Topic: Snakes of Avalon (Now with more POLISH!)

[Igor Hardy]

UPDATE!: This is version 2.01 - an entirely new experience + fixed bugs from ver. 2.0!!!

for the newest info and answers to your questions - go to the snakes site: http://snakes.hardydev.com

OVERVIEW:

Snakes of Avalon is a dark comedy point & click adventure game about alcoholic incapacitation and people obsessed with murdering their other half. It mixes the style and atmosphere of Hitchcock suspense films with a surreal game world inspired by your favorite trippy movies.





HISTORY:

Originally an "one month, one room" MAGS competition entry, Snakes of Avalon nearly beat down Eternally Us in popular vote, as well as won considerable media acclaim.

http://www.slightly-deranged.com/?page_id=1389
http://www.slowdown.vg/2010/05/16/mags-april-part-iii/

But this was then, and things got even better. Our new, fuller version enhances the game with more content, better interactivity, further developed characters and story themes, as well as an original soundtrack by Thomas Regin (Blackwell Convergence).



Features:

- an unique, never-before told tale of murder and deceit in 4 exciting acts
- countless hallucinations
- several brutal killings
- ugly toddlers
- a tragic story of love between a man and a fish
- constantly changing environment filled with dirt, booze, piss, and disgusting bugs
- time-travel
- scratchy, but classy Jazz recordings
- cannibalism?
- and much more



You can download the full game using the...

DOWNLOAD LINK!!!



CONTROLS

left click - walk/look at/choose inventory item/use inventory item
right click - look at
Esc/F5 - Menu

FULL CREDITS:

Designed and Written by: Ascovel and Baron
Music: Thomas Regin
dialogs: Ascovel
sprites & animations: Baron
background art & additional graphics: Ascovel
Dirty Beer Mug: Baron
scripting: Ascovel
beta-testing: qptain Nemo
beta-testing: ddq

[Baron]

Yes, it is true.  I've come out of unofficial retirement to collaborate on a game  :o.  Ascovel's idea of creating an adventure from the perspective of a drunkard who has a hard time discerning reality from hallucination, and past from present was too compelling for me to pass up.  Can you foil the murderous plotters without compromising your dignity (too much, anyway....)?  Can you count all 500 sprites that I drew for this project?  Can you honestly look yourself in the mirror in the morning without thinking God, what was I playing last night?

What are you waiting for?  Download now!

[ddq]

This game is funny, surreal, and just plain bitchin'. Nice and whimsical, none of that lovey-dovey relationship crap, except for the whole love-triangle murder scheme. In which case, it's more crazy-wazy relationship crap. PLAY THIS GAME AND I'LL STOP TALKING.

[Wesray]

A very good game, so funny and I really liked the story and how it played out. The puzzles were enjoyable and all rather straight forward - once you get used to the game's logic. Top notch humor too! Oh, and the walking animation of Jack was great!

You did a fine job there, Ascovel & Baron!

[TheJBurger]

Very surreal. I like the fish a lot. And the moose. I was sad when their parts in the game ended.

Good work, Ascovel & Baron. 8)

[Cyrus]

Just finished it. Can't wait for Frantic Franko!

[Igor Hardy]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I'm glad you did enjoy Snakes so much.

I think we had really great results staying spontaneous and trying to top ourselves all the way through the development. Baron's work on animations kept blowing my mind while we were progressing - I never expected a MAGS title could be this animated. There was no limit to what kind of surreal hallucination scenes he was able to do.

[david]

For the first time when I was stuck for some time after that lifted pool, I thought what the hell  :
BUT when I realized what to do next - to go down to a couple  
then I managed to beat it
and
my
verdict is Excellent
Unbelievable what you guys have done with ONLY one room. This sure be "A MUST PLAY"
so funny, so pretty and the very original plot you made
You made tough job for the players to choose who to vote for  
Thank you

[Grim]

  I really enjoyed it!

  Great dialogues, great setting and great puzzles and characters. The Fish rules! So does the Moose!

  Thanks for this genuinely funny and innovative game that made my afternoon, it really did!!!:)

[Baron]

Snakes of Avalon (FREE BEER inside!!!)

Ah, that explains all the sudden interest! 

I am glad people are beginning to appreciate this game.  Ascovel & I kept trying to one-up each other effort wise, resulting in a better game than either of us had anticipated in the beginning (in my opinion).  Alas, this month's MAGS competition has some of the stiffest competition I've ever seen, so do spread the word that Snakes is worthy of consideration.
 

[Buckethead]

ough! what on earth was I playing yesterday

[Dualnames]

It's one of the most random games ever! Really great though!!

I really enjoyed the dialogs. And it had some very nice surprises!

[Igor Hardy]

Version 1.138 Released!

Updates:

- decided to bring in the overhotspot text for clarity

- we're proud to present: the flying piss animation

And it had some very nice surprises!

- and more nice surprises!

[tzachs]

Oh man, it really sucks that I am reading about the new release now, after just playing it today...

Ok, my thoughts:
I really enjoyed the game, it's my kind of games, funny, quirky and with a talking fish, what more could you ask?
The sprites and animations were really nice, the background was a little off-putting at first. I got used to it after a while, but it wasn't at the same level of the characters...
I liked all the cut scenes, really gave the game depth. The puzzles were just about right, and the story was nice too.

I missed the hotspot label, but looks like you already fixed it, and some default comments for interactions could be replaced with something more meaningful...
Some glitches with the z-ordering but forgivable considerable it's a MAGS game.

Overall great job!

[Igor Hardy]

Thanks, tzachs!

the background was a little off-putting at first. I got used to it after a while, but it wasn't at the same level of the characters...

That's because Baron was doing the animations, and it was me doing the backgroundsss. But at least I managed to make the bar look properly filthy and rotten. Once I get a tablet my photoshop drawings should get more pleasant.

Some glitches with the z-ordering but forgivable considerable it's a MAGS game.

Anything particularly annoying you'd wish me to correct?

[tzachs]

Well, basically the hero can walk on some of the objects/characters.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1518/examplehf.png
Also, for something more specific, when the fish burns, you can see the fire when you're in the top part of the room, but not the fish, which was weird (but hey, it's weird game, so maybe it's intentional  ).

[Igor Hardy]

Well, basically the hero can walk on some of the objects/characters.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1518/examplehf.png
Also, for something more specific, when the fish burns, you can see the fire when you're in the top part of the room, but not the fish, which was weird (but hey, it's weird game, so maybe it's intentional  ).

Yeah, I didn't have the patience to perfect all of the walkbehinds. Very tedious part of the development. And those chairs were the main challenge. Probably I should sit down and do it properly.

The first sign of fire was intentional, just to signal what Jack is seeing from the distance before he gets to closer to the pipe. But from this perspective it does indeed look a bit weird, so I don't know - maybe I should remove it.

[yarooze]

Dunno what you were smoking, but I want this stuff to  :o (even if I don't smoke). 

Also I played the game and I like it. It is kinda sick.  and about everything happens SUDDENLY.
Well done! 

PS. Weren't you thinking 'bout selling offering the soundtrack as separate product?

[Igor Hardy]

Dunno what you were smoking, but I want this stuff to  :o

Funny, a lot of people are asking me for the name of the substance.

PS. Weren't you thinking 'bout selling offering the soundtrack as separate product?

Not a bad idea, who knows what will happen in the future...

I really wish we had some Jack-holding-the-fish figurines like Tzuko from Necroquest or The Dung Shoveler from Besieged.

[Baron]

The sprites and animations were really nice

Oh, and the walking animation of Jack was great!

    Thanks guys!  I'm happy that everyone is enjoying the plot and gameplay, but the animation was my baby on this one so I wanted to say a special thank you for the kind comments about that. 

    I am also especially pleased that players seem to be having a lot of fun at this game, while also getting thrown by its random trippiness, and yet also come to appreciate the serious message that is embedded within it.  This kind of hazy layering was kind of what we were striving for.  Ascovel and I debated how people would think of Jack in the end: to you, is he merely a comic figure? a pathetic figure?  A tragic one?  A hero?  A victim, or a villain?  I'm interested in hearing how players perceived him in the end -did we get it right?  Let us know!

    Or, you know, just leave us in the dark but vote for the game anyway.  Whatever floats your boat.