MAGS January “The Sea” (CLOSED)

Stupot · Sun 01/01/2023 06:03:54

Theme: The Sea
Chosen by: ddavey1983
Deadline: January 31st

Calling all salty seadogs. This month your game must feature the briny deep, the great grey widow-maker.

The sea or ocean could be the setting, it could be an integral part of the plot, or it could just be in the background but it must be there somehow.

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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eri0o · Mon 02/01/2023 12:39:33

I have a good idea for this, not sure if I will have the time to develop it. $:-\$

Stupot · Sat 14/01/2023 17:30:41

How's it looking? Anyone got anything to declare?

Bulbapuck · Sat 14/01/2023 19:56:00

I began work on something at the start of the month, then I haven't found any time at all..
I'm thinking of ways to scale it down if I get any time, but would be something super small at this point.

ddavey1983 · Tue 17/01/2023 21:47:41

I'm working on something. Should be ready in time barring mishap.

ddavey1983 · Mon 30/01/2023 21:37:47

Not looking like many other entries at this point but mine's nearly done. I could do with a day or two extension to make the finishing touches less frantic if at all possible!

Stupot · Tue 31/01/2023 00:21:59

Quote from: ddavey1983 on Mon 30/01/2023 21:37:47Not looking like many other entries at this point but mine's nearly done. I could do with a day or two extension to make the finishing touches less frantic if at all possible!

Extension granted. Two extra days.
Make 'em count y'all.

vertigoaddict · Tue 31/01/2023 05:15:34

I saw this and was like "YEAH I COULD TOTALLY DO THIS!" Then realized it was 31st of January...what happened to my concept of time?

Well anyway, break legs to the participants!

Stupot · Tue 31/01/2023 07:40:24

Quote from: vertigoaddict on Tue 31/01/2023 05:15:34I saw this and was like "YEAH I COULD TOTALLY DO THIS!" Then realized it was 31st of January...what happened to my concept of time?

Well anyway, break legs to the participants!

Welcome back Vertigo Addict. It's been a while. Check back tomorrow for February's theme.

ddavey1983 · Wed 01/02/2023 20:21:07

The Devil's Teeth
By GOC Games
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2658-the-devil-s-teeth/

As you enjoy a twilight pipe by the sea wall, you watch the surf break over the treacherous submerged rocks known as the Devil's Teeth.

You are looking forward to batoning-down the hatches and spending the evening beside your hearth with a warming tot of rum.

However, as a tea clipper hoves into view over the horizon, your evening is about to take a very different turn...

A traditional point and click adventure game made by GOC Games in one month for AGS MAGS January 2023.

Stupot · Fri 03/02/2023 05:54:25

Looks like we just have the one entry, but it looks to be a banger! Thank you for keeping the contest alive, davey.

The winner is: The Devil's Teeth by GOC Games

heltenjon · Fri 03/02/2023 10:41:51

Big congrats to ddavey/GOC Games! With that, he enters hall of fame with three consecutive wins in MAGS (I guess the shared victory in December counts). Last year, he won five MAGS competitions...can he possibly outdo himself and win even more this year? It's really, really impressive.

As for the game, I've already praised in the release thread and on the games page, but I'll add here that the game comes off as well researched and puts history, science and other disciplines together in a seamless package. There's a lot here for such a limited game. I also would like to compliment how the limitations of the game plays off naturally, and there's never a feeling that the game needs more than the three locations to tell the story. If there's one thing I was wondering about, it must be when the action is supposed to take place. I'm not familiar enough with sailships history to tell.

ddavey1983 · Fri 03/02/2023 18:00:08

Thank you very much, that's very kind! The era is a little bit vague but I was going for round about the first decade or so of the 20th century. The tea clippers were still about but their days were numbered. The location is left vague as well but the cottage is modelled on one in Cornwall.