Yeah, pressing "w" calls player.PlaceOnWalkableArea(); which is useful not only for debugging but also apparently for playing the game at all.  I would say let this be a lesson in biting off more than you can chew for a MAGS project but someone has to learn this the hard way, like, almost every time!  Anyway, I'm glad anyone is playing it at all.

[cat]

I've played and finished all games. It is wonderful to see, that while general activity on the forum is declining, MAGS is thriving with 5(!) amazing entries.


The Second Secret of the Orbs

Spoiler

It's a cool thing that the RON-MAGS-Orb series continues. Now I'm really curious where this is going.
There were some fun characters and I liked the inventory better than in the last game. I didn't like that dialog options showed up even though the topic was not brought up, yet. The game could use a bit more polish.

[close]

Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods

Spoiler

Hilarious! I enjoyed the humour and the artistic vision. What makes this game special, though, is that under the rough surface there is a polished game. Many interactions are scripted (making good use of the various interface verbs) and the puzzles make sense. I especially liked talking to the trees and the lecture about littering. I demand a sequel.

[close]

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

Spoiler

Amazing graphics and great humour. There is a lot to explore. However, it is clearly not finished (even though I made it to the end, using w and ctrl-x). There is an insane number of backgrounds (some of them actually quite pointless but pretty to look at) and animations (e.g. getting out of bed, coloring the bw-scene). What was actually the 17th color?

[close]

Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball)

Spoiler

As you have probably noticed from my hints and tips posts, I had a hard time with this game. At most times, I was not sure what I was supposed to do and used everything on everything. Graphics and writing were good.

[close]

The Green & Red

Spoiler

Spooky atmosphere and definitely the weirdest starting inventory I ever saw. It's nice that you somehow start directly in medias res. I liked the graphic style and main character. The ending is cute.

[close]

My vote:

Spoiler

It was a close one between Brian Eggs and Dracula for me. Both had great humour. One had amazing graphics but was not really finished. The other one had crappy graphics but was the most polished games of this MAGS.
In the end, I voted for Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods, because it fits the MAGS theme better.

[close]

[heltenjon]

What a great MAGS month! Great games and five of them, too! 

Here are my thoughts this round:

The Second Secret of the Orbs

Spoiler

Who doesn't love a series? The game concentrates on story, and it has me waiting for the next installment already. It has more of an adventure feeling than the first chapters of the story, but still using the inventory and dialogue options in a simplified manner. Actually, I don't mind. But I want these games in the database.

[close]

Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods

Spoiler

As expected, OneDollar shows his great humour, albeit in a way I didn't anticipate. A good game disguised as a crappy game. Funny and consistent, and the final puzzle was a good one! I laughed at the scouts entering the McDonald's in campfire formation, and also the escape from the forest pathfinding. (Lots of internal jokes here for the AGS crowd.)

[close]

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

Spoiler

Eye-candy from start to finish. I couldn't finish it without using debug mode, so I'll wait for the finished game before I attempt preparing food for Dracula. Exceptionally well done graphics and cool animations.

[close]

Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball)

Spoiler

I had a hand in this, so I can't consider it for my own voting, but hats off to Kastchey for creating this and making it his own. He changed enough that the game was challenging for me, too. I especially liked the dialogue puzzle with the pig.

[close]

The Green & Red

Spoiler

I made a thread just to rave about the music in this one. Atmosphere is often the key to a successful game, and I think this is a good example of that. The green/red palette makes for an onimous, eerie feeling. I mean...the Red Hills? Can it get any spookier? This is combined with the snaky scrolling map, which I really liked, and that sinister piano track with those wonderful, ethereal baby sounds on top. The story hints at a larger world with a backstory I'd like to explore more. The puzzles are challenging enough to be fun, but not really difficult.

[close]

I voted for:

Spoiler

Biden. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I give my vote to The Green & Red this month.

[close]

[Shadow1000]

My vote went to

Spoiler

Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball) In my opinion, this entry has an excellent combination of polished graphics, complex, multi-stage puzzles, and really funny humour and stands out over the other entries. I have to admit that I did need a hand in a few of the puzzles and I hit a dead end. As well, I don't think it met the theme quite as strongly as the other entries. That said, my experience playing was more enjoyable so it gets my vote

[close]

[Ponch]

Voted! 

[OneDollar]

Finally finished the other entries. A very strong month, congratulations all! My thoughts:

The Second Secret of the Orbs

Spoiler

I don't know RON very well, and I didn't play the prequel, so I find this entry hard to comment on as I don't know what's established canon and what's new ideas. It's a good premise of characters hopping through portals and finding themselves in different realities, and something I think you can have a lot of fun with. It's got some good moments of humour, and the puzzles are all fair and logical, though it does suffer a bit from seeing items you're obviously going to need, but not being allowed to take them until you know what they're for.

[close]

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

Spoiler

Amazing 16 (17?) colour artwork as always, and a ridiculous amount of it. The premise is great (and great title too!) and I really liked the characters as well. Sadly it seems it was too big a premise for MAGS and so has some bugs and a lot of rooms with no interactions or purpose other than looking nice. It was still worth playing though and I'm glad you posted it. If you choose to finish it I think you could have something really special.

[close]

Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball)

Spoiler

It felt like this was the longest and most complex puzzle chain of the lot. I like the setting and the humour, and some of the puzzle solutions were good, but there were a few that didn't make sense to me or seemed like a logic jump too far. You said you ran out of time to add missing interactions, so possibly these would have helped to give hints why something wasn't right. I got stuck for a while and eventually went looking for hints, but it turned out I had tried the flute on the ring, but the game wanted the ring to be used on the flute. The presentation is really good, the graphics are lovely and there's some nice touches of animation too.

[close]

The Green & Red

Spoiler

An interesting and consistent art style and great music give this a great atmosphere. I was a little confused with the penultimate puzzle, as I didn't realise what I was supposed to be making until I'd made it, but otherwise puzzles are logical and had a good level of difficulty for me. Overall this is a fun little game with hints of being part of a bigger story in a larger fantasy world.

[close]

[Stupot]

Last call for votes, gang.

[Stupot]

The winner of MAGS February is Brian Eggs is Lost in the Woods by @OneDollar.
Well done, sir. I'll PM you separately about setting the theme for April.

Well done everyone for a great selections of games and thanks to everyone who voted.

[Kastchey]

Congratulations, 1$! Well deserved 

[OneDollar]

Oh great, now I'll never be able to get Brian to shut up.

Seriously though thanks for your feedback and votes. It was tough competition, all great games this month.

[newwaveburritos]

Dang, what a competition and congrats to @OneDollar.  Everyone did great work and playing all of them to make my vote was really a delight. 

[heltenjon]

Big congratulations to the winner, and to all who released a game - truly a great MAGS month! Don't forget to add your games to the database, now. 

Oh, and I hope that Brian Eggs can now not be stopped.