MAGS March: "Legends" (CLOSED)

[Atelier]

Topic: 'Legends'

This month's guidelines were set by Ghost:

Create a game that is based upon either:

1. An urban legend, like the classic horror stories of organ harvesters, etc.
2. A Creepypasta story, for example Candle Cove.
3. A cryptid, such as Bigfoot or Nessie.

Along with your entry, you must also provide some form of 'evidence' your legend/story/cryptid of choice is pre-existential. For example, internet articles/threads, amateur photographs, video sightings, etc. This is to accompany your entry, but can be posted separately in this thread.



Ending 4/4/2012

Note: you will still get the whole 31 days, to account for time lost during forum downtime.



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.

[Dualnames]

I love Candle Cove..you're ..hitting buttons here!

[Ghost]

..you're ..hitting buttons here!

March has hardly started, Duals. Go nuts! 

[Calin Leafshade]

I'm in.</no seriously this time>

[WHAM]

I would love to participate, I even have a story in mind, but I dont think I can take another MAGS so soon. I'm a little drained.

[OneDollar]

Along with your entry, you must also provide some form of 'evidence' your legend/story/cryptid of choice is pre-existential.

So do we have to base the game on an existing legend, or are we allowed to create our own accompanying documentation?

[Ghost]

So do we have to base the game on an existing legend, or are we allowed to create our own accompanying documentation?

Based on something that is already existent, but I'd say "based" allows for some leeway (new interpretation, adaption). It may sound limiting, but I think it's really good to have a pool of references. And it's a pretty huge pool, too

[Kasander]

Only games based on existing legend? That's a pity.... I was thinking about making up some hoax photos.

I find the definition of urban legend blurred. According to oxford dictionary it's clear: a "humorous or horrific story or piece of information circulated as though true, especially one purporting to involve someone vaguely related or known to the teller."
Or better one, from other site:
"A story, generally untrue but sometimes one that is merely exaggerated or sensationalise, that gains the status of folklore by continual retelling. Such stories, which may be old and cliché-ridden, are often given a degree of plausibility by being updated in a contemporary setting, or by the teller's claims of personal involvement."

On the other hand I've found Bermuda Triangle as an example of urban legend on wikipedia. It's obviously based on some facts and hypothesis (real ships/people disappearing, unlike in "hook" stories). Are mysterious stories like Bermuda Triangle, Mary Celeste or the one about Jean Grenier (http://askipedia.com/?p=384) urban legends or are they rooted in facts too much to be called that?

I'd be grateful if someone could make this clear to me.

I just tend to throw all the legendary, religious, paranormal and other imaginary stuff to this bottomless chest labeled "myths". Hence the trouble with definitions.

[Ghost]

Are mysterious stories like Bermuda Triangle, Mary Celeste or the one about Jean Grenier (http://askipedia.com/?p=384) urban legends or are they rooted in facts too much to be called that?

As I understand it, many urban legends have that "grain of truth"- that makes them all the more terrifying "Scary tales" like The Hook are urban legends as well as the one about spider eggs in chewing gum, but the forumer would arguably make a better game plot than the latter*.

To sort things out a little, my original theme was "Creepypasta", but that is probably not as widely known as I had thought, and in hindsight it was also very limiting. Atelier made some good suggestions to make things more accessible- so now the rules allow the use of pretty much everything with a horror/mystery/"unexplainable" theme. Bermuda Triangle, for example, is maybe not your most common urban legend- but it is an existing story with many fantastic theories about it, so it would fit the rules, I think.

--------
* Or would it???

[Kasander]

"Scary tales" like The Hook are urban legends as well as the one about spider eggs in chewing gum, but the forumer would arguably make a better game plot than the latter*.

Never! This is the first time I hear about spider eggs in chewing gum, honest. Now this is something I'd like to see in a horror movie. This makes all the "Hooks" and "vanishing hitchhikers" really chewed-up I mean, how many clones of Friday the 13th can one see  
Funny thing, I was just reading about other urban legend involving chewing gum (the one I can remember from my childhood) just before I've read your answer.
Anyway thanks for quick reply;)

About definitions (last time, I promise):
Looking for clues I stumbled upon scientific paper on the subject (over 150 pages of great read, based on research gathered in several countries over the course of some 20 years). According to author, the difference between "the proper legend" and "the urban legend" is that while "the proper legend" (myth/tale) resurfaces at some point in time and lives on, perpetually, for years and centuries, the urban legend is more of seasoned nature. Either it appears and then disappears forever, or appears and vanishes only to be resurrected after some period of absence (and it usually gets changed a little to match current times).
Seems like it was this difference that really bugged me. I can sleep calmly now;)

I'm still undecided about participating, gotta think about it.

PS: I hereby announce an urban legend about certain AGS forum member attacking Poland as a hoax.
Poland is yet to be attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[ZapZap]

 Cool theme! I have an idea, but it's still in diapers. I'll research about it.

[Eggie]

I also have some neat ideas for this... But research might be too much of a time drain to actually make a game since they're not ideas I happen to know much about.
Oh well, always good to have an excuse to read ghost stories.

[HandsFree]

I like to do music for a MAGS game, so if anyone is interested let me know. 

[Atelier]

Calin, Kasander, Eggie, Cleanic, how's it going? Or is it not?

[Eggie]

I got distracted by biscuits

[Atelier]

Fair.

[ZapZap]

I give up, I haven't done anything in a week, shame on me   

[Radiant]

I am in fact making a game about legends, but there's no way it's going to be released this month.

[Kasander]

Calin, Kasander, Eggie, Cleanic, how's it going? Or is it not?

Nope. I have to concentrate on other things this month. This months theme was still too narrow for me anyway, without option to invent one's own cryptid or legend. So good luck to whoever is participating;)

[Atelier]

There's still a week left but I guess attempting to rescue this round is futile.