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A little over 48 hours left until deadline day...

Mods, why don't you have a gander here:

http://www.indiegogo.com/

It's a kind of similar concept to Kickstarter, but open to more countries, including the UK.

Looks really useful, and there are some cool projects by the look of things.

I haven't played this game yet, but it sounds like the type of game where I would have to start drawing a map or a plan of the house, because the direction of the 'camera' changes every time you enter a different room.

If I leave a room from a door on the right hand side of the screen, it feels natural that you should appear on the left hand side of the next screen.  And if you leave a room by the door at the top of the screen, it feels more natural to appear at the bottom of the next screen.

It's precisely because these games are in 2D that this is the case... especialy when they are really 2D, like the game in question, because there really is not even the suggestion of perspective.

If I was to design a game with a similar graphic style, I would start by drawing a birds-eye plan of the house, or game area, and I would pick a 'camera angle' and stick to it.  This way East is East and left is left and there can be no confusion.

Think of the old text adventures with no graphics at all.  You get an image in your mind and you know which way is which because you are told what lies to the north, and I should imagine 100% of you imagine North to be directly in front of you when you are playing text adventures...  I'd be interested to hear if anyone ever changes it up in the head and tries to picture the scene with North to their left or something.  I highly doubt it.

When adventures became "graphic", this convention remained.  Only the more graphically realistic* games can get away with playing about with camera angles.

*by 'realistic' I mean 'has a degree of perspective'.

There's a reason it's called the Critic's Lounge and not the Praise Parlour.

I haven't posted anything in there for way too long, but whenever I have I've done so because I've wanted help, not to show off my skills (because I have none).  I've learnt quite a bit from the CL, not just on anything I might have posted, but mainly from reading people's crit and comments on other peoples work.  My favourite threads are the one's where people go out of their way to do paint-overs or use examples to explain their suggested improvements.  That kind of help is priceless.

I know I've been guilty of this in the past, but I really consider comments like "Wow that's really good!" as off-topic unless they're accompanied by a "but".  You can't learn anything new from being told that.

Ahh, Man.  I always thought Boryokudan Rue was an awesome title.  But you've chosen a pretty good name to replace it with.

The word limit is just a guideline.  If you want to write a bit more you won't be penalised.  Let your creative juices gush... but remember, voters are busy people.

[I'm also gonna open Phase 2 up to anyone who who missed out on phase 1.]

Right-o!

Phase 2 is underway!
Anyone who has taken part in Phase 1 sould now have an email from me with an attachment of the their opposing team's chain story.

If you haven't worked it out by now, your job is to write an ending to that story (up to 1000 words), trying to solve all of the mysteries that have been posed over the past couple of weeks.

If you don't have such an email and think you should, please let me know.

I'm also gonna open Phase 2 up to anyone who who missed out on phase 1.
If you're interested, PM me with or email Address.  I will then send you either Story A or Story B, to decided by a complex algorthm involving a coin.  But the deadline still applies to everyone, so the sooner you show your interest, the more time you've got.

You have one week.. starting... froooooom...

NOW!

[Grandma]

Grandma

"I was your age once."
"Really?"
"Yep. And quite the looker too, by all accounts."
"Now I know you're senile, Grandma."
"Seriously... you're Grandpa chose me didn't he?"
"HA!  True."

"I had an affair behind his back, you know?"
"Grandma, I..."
"He didn't have a clue..."

"You any good at maths, Peter?"
"Err.. yeah..."
"I met Roland in '62"

"The year my mum was born... What is this ab-...?"
"Roland died this morning."
"So... this Roland... is my real grandfather?"
"You always were the clever one, Peter."
"But... what about Grandpa..."
"He needn't know Peter... he's too ill to understand..."
"But... Grandma... why are you telling me this?"

"You're a millionaire, Peter."
"Ey?"
"Roland...  He was a rich man.  I was bored and he was charming... he's a nice man though.  We never lost touch."
"And what?  He's leaving me a chunk in his will?"
"He's left you the whole lot, son.  Seven Million."
"I... But... Does Mum know?"
"No... and you must never tell her, where the money came from."
"But... Christ... Wow!... What do I do?... I mean shit!"
"Language, Peter!"
"Sorry Grandma..."

I think just telling a story and putting he said at the end is kind of missing the point. 

If Blobby can't do it, i'd be more than happy to have a go since I was also waiting for this to come round again. Otherwise, no worries, looking forward to the end result=)

@Straydog.
Do you want in on the Chain Story?  I don't mind putting you at the end of one of the teams.  We're now on the 6th man in each story, so whoever get's back to me first, I can make you the 7th (and then I might make myself the 7th man of the other story :-)

PM me your email addy.

Yeah, good plan.  You want in Blobby? I'll PM you.

We've had another dropper-outer (or in this case a complete lack of response), so Story A is now ready to be wrapped up.  Story B is very nearly there, so Phase 2 should begin in the next 36 hours.

There are some great mysteries to be solved.  I'm thinking of having a go myself.  One author so far has thrown a particularly nasty spanner in the works - exactly what I was looking for - and I can't wait to see how people manage to explain that off... Mwahahahaaa 

[C]

C to the H to the I to the CKY

I had to explain "to the" to a Japanese friend... It wasn't easy, haha.

Happy B'day Chicky

What I'd like to know is why every country is releasing documents on UFO's except the one country that has supposedly formed an alliance with ET's, the USA.

Because they're the only country that really knows that ETs are nowhere near Earth.  Because Roswell was a fabrication to keep the public distracted from other activites...  such as, but not exclusive to, staging the Moon Landings in Area 51...

*dons flame-proof suit and hides*

Is this the ONLY nine letter word in the English language that you can do this with?
Surely not!  Jeepers!

[Edit]
Oh, I realise, the final line is a clue as the the first word.

As far as puzzles go, if you are making the epic challenge ones all optional then that does away with any potential complaints, really.  If people find them too hard they move on and are not significantly worse off for it, while people who like being challenged will stick with it and reap whatever small reward it offers.

The thing with that is that some gamers like me do like to do all the puzzles, but also prefer (expect even) all the puzzles to actually progess the game in some way.  I'd rather be rewarded with the unlocking of a door into an important room than with a bit of extra information.

I don't mind getting my extra background information from lying-around diaries and old newspaper clippings.  I know that's a bit cliché but it's kind of adventure game staple.  Maybe theres a reason for that.

If you happen to pass through Brisbane you should swing by Yahtzee and Co's Mana Bar.  It looks like fun.

[DanielH]

Man, the buzz surrounding this game is incredible!  :o

We've had our first dropper-outer, which isn't bad going, but it means I've put the original 7th man of Team B back into Team B and he is now the 6th (but still final) man.  So there are now 6 authors per team, which is nice and tidy, but I'm a bit concerned about DanielHs lack of activity since June 9th, so if anyone happens to know him outside of AGS, give him a wake-up call for me.

Phase 2 is nearly upon us.

I'm sure there were other animals that laid eggs long before the chicken was invented.

I don't like timers.  I like my demos to be completable in their own right.
Getting to the end of a 60-minute trial is very kind of frustrating, yet getting to the end of a nice self-contained demo is really satisfying, and Idon't think it's a coincidence that I've never purchased a game after playing a timed trial... not even Plants Vs Zombies.

@Straydog - I just played The Dream Machine based on your recommendation.  Really enjoyed it and can't wait for Chapter 2.  Thanks for the heads up