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I just read this about Scary Go Round and writing a comic is pretty much like an adventure isn't it? It's got plot, dialogue and lots of artwork? Only things its missing is puzzles and animation, but it's still a good read, and besides, Scary Go Round and Bad Machinery are awesome.

Planning a story

I'm liking the 'act' way of organising a story, it makes tying the plot up a lot easier and into manageable chunks. You can concentrate on your first act knowing that later on you know how it will be resolved, but what happens in the first can be quite self-contained. It can definitely be applied to adventures... and it's definitely how I'm going to work in the future.

Previously though (in the non-adventure games I've made as well), my games have mainly been built from a central theme/idea/prototype, then content blitzed through to produce something that has a start and an end state (I think this is VERY important), then just tweaking/remaking parts until I'm happy or I'm bored with it. That's very much how sync::routine was made as well, the mini flashback scene (if you saw it) was added in last .

And just to reiterate the end state point, if you are playing your game and you don't have a clear end state, it's very easy to get disheartened because you don't really know where a particular section needs to go. I guess this is another reason to go for the multiple act way of writing, because it provides these mini-ends to give you direction. Even if the mini end state is just 'He gets through to the next room', you know that all your efforts need to be aligned with that.

Anyhow, I've rambled enough already about that... (EDIT: and had some amazing typing errors... FIXED)

There are choices in the ending dependent on whether you found certain things out, solved some puzzles, or skipped them entirely, but they don't add/take away much from the game.

As for a sequel or a continuation, I've been considering writing a long form adventure game, but the chance of it arriving any time soon with my current experience is slim to none. That said, if you can wait ten years, I've been considering entering the 10 years competition which will give me enough to get better I think. I've started writing ideas down (if I do continue it, it is likely that this section would be completely remade and included as a prologue) but no more than that, I don't know if it will even have the same protagonist or not...

Don't worry though, I'll release many other games besides, and you never know, it might take less than 10 years.

Less talk, more work! Think about the accolades later!

Seriously though. get it done.

Hmm that load bug (with no initial save) has been fixed and reuploaded but the one Stu is seeing I can't quite fathom. I've saved, reloaded, deleted, reloaded, saved all over the game and it seems to be okay. It may well have been fixed at the same time... *fingers crossed*

Odd, I'll look for that bug.
Thought I'd caught all the loading bugs :S

I'll give it a look now.
EDIT: Same one letter difference in the function call. Bah! Testing the loading now...

EDIT2: Can't seem to reproduce that crashing on loading bug, can you remember what screen you saved it on and what items you had? Possibly better to do through PM...

Spoiler

The underlining should help you choose which words to use

[close]

Thanks for the HD bug, it was one letter out from being okay... gah.
Fixing the loading one...

Cheers for the comments guys...

EDIT: New bug fixed version uploaded.

jkohen:

Spoiler

Well, have you tried making two four letter words with the words on the note?

[close]

[A Hard Day's Knight]

While making sync::routine, I wanted to make something a bit light hearted as I realised I was lot more comfortable writing in that sort of environment. A Hard Day's Knight follows a young knight as he attempts to join the battlefield, deal with the horrors of war, and try and end the conflict for good (trust me, it's still light-hearted).

Expect lots of entertaining characters, chess puzzles (!), love and peace and war and several costume changes...

Progress - Last updated 27-05-13
Design: 95%
Coding: 85%
Backgrounds: 95%
Sprites: 85%
Sound: 5%
Music: 50%

Release 2013?...

Alpha build right here (see latest post for details)

[sync::routine]

sync::routine
A short adventure game by James Riley

A short adventure game developed for me to get to grips with the AGS system, which I hope will still provide some entertainment, some head scratching and some interest towards future adventures...

The game follows Roman, a hacker trying to gain some information regarding the whereabouts of his former partner, Laura Gibson. The only lead he has is an old company, Solomon Associates, which he's conned his way in to try and access their systems...

Download here (22mb)

Some short post-mortem comments:

I'm fairly happy with this as my first AGS release but I know there is a lot to be improved, mainly due to inexperience at writing in general and using scripting. That said, I feel that I nailed quite a few different puzzle interactions and tried to make it slightly different with the inventory examination and computer interfaces. The final dialogue is a bit bolted on, partly because in designing the game, the room and puzzles came first and then I just started writing in whatever came in to my head that would make it in some way cohesive. Another part is that I haven't written much before, and it took a lot more effort than I bargained for. Hopefully that won't put too many people off, and my next project, which I'm about to post some info on soon, should be a major step forward and a completely different experience...

But we'll see... for now, enjoy!

[just]

Yeah, awesome stuff.
I was hoping that the 'signs' would be something related to the motion capture, like an arched eyebrow, twitch or similar sort of 'tell' whenever he was telling a lie or he was getting impatient.

That said, I did enjoy it. Good stuff.

On the first time people played it did you choose the Lieutenant's home address just because of that last bit of dialogue?
It caught me out...

Oops, forgot to write something.

Fairly standard idea, just thought I'd bust something out as quick as possible. Simon didn't come to mind until the end of it really, but hope you like...

Yes! Work has resumed.

I've updated the OP but I'll say it here as well...

I kinda didn't like it any more.

But I really appreciate it as getting me into the whole AGS thing and experimenting with the interface and interaction was fun even though the overarching plot is shoe-horned in and not quite as fleshed out (or as well written  ) as I'd hoped. The few puzzles I'm actually quite proud of, and it'll definitely be worth a go as it has some good ideas in there, if not perfectly integrated with everything else...

Either way, I'm rejigging a few things, trying to add a scene, and hope to have it out in a week or so.

On it's release, I shall announce my new, complete 180-turn of a project that is already infinitely better...

Every single other entry seemed to be some kind of puzzle game.

Except Igneous surely...

Either way, maybe next time (the grand one? ), hope the promotion goes well... I can't imagine trying to show off an adventure game to attention-defecit prone passers-by... probably need to have a short puzzle lead to one of your action scenes or something...

[I need a musician]

Okay, I'm close to completion now, but it looks like I need a musician as I've not had a reply from my friend who seems to be in a busy time right now...

I'm basically looking for two/three pieces (no more than a minute apiece):
- 1 for the intro
- 1 looping ambient background piece for the game
- 1 for the outro (although it can be a reprise of the intro)

I've got a few reference songs that have the kinda mood I'm going for whoever takes it up. Although I'm still hoping to get this finished over the weekend if possible.

PM me and I can point you to the current version of the game.

UPDATE: I forgot to update this post on top of the original post, but I have found a new musician, and the game should be out this week...

[bring it on!]

Cheers.

I'm kinda provisionally giving myself a deadline of Feb 13th/14th for this one. Just to give myself a goal to aim for. I can't see any reason for not making that, so ... bring it on!

Late night edit: Ugh, dunno why I get the inspiration to write at 2 in the morning, but I've just written out the ending part of the script... that's anothing thing out of the way. Damn I should sleep now :S and spell check it in the morning

Some people move on I guess.

I used to be heavily involved with the Click community, then when I started using Blitz, that community, even going to one of the events, and then Tigsource which I still visit, and now here, because I've got the inkling to make some adventures... it's the cycle of life! Embrace change! Appreciate the past but do not dwell on it too much! There is not enough time!

etc... 

Unfortunately no. I went to the Tigsource UKJam in Cambridge last week though. That was pretty awesome.
Tried to make a game using AGS in an hour, but realised I didn't really know it well enough.

Still it has kicked my ass into finishing a game now though... met lots of cool inspiring people... so all's good!

And so it begins... the first of about twenty games Ben will be involved with this year (challenge set! haha). Nice little mood piece. Like the guitar work ambiance.
A little blunt in places perhaps, but its 48 hours
Well done.

Definitely looking forward to kicking some doors down in this one