Messages

[Flash McCoy]

Hehe...I can't help but notice that I wrote (about Ponch's game)

This game really reaffirm my love for point and click adventure games and slow, complicated puzzle solving.

and  then this turn of phrase:

Flash McCoy
A traditional point-and-click adventure game

But Ponch, colour me confused. I retried your game today and got an ending. But I played level 2 with another tune and extra moving parts and everything. I thought I got there by going far enough to the right, but missing the final platform, but now I just don't know. If there's a secret level, I may have found it by mashing the keyboard. 

Always nice to read your Readme files, Ponch. 

Have you played the game? As much work went into the text file as the game. 

Yes, and currently I hate you.  This game really reaffirm my love for point and click adventure games and slow, complicated puzzle solving.

Currently at

Spoiler

Level 2 - Country Roads. Have managed to determine that the low road is the wrong one and the high road is bloody difficult.

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Always nice to read your Readme files, Ponch. 

My first adventure games were text adventures on Commodore 64 and Sharp MZ-721. My friends and I wrote our own multiple choice type games on the Sharp in Basic, so the first "adventure game" I completed was probably one of those. The adventure games of the C64 were a bit hard for a kid who was learning the language, and we cooperated and shared hints among us, and also were eager readers of hints in computer magazines. I guess the first one I completed alone (because it wasn't covered in the magazines) would have been something like Twin Kingdom Valley, Grave Robber or another one which I can't remember the name of. I also completed some Eureka games withour help, but that may have been later.

I had an Atari ST, but can't remember other point and click adventures for it than Manhunter: New York, which I didn't finish due to some action sequences. Right after purchasing my first PC, I completed Sierra's Conquests of Camelot without any help. I guess that must have been my first point and click I did from start to finish on my own.

Looking forward to what you guys have up your sleeves! I've been busy with work and some betatesting this month, so I'm ready for some MAGS goodness coming our way soon.

Yes! Go Bernard!

I played the demo twice, with the commentary enabled the second time. Very cool to get a look behind the scenes like that, although I didn't get the reference about why Rhona Foster had to have been named before the pandemic. Or is it that it may sound like Co-Rhona? I would never have thought of that, but maybe it's a short form pronounciation in the English-speaking countries?

Anyway, lovely scenery, outfits, animation, story...fun to play! I'd say you've made the right decisions about gameplay when you decided to let Fiona use the computer interface, but not have to type all the search parameters. Honestly, I prefer when games/the characters remember stuff for me and I don't have to scribble it down on a paper. When you've figured out what to do, the puzzle is solved, and I don't want to be bothered with spelling the name correctly or using caps or not.

I also want to point out that this is a great example of how to write female characters. The majority of the characters in this demo are women, and I never thought about it until afterwards. It's not forced or "pc", they're simply natural choices in how the story plays out. And in the long term, I think it's a better choice not making a big point of it, but rather have these great characters who simply happen to be women. This was probably never even a point when writing the story. But it's well done, nevertheless. (And perhaps I'm making a bad call even mentioning it.)

Joe Anderson, and I'll move into spoiler territory:

Spoiler

Great job doing what Stephen King and Peter Straub reportedly did when collaborating: "Let's write this character that everybody likes, and then KILL HIM!"

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Worked out well.

So, all that and no gripes? Well, I think I spotted a missing question mark ("Where did he get the key."), but I'm not ever sure I'm correct about that. This feels like a great vehicle for a hybrid of science fiction and investigation stories, and if the demo is anything to go by, I'll enjoy the full game immensely. Thanks for the experience so far.

Just from the demo we knew this one would be great. Congratulations on the release! I'll be getting a copy and playing it sometime this summer. 

This turned out to be a funny tour of British monarchs. Edutainment for me, who didn't know one Edward from the other, so to speak. Great graphics and massive research, spiced up with some historical jokes of pretty good snob value. On the negative side, it's the same over and over again, so a bit of historical interest is probably needed to appreciate this. Additionally, I would have liked some sort of shortcut to the portraits, like thumbnails or something that saved me from walking all those screen lengths to the correct portrait. Congratulations on the release, and I'm up for more history lessons.

"...and I had to use the help function to find the last one."

Don't worry, that's what the help function is for

Yeah.  But I think I would have had more fun if I forced myself to look for a specific image, like finding them in order, and I could have used that function to accomplish that. As it was, I clicked on something, and then a word disappeared in my list before I had the chance to see what I had found. Some objects are easily recognized, but some are not, at least not for me.

There were some red herrings that I spent some time

Don't get me wrong but... nice to read that, because it was done on purpose! 

Yeah, I reckoned it might be. It's actually great that you found the time to make those in a timed contest such as this. Most times, MAGS games are by necessity quite straightforward.

As for the riddle:

Spoiler

I at once imagined one of those lion/dragon statues that may be on the sides of a temple entrance.

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You others who play, please comment your hearts out. The participants want to hear what you think! It's a great motivation to know someone played your game, and we all want these talents to continue to make MAGS entries, right? 

This was an excellent MAGS entry that I recommend people try out. Great graphics, nice Eric Matyas music and different styles of puzzles makes this a very nice MAGS game. Congratulations on the release!

[Another Museum by Glurex]

I've been busy with work and family stuff, but finally found an opening to play some MAGS games!

Some feedback:

Another Museum by Glurex

Spoiler

Very polished and impressive entry! I like the humour in the story, and also that there were different types of puzzles. The sounds, music and human portraits that for some reason reminded me of the mugshots in Jones in the Fast Lane, all fit the bill. The museum exhibits look very nice, although some places it's a bit dark. There were some red herrings that I spent some time with to no avail

Spoiler

the unknown object behind the glass next to the pyramid, the unknown statue in the dark cornes, the tiny Eros hotspot

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, but that's okay. I must admit I solved the hidden object game by clicking at objects on the screen that I didn't recognize, and I had to use the help function to find the last one. I think this puzzle would have been frustrating without a help function, and I kind of regret not using it all the time, as it would have felt better to actually know what I clicked away. Great use of the UV light, even though it took me a while before I managed to put it away again.

Now, the riddle...I'd have to say this one didn't make much sense to me, and I found the answer in the hints section. I doubt I would have ever guessed it. This is the major flaw in what I'd say is otherwise an excellent entry. It may work better in the original Chinese, or in a language where the word "teeth" is used that way.

I had a problem when I restarted the game with the mouse cursor turning invisible, although reinstalling solved that.

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The Museum by ddavey1983

Spoiler

You've found a formula that works well for the MAGS format. While I enjoyed the riddles and the history lesson and appreciate the pretty pictures throughout, the game is a one-trick pony. I got a bit tired of walking all the way to the correct portrait after a while. It would be interesting to hear some assessment from brits who probably know a bit more about these royal matters than I do. Is it easy for you? It's about right for me, but I did click wrong a few times. Comparing this to the James Bond predecessor, I think I enjoyed that one more, perhaps because of the novelty. At the same time, there's obviously more content in this outing, both graphically and in terms of history lesson fun facts. Still, I had fun and would like to see the sequel(s)!

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Cup of Fools by Stylez75

Spoiler

I checked out this unfinished entry, and it looks like it could have been a fun little heist game. Excellent drawings and some silly humour. A pity that noone made something out of it...in fact maybe I'll do it myself now that my schedule is lighter. I'll have a ponder.

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I voted for

Spoiler

The Museum. Although it dragged a bit at the end, I'm impressed with the sheer amount of history and especially the historical jokes put into it. Even so, Another Museum was even better at most aspects, but the riddle killed the mood a bit for me. I've actually typed in both names and deleted them here several times, it was so hard to choose! Two great games!

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Okay, I'll bite.

He probably won't participate unless you use Force.

Always in production, the franchise is.

You may want to check out MAGS June 2019 about Little Known Traditions to get a local setting. Also Lorenzo's magnificent Elia, Ilaria and the kids having a good time at the sea (or at least they try) uses a local Italian holiday for a setting.

I think Superego fits the bill.
And UVC's Survival Guide.
And Scales Training Game, of course.
Fixumdude's 3D Printing adventure is a slice of life, too.

There are some games on the site that deals with depression or similar emotional experiences. And while I don't know whether that means that the author has suffered from depression, or that they know someone who does, it's clearly an expression of wanting there to be games out there about such subjects. Some of them play through symbols or allegories, some use unreliable narrators, and some tries to show how it feels. I'm sure I can dig up some of those titles, too, if that's what you're after. Like Mind Rape: Duress. But I get the gist that you are thinking more in the lines of history/geography?

Maybe a too obvious solution: Is the problem solved if you supply a Linux build? (The editor can do that for you, as I'm sure you know.)

Like AGSLife?

Oh, I like the sound of that! Riddle me this!