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I'll probably be done in about a half hour. Will it still count?

Sure it counts...

Just in general: Just some hours won't matter at all - if you ask for some extra time before the doors are closed. That's why the deadline usually is posted some hours before the end - to give you time to say "just some more minutes".
Some of you now said it's not possible to finish the entries in time at all, so for these the voting will start without them. But there's also some request to wait for just some hours and that's okay. So after this entry is posted the voting will start...

It's the END of Friday it has to be in by, right?

Usually it's WITHIN Friday as the END is not the same all over the world. So let's set the final deadline time: All games need to be in 24 hours from now - see timestamp of this posting.

will it still be in the list of the months entries if I send it later?

If you do not hesitate too long I can still add it of course. As MAGS also means "within one month" you shouldn't go over the deadline for too long. Perhaps you can finish the game next week? That would be fine. But better take your time and create a good game and don't just publish it too early because of the MAGS list. Okay.

I wonder what the largest number of entries for a single MAGS was?....

Oh a question for some statistics
Actually the second MAGS competition in June 2001 made the most entries with 6 games. Sad but true: Most of the games are no longer online. The topic was "One room".
This record is followed by 4 competitions each with 5 entries: 2003-06 Film, 2003-09 Classic Mythical Beast, 2004-02 Zombie Nightmare and 2004-09 Fantasy. These are themes that probably some of you (hopefully most of you) can remember.
More information about the passed competitions you can find on the official MAGS website.

By the way: Often there's an announcement of many entries and in the end we only see about two games entering the contest. Hopefully this won't happen this time...

By the way, Klaus, the otherwise excellent MAGS site still has the old agsforums.com addess for AGS and the forums...

Thanks for the compliment and yes - I know about the old address: I hoped for "agsforums.com" to return one fine day but it seems as if the "bigbluecup" is more than a workaround now...

[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: Hotel

The game must take place in a hotel.

It should be based upon one or two of the following genres:
- Crime
- Horror
- Western
- Sci-Fi

No puzzles should involve any sort of keys. Keyholes are fine.

At least 4 rooms. This can include a bar, reception, and/or any other sort of room which might fit into your hotel.

The main character could be good or bad. At least 3 other characters, and both genders should be represented.

Any resolution.

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All entries should be in by February 25th.

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

Okay now. The second deadline ist over and 10 more extra extra hours (or is it 30 hours already) are also gone. We should come to an end. I'm really sorry for Rani (AGS-GD) but I have to go with Mats' comment about the time limit - remember that the original end was 6 days ago.

So this time the cup goes to Neil Dnuma and his entry Zooreal.

On the one hand I'm happy that he won the contest with his first AGS game just like Rani did some months ago. That's why I'm also sure that Rani won't be too sad about the whole thing now as he already once set the rules for a month's competition... On the other hand only one entry is not that much of a competition. But as it is always said: It's not that much about to win - it's about creating nice games for entertainment and having fun.

Rani: Of course your game will also be listed on the MAGS site after you published it and it gets a second chance on next year's Maggies and like all other games in the annual AGS awards. So please don't be sad and keep up your good work.

Neil: Thanks for your nice game and congratulations. After this great start we're now waiting for more of this kind of adventures from you (Please check your PM)

[28th January]

Okay - no entries, no winners  :o

No, just kidding - there are two requests to expand the working time. So let's do it like this: All games need to be in within friday 28th January. So we at least have the weekend for voting. Now don't hesitate to submit your entries and I'm hoping for a minimum of two of them this time... See you on friday

Where can you find the results???
If there's a list somewhere on the MAGS site, I can't find it.

I coudn't find anything on the MAGS side, as well, but you can simply download the winning movie.

Hey, but it is there! Okay it's not that obvious 
Go to the MAGS site and switch to history where you find the competition "Favourite MAGS game 2004" and a list all the games (or simply click here). Then you see "favourite of the year 2004" added to one of the entries

Sorry for the note being that invisible...

So the time for voting is over and we have a winner. BUT a big problem this time were voting cheats.
As really everyone can read in the posting above "For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here". There's no other possibility, no other way that is allowed! We already had big discussions about direct voting links and they all are invalid. Also you can read: "Please vote only once." So please vote only once!

After deleting these additional voices we got the final result.
Max and Maggie again are on stage and present the winning game of 2004 here.
If you don't want to download about 1MB just switch over to the MAGS site and check out the winner there.

Many thanks to all people sending in valid votes and of course also many thanks to all last year's MAGS game authors.

can the whole game take place in a zoo as long as it has at least 3 rooms or does it have to have 3 locations?

No - it should be three different locations.

Damn. Again no Santa Claus.

And again you can use Santa as a character in your game if you wish like in all other MAGS competitions through the whole year.

question- Can the animal be from a cartoon or tv program?
2nd- Does the 1 species include the ego ?

1) Yes - this would also refer to the gag/reference rule.
2) Actually it was meant as the player character plus 3 species.

the animal can be Cerberus of the animated series Hercules. Or it can be also of a video game (Kingdom Hearts) where Cerberus appears.
The species can be a fictitious creature, which does not exist or has become extinct.

Yes, go for it. This also works.

Anyway, is this the first time MAGS doesn't have any entries?

It's not the first time that there's no entry for the MAGS competition. It's always sad to see a big discussion ending in no MAGS game just like in April 2003 the topic was "Simpler Times" (a game that takes place in the past) and two years ago with "New Years Eve".

What's going to happen for the January MAGS?

For this case there exists a "pool of guideline ideas". The ideas are collected all through the year and if it comes to the point that there is no new winner simply one of these guidelines is picked from the list. So have fun with the January rules.

[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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Again we have a topic where game authors can show their creativity as there are not that many restrictions:

Zoo

- One of your locations (of at least three) must be a zoo.
You could for example start the game in a zoo like in "The box that ate time" or use an animal that wants to escape as main character. Even better ideas may come to your mind. Just don't forget the zoo

- At least three different species must appear in the game.
This is not limited to the "usual" species. Own creations are also welcome.

- Include a gag or reference to a known movie start animal like Flipper or Lassie - there exist many more...

- No other restrictions.

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All entries should be in by January 28th.

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

You remember the MAGS competitions in 2004? All together 35 games entered the contests and offered a great range of amusement, humour and entertainment. To celebrate all the contestants and to bring all those games back to your minds and on your screens again here's "Maggies".

We don't want to judge about best graphics, best character or other best categories - there's already a famous award for doing this. "Maggies" just wants to know what's your favourite MAGS game 2004. It's up to you to decide what's most important: Graphics, gameplay, idea, interpretation of the MAGS rules, whatever...

The voting period will run two long weeks until January 14th.
Take your time to play all the games and decide in the end...

For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here:

James Bond - Who wants to live again by Sinitrena
Paranoid by chicken
Abducted - 10 minutes by aussie
Dragon Tales by Boris Zdero
Constance the Barbarian by Pelican
Asporia Hidden Threat by CoolBlue-Gord10
A Tale Of Betrayal by AGS-GD
A Magic Stone by Sinitrena
Ray and the Guitar by Rap4Life42o
Operation Red Dice by Akumayo
Korins Mines by Simon Benfold
Jail House Breakdown by Viktor
Cougars Quest for Freedom by Leonard Carter
Confession of a Cat Burglar by Neil Mapletoft
A Very Special Dog by Sinitrena
1 day a mosquito by deepgames
The Chronicles of Max and Maggie by Daniel Hanley
Ralph the Raven by Minimi
Coup de Cup by jaz
van K. Airbreak by Rocco
Once upon a time in the 70s by Petteri
Masters of Sound by Van Wolter
Biwa of Blood by spb
Who killed Bambi by nope!
Evil Enterprises by Geoffkhan
Dead Star (Vol. 0.9) by Lazy Z
Crypt by mätzyboy
Night of the Zombie fish by Daniel Hanley
Last Clown Standing by Creed Malay
Escape From The Zombie City by Gord10-Ahmet
DemonSlayer 5 by Squinky
Armageddon Margaret by ElaineMc
The Mushroom Man by Magnus Björk
Smileys Quest 2 by Babloyi
Mards Personal Little Revenge by TK

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

Hm... A lot of questions concerning fonts and languages, but even four days after the deadline there still are no submissions. So for this competition:
No entry, no winner 

Better luck next month... Hopefully...

[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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The AGS community is a very international community and this is what Sinitrena wants to celebrate with her guidelines for this month:

Internationality

- I want to see games that take place in at least two different countries. It should be possible to recognize these countries (for example if one of your countries is France you could use the Eiffel Tower somewhere in the background).

- Furthermore I want you to use one "country specific" item for each of these countries (e.g. Coca Cola in the USA).

- This game should have a translation in an other language than english as well or two different languages in-game (if you don't speack any other language you could write the words of the speech of one character backwards or something like that).

- Resolution: 320x200 at 16 bit colour.

No other restrictions...

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All entries should be in by December 27th.

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

I don't know if it is just my imagination, but isn't the deadline already over?

Is it just my imagination or did "someone" say "Count me in, I've been needing something like this..." and "Be on the lookout for my entry sometime soon, possibly today!  Sinitrena needs some competition."!? 

Actually I wanted to wait for a second entry. But time really is more than up as the deadline passed by many days ago now. You're right: I should have posted the winner much earlier. Sorry. There won't be any delay like this in the future...

Again there's no need to make it a secret hidden in a MAGS winner video, so congratulations to Sinitrena for her nice winning game. (Please check your private messages).

Hopefully we will have more entries in December compared to the last two months then...

Again the deadline is coming closer. One entry's already in so do not hesitate to submit your games within the next 24 hours from now (see timestamp of this posting). Then the voting will begin. Thanks.

Is it just me, or is the MAGS website down?Ã,  I haven't been able to connect to it for the past several months now.Ã,  Ã, ???Ã, 

Are you using the link from Klaus' signature?

The signature link to the MAGS website and the one at the beginning of each MAGS topic should actually work fine. I didn't notice any downtime...

Does any kind of hero count as a superhero? For example, could I use Sherlock Holmes as my main character?

A difficult question... As the superhero was part of chicken's ideas for the guidelines I'd like to forward this question to him.
Actually I don't think he had "Sherlock Holmes" in mind when talking about superheroes, but what makes the difference between Batman and Mr. Holmes? Maybe it's the hidden real identity that makes a superhero...
Let's see what's chicken's reply on this.

[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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This time we have a mix of aussie's and chicken's ideas in a freestyle interpretation:

Theme - heroes never die

Actually heroes live forever but what happens if a superhero looses his life!?
He needs to find a way back! And that's what this month's competition is about.

Everything is possible, so the location could be heaven, perhaps hell or you could walk on earth as a ghost, whatever... Just find a way back to life as a superhero - the world needs you. Of course even being dead you could have special facilities, or they are different now, perhaps even lost. It's up to you...

What you should include:
- A cutscene (intro) showing the end of the superhero's life.
- A supervillan that wants to stop the superhero's effort of returning.

Some items, please use at least three of them for your inventory:
- apple
- balance
- bird
- cape
- chair
- chalk
- lamp
- socks
- soul
- tape

That's it. No other restrictions...

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All entries should be in by November 25th.

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