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So we're very close to the deadline now: The voting will begin in about 18 hours from now (please check the timestamp of this posting). So be quick an submit your entries in time

I'm asking a favour here. Could you lenghten the deadline with few days?

Okay - let's see what we can do here... As the new competition should start on June 1st, the last possible moment would be midnight on May 29th. 
So very early on 30th the voting will begin. We still need some time for voting and setting up the new rules, so is that okay for you? I hope these two additional days will help...

Is it allowed that you can have one of those inventory items, but you don't have to have it?

All listed inventory items must appear in the game and it must be possible to put them into the player's inventory list. They don't actually need to be used to solve a puzzle but of course it's nicer to see these things being in action.

... what do you mean by "antique" game ?  Are we talking like a really old game like snakes and ladders or Pong or something?

Take the word "antique" from todays point of view. So cards and chess would best fit this description. Early computer game titles are also allowed if you want to go that way but better do not use current titles. Decide for yourself how "antique" you will go

[What is MAGS?]

What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to use AGS to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner.

For more information please visit the Official MAGS Website

Why should I enter MAGS?
We're not here to tell you that you should enter MAGS, but merely allow it as a creative opportunity to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and generally as a good kick-start for the new comers (a.k.a n00bies).

MAGS is the perfect opportuninty to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the net month's rules, and all competitiors get the game placed on the MAGS website.

MAGS is meant to be fun and is aimed at everyone, despite their skill. If you have poor art skills work on graphics, and vice-versa, as the voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, you may get help for the competiton, but must not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.

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Topic: Humoristic space game

This time your game needs to take place outer space. Of course you can use a planet as a location or a space ship. Whatever - outer space. You should create something like the SQ-games, a Star Trek- or Star Wars-parody is also possible. But you don't need to refer to existing SciFi series.

- inventory items that must appear: a laser gun, a broken light-saber (like in Star Wars), a working tricorder (like in Star Trek) and an "antique" game
- the game must have one mini-game! This is a unique, stand-alone game inside your adventure game like the pocket game in Apprentice II. It does not need to be too complex but should show some creative scripting, so just a dialog quiz where you need to find the right answer won't do it
- Don't forget about the humorisic part

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All entries should be in by May 27th May 29th.

Please post a download link of your game entry to this thread, best with a screenshot. Thanks and good luck.

Oh we're online again

so um.... who won?

So this means you didn't yet check the results on the MAGS website!?  :o

Okay then - for all who do not not by now:
Both entries received the same number of voices, so this time we have two winners - Largo and Wretched.
I think it's a nice result as the games are so different in the use of 16 colors.
Congratulations to both of them.

And again time is up. Sad to see that there's no entry from Reptile :'( - maybe next time...

Now let's have a look at the two games that entered this month's competition:
For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here (only use one of these two ways of voting - nothing else allowed):

Wheres MHat Ma by Wretched
Bob Smith and the Unsolved Case of Mystery by Largo

Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.

Ladies and gentlemen... time is ticking. So from now (see timestamp of this posting) there are only about 40 hours left before the voting will begin.
So don't hesitate to send in your entries in time Good luck.

If its okay, Im making the backgrounds in AGI and will program it in AGS.

It doesn't matter what utility you use for the creation of your graphics. So you can go that way with AGI.

Am I just mistaken, or is template's forbidden when making MAGS entries?

Templates like "Reality on the Norm" or "Insta-game" are not forbidden. But of course it's always nicer to see original graphics created especially for a game...

Do they have to be the traditional 16 color palet? Or can they be 16 shades of blue?

Klaus, does it have to be the proper EGA pallet, or will any 16 colours do?

As for these questions: To make it easier (and probably some games look nicer) any 16 colors will do but they need to be used all through the game. No switching of the pallet from scene to scene. But of course you can also use the traditional EGA colors.

No cheating though

Yes, that's it

And is 16 colors the maximum amount or does it need to be éxactly 16 colors?

Less colors is also possible.

[not a must]

...high resolutions scare me...But i think 640x400 is just way too big to be using 16 colors at...

640 is deff too high for 16 colours IMHO. Maybe consider lowering it? :/

Don't worry about the size  too much - look what the rules say:
: screen resolution should be 640x350/400/480 pixels (not a must)

So it's also possible to use 320x200/240 px if that's what you like more. It's just that the original EGA offers a maximum of 640x350 px with 16 colors and that's why there's the "should be" part in the rules. Anyway: Maybe thinking about screens with less colors in high resolution results in interesting new ideas...

[What is MAGS?]

What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to use AGS to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner.

For more information please visit the Official MAGS Website

Why should I enter MAGS?
We're not here to tell you that you should enter MAGS, but merely allow it as a creative opportunity to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and generally as a good kick-start for the new comers (a.k.a n00bies).

MAGS is the perfect opportuninty to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the net month's rules, and all competitiors get the game placed on the MAGS website.

MAGS is meant to be fun and is aimed at everyone, despite their skill. If you have poor art skills work on graphics, and vice-versa, as the voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, you may get help for the competiton, but must not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.

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Topic: EGA

This time Viktor's rules go an unusual way: We face more technical restrictions rather than guidlines for a theme. It's a new, exciting challenge for all AGS users.

- graphics:
: use only 16 colors in your game
: screen resolution should be 640x350/400/480 pixels (not a must)
(640x350 is not supported by AGS as screen size but you could use background graphics in this resolution)

- inventory that should appear:
: cowboy hat
: tarot card

- No other restrictions

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All entries should be in by April 25th.

Please post a download link of your game entry to this thread, best with a screenshot. Thanks and good luck.

Ouch - yet another time without a winner announcement video. Sorry. But let's see who's to win this month's competition:
Three entries, three different stories, three different ways of working with the topic "keys". In the end the voting showed a clear winner that eared more than 50% of all voices.

Actually the winner is not new to MAGS and here we go:
Congratulations go to ...
"Hello Taxi" by viktor

Time is up. For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here (only use one of these two ways of voting - nothing else allowed):

The 7th Sense by Abisso
Hello Taxi by Viktor
Crystal Quest by Simon Benfold

Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.

So tomorrow's the deadline. One game is already in. So for the others: Please submit your entries within the next 24 hours from now (see timestamp of this posting). Then the voting will begin - if there are some more participants until that time.

Can past winners enter?  I won the August '04 contest, but I might enter just for fun if nothing else.

Sure you can enter again. You're also allowed to win again

[What is MAGS?]

What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to use AGS to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner.

For more information please visit the Official MAGS Website

Why should I enter MAGS?
We're not here to tell you that you should enter MAGS, but merely allow it as a creative opportunity to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and generally as a good kick-start for the new comers (a.k.a n00bies).

MAGS is the perfect opportuninty to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the net month's rules, and all competitiors get the game placed on the MAGS website.

MAGS is meant to be fun and is aimed at everyone, despite their skill. If you have poor art skills work on graphics, and vice-versa, as the voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, you may get help for the competiton, but must not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.

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Topic: Keys

After the inspiration that not being allowed to use keys in puzzles was last month, SSH's main rule this time is that there must be a puzzle involving a key that uses it in a new and innovative way (see last months thread for some ideas). No cliches, such as just finding the key in another room, or pushing a key out of am keyhole onto a bit of paper which is pulled under the door.

Other rules:
- Must feature a dragon, unicorn and pegasus soemwhere in the game: these can be pictures in the background, inventory items or whatever, but they must be visible somewhere
- Must have a secretary character somewhere in the game

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All entries should be in by March 25th.

Please post a download link of your game entry to this thread, best with a screenshot. Thanks and good luck.

[SSH]

will new mags come today?

Yes, the rules will soon be online... Please allow just some minutes.
The voting just stopped some minutes ago. During the weekend not that many votes rushed in and so as February was such a "short" month the time for voting was extended - until some minutes ago.

So let's come to the winner (sorry, there's no video this time - let's say also due to the time issue...):

Congratulations for Febrauary MAGS go to
SSH with his entry Pixel Hunt

Actually the two other entries by Pelican and Maxileen also made a nice number of votes and were pretty close behind the winning game. Anyway the result is clear... We'll see what happens in March then

I forget: are the authors allowed to vote? (for their own games?)

Also, Klaus, you've linked to the source code on the MAGS site, not the game: http://www.ssh.me.uk/pixelhunt.zip

Authors are also allowed to vote - if they want for their own game. But they don't have to and they - and anybody else - may only vote once!

The download link is set correct now. Oops, sorry.

Don't worry Pelican. Everyone get's a chance and now that we are "complete" let's start the voting.
I think it's very interesting this competition as all entries are posted at about the same time:

For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here (only use one of these two ways of voting - nothing else allowed):

Pixel Hunt by SSH
Missing Since Midnight by Maxileen
Hotel Hijinks by Pelican

Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.