Messages

[Perceptions]

Just the one entry, then. Unlucky to VampireWombat and KyriakosCH. You both look like you had something interesting going on in your screenshots.

Thanks to Slasher for keeping us just alive. I know you don't like to win by default, but nevertheless Perceptions looks very interesting and is the Winner of MAGS June.



No poll, but still everyone go and play Perceptions. And how about taking the extra time to go and rate and comment on any games that you've played recently.

[Distance No Object]

Two games this month, thanks to Slasher and KyriakosCH.

Please vote using the poll at the top of the page.

Distance No Object
by Slasher
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2457-distance-no-object


This is the Way
by KyriakosCH
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2460-this-is-the-way/

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Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
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Welcome to MAGS July.  Who will go the extra mile to finish a game this month? If you're reading this, I know you're gonna go far. The theme is:
Distance
Provided byIntense Degree
Deadline July 31st

It could be huge or tiny…



It might be the problem or obstacle…



Or you might need to put some of it behind you…



Maybe it needs to be calculated or measured…



Maybe it’s something else that’s in the distance…



Or maybe there is a different application entirely…





What is MAGS?
Started in 2001, MAGS is a competition for amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner. It aims to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and provide a kick-start into making adventure games. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you have bad art skills, use it as a chance to do some graphic work. If you're sub-standard at coding, use it as a chance to give scripting a go. Ultimately, people will vote for the most enjoyable entry.

Rules
Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualize your game following the month's criteria (see above). Second, create your game fuelled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

* A working download link
* The title of your game
* A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fourteen days, and the winner chooses the next month's theme.

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Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ok, maybe it is worth a try. Can I have five hours?

Granite

I was about to suggest 1408. Not due to cracking the code, but it was the first Stephen King number that came to mind.

Sorry guys I’m just catching up with this thread. I can’t give a big extension because tomorrow is my only day off to do the sorty-out bits. But I can delay for a few hours if anyone needs it.

Great work everyone. And Thanks Mandle for this exciting case. Very cool. I said this privately but I reckon it would make a fantastic detective novel, even if some of it is a bit tropey.  People love this kind of stuff because of the tropes.

My my. Great work. This has to be it.

So was the W thing a red herring?

Worth bearing in mind that alcohol is terrible for your immune system, especially for those already in one of the ‘at-risk’ groups. Just because pubs are open doesn’t mean they’re recommended. Drink responsibly, guys.

Does the path made in the grid by the alphabet strings correspond to any roads on the map?

That major road going from the last site (the bridge near Howard’s Beach) down to Marine Park, seems to map quite nicely.

Sorry I’m getting hung up on these W’s. Can we send some divers out to the area of ocean shown in the red circle?

[n]

has 8 letters and is in Ian Aloser’s list

Thanks Laura for the suggestion of modifying my silly nickname :-)
Can I actually change it ?
EDIT: Done :-)

That was Stupot tho

I would swear to god Mandle already did this but I can’t find the post.

Nice idea about the ‘bay’ sics, Helton.

Has anyone else got any thoughts about the W’s.It

[Potential solution]

Just an observation, but the middle letter along the top, bottom and left hand edges of the grid happen to match their respective directions North, South and West. The only problem is that there is a G where I would’ve expected an E. Coincidence or clue?

S O W N B Y G R Q X W D E F W M T B C Z L W C B A P B G H D W F L Q W K E R T W P B G F P S R W P

Potential solution
In fact, Glen Oaks is in about that same location in the map, begins with G, has 8 letters and is in Ian Aloser’s list. I think that’s enough to warrant sending a unit out East.

You’re probably right that the place name is made up of letters from the grid, but we should be open to that not being the case.

“Double-up” means “W“. There are 8 of them in the box, more than any other letter. I guess that means we’re looking for an 8-letter place name (or perhaps 16, if it’s double). I haven’t found the trick to working out the answer but it’s got to be to do with the W’s.

I’m drawn to the killer’s emphasis of “AND”. This tells me that “back to basics” is part of the puzzle in and of itself. Is there a connection between the W’s and the strings of ABC that Laura mentioned?

I am a loser. The captain says to go back to “this phase” of the case. To me that means going back to the poem and everything posted after it. I guess that means you guys were on the right track before I came along and started talking about bells.

Just bring the letter and map to the current page.

Hello,

BINGO!!!

I have seen my crossword puzzle solved in the newspaper, and we came to understand a lot more about each other as well, I'm sure, during the process.

My next victim is not dead yet, but will be soon.

Here is your next hint in the form of a poem:

"Online, she bullied,
Those that are buried.
She was a troll,
Which is why her toll,
Will be paid,
Beneath where she stayed,
Where the birds fly over,
Betwixt their nest and the guv'nor."

Yours Sincerely,
Justice Killer.

Here is the map of New York City the police received in the first letter for ease of reference:

Spoiler

[close]

[Potential solution]

Potential solutionOfficers, ‘toll’ refers to a church or cathedral? The only such place visible on the map is The Church Cathedral of saint John the Divine. The “nest” could be the bell tower. Plus some people might be buried there. I doubt it has much of a graveyard but sometimes these religious buildings usually have a crypt, if not some dead saints under the flagstones.

Also, who is “The Guv’ner” but the big man upstairs. Birds could refer to angels, who fly up to the big house in the sky.

Google Sensei tells me that there was no NY governor called Van Cortlandt, but the first lieutenant governor did have that name, and a couple of his ancestors were mayors.

I also wonder if we shouldn’t be focusing so hard on bridges.

(Sorry I typed the above before Mandle’s update but neglected to press send).

For me, these days, I’d rather just have a ‘look’ button that does all the work. But if you’re going to have separate ‘look’ and ‘examine’ buttons then they should perform very clearly different functions from the first room. Make it clear to the player that ‘look’ is for the character to simply describe what he sees from his current position, whereas ‘examine’ involves the character taking a closer inspection of the item that would involve lifting it up, rotating it, taking the lid off, peeling back the label, reading the fine print, etc. If these two functions are not completely seperate then you might as well just have one ‘look’ option.