Topics

I need a little Photoshop help. Anyone know the best way to alter a photo to make someone bald? We're talking pure Grade 0 here.

I've tried the clone stamp tool but find that using portions of a person's forehead makes the result a bit unrealistic, because it disrupts the shadow and is not shiny enough. I've tried practising on Keira Knightly with the clone stamp technique but was wondering whether anybody can suggest another method?

PS. Shaving the subject in real life is impractical.

Edit: practising not practicing

[These are the rules:]

Ponch suggested a while ago to hold a 'vapourware amnesty', where everybody tries to complete their unfinished entries, and I'm pleased to say that that month is this month!

I know that lots of folks have worked on entries which never met the deadline because there simple wasn't enough time. Or, other people may have thought about entering, noted down ideas/made artwork, but nothing came to fruition. Those people, this is for you as well.

Hopefully this month will give people the opportunity to finish games which they would not otherwise have been motivated to do. Forget the main tenet of MAGS, you will be irrevocably banned from the internet forever if your game is completely new!

So dust off your lost MAGS game(s), and let it see the light of day!

These are the rules:

1: State which month your uncompleted entry was for.
2: The more unfinished entries you complete, the cooler you will look!
3: As usual, provide a download link and screenshot when you post your entry.
4: If this is your first night at Fight Club, you HAVE to fight.

Voting will still be held with the winner given the Best Almost-Vapourware award. (Ok, before/if anyone says voting on something like this is really flawed, because each entry was made for a different theme, people may have worked on them since... this month it's more about getting those old games finished than just winning)!

Deadline

Official deadline is 31st August, although I can give extensions aplenty (within reason) so everybody finishes their unfinished entries, otherwise the whole month would be pointless I.e, don't worry too much about a deadline!

Also, with risk of derailing the thread in the first post, I feel ashamed of myself for making one of those bloody Keep Calm and Carry On posters... they're just everywhere and used for irrelevant things, case in point, so the poster is actually for irony purposes

Have fun everybody!

Let's all hunt down and kill McCartney. He made the ending so thoroughly tacky it was like that was his intention. The Arctic Monkeys were a random feature and the Queen looked miserable yet again. Did anybody else see the salute by that man as the German team walked out? I know it is the Olympic salute but it was a bit of a faux pas under the circumstances. Those were just all the bad things I remember though, apart from that it was really good, what did y'all think?

Hi guys, this is pretty basic but my brain is frazzled. I'm checking whether the mouse is over a certain coordinate.

The units in my game have an x and y coordinate and the sprite is 27x27 with the coordinate in the middle (so the sprite is drawn at x-13, y-13).

Code: AGS

function room_RepExec()
{
     while (u <= total*2) // total allied units, x2 for enemy units
     {
          if ((unit[u].x-13) < mouse.x < (unit[u].x+13)) {
          if ((unit[u].y-13) < mouse.y < (unit[u].y+13)) {

               // do stuff

          } }

     u++;

     if (total*2 < u) u = 1;
     }
}

I think the co-ord checking bit would work in theory?

But obviously, the game just crashes because I cycle through all the units constantly, but I can't check the coordinates if I don't do that, and noloopcheck locks the game up. How else could I do it?

Cheers
Atelier

[Topic: 'Fairy Tale']

Topic: 'Fairy Tale'

The theme for July is really simple: create a game based on an existing fairy tale. If you wish, you can put your own spin on a traditional plot, but the fairy tale must remain recognizable. Or, you could mash different fairy tales together.

(A lot of) Ideas to help you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fairy_tales



Ending 6/8/2012



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:

âœ" A working download link.
âœ" The title of your game.
âœ" 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.

What would be the best way to mimic a walkable area but for things that are not characters? For example, you have a car, boat or person (defined by a struct/array) which has an x and y value on the map, but cannot go beyond a boundary enclosing the map (impassable area). It would be simpler if this boundary was a line, but how about a curved/irregular one? I can only think that you'd need to define all the coordinates which are impassable and stop the entity from ever going on them.

Also, how about restricted areas within the outer boundary, like a rock or something? Would this mean I'd need to write a pathfinding algorithm? Internal boundaries aren't really important though for what I need. Here's a really bad diagram to illustrate, with grey areas being impassable:



Thanks.

[Topic: 'In Soviet Russia...']

Topic: 'In Soviet Russia...'

This month's guidelines were set by Baron et al.:

Just as in the russian reversal jokes originated by Yakov Smirnoff, you need to take something that normally happens in an adventure game and make it function in reverse.  This can be taken to absurd levels, or just be a reversal of one element that is commonplace in the genre.  The game need not actually take place in Soviet Russia!

Ideas to help you:

• Instead of taking inventory items, inventory item takes YOU!
• The villain is actually a cool and downright decent fellow, while your hero is a loathsome and repelling character.
• Instead of the cursor moving the character, the character moves the cursor.
• Try doing the opposite of any number of adventure game clichés.



Ending 6/7/2012 (6th July, sorry for posting late again! I will break the habit next month fo sho)



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:

âœ" A working download link.
âœ" The title of your game.
âœ" 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.

Hi guys, I actually posted the same sort of thing here, the code below is actually monkey's, thanks monkey! I have used it up until now but I wanted to look for something a bit more comprehensive.

Code: AGS

  if (Parser.Said("look rol"))
  {
    int lookID = Parser.FindWordID("look"); // get the word ID for "look" and its synonyms
    String rol = command;
    int index = rol.IndexOf(" ");
    while (index != -1)
    {
      String word = rol.Substring(0, index);
      int wordID = Parser.FindWordID(word);
      if ((!wordID) || (wordID == lookID))
      {
        // word was an ignored word or "look" synonym
        // strip out the remaining word(s), and update the index
        rol = rol.Substring(index + 1, rol.Length - (index + 1));
        index = rol.IndexOf(" ");
      }
     else index = -1; // if the word wasn't an ignored word or "look" synonym, simply break the loop (we found the rol!)
    }
    if (rol != "")
    {
      int i = 1;
      Parser.ParseText(rol); // parse the rol to check for character names
      while (i < Max_Mobs) // fixed this! <= will crash
      {
        if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(mob[i].name)) return;
        String buffer = mob[i].name;
        String name = "";
        index = buffer.IndexOf(" ");
        while (index != -1)
        {
          String word = buffer.Substring(0, index);
          if (index < buffer.Length) buffer = buffer.Substring(index + 1, buffer.Length - (index + 1));
          else buffer = "";
          index = buffer.IndexOf(" ");
          if ((buffer != "") && (index == -1)) index = buffer.Length;
          if (Parser.FindWordID(word) > 0) name = name.Append(word.AppendChar(' ' * (index != -1)));
        }
        if ((name != "") && (Parser.Said(name)) && (mob[i].loc == mob[0].loc)) Print(mob[i].desc);
        i++;
      }
    }
}

The basic idea of doing it like this is that I do not have to rely on the parser to code for every single interaction, but rather a function checks to see what the player most likely means. For example I would have to do

Code: AGS

if (Parser.Said("look monk")) Print(mob[5].desc);
if (Parser.Said("look mushroom")) Print(item[11].desc);
...

for every entity in the game. At the moment, the code only checks NPCs, but I would like it to check other arrays too (namely items and equipment). I could probably work this out myself, but what complicates matters is that if a player/item/equipment has two or more valid terms in their name (for example, 'Feolfest the Porter' - entering "look feolfest" and "look porter" should do the same thing), the code does not work. Even if you make the two terms synonyms or even different words in the parser dictionary, only one will be valid, so typing "look feolfest the porter" does not work.

Basically, my question is this: is there a way of comparing the target of a command with all the names of the entities, without having to enter all their names to the parser dictionary? All of the different words in the dictionary is becoming unmanageable. Ideally, I would like the dictionary to only contain the verbs and game commands (look, talk, inventory) and not all the nouns (monk, mushroom).

So, if a player enters "look" with anything after it, the target word is isolated and the arrays mob, item, and equipment cycle through the names to see if there is a match. If there is and the entity is in the same room as the player (mob[0].loc), the correct entity description is added. This will be intuitive to the player because no entity can be called something if it's not in the full name. Also, the command "look" on its own has a completely different meaning, which prints the current room, so there must be a space between look (or its variant synonyms e.g. x) to trigger the checking cycle. I hope you can help me out, thanks!

I'm a database and php noob, but I was just wondering whether something I had in mind could be done with AGS.

Would it be possible to use an AGS game as a client, send a string via the interwebs to be interpreted by a php script which checks a database, and then return a string and/or variables (depending on what the initial command was) to the game for displaying? It would be an online text game with all the information stored in a database. I was thinking that this would allow me to expand the map and make any number of adjustments to the game, without forcing people to download a new version, and only update the client if necessary. Like I say, I have limited knowledge with php and MySQL, but for the moment I was just wondering whether data can be sent from an AGS game to a online script somehow (and for data to be received).

[Topic: 'The Find']

Topic: 'The Find'

Create a game revolving around the discovery of an object/thing.

Ideas to help you:

• A ship like the Mary Celeste is discovered adrift with no sign of the crew's fate.
• The tomb of a forgotten pharaoh is discovered in Egypt.
• A race of aliens discover a watery planet inhabited by bipeds.
• The protagonist finds a body in their garden, but cannot report it because of a previous conviction which may incriminate them...



Ending 5/6/2012 (5th June, sorry for posting late!)



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:

âœ" A working download link.
âœ" The title of your game.
âœ" 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.

Hi guys, this isn't game-related but I hope you can help me anyway.

Somebody asked me to design a logo for their band, smurf. They produce house/club dance music.



This was the design I thought of. Quite simply I like the idea but it turned out really crap. It seems too cartoony.

Any advice on how to make it more professional will be appreciated.

[Topic: 'Distorted Senses']

Topic: 'Distorted Senses'

This month's guidelines were set by WHAM:

Create a game in which one or more of the protagonist's senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) have somehow been impaired or mutated, causing them to function in an unexpected fashion. The distorted senses of the protagonist can either hinder or help them, maybe even both if used right!

Ideas to help you:

• The protagonist cannot see colours, but instead hears them when touching them.
• The protagonist cannot hear anything that is not human speech - all other sounds are converted into speech.
• The protagonist cannot see movement, causing anything that moves to "stop existing" until it is stationary again.
• The protagonist sees, hears, tastes and feels all things as rotting, slimy, twisted and disgusting (see video link below).

For a chilling example of this type of event taking place, watch:
(Might be rather disturbing and extreme example, you have been warned)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tDHJ05TbDxU



Ending 30/4/2012

Also, the MAGS site is back again, thanks Peder!



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.

[Topic: 'Legends']

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.

My game is 32-bit and the image I want to display (slot 3) has an alpha channel. But when I call PrintImage(3); it doesn't appear. Why not?

Code: ags

DynamicSprite*Raw, Final;
DrawingSurface*Surface;
bool FirstPrint = true;

function PrintImage(int slot, bool space)
{
     if (space) Print(" ");

     if (FirstPrint) { Raw = DynamicSprite.Create(DisplayBox.Width, Game.SpriteHeight[slot]+1, true); FirstPrint = false; }
     else Raw.ChangeCanvasSize(DisplayBox.Width, Raw.Height+Game.SpriteHeight[slot], 0, 0);

     Surface = Raw.GetDrawingSurface(); Surface.DrawImage((DisplayBox.Width/2)-(Game.SpriteWidth[slot]/2), Raw.Height-Game.SpriteHeight[slot], slot);
     Surface.Release();

     if (1500 < Raw.Height) Raw.Crop(0, Raw.Height-1500, Raw.Width, 1500);

     Final = DynamicSprite.CreateFromExistingSprite(23, true);
     Surface = Final.GetDrawingSurface();
     Surface.DrawImage(0, DisplayBox.Height-Raw.Height, Raw.Graphic);
     Surface.Release();
     
     DisplayBox.NormalGraphic = Final.Graphic;

}

The sprite I'm overlaying it on, 23, doesn't have its alpha channel enabled.

[Topic: 'Espionage']

Topic: 'Espionage'

Create a game revolving around the theme of espionage. This could include surveillance, under-cover work, secret missions, reconnaissance, spies, double agents, top-secret organisations, government coverups, diplomatic crises, revolutionary gadgets, etc.

Ideas to help you:

• A mole is discovered by the drug cartel they infiltrated.
• An agent is assigned to a mission they are strongly against.
• The past mistakes of an operative catch up with them many years later.
• A man is convinced he's being watched by the authorities.



Ending 29/2/12



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.

I'm trying to make the Print function for my text game more versatile, but I've messed around with it and can't seem to get anywhere. I'm not sure whether the existing code can be adapted, or whether it needs to be rewritten.

I'd like to scroll up and down a sprite using the up/down arrow keys, to give an effect similar to a list box. When another bit of text is added to the sprite (at the bottom), the view of the sprite jumps to the bottom if the player has been reading text further up. And to prevent this, the player can toggle scroll lock on and off, so if something is added and they are reading further up, it does not jump down to show what was just added.

Here's the current function, Print, which works fine (but without scrolling enabled):

Code: ags

DynamicSprite*SpriteOne;
DynamicSprite*SpriteTwo;
DynamicSprite*Final;
DrawingSurface*Surface;
bool FirstPrint = true;

function Print(String text, int colour, bool space)
{
          if (space) Print(" ", 0);

          if (FirstPrint) {
                    SpriteOne = DynamicSprite.Create(DisplayBox.Width, DisplayBox.Height, true);
                    SpriteTwo = DynamicSprite.Create(DisplayBox.Width, DisplayBox.Height, true);
                    Final = DynamicSprite.CreateFromExistingSprite(2);
                    FirstPrint = false;
          }

          Surface = SpriteOne.GetDrawingSurface();
          Surface.Clear();

          //draw new text
          Surface.DrawingColor = colour;
          int y = DisplayBox.Height - GetTextHeight(text, DisplayBox.Font, DisplayBox.Width)-2;
          Surface.DrawStringWrapped(0, y, DisplayBox.Width, DisplayBox.Font, eAlignLeft, text);          //draw new text at very bottom, minus however high the new text is

          //draw old text (shift current text up)
          Surface.DrawImage(0, 0 - GetTextHeight(text, DisplayBox.Font, DisplayBox.Width)-2, SpriteTwo.Graphic);          //shift old text up by however high new text is
          Surface.Release();

          SpriteTwo = DynamicSprite.CreateFromExistingSprite(SpriteOne.Graphic);

          Surface = Final.GetDrawingSurface();
          Surface.Clear();
          Surface.DrawImage(0, 0, 2);                                    //draw a leather panel
          Surface.DrawImage(0, 0, SpriteOne.Graphic);           //draw final text on top
          Surface.Release();

          DisplayBox.NormalGraphic = Final.Graphic;
}

As far as I'm aware, the sprites are cropped after each time it's called to fit the height and width of DisplayBox? So if I wanted to scroll up and down, one sprite with all the previous text on would need to be stored?

Also, because I'm using AA text, I have to overlay the text onto a leather panel before it becomes the normal graphic of DisplayBox. This therefore means that when the player scrolls up for example, the part of the sprite you're looking at is moved equivalent to 1 line of text downwards, and this section has to be captured and overlaid on top of the leather panel, so it becomes seamless with the rest of the GUI. How can I do this?

Another small thing I noticed, I can't find an enum for the scroll lock key. I can use something else for toggling the scroll lock bool, it just seemed fitting

Thanks
Atelier

[Topic: 'The Pub']

Topic: 'The Pub'

This month's guidelines were set by icey:

Create a game featuring a pub, bar, or club in some way. The pub could be a visited location in the game, but if it's not, reference to the pub and it's importance in the plot/action of the game is sufficient.

Ideas to help you:

• The player meets a shady pub-lurker in the corner, who has a nefarious proposition for them.
• A ghost-hunter is called in to investigate a haunted pub.
• A pub bet is taken to the next level...
• An elderly couple save up enough to become proprietors of their dream pub.



Ending 31/1/12



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.

I'm planning to write a dystopian novel, and I've thought of a good prelude. A catalogue of information is being compiled by an international corporation, which details the lives of eight hundred million people. It includes their names, genders, birthdays, where they live, where they were born, where they went to school, where they went to University, what they studied and with who, who they talk to most often, their flat mates, their favourite movie, who they're in a relationship with, who they were in a relationship with, reams of private chat logs, where they worked and when and how long, who their siblings or parents or cousins are, and in most cases, literally hundreds of photos of them at the park, or at the pub, or with their family. Indeed, so limitless is this company's information, it's not even impossible to tell exactly where these photos were taken. They may have a GPS stamp applied from the camera that took it.

With indelibility, all of this information is on this company's records; stored on hundreds of servers across the world with practically unlimited space, available for human recall at any time. And whether intentional or not, all of this data is given unconditionally by each person listed, at their complete discretion.

The way this company extracts information is through a private, personal profile, where people add the above data to share with their friends and family, who also have profiles. In the most extreme cases, people share every aspect of their lives. Others are more sparing, and may only add what they wish to before they move on, or give false information, accidentally or otherwise. Nonetheless, the net useful information retained by the company is still vast beyond comprehension.

As you may have guessed, I'm talking about Facebook, who have information on almost 1/6th of humans on the planet. They have data on at least one of the above variables, not including name, gender, and birthday. One company knows at least one thing about eight hundred million people.

I decided to 'unplug' myself as it were following their newest Timeline update. I knew it was in the pipeline long before but never realised it would turn out to be so sinister. It pretty much collates all the information they have into quite literally a timeline of your life for people to view. Obviously it starts from the date you were born (including a photo) and works up to the present. I've never seen anything so impersonal and synthetic. It's just a projection of your virtual, imitative life which lives on Facebook's servers.

And if it wasn't blatant enough, it even says on their website that Facebook encourages people to add more events to the timeline that are out of an online context. Eg, "Got engaged!" "Went on holiday to X!"

I have hardly any information on there, but some of my friends get very personal with their updates and the information they share. Surely I can't be the only one who sees what's really going on, behind all these 'improvements' hedged with claims of convenience and gimmickry, right?

[Topic: 'It's Me Again']

Topic: 'It's Me Again'

This month's guidelines were set by Duzz:

The topic is not limited, but the protagonist must meet their future self at some point in the game.

Ideas to help you:

• You give yourself advice on a tough upcoming decision.
• Your future self brings news.
• You won't tell yourself whether you hooked up with the woman of your dreams!


An old man carrying his grandson, coincidentally his younger self.
And a diagram of a dinoflagellate.

Incredible deja vu! I decided in October to repeat the really good theme we had so it wouldn't go to waste. Unfortunately it coincided with the Bake Sale and everybody was too drunk on milk and cookies. And almost as if I could tell the future, here it is again! You all had two months to get ready so there's no excuses So let's end the year with an awesome round of MAGS. Yay!

And don't forget... this is your last chance to be an entrant in Maggies 2011! I'll be holding it much earlier next year in January (not March like last time). So you could be the next initiate into the exclusive Order of the Maggot.



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.

I want to adapt some code originally donated to me, to draw text onto a surface. As you know one can't draw anti-alised text onto an invisible surface (or is that possible now)? So what I do is create the text on a dynamic sprite, then put the text on top of a background of sprite slot 2.

Code: ags

DynamicSprite*Beta;
DynamicSprite*Gamma;
DynamicSprite*Final;
DrawingSurface*Surface;
bool FirstPrint = true;

function Print(String text, int colour, bool space)
{
     if (space) Print(" ", 0);   //just add an empty line to separate two paragraphs

     if (FirstPrint) {
     Beta = DynamicSprite.Create(DisplayBox.Width, DisplayBox.Height, true);
     Gamma = DynamicSprite.Create(DisplayBox.Width, DisplayBox.Height, true);       //have to define the sprites, and only once otherwise they are reset.
     Final = DynamicSprite.CreateFromExistingSprite(2);
     FirstPrint = false;
     }


     Surface = Beta.GetDrawingSurface();
     Surface.Clear();
     
     //draw new text
     Surface.DrawingColor = colour;
     int y = DisplayBox.Height - GetTextHeight(text, DisplayBox.Font, DisplayBox.Width)-2;
     Surface.DrawStringWrapped(10, y, DisplayBox.Width-10, DisplayBox.Font, eAlignLeft, text);        //draw new text at very bottom, minus however high the new text is

     //draw old text (shift current text up)
     Surface.DrawImage(0, 0 - GetTextHeight(text, DisplayBox.Font, DisplayBox.Width)-2, Gamma.Graphic);   //shift old text up by however high new text is

     Surface.Release();

     Gamma = Beta;


     Surface = Final.GetDrawingSurface();
     Surface.Clear();
     Surface.DrawImage(0, 0, 2);                       //draw a wood panel
     Surface.DrawImage(0, 0, Beta.Graphic);      //draw final text on top
     Surface.Release();

     DisplayBox.NormalGraphic = Final.Graphic;

}

Bottom line is, I understand what is happening, but I don't get why it's not working. Obviously the text ends up being anti-aliased, because it's drawn on top of a non-transparent sprite. However, it only shows the new text, and not the text that should be shifted up. It must be an obvious solution... Do I have my dynamic sprites mixed up, or is there a step I'm missing out? etc

Thanks
Atelier