MAGS July “Last One” (RESULT)

Stupot · Sat 01/07/2023 03:13:27

Theme: Last One
Set by: 4KbShort

The winning entry is:
Tales from a Forgotten Tavern by Ponch

	Tales from a Forgotten Tavern by Ponch
	Well... Horror, Naturally by tbook

What: Human? Minute? Day? Animal or tree? Maybe the last star?

Where: Is it an item or a moment in time? A place? Does it move? Is it buried? At the bottom of the ocean?

Who: Who else wants it? A greedy corporation? Your evil twin? A time traveler from the future? Everyone?

Why: Why is it so important? Why do YOU need it? Save the world? Save yourself? Destroy it before it's too late?

When: The far future, the distant past, today? Yesterday?

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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DBoyWheeler · Sat 01/07/2023 13:46:14

I had one idea for if, hypothetically, I were to take part in it.

Maybe it's the last object of a particular material, and a scientist needs to find out what the chemical makeup of that material is so he/she could make that material again and the particular craft can be brought back to prominence.

Anyway, good luck to everyone taking part in this.

RootBound · Sun 02/07/2023 16:36:51

Interesting topic! I'll be sitting this one out because I have bigger projects I need to be working on, but I look forward to playing and voting on the entries!

Stupot · Mon 10/07/2023 22:10:54

How's it going? Anything brewing?

Ponch · Tue 11/07/2023 15:42:00

I won't say that I'm working on yet another MAGS project that I'll never finish... but...

tbook · Wed 19/07/2023 18:41:52

I'm working on something since yesterday.

Think horror, 'Last One' concerning the surviving character, you know how in horror movies there is often this trope of the surviving (most often) girl.

Story is done, I'm working on music. We will see

Stupot · Wed 19/07/2023 23:23:18

You got this, @tbook

Ponch · Sat 22/07/2023 21:30:08

Just sent my game out to a play tester. Looks like I'll actually have a game to enter this month!

4KbShort · Mon 24/07/2023 07:33:36

Quote from: Ponch on Sat 22/07/2023 21:30:08Just sent my game out to a play tester. Looks like I'll actually have a game to enter this month!

That is fantastic! Congratulations!

Stupot · Mon 24/07/2023 08:07:49

Nice one @Ponch.

tbook · Tue 25/07/2023 20:38:08

Some great artwork is coming you guys and girls...

What I've learned so far is that if I want to make a game next time:

1. I should give myself more time
2. I should hire an artist to make the artworks

Anyways I will try to get it on time

4KbShort · Tue 25/07/2023 20:51:59

Quote from: tbook on Tue 25/07/2023 20:38:08Some great artwork is coming you guys and girls...

What I've learned so far is that if I want to make a game next time:

1. I should give myself more time
2. I should hire an artist to make the artworks

Anyways I will try to get it on time

Another thing you could do is just cut out unimportant or extra content. Puzzles that are not necessary or side areas/items that you don't need.
As for art there are tons of free art out there just give it a search for what you need, slap some simple backgrounds together, and plug it in!

Good luck!

tbook · Wed 26/07/2023 17:14:20

Quote from: 4KbShort on Tue 25/07/2023 20:51:59
Quote from: tbook on Tue 25/07/2023 20:38:08Some great artwork is coming you guys and girls...

What I've learned so far is that if I want to make a game next time:

1. I should give myself more time
2. I should hire an artist to make the artworks

Anyways I will try to get it on time

Another thing you could do is just cut out unimportant or extra content. Puzzles that are not necessary or side areas/items that you don't need.
As for art there are tons of free art out there just give it a search for what you need, slap some simple backgrounds together, and plug it in!

Good luck!

That is exactly what I'm doing, my friend

Ponch · Wed 26/07/2023 21:39:21

TALES FROM A FORGOTTEN TAVERN

Dark Ages of EverCraft was the most popular MMORPG of its day. But that day was more than twenty years ago. It has long been eclipsed by other, newer, more popular games. Now the once teeming masses of its online population of players has dwindled down to almost nothing. No NPC in the game has seen a true "newbie" for years uncounted. But this evening, on the last remaining server still providing access to the old game, a level one character has stumbled out of the Newbie Garden, battered and exhausted, seeking a place to rest in a forgotten tavern on an untraveled road.

What awaits her inside?

DOWNLOAD AND FIND OUT!

I'll be honest, this month's theme really inspired me. I can't remember the last time I was so excited to work on a MAGS game. For about three years (1999 - 2002), I spent way too much time in Everquest. It's the only MMORPG I've ever played, but I enjoyed the hell out of it back in the day. This game is my gushing tribute to my gaming experiences during a time when I was much younger and a lot more carefree. It's packed with references to the world of the late 90s / early 2000s. It's probably safe to say that many of the jokes in this game will fly right over the head of a lot of the younger AGSers.

Fun Fact: When I finally quit Everquest (just as the Planes of Power expansion pack was coming out), I decided I'd make better use of my free time making my own games instead. Within a year, I had discovered AGS (version 2.56d) and made my first Barn Runner game.

4KbShort · Thu 27/07/2023 08:39:37

Congratulations on making your entry!

Quote from: Ponch on Wed 26/07/2023 21:39:21I'll be honest, this month's theme really inspired me.

This bit made me smile as there's no better compliment than that the theme one came up with inspired someone to make something new! Glad I could help bring back those memories! Awesome!

Kitty Trouble · Fri 28/07/2023 10:29:19

I just tried out the game but I'm completely stuck...even tried brute forcing pretty much everything. Posted in hints&tips.

4KbShort · Sat 29/07/2023 09:29:56

@Ponch Played through your entry! I can say it did tickle a few of my nostalgia/old internet memory nerve endings and it was enjoyable overall.

My favorite bit was the joke about "magic" while talking to Norm. The whole conversation reminded me of Terry Pratchett's style of writing and the ending made me actual LOL. Nicely done!

Ponch · Sat 29/07/2023 21:20:07

Thanks, dude! High praise, indeed!

tbook · Mon 31/07/2023 22:56:01

Well... Horror, Naturally

is more of a story than a game.

In a desperate need to connect to nature, unbeknownst to the awaiting danger...

https://speaking-through.itch.io/well-horror-naturally

Cheers to everyone

Ponch · Tue 01/08/2023 22:38:08

Nicely done, tbook. Made it across the finish line just in time.

DBoyWheeler · Wed 02/08/2023 00:15:33

Good, we got a competition finally come voting time. Looking forward to where this goes.

Stupot · Thu 03/08/2023 07:35:26

Thanks to Ponch and tbook for their entries.

The time for voting is upon us.

Please vote using the poll above.

	Tales from a Forgotten Tavern by Ponch
	Well... Horror, Naturally by tbook

Kitty Trouble · Fri 04/08/2023 06:33:17

These are a couple games that are very different.

Tales From a Forgotten Tavern -

Spoiler

A game which has a lot of references that I sorta understand, but not 100% - the only MMO I really ever got into was RuneScape. The puzzles were mostly OK, the pixel hunt was bad for me because it didn't exist in a walkable area, so it was easy to miss even when looking for it. But I liked the characters and the world building

[close]

Well... Horror, Naturally -

Spoiler

I liked the video, reminds me of old games with the FMV which isn't really done in AGS. It was enough to draw me into the plot, but I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt. With more loops and more story this could be more interesting.

[close]

Although I feel like both games ended abruptly, I feel as a full experience that

Spoiler

Tales From a Forgotten Tavern

[close]

is a better experience as a stand-alone game, so that gets my vote. If either game got an expansion into a full game/story though, I'd be interested in playing them.

MiteWiseacreLives! · Sat 05/08/2023 16:05:26

Look here a MAGS contest!

Played them both, I see Ponch is as twisted as ever.. Tbook also twisted in another way

That tile game really took me back, Ponch. Not usually into horror, could probably have gotten into Naturally if there were some game elements but you did something different and thats cool.

Stupot · Sat 05/08/2023 17:25:38

@MiteWiseacreLives! lives!

Hope you've been well.

...and Happy Birthday!

Shadow1000 · Tue 08/08/2023 15:03:59

My thoughts after playing:

Tales From a Forgotten Tavern

Spoiler

Good parody game. It seems like a mashup of many quest-style games that I've played and does a good job capturing the flavour with tongue in cheek humour. I don't like when there is endless dialogue and this is actually pointed out during the game, but aside from that (deliberate) annoyance, a good experience.

[close]

Well... Horror, Naturally

Spoiler

As the game is described, it's a story rather than a game. The video and photography style works really well for what this game attempts to do. If the story would be strong then despite not being a game, it could be a good experience. However, the story is not really that developed so this entry just feels like a lot of clicking and reading rather than a story or game. I think I felt some Halloween vibes but I'm not sure.

[close]

My vote went to

Spoiler

Forgotten tavern

[close]

RootBound · Tue 08/08/2023 15:58:50

Played and finished both games!

My vote went to:

Spoiler

Forgotten Tavern. Definitely a more fully-realized work, with a well-developed story.

Horror, Naturally had some good points, but had overall less immersion for me.

[close]

heltenjon · Tue 08/08/2023 19:23:03

Here's my thoughts this month.

Tales From a Forgotten Tavern

Spoiler

Funny and lots and lots of Ponch style dialogue. I like that. There are nods to online RPGs, funny even though I only know about that stuff through the jungle telegraph. I also appreciated the many nods towards this forum's history, understandable even for someone who has played the games and read the posts post-fact.

[close]

Well... Horror, Naturally

Spoiler

Not a game, so there really isn't a contest. However, I was entertained by the scary tale and thought it was quite well put together technically. Some of the pictures were even creepier with the character's heads edited into them. I wasn't quite on board with the shift of endings, and the reveal was a bit too unclear for me to quite understand what the relation between the last one and the killer was. The story was a bit too short to build up tension and care for the characters, but they came across as distinct personalities, at least.

[close]

I voted for

Spoiler

Forgotten tavern, because this is a game contest.

[close]

Edit: @tbook - please add both this and your first interactive story to the main ags database on the games page.

Stupot · Mon 14/08/2023 02:31:59

Last few days left to play and vote. Thanks for the votes so far.

Stupot · Fri 18/08/2023 11:22:43

The winning entry is:
Tales from a Forgotten Tavern by Ponch

Congratulations Ponch. I'll be in touch soon about choosing a theme for September.

Unlucky tbook. Thank you both for your entries.

Ponch · Sun 20/08/2023 01:29:03

Thanks for the votes, guys. And thanks, tbook for giving us a competition. Nobody wants to win by default. Your entry had a lot of mood and ambience.

MAGS July “Last One” (RESULT)

What is your favourite game of MAGS July?