Murran Chronicles Ep. 1 - Jersey Devil *UPDATE v1.10*

[poc301]

**UPDATE**
Version 1.10 has been released and available on my site.  Leon found a bunch of bugs, crashes, and I added some additional content to the endgame, end cutscene, put some extra differentiation into the two endings, and make the credits a little prettier.

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I have been a member here for many years, begun and abandoned many games, but I have finally finished and released my first game!  It is made in 2.71 since I began it years ago, but the next installment will be done in the latest and greatest.

The game is rather short, probably taking around 2 hours to play, but I hope you will find it to be entertaining.

Inspired by Francisco Gonzalez's Ben Jordan series, the X-Files and many other nerdy sci-fi type stuff, I present the first episode of the Murran Chronicles: The Jersey Devil!

Website : www.billandnicole.net/games

Download : www.billandnicole.net/games/murran1.zip   (14.5mb)

Story: While visiting your cousin in Leeds Point, New Jersey, a neighbor child goes missing.  Being in the FBI (though a desk-jockey, not the field-op type), you are thrust into the middle of the investigation.  Did the legendary creature take the child, as the mother claims?  Or is something more nefarious at hand in the sleepy southern New Jersey pine barrens?













Thanks,

Bill

[Leon]

Congratulations! I like the combination of photo's and characters. The dialog characters could use some work though. Some of them speak like puppets..

Nice story and good background music.

Nice to see Al's brother Larry here too... familiar face ;-)

[poc301]

Congratulations! I like the combination of photo's and characters. The dialog characters could use some work though. Some of them speak like puppets..

Nice story and good background music.

Nice to see Al's brother Larry here too... familiar face ;-)

Thanks   It was quite exciting to finally finish my first game (and I've been here since 2004, so I dunno what my problem is) lol.


I noticed the talking animations as I was doing the game.  Some are better than others..  I might go back and re-vamp them all so they look a little more natural.

As for Al's brother Larry, did you :

Spoiler

Talk to Sgt. Stitcher about Larry Lowe once you found out about him?  He mentions his nickname.

[close]

Just a little nod to the Leisure Suit Larry series

Thanks,

Bill

[Leon]

Yeah, I figured that out already. Found a little bug though (sorry):

When you exit the car in front of your house without selecting a location, you exit at the last location you visited instead of your house. Normally you don't have to get out of your car that way (unless you just get in the car for fun, like me  : ) but still..

Keeping talking to Sgt. Stitcher about leeds house keeps getting you points...
Same goes for talking to Mabel about the same subject.

Oops... and a crash!

in Global script (line 115)
Error: DisplayMessage: Invalid message number to display.

While using the pine barrens on the rural road.

[poc301]

Thanks so much for the feedback!  I repaired those errors, and version 1.01 just got uploaded to my server.

Maybe next time I do a beta test  

Thanks again,

Bill

[Leon]

Thanks for the update. Next time, don't think about beta testing, DO it! If you don't you will keep a lot of players from trying your game when they see these messages until you've released a stable version. Just let a few (independent) players mess with your game (don't test it yourself!) before releasing it to the public. It'll save you a lot of uploading and negative image.

Found another crash:

in Global script (line 116)
Error: DisplayMessage: Invalid message number to display.

When using the iron bar on the headstones.

- When you die, the title screen flashes and you're unable to change cursors or use any of the menu options.
- Repeatedly earning points when

Spoiler

using the iron bar on the Jersey Devil in the cave

[close]

- Another crash when using the Start New option after you've finished the game and returned to the title screen:

Error: MoveCharacter: character not in current room


And even more crashpoints:

Returning to the fallen tree after bringing Mary home, gives an error when speaking to the sergeant again (familiar dialog, this time without Mary):

Error: MoveCharacter: character not in current room.

A continuity issue:

Spoiler

It's possible to visit Leeds Point without having read the books in the library. However, when defeating the Jersey Devil, the dialog says: It's a good thing I read about it in the book... (!?!) I didn't read it at all, it was just guesswork.

[close]

[Find Therma]

Having played through this to the end last night, I've got to say that I enjoyed it. I found the storytelling and dialogue throughout the majority of the game to be really good.

However, I personally thought the ending seemed rushed and there was definately scope for you to drag the game out alot more. Then again, perhaps the lead character is just particularly good at this detective stuff. 

The other negative that springs to mind is the inconsistencies in the style of the character art, both between different characters, and between each character and his/her portrait.

Overall though, good work! Was definately worth a play, and will look out for any future releases in the series.

[poc301]

Leon, I can't thank you enough.  I have corrected all the bugs you found.  I also re-did the ending credits and gave you credit as the un-official beta tester (since it was done post-release).

I gotta say I've definitely learned the value of doing a beta test, I was just so excited to finish my first game

I have also (as the patch notes say) added extra differences between the two possible endings, and fixed some other stuff.

-Bill

[poc301]

Having played through this to the end last night, I've got to say that I enjoyed it. I found the storytelling and dialogue throughout the majority of the game to be really good.

However, I personally thought the ending seemed rushed and there was definately scope for you to drag the game out alot more. Then again, perhaps the lead character is just particularly good at this detective stuff. 

The other negative that springs to mind is the inconsistencies in the style of the character art, both between different characters, and between each character and his/her portrait.

Overall though, good work! Was definately worth a play, and will look out for any future releases in the series.

Thanks for the feedback Find Therma.  I didn't want to drag the game out too much, plus it was my first attempt.  I am a good bit into game #2 and it is MUCH more in-depth.  Should be a good bit longer and more developed.  One thing I will definitely focus on this time through is continuity between the artwork / characters / murals.

Thanks!

Bill

[TassieDevil]

Nice game! Well done.
It crashed for me consistently if I use something on the tombstone, say the crowbar.

I never figured the password and I had a bottle with water & ashes - never used. During the end dialog it was saying saying - ahh the bar is doing the trick as it said in the book - I never read a book; I guess finding the passcode and the book is optional

I enjoyed it, thanks.

[Sallow]

oh, your plot sounds very intriguing and mysterious. I love tales of the supernatural. Going to give it a try now, I'll update you when I've played through it!

[poc301]

Nice game! Well done.
It crashed for me consistently if I use something on the tombstone, say the crowbar.

I never figured the password and I had a bottle with water & ashes - never used. During the end dialog it was saying saying - ahh the bar is doing the trick as it said in the book - I never read a book; I guess finding the passcode and the book is optional

I enjoyed it, thanks.

Sorry for the confusion and the glitches and such.  I have since updated the game correcting all the issues you mentioned, the crashes, the book, etc.  You don't need the book to finish the game, and now the dialog reflects that instead of assuming you did.  (There is of course dialog if you do).

Glad you enjoyed it   Part 2 is under way now.

-Bill

[SuperDre]

I just finished it.. had a problem in the beginning as it took me a while to see the teddybear laying around..
Liked the story even though it was a bit short.. but graphicswise it was a bit of a mess IMHO, good enough to still enjoy the game, too much difference between every character/background..
But I'm definitly going to be playing number 2 (in a moment) and 3 when it's finished.

[poc301]

I just finished it.. had a problem in the beginning as it took me a while to see the teddybear laying around..
Liked the story even though it was a bit short.. but graphicswise it was a bit of a mess IMHO, good enough to still enjoy the game, too much difference between every character/background..
But I'm definitly going to be playing number 2 (in a moment) and 3 when it's finished.

Thanks for playing!

Episode 1 was basically me teaching myself how to use AGS.  I got much more refined in Episode 2, and Episode 3 is going to be even better.  Experience is a good thing, hahaha.

Things are a little more refined, the characters/backgrounds are more uniform, and everything is in the same scale

-Bill

[MoodyBlues]

Fun game!  I love games with a local feel, and I appreciate all the research that went into this.

The graphics, as others have pointed out, are inconsistent, but the backgrounds were quite nice in places.  I had trouble finding the teddybear, too, but otherwise the puzzles were pretty good.  And the writing was great - much better than you'd expect out of a first game.

Can't wait to play the next installment!

[poc301]

Very glad you enjoyed it!

Episode 2 is out (with a patch to fix a bug or 2 which made it past the beta team), and can be downloaded from the game section here or from my website link in my signature.

Episode 3 is in production, but just got VERY delayed since I am redoing all artwork in custom hand-drawn pixel format.  The graphics were the only thing people didn't really like about the 2nd game, so I am changing it up

Give 'em what they want!

-Bill

[Dualnames]

Downloading..and might finish one of those these days..(still playing two)