Messages

I agree that the scenes sound like KQ6, but it's odd if you remember it as having a text parser and no mouse cursor... Plus, it's quite a leap from SQ1 to KQ6 in terms of graphics

I too frowned a bit when I saw this donation thingie... I mean if someone has been fighting for a cause, it's understandable to want to donate to this cause, or I guess if they're extremely poor you could give to charity in their name... But to simply put up a donation button because he was well known feels a bit... I don't know, weird.

If July is set in stone you can remove me from the maybe list and put me in the definitely list. Now whether my better half will come too is less certain...

I would probably prefer Croatia, but I'm totally fine with any of the suggestions - I love Amsterdam and Dutch people in general and Portugal seems really nice too - so whatever results in more people wanting to come I'm down with that.

I'm also an experienced driver and don't mind driving minivans or whatever, manual transmissions or not.

Display is always blocking, but you can use a normal gui and put whatever text you want on it, and you can show it whereever and whenever you want. You could also have an invisible character say all your messages, and use the saybackground command,
What do you need help with more specifically?

A bit more rustic
http://www.fewo-direkt.de/ferienwohnung-ferienhaus/p2087078 21 people, 3.390 â,¬

Lol, that was the ugliest villa I've ever seen.
I love it

Anyone noticed how every time there's a mittens topic, certain specific mittens people just pop up out of the woodwork?

AGS needs you the other 51 weeks as well, damned cherry pickers!!

This topic has been moved to The Rumpus Room.

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=49866.0

Oh, my mistake then, about the gun. I'm sure I tried looking at it, but failed. I feel a bit dumb, but I never worked out how to look at inventory items (playing the ios version)

Let me first of all say that I wouldn't subject just any AGS game to this kind of dissection, but Gemini Rue has garneded so much critical acclaim I think it can take it. Plus, what I'm saying is largely positive.

So I finally played Gemini Rue and just completed it. I'm not exactly going out on a limb by saying it's one of the best indie adventure games in recent years. But while playing it, a few things made me react with surprise.

I asked myself ”what makes this such a good game?” and came to the conclusion that the strongest aspects of GR have little to do with gameplay, or even what constitutes a game. GR's strengths are first and foremost its cinematic aspects â€" the worldbuilding, the atmosphere, the writing, the melodramatic plot.

When it comes to the typical lateral puzzles that P&C adventures are famous (infamous?) for, GR only has a handful, and they aren't very strong. It does have one or two (depending on how you count) logical puzzles (like the ventilation system puzzle), which work well.

Stopping the stompers, while very effectful and exciting, doesn't really qualify as a puzzle in my opinion, but opinions may differ here.

The vast majority of puzzles in GR are either
1. Extremely basic bodily manoeuvres, like using the foot verb on various objects before they can be removed/picked up, or even actions that you'd expect the protagonist to handle on his own, like putting the foot on a pipe or in a hole to gain more purchase so he can reach something.
2. Information searching, via databases or the communicator.

I only counted to one or two purely original, lateral puzzles in the traditional P&C tradition, namely
a) the one where you should talk to Baldur to make him stop walking around, so that you can turn on the steam and burn him, and b) when you should put the extension cord through the hole in the roof instead of attempting to throw it up through it.

Those two left me purely satisfied.

Others did not:
1. One puzzle â€" the one about pursuading the pilot to meet you â€" has you navigating a complex dialogue tree with no clues whatsoever â€" it's just trial and error until you choose the correct option.
2. The protagonist needs a device of some sort to mend his lock picks, and for some reason this device lies in a box in a room that you have no knowledge of. The solution is to kick the boards from the opening and enter this mysterious room, even though you no reason to believe there should be anything useful in there.
3. Swapping the gun with a weight on the pedestal is not only unoriginal and a bit illogical (you'd expect them to have the technology to detect whether the gun is properly replaced) but it's also bad puzzle design to require one specific weight among many, with no way to work out the weight of the gun beforehand.

Other aspects of the gameplay left me a bit undecided. I really don't know what to make of the box-moving routine. I only ever used it to move one box a few meters to the side in order to stand on it and reach something, so in terms of actual puzzle design it's almost ludicrous, but then again it's harmless and kind of cute, and I guess should be seen as a nostalgic wink to the old platformer puzzles of the early '90s.

The shooting part has left critics divided, and while I didn't exactly dislike it, I couldn't help but finding it a bit generic and monotonous. It has Another World vibes to it, but it never gets varying or exciting enough.

The information finding mostly works well â€" Azriel uses various computers and databases to find names and places, and the UI's feel mostly authentic, with all the anachronistic retro-futuristic features you can't help but love (you can travel through space but you use huge wall-mounted computer terminals as diaries, instead of, say, a smartphone...).

The only downer here is that basically all the people and organisations I need to contact reside on the same block, and often in the same building, in a world that initially felt really big. The constant reuse of locales reduces the world size considerably, but it's also understandable that handpainted backgrounds need to be employed economically.

But let's return to the good stuff. Dramaturgically, what does GR do that works so well?

First of all, it establishes from the outset that there's a complex background plot, but you only need to focus on a rather straightforward objective. There's no information dump that the player needs to sort out and understand; instead we're served certain sparse keywords that paint the picture for us. Space colonies. A criminal organisation. A missing brother.

But before we need to be very concerned about the backdrop, we just have to rescue a certain Matthius.  An extraction mission. This makes it easy to dive into the game, and keeps you engaged.

After we've accomplished the first mission, and feel warmed up, it's time to open up the game world a bit. You're now less directed. This is when the game really becomes ”gamey” and in my opinion undergoes its weakest phase. Not only am I disappointed to re-appear on the exact same street (when I got away with the spacecraft, I expected to get a brand new area to explore) but I feel slightly confused as to what to do.

Let's leave Azriel there and take a look at the other main character. Here we have a very classic scenario â€" amnesia mixed with escape-the-prison. It's such a staple of the adventure game genre it's not even considered cliché â€" it's like saying shooting at gas barrels is a cliché in shooters; you just accept it as a genre idiosynchrasy, an ingrendient in the recipe.

GR gets away with this because a) it's only one of two game branches, and b) memory and identity are sort of the theme of the entire game, so it's only fitting.

Playing Delta-6 feels genuinely exciting, and I have this uneasy feeling in my stomach when I'm foreshadowed his fate. I want to escape, but I know it won't be easy.

The monitor voice does border on expositional, and especially being instructed how to move the box is just parodical. But that's forgivable.

Being able to switch between the characters doesn't add anything to the gameplay, and I'm not sure why you'd do this except for variation's sake. I didn't notice how anything in Azriels world could work as a clue in Delta-6's or vice versa.

The most engaging part of this stretch of the game is when we make friends in a hostile, cold environment. As a player I'm yearning for allies, but who can I trust? GR does this superbly.

Towards we end, it becomes clear why critics and players love GR so much. What we have here is a magnificent crescendo, a cinematic climax that most adventure game players must be starved of.

GR stacks twists and sentimental moments on each other in a manner that would make a normal movie appear a bit melodramatic, and a novel downright soppy. But this is a game, and it works wonderfully. Friends die, others escape in the nick of time, evil villains deliver existential speeches, it's just a perfect firework of cinematic devices and tropes.  The game ends and I'm left all emotional and worked up.

There's nothing truly profound going on here (”our identity isn't in our memories, it's in our experiences!” ... hm, ok. ”I could erase your memories, but there's one thing I couldn't erase â€" that's your conscience!”...) but it's cool because it's a game and doesn't have to be really philosophical, it's alright if it feels philosophical.

What lessons can we learn from this when designing a game? Here's my summary.
1. World building. The player needs to feel that they're looking into a complete universe, with all the conflicts, intrigues and things that are specific for that world.
2. Present information in short bits and pieces - don't inform the player how stuff works. The phrase ”show, don't tell” is a bit worn, but it's extremely important and GR utilizes it masterfully. Avoid exposition like the plague.
3. The background plot can be extremely complicated, but there has to be a straightforward objective for the player to focus on, at least initially. It's like in the Bourne movies â€" we have all these important-sounding phrases and concepts tossed around, but we don't need to understand them all at once, we just accept that the background plot is rich and complex. For now, all Bourne has to do is escape and survive.
4. Puzzles are secondary, especially traditional, lateral P&C puzzles. Apparently, most players today are fine with using a screwdriver to open a panel or a grate, and to perform other mundane tasks. When the game is mostly cinematic, the function of the puzzle is to slow down the pace and let the player feel like s/he is actually interacting with the game. In GR, the player doesn't really steer the game, s/he just decides at what pace the plot should progress. Knowing how it will end doesn't mean you can prevent it from happening.
5. Puzzles should be easy. Most modern players are fine with spending just a few minutes on each obstacle. Especially indie games can't afford having the player stuck for too long.
6. Make sure there's a rewarding climax. Many adventure games tend to be well done and thought out until it's time to finish them, at which point they stop being polished and rewarding, and we just get an outro-scene and then the credits. GR has a long, intense, exciting final ending that leaves you completely wrung out. It leaves nothing more to wish for.
7. Player influence is secondary. Instead of focusing on multiple paths and endings, make sure the one you've got is polished and full of content. A player is more concerned about actually completing the game than influencing its direction/ending. A good but pre-determined ending is better than a poor but player-chosen ending. Of course, combining the two may be even better, but waaay more difficult.

That was lengthy. Agree or disagree?

Thanks everyone for the kind words! And yeah I look forward to cooperating with Mods and Screen7

I have some readibility problems with your picture, because the lighting seems inverted, almost. I took the liberty of adding highlights and shadows in a more traditional manner:


I also adjusted the proportions - and placement - of the eyes, as well as made sure his face doesn't suddenly end beside the right (his left) eye. Due to the angle, we should see more of his head there.

Furthermore, while your dithering is complex and for the most part well executed, it seems at times a bit over done, resulting in a grainy texture. Dithering is mostly done to let one shade fade into another - for large areas, you can probably just use another shade.

PS:
I'm not saying all faces are lit from above/in front like that, but if you're going for some kind of dramatic dual-lighting á la GTA or most marvel comics covers, that has to be done much more distinctly, with more punch.

This topic has been moved to Beginners' Technical Questions.

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=49819.0

Let's say you need to click four buttons in the correct order to open the door.
The buttons are:
A    B    C    D

And the right combination is
C    D    A    B

What you need to do now is declare an int, that we call "code."
Before any buttons are pushed, code is 0.
(at the top of room script)
int code;

Then you just start adding conditions.

For button C:
if (code == 0) code ++;   //increase "code" by one
else code = 0;   // otherwise reset "code"

For button D:
if (code == 1) code ++;
else code = 0;

For button A:
if (code == 2) code ++;
else code = 0;

For button B:
if (code == 3) code ++;
else code = 0;

So, whenever a button is pushed when it's not supposed to, the mechanism will be reset. If you keep pushing the buttons in the right order, the integer will increase.

You can use the repeatedly_execute to decide what will happen as soon as "code" is 4.

Start nominating!
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=49820.new#new

[1. Best newbie of the year]

Ok, since the support for introducing the Rumpus Award was rather overwhelming (it beat the nay-side with at least a thousand percent) I hereby announce the nomination phase started.

1. Best newbie of the year
Since all oldies eventually develop dementia and start leaving their houses without pants, every community needs fresh, warm blood on a regular basis. Who joined in 2013 and was just a total blast?

2. Unintentionally funniest post
Laughing at somebody beats laughing with somebody any day of the week. Who did we laugh at the most remorselessly last year?

3. Best return of an oldie
Sooner or later the veterans return to the flock, with strange tales of far away places and failed attempts at leading a healthy, outdoor life.

Who's return did you appreciate the most?

4. Most work put into something that passed largely unnoticed
Some people find elegant ways to put virtually no efforts into creating something that millions of people marvel at for aeons, like the architect who drew the pyramids, or the guys who nicked that catapult game and suddenly "invented" Angry birds. But some people are the exact opposite - they pour endless hours into obscure projects that at best end up puzzling, at worst completely unseen.

Who was this sucker last year?

5. Most glaring violation of a forum rule
Following the rules is a total drag - it requires you to spend several seconds, minutes even, actually reading a text, as if there were any gaps in your calender for such bullshit, not to mention how it's discriminating against illiterates.

So, which young rebel stuck it to the man most glaringly last year?

6. Most annoyingly slow-walking game character
So you load up the game, and the splash screen and the first background and the music and just everything looks so bloody good, and you're really psyched to get started and then woooooah-that's-so-slow-my-brain-just-spontaneously-went-into-hibernation.

And then you go "at least I hope I can skip to the exits!" and then "nope, I'm just gonna sit here and watch while my protagonist placidly strolls to the door on the opposite wall of this 800 pixel corridor while my mom is shouting that dinner's ready and also I have to pee."

Know this feeling? If so, what game caused it?

7. Most hype in relation to actual result
It takes great skill to create a buzz. Some people seem to get entire social networks all worked up and giddy just by scratching their back. Running a marketing campaign is an art, but most of us fail so much the only virality we generate is when we end up with the flu from all the hassle.

However, what some of these marketing wizards forget is that somewhere down the road there needs to be an actual product, which should live up to all the expectations. Who was this evil wiz-kid of hyping last year?

8. Most uncalled for usage of high resolution
High-res beats low-res becasue it's high-res. They wouldn't build camera-phones with billions of pixles if those pixels weren't doing any damn good, right? It's like saying that a bowl with lots of sweets isn't better than a bowl with just a few sweets.

Who failed to make good use of a high resolution the most laughably in 2013?

LET'S BEGIN THE NOMINATIONS!!4

Hi Joshua!

I think your background is over all pretty good. There are a few things I'm reacting on immediately, and they mostly have to do with colours. Granted, I wouldn't personally use that kind of perspective, but that's probably more a matter of taste.
However:
1. There are some colours that just shouldn't be there. Most noticably, the bright green tree(s). Not only are the small trees by the fance distracting (if you introduce a strong colour that's different from all the others, you'd better make it something worth focusing on), but they shouldn't be able to pick up that type of green. If you lowered their saturation considerably, and also turned them bluer, it'd work much better.
2. The fence and the door: Same issue really - unless these are bright yellow in normal light, there's no way they could turn this brown by night.
3. Window/sky colour interference. I feel a different kind of blue is necessary here, because my eyes are almost percieving the windows to be holes, through which I'm seeing the sky. In night time, windows are mostly really dark.
4. Focal point! As a result of your composition, the focal point in this picture is right above the door. What do you find there? A big, grey, empty surface is what you find there. The empties, most unicoloured, undetailed space in your entire picture is right where the eyes land naturally.
5. Anian said this already, but it's worth repeating - you can't make a background tree much more detailed than the foreground objects!

Edit:
Alright, made a quick edit to show my points. I haven't even drawn it in the correct resolution, so never mind the horrible pixel work, and I've used a filter gradient instead of a manually drawn one... anyhow.

I took the liberty of adding a lamp to the entrance, because I thought the scene needed a central light source somewhere. If you don't want a light here, put it elsewhere

If we did it in July I could actually attend. Would the first time in years and years.

I didn't delete anything, I just moved it here to Rumpus!
I hope I didn't delete anything. at least.

This is a silly discussion, frankly. Basically, we should let WHOEVER is the nice guy around and hosts the AGS awards to decide. Imagine if we had the same discussion about MAGS when I took it to its great game-frenzy making form. MAGS would still be about making a game a month, wait for the next month to vote, then make another. And that gave the ability to increase deadlines.

So, if we could please end this. Like the MAGS, the AGS awards should have one ruler, that should decide on all the bets, and that's the host, and there has been no respect towards that.

It's fine that Bici can have the final say on a few things, and we're all thankful for his efforts, but why is it so odd that the community can help discuss the format and the rules?

These are prestigious awards, let's not pretend they don't matter.

"One ruler", with some sort of indisputable power to decide things, never works! this isn't North Korea!

And you can't compare this with Mags for vey obvious reasons. All this said, Dualnames, I think most people here, including me, have said that Primorida should be allowed to run this year, since you didn't think release dates mattered back then.

PS:
There's a rumpus thread over here, so let's keep this thread non-rumpus!

If you have a question regarding programming that you would deem easy, post it in beginners' technical, if it seems difficult, post it in advanced. This goes for all sorts of scripting issues, even if it's only asking for ways to clean up or improve an already functional script, or help developing a better plugin.

Critics' lounge is only for music, art and writing, and modules and plugins is for finished plugins and modules.

Good luck,