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I'm currently working on a graphical version of an IF game called Anchorhead, with the original author's permission.

Interesting! Anchorhead is one of those games that I intend to play one day, since it's always mentioned along with the other greats. It'll be interesting to see how your version will measure up to it, and I like that you've got permission from Michael Gentry and are not simply bastardising it.

...and to return to the actual topic: Yes, I might be interested. PM or mail me!

Take a look at The Erudition Chamber.

Bringing the thread back to its original topic: Now all the awards are revealed...

Thanks to all who participated. (Both by voting and by creating games.) It's been fun.

The TCN awards are a good way to see how AGS games are stacking up against other amateur adventures made last year

Sure, but I don't see the point in separating games by engines. One of the reasons for TCN to exist is to bridge the gap between the different engines. Why should it matter that I use Sludge for my game while you use AGS, as long as we are making good games? The player doesn't care, or at least he/she has no reason to care. It has been proved that both AGS, AGAST and Sludge are capable of creating good, technically solid games.

http://trumgottist.com/crowsnest/ just incase people dont know it, or too lazy to look in his profile

Or doesn't notice my sig... :

I'm enjoying seeing how close the votes are for each awards

Later, I'll show the complete statistics. There is a bigger spread lower down on the list.

And in case you haven't seen it yet - the Best Story results are now up...

Voting is closed, and the first results are revealed!

The word that came to my mind when I read the subject line was "details". That applies to all aspects to the game making. Do worry about the details, beacuse they make a difference.

An extra animation for the main character adds to the polish, an extra detail (possibly animated) in the environment makes the setting come alive, an extra detail in the character of an NPC makes him more believable...

Attention to detail in the technical implementation also helps make the game more real. Every thing that doesn't work properly or is slightly awkward reminds the player that he's playing a computer game.

In reply to John: True, but when cathing up on last year's games (I wanted to have played all the nominees for the TCN awards and I had only played a few, so I've been doing quite a lot of that) I realised that graphics and music are more important to me as a player than I thought. First impressions matter, and you don't get to know the story and puzzles until after you've played for a while. A game that can set an atmosphere from the start has a clear advantage, and you can only do that with good graphics. (Note that good graphics doesn't have to mean hi-res or the latest 3d engine. For the purposes of this discussion, a text only game can have "good graphics".)

You mean... like this?  

The ventilation works too well. Maybe you could "fix it"...?

Never mind - I found it myself, and finished the game. A very fun game, btw.

As for the jail solution: okay, so you escape the jail, and get caught again. What does the player do? Escapes the jail again, digs that tunnel and wanders through the air-ducts maze again?
Nope, he/she restores.
Much like when the character dies.
So, what's the difference?

Not in Toonstruck, he doesn't. The thing is: this was fun, and the solution was different each time since the jail guard prevented you from escaping the same way again. I actually got caught on purpose a couple of times just to see all escapes. (In the end, the guard gave up, and left, leaving an open jail cell.)

The point I'm trying to make is that a death/undo sequence isn't the only way to handle potential dangers.

I'm stuck. After searching this forum, I've realised that what I need in order to continue is

Spoiler

a snail

[close]

. The problem is: I can't find one.

One week (and six hours) to go...

The solution to the "what happens when a guard catch you" problem in Toonstruck was fun. You get thrown in jail, with new puzzles to solve in order to escape.

A small reminder: If there are games that you've played but haven't rated yet - do so now. If there are games you haven't played yet - what are you waiting for? There were more good games released last year than even before! (At least AFAIK. I haven't played everything ever released, but there are several really good games on the nominee list.)

http://trumgottist.com/crowsnest/nominees.php

You should know what it's about. If you don't, following the link above should tell you all you need to know. VOTE!

Dave: Thanks.
Steve: You presumed correctly.

Thanks.

The TCN Awards voting period is closing in, and in order for games to become nominees they need to be in the TCN database. (Partly for technical reasons (it's easier that way) and partly beacuse I want it to be like that.) Some of the nominees are not in the database, and I have been bugging the authors of the missing games. But for three games (all three are AGS-games, and all three are RoN-games), I have been unable to find an e-mail address for the authors.

The games are:

Apocalypse Meow (Creed Malay, Denzil Quixode)
The Phantom Inheritance (Gabriel Fortuna)
III Spy (Steve McCrea)

If you are the author of one of these games, please add it to the TCN database NOW! (It's good for you. ) If you happen to know a way of how I can bug contact these nice people (their e-mail addresses for example), please let me know.

Thanks for the offer, Inkoddi (yes I'd like to see it -> send it to nospamplease@trumgottist.com ). That doesn't however solve my problem: Since the TCN Awards are chosen by public voting, the games need to be available for all. The voting period is extra long to get the voters a chance to play games they have missed.

I also need to find the author(s?) in order to bug them about adding the game to the TCN database.

I suppose that I could add it myself and put it up for download temporary, during the voting period or something, on my site, but I'm not doing that unless I find the game really good or the author(s) ask me nicely.

It's still down. Does anyone have any relevant information or should I simply count it as an invalid nominee for the 2003 TCN Awards?  :'(