Messages

I am swamped in work and will probably not make anything this month. I basically have two projects where I have some graphics, which usually means that I will eventually finish it. And I think I have a few puzzle charts/half-baked stories lying around somewhere. (On paper, so I would have to take an hour to look for it if anyone needs it.)

What if you submitted a super buggy obviously unfinished game for MAGS??  Uh, asking for a friend...

Eh, my friend would like to play your friend's game when it is finished...

Otherwise, lots of interesting game projects going on here. Hope to see them cross the finish line! 

Ahhh! That's not it, but you've crossed the ball to me and the goal is open so I'm gonna have to tap it in:

This reminds me of my young days playing football...I'd mash the ball forwards with all my might, then shout to the player closest to where I'd sent it: "Johnny! RUN!"  And that's how to unwittingly become an assist king.

Here's another bad guess...

Spoiler

C(l)overbands?

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Big congratulations to the winner, and to all who released a game - truly a great MAGS month! Don't forget to add your games to the database, now. 

Oh, and I hope that Brian Eggs can now not be stopped. 

Yay! Let's just call it a joint win and say that the coin toss was for the duty of organizing the next event, shall we? I'm in the middle of packing into the car for a long drive to my mother-in-law for the holidays, but I'll try to think of something and put up a new contest before too long. 

I played these. I had a plan to only play one today, but it was hard to stop, especially with the cliffhanger ending of episode 2!

For those not familiar with the lore, Marion is basically retelling the story of Dread in different formats. So the story stays the same, with small variations. This also leads to less opportunities for branching than in other VN games. While there are interactive choices to make, like what to look at or what to say next, this is first and foremost a reading experience with pretty pictures and fitting pirate music.

(The pictures are not just pretty. They are frame them and hang them on your wall pretty, especially the ones from underwater.)

While the point and click earlier version of this story is quite experimental on how the story time jumps back and forth throughout the narrative, this one stays chronological. Instead, the point of view may differ, and we end up making choices for several characters, both friends and foes. This gives us the opportunity to better understand the characters and their raison d'etre, while it's at the same time limiting, as giving free choice for actions would lead to too much branching for the story to stay on track.

I'm on board for the rest of Dread's story.

Anything by Rainbow?

Oh bummer. Just when I was going to download new stuff after the annual awards was finished. At least I read the story in musical format, but I wasn't fast enough to see the latest version, like a game. I wish you could simply leave these games available for people to enjoy, but it's your choice, of course.

Sorry, this will be a bit long.

Thanks to the organizers for a fun event. It's a lot of work behind it, and we all appreciate how well you are doing it. Personally, I love the banter between Duals and Kas, the jokes from the crowd and stuff like Creamy changing avatar every other minute. At the same time, we can be serious when we need to, and I feel the emojis really are the best ways to respond when we are doing eulogies for our lost ones. This is a great community to be a part of!

Secondly, thanks to the committee for honouring me with an award. While I may feel I could have waited a few years for that one, I hope it can be an encouragement to others to be active, make posts and try to support the game developers and others in our community in any way you can. My rolemodel here is @Shadow1000 , who has been doing what I do for far longer than me. And what do we do? I'll let another one of my heroes explain:

Re engagement, I will definitely leave some props/encouragement/respect if I like what I see, even if I don't end up downloading it or haven't played it yet. Everybody likes getting feedback, everybody likes knowing people have enjoyed their work in one way or another, so why not let them know. It doesn't take a lot of effort and you make someone a bit happier.

Thirdly, a big thank you to the same (?) committee for honouring @fernewelten with the Tech Achievement award. He deserves it, doubly so now that the best puzzle award is out in limbo.  I'd like the proper reasons given by the jury to be posted, too, as that one was lost during the ceremony. Congratulations, Fernewelten!

Finally, I'd like to congratulate the winners and the nominees. The quality of what you guys put out there is very high, so it's a badge of honour even to be nominated. I'm kind of happy that all the "big three" of this year shared the prizes. It's fun to see a game win a lot, but I feel that it may give a better impression of how close the race is when there are awards for more than one game.

For 2024: Make games! Play games! Comment and rate! Give feedback! It's a lot easier to vote when you find your own notes for the games in the game threads.  And buy Khris and the other helping angels a coffee. In a blue cup.

Can you say what time is it and which is the reference? (UTC, Greenwich, ...) Or how many hours/minutes from NOW..?

4 hours from now.

EDIT: If you enter the room early, to test it, you'll see that there is a clock counting down, too.

Hello, I'm new to this forum. I'm Nina and I'm 29 years old. I live in France. I'm learning video game creation and I use Adventure Game Studio.
I often play video games and now I play to the last Zelda on Switch.
Have a nice day!

Welcome! We are glad to have you. This is a friendly place, so look around, join conversations or competitions, and read up on technical tips. Hope to play a game you have made in the future. 

[The Angry approach]

Some feedback:

The Angry approach by Rootbound:

Spoiler

I have to admit that this entry is by far the most logical and realistic. But I'm unsure if I would have climbed the palm tree and gotten angry before trying to make smoke signals. Similarly, some people with the right background may have gone for the frayed-up tree final solution right away. I think I would have been satisfied if I solved it in the manner of the walkthrough, and even just using the paperback, glass and tree, and finally the keys, it is a pretty good puzzle. I liked the celebration, which is also creative. The creativity in this entry lies in using the items at hand in a way that I wouldn't have thought of myself, but which seems perfectly rational when I read it/see it.

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Jump the Shark Approach by The Great Underground Empire:

Spoiler

This one is hilarious pretty much from start to finish. I would need some serious nudging to solve the puzzles, I guess. The logic is that of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, down to the super stretchy underwear. (You need it to be long underwear with an opening in the back which now can be used to load the slingshot.)  That said, the creativity is top notch, and it would be very satisfying to end up like a pair of super pirates in the end. A drawback would be that I think I would run around trying to combine stuff, but without being aware of the plan the protagonist has for building things, unless the game would drop some hints when looking around.

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I voted for

Spoiler

Jump the shark. I liked both, but went for the long, crazy one this time.

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I haven't read the other entries yet. I note that there is some pirate speech, so here's hoping mine isn't too similar to the others'.
Here is THE ANIMAL WHISPERER APPROACH.

Spoiler

TRY TO SIGNAL THE CARGO SHIP
The lighter doesn't work, so you can't light a fire. You wave your t-shirt and shout, but there's no sign that the Cargo Ship notices you.

SWIM TO THE CARGO SHIP
The shark smells the blood and comes closer. You retreat to the beach.

THROW THE VOLLEYBALL TO THE DOLPHINS
The dolphins seem keen, but smack the ball unbelievably high up in the air, and it drops down on the island again. Clearly, the volleyball is too light for them.

EXAMINE COCONUTS
They seem heavier and more sturdy than the volleyball. Hmmm.

CLIMB PALM TREE
You slide down. This looks so much easier on tv!

SHAKE PALM TREE
The Coconuts fail to fall down. The Parrot makes abuse about how Captain Doubloon would have easily gathered the coconuts or commandeered someone to do it for him.

TALK TO THE PARROT
The parrot smatters abuse the whole time, laughing as you fail to do stuff. Clearly, you're no Captain Doubloon!

ASK ABOUT CAPTAIN DOUBLOON
The parrot informs you that Captain Doubloon was a RICH man who could SCARE a hungry shark just by looking at him, and he could SAIL anything.

READ MARKINGS ON PALM TREE
Could it be...a treasure map? Not much use on this tiny island, but still...

EXAMINE OYSTERS
The water is in the way, silly.

USE DIVING MASK AND SNORKEL
EXAMINE OYSTERS
You find pearls! The Parrot comments that you may be RICH, but Captain Doubloon could SCARE a shark and SAIL anything.

EXAMINE BOAT
Obtained glass shards. This boat could only sail if someone kept it afloat and pulled it.

PUSH BOAT
PULL BOAT
You can't move it by yourself.

USE ROPE WITH BOAT
PULL ROPE
If only someone could help you!

GO INTO THE WATER.
When you enter the water, the school of fish is scared away. When you go back on land, they return, but now the dolphins follow them for a little while.

USE ROPE WITH DOLPHINS (While they are close to the shoreline.)
One of the dolphins pulls the boat into the water! The other one tries to prop it up, and they move it slowly back and forth, playfully.

CLIMB ABOARD BOAT
The boat goes under the surface. You jump off, and the dolphins bring it back up. They continue to play with it. The Parrot shouts that only Captain Doubloon can SAIL a broken boat.

USE LIFEBUOY WITH BOAT
The boat floats higher in the water.

CLIMB ABOARD BOAT
One dolphin pulls the broken boat by the rope, while the other props it up from underneath. You sit in a less-than-cool position on the unbroken parts of the boat. The parrot says that he's impressed – you can SAIL anything, just like Captain Doubloon. But you can't SCARE a shark.

ASK PARROT ABOUT SHARKS
The conversation shows that sharks are afraid of pain, and that they will attack a human unless they believe it will hurt them. They recognize humans by shape (over water) and smell (under water).

USE CAP ON VOLLEYBALL
USE SUNGLASSES ON VOLLEYBALL
GET BUOY FROM BOAT
USE BUOY WITH VOLLEYBALL
Half-doll made
USE CLOTHES WITH HALF-DOLL
It may look convincing enough from afar if you put it on the water.
USE BLOOD WITH HALF-DOLL
USE HALF-DOLL WITH WATER
The shark eyes the doll above the waterline, then smells the blood and attacks! You swiftly pull everything out of the water. The shark returns to its position.

USE HALF-DOLL WITH GLASS SHARDS
USE HALF-DOLL WITH WATER
The shark attacks again! This time, it bites down on the glass shards. It quickly swims away.

TAKE HALF-DOLL
USE HALF-DOLL WITH ME
You don the disguise and walk into the water. The shark come closer, then looks and smells who this is, and swims away. The Parrot says that you even can SCARE a shark. It is impressed that you can match Captain Doubloon and is ready to take orders.

SWIM TO CARGO SHIP
It's too far, even with the shark gone.

SAIL TO CARGO SHIP WITH BROKEN BOAT
That's not safe for other things than playing in the shallow waters.

TALK TO PARROT
You give several ridiculous orders, including that the parrot bring you coconuts and decipher the markings on the tree. You learn how to interpret the map.

(MINIGAME – FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT)
You locate the spot where Captain Doubloon's treasure is buried, but you don't have anything suitable for digging. And the parrot is too small to be of help with that.

OPEN COCONUT
You can't. You try several items, but with no success.

USE COCONUTS WITH DOLPHINS
This is more sturdy than a volleyball! The dolphins play with their nuts (Hm.) in an amazing display of virtousity. Finally, they smack them too hard, and the coconuts are broken into pieces, which you gather. Obtained coconut pieces.

EXAMINE COCONUT PIECES
You locate the most scoop-like coconut shell shard. Makeshift shovel obtained.

USE MAKESHIFT SHOVEL ON TREASURE SPOT
You have too little energy. You need to eat something.

USE COCONUT PIECES WITH ME
Stamina regained.

DIG
You find the treasure. It is a lamp of aladdin style. The Parrot screams in fright and tells you that Captain Doubloon buried that for a good reason.

RUB LAMP
It's too dirty.

USE COKE WITH LAMP
The lamp is rinsed.

RUB LAMP
A devil-genie appears.

TALK TO DEVIL-GENIE
Lengthy conversation reveals that you get only one wish from this one. He warns you that you need to be specific. And, being evil, he will only accept selfish wishes. You wish to return to your hotel and pool bar. And no time travelling, you add, reminded by your still working wristwatch. The Devil-Genie needs to know where the hotel and pool bar is, and what they are called.

USE NAUTICAL CHART WITH DEVIL-GENIE
The Devil-Genie now knows which island your hotel is located on.

USE KEYS WITH DEVIL-GENIE
The Devil-Genie recognizes the logo of the hotel. He now knows the name of the hotel.

EXAMINE LIGHTER
It says «Gold Bar».

TALK TO DEVIL-GENIE
You inform him that the pool bar is called «Gold Bar». The Devil-Genie says he will grant your wish immediately, you just need to make it worth his while. Provide him with some sort of payment or entertainment first. Being trapped in the lamp again is going to be tedious.

GIVE PAPERBACK THRILLER TO DEVIL-GENIE
He accepts it with surprising glee, stating that he hasn't read that one.

The Devil-Genie shouts out the magical words. Instead of transporting you to your hotel, he transports the hotel and the pool bar here, to the small island. He disappears into the lamp again. As you pour yourself a drink, you notice that the Cargo Ship now has set course for your island. Will they be paying customers? Or will they transport you off this island? Game ends.

[close]

Congratulations on the release! Learning languages is fun and useful, and there should be more games for this purpose, in my opinion.

[Spoons III]

Rongyptian by jwalt
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/ags-games-in-production/rongyptian-demo-available-and-music-video/
https://www.abandonsocios.org/wiki/RoNgyptian

The demo is a short and fun RoN story, and the music video, well, it is animation to music. You can move around afterwards, but there's no extra game there. Still a bit of fun, though.

He made another music video: Spoons Music Video. This was while working on his game Spoons III, which is in the database. The Demo is not, but is still available in the GIP thread. There are a couple of beta version links as well, just in case any completionists want to check out the entire journey towards the completed game.

Edit: I played Spoons III, and realize now that the music video and the demo are both included in the game.
Edit II: Jwalt also made yet another music video: Could it be?
Edit III: And another music video! West End Girls

Jwalt has been quite prolific in the last MAGS contests, making a series of fun games about Davy and Josh travelling through multiple dimensions, but he hasn't added them to the database yet.
Here they are:
Wagu Ogambo (Nov 23)
Not My RON (Dec 23)
Trippy (Jan 24)
The Second Secret of the Orbs (Feb 24)
And he's working on the March installment as we speak.  By his own description, he's more of a movie maker than a game maker, but nevertheless I think he's a good storyteller and the games are worth a look.

Found one weird one (...)
It's named Little Mrs. Domestic Goddess, it's here: https://kidrhinogames.itch.io/little-mrs-domestic-goddess

This game is kind of a statement game. It's funny and feministic, just in case someone thought that was hard to pull off. The dev seems to have made lots of shorties using different game maker systems, and she also seems fond of deconstructing genres and make satire of them. Lots of swearing, in case that is important to whoever's reading this.

Some of the games Tag2015 asked for in the other thread turned up, and I guess they should be here, too.

Revenge of the Nagging Sister is a game a girl made for her brother to remind him that he had promised to make a game for her. Don't expect the world, but it has some charm, I'll give it that. Basically, find the items-game.
Stick Man Quest is a two-room training game.
DROI0 (or possibly called DROID3, too) is a strange and bug-ridden game that has you controlling a droid and trying to gain control of a space ship. It's an adventure game, despite of what it sounds like. This will probably test anyone's patience.
Whodunit is an adventure with sprinklings of investigation, but for the most part this takes the back seat. I'm at a loss to describe this one properly. On the one hand, there are some clever puzzles and a couple of funny jokes here, on the other, there's sudden death, an enormous maze,some serious moon logic and the possibility of being soft-locked with no chance to win. Oh, and I thought the game was broken, but you move using the keyboard cursor keys. The walk icon is there, but does nothing.
Psychic Sam and the Postal Service of Doom
Last Order is by the same author as Nagging Sister a few lines above. This is a very short game about trying to get served before the pub closes.

(I will edit in comments here after trying the last games.)

Les aventures de Jacques Burton dans les griffes des pirates by Godzillu
https://adventuregamestudio.1fr1.net/t3046-les-aventures-de-jacques-burton-dans-les-griffes-des-pirates

Unfortunately, this game is still in production, if I understand correctly.

Having a look at the old spreadsheet I noticed a few games that are not on the "missing" lists, but I can't find them anywhere. Does anybody have them?

• DROID0 by computerbynar
• Enviro kids 2
• Evil Bert by Brett Mahoney
• Last Order by BlueAngel
• Psychic Sam And the Postal Service of Doom by Tristan Croft
• Revenge of the Nagging Sister, the by BlueAngel
• Stick Man Quest by Stuart Lilford
• Thorak & Steve 1: The hunt begins by Marc Kalinic
• Whodunit by Mabit

Thanks!

Looks like Lars has a couple of them:
DROI0
Stick Man Quest

I haven't tested them, so they may not be what you are looking for.

The download links in BlueAngel's sig (for example found here) seems to still be active. I got a virus warning, though.

I always meant to come back to this jam and write about the games here, but life happened and time passed. Even so, yesterday, I played Shadows of Serenity. This is a cyberpunk investigation game and well worth a look. Corners had to be cut for the game jam, but the graphics, writing and voice work is impressive. (Although the characters talk "literary", not realistically.) The game itself is made in Unity, and some of the voices are made using AI trained by using the developer's friends, much like @AndreasBlack is doing in his project.



I also ignored some games:
Bat Swarm Demo is a platformer.
Flittery Fly describes itself as "Flappy Bird, but harder".
Robot Game is a shooter.
Space Asteroid is a shooter.

[The Second Secret of the Orbs]

What a great MAGS month! Great games and five of them, too! 

Here are my thoughts this round:

The Second Secret of the Orbs

Spoiler

Who doesn't love a series? The game concentrates on story, and it has me waiting for the next installment already. It has more of an adventure feeling than the first chapters of the story, but still using the inventory and dialogue options in a simplified manner. Actually, I don't mind. But I want these games in the database.

[close]

Brian Eggs Is Lost In The Woods

Spoiler

As expected, OneDollar shows his great humour, albeit in a way I didn't anticipate. A good game disguised as a crappy game. Funny and consistent, and the final puzzle was a good one! I laughed at the scouts entering the McDonald's in campfire formation, and also the escape from the forest pathfinding. (Lots of internal jokes here for the AGS crowd.)

[close]

Dracula's Mid-Century-Modern House of Mystery

Spoiler

Eye-candy from start to finish. I couldn't finish it without using debug mode, so I'll wait for the finished game before I attempt preparing food for Dracula. Exceptionally well done graphics and cool animations.

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Use It All (Or Forget Your Ball)

Spoiler

I had a hand in this, so I can't consider it for my own voting, but hats off to Kastchey for creating this and making it his own. He changed enough that the game was challenging for me, too. I especially liked the dialogue puzzle with the pig.

[close]

The Green & Red

Spoiler

I made a thread just to rave about the music in this one. Atmosphere is often the key to a successful game, and I think this is a good example of that. The green/red palette makes for an onimous, eerie feeling. I mean...the Red Hills? Can it get any spookier? This is combined with the snaky scrolling map, which I really liked, and that sinister piano track with those wonderful, ethereal baby sounds on top. The story hints at a larger world with a backstory I'd like to explore more. The puzzles are challenging enough to be fun, but not really difficult.

[close]

I voted for:

Spoiler

Biden. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I give my vote to The Green & Red this month.

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I think another 22 room extravaganza is just what this MAGS needs...

...oh wait 11...

Took me a while to get the joke.   

@Kastchey I'm stuck again. So instead of spamming the MAGS thread, I open a thread here.

Spoiler

I have to ribs from the corset but cannot glue them to the tiara with the resin. I have a repaired horn. I cannot fully wake up the owl. The pig is running around with my garter.

[close]

You need to do some things more than once. Examining things should hint at what.

Spoiler

Examine your dress.

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If you have already done that, then

Spoiler

concentrate on the pig. You have to fool him into believing the wolf is there.

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