MAGS August: Circus

Klaus · Tue 01/08/2006 09:04:46

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 that you already created before this competition, you game must be completely new!

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This month Sinitreana's guidelines take us to a very special place where great stories are waiting to be discovered:

Topic: Circus

1. the main character must be someone from a circus (a clown, a juggler, a wire dancer, â€¦)
2. at least one room must be a circus location (the circus arena, a caravan, â€¦)
3. at least three of the following items must be used as inventory items:
- juggling clubs
- a diabolo
- cigarboxes
- juggling torches
- a unicycle
- stilts
- a devilstick
- an artistic ladder
- clown shoes
- a hat

There are no other restrictions.

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All entries need to be in by August 25th.

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

Dreadus · Fri 04/08/2006 07:20:33

If i can finish tapir's quest before... hmm... the 12th... i will enter this month.

FSi++ · Fri 04/08/2006 16:03:21

Must entry be exactly point-and-click adventure? I'm thinking of arcade-adventure, y'know, Dizzy-style.

Klaus · Fri 04/08/2006 16:09:35

Quote from: FSi on Fri 04/08/2006 16:03:21
Must entry be exactly point-and-click adventure?

No, as it is not explicit written in the ruleset you can create any kind of game you like.

Klaus · Thu 17/08/2006 18:55:26

Not really many posts in here this time, especially as it's a topic that offers a lot of space for own ideas. Now about one week is left for creating your games and I hope some entries are on the way. Of course you're allowed to post previews and teasers here. Don't hesitate to do so

FSi++ · Fri 18/08/2006 18:06:10

Previews? Okay:
FSi's MHCFHR! - an entry to MAGS August
A game about clown going to revenge his enemies.
Will be some time later

Some screenshots:

Hope this will help.

Buckethead · Mon 21/08/2006 15:16:23

I was wondering if anyone is going to make this. There only 5 days left. And then I include this day.

Mikko · Wed 23/08/2006 01:04:45

I woke up pretty late for this, but hopefully not too late.

Anyway, I've been working hard for two days(!) and you might see an entry from me. That is if I get it done in tomorrow, since the day after I'm far away from home.

FSi++ · Wed 23/08/2006 18:09:10

Okay, why not.
Let me introduce...

FSi's MHCFHR! (Mad Homicidal Clown From Hell Rampage)
I've already posted couple of screenshots, and there were no big changes to these areas, so let it be.

Link:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=774
If broken, please, reply.

Mikko · Wed 23/08/2006 23:27:31

Ok, I had quite a little time today, but count is as an entry if you like.

I hereby present: Clown at the Circus (demo).

Download here: http://koti.mbnet.fi/paajanen/ags/MAGS_CatC.rar

As said before, I'll be away from home for a while. I'm still able to use internet, so I'd love to hear opinions about the game.

Klaus · Thu 24/08/2006 11:00:25

Two games in - some more to come? You still have 24 hours from now (see timestamp of this post) to submit your entries then the voting will begin.

zabnat · Fri 25/08/2006 06:30:17

I was gonna enter, but seems like I couldn't finish in time. Actually all I have so far is story, puzzles and interface.

Word of advice: don't try to make a MAGS game as your first game, ~~especially~~ if you are perfectionist and have never even touched AGS before

It took me good two week to just write the story and puzzles and more than a week to tweak the interface to my liking. Yeah well ofcourse I have some excuses like having two jobs, having to fix the car and malfunctioning computer, but they're just excuses

So no entry from me this time. I'll just post it in games in production when I have something to show and finish it if I have the energy.

Erenan · Fri 25/08/2006 06:41:06

I disagree about the first game advice. My first AGS game was a MAGS entry, and I'm glad I did it because it forced me to work on it diligently, thus forcing me to practice a lot. It was invaluable experience.

And I won the competition that month.

I'll play those two entries pretty soon and maybe comment.

Klaus · Fri 25/08/2006 11:24:18

Okay - we stay with two entries. Very different entries indeed. Here we go...
For voting please visit the MAGS site or make your choice right here:

Mad Homicidal Clown From Hell Rampage by FSi
Clown at the Circus by Mikko

Please vote only once and be sure to have played all games before sending your voice! Good luck to all participants.

For the time of voting now you're invited to post your opinion about all entries: Pros and cons of the games. What did you like, what not. In this case it's interesting how you compare the games - if this is possible at all.

zabnat: Even if you can not make your game in time MAGS still is a good start as it offers the "impulse" for the creation of a new game. Think of Spooks that also started as an unfinished MAGS game. Okay, if you can't make it in time you can't win here but you have a second chance in the AGS awards and all in all it's just about having fun, isn't it?

zabnat · Fri 25/08/2006 14:05:22

Quote from: Klaus on Fri 25/08/2006 11:24:18
zabnat: Even if you can not make your game in time MAGS still is a good start as it offers the "impulse" for the creation of a new game. Think of Spooks that also started as an unfinished MAGS game. Okay, if you can't make it in time you can't win here but you have a second chance in the AGS awards and all in all it's just about having fun, isn't it?

I agree with you fully. And that is why I am going to finish the game

Klaus · Thu 31/08/2006 18:25:36

So the voting is over now. Two very different games but only one winner. At the beginning the votes were very close, then one made some bigger steps...

The winner of this MAGS is
Mikko with his entry Clown at the Circus

Congratulations. Also many thanks to FSi for joining the contest with a very unique entry. It's always nice to see new game and navigation concepts.

Mikko: Please check your PM and send your new rules to me as soon as possible. Thanks.

Buckethead · Thu 31/08/2006 18:44:23

It was very hard for me to vote. Both games were nice in there own way.

oh I voted Clown at circus btw.

Ubel · Sun 03/09/2006 11:05:39

Okay, so Mikko hasn't been online for almost a week. Maybe it would be better if FSi decided the next MAGS quidelines. Since MAGS is already a bit late.

Klaus · Sun 03/09/2006 12:01:44

Quote from: Pablo on Sun 03/09/2006 11:05:39
Okay, so Mikko hasn't been online for almost a week. Maybe it would be better if FSi decided the next MAGS quidelines. Since MAGS is already a bit late.

Wow, that's exactly what I did about an hour ago

. By the way: There's also a list of topics to choose from (usually for month's without a previous winner). So in any case the next MAGS will start in 24 hours.

Buckethead · Sun 03/09/2006 13:16:11

great! I might enter this time. I couldn't come up with anything good at circus