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Wow, thanks the outlines look much better, and so does the door I'll take a closer look at it in Photoshop later, and I might to try and fix the couch too. Thanks again

 :o Wow wow wow! That is stunning! And I've only seen the first pic!
...
They are all stunning! I can feel that this game will be great. I second ratracer's motion for more info on the game Where's the drool icon when I need it?

The only thing I can nitpick about is what that beige thing in the second pic is. Err, what is it?

Defiently write a tutorial! If you did these completely 3d looking backgrounds just drawing (which you did), I.. I.. wow.

Garr, argrr, grrrah.. *struglles* I so dearly wish my mic were working. Tell you what, it's possible that in a week or two I'll have it fixed. Are the voices very urgent? I would love to star as one of the female roles (a not very big one, since I'm not a very good actor lol). My accent is generally american but it's been influenced by several accents so it's pretty mixed.
Do you want me to apply a specific emotion on each sentence, or just use my imagination with them ?

I agree with Vel on everything he just said, you should tie the parts together with extra's (bug fixes and such too) and release a full version, but meanwhile divide it into parts
It's great that you have a cliffhanger, it will make people anticipate your game even more

While we're on the subject of rules, I'm thinking ahead, and I wondered if I can use music and/or sound effects downloaded from the net? I might have a go at music, but my mic doesn't work so I can't record sound effects.

I'll have to draw the creature I'm afraid.. I hope to find some images on google too, so that it would become easier.

I did use a darger beige, but i guess too dark

The couch I sorta copied : I found a picture on google and traced and colored it. Glad you like it

Good point about the door, I looked at my own doors just now and noticed they're close to the ceileing. I had trouble with getting the door's perspective right.

I'll try desaturating it a bit and see if it looks better

Glad to hear you think I've improved In turn, I remember your Background Blitz (portal), and it was great aswell as original

Rofl! Yeah, we have skirting boards I think, just never knew they were called that. Never knew what they were called, even.

Hmm, cartoon shading? How can I do that? I'm a bit new to such terms as cartoon shading, do you mean cell shading?

Yeah this style would fit in a game, just not the game I'm making now... lol

Ooh, great, another Tim fan!

Thanks for the tips The painting being smudged is supposed to indicate that it's hand painted, but I can see how it clashes with the rest of the background. Btw, do you think a background which is all in this style would look good?

Lol, the painting was first intended to be a mirror (mirror mirror on the wall ) but I felt I couldn't really make it obvious that it's a mirror and not a wondow .

As for more stuff: Yeah, I might add a coffee table with some magazines or papers. I could've also added places where the paint from the walls has faded. Thanks for the other ideas aswell, I might add some stuff to this background from time to time. As it's not for a game (and when I'll make bgs for a game I'll have them planned out so they'll be lots of stuff ) I'll leave it a bit minimalistic for now. The actual technique would look better if the gradients weren't so obvious heh.

(P.s. What are skirting boards?)

Yeah I noticed how the room seems to be leaning or shifting weight (it's alive! ) to the right if that's what you mean, but changing that was too late. Gradients can be ok if they're not too obvious, which unfortunately they are, here...
My favorite part was the picture, which I smudged to give it a painted look, and I kinda like the result. The rest of the image isn't as good. A lot of it bugs me, but I can't put my finger on it

What do you think of the colors, do they fit in together?

Using Hobbes' tutorial on how he made the amazing backgrounds in Buccaneer, I had a go at using some of those methods combined with some of my own. The technique might be a bit too obvious sometimes, and I've noticed the transparent/missing pixel on the sofa. Posterizing a GF screenshot didn't work, especcially since it's off perspective..
The theme itself is pretty random.



C&C is very welcome Most likely I will use a different method in my MAGS game, as this one doesn't really fit my.. setting...

Also, when using the eraser, make sure it's set to "Pencil" or "Block" and at 100% opacity, so that it doesn't erase and leave transparent areas.

Don't forget to turn off anti-alias when using the magic wand too.

Hmm, here's an idea: Would it be possible top somehow seperate the options so that each has it's own script, and it moves together with her? Possibly giving names to the options and only changing the number of the option that has a particular name.. Or would that be too difficult (it might be impossible because it requires splitting up the dialog script) ?

It would indeed be useful. Deleting options would also be helpful, because even if you have the whole dialog planned out, and you click on the New option button 3 times for the 3 options you have, if yu click again be accident (very common, at least in my case) you have an extra option that you can't get rid of. As far I know, you can't delete topics either (I may be wrong) so deleting the topic and starting a new one wouldn't help.

Anyway here's a sort of thought that's similar to Geoff's idea: You could have the options be numbered normally, but appear on top of each other when adding new ones, like so:

1. Goodbye.

Add an option:

3. Hello.
2. What are you doing?
1. Goodbye

etc.. And have the game read from the last option to the first one. This could be turned on and off on general settings. Of course problems may occur when there are hidden options in the topic. Or maybe not. If we would have the game check how many options there are, and that returns X, then you tell the game to have option X be option 1 in reading order, option X-1 be option 2, etc:
For example if there are 4 options, the game would make option 4 the first, option 3 the second, option 2 the third, and option 1 the last (fourth). That way, if option 3 is hidden, it shouldn't affect the game's reaction when you select option 3 or 1. I hope.

You don't wanna know how many projects I put off. I never started scripting/drawing/doing anything else but story and some dialogs with them though. I have like 10 stories, some in greater detail, some just concepts, but still games I'd like to make some day, but mainly I don't cause I feel my current lack of skill would destroy my vision of them,. and also because some may be too long or complicated to make at the begining.

This is a great issue! I really enjoyed the Screen 7 interview and Mark's column near the end. I also liked the comic strip. I read bits of Syberia 2 preview aswell (will read it all when I have time) and it was very interesting. Sometime soon I'm gonna start printing these out from the first one, and reading them like an official AG magazine that I can feedback on and have contact with the authors, etc.

If you would someday make this a printed magazine and send it out around the world (and thus naturally, charge for it), that'd be great! However this way is better for now

I wouldn't care even if I were making it about Nessy, because the two creatures would still be different. My story for the Loch Ness monster sucked though, so I left it alone, might develop it someday to a better one. The creature I chose can be so varied that even if someone else chooses it they'll be totally different .

Well, it's a dragon. But there's a twist, which you'll find out in the end of the game.

Heh, hilariously, I was choosing between 3 creatures and one was the Loch ness monster (I like to call him/her/it Nessy , but in the end I chose another one. I think it counts because it's technically a kelpie.

My creature is extremely cliche (insuring that noone will use it ) but also with a twist. Ehem.

Did you notice you name is all caps?

Anyway this might be a good idea, though it might not neccessarily work.

Ooh, sounds like a great MAGS theme.
I'll enter, that is, If I finish it on time, what with school and stuff. I'll really try though, and if I don't I'll just release it later (probably much later.. ).

I actually have 3(!) ideas, but after some thinking I chose one.

A question: Does the game have to be made alone? I might (though I doubt it) recruit a friend of mine as an artist if not.

I'll probably do it in 320 X 240, letterbox mode, and alter the existing GUI. You probably didn't need to know that, but I'm just brainstorming, heh.

Lol, this thread is exactly what I needed to get this out

"Community service, eh? Well I guess some folks are worse off than me."
"Oh I'll be leaving here soon enough! No thanks to dead end no commission low-life cases like yours, Menso.."
(Manny and Celso in Grim Fandango intro.)

Actually I think almost every line in the game that isn't sad or touching is pretty funny in the context and apart from the dialogs being greatly written, this is also because of the splendid terrific voice acting.

"Any messages for me?"
"Besides the one about the poisoning?"
"Yeah."
"I only got one other message fro you Manny:"
"I"m not your secretary..."
"I don't take your messages..."
"So get it trough your thick skull,"
"and STOP Forwarding your phone to me!"
"All right! But that sounded more like Four messages to me."
(Manny and Eva.)



And this is just from the begining! I can't quite choose a specific line from later on cause there are so many, but here's one:

(Note: not exact wording since I havne't played this part in a while)

"You stay here while I go inside and find out what's going on."
"But Manny, what if that octopus comes back?"
"Poke him in the eye."
"Heh, stupid octopus."
(Manny and Glottis.)

Oh god that game is funny.

And of course, Sam and Max is hilarious too.

I think I know why there is abug when looking at the brandy: Did you use a room mesage for the inventory item? You need to use a global message or just display text/speech.

A continuation/longer game would be great!