MAGS December: "Cold and Dark" (Winner Announced)

Atelier · Tue 02/12/2014 13:24:50

Exam time, very sorry for the delay - voting time now!

â€¢ All The Way Down by Calin Leafshade - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1872/
â€¢ A Night That Wouldn't End by LostTrainDude - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1874/
â€¢ Until I Have You by Dualnames and AprilSkies - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=51520.0

Please PM this account with your vote by 17th Jan. Good luck and thank you to our entrants!

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Topic: 'Cold and Dark'

This month's guidelines were set by Dread Spectacle:

Since In December we have the beginning of winter (in the Northern hemisphere), the theme is "Cold and Dark": all games should be set in a cold and dark location. Maybe a Soviet gulag, or the remoteness of Outer Space, or an Antarctic research station, or perhaps the bottom of the ocean.

Ending 31st December

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What is MAGS?

MAGS is a monthly competition for 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.

Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualise your game following the month's criteria (see top). Second, create your game fueled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

Ã¢Å"â€œ A working download link
Ã¢Å"â€œ The title of your game
Ã¢Å"â€œ A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fifteen days. The winner chooses the next month's theme, and their name and game is immortalised in the MAGS Archive. For more information, please visit the Official MAGS website.

LostTrainDude · Wed 03/12/2014 14:58:08

I'm pretty tired and bored of working on another project I'm working on and I hope to find some "creative relaxation" with this

This image is all I have at the moment, but I'm "announcing" it anyway just to convince myself I'll make it in time

I'm using Hexels Pro (the newest Beta version) for graphics and I'm trying a 800x600 resolution!

Stupot · Wed 03/12/2014 15:13:34

Looks nice already LTD. Good luck man.

Ponch · Wed 03/12/2014 23:03:17

I like the look of this game!

Calin Leafshade · Fri 05/12/2014 16:47:39

I'm going to have a go this month. Looks like fun.

Dualnames · Wed 10/12/2014 02:04:54

I've begun work on something, chances of finishing, dim. We'll see.

LostTrainDude · Sat 13/12/2014 19:56:28

Still far for completion, but still, today should be Screenshot Saturday, no?

GreenBeams · Sun 14/12/2014 17:27:04

Aw, LostTrainDude, man.... that looks lovely. Just.. wow. Simple, atmospheric and.. have i said lovely?

I'm really intrigued to see where you take this!

Dualnames · Fri 19/12/2014 21:51:58

For those who follow me on twitter, they've seen several screenshots over the couple of days, but here's one that showcases that the game exists.

I'm working on this with Andrea Ferrara also known as the female sensation of 2014, AprilSkies. We've both agreed that we will not delivered a half-assed game, so if anything if we don't make it, it's because the amount of polish wasn't as good as we wanted to. Now, chances are by Xmas we wrap this thing up and then test for a while. But this potentially a bigger project, one I'm willing to spend time working with the light system as well, showcased at AdventureX. Oh, and we have Dave Seaman on SFX.

Oh, and this is poetically named "UNTIL I HAVE YOU".

AprilSkies · Sat 20/12/2014 11:30:45

Quote from: Dualnames on Fri 19/12/2014 21:51:58
also known as the female sensation of 2014

CaptainD · Sat 20/12/2014 12:52:42

I like the way Jim added me right on the end as an afterthought!

LostTrainDude · Sat 20/12/2014 23:49:15

Quote from: Dualnames on Fri 19/12/2014 21:51:58
But this potentially a bigger project, one I'm willing to spend time working with the light system as well, showcased at AdventureX

Needless to say: I can't wait to see the finished product

...E grande AprilSkies!

@Yakatakatulla
Thanks a lot

I really hope to make something nice out of those chunky pixels!

Calin Leafshade · Mon 22/12/2014 01:57:24

Are we sharing?

Cassiebsg · Mon 22/12/2014 08:26:55

That looks beautiful!

Oh, it's a sponsored publicity game!

Atelier · Sun 28/12/2014 13:06:56

LTD, Dualnames, Calin, all look great. Still a few days to finish, everything going OK?

Lasca · Sun 28/12/2014 17:46:09

All entries looks really good and interesting!
@ Cailin: that's absolutely gorgeous!

Calin Leafshade · Mon 29/12/2014 14:01:09

We should be finished.. I hope.

LostTrainDude · Tue 30/12/2014 17:58:35

I'm really late on everything, I'm crunching as much as I can

Hope my Game Jam skills don't fail me just now

Can't wait to see the other entries, though.
@Calin: That really looks great!

AprilSkies · Tue 30/12/2014 20:25:47

Crunch LostTrainDude! Crunch!
'cause you MUST finish it!
I love the screenies! The art is soo good I wanna play it!

Calin Leafshade · Tue 30/12/2014 20:48:46

Err, due to other commitments over new years I might need a days extension.

Is that cool? like 23:59 1st Jan?

Atelier · Tue 30/12/2014 22:41:34

Quote from: Calin Leafshade on Tue 30/12/2014 20:48:46
Is that cool? like 23:59 1st Jan?

Yep that's cool, particularly as LTD would appreciate that too.

LostTrainDude · Tue 30/12/2014 23:08:05

Amazing news!

Thanks Atelier and, while we're at it, Happy New Year everybody!

Calin Leafshade · Tue 30/12/2014 23:33:21

Much appreciated, young Atelier.

Calin Leafshade · Thu 01/01/2015 23:50:37

Presenting: All The Way Down.

Download: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1872/

LostTrainDude · Thu 01/01/2015 23:51:22

~~I'm there! I swear Uploading in 10 minutes! (I'll edit this post, of course)~~

Here it is!

A NIGHT THAT WOULDN'T END

Far in the North, where the night may last for months, a researcher is left alone with his boredom and with an important research to complete.

(Is it possible to apply some little fixes after the deadline? For instance: the width and placement of a text overlay?)

Dualnames · Fri 02/01/2015 00:25:22

And here's mine and AprilSkies's

UNTIL I HAVE YOU

Mandle · Fri 02/01/2015 01:09:09

Oh wow! A hattrick of games to play!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to all on making it in time! It's a crazy thing to attempt which makes it very satisfying to get it finished within the time limit!

I had tons of fun playtesting Until I Have You so I will leave that for last. Can't wait to see the finished product though of course!

So: All The Way Down first I think...

Armageddon · Fri 02/01/2015 05:49:19

Quote from: Calin Leafshade on Thu 01/01/2015 23:50:37
Presenting: All The Way Down.

Download: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1872/

Two things, Bedpost and Tin Can. Jesus Christ I haven't pixel hunted like that in ages. The story was flowing well and the tension was riveting except for those two 10 minute interludes of nothing. More music would have helped too.
Also, "That won't help." Playing even when you use an inventory item on nothing. I missed the candle by a few pixels twice and he said his catchphrase so I thought I couldn't use it there. The scrolling up title takes too long and it makes you miss hotspots very easily.
Other than that it was lovely. Great art, great effects.

Crimson Wizard · Fri 02/01/2015 22:44:54

Quote from: Armageddon on Fri 02/01/2015 05:49:19
Two things, Bedpost and Tin Can. Jesus Christ I haven't pixel hunted like that in ages.

thanks for mentioning Tin Can. I would have to ask in Hints forum.

Cassiebsg · Fri 02/01/2015 22:51:03

That's funny... (spoiler):

Spoiler

Quote
Bedpost and Tin Can.

... I thought "bed pole" even before I noticed a hotstop called "bed pole"...
As for the tin can, yes, I hadn't noticed it either... my mouse was already going to the opposite side of the screen when accidentally got past over it and I said "tin...? wait, there was something different there!".
[/quote]

[close]

Stupot · Sat 03/01/2015 07:10:06

Three marvelous games. Great start to the year... Or ending to last year, however you look at it.

Until I have you. The controls are terribly hard, but it's too gorgeous not to persevere, and I think I'm getting better. With a bit of tweaking to the learning curve, this could be one of the classic non-adventure AGS games

A Night That Wouldn't End. Very nice game. The puzzles were solid and the story was cute. I could have played more. Well done LTD

All The Way Down. Really superb team effort and a great advert for Latency. Couple of pixel hunts (for me it was the tin can and the brake lever), but nothing a few more beta sessions couldn't have ironed out. Nice Lovecraftian atmosphere, great graphics, delicious voice acting, and interesting product placement for Spar

MAGS Host · Thu 08/01/2015 00:20:36

Exam time, very sorry for the delay - voting time now!

â€¢ All The Way Down by Calin Leafshade - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1872/
â€¢ A Night That Wouldn't End by LostTrainDude - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1874/
â€¢ Until I Have You by Dualnames and AprilSkies - http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=51520.0

Please PM this account with your vote by 17th Jan. Good luck and thank you to our entrants!

Mandle · Tue 13/01/2015 16:35:58

Yay! Voting time!

Ponch · Tue 13/01/2015 17:09:25

What a great batch of games!

kconan · Tue 13/01/2015 18:18:59

Quote from: Ponch on Tue 13/01/2015 17:09:25
What a great batch of games!

Agreed, biggest hat trick of awesome I've seen in a MAGS competition.

Dropped Monocle Games · Tue 13/01/2015 18:36:36

Found it very hard to pick one... can I vote for all 3?

MAGS Host · Mon 19/01/2015 19:35:36

Results!!

2 votes - A Night That Wouldn't End by LostTrainDude
3 votes - Until I Have You by Dualnames and AprilSkies
7 votes - All The Way Down by Calin Leafshade

Congrats and thanks to Calin, LTD, Dualnames and Aprilskies!

AprilSkies · Mon 19/01/2015 21:51:46

Well deserved ^^
congrats to the winner!
That comp was really funny ^^
and also a bravo to LTD, with his great little game ^^