MAGS 2009-03: Re-envisioned AGS classics

[Klaus]

What is MAGS?
MAGS is a monthly competition for all amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to use AGS to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner.

For more information please visit the Official MAGS website.

Why should I enter MAGS?
We're not here to tell you that you should enter MAGS, but merely allow it as a creative opportunity to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and generally as a good kick-start for the new comers (a.k.a n00bies).

MAGS is the perfect opportunity to make a game, and the wonderful prize is to announce the next month's rules, and all competitors get the game placed on the MAGS website.

MAGS is meant to be fun and is aimed at everyone, despite their skill. If you have poor art skills work on graphics, and vice-versa, as the voting is based on "favourite" games, and not the most artistic, you may get help for the competiton, but should try not get anyone else to do any part of the game for you.

You are not allowed to (re)use material already created before this competition, you game must be completely new! An exception goes for sounds and music where you can also use free material that is available to the public.

Please do not just enter the competition with a rushed entry (a game created in just some hours or a few days)!

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Topic: Re-envisioned AGS classics

This month's guidelines were set by last month's winner bspeers:

Remake and re-envision either one of the following first AGS games ever:

1. House Quest
You must get into a house. In the original you just need a key from a nearby bush, but in your version, any method of getting in is valid, as long as the end goal is getting into a "house" or other domicile.

2. Red Flagg
A fishing trip gets excedingly bizarre. As long as the central focus is a bizarre/acid induced fishing trip, nothing else matters. What you fish for, what you find and what obstacles occur are up to the creator.

These concepts are quite simple. Now what we want to see is the most creative reimagining of one of these topics. There is plenty of room for ideas and puzzles besides the main idea of these concepts so be creative

In addition you should also in some way work in a reference to the classic AGS games - at least a joke, technical example, puzzle, graphical confrontation etc. that somehow shows the difference/evolution between the classic and the new game.

That's it! No other restrictions.

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All games need to be in by March 25th.

Please post a download link of your game entry to this thread, best with a screenshot. Thanks and good luck.

[Eggie]

I love the guidelines. Is there any way to download either of these games?

[Akatosh]

An... interesting idea, I guess. The gamesseem to be still available on bicycle-for-slugs, here and here.

[zabnat]

An... interesting idea, I guess. The gamesseem to be still available on bicycle-for-slugs, here and here.

And then some for-dummies guide how to run these things on a modern machine?

[Akatosh]

Well, if the compatibility mode doesn't do it, I recommend DosBox.

/EDIT: Or VDMSound, as DosBox doesn't seem to like HouseQuest. Which is seriously bugged, by the way.

[Eggie]

Yeah, I can't get either of them working on Dosbox.
Well, at least if they don't work on anyone's computer then all the entrants are on an even playing field.

[Akatosh]

Well, I seem to be able to get HouseQuest to run via VDMSound. Somewhat.

/EDIT: Both of them, actually... but they seem to have little to do with the games described in the first post...

[bspeers]

Seriously, don't get caught up trying to get them to work.  It's totally irrelevant.  The idea is just a starting point.  I honestly didn't even think those old games worked at all anymore.

EDIT: Actually, that's not how I remember House Quest at all.  But the idea of exploring a wierd house is fine for this contest anyway, so it hardly changes anything (for some reason all I remember is trying to get inside the house, maybe there was an earlier version?)

As for Red Flagg, okay, it wasn't quite as wierd as I remember it, but it's basically exactly what I described, so that doesn't affect anything.  There is a "save the world" subplot that I forgot about that one could expand on (in the original, it's just mentioned as a 1 off joke).

Basically, for those that can't get the games to work, House Quest is about exploring a house, there really isn't much else to it.  For this contest it could be a house or a mansion, or a castle or a carboard box that a hobo might live in, etc.

Red Flagg basically you go fishing, disembodied faces speak to you, you go back home.  Bloopers follow.

That's it.  So what can YOU do with these simple set-ups utizling the improved powers of AGS?

[uncle-mum]

Ok, this one I think I will enter. Is there a minimum length the games should be...?

[Layabout]

Red Flagg rocks!

What a cool topic. Too bad it's limited to 2 games. I would have liked to see it as a re-envisioning of any say pre-2001 AGS game. It would have opened the field a bit more, and allow people to 'remake' some true classic AGS games...

Not that Red Flagg or House Quest aren't true classic AGS games...

But I don't think anyone could out-do the mastery of the great Scid, the long-time missing and much loved AGSer.

For those who can't get Red Flagg to work, here is a walkthrough and screenshot. http://gamesolutions.efzeven.nl/red-flagg-dont-call-me-blue-walkthrough-manu-cardoen2000/

[Leon]

Yeah, housequest will be there later today.

For the ones who don't want to mess around with DosBox or other installations, I made standalone window versions of House Quest (2Mb) and Red Flagg (1,7Mb). Just unpack the archive in to the root of any drive (even USB sticks) and run from the folder created. This should also work under Vista but I only tested under XP.

[bspeers]

Yeah, Laya, I considered widening the pool to include Lassi Quest, for example, but I was afraid it would get paralyzingly broad.  I originally wanted it to just be a house quest remake contest, but I love Red Flagg to much to cut it from the pack.

I will stay tuned though, and if there are a lot of complaints, I will talk with Klaus about expanding the rules.  For now though, lets keep it simple.

[Akatosh]

Guess I'll go ahead and try to make a Red Flagg remake. Although I'm not sure if I can do the sophisticated story and gameplay justice. 

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

The outtakes for Red Flagg are longer than the game.  That has to be a record.

[bspeers]

Nearly half way through the month!   Can we have a robot roll call?  Who's still in?

Remember, these were simple games.  Even if your project is very short, it still fits the theme just fine.  In a sense, you can only go up!  So I encourage anyone to try their hand.  Hey.  you might win!

Looking forward to the end of this contest, as I hope to see some out-there entries!

EDIT: I hope I didn't kill it.  That would suck.

Er... I'm offering $1 000 000 prize to first place*!

Yeah, that'll take care of it.




*Non redeemable in the following systems: Sol.

[Dualnames]

I'm working on a game, but I might not be able to finish it on time..

[Radiant]

I'd like to have made a Snail Quest remake (that counts as a classic too, right? ) but this month that's really not going to happen unless I put a coffee transfusion in my bloodstream.

[bspeers]

I don't know about Klaus, but at this point, I think I personally would count any classic AGS remake.

[SpacePirateCaine]

I suddenly had a rush of inspiration, and am interested in participating, but I'd like to take a look at Red Flagg. I know - very short timeframe, but I think I can pull it off as a one room game. The Bicycles for Slugs mirror doesn't seem to work, sadly. Can anyone either mirror the file, or send it to me via e-mail?

Edit: Whoops! Okay, I totally missed that. That's what I get for deciding to make a game at 3:00am in the morning. Alrighty, I'll get right on it - thanks tons, Leon.

[Leon]

See reply #10, both games mirrored.