[MAGS] Death on Stage

DuncanFx · Fri 11/02/2011 11:49:15

Quote from: SpacePirateCaine on Fri 11/02/2011 11:04:33
Very well done, DuncanFx. The game doesn't feel at all like a first attempt, nor does it feel rushed like most MAGS projects. You obviously put a lot of work into it, and it's well-worth the time spent playing it.

As you have mentioned, it could use a little more variety in the interactions - because of a lack of response to clicks not related to the final game solution, I was able to complete all of the puzzles in only about 30 minutes. Adding superfluous text is very time-consuming, though, and I think that the polish that you have put into the game shows. If you really wish to add to the game as it is, feel free, but I think it's solid as-is, and I'd like to see what else you can come up with as you go forward. Keep that momentum going!

Thank you for the feedback, SpacePirateCaine, I really appreciate your thoughts. Thank you too for adding a comment to the gamepage.

Oh, and waking up to find THIS was a nice surprise...

Calin Leafshade · Fri 11/02/2011 12:52:30

As someone who has personal experience with making bad decisions on their first game I suggest that you *dont* make a 'deluxe' version.

I suggest that you press forward with new ideas instead of repairing old ones. It just seems more constructive.

Igor Hardy · Fri 11/02/2011 13:55:33

Really fun, professionally made little game with some stand-out character design!

Unfortunately I played the earliest version and was sorely missing some kind of music and sounds. I'm going check the new one now.

DuncanFx · Fri 11/02/2011 22:31:33

Wow, hit the 200-download mark on the game page! And won the January MAGS! Thank you everyone, really encouraging for me moving onto another game.

Quote from: Calin Elephantsittingonface on Fri 11/02/2011 12:52:30
As someone who has personal experience with making bad decisions on their first game I suggest that you *dont* make a 'deluxe' version.

I suggest that you press forward with new ideas instead of repairing old ones. It just seems more constructive.

Thank you for the advice Calin. I think that both your and theo's suggestions are useful. I can see how much more the extra interaction would add to the game experience, but as you say, it's probably more constructive to push on with another game, and in turn, get more experience with AGS. We'll see though... If I get inspired on a free day, I might go back and blitz some extra responses in.

Quote from: Ascovel on Fri 11/02/2011 13:55:33
Really fun, professionally made little game with some stand-out character design!

Thank you Ascovel, I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

LRH · Sat 12/02/2011 01:38:40

It has become my 6th episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KICJ4O5bOI

Yay!

DuncanFx · Sat 12/02/2011 09:52:28

Quote from: Domithan on Sat 12/02/2011 01:38:40
It has become my 6th episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KICJ4O5bOI

Yay!

Haha! Great little review Domithan, had me grinning like an idiot throughout. Thank you for taking the time to make that.

theo · Sat 12/02/2011 10:13:46

Your recent publicity boost will generate downloads (congrats on the coverage btw). These downloads will propagate. You will find your game copied to many sites. The version people stumble on is going to be the version that propagates onto the nets, so the faster you can get a polished version on-line the better.

Calin: I'm not saying "make a deluxe version". I'm saying add basic simple feedback for some of the core "could be" puzzle solutions.

It's a game, it's all about feedback.

Again I want to stress that I think this was a great little game and it had me impressed in many ways, I don't want to come off as not liking it. I just believe a few extra lines of dialog in this case will make a big difference to the overall reception of the game. It's the only thing missing.

Stumblebum · Sat 12/02/2011 13:33:15

This game had a great feel to it even though I played the silent version a couple weeks ago. Helluva first game. I look forward to the next one.

DuncanFx · Sat 12/02/2011 13:45:03

Quote from: Stumblebum on Sat 12/02/2011 13:33:15
This game had a great feel to it even though I played the silent version a couple weeks ago. Helluva first game. I look forward to the next one.

Thank you very much Stumblebum, I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Quote from: theo on Sat 12/02/2011 10:13:46
Your recent publicity boost will generate downloads (congrats on the coverage btw). These downloads will propagate. You will find your game copied to many sites. The version people stumble on is going to be the version that propagates onto the nets, so the faster you can get a polished version on-line the better.

Calin: I'm not saying "make a deluxe version". I'm saying add basic simple feedback for some of the core "could be" puzzle solutions.

It's a game, it's all about feedback.

Again I want to stress that I think this was a great little game and it had me impressed in many ways, I don't want to come off as not liking it. I just believe a few extra lines of dialog in this case will make a big difference to the overall reception of the game. It's the only thing missing.

Thanks again theo, I really appreciate all the advice. I have the rest of the day free today (plus a couple of Hitchcock films on the TV to keep me company), so am going to do another pass over the game and add the extra interactions and responses. I figure that I want to do it at some point, and if I am ever going to do it, it'll be of most benefit right now - you're right. Plus I don't want to get involved with another game/idea only to have to come back to this one and not be in the right head-space for it.

Edit: VERSION 0.5 uploaded. Available through the game page.

Hopefully this'll be the final version. I've added extra responses to all the characters and inventory items, and all of the likely hotspot-interaction combinations. (If you try something that you think is a sensible action, but get no response, please let me know through a PM and I might add it later on). I could add some more nonsensical interaction to things like posters and so on, but I think I'd lose my mind doing so.

Armageddon · Sun 13/02/2011 06:12:17

Dude great game, especially for a first try. I love your background art, they are just so simple and cool. I think if you had added some stains and stuff around the area it would have really made it feel like a run down theater for upstart performers.

What did you use to draw the backgrounds?

I also agree that there wasn't much interactivity that could have been pretty simple to add.

DuncanFx · Sun 13/02/2011 12:16:50

Quote from: Armageddon on Sun 13/02/2011 06:12:17
Dude great game, especially for a first try. I love your background art, they are just so simple and cool. I think if you had added some stains and stuff around the area it would have really made it feel like a run down theater for upstart performers.

What did you use to draw the backgrounds?

I also agree that there wasn't much interactivity that could have been pretty simple to add.

Thank you for your comments Armageddon, much appreciated. Hopefully the levels of interaction have been addressed enough in the latest version.

I'm glad that you like the background art. I was really proud of how they turned out, especially look back at some of my early WIP sketches. As you said, they could've done with a few more touches here and there to add character, but I'd rather under-do it than add too much. If my next game doesn't have the deadline that MAGS does, I shall spend more time playing with the smaller details.

As for what I use for the backgrounds, I used Graphics Gale for this game, although it has some quirks I'm not too fond of, so might look for an alternative at some point.

Kweepa · Sun 13/02/2011 15:40:18

Nice first game, thanks!
I could really see the Day of the Tentacle influences:

Spoiler

White paint to transform an animal
Tarting up a guy/mummy for a competition
Cheering up the depressed guy (kinda looks similar too

)

[close]

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Armageddon · Sun 13/02/2011 22:11:06

I downloaded that paint program, I have no idea how you put up with that, unless you have a really smooth moving mouse.

bicilotti · Tue 15/02/2011 02:44:46

Great little game (and I usually don't like puzzle intensive find-three-objects games)!

Just one thing: I am playing v4 and there's no readme! That's the place where I usually go to check the author's site (and rss it). Add one!

Khris · Tue 15/02/2011 10:08:05

Quote from: Armageddon on Sun 13/02/2011 22:11:06
I downloaded that paint program, I have no idea how you put up with that, unless you have a really smooth moving mouse.

I strongly suspect DuncanFx to be using the zoom function.

bicilotti: It's http://duncanfx.blogspot.com in case you missed it.

DuncanFx · Tue 15/02/2011 14:51:29

Quote from: bicilotti on Tue 15/02/2011 02:44:46
Great little game (and I usually don't like puzzle intensive find-three-objects games)!

Just one thing: I am playing v4 and there's no readme! That's the place where I usually go to check the author's site (and rss it). Add one!

Thanks for the comments bicilotti, much appreciated. If I update this game again, I'll be sure to add a readme and will make sure that all of my future games have one. Thanks for the advice.

Quote from: Khris on Tue 15/02/2011 10:08:05
I strongly suspect DuncanFx to be using the zoom function.

bicilotti: It's http://duncanfx.blogspot.com in case you missed it.

Khris is right on both counts.

The zoom function is essential, but since I work in a very "messy" style initially, before cleaning up my sprites, any lack of finesse in the drawing isn't really an issue for me. Plus that is indeed my little blog's address.

Matti · Thu 24/02/2011 13:23:28

Great first game, I enjoyed it all the way through!

Looking forward to another game by you.

CosmoQueen · Tue 19/07/2011 06:01:54

Lovely little game ya got there!!! Everything was wonderful especially the puzzles that made sense and were easy to figure out!!! And the design of the rooms/graphics were gorgeous!! If you hadn't said this was your first game I would never have guessed. Well done

DuncanFx · Tue 19/07/2011 18:45:44

Quote from: CosmoQueen on Tue 19/07/2011 06:01:54
Lovely little game ya got there!!! Everything was wonderful especially the puzzles that made sense and were easy to figure out!!! And the design of the rooms/graphics were gorgeous!! If you hadn't said this was your first game I would never have guessed. Well done

Thank you very much, CosmoQueen. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Intense Degree · Tue 09/08/2011 11:59:33

Great little game, very enjoyable.

Looking forward to the next one already!