OROW: 1st of August. RESULTS.

[cat]

That's right! Any of those games could be mine! Maybe I made the apple game. Because I love big, round, juicy... apples. 

And there are even two games with apples! And a lot of them were falling on my head in the cheese game (did I mention that I'm very bad at platformers?)

[arj0n]

I still have to start playing all the OROW entries.

A platformer? Yeeha! I LOVE platformers!

[Wonkyth]

That's right! Any of those games could be mine! Maybe I made the apple game. Because I love big, round, juicy... apples. 

And there are even two games with apples! And a lot of them were falling on my head in the cheese game (did I mention that I'm very bad at platformers?)

They're even the same sprite as the ones from IWBTG.  

[cat]

What is IWBTG?

[Wonkyth]

Pain.

[ddq]

They're really more like giant cherries...

[tzachs]

Hmmm, it seems that I won't be available to give all games a fair chance, since I'll be super busy today, and tomorrow I'll be flying to London (riot-land, here I come!), so I might away give my short impression from the games:
A really nice variety of games, and was a real fun to play them.
It was also quite fun to try and guess who created what game. I think I got most of them right, though I still have no idea who made ODR3... 

I must say that I really enjoyed "Barrier", gave me some Monthy Python vibes...

Also some issues I had:

In PROCRASTINATOR-

Spoiler

Got to the balcony, used the padding, and the screen turned black and there was nothing I could do... I played in full screen, so it might be related to that.

[close]

In ENTRAPPED-
It didn't run for me in full screen, but it did in windowed.
Also, I got stuck, wanted to save and return later, but didn't find a save button.
Nice looking packed background though!

In DE_HAUNT-
I just now spotted in the Hints thread that you have to use Space Bar, I just wondered around aimlessly...

In THE DEVIL GOT MY WOMAN-
It looks really really interesting, and I would really want to see what happens, though I had the same already mentioned bug-

Spoiler

I hit the guy with the mirror, he left, my guy walked weird, and then it just returned to the past, the guy was there again and the mirror was back in the drawer, so I couldn't continue...

[close]

[Ponch]

It was also quite fun to try and guess who created what game. I think I got most of them right, though I still have no idea who made ODR3... 

No one does! It's an amazing mystery! It's like some sort of Agatha Christie story unfolding right here on the AGS forums.  Personally, I think the butler did it.

[bicilotti]

I have played them all (and finished them all too, with the exception of entrapped). Interesting round, with a nice range of genres! Everybody, pat yourselves on the back!

To avoid spoilers, I will comment after the voting deadline.

[Wyz]

I wanted to wait after the vote, but meh here are my comments anyway. If you don't want to know, don't read them.

@ Aeterna Duel
I like the concept of this game but clearly the author was short of time and there was no polishing: No introduction  and the opponents' strengths grow faster then the player can upgrade. After a few tries I decided I could not beat it. Other then that it has a very large list of possible attacks so there has clearly been put in a lot of effort. Keep working on it.

@ AppleFarm
I like this kind of games, the kind where you have to find hidden objects. This is a great sample and has very nice graphics. The only downside is that it is so very short, well at least for me. This game is also great for children I think. Although the music might need some work too.

@ Barrier
Lovely game and a great concept too. I love the graphics and the engrish that was really clever. Didn't like the puzzles really though, although the verb coin and the verbs themselves are very novel, I liked that too. This game doesn't need any polish, it feels really finished as it is; concept, designing, drawing, coding, that's quite impressive all in just 7 days.

@ de_haunt
When I started up the game I first was presently surprised and prepared for a Zelda like adventure. The music was great, the graphics neat, but then... nothing. Well, figuring out when to press space and that was it. That's really a pity, this could have been so much more.
I guess it is a bit much in the given time ok.

@ Entrapped
Hung up a few times when I started it, but when I didn't click during the intro it worked.
The graphics are ok, I particularly liked the small icons in the inventory, those are cute. As for the gameplay, it's a bit much. Too many hotspots to really know what to do. It's also annoying without a save option you'd have to start over again. I liked the music though.

@ ODR3
I'm not going to deny this was actually my favourite game of the lot. This is a classic erm... adventure game with the standard gags and a lot of interactions. I just like reading all those interactions. The music was right for the game (even though it was recycled) and the graphics were up to par. The puzzles were a bit far fetched at times though and there were clearly not enough OSD references.

@ Office Shenanigans
This game had the longest running time for me, there are a lot of puzzles and they follow each other cleverly so that I wasn't stuck for very long. The interaction like using inventory on itself or on the player character was a bit quirky though. The graphics are not very advanced but they work, the character portraits (if not stock) are great. One thing that annoyed me were the pauses when the people wander around, but that can be fixed. The music was very catchy (no I'm not just saying that).

@ OneRoomOneCheese
A Mario clone platformer with AGS familiarities and messages that made me think of Who moved my cheese. This game really sets the bar high and that is ok if the physics were a bit more forgiving. The friction is almost non-existent and it gave me the sensation someone mopped the floors recently. Ok that sounded a bit harsh, it's probably my frustration speaking... shut it!
The sprites an tiles are good, the music does what it has to do and I like how there pop up messages across the level.

@ Procrastinator
I simply LOVED the graphics! Erm... no, I remember now it is a text-adventure, those images are in my imagination. That is a compliment because that means the writing is good. I like games that taunt you and make fun of itself and it's author; well this games made love to the 4th wall that's for sure. Clicking buttons instead of typing? Lazy Wyz says: Yes please!
Well some obvious flaws: the thing is bug ridden at some point it will even hang completely. There is no music, but if there was I'm sure it would be awesome.

@ RapSqLud v0.3
The name is just as surprising as is this game. A puzzle game of the laser type with the added effects of time. I did get very far because I couldn't keep up; a pity because it was really fun. Maybe it could be made a bit more forgiving, like points added for correct pulses and deducted for wrong ones? Other then that I think it's a great game, the music works really well with it.

@ Requiem
When I saw this I thought by myself: oh noes! not another platform game!
But ok this one was different, I could not even beat the first screen.
But well the art is really interesting (I want someone to record a play through on the double!) as is the concept. The music also works really well for this game. It would like however for the player not to fall through the platforms, I know making a platform game in AGS is not trivial but some of the platforms are not properly indented. (please don't hate me )

@ The Devil Got My Woman
This is an interesting game, it tried to grab my attention in the beginning and it almost pulled it off. The story off the game is not something I'm a fan of but regardless that it was quite good. The art is decent and the music pick pretty interesting. Where this game loses points: the bugs. There are a lot regarding the game-play but also animation flaws. But if this is your first AGS game you did a good job.

Anyhow a tip for your next game: try to think of a game as a machine: your game can be in one state at a time (name it) and for each state there is only selected list of other states it will progress to (a transition). Bugs like when you put back the diary too soon can be detected very easy in the conceptual phase that way.

Concluding
Everyone has done an outstanding job and a whopping 12 games: this OROW is a success! A big round of applause for everyone!
That will be all... 

[Wonkyth]

@ Aeterna Duel
I like the concept of this game but clearly the author was short of time and there was no polishing: No introduction  and the opponents' strengths grow faster then the player can upgrade. After a few tries I decided I could not beat it.

I found this quite the opposite. I simply maxed out magic and then the rest. I only stopped when I got a fatal error while attempting to use keyboard controls.

[Dualnames]

Okay, we need a bit more votes people, so VOTE! One day to go and we have an almost 3 game tie.

[Frodo]

Already made my votes.   

Can I vote again?   

[Ghost]

I did vote, and it was HELL. Can you peeps please stop producing quality? 

[AJA]

(I'm starting to repeat myself.) Maybe next time we could get the old voting system back? (Give each game a score of 1-5 or 1-10 or whatever in each category.) It sucks every time when I'd really want to vote some game but there's this other one that deserves it just a bit more and I can only choose one. Hell, I'll even make a voting system for the next time if that's the problem.

Also, being able to see the results before voting has ended is silly.

Anyway, as usual I'll share some comments on the games once the (final) results are in!


PLAY AND VOTE, EVERYONE!

[ddq]

Yeah, AJA is right. What the hell is wrong with you, Dualnames? Stop being so retarded.

[Wyz]

I vote for more categories, and grouping sound/music and concept/writing should be split up but hey that's something for next year.

[Ponch]

I vote for more categories, and grouping sound/music and concept/writing should be split up but hey that's something for next year.

And sexiness! There should be a sexiness category. You know, for whoever made that amazingly sexy ODR 3 game that seems to be stubbornly stuck in the middle of the voting pack. I'm sure that handsome, mysterious stranger of a game author would love having a category he could easily win.

[Dualnames]

Yeah, AJA is right. What the hell is wrong with you, Dualnames? Stop being so retarded.

DDQ SUCK MY BALLS.

[AJA]

My nick and ball sucking in the same post... YEAAAHH!!! We definitely need more ball sucking next time.