Spoons III - Released

[jwalt]

This is going to be a RoN game. Started working on it fairly recently:

Most of the Demo won't find it's way into the game, but it helped get me started. The Demo also explains the Unauthorized Edition subtitle.

Link: http://www.mediafire.com/download/1hkl15okwfchvro/spoonDemo.zip

In Demo Screenshots:



Status at the moment:

Story--  100%
Graphics--  100% (RoN game, so much of the graphics are already done)
Scripting -- 95%
Music-- 98%

Basically, I'm just starting up. Captivated by a concept originally developed by Irishrichy, who, it seems, is no longer active on the boards.

The Demo was a great deal of fun to make. I hope you enjoy it! Be warned: I have not broken myself of the habit I seem to have for making movies instead of games. This Demo is no exception.

3/27/2016 Update: Decided any respectable Rock Group needed a Music Video, so I made them one:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/tkkz06eu6wdwxdj/spoonMV1.zip

4/3/2016 Update: Additional Screen shot:



Also, made contact with Irishrichy, so this Unauthorized Edition isn't quite as Unauthorized as it was. He sent me a small piece of artwork that will, most likely, show up in the game. And if Dave Gilbert happens by, please note the surfboard. Just don't feel obligated for product placement fees, unless you really, really want to...

4/10/2016 Update: Beta Available:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/md1653fndo309e3/spoonBeta1.zip

Still tweaking things, but this is substantially the game. Not sure how breakable it is, but it's highly likely to be breakable. Take it for a spin if you care to. PM feedback, and win a spot in the beta-tester credits, as well as in my heart.

Edit:

Jan 27, 2017 -- Newer beta released for testing:

https://www.mediafire.com/?p9cdy8huqjk111w

Known issues:
1.  Problem with two of the midi pieces. They sound horrid, in parts. Trying to track this down. Not sure what's causing it. They sound fine in Windows Media Player. They sound fine in the AGS Editor player. But they go wonky in the game.
2.  For testing, you might find a saved game useful before you talk to anyone at Scid's on the Beach,
3.  Seem to have developed some quicksand on Josh's Beach (one with the Changing Cabana). Get stuck in a loop between the ocean and the shore. You can get out of the loop by clicking on the cabana, or Josh. Here, again, I'm not sure what's causing this.
4.  Have had intermittent problems getting the bikini. This is a game killer, when/if it happens. Not seeing why this happens? Very inconsistent bug.
3.  For testing, you may want to play in a window. Game is mostly cut scenes, and you can't reach the menu bar all that often.

[Danvzare]

Ooh, this looks interesting.
Keep up the good work. And if you ever need help with coming up with puzzles, or perhaps drawing inventory icons, feel free to ask.

[Cassiebsg]

Good luck with the movie... errr... I mean game.

[jwalt]

Good luck with the movie... errr... I mean game.

The Spoons, btw, is the name of a rock group in the game(s). I figure, at some point in time, Jackie will need her ax, so I began working on it. Her sleeves are being a pain at the moment. The black dress makes it hard to pixel them. Also, here's Richy, after the mugging:



I really need to get a better grasp on layers, or this is going to be really hard to do. These were worked up in MSPaint.

[jwalt]

Risking a bump, here, to announce a Beta version available for testing:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/md1653fndo309e3/spoonBeta1.zip

Feedback, via PM, would be appreciated. Finding the dialog trees to be very difficult, for me.

[Cassiebsg]

Sorry for the long delay, time is a pain some times.

Anyway, just finished it! Great movie game! Lovely story.

A few suggestions: Considering adding ESC for your cut scenes, they are awfully long. And as far as I could see, there's no way to get out of the music video and Intro. Adding ESc or an exit button would be nice. Also, don't know if this is a "RON" thing or not, but there is no sound control. This is one of the reasons I didn't managed to complete testing sooner, cause I had to wait to be alone on my computer.
Inventory items: You seem to have the default from the template left for no reason? No "look"at the bikini either.
Consider adding a couple more lines, even if they are just "decoys" in the dialogue trees, as it is now, it lacks the "I'm playing and decide on what to say" feeling for the player. This would move the game more into the "game field" feeling and less into the "movie with auto-pause" feeling.
Last couple things (bugs): You don't let the player chance back from the bikini. You could just add a if else to the changing tent saying change back to normal clothes if wearing bikini. And at least the big palm tree to the left in the scene is missing a walk-behind.
Oh, and Jackie talks about "record on sponge baths", but I only got that after that talk... you might wish to see about adding an intl to check how many times the player has visited Richy...

Anyway, lovely little game, recommended for those that like story more than puzzles.

[jwalt]

Sorry for the long delay, time is a pain some times.

Anyway, just finished it! Great movie game! Lovely story.

A few suggestions: Considering adding ESC for your cut scenes, they are awfully long. And as far as I could see, there's no way to get out of the music video and Intro. Adding ESc or an exit button would be nice. Also, don't know if this is a "RON" thing or not, but there is no sound control. This is one of the reasons I didn't managed to complete testing sooner, cause I had to wait to be alone on my computer.
Inventory items: You seem to have the default from the template left for no reason? No "look"at the bikini either.
Consider adding a couple more lines, even if they are just "decoys" in the dialogue trees, as it is now, it lacks the "I'm playing and decide on what to say" feeling for the player. This would move the game more into the "game field" feeling and less into the "movie with auto-pause" feeling.
Last couple things (bugs): You don't let the player chance back from the bikini. You could just add a if else to the changing tent saying change back to normal clothes if wearing bikini. And at least the big palm tree to the left in the scene is missing a walk-behind.
Oh, and Jackie talks about "record on sponge baths", but I only got that after that talk... you might wish to see about adding an intl to check how many times the player has visited Richy...

Anyway, lovely little game, recommended for those that like story more than puzzles.

Thanks for looking at the game. I was starting to feel pretty lonely in the room.

Appreciate the feedback, and I will see what I can do regarding all of them. I'd noticed the tree issue in a recent playthrough and had plans on fixing it. One question regarding the bikini switch:

Spoiler

If you couldn't change back to street clothes, how'd you finish the game? That should have been a game breaker. Here's my cabana code:

Code: ags

function hCabana_Interact()
{
  player.Walk(180, 150, eBlock);
  if (player == cJackieF && cJackieF.HasInventory(iBikini))  {
    cJakini.SetAsPlayer();
    aSurfin_Safari.Play(eAudioPriorityNormal, eRepeat);
    cJakini.Walk(140, 160, eBlock);
    cJakini.Walk(140,  180,  eBlock);
    cJakini.Say("Well, what the hell are you looking at?");
  }
  else  {
    cJackieF.Say("Empty. A place to change clothes, evidently");
    cJackieF.SetAsPlayer();
    //aSurfin_Safari.Stop();
  }
}

[close]

[Cassiebsg]

Hey.

Spoiler

I left the "room" and when I entered the bar room she was magically wearing her normal street clothes.

You just need something like this:

Code: ags

function hCabana_Interact()
{
  player.Walk(180, 150, eBlock);
  if (player == cJackieF && cJackieF.HasInventory(iBikini))  {
    cJakini.SetAsPlayer();
    aSurfin_Safari.Play(eAudioPriorityNormal, eRepeat);
    cJakini.Walk(140, 160, eBlock);
    cJakini.Walk(140,  180,  eBlock);
    cJakini.Say("Well, what the hell are you looking at?");
  }
  else if (player == cJakini)
  {
    cJakini.SetAsPlayer();
    aSurfin_Safari.Play(eAudioPriorityNormal, eRepeat);
    cJakini.Walk(140, 160, eBlock);
    cJakini.Walk(140,  180,  eBlock);
    cJakini.Say("That's better!");
  }    
  else  {
    cJackieF.Say("Empty. A place to change clothes, evidently");
    //aSurfin_Safari.Stop();
  }
}

Maybe you have something in the bar room, at loading time, that changes the character back to cJackieF?

Ah... I see you had the code to change the player back on the else. Weird then that is didn't work and she continued using the bikini.

[close]

[jwalt]

Hey.

Spoiler

I left the "room" and when I entered the bar room she was magically wearing her normal street clothes.

You just need something like this:

Code: ags

function hCabana_Interact()
{
  player.Walk(180, 150, eBlock);
  if (player == cJackieF && cJackieF.HasInventory(iBikini))  {
    cJakini.SetAsPlayer();
    aSurfin_Safari.Play(eAudioPriorityNormal, eRepeat);
    cJakini.Walk(140, 160, eBlock);
    cJakini.Walk(140,  180,  eBlock);
    cJakini.Say("Well, what the hell are you looking at?");
  }
  else if (player == cJakini)
  {
    cJakini.SetAsPlayer();
    aSurfin_Safari.Play(eAudioPriorityNormal, eRepeat);
    cJakini.Walk(140, 160, eBlock);
    cJakini.Walk(140,  180,  eBlock);
    cJakini.Say("That's better!");
  }    
  else  {
    cJackieF.Say("Empty. A place to change clothes, evidently");
    //aSurfin_Safari.Stop();
  }
}

Maybe you have something in the bar room, at loading time, that changes the character back to cJackieF?

Ah... I see you had the code to change the player back on the else. Weird then that is didn't work and she continued using the bikini.

[close]

The walks off left condition should have locked her on the beach.

Spoiler

function room_LeaveLeft()
{
  if (player == cJakini)  {
    player.Say("No way am I going off this beach in this bikini.");
    player.Say("I'll have to change back into my street clothes.");
    player.Walk(player.x + 5,  player.y,  eBlock);
  }
  else  {
    player.ChangeRoom(2, 300, 180);
  }
}

[close]

What'd you do? Swim over there?      Taking jackieF for a walk after the change might help make it more obvious. Thanks for that!

[Cassiebsg]

Okay, guess I'll need to replay and see if it does the same, cause she did not change clothes for me, which I thought was weird. I'll try and re-play it again just to make sure I just wasn't too tired and missed that.

EDIT: Okay, I was probably blind, just gave it another run and she does change. Maybe I was just waiting for for a reaction and when "nothing" happened, I didn't noticed she had changed.

[jwalt]

Sorry for bringing this back up. I was quite content to let it continue sinking down into the board abyss, but Renegade Implementor pm'd me, asking about the status. We had agreed, more or less, to go ahead and post the game at the RoN site, and just let it die off here. Then, I dusted off my beta, and promptly found a game killing bug, along with three other minor issues. It involves playing the intro/demo and then playing the game. If anyone else takes the beta for a spin, don't play the intro/demo and then move directly to the main game without a fresh reload. Now feeling obligated to fix these.

And the busted beta could still use fresh eyes looking it over. Anyone?

Edit: I have had two folks who have completed the game, and both have provided feedback. Since I keep finding, on my own, game ending bugs, I'm still working on the game.

Some additional things regarding bugs in this beta: Make sure you exhaust all the dialogue options with Claudia before exiting. You won't be able to get back with her, and she has something you need to know about. Game will stall out. I've also encountered a, yet, unfixed bug if you talk to Josh without talking to Dave, first. Most of the bugs I've encountered have been easy enough to fix. This Dave/Josh one is proving more elusive. Not sure whasssup wid it.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/md1653fndo309e3/spoonBeta1.zip

[jwalt]

Bump

I've added an Achievements page. Story line allows two outcomes. Catch the guy who beat up Richy:

Spoiler

Thought I'd make use of the Spoons III logo to "imprison" the crook. FYI, if the crook is in the Slammer, Ponch is not the only AGSer I pick on.

[close]

Or fail to catch him:

Spoiler

In which case he really messes up your Achievement display.

[close]

I'm close to posting a second Beta, unless I just give up and release what I've got running at that critical moment.

[Cassiebsg]

Courage! You can do it!

[jwalt]

New beta released for testing:

https://www.mediafire.com/?p9cdy8huqjk111w

Known issues:
1.  Problem with two of the midi pieces. They sound horrid, in parts. Trying to track this down. Not sure what's causing it. They sound fine in Windows Media Player. They sound fine in the AGS Editor player. But they go wonky in the game.
2.  For testing, you might find a saved game useful before you talk to anyone at Scid's on the Beach,
3.  Seem to have developed some quicksand on Josh's Beach (one with the Changing Cabana). Get stuck in a loop between the ocean and the shore. You can get out of the loop by clicking on the cabana, or Josh. Here, again, I'm not sure what's causing this.
4.  Have had intermittent problems getting the bikini. This is a game killer, when/if it happens. Not seeing why this happens? Very inconsistent bug.
3.  For testing, you may want to play in a window. Game is mostly cut scenes, and you can't reach the menu bar all that often.

[Cassiebsg]

Downloaded, will take it for a spin probably tomorrow.