Which game creation system: AGS or Agast?

[Darkelve]

Hi all, and sorry if this is not the right forum category to ask this question:

After an initial disappointment (*), I'm back for more game creation fun! This time, however, I will try to go solo for my 1st game (well, 2nd actually, since made a Qbasic remake of "WiTW is Carmen San Diego?" when learning Qbasic).

However, I am not sure if AGS would be the right engine to use. I have been considering using AGS or Agast. Maybe there is some other I don't know of? Also, this thread will be quite long, since the game I am envisioning is not your ordinary game (if you know of a similar game though, please let me know!)


What I need:

For the Editor
-----------------

- Simple to use, fairly intuitive interface
- Flexible, e.g. possible to create hybrid games with it (see later, when I talk about the type of game I want to make).
- Powerful, easy-to-use scripting language. Note that I learned to program for a little while, but I'm not very good at programming at present. Scripting should be no prob. though. Of course, I like tools/plugins that do some basic work for me.
- LoRoA (Lots of Recycling of Artwork): I cannot draw if my life depended on it. I *can* however compose my own music (should be in OGG), and some simple sound effects (making my voice deep&evil one time was one of the most fun things I did when messing around with an audio app ); but in any case, I have both the GIMP and Photoshop (through a license from work) at my disposal, in case any cropping/resizing/import&export/artsy stuff has to be done.

For the Game
-----------------

Well, it is supposed to become a hybrid RPG/Adventure. Yes, I *did* consider and checked out RPG maker 2000 already.

- Type: 2D scrolling game; hybrid adventure/fighting-style rpg
- Setting: Japan. A young bokken/katana-wielding Samurai is bathing under a waterfall when he is approached by a local Kami (Godly spirits that animate/represent/inhabit all existing things). This Kami tells our main hero that a Kami 'gone bad' (lets just call him EvilGuy for now) has stolen the Spear of Creation and is now travelling to the island of Onogoro (first place ever created) to undo the creation of the world. Our hero has to stop this from happening, but EvilGuy has unleashed Tengu (fighting spirits) to stop him or at least slow him down.

At various stages of his journey, the hero is joined by other 'heroes', each with their distinct abilities and limitations. E.g. a monk that uses holy powers to increase the hero's attack and defense, a wizardress that can summon elementals to help out the hero, a psychic young girl that can move objects for the hero with her mind. They will each have their own stories and paths, where they have to solve puzzles to advance, while helping the hero in his pursuit and battles against EvilGuy's Tengu.

The emphasis is on gameplay; it doesn't necessarily have to have super-duper-graphics, only enough to be recognizable.

The hero should have a couple of attacks: thrust forward (weaker attack, but good reach/range), downward 'chop' (strong attack, but small reach/range), half-circle 'shlash' (powerful attack that allows player to cross a certain distance fast; e.g. very long range), full-circle 'slash' (powerful attack where player stands in place and turns 360° degrees while slashing; e.g. a kind of 'spin' attack) and 'block'. It would be interesting if some kind of energy meter could be used, with. diff. values of energy 'used' for each type of attack.

The co-heroes do not have physical attacks, but 'special powers'. They have to solve puzzles to advance in the game and maybe acquire other/stronger powers. With these powers, they can help out the hero, who has to face ever thougher Tengu. At any time, you should be able to switch from 1 character to the other (e.g. like in Day of the Tentacle). While the co-operation might make you think of 'Goblins'. In fact you could say it takes elements from DOTT, RPG, Goblins and (sword)fighting games.

In the long term, I want it to become a truly enjoyable game with a strong and captivating storyline (main plot is simple, although the sub-plots might become more intricate), references to Japanese culture (e.g. Shinto, martial arts) and if possible, even a touch of philosophy.

In the short term, I want to immerse myself in learning the Game Creation system and building a kind of 'engine' I can work with. Developping the basic building blocks for the game, actually. Like the game interface, the game 'actions' menu, the sprites, the combat system, ... working with basic and plain artwork at the start.

With that all said, I wonder which game creation tool would be best for me to use? I still like and intend to do 2D 'pure' graphic adventure (and RPG) games, but I don't want to be caught in too rigid restrictions (on what is possible) either.

So what would you recommend on learning: AGS, Agast, or RPGmaker anyhow?

Thanks for listening.


Darkelve



* which was actually, partly my own fault: I set out and recruited a few (2-3) team members to create a graphical adventure game. We started out enthousiastic, but soon the enthousiasm dwindled and only 1 person (and me) were still really enthousiastic. And it was my fault for not doing anything when that happened... I thought I could handle it, but it's not simple at all. Anyway, I figured 't would be best if I went solo 1st and got busy learning to effectively use an editor/game development suite suited to my needs first. Which is the reason for this post.

[Oz]

Will this be a top-down game?

If so, you might run into a few more or less annoying problems when using AGS, as it is best suited for classic "side view" adventure games. However, none of these problems are impossible to work around, but they might cause a bit of hassle. I'm currently working on a top-down game, so I'm dealing with some of these problems. AGS is very flexible though. The scripting language is very powerful. You might want to look at Multimedia Fusion from ClickTeam. It's a more generally purposed multimedia creation tool.

Good luck!

[Ishmael]

Are you stupid, or do you think we are stupid???

Of cource it be da A G S. It's more flexible then the word "flexible". End of story. Case Closed.

Disclimer:

I suggest AGS, but it's up to you. I'd make everything with AGS, as I have now learned the scripting language and all...

[Darkelve]

Are you stupid, or do you think we are stupid???

Good thing I did the "poll" before I signed up. Actually, I think it's both :p Also, I don't have a clue(TM)

No, I didn't think top-down style. More like Left-to-Right scrolling, with preferrably the ability to go back (e.g. if you missed taking an item for a piece of a puzzle; would suck if you couldn't go back, right )

I think I'll learn AGAST, since most of my games will be Adventure games anyway. Might as well start with st. simpler first.

[Ishmael]

More like Left-to-Right scrolling, with preferrably the ability to go back (e.g. if you missed taking an item for a piece of a puzzle; would suck if you couldn't go back, right )

I think I'll learn AGAST, since most of my games will be Adventure games anyway. Might as well start with st. simpler first.

AGS can very easily do Left-to-Right scrolling, that's what it's made for. I don't know AGAST, but I know AGS can do about everthing you can think of a 2D adventure game engine. And maybe a bit more.

And btw. notice the , concerning the beginning part of my last post, in case you didn't already.

[Darkelve]

I noticed. Did you notice mine? RTFS

[Ishmael]

There's only one in your post, it's related to the not being able to go back to get something.

RTFS... that's a good one

[Pumaman]

If you're wanting to create a tile-based game that scrolls around (ie. RPG-style), then probably neither AGS nor AGAST will be the best tool, since they're both designed for adventure game scenarios where the player moves from one room to another. Large scrolling worlds are handled better by RPG tools, I would say.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

...which doesn't mean it CAN'T be done. Honestly, I've surfed the web a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, and I've yet to find a better tool for adventure game making than AGS. And it's good because it's powerful and flexible. I'd say that everything Adventure or RPG related is possible in AGS, as long as it doesn't involve in game 3D rendering or 360º panning.

AGS has little restrictions, it's very, very easy to use, and extremely powerful. And from what I've seen of Agast - Morningstar, even such a simple thing as assigning an interaction can be confusing over there... here it's as simple as one two three - check the object, select Display Message, add your message. Or even simpler - check the object, and Run Script, saying Display("Whatever.");

Trust me - heck, trust the community! - AGS is the best you'll ever find, and it keeps on growing.

NOTE - The combat engine will take a fair bit of scripting whichever engine you use, and of course you know that. All things considered, you'll probably make it work quicker and better with AGS. Honest.

[Paper Carnival]

You can try www.gamemaker.nl. The problem is that it can be resource heavy when you do advanced stuff and that the newest version are shareware (but I believe you can download the latest freeware version). This program is good for almost all kinds of 2d games and you can even do 3d if you are advanced enough (however when it comes to adventure games AGS kicks butt)