MAGS April: "Spring Cleaning" (CLOSED)

Atelier · Mon 01/04/2013 14:25:08

Topic: 'Spring Cleaning'

This month's guidelines were set by Perspicacity1:

With Winter ending it's finally time to emerge from under blankets and actually get things in order. The game doesn't necessarily need to be about cleaning, but the more general idea of getting things together.

Ideas
-Actual spring cleaning
-Someone looking for something in a mess of their own creation or someone elses
-Someone getting their life together

Ending 30th April

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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:

Ã¢Å"â€œ A working download link.
Ã¢Å"â€œ The title of your game.
Ã¢Å"â€œ 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.

Ghost · Mon 01/04/2013 16:25:27

Would cleaning up a hard-drive, which has, over the course of about seven years, accumulated a multitude of project folders, backup project folders, copies of said backup folders under a new and misleading name, containing several more slightly altered versions of said parent folder with names that indicate that at some point someone had started to get something of a naming convention going, but failed and / or forget about that so that there really are about twenty dozen file duplicates and nothing makes sense anymore, qualify?

That's not much of a plot but could make a fun setup and, incidentally, it's my hard-drive we are talking about.

Radiant · Mon 01/04/2013 17:10:05

On a slightly more meta level, would cleaning up several folders of half-thought-out game design projects to make a finished game count? Because that's my hard drive I'm talking about

Perspicacity1 · Wed 03/04/2013 20:50:16

Ghost, your idea seems to fit just fine. And Radiant, your idea is in the spirit of the theme and I'm really curious the whole-game a bunch of half-games would make.

Ghost · Sat 06/04/2013 20:34:02

I am more than interested, the theme sounds pretty cool. I've shouted "Yes, I am in!" too often in the past though... so I'll jus' whisper, right? Could work. Could work.

[edit]
Right, I am IN. And it's about actual spring cleaning!

Spoiler

...with a small wind-up doll living in candyland, desperately trying to clean up the spring that keeps her going.

[close]

I got a little location already. Should be good

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/v18w29k.png[/imgzoom]

Tabata · Mon 08/04/2013 01:27:38

Sweeeeet!
This looks very yummy - can't wait to eat ... ahem ... play!

Mati256 · Mon 08/04/2013 01:42:24

Looks awesome Ghost! Can't wait to play it.

Ghost · Mon 08/04/2013 01:53:10

Quote from: Tabata on Mon 08/04/2013 01:27:38
Sweeeeet!

Quote from: Mati256 on Mon 08/04/2013 01:42:24
Looks awesome Ghost! Can't wait to play it.

Thanks! Watching Wreck-It Ralph helped a lot

Now all I need to do it getting that Sugar Rush tune outta my head.

Atelier · Fri 19/04/2013 17:35:27

Almost two-thirds of the way through. Progress reports?

Ghost · Sat 20/04/2013 02:50:37

Am I really the only MAGSer this month?

I am making progress. It may still not be enough to meet the deadline but I'll get the game done anyways.
And I must already say thanks to Perspicacity1- you sparked something and that's awesome!

Perspicacity1 · Mon 22/04/2013 19:00:39

Ghost, I'm so glad you're making something! Coming up with that first concept is the hardest part of the creative process for me so I was worried nobody would be able work with what I came up with.

It's my month so I'm not entering, but I made a game to keep in practice. It's also the first game I wrote up a design doc-ish thing for before hand as a way of organizing my work and setting clear goals.

[imgzoom]http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9e1c/vmp3bbgpts9azfu6g.jpg[/imgzoom]

Away in a Tower

bush_monkey · Mon 22/04/2013 19:33:43

I really wanted to enter this month as I haven't touched AGS in a while and saw it as a good way to get back into it. Unfortunately I couldn't get any inspirations from the theme. Maybe next month.

Ghost · Mon 22/04/2013 19:41:10

Quote from: Perspicacity1 on Mon 22/04/2013 19:00:39
Coming up with that first concept is the hardest part of the creative process for me so I was worried nobody would be able work with what I came up with.

Heh, believe me, there have been ideas in MAGS games that must've surprised the living hell out of the theme-setters

Radiant once put EVERY MAGS-rule (up to that date) into one game! ( http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/737/ )

Working steady. Have a progress shot!
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/YTho9Di.png[/imgzoom]

Also, downloading your game, Persp!

Radiant · Tue 23/04/2013 23:46:27

Quote from: Ghost on Mon 22/04/2013 19:41:10
Heh, believe me, there have been ideas in MAGS games that must've surprised the living hell out of the theme-setters Radiant once put EVERY MAGS-rule (up to that date) into one game! ( http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/737/ )

Yay, that was fun! I should do that again some time

As for this MAGS, I forgot to consider that I have exams this week. So that means no time for designing stuff. Which is a pity because I would really like to do something creative; it's good for your blood pressure and stuff.

Armageddon · Wed 24/04/2013 05:21:58

Wow Ghost that looks cool, has a sort of Whisper Of The Hearts with food feel to it.

You have a lot of jaggy lines that could be fixed up a bit.

I should make a MAGS game sometime, I'd really like to see a more design/gameplay theme than setting though.

Kasander · Wed 24/04/2013 12:28:02

Hey Ghost, I can't believe how closely your idea resembles an old project of mine! It's one of my last years' January MAGS unfinished rooms:

Since I've sent this to maybe two or three users from this forum (and none of them were you), I guess this is nothing more than just one of those strange coincidences that happen in life

I guess it just shows how difficult it is to come up with something *brand* new in our times.
All those writers repeating "all the stories were told already", and so on, and so on...

Anyway, very nice lo-res, as usual.

PS: Sorry for misleading the thread! Glory to all past, present and fure MAGSers!;)

Ghost · Wed 01/05/2013 17:59:59

Ah, I didn't make it. What I have is almost playable but lacking in polish and testing. I've also found someone willig to compose music- so I'd rather say I didn't meet the deadline, and release as soon as things are "done".
Great theme, still, and I enjoyed getting into crunch mode again!

Atelier · Wed 01/05/2013 18:39:04

Ahh that's a shame. But at least now you don't have to rush. It does look very interesting!

For continuity purposes, I'll declare Ghost the winner this month.

ZapZap · Wed 01/05/2013 21:18:00

Ejem, Perspicacity, ejem

Ghost · Wed 01/05/2013 21:46:02

Quote from: Cleanic on Wed 01/05/2013 21:18:00
Ejem, Perspicacity, ejem

I had to look that word up ("Hm?"), but it's correct- Persp did enter a game and AFAIK there's no rule saying that the one who sets the theme can't enter the competition- if that's correct I'd rather see a fun little game winning than the ANNOUNCEMENT of a fun little game

[edit]
Even though my screenshot has far more pancakes!