What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to use AGS to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner.
For more information please visit the Official MAGS website (http://www.mags-competition.info/).
Why should I enter MAGS?
We're not here to tell you that you should enter MAGS, but merely allow it as a creative opportunity to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and generally as a good kick-start for the new comers (a.k.a n00bies).
MAGS is the perfect opportunity to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the next month's rules, and all competitors get the game placed on the MAGS website.
MAGS is meant to be fun and is aimed at everyone, despite their skill. If you have poor art skills work on graphics, and vice-versa, as the voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, you may get help for the competiton, but should try not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.
You are not allowed to (re)use material already created before this competition, you game must be completely new! An exception goes for sounds and music where you can also use free material that is available to the public.
Please do not just enter the competition with a rushed entry (a game created in just some hours or a few days)!
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Topic: Competition
This month's guidelines were set by last month's winner Tijne:
-The game must be set or involved in a type of competition. It can be something like a foot-race, beauty contest, or even a sport-- The type of competition may be completely fictitious so long as it has at least one clear winner and loser.
-The player must have a clear definite reason for wanting one particular person to win [or another to lose], like a huge bet on a sports team or a parent who wants his child to win so badly he'll do anything. The player may be a participant in the competition, but he still needs a reason to win (or to lose).
-The competition should begin soon after the game, or be already started when the game commences. The game should not end until after the competition's winner/losers have been declared.
-The competition should have a third party who does not care who wins / loses; like an unbiased referee or announcer.
-During some part of the game, something must either happen (or almost happen) that would violate the rules of the game. You could be the one breaking the rules, or you could be trying to stop/counter someone else who is about to cheat.
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Entries:
Billy Boy (http://www.ufokus.no/files/games/billyboy.zip) by Gudforby
Wheel of Torture (http://www.mediafire.com/file/2tozljlijc2/Wheel%20of%20Torture.zip) by Tijne
Voting Finished: Winner Announced:
Billy Boy's Important Wine Lottery by Gudforby
A really close victory to just by one vote.
But a victory is a victory.
Congratulations to winner and runner-up.
Gudforby you've been sent a PM and you have the honour to choose the rules for August's competition!!
Woo... this sounds good! :) There's a chance I may enter this one... if only I didn't suck so hard at character animation... :(
Could you stretch this 'competition' theme to a court case? :S a la Phoenix Wright?
Quote from: KrisMacDee on Thu 02/07/2009 03:20:16
Could you stretch this 'competition' theme to a court case? :S a la Phoenix Wright?
That's not my case, I just post the rules..
Quote from: KrisMacDee on Thu 02/07/2009 03:20:16
Could you stretch this 'competition' theme to a court case? :S a la Phoenix Wright?
I'm not the originator either but when I interpret the guidelines:
You have two parties (prosecutor/defence) and an unbiased referee (judge). You have a reason for wanting to win (I guess). So as long as you cheat with the evidence or bribe the witnesses and make sure the court-session is over within the game, I can't see why not..
Quote from: Leon on Thu 02/07/2009 15:29:43
Quote from: KrisMacDee on Thu 02/07/2009 03:20:16
Could you stretch this 'competition' theme to a court case? :S a la Phoenix Wright?
I'm not the originator either but when I interpret the guidelines:
You have two parties (prosecutor/defence) and an unbiased referee (judge). You have a reason for wanting to win (I guess). So as long as you cheat with the evidence or bribe the witnesses and make sure the court-session is over within the game, I can't see why not..
The rules are not to be followed strictly..indeed.
Awesome ;D i'll start work on it now ;)
Quote from: KrisMacDee on Fri 03/07/2009 23:18:28
Awesome ;D i'll start work on it now ;)
Good. You do that.. :D
I'll post a game in a few days. My first entry to MAGS, and my first self-made game EVER.
Quote from: Gudforby on Sun 19/07/2009 21:31:16
I'll post a game in a few days. My first entry to MAGS, and my first self-made game EVER.
Good to see a newcomer would want to join the MAGS.. :D One promised entry..
~40 hours left...
I'll post my entry at the very, very second to last minute.. :D
Then it's finally here, and I give to you: Billy Boy's Important Wine Lottery!
Story:
Billy needs a wine. Quick! Or Cournal Jackson will have to watch Sex and the City all by himself. Luckily it's friday at work, whick means it's wine lottery time. It's time to play some pranks to get that wine.
Download from GAME PAGE (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1191)
(http://www.ufokus.no/files/games/BillyBoy.gif)
Looking awesome..
Playing now.. telling later. Congratulations already with this release.
Wheh! Made it!...
Wheel of Torture (~15MB) (http://www.mediafire.com/file/2tozljlijc2/Wheel%20of%20Torture.zip)
After the death of his beloved lover, our hero The Bard, undertakes a quest to bring her back to life. After five years, he discovers a game-show-esque competition held once a year. The winner of this rare competition gets a single wish, -any wish-, granted.
Hoping to use this wish to be reunited with his long-gone loved one, our hero is tasked with winning this mentally and physically challenging game. With very little to lose, and just about everything to gain, our hero will do whatever he must to be victorious....
... If it's possible to be victorious...
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5123/screenshotgab.jpg)
WARNINGS:
This game contains:
--Blood
--Graphic violence
--Possible Deaths (This ties in with the first two.)
--'Slightly' multiple solutions (to select puzzles).
--Generally not easy puzzles.
--A very difficult / obscure puzzle.... (Or Two...)
--No Hint System (Sorry! Ran out of time. :( )
--References to Grapefruit.
--And Mischievous bugs (Of all kinds!)
A lot of backgrounds for this game are a range of dark-blue; it may be difficult to play with an older moniter as this particular range of shades may appear to be pure black on some moniters. Sorry if this applies to you! =(
It is reccomended you play with sound. You're a bard! Your life is music!. Maybe a puzzle or two is musical*.. who knows!...
*Tijne doe not guarantee any musical puzzle of any sort within the game. References to a possible musical puzzle are only implied. We are not responsible for any loss of hair, sleep, or heartache due to failing to provide / find a musical puzzle within the above game. Proceed at your own musical risk.
Great entries people.. there's some competition indeed. By normal conditions all entries must be posted on the next 14 hours. Tomorrow morning I'll have the vote running from 26th to 29th, and then again from 30 to 31, winner must choose a theme and let me know.
Hope you all guys are having fun!
PS: Anyone is bloody welcome to post a comment on the games. As long as it's not rubbish.
I loved the jokes in your game Gudforby, I laughed more than I probably should have. xD
Hey Dual, were you able to come up with some comment-feature for the voting? :D
Thanks very much Tijne! I'm very happy for such positive feedback on my very first finished AGS game. As you probably get I'm inspired by the Monkey Island games as deep as possible......
I must admit that I haven't finished your game yet, but tomorrow is a new day, and so far it looks deep, dark and promising.
and I also have to add I hope some more games will be posted.
This round of MAGS was really open in terms of interpretation, so I hope some more games will be posted in the last few hours.
Quote from: Tijne on Sun 26/07/2009 01:30:20
Hey Dual, were you able to come up with some comment-feature for the voting? :D
To be honest, I totally forgot it ;D. It's a really nice idea, but something still bugs me, people said that we shouldn't comment here because it affects votes, perhaps allow comments there, but show them only after vote is done? I personally don't think it affects votes that much..
But I promise to really work on it. ;)
Now to BUSINESS!!
Voting:
For voting please visit the MAGS site (http://www.mags-competition.info/) or make your choice right here:
Billy Boy's Important Wine Lottery by Gudforby (http://www.mags-competition.info/?page=voting&fav=Billy%20Boy's%20Important%20Wine%20Lottery)
Wheel of Torture by Tijne (http://www.mags-competition.info/?page=voting&fav=Wheel%20of%20Torture)
Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.
Vote from 26th till 29th:
Voting lasts for 62 hours from the timestamp of this post.
That's why I'm keeping quiet until after voting... :P
Don't want to cause a row again.. ;D
I didn't think it was a row; more of a disscussion. Just I felt that any words very specific to a game should be kept until after the couple of days voting period.
Quote from: Leon on Sun 26/07/2009 19:00:34
That's why I'm keeping quiet until after voting... :P
Don't want to cause a row again.. ;D
Aww! At least tell us -some- comments now! *nudge nudge*.
One positive and one negative for both of us? :D.. Or PM it to us if you don't want to post it here. :P!
Nope... no can do... I'm not falling for that again...
I'll keep shut until then. Unless DN tells us who won already. He's the only one who can make me talk here.... :P
Quote from: Leon on Mon 27/07/2009 00:48:06
Nope... no can do... I'm not falling for that again...
I'll keep shut until then. Unless DN tells us who won already. He's the only one who can make me talk here.... :P
Will do, Leon. Wow, that's some power you granted me!! :D
Okay guys I need some votes..won't tell who's ahead..VOTE people!! 13 hours to go approx..
Voting Finished: Winner Announced:
Billy Boy's Important Wine Lottery by Gudforby
A really close victory to just by one vote.
But a victory is a victory.
Congratulations to winner and runner-up.
Gudforby you've been sent a PM and you have the honour to choose the rules for August's competition!!
Congratulations Gudforby! :D
--Okay Leon -- Go! :D
WHEN WILL AUGUST IDEA BE POSTED? ;D
Thanks Tijne, and thanks for all the votes! It's nothing like a close contest.
And for the August guidelines, it will be posted August 1st I guess..
FOUR DAYS... I cannot wait...
Oh and GRATS!
Alright, just before this thread is closed, my arguments to explain my voting behavior. First of all, I voted for the winner this time (jay :o). Or was I the only one who voted and was that the one point difference? ::) Speaking of which: it might be an idea to show how many people voted in the end? Just to show that voting is popular/can be made more popular?
Wheel of Torture was a disappointment (torture?) for me. The story started ok (original concept) but went into a boring, dreaded room to room pain that couldn't hold my attention. I think it has for a part to do with the choice of color (way too dark, even if I tuned the display), the lack of location marker so it became more of a pixel hunt and the minuscule cursor icons that I couldn't find nor keep apart.
The music/sound made it bearable but just. It's the reason my endless wandering didn't become an endless silence but that's about it. The interface/menu was original but a bit messy and the lack of explanation took me quite a while before I figured out what did what in the wheel and how to save/load a game. A tutorial would be nice to start the game but I bet it was the lack of time caused it not to be there (no sarcasm intended here).
The jumping action was a nice addition but didn't work out well, again I think because of the combination of colors/icons. The game fitted good into the rule set (of course I'd almost say :)) but overall it wasn't the game for me and I wouldn't replay it.
Billy Boy's Important Wine Lottery on the other hand was refreshing. Light in color, dialog and game play. The funny dialogs and witty referrals to songs and artists made me laugh out loud quite a few times. Once the 'quest' was clear, it was a joy to find out how to fool the co-workers. The part to 'Wake up Little Suzie" was the best of the game.
With a nice uptempo loop that just was long enough not to get boring, only the pixel hunts for the pockets/wallets/tickets or whatever you needed was a slight negative point but that was all I could find. All was clearly indicated by hotspot markers so you were able to find out.
A joy to play and to refer to, to show others what can be made in a short period of time by a newbie (sorry for the expression) and with the relevant experience in game making.
From both makers I'd love to see more. Tijne, I know what you can do, after the first one, so lighten up the next one a bit. Maybe a game without skeletons? Gudforby, keep it up and make another one with the same amount of humor and crazy item-combining puzzles.
Congratulations to both for delivering in time and under pressure... a lot weren't able to (me included but that's another story). Let the new game begin.
I actually cant wait to hear what the next Contest is about. I think I need to bite the bullet and try making a game.
Quote from: Joseph DiPerla on Fri 31/07/2009 19:49:00
I actually cant wait to hear what the next Contest is about. I think I need to bite the bullet and try making a game.
TOTALLY! (sorry for the caps happy, it's for effect)
MAGS used to have more participation, I'm hoping for a lot of people in AUGUST's.
COMP! COMP! COMP!
;D
Quote from: Leon on Fri 31/07/2009 18:41:36
Tijne... ...Maybe a game without skeletons?
XDD!
For the first game, I drew the skeletons to help understand the human body for animations... I never actually intended to use him...xD
Same goes for this one actually.. hehe. :D
I -hope- by now I can make an animation without one... But we'll see. ;D
One day, Leon, I -will- get your vote! :p
...I just hope there's more than my entry for that MAGS.. xD.
The difference ended 4 -3 When I asked the votes it was 3-1, it went 3-3 and someone voted 20 minutes before I closed this(that was Leon)