Messages

I think there is a bit of "solving the mystery" (or at least "piecing the clues together") in many detective games, including The Shivah and Phoenix Wright. And that's something I would definitely like more of.

Very much agree with wanting to see more of this type of gameplay. To my mind piecing together the plot is of far more interest than trying to work out how to get through the locked window using only a credit-card, clothes peg, and sack of potatoes. That type of puzzle has it's place in humourous games*, but to be entirely engaging a serious adventure should undoubtedly concentrate on making the player think logically about the plot, and how best to use the information they have gathered to make progress.

*If the game is genuinly funny. If it's not then it becomes a huge chore.

Looks interesting. Good luck. 

Sounds like an interesting premise.

Screenshots looks great too. I Particularly like the top one.

Looking forward to this. Good luck with it. 

And I'm under the impression that there's an age limit for being part of this community along with an expected level of maturity that includes being able to take game ratings with a grain of salt, whether made by one person or 20.

Yeah of course everyone should be mature - but your remark earlier stank of someone throwing his toys out of the pram...exactly what your accusing Harg of doing. So I'm sorry but if that's classed as being mature, then I'm Hulk Hogan (which I'm not by the way, in case anyone was perhaps unsure.) 

On a far more constructive note, would it perhaps be better to make it clear which member of the AGS Panel has reviewed each game? After all Progz, is is not true that all the publications you list give the name of the person judging a game? Makes it much clearer that it's just the opinion of one person...

If it's just an opinion (which it is) then why be so mysterious about whose opinion it is? To use myself as an example - if people find their opinions on games differ greatly from the views I express on my reviews blog, then they can choose not put any value in my thoughts. Knowing there opinions are often different from my own, they can choose to avoid my reviews if they wish.

The whole mysterious AGS Panel thing doesn't allow people to perhaps follow a certain critic whom they know has a similar taste to them.

I don't think it's a huge issue but it would be a shame to lose game developers because of such a problem.

Now don't ge me wrong, anyone who puts stuff out there for other people to play/read etc, should be prepared to accept that not everyone is going to like their work. This is VERY important if you're going to release stuff to the public. However...

Fair, unfair is a matter of pure 100% opinion when it comes to game ratings.  The person who played the game and rated it had a very specific experience unique from your own or anyone elses and that's how it should be.

Exactly! So why should that person's opinion be displayed more prominently than the opinions of others? I can certainly see why people would be opposed to it. If it was a bunch of people who came to the same conclusion then that's different. Hence why the User Rating's system is far more informative and apropriate in my opinion.

Please get over this whole 'it's unfair because I don't like the rating' rant, all of you.

I was under the impression this was supposed to be a community...

Sorry for not getting my entry in - I tried but in the end I just wasn't happy with the final piece as it was. I liked the concept but it ended up being abit rambling and certainly needed abit of tidying up.

Anyway...

My vote goes to Oliwerko.

I really like the twist at the end. I had no idea when reading it that it was all over a cup of tea. The 1st, 3rd, and 8th stanzas are the strongest in my opinion.

Personally though I think that some of the wording could do with a little rejigging and there's a few lines that seem a little meaningless and perhaps there purely for rhyming purposes. I also agree with Atellier, the overall rhythm isn't perfect - reading it through results in a bit of stuttering.

Strong entry overall though. Good work.

Great entry Oliwerko.

Will give more feedback when comp is over.

Hopefully will finish my entry. Tis a poem too. Haven't worked on it for a week or so on but should manage to sneak it in on time. 

I did wonder where you'd got to. Nice to hear you're still working on the game. 

Looks wicked. Good luck with this. 

Wow! I really like the look of this.

Good luck with it! 

I've enjoyed reading the interviews too. Good work! 

Congrats on the win Atelier and Wyz! 

Shame there were so few votes though. 

Is this the norm? Off topic but perhaps it would be an idea to advertise the current competitions on the AGS homepage to try and drum up more interest. I must admit I've not voted in any competition until this one but will try and do so more often from now on.

Anyway, congrats on all the entries people.

My vote goes to Atelier Games too. The piece doesn't leave the reader questioning what on earth the writer is on about as is sometimes the case with this type of poetic writing. Instead it does what it's supposed to do, in this case, sets the background scene and does so really well in my opinion.

Looks great! Hope the writing style throughout the game maintains the quality of the writing demonstrated in the screenshots (particularly the top one). If it does then this could be awesome! 

My first ever entry into this competition is complete. 
Hopefully it fits the theme well enough. I can visualise the type of world it's set in so hopefully I've conveyed that.

----------------------

A stranger arrives on a planet after drifting through space for more years than he cares to remember. Little has happened during his journey however he possesses a strong feeling that this is about to change. Every so often a world comes along which is interesting, a world which appears serene yet has an underlying threat of…unrest. A planet which is home to a people that appear universally happy. A planet where any moment the peaceful lives of those inhabiting it are going to explode. Yes, this is a place he could settle down for a while. Watch as the very fabric of the world is ripped apart. Maybe he could even help push things along a little?

He sits on a rock-face observing the beings go about their daily lives. He recognises them, not personally of course, but as a race. They are human, settlers on a planet which wasn’t made for them. They’d adapted to the planetary conditions over the years. Originally they’d walked around in those big suits but now, generations down the line and the suits long gone, it was as if they were meant to be here. Everyone looks comfortable and relaxed, at ease with the surroundings. He recognises the differences between this planet and the other they occupy, a place he’d visited a long time ago. Gone are the sprawling metropolises and extravagant structures, the seedy alleyways and rubbish ridden streets. Instead, everything here looks like it’s been kept purposefully small scale and simple, clean but unimaginative. Every building in sight is made of the same grey stone that dominates much of the landscape. Most are dome shaped and there appears to be only a few varying sizes. The place isn’t dull however. It has a vibrancy which seemingly emanates from its residents, descendents of those whom took radical steps to change their lives.

The temperature rises to a slightly uncomfortable level, seemingly coinciding with the reduced number of passers by. Although the heat is of no consequence to the stranger, he gets up from his position on the rocks. The faint daylight provides enough illumination to the outside world for artificial lighting not to be needed. It allows him to make out a sheltered gathering in the distance. He walks towards it, slowly and with curiosity. As he approaches, he sees the crowd staring up at a screen. It looks out of place in the more primitive looking surroundings and is broadcasting someone making a speech. The individual talks of kindness and humility, about the pioneers to this planet who wanted to create a better world, something that was unachievable on the motherland. He talks of poverty and indulgence, has to explain the concepts of these things to the people who have little or no grasp of what they are. Most of all however, he talks of happiness. He smiles, the crowd smile back. His eyes though, they are cold. He is one of them, not a human, one of the others.

The stranger smiles too, not at the screen, but to himself. He knows something the humans don’t. Something they are completely oblivious to, made more intriguing because it is in front of their very own eyes. Aside from the one making the address, the stranger had already seen ten of them. Walking around unnoticed, exchanging pleasantries and going about their apparently normal lives. He can see through them though, see what they really are, likes what he sees. The people on this planet, kind-hearted and idealistic as they are, will soon realise that not everyone or everything is like them. And it’s going to be soon…very soon.

----------------------

With this being a prologue, the first chapter would then introduce the main human protagonist.

Wow, both looks and sounds really interesting. Good luck!

I'll add my name onto the list of those whom plan on entering - providing I think my finished work is good enough. 

The new verbcoin looks much cleaner and clearer. A big improvement over the old one in my opinion.

Just looking on the Atkins website and reading about The Atkins Nutritional Approach, which is apparently a 'long-term plan for weight loss and weight management that works unlike any diet you've ever seen or tried.'

Interestingly it also says 'Throw in some essential, yet fun, activity...'.

Ah, so really what they're saying is that long term weight loss occurs because energy in is less than energy out - i.e. requiring the consumption of less calories AND exercising. Nothing new there.

However playing devils advocate - Carbs are the body's main energy source, however in the Atkins diet carbs are cut-out or restricted. So when exercising what does the body do? It's forced to move on to the next best source of energy, fat. Perhaps this has something to do with Atkins weight loss, particularly in the early stages.

Having studied nutrition for two years as part of my uni course I couldn't resist sticking my nose in here.

Meowster is right. A Big Mac doesn't become more healthy just because you drink some orange juice with it. The overloaded carlorific content of the Big Mac stays the same, and in fact you're just taking in more calories from the orange juice. Eating a Big Mac a day isn't healthy no matter how many pairs of rose tinted specs you put on!

Regarding the Atkins diet issue. The way to lose weight is via a change to a healthier overall lifestyle.  Period.

Any fad diet, whether it be Atkins or something else, will allow you to lose weight in the short term as Misj' says,  however almost invariably (and the percentage figure is very very high) you wil gain more weight in the long term and end up heavier than you were to start with.