MAGS May “Phone” (CLOSED)

[Stupot]

2025 - THE YEAR OF MAGS!

Theme: Phone
Set by: Soulstuff | Winner: Repi


The winner of MAGS May was:
The Astral Chapel by Repi



Include a phone in a game in any form, can be just something you call other characters, can be an on screen GUI for searching information or just a rotary phone as part of a puzzle.






What is MAGS?
Started in 2001, MAGS is a competition for all AGS users. 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 and more. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you want to improve you 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, 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 walk-cycles 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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Need a bit of help with music?  Check out Eric Matyas' huge stock of free music resources.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Falsely]

Hm! Don't know how much time I'll have this month, but I might try something simple.

A lot of my game projects have a 'bother someone on the phone' element. Could be fun to cut out everything else and make a game that's nothing but phone for a change.

(Also, if anyone needs some extra inspiration, I recommend Coldline by Adam Pype. Evil phone. Evil game.)

[Repi]

After getting my ball rolling with April's "FRAME" theme, I thought I'd give this one a shot too.

I'm working on a horror game called Fingerprint of God. It's about a man, a lab, and a mystery that shouldn't be solved. Especially not by him.

I'd say more, but honestly, some things are better left unsaid.

Maybe I'll just phone this in.

[heltenjon]

(Also, if anyone needs some extra inspiration, I recommend Coldline by Adam Pype. Evil phone. Evil game.)

I'm glad to say that I saved the world.  Great recommendation!

[VampireWombat]

Maybe having a better defined idea and starting earlier in the month will mean a higher chance of finishing something this month. The start came from cracking eggs this morning. It's a bad pun, but at least it led to more ideas. Sal and Ella may or may not be the final names used.

[Stupot]

How we getting on, folks?

[Repi]

This is my work-in-progress art style, no code or writing. I'm still thinking about the general mood and style, so it's missing details, some objects, a spark in the night, a shadow hiding a secret...

But it has a phone.

[VampireWombat]

I uh... I have a possible "case" to be "solved" and I have kind of figured out the personalities for the player characters. The main thing I need to do next is figure out tone and art style.

[soulstuff]

I have something planned out so i will most likely start to make the actual game the last week of the month

[Falsely]

Got things mostly planned out, but this month has been so busy I haven't had time to start on the project itself.

Don't see that changing, unfortunately. I suspect this is going on my unfinished MAGS shelf.

[VampireWombat]

Hopefully others are progressing better than I am. I'm still stuck trying to figure out an art style. Nothing I've tried has seemed right at all. If I don't figure something out today, then I'm going to either make it a visual novel style or first person. I do at least have base GUIs made...

[Repi]

I'm almost done, and I might be able to finish this tomorrow. I could use an extension for a day or two.

[Repi]

2 day extension, @Stupot?

[Stupot]

2 day extension, @Stupot?

You goddit!
Deadline is now 23:59 UK time on June 2nd

[Repi]

Awesome, thank you!

[Repi]

The Astral Chapel

Christopher's father dies and he decides to clean up his laboratory. Meanwhile, he finds his father's notes, strange machinery, and research papers, and gets a mysterious call. Things start to unravel... maybe in cosmic proportions.


Beware bugs, typos, and other annoying things. It should be playable, though.

[Stupot]

And that concludes another round. Just one entry this time.

The winner of MAGS May is:
The Astral Chapel by Repi

Go and play it.

Congratulations Repi, and thanks. You have all month to think of a new prompt for July.

[cat]

Oh, too bad there was only one entry. I'm still going to play it, even without voting.

[sthomannch]

Just downloaded and started it. Nice night sky. Not sure if I found a bug

Spoiler

after entering the code, moving the wheel and switch and placing the knob, the orb lit up twice, no nothing happens. But I am probably missing something else

[close]

But what was really funny was the shape shifting of Christopher when I reloaded an earlier save game.

Seems I cannot embed pictures with the img tag, so I just offer you this link

https://mega.nz/file/1T51AJKZ#FTfUaVZSFGjjt1kwrwf82KgRGE6d8WI-NyIeE0NZCRY

[Repi]

The Astral Chapel 2.0 (Fixed A Couple of Bugs)


I forbid you to look at the bad phone animation. The character positioning was a stupid decision

Just downloaded and started it. Nice night sky. Not sure if I found a bug

Spoiler

after entering the code, moving the wheel and switch and placing the knob, the orb lit up twice, no nothing happens. But I am probably missing something else

[close]

Damn, I thought I fixed it, but I did it now. Link above. I also fixed the original post link.

But what was really funny was the shape shifting of Christopher when I reloaded an earlier save game.

Seems I cannot embed pictures with the img tag, so I just offer you this link

https://mega.nz/file/1T51AJKZ#FTfUaVZSFGjjt1kwrwf82KgRGE6d8WI-NyIeE0NZCRY

  Yeah, I had that too! I just don't know what triggered it, and it only came up once. If somebody knows, HELP!

[sthomannch]

Hi Repi!
The shape shifting is not a show-stopper, just say it is an Easteregg. I wanted to download the new version but need to log in?
Anyway, nice graphics, looking forward to continue playing with the new version

[Repi]

Hi Repi!
The shape shifting is not a show-stopper, just say it is an Easteregg. I wanted to download the new version but need to log in?
Anyway, nice graphics, looking forward to continue playing with the new version

Thanks, @sthomannch! I struggled with the art, so I appreciate the compliment.

This is starting look very unprofessional, but I forgot to change the link accessible to all. But it is now.

I look forward to see, what you think, when you get the end. It's a short game, don't worry

[sthomannch]

Finished it! It was a bit tricky because some actions seem to block progress, but I am not sure what. Anyway, after restarting and going straight through the story, I could complete the game. I enjoyed it. Nice graphics, short but consistent game play, definitely worth playing!

[cat]

I'm stuck

Spoiler

I entered the code in the machine, moved the knob from one hole to another (for whatever reason) turned the wheel and switched the switch but nothing happens.
It took me quite some time to realize that there are more hotspots than the ones with mouse-over text, so I'm not sure if I missed a hotspot or something.

[close]

Fun "special effect" on the walking view

[sthomannch]

I had the same problem. If the following hints do not help you may want to start from the beginning.

Spoiler

Try to turn the knob after entering the code, turning the wheel and throwing the switch. You should see a few sparks on the globe on top of the machine. If not then I fear you are stuck and have to restart.

[close]

The reaction on some hot spots changes depending on your actions

Spoiler

Right-click on the book shelf. You should see some dialog options that you can exhaust

[close]

After getting wiser

Spoiler

Look through the telescope and find a new hot spot in the night sky

[close]

[cat]

Spoiler

I was able to activate the machine and get the dialog options but I don't see a new hotspot in the sky.

[close]

[Repi]

Finished it! It was a bit tricky because some actions seem to block progress, but I am not sure what. Anyway, after restarting and going straight through the story, I could complete the game. I enjoyed it. Nice graphics, short but consistent game play, definitely worth playing!

I'm sure I forgot to explore every option, so there definitely could be some dead ends. I have probably 1-2 MAGS games in me, and after that I will polish these titles further and enter them into the database. You can get extremely blind to your own work, so I thank you for taking the time to play and give feedback!

@cat

Spoiler

Hmm... this is strange. If you managed to get the Teleforce up and running, there definitely should be a hotspot in the sky after that. I had several puzzle ideas, but I didn't manage to do any of them, so I tried to make this hotspot a simple thing. The cursor should change into a big red X on the hotspot. Of course there could be some weird bug that went under my radar. I try to look into it!

[close]

[cat]

Spoiler

The lamp on top of the machine blinked once and I read all dialog options of the bookshelf. In which area of the sky is the hotspot supposed to be?

[close]

[Repi]

Ah, now I see I misunderstood you @cat. I re-read the earlier responses from you and @sthomannch, and I need to clarify the process.

Spoiler

The bookshelf is just a world-building tool, only to clarify the story. You don't need it to solve the puzzles.

[close]

This is the whole puzzle sequence (If someone else is also interested):

Spoiler

Pick up the tools from the Drawer->
Open Floorboard with the Hammer, get Notes of Abraham Bell->
Right Click/Look at the Notes in the inventory 3 times and get the code 369->
Enter the Code to the Tesla Machine ->
Use Pliers to the Right Knob, get the Knob and place it on Left Empty Slot->
Turn the Left Knob, pull the Wheel to set up the Teleforce and then pull the Switch to activate it->
After some dialogue you can search the sky->
Rest should come together by itself

[close]

[cat]

Ok, I finally managed to finish the game

Spoiler

I have to say, it is REALLY buggy. It's like the Apollo 13 startup sequence. You have to do things in the absolutely correct order or it won't work. Even after starting the machine and looking through the telescope, when clicking the red X nothing happened. Only after leaving the telescope and looking through it again, I saw the creature.
Most hotspots are missing a label.
Also there is the bug with the broken walking view (blue cup) and a telephone appears for every interaction.

I had no clue what was going on in the game. It was lacking a proper introduction (only read here in this thread afterwards that the PC's dad has died and you take care of what is left)
I also didn't understand the end.

The graphics are very good, I like the style, the color change in the end adds to the atmosphere. I hope you will have some time to work more on the game, because it seems to be very interesting.

[close]

[Repi]

Thanks for taking the time to play it through and giving me feedback!

I think I need to clarify a couple of things though. One thing is that you don't need to do the sequence in exact order. I just gave one sequence to keep it simple. Overall, I'll polish these later when I'm done with all the MAGS competitions.

Spoiler

I have to say, it is REALLY buggy. It's like the Apollo 13 startup sequence. You have to do things in the absolutely correct order or it won't work. Even after starting the machine and looking through the telescope, when clicking the red X nothing happened. Only after leaving the telescope and looking through it again, I saw the creature.

You can enter the code or do the knob thing first if you like, there's no order. Of course, you have to turn the wheel first and then turn the switch, which will turn the beam on. Not able to click when the X appears is a new bug, because I didn't experience it and @sthomannch didn't report it. But I'll look into it.

Most hotspots are missing a label.

Yeah, my bad

Also there is the bug with the broken walking view (blue cup) and a telephone appears for every interaction.

Annoingly that telephone appeared in the "fixed" version, because I was trying to get a smoother animation with the phone.

I had no clue what was going on in the game. It was lacking a proper introduction (only read here in this thread afterwards that the PC's dad has died and you take care of what is left) I also didn't understand the end.

True, the story is a little bit muddy here and there, and the father's death is implied during the call. The father investigated aliens and wanted to contact them by building a machine for that purpose. The voice on the phone is not Christopher's father, it's God, who lures Chris to use the machine to unleash a powerful angel (This angel is based on Seraphim and how it is really described in the Bible). So... yeah I really should work the story

The graphics are very good, I like the style, the color change in the end adds to the atmosphere. I hope you will have some time to work more on the game, because it seems to be very interesting.

I really tried to focus more on the art department, so I think it affected the other areas negatively. I'm glad that at least the art had some merit this time comparing to my other games, so thanks!

[close]

[cat]

Spoiler

I restarted the game several times. I got the sphere sparkle once but never had the machine come out until I tried it with the order you provided. It seems to be quite fragile, but I'm sure you can fix it.

[close]