Messages

Ahhh transparent goodi-ness!

I like this a lot!

The skydiver I got right away, it just looked like a skydiver to me.  The shaking hands I got, but it took me a second to focus in on what it was.

I say, with this new design, stick with the 50/50 50/100.  It fits in as-is now and doesn't get in the way.

I might suggest removing the bevel effect on the status box in the lower left corner.  I'm not a huge fan of soft bevels like that and it doesn't merge well with the status bar on the top (w/ no bevel) but that's only a minor thing.

Good improvements!

Thanks for all the kind words! (keep 'em coming!) 

We're all still very motivated to work on this game!

Hurry up and release that demo, pronto!

We are, sorry to say, not planning a demo.  We consider it a waste of time.  We are planning on releasing a 'trailer' shortly ... to whet your appetites!

I just wondered, why all the characters appear to have the same height?

It's just appearance ... Inphitrion and Decimus are the same height, but the rest are of differing heights.

Uhmm, Buchannon, team Hasseloff, I sense a plot...

You know ... I never put that together.  And I don't think anybody on the team did either.  It wasn't intentional, but good catch none-the-less!

Is this what you were working on for the ATC?

Yes, it is.  We started working on it and then realized we had conceived of a game that we would never, realistically, finish in time.

Great job everybody!  I played them all, and voted.

I'm really suprised that so many were able to accomplish this.  Perhaps the next ATC should be called, "The 10, 1 room 8, 1 week competition" Maybe then more of us would have finished

Good job guys, color me impressed!

[Occultas Veritas]

Proudly presents ...

Occultas Veritas

The Game's Plot

The year is 1922.

You play as Nataly Buchannon, daughter of millionaire steel tycoon Wilson Buchannon III.  She is an adventurous and independant woman in a time when woman aren't taken seriously in society.

As a child, while traveling with her father in Italy, Nataly found an old amulet in the ruins of Pompeii.  She has worn it around her neck since and has recently begun researching its origins.  She is very interested in ancient Roman history and knows the amulet has something to do with that era.

While on a ship liner to England she meets a mysterious man named Alan December who tells her he has information about the necklace she might find interesting and that she should visit his antiques shop in London.  When she arrives he tells her that the amulet once belonged to the Roman Emperor Domitian and that it is the key to unlocking the mysterious events surrounding Domitian's ascendency as Emperor.

Did Domitian kill his brother Titus as history would suggest?

Travel with Nataly as she uncovers the ancient mystery, travels across Europe, and finds herself in a struggle for her very life and possibly the future of the world!

From Europe in the 1920's to ancient Rome in 79 AD the mystery spans the centuries ...

The Screenshots



Some characters


Team Hasselhoff
Background Artist: Neil Dnuma
Programmer: Zooty
Sprites: Darth Mandarb
Music: Jarek
Storywriters: Darth Mandarb, Creed Malay

Game's Progress
Story/Plot: 100%
Puzzels: 10%
Music: 50%
Graphics: 15%
Scripting: 30%

Game Features
- intuitive GUI designs
- secret alternate ending
- full and rich soundtrack
- more than 20 unique locations
- logical puzzles
- tons of fun!

Stay tuned to this thread as it will be updated regularly with updates of the game's progress!

Development Diary
April 20, 2005 - Development continues on sprites and backgrounds.  Neil is super busy with real-life but still manages to turn out some incredible work.  Zooty is pluggin' away with the scripting and has come up with some great stuff!

I would definitely enter (from time to time) a competition for comic strips!

My only set-back is finding the time to devote to it ... but still, it would be fun.

[Lavasoft's Ad-Aware]

Download these programs:

> Lavasoft's Ad-Aware
> Spybot S&D

And run them both.  They will find what's wrong (before you run either, make sure to do the updates a few times to make sure you have the latest/greatest definitions).

The newest version of SpyBot has a resident program called TeaTimer which I highly recommend you install and use.  It sits in your system tray (always running) and prompts you anytime a registry change is attempted.  It takes VERY little system resources and you'll never even know it's there.

You should run SpyBot and Ad-Aware at least once a week (checking for updates first).  Make a habit of it.

After you've setup and run both the above programs may I suggest:

> Mozilla's FireFox Browser

Seriously bro ... stop using IE.  You're just asking for trouble.  I switched over to FireFox a few months ago and haven't had a single problem since.  Sure, it takes some getting used to, but it's worth it.

Good luck!


Err ... yes, Darth can read

[Kinoko]

Kinoko - WOW!  Thanks for that.  It totally made my day

I spent the evening visiting my girlfriend's father in the hospital (hip replacement surgery) so was unable to attend the ceremony.

Congratulations to the winners ... especially the one's in the categories I was in.  I'll gladly accept defeat from you guys

Good job AGA and Pesty (not that I expected less )

[HP ScanJet 3600 Scanner @ OfficeDepot.com]

I like the art work!  I would like to see a webcomic from Mr. Squinks!

The best advice I can give on making a webcomic, if you intend on going all out on it, is to have several 'issues' already in the bag before releasing your first one.  Always be working at least 3 or 4 'issues' ahead of the most recent online one.  This way you avoid having to make people wait and wait while you finish the newest.  Stay ahead of the game if you know what I mean.

As for a good scanner, now-a-days, they're all pretty decent.  I've always been a fan of HP, but I currently use an Epson Stylus CX6400 and I'm very happy with it.

Here's a good scanner:
> HP ScanJet 3600 Scanner @ OfficeDepot.com

After the rebate it'll cost you about $35 USD.  And the best thing about ordering from Office Depot is you can just run on down to the closest one and pick it up.  No shipping costs!

[Suggestions:]

- made the stove much wider and removed the cabinet/shelf next to it (it looked odd being hollow and meeting that corner wall like that)
- changed the carpet line between the benches/seats to the cabinet next to it
- the cabinet (top/right) doesn't appear to have any depth to it
- the cabine (bottom/right) just seems out of perspective to me
- under the benches/seats looks much deeper than the depth of the benches themselves
- the red circled cabinet (top/left) appears wierd extending out further than the wall.  Unless you're trying to convey that the wall doesn't actually end like that and you're just showing what's in the kitchen by 'cutting out' the wall?

I think it's a good start!

Suggestions:
- softening the outlines on the floor tiles.  I think they look off because the outlines are so dark.
- more shading
- correct some perspective issure
- use consistent outlining (table outline is smudged, tile's outlines are too dark, etc.)
- differentiate the kitchen walls from the other walls, they 'blend' together too much as is

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Carla Gugino was the parole officer.  I would like to take a moment to thank God for making her.

The dancer (Nancy) was Jessica Alba, whom I despise with a strong passion.  She looks like the character from "In Living Color" who used to put her lips on a curling iron.

The psycho black chick was Rosario Dawson ... although, I don't think she's black, I think she's Hispanic?  If you think she's hot, watch Alexander ... you won't be disappointed

I think it's Momar Kadafi (sp?) ...

That pesky thorn in Regan's side.

Oddly enough, I too just went to see this movie today.

Probably one of the worst made movies I've ever seen!

Actually I rather enjoyed it, but then, I wasn't expecting anything from it (so wasn't disappointed).  I must admit that there's a part of me that, from time to time, likes to induldge in a really violent movie.  And Sin City definitely scratched that itch for me.

While I admit it wasn't great, I have two words that made it worth my while: Carla Gugino

Sorry for being a male pig, but she's just a knock-out

I think, with just a little more time, you'll have a fully functional background here!

Some suggestions:

- altered the contrast a little to help correct the 'washed-out' colors
- added some details (light switch, light fixture, baseboard)
- added perspective to the toilet top
- added more wall over shower
- fixed perspective on floor mat (unless that was intentional!)
- corrected the perspective on the light switch wall

I didn't use a VP, the perspective corrections were all done by eye, so probably aren't too accurate.

Hope it helps!

You need to find out which inventory item gives the error.

Does it give the run-time error after you pick up the item?  Or is it an item you start with?

Find out which inventory item is causing the problem, then maker sure (in AGS) that it has an image assigned to it.

Actually, if you just go into AGS and scroll through all your inventory items you should be able to see which one is causing the problem.  Just import the image, and assign it to that item.

That should do it, unless I'm missing something here

I did a quick paint-over ...

I thought the icons were a bit distracting, so I tried something different.  Thinking along the longs of RPGs:


- shifted some things around
- changed the TAC to the beer bottle w/ lightning bolt

Another idea:


I've always been a fan of GUIs with transparency.  I'm envisioning the GUIs 'sliding' off the screen when not in use.  Then maybe the space bar (or any other key) would bring them back.  In this way, you have the whole screen for the game.

Anyway ... just some ideas.  I actually rather like what you have/had.  I just added my own spin to the mix!  Hope it was helpful!

[FORUM RULES]

Consider thine ass medieval-ized.

Please PM me when you have read the FORUM RULES and are ready to comply.

Thank you, drive through ...

Guess we know who won that fight ...

I don't have traveling animation, but now that you mentioned it, hehe, i will try to make it...

Just a bit of advice ... make the cut-scene (of the travel animation) skip-able (or shorter than it is in the movie)  It would be neat the first few times you travel, but eventually I (the player) would like to skip over it!

Yes, of course   I made my example too quickly it would seem!



[yoda] To Steve you listen ... yes! [/yoda]

This is the same method I use to give characters shadows!

Make sure that each frame uses BLACK as the shadow color.  Only make it grey in the Alpha Channel (other wise you'll get a washed out looking shadow when it becomes transparent).

Like this:

(obviously in the actual image the alpha would be in the same spot over the image rather than side by side)

The Alpha channel is where the transparency must be determined, not in the main frames themselves!

Aside from that, was Gilbot said would be my second suggestion!