MAGS August “Distance/Separation” (RESULT)

[Cassiebsg]

We started it... atm you have one puzzle (that consists in pick up 1 item...) very very challenging...

PS - And I was cutting the grass and think I aspired inhaled a tiny bit of grass when I empty the machine... Now it's stuck in my esophagus...

[Mandle]

PS - And I was cutting the grass and think I aspired inhaled a tiny bit of grass when I empty the machine... Now it's stuck in my esophagus...

Not the best kind of grass to inhale.

[Cassiebsg]

LOL
I see that 2 people liked my last post... hope it's because they liked that the game is progressing, and not that I "almost died"...

Anyway, looking for a beta tester or 2 (and spellchecker would be great too). Game is now playable but it's short, and it "only" has one minor crash inconvenience at the end of the credits... I'll see if I can fix it when I get home.

I posted about needing help here: https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/recruitment/ags-help-wanted-beta-tester-abd-speelchecker-for-august-mags-game/

Just PM if you can/wish to help out.

[Radiant]

How are we getting on, gang?

I didn't have enough time to get something playable, just a POC with a character moving around. Maybe next time...

[Stupot]

No worries @Radiant. Look out for September's theme very soon.

[Cassiebsg]

The long August longing



Story and Graphics:    Gertrud Bondesson
Scripting:            Sandra T. Almeida
Beta testing:          Nahuel Peillat

Story:
After a little century, our hero wakes up and hopes to see her friends soon. But first she needs to send the invitation out and make sure her servant has the castle tip top.

Very short game created for MAGS August 2023 with the theme "Distance/Separation".

Game res.: 1024x640 (16:10)
AGS version: 3.5.1.10

Game page entry: https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2687-the-long-august-longing/
Direct download link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gsmf3fdlapnczdo/The_long_August_longing_V1.00.zip/file

Edit: Updated.
I'll update this post in a while, I need to create the screenshots, type a description and create an entry on the games page.

[Durinde]

The long August longing

Story and Graphics:   Gertrud Bondesson
Scripting:      Sandra T. Almeida

Download link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gsmf3fdlapnczdo/The_long_August_longing_V1.00.zip/file

I'll update this post in a while, I need to create the screenshots, type a description and create an entry on the games page.

Glad to see it just wasn't me that entered!

[Cassiebsg]

Happy to hear that you could forgive my 53 second posting delay. I shouldn't have typed the last line. 

[Kitty Trouble]

I was planning to have something playable, but my health these last couple weeks hasn't been great, and I only finished my font, lucasarts-style GUI, main character, and part of the first room.

Question, is reusing stuff like fonts/GUI in the spirit of the competition? Or does it need to be made from scratch each time even if I want to do the same thing?

[Stupot]

That is no problem, @Kitty Trouble.

Thank you to those who participated this round, even if you weren't able to get an entry in.

We still got two great-looking games and I think it's going to be an interesting battle for votes.

Please vote using the poll above.

	The Distant Door by Durinde
	The long August longing by Cassiebsg and Blondbraid

[RootBound]

Played both and voted!

[Tomags]

Same here. Two great games with different approaches and strong points.

@Blondbraid , if you don't mind me asking, how do you do the animations? Do you use Dragonbones?

[heltenjon]

Here's my thoughts this month.

The Distant Door

Spoiler

The rpg style graphics are not my favourite style, but they work and fits the mood of the game. The writing is good, and the feel of both endings is that this may happen. The puzzles are mostly a result of having a realistic approach to inventory items instead of piling up everything that is not nailed down. As realism is a point in this story, I felt this choice worked well. Also nice voice acting.

[close]

The long August longing

Spoiler

Simply gorgeous looking, with easy, yet clever puzzles. The story is humorous, creating an intended clash between horror mood and comedy.

[close]

I haven't decided who to vote for yet! But I will cast a vote. It is difficult because

Spoiler

The games outshine each other in different categories. TLAL has far better graphics and puzzles, while TDD has the best character development/story and more emotional impact. It's also a case of apples and oranges to compare a comedic piece with a tear-jerker type slice of life story that invites to afterthought.

[close]

[Blondbraid]

Same here. Two great games with different approaches and strong points.

@Blondbraid , if you don't mind me asking, how do you do the animations? Do you use Dragonbones?

Yes, you guessed right! Plus Firealpaca for art assets used in the animation.

Funnily enough, the reason I made a Renaissance vampire woman in a gown was so that I didn't have to do any tricky leg animations while testing out Dragonbones.

[Tomags]

Same here. Two great games with different approaches and strong points.

@Blondbraid , if you don't mind me asking, how do you do the animations? Do you use Dragonbones?

Yes, you guessed right! Plus Firealpaca for art assets used in the animation.

Funnily enough, the reason I made a Renaissance vampire woman in a gown was so that I didn't have to do any tricky leg animations while testing out Dragonbones.

Thanks! I think the animations worked very well with AGS.  I tried to do some tests on Dragonbones a while ago, I may go back to it. Thanks for letting us know about Firealpaca, I didn't know it.

Good idea to simplify the model for the animation.

[4KbShort]

I was planning to have something playable, but my health these last couple weeks hasn't been great, and I only finished my font, lucasarts-style GUI, main character, and part of the first room.

Question, is reusing stuff like fonts/GUI in the spirit of the competition? Or does it need to be made from scratch each time even if I want to do the same thing?

@Stupot would have to weigh in on this one, but I will admit that since my first entry where I made my GUI and set up my "default" game design criteria I haven't changed any of them and just use the same Sierra style system with generic graphics and plug in the game behind them. I figured this was okay since when you see a Sierra game you know it's a Sierra game by the GUI more than anything. No one has said anything to me about it, yet so I'm going to assume it's okay.

[Stupot]

Yeah. Once upon a time there was a fairly strict 'no pre-existing assets' law. Everything had to be made from scratch. I think it was felt that this made it too overwhelming for newcomers (though I wonder if it did encourage more team entries, where everyone had a specific job to do).

So for a while we had it where the topic-setter could choose whether or not premade assets were allowed, but almost everyone said yes, so I stopped asking. Since then it's been much more lenient. No one has complained and while it hasn't done much to increase the participation numbers, it does lower the barrier for entry to those who would like to enter but can't do everything from scratch.

In the more specific case of reusing something you'd made for a previous entry (whether completed or not), I don't see a problem with that, especially if it helps increase the number of entries. Others will say so if they think someone has taken too many liberties, if not in writing then in the voting.

[Cassiebsg]

Finished playing.

The Distant Door (by Durinde)

Spoiler

Nice little game, and with voice acting as sherry on top. Plus check on having 2 endings!
Strong story, and ending 1 just felt so wrong, that even when I replayed it to get ending 1, I wished I could have changed my mind half way through the task.

Maybe if you decided to release a polished version, you can allow the player to exit the building and go to to the Hospital anyway, even though she said she couldn't? On that note, one could also blow Matt and leave the package by the door and end up on ending 1 (or ending 3 - you've been a total douchbag by saying yes and then not doing it).

One thing that annoyed me was the displays. Maybe next time consider using CW's TypedText module, and get the narrator's text on the lower black end of the screen. I think it would fit the game.

Great job anyway!

[close]

[Stupot]

Last chance to get your votes in, folks

[Stupot]

Thanks for the votes, everyone.
I honestly thought this was going to be tight, as both games look great. But the people have spoken and the winner with 8 out 8 votes is...

The Distant Door by Durinde

Well done, Durinde. I'll PM you soon about setting a theme for October.