Project Mexica

[ambientcoffeecup]

Project Mexica
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Thanks for checking out the topic. This is a little game I've been working on in my absence from the AGS community. It started off with a script I pitched to ildu, but I thought to myself "damn I can't start working on a project as big is this without something smaller to show for myself." So I said to ildu I was going away to work on something smaller to become more familiar with AGS and well here is the spoils of my work so far. (I have become too invested in this project, but I have to see it through to completion.)

Project Mexica is a working title because I really have no idea what it is going to be called ultimately. I am writing it along with a friend of mine and although storyline and scripting and things is pretty much decided, a definite name isn't.

Storyline
The storyline is pretty basic, I didn't want to get overly complex with something that was really just supposed to be a LEARN HOW TO MAKE GAME AGS GAME. But here is where we are at so far:

It's the late 1920's and you play the role of two explorers searching for the ruins of a lost empire, deep in the Mexican desert.

And that's it... Wouldn't want to give too much away now would I?

Basically one of the two characters that you control has heard rumor of an ancient relic that will grant immortality to any man who holds it. But it is lost in the ruins of this ancient civilization. Throughout the game you solve puzzles and do stuff until you find it. There is also dialogue and story. (Pretty much what you would expect I guess.)

So yeah I'm gonna shut up and give you the screens which is probably all you are looking for anyway.

Screenshots:







Excuse the default GUI stuff, I haven't got around to changing all that just yet. But I will do. All the graphics were done by Frankie who you can CHECK OUT over at his pixeljoint. I don't know if I am allowed to do this but I would feel bad posting and not giving him his credit: http://www.pixeljoint.com/p/4628.htm

Music:
I've put quite a lot of time into the soundtrack of the game so far and I'm quite happy with it. I am PRETTY MUCH done on that front thoughso that's one less thing for me to worry about. In fact EVERYTHING is pretty much done except for sitting down and actually opening up AGS which is what I am kind of worried about doing.

For anyone interested in TUNES and stuff you can check out some of my unfinished WIPs right here and now. Here are two tunes associated with the screenshots shown above:

Desert Sands - Download!

Cold Stone - Inside the Temple - Download!

If you can't tell I am a huge fan of Mark Morgan's game soundtracks.

Progress:
Now I know I'm supposed to post some percentages or whatever here but damn what am I supposed to just pull some random numbers out of a hat or do you really want me to calculate the percentage of shit that I actually have done?

Story:
Story is pretty much done, I've nailed down the outline, written up a complete game flow and all story plot/twist aspects have been nailed. The only thing left to do is actually script the dialogue and I have a friend of mine helping me with that right now so I don't expect it to take too long, especially on something that is pretty much a SHORT GAME.

Sprites:
There is only actually two characters in the entire game, and as you can see from the screenshots they are both there, so I would bet that I can safely say this is 100% done.

Backgrounds:
All done.

Puzzles:
We have all the aspects of the puzzles nailed in design doc format but as for actual in game coding and playability we have nothing on this front so far. Kind of waiting for all the script to come through before I start coding. (This is an excuse, I am actually too scared to open AGS. (I really want to make a game.))

Actual Coding:
heh

Music and Sound:
On the music front this is all pretty much done. Some of the music just needs to be finished off but other than that I am really happy with the soundtrack/score. Sound however I have no progress on. Need to start scouting out sound effects and things that I can use in the game.

Conclusion:
Really don't know why I am posting this. It is not for hype or anything, I just need to remind myself that I need to actually finish this project. I hope however that it looks interesting enough that you might download/play it when it is finished.

I expect the game to completed fairly soon, hopefully. Really just need to get this dialogue stuff sorted out and then actually knuckle down and code the game.

[Nikolas]

It's nice to know that this game is in production and will be completed!

The screennies look very nice, the music sounds very interesting and atmospheric and the story has plenty of space for very interesting puzzles, ideas, twists, etc.

In short: What on earth are you doing here? you're a newbie! You shouldn't be posting or creating games! you need to stay here, have 3000 posts (like I do for example  ) and then dare to post here! (obvious reference to the other thread in the general discussions).

In long: YAY! Looking forward in your completing the game!

[Nacho]

Man! (Or woman) Here we have a member who has studied hard the basis of pixel art! Lovely graphics, lovely story... let' s see how it ends, but looks very promising. Good luck with this.

[ambientcoffeecup]

Thanks Nikolas, I'll be sure to get those 3000 posts.

And Nacho, as I said in the topic all the pixel art was done by my friend Frankie, not myself but yes, he is very good!

(I am a man.)

[Nikolas]

(I am a man.)

Yes...

That avatar of yours is sure a bit misleading actually :p But never mind...

But, before I make a totally useless post, lemme ask:

Story: done, sprites: done, music: almost done. Scripting: hem, BGs: done!

Release date? (even if it doesn't work out)

[ambientcoffeecup]

I don't think there's any way I can put a release date on it. I am hoping within the next few weeks but who really knows? I have to contact my friend, nail out the script and then finally open AGS and actually get it done which is pretty intimidating I guess. I don't know what kind of technical issues I might come up against. But yeah I am saying to myself 2 - 4 weeks right now.

[vertigoaddict]

It's nice to know that this game is in production and will be completed!

In short: What on earth are you doing here? you're a newbie! You shouldn't be posting or creating games! you need to stay here, have 3000 posts (like I do for example  ) and then dare to post here!

You didn't say that when I posted my GIP thread! Aha sexist! (obviously a joke, don't take it to heart)
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I'm looking foward to playing this game, the characters look cute and kind of reminds me of the first playstation game I played (some bomber, shooting, platform game with two silly explorers in a desert...um...yeah...)

It's good that you don't have a deadline atually, that means you can complete it in your own sweet time and not be pressured, unless of course you're pressuring yourself...*sigh*

[ThreeOhFour]

Your friend Frankie has done some incredible pixel art here. I am very much looking forward to trying this game out.

[Dualnames]

You're a man? Damn... Well your game still looks good though.

[The Ivy]

Looks fantastic! And any game with temple ruins in it already has my approval.

[InCreator]

Looks inviting.
Graphics look really good, quite masochistic, unless there's some simple way to make so good-looking backgrounds.

I hope that story keeps up the quality graphics shows us.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

If you build it I will play.

[Vlad]

Looking good, definitely gonna play it when it comes out.

[Firestorm1]

these screenies look amazing!!! wat program did u/ur friend use to make ur BG's, sprites, etc. and how long would it take your friend to make them?
i am definetly going to play this once it is done.  which according to u will be soon. 

[ambientcoffeecup]

these screenies look amazing!!! wat program did you/ur friend use to make your BG's, sprites, etc. and how long would it take your friend to make them?
i am definetly going to play this once it is done.  which according to you will be soon. 

He used a program called Graphicsgale and he did all the graphics over the course of a few days, but I've heard he works double-fast for the amount of time you can expect a pixel artist to work.

Thanks for all the input guys.

[Firestorm1]

wow!  this graphics gale thing looks really good!  i have downloaded it and am bound to use it for the graphics now.  i was using PhotoStudio 5.5 but it's shit.  thanks alot ambient coffe cup!

[Peter Bear]

dont use the word "nail" too much !!

Did you just say GENUINE ? NEVER SAY GENUINE AGAIN !!

well, your game looks nice, We are looking forward to play it, of course