MAGS January: "Death" (CLOSED)

Atelier · Sat 01/01/2011 11:22:45

Topic: 'Death'

This month's guidelines were set by mode7:

Make a game which begins with the death of the protagonist.

Ideas to help you:

â€¢ What were the events leading up to their death?
â€¢ What happens after their death?
â€¢ What is the reaction of other characters?
â€¢ Did they slip, or were they pushed?

My leprechaun and I wish you luck for the year.

Ending 31/1/2011

What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner. It aims to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, or provide a kick-start into making adventure games. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favorite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you have bad art skills, use it as a chance to do some graphic work. If you're sub-standard at coding, use it as a chance to give scripting a go. Ultimately, people will vote for the most enjoyable entry.

You may get help for the competition, although you must end up doing something yourself. You should however be warned that it proves difficult to organize a big team within thirty days. You are not allowed to use material already created before this competition. Your game must be completely new! Music and sound is an exception; you can use free material that is available to the public, if you wish. Modules and templates are also allowed. Please do not enter the competition with a rushed entry (a game created last minute). Sure, you can make a game and rush it - but don't do this just to win by default.

Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualise your game following the month's criteria (see top). Second, create your game fueled only by coffee. Third, finally, and most importantly, post your game here, including:

✓ A working download link.
✓ The title of your game.
✓ A suitable screenshot.

At the end of the month, the all-important voting will begin! This period usually lasts fifteen days. Should you win, along with announcing the next month's rules, your name and game will be immortalised in the MAGS Archive. Yet hopefully, at the end of the month, the accomplishment of finishing a game will be your greatest prize. For more information please visit the Official MAGS website.

Calin Leafshade · Sun 02/01/2011 02:23:56

pfft been there, done that.

DuncanFx · Sun 02/01/2011 17:29:06

The game I've been working on for a while has ground to a halt over the holidays, so I think I might give this MAGS a go to refresh my creative palette. I've got an main idea sorted and am working on the puzzles and script ideas now. Fingers crossed I can keep the ball rolling.

Edit (05.01.11): Figured I would edit this post with updates regarding my progress on this. Hopefully no one else minds, as I think it'll help me to keep motivated.

I'm mostly happy with the idea as it is and have finished writing the main story line. I have a good sense of all the puzzles, objects and characters, but need to make sure that I don't go overboard with these considering the deadline. Similarly, with the graphics, I need to make sure that I hit a pleasing functionality/art line so that I don't spend too long fussing over unimportant details. Speaking of which, next today I'll start on the first draft of the backgrounds, so that I have some sense of scale for the other sprites, and can begin the basic navigation coding.

(08.01.11): As I noted in a post below, I changed the storyline of my game quite drastically yesterday, but thankfully not so much that I would have to discard any of my previous work. The new idea has definitely stoked my motivation though, as I've been working on it with much more enthusiasm than the original idea. To that end, I've been organising puzzles and characters, and can now draw a playthrough thread from start to end in very simple terms. At this stage, the puzzles might not be very difficult, but they will make sense. I'll add more later, but right now, they've moved back down my list of priorities.

(09.01.11): Today I've completed all six room 'spaces' to a level where I can now physically map out the floorplan of my game. Details are being added to each as-and-when I get the urge, but my priorities are now moving on to developing the characters and puzzles and thinking about the GUI. I really want to get the majority of the art and 'writing' done by next sunday, so that I allow myself plenty of time to work on the coding, which is my weak point.

(13.01.11): I've had other commitments this week that have taken up some of the free time I was hoping to have to work on this game, but thankfully I have the house to myself for the weekend, so I will attempt a bit of a marathon session on it then instead. I am having a few issues with the storyline, after some of the new puzzle ideas and so on I designed for the new idea actually fed back really well into the old idea - classic problem I guess. I know that if I don't settle on one of these ideas quickly, I'm never going to be finished in time, so I'm giving myself tonight to write up a walk-through of both to try and decide once and for all. Progress otherwise is pretty good. The backgrounds are all 75% done, and I yesterday added my first character. I'm currently doing some sketches for the others and hope to have them in by sunday (dependant on story issue above).

(15.01.11): Settled on the idea and once again going at it full steam. 4 rooms are at 95%, as are three characters. Will hopefully have the last 2 rooms and the other 3 characters done by tomorrow night.

Considering that I'm almost at the halfway mark, I'm rather pleased with the progress made so far.

(18.01.11): Had other work commitments for the past few days and been exhausted by the time I got home, so not managed to get much done since the last update. However, I have the rest of the week free, so will hopefully get back into it. Need to get the player character sprite done first, then I will begin to throw together some code.

(22.01.11): Busy evening of work on this: Room Art 100%, Object Art 100%, One character (of 5) 100%, GUI (simple paintover and slight change of default game GUI, but hey) 100%, script 100% and a few coding tests done.

Have concept sketches for the look of the other characters, which I can hopefully paint up tomorrow, then its on to the coding. I have more work commitments this week coming, but will hopefully be done by the deadline. 8)

(23.01.11): All art and animations complete except the inventory object sprites and the player character.

(24.01.11): Actually stayed up late yesterday after posting that last update and finished the player character and his animations. Started coding today and now have the beginnings of a actual game - a start screen, an intro cutscene and an explorable room. Another few hours on this tonight, then other commitments until thursday.

(25.01.11): Mmm. Isn't seeing all the elements of a game you've designed come together and actually work one of the most satisfying things.

Rooms are all explorable and one is fully scripted along with my first NPC!

Atelier · Thu 06/01/2011 15:55:52

Nice to hear of the progress Duncan

Do we have any other takers?

Zetsaika · Thu 06/01/2011 19:24:59

@Atelier
That's me! I will enter the compettion. It will be my first "real" game with AGS, but i think i'm up to the challenge.
I will do the same as Duncan and make updates to track my progress. Ok?

06.01.2001

I got the overall idea and already did most of the moviment/interect system. I don't know exactaly the number of rooms i will need, but i got 6 fine an ready.

The basic idea is based on truths, beliefs and the death itself. I am working right now on to make it "philosofical" and have some good puzzles at the same time.

The thing i most fear right now is english spelling errors, as it is not my native language. I think maybe i will ask help for this. Not sure yet.

07.01.2001

Today was i fun day. The moviment/interaction system is done, now for real and with some improvements, and there is only one room is to be done.

About the concept of the game made some MAJOR improvements. Now it have 300% more puzzles.

Most of the days from now on will be used to make the game graphics, it will be a tough fight for me. But in the end, i hope i learn something.

08.01.2001

Today was pretty straigh-foward. I just worked on animations for the puzzles, solved some scripting problems.

12.01.2001

After some busy days i finally got time to work. Finished the first puzzle and started the second.

14.01.2001

I'm thinking very hard on the graphics right now. I don't know if make them or i ask some of my friends to do it. For questions of learning i think i will go with the first.

18.01.2001

After some days away from the computer i finaly completed all the game. Script and audio wise. Now i will focus on making an art just by myself.

20.01.2001

After giving a serious tought about the art, i will send it as it is. It is very simple and minimalist style, but i think i will do the job greatly.

poltergeist · Fri 07/01/2011 08:34:03

Just letting you know that I'm working on something, though I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it. But yeah, it's there.

I have a title, a character, a story, a GUI... I still need to refine the storyline a bit and draw all of the other characters, then come up with a room or two.

EDIT:

Sorry guys, maybe next time. Too busy with school!

SomeSickSelf · Fri 07/01/2011 09:26:10

I too have started something. Progress is slow and completion seems unlikely, but hopefully posting this will serve as incentive.

Stupot · Fri 07/01/2011 13:41:53

I've also decided to have a bash at this, because the theme fits an idea for a short story I've been mulling over.
Won't be very graphics heavy though.

DuncanFx · Fri 07/01/2011 16:05:36

I had a really rough time sleeping last night, so gave up trying and decided to get back up and work on the idea for my game a bit, but instead had a bit of an epiphany and ended up scrapping it and writing up a whole new one.

I'd normally be angry with myself for doing something like this, but this new idea is so much better than my first and has me far more inspired and eager to make it. Plus, thankfully, I can use everything that I've made so far, so havn't lost any time or effort in changing my plans.

Atelier · Sat 08/01/2011 21:14:08

*deep breath* Duncan, Stupot, SSS, poltergeist, and Zetsaika, you've all made me very happy

A bumper issue of MAGS is a good way to start the year.

Ian Moone · Sun 09/01/2011 18:24:46

This sounds right up my alley concept wise, but it's going to take me too much time to get up to speed on the basics to get this done by end of month. To this end, although I will not be able to complete a game by eom I will set goals to read materials and understand the basics (characters, global scripts, room scripts, dialog scripts) so I can participate in a future endeavor.

DuncanFx · Sun 09/01/2011 23:42:24

Quote from: Ian Moone on Sun 09/01/2011 18:24:46
This sounds right up my alley concept wise, but it's going to take me too much time to get up to speed on the basics to get this done by end of month. To this end, although I will not be able to complete a game by eom I will set goals to read materials and understand the basics (characters, global scripts, room scripts, dialog scripts) so I can participate in a future endeavor.

Hi Ian. Why not give a one or two-room game a go? If you come up with a nice basic idea, you could make it as you read along with the tutorials. I've read through the tutorials and watched Densming's videos a number of times, but it hasn't been until I started actually working on something that its begun to stick in my brain.

The deadline of the end of the month would probably help you to keep pushing yourself forward too - its done wonders for my productivity.

Merry_Mac · Sat 15/01/2011 01:16:50

Has an idea, no time and no tallent!

But that shall not stop me from trying =) I've been sitting on an idea exactly along these lines for several years, stumbled on this page through a freinds blog and now am inspired to jump in and give it a go even if its crude and unfinished by the end I need to start somewhere.

Atelier · Sat 15/01/2011 21:04:13

Sweet, welcome to the forums Merry. Crude or not, I'm looking forward to it.

Also, half-way mark guys.

Zetsaika · Sat 15/01/2011 21:36:05

Half way to the end the real battle begins for me. Graphics.

I can do the scripts with some easy, and a bit of documentation, and ideas will be someday my bread of each day.
But, but but. I do not have ANY graphical skills. Time to train.

Ian Moone · Sat 15/01/2011 23:24:26

It would be more like a rough sketch of a demo than a game...too many personal things I'm juggling. A simple one room interaction "demo" might be within my grasp, if I concede much. We'll see.

Atelier · Fri 21/01/2011 21:20:44

About a week left to finish and post entries folks.

Edit:

Nice to see the commentaries from Zetsaika and DuncanFx too =)

DuncanFx · Fri 21/01/2011 23:05:23

My brain just simultaneously said "Phew, only a week left..." and "Aaaaa! Only a week left!" $:-\$ Got so much done, but still have a lot to do. Must crack on...

Zetsaika · Fri 21/01/2011 23:54:02

So i managed to finish with one week left?
The graphics will be pretty minimalist, but they will do the job better than more elaborated ones.

If you ask to me if i am satisfied i will say: Of Course. And a plus: It's my first real, and finished, game.
I can't be more happy.

When i manage to do all tweaks i will post it.

Good Luck to all!

EDIT!

"Death as it Is"

Download Link | Mirror Link

DuncanFx · Mon 24/01/2011 11:49:17

Congratulations Zetsaika, I look forward to giving this a go (will have to wait until I've finished my own entry first ).