Messages

Hi Pell,

If you feel that the amount of work you did outside of the contest month would give you an unfair advantage, then it might be better to set it aside, but if the extra amount you did was just a few bits and bobs, then it might not be too much of a problem. Maybe discuss it with heltenjon and see what you both agree on.

Also, if anyone reading this has any views or objections, please voice them below.

Any luck, or we need another couple more days?

[Hour Al]

Theme: Finish Your MAGS Game
Set by: Stupot

Time to vote.

	Hour Al by jwalt
	The Sphinx of Time by Babar and jfrisby
	Chupacabra Crunch by VampireWombat
	MvM Demo: Patience is a Virtue by Perpetuall

As there were no entries for August, and therefore no one to set the theme for October, I thought it would be a good idea to have another "Finish Your MAGS" edition, to breathe new life into one of your old abandoned MAGS games.

No extra guidelines, but it might be worth remembering that the haunting season is upon us, so you are invited, but by no means obliged, to include something spoOoOoky.


(May delete gif later)



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 guidelines 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.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How are we getting on, folks?

Good luck to all ye who enter.

If you fancy killing two birds with one stone, you could enter the $108 Adventure Game Challenge and this month's MAGS at the same time.^*

https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/competitions-activities/mags-september-alien-open/

^{*As long as their rules allow it. As far as MAGS is concerned, it's fine.}

[Alien]

Theme: Alien
Set by: Ddavey1983
Deadline: September 30th



This month's theme is Alien. Whether it be little green men, flying saucers or alienation more figuratively, there must be something of the extra-terrestrial in this month's entries.



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 guidelines 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.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sad to see that there were no entries this time around, but thanks to everyone who gave it a shot. I hope you get to finish them.

As we have no winner, October will be a 'Finish Your MAGS game' edition, where you can finish any unfinished MAGS project from previously rounds.

But until then, why not check out September's theme: Alien

On my dusty bedside table, I have a book of logic puzzles, an as yet unread book of O. Henry stories and a copy of Moonflower Murders, by Anthony Horowitz, which I have just restarted after a false start where I was distracted by other books.

The "Learn More" text in each of the orange buttons is slightly off-centre to the left.

I'm not a fan of the three "Learn More" buttons in general. I don't think you need them. Create, Play and Join might as well be the buttons themselves.

I still have one more to read. I have to try and carve out a moment to read it, which I can't say when that will be but I'll try to within the next 8 hours (before I go to bed)

Well done @ddavey1983. I'll PM you soon about September's theme.

@cat 2 weeks is about my default for most months, with 2 or 3 entries, and I generally set it to 3 weeks when there are more entries to get through. But I don't mind adding a few more days if it might help.

@Khris
Whether it's hallucinting or not, I don't know, but ChatGPT has this suggestion:

Send the phishing email to Google at phishing@google.com. Include the full headers of the original message so Google can investigate.

[Becalmed]

Two entries means it's ON like FROGSPAWN!

To vote, please use the poll at the top of this forum.

	Becalmed by GOC Games
	Hoopoe's Inferno by Babar and jfrisby

[Time Warp]

Theme: Time Warp
Set by: Babar, jfrisby, and 4KbShort
Deadline: August 31st

There were no entries for this month.

Your game should involve some sort of disruption to the regular flow of time. This could be things slowing down, speeding up, things going from one point to a different point in the past or the future, or any other warping you can think of! It can be a worldwide event or something that happens to the player only, or something the player does. Can be wormholes, black holes, people travelling too fast, time machines, reality readjusting, magic, feel free to go crazy!

Image generated with AI.

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 guidelines 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.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How's it going @jfrisby ?
Can we expect something?

Another twelve hours would be appreciated! The game is mostly finished, but has a few nasty bugs, but right now, I am at work, and jf is probably asleep.

No worries. Take your time.

🔥 Something nature-y is happening...  it might resemble a game in a few days

How's it going @jfrisby ?
Can we expect something?

[A Shrine]

Well done on the stories, everyone.

Spoiler

For me, it ended up being a toss-up between Lorenzo and Baron. There was nothing wrong with Sini's story in terms of some beautiful descriptions and interesting characters, but there was and awful lot of standing around talking about the history and arguing about who knows what, and I think it could have been streamlined or turned into more action.

I found both Baron's and Lorenzo's stories a bit easier to read, not just because they were shorter. Admittedly, some of the words in Lorenzo's relating to the church and art history went in one eye and out the other, but I think I got the gist of most of them meant.

Baron's story was fun to read, but by the end it felt like the protagonist's arc was just beginning. In the end, I feel like I got slightly more out of A Shrine.

[close]

Votes:

Spoiler

Lorenzo: 2pts
Baron: 1pt

[close]

Have a great time everyone. Pics please.

[The Zoo]

Voting is over and we have joint winners.

The Zoo, by 4KbShort, and The Stew of Las Moras by Babar and jfrisby.

Congratulations!
You will be contacted soon about coming up with a theme for August.

Unlucky to Goosekult. And thanks to everyone for your entries.

How are we getting on with this one? Anyone got anything on the go?