May MAGS

Started by Klaus, Mon 01/05/2006 00:16:51

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Klaus

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

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 competitiors 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.

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Here are the rules set by last month's winner nihilyst:

Topic: The Journey

This month you should make a game about some kind of journey. This can be a story of a holiday travel, a runaway, a biker road-movie, a chase, a journey to another planet, into a human body or anything else you can think of.
The journey should be complete, i.e. with preparations, the travel itself (that should fill out the greatest part of your game) and the arrival (optional the way back, too, if you want to). The preparations and the arrival can be cutscenes only or playable, that's up to you.

You HAVE TO
- have at least 1 scrolling room
- involve a child in some kind (if you for example would choose the journey into a body, then you have to find an adequate replacement like a child virus or something; you could also make the main character a child)
- involve an animal in one of the puzzles (again, if you choose an unusual setting, find a workaround)
- include some kind of fight; it may be interactive or not.

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All entries need to be in by May 26th.

Please post a download link of your game entry to this thread, best with a screenshot. Thanks and good luck.

JuuL

#1
Thanks to nihilyst for making some great rules. They actually (almost) make it possible for me to use an idea I had a few months ago, though I never began to actually make the game.
Unfortunately I will probably not have time for this because of my exams - but then again, I don't know yet. So I might make a game. Anyway, I wish everybody good luck and I can't wait to play a lot of good MAGS games.

edit:
I've been thinking a little about my idea and I have some questions about the rules:
- what is the maximum age of a "child"?
- does the animal have to be alive? and could it be an object resembling an animal? (like a teddy bear)

bush_monkey

I love the rules. Very inspiring. I don't know if I'll have time to do an entry but I will try  ;D

ace monkey

#3
i think i will have a go at this. but err....well I'm a bit of a n00b, where do i post my game when it is finished and I'm ready to enter it into the competition?

EDIT. Lol doesn't matter dint see the bit at the end of first post. lol :-[ ;D

Ubel

Quote from: ace monkey on Sun 07/05/2006 14:59:17
where do i post my game when it is finished and I'm ready to enter it into the competition?

You just post in this thread with the name of your game, a download link and preferably a screenshot. :)

Edit: Oh, you noticed it already. :P Good luck with your game!

JuuL

Quote from: JuuL on Mon 01/05/2006 12:25:42
I've been thinking a little about my idea and I have some questions about the rules:
- what is the maximum age of a "child"?
- does the animal have to be alive? and could it be an object resembling an animal? (like a teddy bear)
Any answers?

Klaus

Quote from: JuuL on Mon 01/05/2006 12:25:42
- what is the maximum age of a "child"?
If your question refers to a "standard human" child I'd say the maximum age should be about 12 to 14 years (then follows "youth", then "grown-up" - it's all floating with no fix limits in age).

Quote from: JuuL on Mon 01/05/2006 12:25:42
- does the animal have to be alive? and could it be an object resembling an animal? (like a teddy bear)
For the animal I'd say it does not need to be alive but it has to be a real animal. Only if your story is based in a toy world a teddy bear would also count as an animal.

That's just how I read the rules. Let's see what nihilyst, who set this month's guidelines, answers to your questions. If this is different just forget about my reply :)

JuuL

That sounds reasonable to me. Thanks for the answers, Klaus. I doubt that nihilyst would have anything to add to that.

nihilyst

Sorry, that I couldn't answer, but I second Klauses answers, so it wouldn't have been necessary anyway. Good luck with your games!

cheers
nihilyst

Steel Drummer

Sweet. I just happened to have pretty much made a game that is like a journey. I was going to originally post it s a regular game but am I allowed using it as a MAGS?
I'm composing the music for this game:



Klaus

Quote from: yodaman11111 on Fri 12/05/2006 20:55:40
Sweet. I just happened to have pretty much made a game that is like a journey. I was going to originally post it s a regular game but am I allowed using it as a MAGS?
We already had this question some time ago. Actually a long time ago :) There's an answer to this in a very old thread from October 2004. As probably noone can remember here's the main facts:

Quote from: Klaus
In upcoming contests the creation of an entry must now start with (or after) the rules were set. I think that's the best way to handle this issue in future. If someone already started on a game (s)he's always welcome to post the game in the MAGS thread but just as a reference not as a regular entry.

I hope this is okay for you and thanks for your fairness to ask about this.

vict0r

Am i allowed to use a character i made before the contest started? I haven't released a game with him yet, so i don't really see why not. But you decide :)

Klaus

Quote from: vict0r on Fri 19/05/2006 20:44:31
Am i allowed to use a character i made before the contest started? I haven't released a game with him yet, so i don't really see why not. But you decide :)
I'd prefer a character made after the competition started. But you can use your "premade" character if you don't take advantage from this: It means that the period of time you already worked on that character before the contest started you must not work on your game this month now. So in the end you have the same time to work on the complete game as someone who just started after the rules were published. You get the intention?

vict0r

Sure! I'm starting my game now, so that's no problem. If i'll ever finish it.

Klaus

Quote from: vict0r on Sat 20/05/2006 00:19:13
If i'll ever finish it.
There are still 6 days and some hours left ;) Good luck!

vict0r

#15
I just got 6 days off from school ;) I'll make it.

EDIT: I'll probably not... :-\

Klaus

Well, the deadline is coming closer now! For those who want to submit their entries please post your game withing the next 30 hours (see timestamp of this message). Then the voting will begin...

Steel Drummer

Has anyone even made a game for MAGS?
I'm composing the music for this game:



Klaus

Quote from: yodaman11111 on Fri 26/05/2006 16:44:54
Has anyone even made a game for MAGS?
I wonder too... In case of need we can extend the deadline until late sunday / very early monday.

jetxl

I any case, this is my entry.
Guess how long it took me to make.

Billy B. Star and the Lapaset Travel Quest.
http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/billybstar.zip

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