OROW: One room, one week competition. By the Numbers by AJA Won!

[Bulbapuck]

The competition is closed, a link to the games is *here*
A mirror is *here*

List of games:
A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
Boiler Room Blues by Ishmael
By The Numbers by AJA
Delerium by Buckethead
Disquiet by Dualnames
Don't Worry Baby by Tiki
Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee by Privateer Puddin'
One Room by Wyz
Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus



Alright! Voting's closed. Votes have been counted and recounted. And here are the results:


Best Game:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus


Best Sound:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: Disquiet by Dualnames
3rd place: tie between:
                A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
                Boiler Room Blues by Ishmael


Best Graphics:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: tie between:
                Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus
                Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee by Privateer Puddin'


Best Writing:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: One Room by Wyz


Best Design:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: tie between:
               Don't Worry Baby by Tiki
               One Room by Wyz

So a clean sweep by AJA! Congratulations! Also congratulations to joelphillipage for scoring high in all categories!

Something that's real nice is that no name was left out of the top 3 lists

Thanks to all who voted! And another thanks to those who participated! Some awesome games were made here.  Next time, I hope to participate See you then.

The OROW competition is a very simple competition were you make a game that is one room big in just one week. This competition has in the past prooven what the members of this community are capable of, and it will be interesting to see what comes of this.
(Some of this post is copy-pasted from another thread.)

Rules:

• Entries must have only one playable room/location
  
• Entries must be adventure games
  
• Entries may use content from any source, including pre-made.
  
• Entries may have cut scenes, menus or limited controlled sequences outside the main room.
  
• Entries will be submitted anonymously, more on that below.
  

Anonymous submission
An important aspect in this competition is the anonymity. This means that you cannot share any information about your entry. Nor can your game contain your name. This is because the game should be voted on by it's own merits.

You submit the game by sending me a link via PM. I will then upload it to another site. (Probably ShutUpload)

The winner will be decided by public vote once the competition ends. There will be 5 categories: graphics, music/sound, scripting, writing/concept, puzzles. Each category will be scored out of 5. Voters will be expected to have played, and to vote on, at least half of all games entered. However, of course, playing them all is preferable.

This competition will start on Monday the 19th of July. You should not start making your game until then. Even if you think you have no chance of winning, you're encouraged to enter - it's as much a forum activity as a contest.

Absolutely no information about your game should be shared with anyone until the competition and voting has ended. Please reply to this post if you intend to take part, but don't give any idea of what your game will be about.

Best of luck, and have fun

[Calin Leafshade]

i'm in.

[Chicky]

Fancy that, so am i.

[IndieBoy]

This is a dangerous statement, but I'm in.

[Privateer Puddin']

Oh, me too.

[Calin Leafshade]

This is a dangerous statement, but I'm in.

you said that for MAGS... lies

[IndieBoy]

@ Calin
That is why it is dangerous. Although 2 days is a lot different from a week

[Tiki]

In.
is there a specific topic or rule that you will reveal at the start of the competition?

[Chicky]

In.
is there a specific topic or rule that you will reveal at the start of the competition?

Damn right! Tiki i love you, it's been too long!

Also i can tell you now, this is going to be an awesome OROWC.

[AJA]

Ah, finally. As it turns out, the timing could be a lot better but that just means everything else has to come second.

Good luck everyone! Let's hope we'll get as many fantastic entries as usually!

I'd better go get some sleep before the hair pulling begins...

[Dualnames]

Tiki!!!

There's no theme. ONE ROOM (either literally or logic) in one week.

[Gord10]

I will be doing the best I can.

[Cuiki]

Ok, I'm also in.

[Twirlly]

I'd like to participate, but I wish the answer to Tiki's question was yes and there was some topic/rule etc given. I think I need some guidance to complete a game in a week sadly.

[Calin Leafshade]

make one up.. i'll make one up for you right now.. and it only applies to you..

errm..

Photographs.

I dont know why...

[LimpingFish]

I...may be in. ¬¬

[Ishmael]

Despite the fact I barely have free time to draw a breath I'll still attempt to participate in this wonderful activity.

[Vukul]

Sounds interesting. More than a game in an hour, but less efforts (it seems) than a MAGS entry.

Let's try that

[cat]

I'd love to join, but I'm totally lacking inspiration...

[Calin Leafshade]

I can give you a random theme too if you like cat

Random word generator says: Acolyte

[FSi++]

I suggest those lacking inspiration try http://www.seventhsanctum.com/

[Privateer Puddin']

My method: Wikipedia random article

[None]

One week eh?... The mind reels. Don't know if I'll get it done but.  *with a flourish adds himself to the roster*
It's like QFG all over again.

22nd -
No way I'm getting this done in time, but on the upside I've gotten started on a decent premise... Peace fools!

[Armageddon]

I guess I could give this a try, so it started today right? And it will end this Saturday?

[Bulbapuck]

Yup, started today. The deadline is Sunday at 23:59:59 GMT

[LimpingFish]

Alright, I'm definitely in.

Let's see what happens.

[cat]

Just for clarification: can I use some code for a special GUI I previously made for another game but did not release? I wouldn't use the old game, just the GUI.

[Intense Degree]

Entries may use content from any source, including pre-made.

Looks like you should be fine. 

I may well manage an entry here (or at least I intend to!), just depends if I can make enough time...

[Chicky]

Hard at work! Any more entrants?

[LimpingFish]

I am currently working on trying to make my game look less bad.

I'm cobbling together graphics from my Folder Of Graphics Which Apparently Stank Too Overtly. Fogwasto to the rescue!

Expect a story which goes nowhere fast.

And how!

[AJA]

Having serious doubts about getting this thing finished in time... Tomorrow's going to be a pain. If I can survive tomorrow's tasks, it should get a lot more straightforward. I still don't even know what exactly is going to happen in this game. But that's the way I like it. I may or may not be lying.

I wish I had someone who'd write this crap for me... Also helpful: someone who'd write the game for me.

Back to work, I guess. Or sleep. Or not sleep because I can't stop thinking about the story.

[Chicky]

Screw it, this needs a bump, people are always saying they missed competition threads.

I'm working hard to meet the deadline, it's getting late and this has been a busy week irl. Got some lovely programming though  

I hope everyone else is working their nuts off!

[Wonkyth]

Yeah, I'm working on an entry, but as I didn't want to disappoint anyone, I decided to leave it until it was certain the game would be finished.

DISCLAIMER: The above statement, contrary to any perceived implications, does not state that the entry will be finished before the deadline.

[Chicky]

...2 days running and i've had no time for AGS 

I may have to scream 'EXTENSION!' tomorrow.

[Bulbapuck]

I didn't know this competition could have an extension

Anyways, A little bit over a day to go. How's everyone doing?

[LimpingFish]

Badly.

I'm about halfway through.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Not gonna happen this time.  Found out a bit late, got side-TRUCKED, then started watching The IT Crowd.  Sorry, no magical entry from me this time ;(.

[Calin Leafshade]

I am also doing badly and will not be finished in less than 24 hours.. sorry.

[AJA]

That's a shame.

Due to not having a life (or a job), I think I'll be able to make the deadline after all. Sleep deprivation is the way to go! I'm guessing there's still about 8-10 hours worth of nonstop work to be done before its finished. I may have to cut out some of the polish. The Polish have to go too.

Damn thunder... I guess it's time to stop for today.

[Tiki]

i will be finished

and hi Chicky!
edit: and Dualnames!

[Wonkyth]

Wont be finished. 

[Cuiki]

...2 days running and i've had no time for AGS  

I may have to scream 'EXTENSION!' tomorrow.

Yeaaaah, please make a one day extention :'(
I know it's a one week game, but still..if it's possible..in any way...

Also, I think I need someone, who isn't making a OROW game right now and is able to do a bit of not too advanced scripting, because I'm very new to this and I cannot learn how to script in one day. I know it's my fault, but I'm in dire straits right now so I'm asking for help. I have basically all the graphics, story and puzzles worked out, though. Please PM me if you're interested and have a couple of hours to spare.

Found someone.

[Chicky]

I am also doing badly and will not be finished in less than 24 hours.. sorry.

In the same boat, sailing into oblivion. An extra 24 hours would be nice, seeing as i didn't get started until Tuesday 

[Dualnames]

Let's call it an ORED then.

[tzachs]

Not gonna happen this time.  Found out a bit late, got side-TRUCKED, then started watching The IT Crowd.  Sorry, no magical entry from me this time ;(.

Now that's a good excuse, that show is awesome!

btw, all of you who won't make it in time to the OROW, you can take your unfinished entry, stick something sciency in it, and you have 5 extra days or so to put it in the MAGS (so I won't be alone in there  :'()...

[Chicky]

Not gonna happen this time.  Found out a bit late, got side-TRUCKED, then started watching The IT Crowd.  Sorry, no magical entry from me this time ;(.

Now that's a good excuse, that show is awesome!

btw, all of you who won't make it in time to the OROW, you can take your unfinished entry, stick something sciency in it, and you have 5 extra days or so to put it in the MAGS (so I won't be alone in there  :'()...

Haha! Already have the science theme implemented as a failsafe 

...and the new season of the IT crowd is brilliant!

[Bulbapuck]

Sorry guys, but I can't give an extension. I can forgive a couple of minutes but that would be it.

To those who haven't submitted yet: About 6 hours, 26 mins remaining

Hurry!

[AJA]

Done and done. What a relief. Can't write more. Than three words. Per sentence today. Gotta get sleep. Looking forward to. Playing other entries. Shutting up now.

[LimpingFish]

Nope, I'm not going to make it. I've run out of creative juice. And I'm not very happy with what I have done, anyway.

But that's OROW, really. You dive into it and hope for the best, and seven days later you either have something or you don't.

And I don't. :'(

I might try putting a band-aid on it and entering it into MAGS.

Good luck to everybody else, though!

[Tiki]

submitted!
woo woo woo

[Ishmael]

An interesting week it has been. Looking forward to what it brings our way tomorrow (or today, depending on things and stuff)

[Chicky]

My entry will be complete in a day or two, and posted in the MAGS thread 

[Dualnames]

My entry will be complete in a day or two, and posted in the MAGS thread 

Or else death will ensue. A slow one. Yay chicky!!

[Chicky]

Nah, for once i can say that with confidence.  

[Cuiki]

Ok, me and Ultra Magnus are also gonna make it..most likely....
It's the matter of minutes now...

[Bulbapuck]

That's great Cuiki! And great you too Chicky! Looking forward to both of your games

In other news: I don't have the strength to keep myself awake for another hour. So I'll post the games and set up the voting first thing tomorrow. Sorry..

[Bulbapuck]

Here are the games: http://shutupload.com/dl/861e6cc9d9a8/ A total of 9 entries was reached, which is absolutely excellent.

I'll be setting up the voting now.

[Bulbapuck]

Here's a link to the voting page: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGxkQng4Y2dfeVRobi01ejVETDlnQ3c6MQ

Voting will be done in 5 categories: Best game, sound, graphics, writing and design. But you don't have to vote in every category.

I would like to thank everyone who participated for making this such an awesome competition.

Now I'm off to play some games

[Chicky]

Badass, nine new games to play   Cheers guys!

*edit: Almost through them all, lovely variety! In 'The Stones' the game ended early after the line 'It's a key, i wonder what it's for', went strait to the ending line. Hopefully this isn't the end as it's a good contender!

[Dualnames]

Played all and voted!!!

[MadReizka]

Downloading. Can't wait to play these.

[Bulbapuck]

I'm posting this on behalf of two authors as they need to stay anonymous:

Author of Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here?:
@Chicky: While it's possible to end the game so quickly, that's not supposed to be the right solution. Is a bug.
There are actually a couple of them in the game. Unfortunately, it wasn't tested properly because it was in the making until the very last moment.
I'm sorry for that and I hope all who are playing it now will return to play a more polished version, which will be released at the end of the OROW voting.

Author of One Room PMed me that the game has a bug. If you've played and voted then you can download the bug-frre version *here*. Don't download it if you plan on voting later please

[Wyz]

OK played them all
*voted*

Well some really nice games there! I'd like to comment on them but I'd better wait till after the voting.

[AnalogGuy]

There's missing "best music" voting... or I presume it is included to the sound department? It should be best sound/music or something like that, right?

And also, can anyone suggest me anything regarding to "One Room" game. I am so frustrated because I can't simply do anything at the beginning because it does not accept or recognize anything I type into input...

[AJA]

Played and voted. Some great games this time as well! Comments later once the voting ends, which is... when?

Just for the record, I really prefer the previous voting method of "rate every game 1-5 in each category." I wasted a whole sheet of paper rating them, argh!

[Bulbapuck]

Oh, right . Ummm.. Friday? Let's say friday. 22:00 GMT (Thanks )

I actually didn't know that was how the voting was done, I joined these forums in late 2008 and have hence never experienced an OROWC.

[Vince Twelve]

ptpt88 (Re: One Room)

Spoiler

Each time you type anything it hints you towards the word dictionary.

Now, what do I do with these colored light balls?

[close]

Re: By the numbers

Spoiler

How do you solve this?

[close]

Still have a few more to try, but low on time!  Good job everybody who participated!  These are fun!

[TheJBurger]

Excellent, excellent games. Thanks everybody for making them.

Will post comments on all as soon as the voting is over.

[Vince Twelve]

Re: Tax Game:

Spoiler

It goes to the room with boxes and then freezes?  Is there any actual interaction here or is it just unfinished?

[close]

Re: Don't Worry Baby:

Spoiler

Is there a way to stop the baby from asploding?  I don't know how to stop him from touching the electrical outlet.

[close]

Re: Well, well, well:

Spoiler

The second clue says go north twice the circumference of the well.  I've clicked the trowel on the grass everywhere along what I'm pretty sure is north from the clue and nothing happens.  Is there something else I'm supposed to be doing?

[close]

My previous questions still stand.  Want to finish them all before voting.  Completed the other four, though.  Some really nice variety among entries.  None of them were generic "Help, I'm stuck in a room and must escape several illogical inventory puzzles" games, which is nice! 

[Wyz]

@ Vince:

Re: One Room

Spoiler

Now, what do I do with these colored light balls?
- First find all 7 and then pair them up correctly.

[close]

Re: By the numbers

Spoiler

How do you solve this?
- My solution: Try all options and in the end with the three addresses try all three.

[close]

Re: Tax Game:

Spoiler

It goes to the room with boxes and then freezes?  Is there any actual interaction here or is it just unfinished?
- Use your arrow keys to move the character, use your keyboard to type in commands (a window pops up)

[close]

Re: Don't Worry Baby:

Spoiler

Is there a way to stop the baby from asploding?  I don't know how to stop him from touching the electrical outlet.
- Try the electric cord
...
...
- Try turning on the tv
...
...
- Try turning on the fan

[close]

[Vince Twelve]

Bah, thanks Wyz.  I didn't have a lot of time today, so I was just quitting as soon as I got remotely stuck.  Still don't see the logic to By the Numbers and

Spoiler

I thought I tried all three and got the explosion all three times, maybe something is randomized?  I just didn't have the time to sit through the long dialog again.

[close]

[TheJBurger]

Bah, thanks Wyz.  I didn't have a lot of time today, so I was just quitting as soon as I got remotely stuck.  Still don't see the logic to By the Numbers and

Spoiler

I thought I tried all three and got the explosion all three times, maybe something is randomized?  I just didn't have the time to sit through the long dialog again.

[close]

Vince, here is my experience:

Spoiler

When I was interrogating the man, he mentioned that he kidnapped the child from where they naturally are, or something akin to that. When referencing the location of the two potential addresses, the kidnapper told me that his home was in the middle of nowhere, and his work was near a park. Naturally, I assumed park was the correct choice. But then he threw in that whole thing about your home and your daughter or something, and I just ignored that as pure desperation on his attempt (reading too much into it, I know). Anyway, I chose the work, for its proximity to the park, and I found the correct house with the bomb just in time. Hope that helps? (Probably not)

[close]

[Dualnames]

@VINCE:
By the numbers spoiler ending

Spoiler

I think the plot twist is to get out of the police precinct, which I imagine is what gets blown actually. No matter your response on the addresses, I presume it gets blown away.

[close]

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

A voter is me.

[Bulbapuck]

Bah, thanks Wyz.  I didn't have a lot of time today, so I was just quitting as soon as I got remotely stuck.  Still don't see the logic to By the Numbers and

Spoiler

I thought I tried all three and got the explosion all three times, maybe something is randomized?  I just didn't have the time to sit through the long dialog again.

[close]

Spoiler

I believe it depends on the questions you ask.

When I played it I based my decition on the fact that he was single and some answers that semmed to point towards someone's home. And sure enough, choosing my home got me saving the girl.

Though on my first attempt I failed to get any good information and failed.

[close]

[Vince Twelve]

Well well well is the only one I haven't beaten yet.  Any help on my above question?

[cat]

One room

Spoiler

The letter changing puzzle - the font is so weird - is this a y or a g?

[close]

Well, well, well

Spoiler

I also had the sudden ending bug when using the rope on the well. How can I avoid it?

[close]

[Vince Twelve]

One Room:

Spoiler

It's a g

[close]

[ddq]

Voted like a boss. Thoroughly confused. Strangely pleased. Short sentences.

[Bulbapuck]

The author of Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here asked me to say this:

@Vince:

Spoiler

The puzzle is supposed to be viewed through the eyes of the in-game character, so the distance actually needs to be measured with something. You need to use this item with the well's opening instead of the base and that's a bit confusing, but such things will get fixed as soon as possible.

[close]

Also:

Spoiler

The solution of the third stone should lead you to finishing the game, which now happens with clicking the white stone. This is actually the wrong hotspot to click, but since nothing else can be done at the moment, just click the white stone once you reach the third stone puzzle. (you miss one riddle that way, so I apologize for that, but as I said, it will get fixed.)

[close]

EDIT: A message from me

Could someone upload a mirror for the games on another site? I've been trying to do so myself for the past 3 hours but my connection is too poor.. Thanks

[Intense Degree]

Played & voted.

Vince - Well Well Well

Spoiler

I managed to cut the rope over the well with the knife and then used the rope on the handle of the well to obtain a circumference measurement. 

[close]

...continued...

Spoiler

I've used the rope on the second stone and found a third one with some gems in but am stuck again!

Anyone else got any hints?

[close]

[AJA]

Mirrored: www.serpentpictures.net/OROW VI.rar

[Vince Twelve]

Got my vote in!

Intense Degree:

Spoiler

I think the third stone is just a hint leading you to the white stone on the well.  Unless I'm mistaken, the game is just unfinished here.  Anyways, I felt informed enough to vote!  I'll try it again when they finish it.

[close]

[cat]

Voted!

[Bulbapuck]

Thank you AJA

[Bulbapuck]

Last hour of voting before I close it.

If you haven't gotten your vote in yet, now's the time.

[Bulbapuck]

Alright! Voting's closed. Votes have been counted and recounted. And here are the results:

But first, the complete list of games and authors:
A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
Boiler Room Blues by Ishmael
By The Numbers by AJA
Delerium by Buckethead
Disquiet by Dualnames
Don't Worry Baby by Tiki
Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee by Privateer Puddin'
One Room by Wyz
Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus


Best Game:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus


Best Sound:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: Disquiet by Dualnames
3rd place: tie between:
                A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
                Boiler Room Blues by Ishmael


Best Graphics:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: tie between:
                Well, Well, Well. What Have We Here by Cuiki and Ultra Magnus
                Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee by Privateer Puddin'
                Delerium by Buckethead


Best Writing:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: One Room by Wyz


Best Design:
1st place: By The Numbers by AJA

2nd place: A Woman For All Seasons by joelphilippage
3rd place: tie between:
               Don't Worry Baby by Tiki
               One Room by Wyz

So a clean sweep by AJA! Congratulations! Also congratulations to joelphillipage for scoring high in all categories!

One thing that's nice is that every game is mentioned in the top 3 lists

Thanks to all who voted! And another thanks to those who participated! Some awesome games were made here.  Next time, I hope to participate See you then.

[Dualnames]

Congrats to AJA!! (Expected that this game would win, and the Finnish voice acting kind of made it obvious!)

Thanks to everyone for playing my small little game(eventually improved from my last OROW entry), and especially ptpt88 for almost making it for best sound having composed the games soundtrack within 4-5 hours whilst talking on Skype.

[AnalogGuy]

Thanks. But next time I really hope there's separated voting section for music... or is it not good idea?

[Ishmael]

Nice one.

PS. Please spell my name right.

[Wonkyth]

While trying to finish my OROW after the deadline, I neglected to vote, soz.
Good job all, I'm sure I will play them eventually.

[AJA]

Congrats to AJA!! (Expected that this game would win, and the Finnish voice acting kind of made it obvious!)

Thanks! I'm glad everyone's still alive after listening through that.

This is actually my first OROW entry that I think wasn't quite finished. So, a proper release version will be out soon with some small additions. And it's also looking highly likely that there'll be a short making of video, too. Just a little something that shows how the game progressed through the week. Plus MadReizka's bloopers, yay!

Thanks to everyone for voting! I'm getting tired of winning this thing.

And thanks to Bulbapuck for hosting! I hope this is the last time I have to say this: I hope the next one's in less than two years.


Now, comments on the games, like I promised earlier. (I wish I'd written these back when I played them.) (Spoiler warning?)

A Woman For All Seasons
Excellent graphics and a brilliant concept! Nice sound effects and music also. I just wish there were more (and more complicated) spells to perform. A couple of them I got on the first go. The story was lovely and well written, and the rat was hilarious. The ending could have been a bit more dramatic and spectacular but you can't get everything in a game made in one week. Sorry, the better a game is the more I need to go on about its very minor shortcomings. This was definitely my favorite of the whole bunch! Well done!

Boiler Room Blues
Clearly by Ishmael. Loved the graphical style, and explosions are always fun, especially the one in this one. One bug I noticed was that you could turn off the valve without first getting to the other side of the water spray. Great game for a couple of days work!

By the Numbers
This one I had some serious trouble with. Note to self: never try writing something like this again in two days. I tried to hide the clues to the correct address in lots of unnecessary information, which clearly worked based on the comments in this thread. Maybe a bit too well since none of the proposed solutions posted here are correct.

The correct address can be any of the three, it's randomized. There's like four or five clues that SHOULD lead you to the correct answer, a couple of which depend on the randomization. The clues are not quite as clear as I'd hoped, they sort of point you in the right direction but... unfortunately that I can't fix in the proper release for obvious reasons. :-/ But at least there'll be an option to skip directly to the second part of the game if anybody wants to try and figure it out.

Oh, one more thing... This one won best graphics? Really? Yay for the computer doing all the hard work.

Delerium
Nice graphics and moody music! The objects were a bit easy to find since they didn't move in sync with the background. I'm not familiar with the panorama module so I can't really tell who to "blame". Nice little game, nevertheless.

Disquiet
Great graphics, sound and music create an excellently haunting and disturbing mood! Definitely one of my favorites. The story worked nicely. Very depressing stuff. Great work!

Don't Worry Baby
LOL. That was seriously the first and only thing on my mind while I played the game. Excellent choice for the title too since it came alphabetically right after the depressing Disquiet. It was a really fun game, trying out each of the ways to get the baby killed. Does that make me a bad person? Nah.

Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
Well, there's not much to say about this one. The graphics looked really spiffy. I hope this one gets finished eventually!

One Room
My brain hurts. A really interesting idea for a game and well executed, too. The last part of the game was a bit confusing, maybe I missed something or it was because of the bug mentioned here. Very nice take on the one room concept in any case! The word puzzle took some time figuring out, even though in retrospective the solution is so obvious.

Well, Well, Well, What Have We Here?
Lovely graphics and interesting puzzles. I'm really looking forward to playing the finished/fixed version. The first time I played this I actually went straight to the well after the first clue and clicked on the white stone - game over. A bit unfortunate but on the next try I knew not to do that yet.


Thanks to the participants for making all these lovely and very varied games! I had a lot of fun playing all of them. That's the true reward for taking part in this thing.


Wow, that's a lot of smileys. Well, back to writing about 30 pages worth of screenplay formatted crap for our new web series project...

[Ishmael]

Great game for a couple of days work!

Around nine hours, to be exact. I made the whole thing on the closing sunday, ofcource forgetting any sort of beta testings, checklists and whatnot, resulting in a few missing things I would've well had time to implement as well as overlooking a few too obvious glitches people seem to have found now. Consider this a beta

[Dualnames]

Comments on the games on my behalf, if anyone cares.

A Woman For All Seasons
I saw this on the end of the OROW games, and damn, I had this urge to sprite something up. The story wasn't my cup of tea, and I'm the exception. But this game is really mindblowing in graphics, and the story is really fun and weird, just not my thing, that's all. Congrats joel!

By the Numbers
I was sure with all the dat files, I'd get something rad. And I got it. It's not much of a gameplay really, but overall god darn impressive! The voice acting has a tint of Finnish, and that's how I was quite sure that this was AJA's. This was the best game imho.

Delerium
I didn't knew this was yours Buckethead . I loved the theora plugin use. The puzzles were rather nice and smart, you knew stuff was there somewhere,and  yet it made it a little challenging.

Don't Worry Baby
WTF. Honestly. Great idea and very nicely done Tiki!! The hilarious factor beat every other OROW entry. And the design was very nice, imho it has some replay value, but damn that baby is a bitch ()


Disquiet

Well, if anyone cares, I'm just gonna say it to get it out of my system, with my last entry OROW entry being almost last, I decided to just make something better, and I failed to come up with anything cool from June.I was trying to find ideas for the OROW or any game really, but no luck. So I decided to not enter anyways. Returning from a hangover and being extremely happy, I put Pink Floyd's Final Cut and I wrote the game within 2 hours. It's apparent of the connections that they share,if you've seen the Wall at least, or heard any of Final's Cut songs.

I finished the game in 4 days and we wrote the music in 5-6 hours. Surprisingly enough for both me and ptpt88 who did outstanding job, the game fitted the music and viceversa. Some various issues were fixed and there.

Thanks to everyone who liked this game, this is my first Drama game. Any feedback is welcome. Congrats once again to everyone including that newcomer finnish-german called Ich Mael.

It was fun nevertheless.

I couldn't manage to beat all the games, I'm just not good, that's all. Congrats to all entrants, and damn you AJA, we should name the OROW as in One Room One Winner

Congrats to Bulbapuck as well!

[TheJBurger]

Some brief comments:

Boiler Room Blues
Liked it. Nice music. Good opening with the problem presented right in front of you.
Bugs: I could appear to turn the left valve without even passing the first leak. Never used the umbrella.

By the Numbers
AMAZING! Incredible. I must know how you did the vector/face animation.
Some suggestions: I wish that crucial story moments would have been made by the player, such as the moment when you decide that the interogee is a faker. This would have placed more emphasis on the uncertainty of the interrogation, making the player more inquisitive if he or she is really correct about the killer's true identity or not. Maybe?

Delerium
Interesting concept. Didn't like the ending where one choice is basically just a "you lose, wrong decision, dude!" I also was confused about right-click being the combo-inv click. I liked the atmosphere though.

Disquiet
Depressing, but I like it's setup. I wish there was an opportunity for some positive ending--he can still die, but I just wish there was something more to it than just a void at the end. Also, I like the grain effect -- how'd you achieve it? (Snazzy!)

Don't Worry Baby
Nice idea. I wish there was more to it. I think the funniest moment was when the baby went into the oven and came out, yet the game still told me "Congratulations! The Baby survived!"

One Room
Interesting. Abstract. Feels a bit slow to me, for accomplishing such 'miniscule' type achievements.

Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
I really liked it from what there was. Please incorporate the synonymous phrase "Drop Box!"

Well, Well, Well, What Have We Here?
That was (unexpectedly) short! But sweet? Wells! (I don't think I finished it correctly)

A Woman For All Seasons
Excellent. I really liked it. Very charming.
Suggestions: A particle effect for something following the wand would have been nice. Just to give the eyes a visual indicator if each spell is, or was successfully completed by making a correct horizontal line or circle. And please make a longer ending!

Thanks for the games, everybody! And congrats AJA, it was well deserved.

[Privateer Puddin']

Sorry for Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee being horribly incomplete, starting a new job and OROW in the same week don't go so well together it turns out! I did some stuff on Monday.. and then some stuff on Sunday, but I wanted to take part in OROW, hopefully no one wasted too much time playing it

[AJA]

Thanks for the comments!

Great game for a couple of days work!

Around nine hours, to be exact.

Right, I think you mentioned that before. Well, my inability to remember things has never been in question.

By the Numbers
AMAZING! Incredible. I must know how you did the vector/face animation.

There's going to be a brief look at the workflow in the making of video that'll explain it a bit.

Some suggestions: I wish that crucial story moments would have been made by the player, such as the moment when you decide that the interogee is a faker. This would have placed more emphasis on the uncertainty of the interrogation, making the player more inquisitive if he or she is really correct about the killer's true identity or not. Maybe?

A very good point, yes. Writing the script was a bitch, especially trying to make it interactive somehow. Clearly I still have lots to learn.

[Dualnames]

JBurger: Sure, here's the code:

Code: ags

int noisefilter=0;
//I set a transparency of the gNoise gui to 92.
function repeatedly_execute_always() {
if (noisefiltercounter==0) {
gNoise.BackgroundGraphic=17;//sprite number1
}
if (noisefiltercounter==4) {
gNoise.BackgroundGraphic=18;//sprite number 2
}
if (noisefiltercounter==8) {
gNoise.BackgroundGraphic=19;//sprite number 3
}
if (noisefiltercounter==12) {
noisefiltercounter=0;
return;
}
noisefiltercounter++;
}

And here are the files:
www.xenogiagames.com/dngames/noisefilter.rar

I made those in photoshop on a tranparent background using effect noise, monochromatic at 20-28% and then removing the "white".

[Buckethead]

Thanks for the comments! Here are mine:

Boiler Room Blues:

Funny little game. It had a few nice effect. The puzzles where good for me because atleast I didn't have a too hard time solving them.

By the numbers:

It thought this was going to be a joke game but I was happenly surprised when I found out it was not. A shame this wasn't much of a game but the voices acting was pleasent to listen too. To me it was very obvious the game was mostly modeled in 3d I could see the polygons in the guys faces. But strange enough it doesn't distract from the atmosphere.

Disquiet:

Nice atmosphere and good graphics. A friend who was playing with me commented that it was vage and had bad perspective. But I rather liked it myself.

Don't worry baby:

This game was very boring the first time around as I some how managed to save the baby. Even though the powersocket and cabinet were still open. Lots of laughs were had the baby's dead animations.


One Room:

I had fun solving the puzzles. The animations all went very smooth and it look nice. Can't really comment more on this one.

Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee:

Really liked the graphic style. The textparser was a bit weird as I could only drop boxes by typing "put box" but maybe I just didn't use the right words. Also the game could have ended after it was finished lol.

Well, Well, Well, What Have We Here?:

It was nice while it lasted. Anyway, I'll try the finished version and come back with better comments.


A Woman For All Seasons:

My favorite. Really nice solid graphics and nice gameplay. It indeed would have been nice to see what you where doing when you are swinging your wand but I already thought it was pretty impressive. The story was nice if you ask me but it started a little weird.

Delerium:

Ok a bit of explaining from my side. First off, the idea to use panorama background was a bit too ambitious. I didn't notice untill later that objects offset when rotating. Plus objects have to be constantly checked for position. Also I made things harder for myself by using 3 different backgrounds in one room.

Also I couldn't really come up with a good ending, so yeah it's kind of bad. But both choices result in something good btw, well sort of.

Did anyone manage to get all the achievements btw?

[Anian]

I should have voted, kind of missed it.
Not that the other stuff wasn't nice, but Well (which I also ended by accident on first playthrough ) and especially W4AS/Wizard was just like reading a short story, real nice, probably the only thing was missing was some particle emission when the right mouse button was pressed (as Bucket mentioned) so the player knows what moves he was doing.

Sorry to say, but I didn't really like By the numbers, although it had voice acting and the style of the game and the art was interesting. But I played it 3 times and as far as I got I didn't see the difference and I didn't figure out where the bomb was.
Also the detective was an idiot, I'm sorry but there were things even the kidnapper noticed and actually I found him to be more compassionate and realistic character - the detective was calling victims by numbers while the kidnapper tells him they have names, I think the situation would be almost reversed. Also the cop seems not to be trained in any interrogation skills whatsoever...really found it off putting. Detective reminded me of Stabler (C. Meloni) from Law n order SVU, but if he was acting like that in the series, I can assure you they wouldn't solve any cases.
I know it's hard to make a game in a week, but this characterization just ruined it for me.

[joelphilippage]

Thanks for the comments. I'll definitely release an improved version of A Woman For all Seasons.

I would like to give credit since I didn't really have time to make a sequence. A Wizard's birth concept was inspired by the book, The Two Princesses of Bammare. Most of the spell casting script was from the Gesture Module by Besh. The music was taken from the Contribution thread by Theatrx.

This was really fun. I would encourage this sort of activity more often. I'm sure making a lot of short games can improve your skills. I've learned a lot in a week.

[Buckethead]

This was really fun. I would encourage this sort of activity more often. I'm sure making a lot of short games can improve your skills. I've learned a lot in a week.

Yes indeed. I learned alot aswell and I'm more confident at making a more proper game now.

[Vince Twelve]

Boiler Room Blues
This was a cute little game.  I liked the unique visual style.  Gameplay was nothing to hoot and holler about, but it did what it set out to do!

By the Numbers
Very cool visual style.  I'm also really looking forward to seeing your workflow on this.  The facial expressions were so awesome that I wish the gameplay incorporated them.  Like interrogating a suspect and having a grimace or the eyes moving to the left to help you guess when they're lying.  The moment that sold the game for me was when the bad guy did a half smile and raised one eyebrow at me.  Very evocative.  The voice acting was OK and I still don't really get what hints were supposed to lead me to the conclusion.  I didn't have time to pay close attention so on my second and third attempts I was ESCing through most of the dialog, so maybe I just didn't have the patience.  There wasn't a whole lot of gameplay, so it wasn't my top pick of the litter, but it was a fun experiment.

Congrats to the king of the OROW!  What is that, four wins now? 

Delerium
I liked the idea of sticking a hidden item game into a 360 panoramic game.  Too bad the items got offset as you spun, that made it a bit easy!  With some polish to the graphics and some more (and more logical) adventure puzzles, this could be a good basis for a great game.

Disquiet
Very depressing.  Nice little dark vignettes.  It achieved what it set out to do, which was, I presume, make me super depressed!    Nice style!

Don't Worry Baby
Pretty clever with decent execution.  It was very funny to watch it play out at the end!

One Room
I quite liked this one!  The puzzles were a bit abstract, I wish that failing at some of the other puzzles resulted in increasingly blunt hints like the dictionary puzzle at the beginning.  I wasn't at all sure what I was supposed to be doing with the colored balls.  Loved the sound and graphics!

Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
Short but oh-so-slow paced.  Does that guy at the start really have to walk all the way across the room at a snails pace and then all the way back?  Up the walk speed!  Other than that, the graphics are charming and this could probably be expanded into a fun game.  Not enough parser games out there!

Well, Well, Well, What Have We Here?
I quite liked the graphics and the first puzzle.  After that it seemed like you ran out of time and things didn't quite connect for me.  I'll definitely try it out after you have some more time to clean it up.

A Woman For All Seasons
This was very cool.  I really liked it despite the few bugs.  I agree with the suggestions so far about having some stars follow the cursor so we can see the shapes we're drawing.  I had trouble some times with the circles.  But I liked how we used them in the puzzles and I loved the writing and graphics!  I think that it could use a bit of polish and a re-release, but this was my pick for best game!  Well done, Joel!  Seriously, looking back at all the games you've done, you've been steadily improving throughout the years.  Cool stuff.


Congrats to all the participants!  Just releasing something is an amazing achievement!

[AJA]

By the Numbers
Very cool visual style.  I'm also really looking forward to seeing your workflow on this.  The facial expressions were so awesome that I wish the gameplay incorporated them.  Like interrogating a suspect and having a grimace or the eyes moving to the left to help you guess when they're lying.

That's actually what I was hoping to do but it quickly became apparent that there wouldn't be enough time to think anything out so thoroughly.

Congrats to the king of the OROW!  What is that, four wins now? 

Yeah, such a drag.

Also the detective was an idiot, I'm sorry but there were things even the kidnapper noticed and actually I found him to be more compassionate and realistic character - the detective was calling victims by numbers while the kidnapper tells him they have names, I think the situation would be almost reversed. Also the cop seems not to be trained in any interrogation skills whatsoever...really found it off putting. Detective reminded me of Stabler (C. Meloni) from Law n order SVU, but if he was acting like that in the series, I can assure you they wouldn't solve any cases.

Haha, yes. I'm way too slow a writer to do something like this in two days. A second draft would've probably benefited the game a lot. But dehumanizing the detective was actually something I was doing deliberately. It's just a shame the point of it all, if there ever was any, got lost in the hurry.


Anyway, the proper release version is finally finished: Check it out! (There's also a link to the making of video.)

[Wyz]

As promised my comments on the games.

Boiler Room Blues
I too played it in alphabetical order, and this is a really nice game to start with. The art it well drawn, puzzles intuitive and good animations. I'm more the happy ending kind of person, but still I liked it. I wished it was longer!

By the Numbers
These graphics reminded me of Another world, one of the first games that featured vector based cinematics. Well this was rendered from 3d models, but still looked really compelling. The music really did create a sort of tension that draws one in from the beginning till the end of the game. The gameplay it liked a bit less because I didn't really have the feeling I was controlling the outcome. But also because dialogue puzzles aren't really my cup of tea. But overall an exciting game!

Delerium
I fired up this game and noticed this is the kind of game I really like, but I got stuck immediately and decided to finished it after I played some of the other games.

Disquiet
Well this game feels like a weird trip and is very depressing. I believe that was also the intention of the game so well done The music is very good, without it the game wouldn't have its claustrophobic character. The backgrounds and sprites carry to its grim and washed out character. As I already mentioned I'm more the happy ending kind of guy; well I felt like drinking after it.

Don't Worry Baby
But I didn't! Because this game cheered me up right after it. It was really funny how baby plus knives equals sushi. And there are plenty of this kind of gags in this game. The music also played a part in the cheerfulness of this game. Well cheerful in a grim way, but that's what I like about it. Tongue in the cheek.

One Room
I also played my own game, and naturally I discovered one final bug that would mean a deadlock in the final puzzle. *mutters something about Murphy's law*

Spoiler

After you interacted with the frame and solved the riddle, do not interact with the frame again.

[close]

Also the version you probably played missed one of the (essential) cutscenes. ;(

But there is more to this game, because well it actually didn't start out with this game. It started out with a different idea. The lack of inspiration already caused me to lose a day and a half, but finally I had something and started working on it.

Lost & Found
It was about the lost property office in a small amusement park.

Lewis the pimple sprouted protagonist:


The office:


Two days before the deadline I realised I could never finish the game in time without help. Either I looked for someone to help me with it or I dropped out. That's when I started drinking.
I looked up the word 'room' in a dictionary and it all went from there without me knowing where it would end.
The other game, well it won't see the light of day ever I guess, although it's all finished on paper (unless someone sends me a PM).

Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
When I started this game I though by myself: "let's sit back and enjoy it" but it was over before it really started. Most of my time was consumed figuring out you had to type in commands. Well it looks really promising so continue working on this please!

Well, Well, Well, What Have We Here?
This game looks really erm well No I mean it, good show! When I first played it I immediately found the key and the game ended. Because I didn't want to spoil it I decided to wait till the bugs are removed. And I still am While you're at it, add some music too.

A Woman For All Seasons
This is definitely my favourite game. I like the little details like when the hair colour changes also the hair colour of the portraits change. The background is very well composed, the music fits and the puzzles appear to be easy but they involve a learning process, that's something rather rare in a adventure games. I was also drawn to the story, pretty nice. There are however a few bugs in the spell casting which did hurt the gameplay. When you simply right click, the wizard stays in spell casting mode, also when you walk. That was really weird. Also, the idea of particles would have helped me. But overall I really liked this game!

Delerium
And then I gave this game a shot again, well this time I took some time to read the readme and indeed I missed something. I liked the game a lot but there are a lot of problems that really hurt the gameplay. The obvious problem: objects not moving along, technical difficulties are always a set back. I solved it by closing my eyes when rotating . Another real problem is that the game relies on the manual, with a few changes in appearance and flow it wouldn't have been necessary though. Also the fact you have to interact with inventory, other than use it. The graphics are ok. The music fits the game very well. If you make future games like this, let me know!

Well to end this monstrous post, I thank Bulbapuck for hosting this OROW. Great job, it's been a success! I hope to join the next one, and be in better shape then. I'm glad there was such good outcome though, half way I had the feeling everyone dropped out, but I was wrong . Maybe a lot of folks like me that appreciate the element of surprise when working on entries.

Cheers!

[Dualnames]

@Vince and Wyz: Thanks! That was the intention of the game, to get you confused and depressed. Sorry I caused you problems:

well I felt like drinking after it.

[Cuiki]

A late reply, but anyway:
Thanks to anyone who voted for our game! I was suprised to see it came 3rd for the best game, despite of all the bugs and inconsistencies.

Sadly, I didn't vote because I didn't finish all the games. Of what I've seen so far, my pick would be A Woman for All Seasons, but I think pretty much all the other games possess some nice features as well.

To all of you who would like to play the new version of Well, well, well; please visit the completed games announcements board.
And thanks to everyone who patiently tried to play it from start to end before casting votes. I really appreciate it.