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As far as keyboard bashing, I was hoping the randomly-combined chapter openings would be interesting or absurd enough that people might actually have fun using them as writing prompts (hence the export button if the player writes something worth keeping).

I did do that for the first 3 or 4 chapters, but quickly realised that the game would take me about as long to complete as writing a real novel - and that's still something I've never managed to do! 

Really good game mate, very atmospheric and generally well-written. Almost like a Kurt Vonnergut Jr short story in game format. Took me a little under an hour to complete both endings (I assume there were only two)?

The little visual aspects like the cop turning to you when he spoke to you made the game feel quite alive. I was a little disappointed not to be able to annoy receptionist more though!   

I'm impressed you reached an ending with only 11 chapters. Did you

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find the cheat code?

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I'm not entirely sure? Probably not. I did find that a word only needed to be a letter so that let me rack up the words quickly initially. I built up enough words to quickly double-ghost write to get >10,000 words as soon as possible. Then I accidentally hadn't left myself enough to play with so I sold my soul to the devil just to see what happened! 

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Well...

@dactylopus - thanks! 

Just a little incomplete part of a location from Act III to let you know we're still alive...

What a great idea! Definitely want to give this one a try.

[5 Days a Stranger]

Unsurprisingly a Yahtzee game too, 5 Days a Stranger. It was on the front page of "The Home of the Underdogs".

Oh I remember that site - didn't they host RON games at one time? (Or maybe even now and I just haven't seen it.)

Anyhoo, is everybody ready to start paying to use TwiX?

Honestly, it all depends on how much. If the mooted $1 per year thing is real, that's definitely a fee I could live with; to an indie dev the marketing value of Twitter can be very useful )albeit difficult to quantify). But a higher cost... not sure where I'd draw the line. We'll see what happens.

[Rob Blanc I - Better Days of a Defender of the Universe]

Or at least, that you remember playing?

Mine goes all the way back to 2001!

Rob Blanc I - Better Days of a Defender of the Universe by Yahtzee

https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/8-rob-blanc-i-better-days-of-a-defender-of-the-universe/


Just thought it would be fun to compare notes. Probably been done before, but I don't remember seeing anything for a long time.

I made this back in 2018 and honestly it's pretty basic and I didn't know what I was doing, but still... I was attempting to make something vaguely along the lines of the 16-bit demoscene. But I didn't fully understand AGS colour commands or know how to use trigonometric functions, so I failed pretty badly. 

Hey folks, just a reminder that a new game should have been chosen, maybe just leave for next month now? Can someone nominate a game though?

Wow a real departure in style graphically, but hopefully full of the silly humour of your earlier games 

Thanks lonias and heltenjon!

Jon - I'll get in touch with you about the issue, never been reported before. Thanks for highlighting it!

I helped Les with some occasional brainstorming and feedback - I think the most relevant thing I told him was that there needed to be some movement in each scene, the backgrounds were nice but extremely static 0 but my main claim to fame is that I came up with the name "Maelstrom Obscura". It's a real pity Les never got to finish it.

Well, I managed to get past the first timed puzzle (nicely done, that was clever!  ), but at a bit of a loss with the next bit! (Well certain actions are obviously needed, but not how to actually achieve them.)

Some kind of cursor change when you're over a hotspot would be helpful since I can't tell whether I've missed something despite seeming to have clicked everywhere.

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Seems to be a missing hotspot interaction on the right-side overhead? You can get a reaction to trying to use inventory on that area, but no reaction to just clicking on it.

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Definitely some very good ideas in here and although I can't say I'm a fan of CGA graphics, they're well done and lend a real retro atmosphere to the game.

We made a silly video to help promote the game. 

Greetings to all our new members! 

[DSM: Are we alone?]

Could I put in an early suggestion for next month? Pretty sure it's never been chosen before. Obviously partly because of the recent news that Les is no longer with us, but not purely chosen as a tribute out of sentimentality, I think there's much to commend this game. (Hope the fact that I helped him make it doesn't disqualify me from suggesting it?)

DSM: Are we alone? by Slasher
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1738-dsm-are-we-alone-/

Out of the many games Slasher made, this is one of the biggest and most ambitious. Whilst not everything about it works, there is much that does - lots of different locations and environments to explore, a large number of puzzles, some intrigue, some laughs, and all done in that style we knew so well from our AGS friend who is sadly no longer with us. A fitting reminder of what he managed to accomplish despite serious health difficulties. RIP Slasher.

I've known Les since about 2010, when I first worked with him on a game. Since then he had an incredible output of games, not only in quantity but in terms of game style - he would give anything a try in AGS. Game creation was as Mandle alluded to previously a way for him to battle back from having a stroke, but I don't think he realised what a big part of his life it would become. Almost every game could be instantly linked to a strong inspiration but among all the smaller games, he occasionally took on quite big and ambitious projects. I had the pleasure of helping him with a number of games, sometimes as a tester, voice actor or designer. He was always full of ideas and didn't have any delusions of grandeur - he just found great delight in making games.

He was fond of a conspiracy theory (I was never quite sure how seriously he took them) but the concept gave rise to what was I think supposed to be his magnum opus - Maelstrom Obscura. When he started making it, he did mention to me that he expected it to be his final game because his health was deteriorating. Sadly the Kickstarter wasn't successful and, although he was going to do a second campaign, I guess failing health just caught up with him. and it never happened.

A worthy Lifetime Achievement winner, Les will be remembered not to one brilliant game but for a huge number of games, which gradually showcased his growing confidence with AGS, and as an important member of the AGS community. He began by asking a million questions, but gradually became someone who often offered advice and encouragement to newer members. The forums won't be the same without him.

I'm saddened to hear this, although thankful to heltenjon for making contact with the family.

So long, Les - you won't be forgotten.