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Since ChatGPT was released there has already been a massive jump in self-published content labeled as "co-written" with AI. And those are just the people admitting it. I dread to think how many people are copy and pasting reams of this stuff and not declaring it.

I definitely consider that cheating as things stand. But it got me thinking about ways in which AI could be used in a way that is fair.

Of course, declaring it is the first step. As things stand, I think anyone using AI to write anything should declare it or make it abundantly obvious, especially if they're making money from it. But this is basically unenforceable.

But what other ways can it be used? Well, it could be used for proofreading. It's not really any different from a spell-checker or Grammarly that respect.

I also think one fair way to use it would be to simply ask it for feedback. In my recent Fortnightly Writing Contest entry I did just this. I wrote an entirely original piece and then asked ChatGPT to tell me what it "thought" about it. I asked it to tell me what was good, what was not so good and to provide me with suggestions to make it scarier. And crucially I specified that I did not want to to provide any re-writes, so that I still would have to implement its suggestions in my own words.

I think this is a good way to use it. Others might disagree, but to my mind, this is no different than asking a friend to have a look at a draft and give you some feedback. Granted this "friend" is infinitely more well-read than any human, but I don't think this counts as cheating.

What do other people think? Is that cheating or fair play? What other useful ways could it be used for writing that is fair play?

Is it Journeyman Project?

Sorry, @BowsetteGamer, I didn't mean to suggest your game was not original. I can see that you've put a lot of your own time and creativity into the project, and it looks like a lot of fun. My main point was that a game that has been in development for a year cannot be entered into MAGS, because it is a contest about making a game in a month.

Welcome @BowsetteGamer.

MAGS is a monthly contest in which entrants can make a game based on a theme or topic for that month. This month the Topic was "make a demo".

The idea is that members wait for the announcement of the theme on the 1st of each month and then get to work making their game. While it is considered okay to use pre-existing assets, the project itself should be original and intended as a MAGS entry.

We're not super strict on all the rules but I do think if you've been working on it for a whole year, it can't qualify as an entry for the contest this time.

Please feel free to look out for a future theme. You're more than welcome to join in anytime.

It sounds like you were playing someone's unfinished project. Might one of your parents or an older sibling have been having a crack at game design?

As well as not being posted in this thread (yet - there's still time), it seems as though Bowsette's demo was also started considerably before this topic was announced.

I'm inclined not to allow it this time but am open to change my mind if others think that is too harsh.

Waddup, y'all? Anyone working on anything?

Sorry for being unclear, it was an expression of sympathy towards Snarky.

Ahh sorry cat, that was a failed attempt at humour. I didn't realise your emoji was a reaction to Snarky's post. I thought it was a reaction to puzzle 614 being difficult:
(Spoiler for 614 below)

Spoiler

The answer was "vague", so "Can you be more specific?" would have been totally hilarious.

[close]

Can you be more specific?

Also here, where I used a =summary text: https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/watched-any-good-mysterydetective-showsmovies/msg636653115/#msg636653115

That is likely because it opens with a hide tag and closes with a spoiler tag. I'm not sure you can mix them.

If you can could mix them, then then perhaps it's related to the capital M of 'Mild'. I've noticed that the tags in the post cat linked to is also capitalized.

I get the same thing. Spoiler tags result in that message, while hide tags just don't hide anything.

[The Vial Room]

The Vial Room

Sweat formed on Agent Tully's forehead as he swiped the card he had obtained from Melody. He shook away thoughts of a life with her. The reader beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

Get in, grab the vial, get out. He approached the second door. Facial recognition. He looked at his wristwatch. 02:04. Melody assured him it would recognise him. Nothing. He blinked and tried again. Come on. It beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

With squinted eyes he surveyed the small, dark room. It was completely empty. The door slid shut. A wet dripping sound emanated from within. Tully clicked the night-vision switch on his glasses. Before him was a dread swarm of squelching tentacles and huge teeth writhing around a nightmarish hole in the ground. A mucus-covered tentacle dragged him downwards. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.


This story above was written using a 144-word restraint (I have a collection of these stories which I started after there was once a 144-word rule on one of these FWCs).

Disclaimer
While every word in the story is my own, I did consult ChatGPT for feedback and took some of its advice. I have included the two previous drafts along with the advice ChatGPT gave me on them below. Note that I specifically asked it not to rewrite anything but just to give me its 'thoughts', if you can call them that.

I'm not sure where I stand on people using AI to write things for them, but I personally think asking if for feedback is no different to running it past a friend (albeit an inhumanly well-read friend).

I included this disclaimer to be completely transparent. If you think this counts as unfair play, please say so, and reflect it in your votes.


Draft 1

Spoiler

A ball of sweat formed on Agent Tully's forehead as he swiped the card he had obtained from Melody. He shook away thoughts of a life with her. Never gonna happen. The card reader beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

His objective was simple. Get in, grab the vial, and get out. He approached the second door. facial recognition. He looked at his wristwatch. 02:04. Melody assured him it would recognise his face. It beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

His eyes surveyed the small room. Nothing: no equipment, no furniture, no vial. A wet squelching sound emanated from within. Tully clicked a switch on his glasses. Before him was a swarm of writhing tentacles and teeth. He tried to scream but was gagged by a tentacle as he was dragged into the floor. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

Chat GPT Advice
What works:
The opening sets up the tension well, with Agent Tully's nervousness and the hint of a forbidden attraction to Melody.
The short, punchy sentences and lack of excess description create a sense of urgency and danger.
The twist at the end, with the reveal of the monster and the repetition of the phrase "Oh, she's good," is a strong conclusion that leaves the reader wanting more.

What could be improved:
While the brevity of the piece is effective, there are some opportunities to add more detail that could enhance the scariness. For example, when Tully sees the swarm of tentacles and teeth, it might be more effective to describe what they look like in more detail to create a vivid image in the reader's mind.
The pacing could also be tweaked to build tension more effectively. The second door opens without much difficulty, and Tully immediately sees the monster. It might be scarier if he had to search the room for the vial, building suspense along the way, before encountering the monster.
Finally, it might be helpful to clarify why Tully was searching for the vial in the first place. Giving some context for the story could make the reader more invested in Tully's fate and the outcome of his mission.

[close]

Draft 2

Spoiler

Sweat formed on Agent Tully's forehead as he swiped the card he'd obtained from Melody. He shook away thoughts of a life with her. The reader beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

Get in, grab the vial, get out. He approached the second door. Facial recognition. He looked at his wristwatch. 02:04. Melody assured him it would recognise him. Nothing. He blinked and tried again. Come on. It beeped. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

His eyes surveyed the small room. It was dark, and completely empty. The door slid closed behind him. A wet squelching sound emanated from within. Tully clicked a nightvision switch on his glasses. Before him was a dread swarm of squelching tentacles and huge teeth writhing around an aberrant hole in the ground. A mucus-covered tentacle dragged him down. Oh, she's good. Tully slipped through silently.

ChatGPT Advice
The story is concise and moves quickly, which works well for flash fiction. However, there is room for a little more detail to create a more vivid picture for the reader. For example, instead of just saying "It was dark," you could add a few sensory details to describe the darkness - is it pitch black, or can he make out some shapes? Is there a smell or a temperature to the air? These kinds of details can help to create a more immersive reading experience.

The repetition of "Oh, she's good" is a good touch, as it underscores the character's realization that he has been tricked. However, it might be even more effective to leave it out until the end of the story, and then repeat it as a kind of punchline. That way, the reader doesn't know what it refers to until the end, which could create more tension and surprise.

The phrase "dread swarm of squelching tentacles and huge teeth" is great and really sets the tone for the horror element of the story. However, the word "aberrant" in the same sentence feels a little out of place. Consider replacing it with a different word that fits better with the tone and mood you've established.

Overall, this is a strong piece of flash fiction with a good sense of tension and horror. With a few tweaks and a bit more detail, it could be even more effective. Keep up the good work!

[close]

Perhaps any new posts in inactive threads could be automatically sent for approval. That way the spam will never see the light of day and genuine posts can be approved without the author having to ask for the thread to be unlocked first.

I know they were originally implemented to be a surprise, but as you say, newer users will just be confused, and even worried when something so random pops up. With that in mind, how about including an option in the settings to allow them or not. Users could see a preview of the images and maybe even a short description on the backstory and then asked if they want to allow it to pop up on those days. Or maybe let them choose from a small selection of seasonal splash screens, including the "classic" ones.

I agree with Babar that it might sound more natural in dialogue without the word "severed". You can still call it "a severed head" in the label or item description. Try both and see what feels more natural in your particular game.

Wordle 599 3/6*

⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Spoiler

POINT
FLAIR
FLAIL

[close]

Working my way through the stack. Do we have a deadline yet?

No, but there's plenty of time yet.

[The Devil's Teeth]

Looks like we just have the one entry, but it looks to be a banger! Thank you for keeping the contest alive, davey.

The winner is: The Devil's Teeth by GOC Games

> Look

[Make a Demo]

Theme: Make a Demo
Chosen by: Bulbapuck and ddavey1983

The Winner was Splendor Solis by tbook.

	Police Quest 4 SCI(ish) Demo by GOC Games
	Splendor Solis (demo) by tbook

For this month's MAGS competition we want you to make a small demo for a large-scale game that doesn't exist (at least not yet ). Been looking for an excuse to start up that great project in your mind? Or maybe you have a great idea for a small section you haven't found the game for? Now's your chance!





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.

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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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