September MAGS

Klaus · Wed 01/09/2004 07:56:40

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 opportuninty to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the net 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 must not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Theme - Fantasy

Many adventure games are set on Earth, be it in the city, the countryside or a high-tech supercity. This month though, the games will be set in a fantasy world, an entirely different place with few similarities to the world as we know it.

There are many different ways you could approach this - you could go for the medieval Zelda-ish world with strange monsters and colourful personalities, elven kings and an endangered princess. Or maybe you could go for a Discworld-style game featuring strange characters with even stranger livings. You could mix the two ideas together or make a totally new approach.

Inventory items (at least two, plus any of your choice):
- A dragon's egg
- A magic potion
- A feather
- A fake crown
- An apple
- A chalice
- A crystal ball
- An anvil
- An arrow (the type used in bows)

Colour depth: Any
Resolution: Any

Remember that although it is a fantasy setting, you should try to keep everything believable (it's fine to make a huge dragon as it could exist, but a stick that explodes without a reason is just silly). Other than that, just use this opportunity to make a fun, creative game. It'd be great to see some original ideas coming about.

---------------------------------------------------------------

All entries need to be in on Septemper 27th.

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

Ishmael · Wed 01/09/2004 08:34:58

Nice rules, seems like I could make it, if I get past a few techincal issues, and somehow get to upload my game...

mousemat · Wed 01/09/2004 08:53:45

i am making one now.
is it ok if you just collect the items without an inventory coz my inventory wont work.
i can still give items to people by nswitching on and of interactions.

CodeJunkie · Wed 01/09/2004 12:20:59

You don't have to have an inventory I suppose, but if you carry more than one or two items at a time it might be best to have some sort of way of showing them. You can always post on one of the Tech boards if you're stuck.

mousemat · Wed 01/09/2004 12:23:44

i have posted it but nobody knows the answer to my problem

Sinitrena · Wed 01/09/2004 12:28:45

Hey, great rules. I like fantasy. I will think off a story and enter this month, I think (If I have time). Actually, if I had won two months ago when I entered first, the rules would have been similar to the rules this month.

Minimi · Wed 01/09/2004 15:24:28

aaah, sorry I just have to reply! I get the good old Puddy Penguin memories back when I see the thread September MAGS! Time go's waaaay too fast, dudes! It's already a year ago! tsss.....

Sam. · Wed 01/09/2004 16:30:43

mouse, where did you post about your problem. all i can find is one about not being able to save which cj tried to help but you never replied.

Gord10 · Thu 02/09/2004 05:27:37

I want to join, too. Can we join the comp. with a RPG which we had been working on for 2 weeks? (but releasing the game about 2 weeks before September 27th)

mousemat · Thu 02/09/2004 07:39:24

Quote from: Zootyfruit on Wed 01/09/2004 16:30:43
mouse, where did you post about your problem. all i can find is one about not being able to save which cj tried to help but you never replied.

someone is fixing it ..and i have never posted anything on saving

Klaus · Thu 02/09/2004 07:41:25

Quote from: CoolBlue-Gord10 on Thu 02/09/2004 05:27:37
I want to join, too. Can we join the comp. with a RPG which we had been working on for 2 weeks? (but releasing the game about 2 weeks before September 27th)

Difficult ...
Barbarian asked something similar for August MAGS. Here's my reply. If you feel comfortable when entering it's no problem at all (as you take the same time span and might adjust some things to fit the rules I'd say it actually is possible).

Ishmael · Thu 02/09/2004 08:20:56

AH! A year ago I entered my first MAGS, with MRC, on which I had started working maybe 31st of August, and when I noticed the MAGS thead I just fitted the story into the plot and made the game... nostalgy indeed, It's a year ago, and a lot has changed :

Gord10 · Thu 02/09/2004 08:53:00

Quote from: Klaus on Thu 02/09/2004 07:41:25
Difficult ...
Barbarian asked something similar for August MAGS. Here's my reply. If you feel comfortable when entering it's no problem at all (as you take the same time span and might adjust some things to fit the rules I'd say it actually is possible).

Yes, actually the game I'm working on was for another 1 month game competition in my country. I've started the game on the 19th of August, and the last day is the 12th of September for that comp. I hope there won't be a problem if I release the game in the middle of September. (For sure I'll adjust the game to fit the rules.)

Pelican · Fri 03/09/2004 01:37:40

I think I'll have a bash at this one. I haven't made a game yet, so this would be a good opportunity to test my skills. Though I must admit my artwork leaves something to be desired...

Minor question though - as this is my first game, can I put it up for C&C, and get some feedback before submitting it? This seems like it would come under 'getting help', but I just want to check this doesn't violate any rules.

Ishmael · Fri 03/09/2004 08:39:15

I've been devlopping two stories based on pure fantasy, neither of which are in the art stage yet, so I'll be in, if I get to make the artwork, finish the plot, and put the game up in AGS... EARGH, I'm into this again, like so may months in the past...

Mats Berglinn · Fri 03/09/2004 11:50:59

Very interesting rules but I'm not sure if I can be in this competition this month because I'm in a Writer's Course a bit away from my home.
Maybe I will be in it... or maybe not.

About the beliveble rule: Is it ok to use magic of anykind or is it limited too?

CodeJunkie · Fri 03/09/2004 12:39:33

I think magic would be fine as it's a sort of accepted part of the fantasy genre. Of course, not all fantasy games have to have magic in them, and the idea of where magic comes from can vary from game to game. Magic is okay though, and there probably aren't many opportunities in the MAGS competitions to include it.

mousemat · Sat 04/09/2004 09:28:07

i am nearly finished already

Gord10 · Thu 09/09/2004 18:17:40

Hello,
I've finished a big part of the game. It is going to be released on 13th or 14th of the month if any problem doesn't occur. So I will have finished the game in a time span shorter than a month. I hope it's accepted.

AGS-GD · Fri 10/09/2004 13:32:36

Hi,

Count me in; I'll start working on my entry. I'll split the work into phases so that if I didn't finish in time I'll be able to post the phase/part that I have finished by the deadline.

This is my first time making a game -of any length- in AGS, I hope my time/resource management skills are as good as they should

Klaus · Fri 10/09/2004 17:45:03

Quote from: Ishmael on Thu 02/09/2004 08:20:56
... nostalgy indeed, It's a year ago, and a lot has changed :

But I'm hoping it's not worse now compared with the "early days"?

Quote from: CoolBlue-Gord10 on Thu 09/09/2004 18:17:40
... So I will have finished the game in a time span shorter than a month. I hope it's accepted.Ã,Â Ã,Â

Yes, that's okay.

Quote from: Pelican on Fri 03/09/2004 01:37:40
can I put it up for C&C, and get some feedback before submitting it? ... I just want to check this doesn't violate any rules.

This is absolutely allowed and recommended for the beginners.

Quote from: viktor on Thu 02/09/2004 20:12:33
POST FROM THE COMPLETED GAMES AREA: I wanted to wait util the august mags was oficialy ower, since it was sayd not to post here when you make a mags game.

I have no idea who said something like this. With a MAGS entry you can do all the things that are possible with other AGS creations. So for sure you can also promote it in the Completed Games Announcements (rules here).
Anyway you should post the entry to the currentÃ,Â MAGS thread as searching all the forums for a new game and perhaps also taking a screenshot for the MAGS site is an unpleasant thing to do...

Quote from: Ishmael on Fri 03/09/2004 08:39:15
... EARGH, I'm into this again, like so may months in the past...

Quote from: AGS-GD on Fri 10/09/2004 13:32:36
Count me in

Well - every entry is in that's just published in time. That's the whole thing :-)

viktor · Fri 10/09/2004 20:09:14

Quote
QuotePOST FROM THE COMPLETED GAMES AREA: I wanted to wait util the august mags was oficialy ower, since it was sayd not to post here when you make a mags game.
I have no idea who said something like this. With a MAGS entry you can do all the things that are possible with other AGS creations. So for sure you can also promote it in the Completed Games Announcements (rules here).
Anyway you should post the entry to the current MAGS thread as searching all the forums for a new game and perhaps also taking a screenshot for the MAGS site is an unpleasant thing to do...

that was me. I recal reading somewhere that it is not (or wasn't) alowed to prote your MAGS game in the complete games anouncment board. But I gues that dosn't aplly anymore.

Anyway I'm making a game for this months MAGS to (damn it I want to win

. Nah just kiding

) It was a lot of fun making last months entry so I thought I would take a nother crack at it. All I can say at this point is that the game is based on a cartoon (sort of) and that it isn't even near completion.

mousemat · Sat 11/09/2004 20:09:39

nearly finished my entry.

Sinitrena · Sat 11/09/2004 21:20:57

QuoteI recal reading somewhere that it is not (or wasn't) alowed to prote your MAGS game in the complete games anouncment board.

I think that wasn't the complete games anouncement board but the games in production. If I remember corectly someone said you shouldn't post MAGS games there, and it's a logic thing to not post them there because MAGS games are only in production for a month. But as MAGS games are completed AGS games like other games there shoudn't be any problem to post them in the complete games anouncement, I think.

Czar · Tue 14/09/2004 17:55:50

Quote from: Minimi on Wed 01/09/2004 15:24:28
aaah, sorry I just have to reply! I get the good old Puddy Penguin memories back when I see the thread September MAGS! Time go's waaaay too fast, dudes! It's already a year ago! tsss.....

OH MY GOD??!!!!

A year already?

Man we should make a thread to reminisce on the past times

Gord10 · Wed 15/09/2004 20:19:09

I've finished the entire game. But couldn't a free host for my game which is bigger than 5 MB. So I sent the game to The Goldeneagle. I hope he hosts my game.
EDIT: Damn, the game couldn't be sent; I thnk his inbox is too full. Hope I can find somewhere to host my game

Barbarian · Thu 16/09/2004 01:32:18

Quote from: CoolBlue-Gord10 on Wed 15/09/2004 20:19:09
I've finished the entire game. But couldn't a free host for my game which is bigger than 5 MB. So I sent the game to The Goldeneagle. I hope he hosts my game.
EDIT: Damn, the game couldn't be sent; I thnk his inbox is too full. Hope I can find somewhere to host my game

Hey CoolBlue. If you're still deperately stuck for a place for hosting, you can email it to me and I can put it up someplace on one of my sites for a while if you like. It would give you a chance to at least enter your game for this month's MAGS. I'll send you a PM with my email address you can send it. Good luck. *Salutes*

BorisZ · Thu 16/09/2004 09:20:46

I am nearly finished too.

Gord10 · Thu 16/09/2004 15:55:28

Quote from: Barbarian on Thu 16/09/2004 01:32:18
Quote from: CoolBlue-Gord10 on Wed 15/09/2004 20:19:09
I've finished the entire game. But couldn't a free host for my game which is bigger than 5 MB. So I sent the game to The Goldeneagle. I hope he hosts my game.
EDIT: Damn, the game couldn't be sent; I thnk his inbox is too full. Hope I can find somewhere to host my game

Hey CoolBlue. If you're still deperately stuck for a place for hosting, you can email it to me and I can put it up someplace on one of my sites for a while if you like. It would give you a chance to at least enter your game for this month's MAGS. I'll send you a PM with my email address you can send it. Good luck. *Salutes*

Thank you much

Have just sended.

EDIT: And here is my entry:
http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?category=2&action=download&game=446

BorisZ · Sat 18/09/2004 09:54:27

Here is my entry:

http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=download&game=447

And here is screenshot:

Klaus · Fri 24/09/2004 12:49:41

So again the deadline is coming closer. Remember: On monday the voting will start.
For all those who still want to enter this competition, please submit your entries within the next 70 hours from now (see timestamp of this posting). Thanks.

Sinitrena · Fri 24/09/2004 16:05:00

My entry is finished.

The game is called "A magic stone"
Story:
You play a young man called Nolan who is half elve and halfe human. His father, a human, sends him on a mission to find a "magic stone", a dangereous magic object that was made many years ago by all kind of creatures (humans, elves, dwarfs, centaurs, unicorns). Most people thought all magic stones had been destroyed a long time ago, but it seems that there is still one on earth. A map to the stone exists and Nolan has to find the map, the stone and to destroy the stone.
Screenshot:

This game is a normal Point&Click Adventure in the first part and a RPG in the second part.

Download here .

To download a walkthrough please click here!

I hope you'll enjoy it. 8)

Totoro · Fri 24/09/2004 18:33:19

Three sweet entries, you all are great

I always feel like entering a mags too at the end of the month when I see such nice entries...
Sinitrena, dein Spiel sieht richtig schÃ¶n "Retro" aus

AGS-GD · Fri 24/09/2004 23:58:23

Betrayed by your own Ogres â€¦

Bound to your own ship â€¦

Destined to the very unknown â€¦
[/b]

What happened? Why? How will you save your soul of what is destined to be?

Do you posses the wit and wisdom to prevail over this fantasy adventure?

Play A Tale Of Betrayal now and unveil the answers yourself!

Featuring:

- Multiple Endings
- Verb Coin Interface
- (640 * 480) Hi-Resolution Scenes
- Lots of Animations and Challenging Puzzles
- More than 7,000 words in Dialogue and Descriptions

Overall Progress: ~~70%~~ 100%
Release Date: 27th September
Download: http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=detail&id=453

Darth Mandarb · Sat 25/09/2004 00:00:08

AGS-GD - That looks fantastic! Even if you don't make the deadline for MAGs keep working on this one!

BorisZ · Sat 25/09/2004 22:23:46

Yeah, don't make the deadline!

Phemar · Sun 26/09/2004 06:09:27

Wow! That looks just like CMI!

AGS-GD · Sun 26/09/2004 20:05:59

Thanks for the amazing feedback! I just hope you will like the game as a whole as much as you liked the screenshots.

It's been three weeks now since I started developing this MAGS entry, it's my first time on AGS, my first time on making a game, and my first time drawing original scenes, and fully coloring and outlining a scene -first screenshot-.

I'll be posting the game in the coming 8 hours, even though I wanted to add more content but it's the one month rule ...

Klaus, if only you could grant me a one day extension I'll be grateful, if not I do respect the rules and will post what I have finished by the deadline.

Long live adventure games,
AGS-GD

Pelican · Mon 27/09/2004 02:21:19

O.K. I've finally finished. And here it is:

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/game-haven/CTB.zip

Constance the Barbarian - A humourous take on Conan the Barbarian/Xena Warrior Princess, with a dash of Monkey Island.

Please go easy on it. It's my first game, and has been mostly a learning project. And I spent so much time on improving my backgrounds, that I didn't get as much time to spend on other areas. Anyway, enjoy (if you can).

P.S. I won't be voting myself, as I didn't have time to play any of the other submissions.

Klaus · Mon 27/09/2004 08:13:30

Quote from: AGS-GD on Sun 26/09/2004 20:05:59
I'll be posting the game in the coming 8 hours, even though I wanted to add more content but it's the one month rule ...

Klaus, if only you could grant me a one day extension I'll be grateful, if not I do respect the rules and will post what I have finished by the deadline.

Well, it's all very short in time in this month's competition: Only some days for voting, creating the Winner Video and even less for setting up and checking the the rules to post them on October 1st then. Anyway:Ã,Â You get 20 hours more (see timestamp of this posting),Ã,Â then the voting will start. It will end in the early evening of September 30th. The winner will be informed by e-mail and has to set up the rules very quickly in just some hours. So all entrants please already make up your mind - just in case... The video will be released just some hours before the new rules are published then - on late Oktober 1st.

Quote from: Pelican on Mon 27/09/2004 02:21:19
P.S. I won't be voting myself, as I didn't have time to play any of the other submissions.

The good thing: You have some more time for playing all submissions now

AGS-GD · Mon 27/09/2004 23:59:55

Betrayed by your own Ogres â€¦
Bound to your own ship â€¦
Destined to the very unknown â€¦[/b]

What happened? Why? How will you save your soul of what is destined to be?
Do you posses the wit and wisdom to prevail over this fantasy adventure?
Play A Tale Of Betrayal now and unveil the answers yourself!

Overall Progress: 100%
Release Date: 27th September
Download: ~~Host needed ... Please if you can help me find a place to host the 3.7MB file contact me ASAP.~~
http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=detail&id=453

Klaus · Tue 28/09/2004 07:32:28

Okay, time is up now. This month we have a wide range from easy to difficult riddles, from newcomers to more advanced scripters, from point-and-click to role-playing-styles. Obviously a good topic but also very difficult to decide on who should be the winner in this competition as every entry has its own charm. So let's go.

For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here:

Dragon Tales by Boris Zdero
Constance the Barbarian by Pelican
Asporia Hidden Threat by CoolBlue-Gord10
A Tale Of Betrayal by AGS-GD
A Magic Stone by Sinitrena

Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.

BorisZ · Tue 28/09/2004 08:45:12

When I try to download "A tale of betrayal", I get >>The page you are attempting to access has been removed because it violated Angelfire's Terms of Service.<< message. Is it me or others have the same problem?

Phemar · Tue 28/09/2004 09:57:10

Me too.

AGS-GD · Tue 28/09/2004 10:17:09

Everybody, Zoraphus and BorisZ,

If you want to play A Tale Of Betrayal I'll send it to you by email -it's only 3.7 MB-, send me a PM or an email to rani.hasan@gmail.com containing your email address. And I'll send it right away ...

This is a temporary solution until I -or someone help me- find a good host.

I really hope that everybody would try it!

A Tale Of Betrayal is now available for download at:
http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=detail&id=453

Sinitrena · Thu 30/09/2004 19:07:14

Klaus, please note: I changed the download link for my entry "A magic stone". (Now you don't need to download two zip-files if you want the setup as well) Could you please change it on the MAGS website? The new link is: http://12.22.230.41/MicroTech/Hosted/Game/MagicStone.zip
Thanks.

Klaus · Fri 01/10/2004 07:42:40

Voting time is over now. Unfortunately we have yet another try of cheating here... This isn't nice! Not nice for all participants that do their best, not nice for all that do it the right way in only voting once and finally not nice for me as it means more work in administrating the system.Ã,Â

The additional votes were removed and so we got the new result - and a winner that Max and Maggie will tell you in the new Winner Announcement Movie. You may want to download it here (1MB). Sorry for the filesize.

If you better do not want to get the file you can also check out the winner by visiting the MAGS site.
Congratulations to the winner... The new rules will soon be published.

Mats Berglinn · Fri 01/10/2004 10:43:07

Congratulations AGS-GD!
I wonder what October MAGS rules will be?

AGS-GD · Fri 01/10/2004 12:08:30

Wooohoooooo I won

Thanks everybody for voting for my game, it's really great to see that a lot of people have enjoyed playing A Tale Of Betrayal and even better voted for it

Out of all the great and encouraging feedback I got, one review of the game made me extremely happy and that's a review by the great and beloved Geoffkhan creator of Apprentice I and II.

Not only Geoffkhan have played my game! But also said that it's a must-play.

Again, thanks for your votes, and hopefully we'll meet again in a next tale, not necessarily a MAGS entry, maybe a full length game!

I also want to thank Klaus for all of the time and effort he's putting into this, he's just great, and of course C.J. for the wonderful AGS.

I already have sent the rules and guidelines of the October MAGS, it's only a matter of time until Klaus update the MAGS website and create a new MAGS thread for it.

We'll meet again,
Rani a.k.a AGS-GD

Sinitrena · Fri 01/10/2004 13:29:01

Congratulations AGS-GD. Your entry was great. Of course I hoped I would win, but youre game was very good, so you deserved to win.