MAGS August “Distance/Separation” (RESULT)

Stupot · Tue 01/08/2023 08:12:08

Welcome to MAGS August

Theme: DISTANCE / SEPARATION
Set by: Rootbound and 4KbShort

The winner of MAGS August was:
The Distant Door by Durinde

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

Is it something to overcome, or something sought after? It can be as wide as a bay or as narrow as a window. How far can you run, or how close can you stand to what you want to run from? How big or how small a gap can you manage to bridge? And is it a gap between yo and a goal, a loved one, a destination, a home?
Maybe you only need one more inch, one more second. So close, and yet so far. Or so far as to be in a different world entirely. It's up to you.

If you are joining us from Itch, welcome.
Please remember your entries do NOT have to be adventure games but they MUST be made with Adventure Game Studio editor.

What is MAGS?
Started in 2001, MAGS is a competition for amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to create a game in under a month, following the guidelines set by the previous winner. It aims to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and provide a kick-start into making adventure games. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you have bad art skills, use it as a chance to do some graphic work. If you're sub-standard at coding, use it as a chance to give scripting a go. Ultimately, people will vote for the most enjoyable entry.

Rules
Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualize your game following the month's criteria (see above). Second, create your game fuelled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

* A working download link
* The title of your game
* A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fourteen days, and the winner chooses the next month's theme.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

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Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
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Cassiebsg · Tue 01/08/2023 12:53:14

Interesting topic. I'll see if I can get a decent idea for a short game, while I'm still on vacation.

Stupot · Tue 01/08/2023 13:39:52

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Tue 01/08/2023 12:53:14Interesting topic. I'll see if I can get a decent idea for a short game, while I'm still on vacation.

It would be great to have another Cassie MAGS game

Durinde · Tue 01/08/2023 13:58:38

I *may* try something, make shake things up creativity rise while I'm a little stalled on my other project. No promises but I'm leaning towards participating this month.

Stupot · Tue 01/08/2023 15:05:47

Quote from: Durinde on Tue 01/08/2023 13:58:38I *may* try something, make shake things up creativity rise while I'm a little stalled on my other project. No promises but I'm leaning towards participating this month.

Doooo it!

Stupot · Thu 03/08/2023 08:57:36

As an experiment, to try to increase participation, I have created a parallel Jam on itch.io.

https://itch.io/jam/mags-august-2023

Users there are invited to sign up and submit their games in this thread too.

If you are joining us from Itch, welcome.
Please remember your entries do NOT have to be adventure games but they MUST be made with Adventure Game Studio editor.

RootBound · Thu 03/08/2023 11:29:19

Quote from: Stupot on Thu 03/08/2023 08:57:36If you are joining us from Itch, welcome.
Please remember your entries do NOT have to be adventure games but they MUST be made with Adventure Game Studio editor.

Hey @Stupot

Should this boldfaced section go in the first post too, just in case people coming from itch don't read the whole thread?

Durinde · Mon 07/08/2023 14:38:14

I'm far enough along in my project to create an itch page for it.

https://durinde.itch.io/the-distant-door

I'll be posting updates there and I'll drop one more post here when it gets to release status.

Blondbraid · Mon 07/08/2023 20:36:07

I know I haven't been active in the community for a while, but I'm hoping to get back in the game and wondering if anyone would like to collaborate this MAGS.

Cassiebsg · Mon 07/08/2023 21:35:10

Blondbraid, if you have an idea I wouldn't mind.

Ii still haven't come up with anything, but I'm itching to do something.

Stupot · Tue 08/08/2023 02:03:40

A @Cassiebsg / @Blondbraid collaboration?

Yes, please.

Blondbraid · Tue 08/08/2023 13:43:38

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Mon 07/08/2023 21:35:10Blondbraid, if you have an idea I wouldn't mind.
Ii still haven't come up with anything, but I'm itching to do something.

Wonderful, I'll list a few ideal I have in a PM soon!

RootBound · Tue 08/08/2023 16:00:44

Still trying to finish one of my bigger games this month, so probably won't enter, but it's great to see engagement with the prompt!

heltenjon · Tue 08/08/2023 17:00:41

A Blondbraid/Cassiebsg game sounds like a hit!

I spent much of a long drive with my kids doing a brainstorm for the theme, and we managed to get some rough ideas sort of connected. But seeing as my kids are a somewhat unreliable workforce, I have my doubts whether we will actually commit to making an entry. Still possible, though.

Cassiebsg · Wed 09/08/2023 16:02:00

Wish i could motivate my son to brainstorm, but he likes the "I don't know." approach.

Radiant · Sat 12/08/2023 09:57:56

Quote from: Stupot on Tue 01/08/2023 08:12:08Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.

The first and last post in The Trove point to Opengameart as a resource. Is the free material from Opengameart allowed in MAGS contests?

Stupot · Sat 12/08/2023 11:20:33

Quote from: Radiant on Sat 12/08/2023 09:57:56
Quote from: Stupot on Tue 01/08/2023 08:12:08Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
The first and last post in The Trove point to Opengameart as a resource. Is the free material from Opengameart allowed in MAGS contests?

Yep. It used to be the rule that no pre-made assets were allowed, but that was abolished some time ago. You can use any publicly available pre-made graphics.

Durinde · Sat 19/08/2023 13:42:21

Waiting on VO, other than that my game is playable from start to finish(es).

Stupot · Wed 23/08/2023 09:57:46

How are we getting on, gang?

Durinde · Sat 26/08/2023 15:21:24

And... done!

The Distant Door
Playable in Browser and Via Download (For Windows)

https://durinde.itch.io/the-distant-door

It's a fairly short one, but I put a lot into it.

The Distant Door

You are a night shift worker who has just moved into a new apartment building. While getting ready for work, you hear your neighbor having a terrible coughing fit.

MAGS August “Distance/Separation” (RESULT)

What is your favourite game of MAGS August?