MAGS September: Retroparanoia

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20

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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As Mikko didn't replay in a while this month's guidelines are set by FSi, the second winner of last month's competition.
You fear or love the old adventure games of the "early days"..? So this time we go for some elements that were typical in those games.

Topic: Retroparanoia

The game MUST:
- only make use of the first 16 "default" colours (CGA) and/or shades of grey (whole spectrum).
- include world conspiracy.
- have at least 5 items from the "Things that haven't been inventory items yet" list.

If you think this is not enough of a challenge here's some more nice "have to"'s, but they are OPTIONAL:
- The game could start on a small island in Barents Sea.
- The hero might be beheaded (have his/her head chopped off) at the end of the game.

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All entries need to be in by September 26th.

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

Xellie · Mon 04/09/2006 12:41:32

Quote from: Klaus on Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20
- have at least 5 items from the "Things that haven't been inventory items yet" list.

*Newbie alert*Ã,Â

Can these 5 items come from any of the postsÃ,Â in the list, or just the first post?

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 12:50:51

Quote from: Xellie on Mon 04/09/2006 12:41:32
*Newbie alert* Can these 5 items come from any of the posts in the list, or just the first post?

They may come from any post there - it's quite a long list. Be aware that some items mentioned are already "in use" somewhere (see the comments there). We don't look too close here, just try to go for the "unusual"

Ubel · Mon 04/09/2006 14:23:50

Quote- include world conspiracy.

Sorry but I don't quite understand this.

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 14:39:38

Quote from: Pablo on Mon 04/09/2006 14:23:50
Quote- include world conspiracy.

Sorry but I don't quite understand this.

I'd say you can use world conspiracy (this Illuminati thingy) as a main topic, as reference at some point or just use it in a dialog or something. But maybe FSi as the creator of the rules can offer us some more information...

Buckethead · Mon 04/09/2006 14:46:39

Quote from: Klaus on Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20

- The hero might be beheaded

I don't get this one, does it mean you don't have to or that either get his head off or would get his head off if he won't escape?

Ok my question is praborly even more confusing then that rule.
btw, can his/her head also burn off or something?

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 14:56:09

Quote from: Buckethead on Mon 04/09/2006 14:46:39
Quote from: Klaus on Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20
- The hero might be beheaded

Ok my question is praborly even more confusing then that rule.
btw, can his/her head also burn off or something?

This is only an optional rule. So you don't have to work on this if you don't want to (it actually sound very cruel :/). Anything could happen to the hero at the end: He/she may live on, may burn off - just as you like. The offered idea is just a possible way to end the game if you run out of ideas or if you want to follow FSi's guidelines as close as possible. But again: This is not a "must-have" rule.

JuuL · Mon 04/09/2006 15:56:37

Quote from: Klaus on Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20
What is MAGS?
- The game could start on a small island in Barentsev Sea.

I tried both Google and Wikipedia, but I can't find anything called "Barentsev". Do you mean the Barents Sea north of Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Sea)?

And I think I might enter with a game called "The Secret of Donkey Island". I had the idea a few months ago, and I'm glad to get a chance to make it. "Somewhere deep in the Barents Sea"... "Hello, my name is [haven't decided yet] and I want to be a Viking!" and other stuff like that...

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 16:04:59

Quote from: JuuL on Mon 04/09/2006 15:56:37
I tried both Google and Wikipedia, but I can't find anything called "Barentsev". Do you mean the Barents Sea north of Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Sea)?

Yes, that's what is meant here. I adjusted the guidlines to your suggestion. As search engines return at least a mini number of results I guess "Barentsev" might also be used in some regions...

Neil Dnuma · Mon 04/09/2006 16:31:03

Quote from: JuuL on Mon 04/09/2006 15:56:37
And I think I might enter with a game called "The Secret of Donkey Island". I had the idea a few months ago,

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=18939.msg231927#msg231927

Look closely at the board in the back

... not that noone else could've had that (rather obvious) idea of course....

BTW could someone post that original 16-colour palette again (too lazy to search), maybe even include it in the first post..?

MashPotato · Mon 04/09/2006 16:54:41

I echo the request for that 16-colour palette ^_^

Quote from: Klaus on Mon 04/09/2006 10:57:20
The game MUST:
- only make use of the first 16 "default" colours and/or shades of grey.
- include world conspiracy.

Does this mean that the entire spectrum of grey can be used in addition to the 16 colours?
~~Also, does the world conspiracy have to actually exist in reality, or can it be just in a character's head?~~ oops, this was already asked ^_^

If I can wrap my head around the coding (a tall order for me ^_^), I might try to make an entry...

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 17:15:20

Quote from: Neil Dnuma on Mon 04/09/2006 16:31:03
BTW could someone post that original 16-colour palette again (too lazy to search), maybe even include it in the first post..?

I added a link to the original CGA palette in the first post.

Quote from: MashPotato on Mon 04/09/2006 16:54:41
Does this mean that the entire spectrum of grey can be used in addition to the 16 colours?

Yes, that's correct.

Dan_N · Mon 04/09/2006 18:00:20

Ladies and gentlemen I (will, hopefully) bring you

What will this game feature:
- Hart-stopping 16-color EGA made in MSpaint graphics
- Sierra-style dialog
- not one, not two, but THREE characters each with his own abilities which the player can control and alter control from one to the other.

This is supposed to represend all classical adventure games, Sierra and Lucasarts combined (three characters to control a la Lucasarts and sierra-style dialog and graphics).
It will not use a parser, though, 'cause it would take too much time.
So, until then, Kudos!

Ah... And by the way, can I use the default 16 colors from MSpaint?

JuuL · Mon 04/09/2006 18:27:03

Quote from: Neil Dnuma on Mon 04/09/2006 16:31:03
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=18939.msg231927#msg231927

Look closely at the board in the back ... not that noone else could've had that (rather obvious) idea of course....

Yeah, I know... it's supposed to be as unoriginal as possible.

.... Dan_N_GameZ... it sounds like a great idea for a game. That last comment of yours - is that be any chance a reference to Positech's Kudos game or am I imagining things?

Dan_N · Mon 04/09/2006 18:32:31

You're imagining things.

I don't even know what that is.

Kudos! is an expression used to say "good work" or "good job" or possibly "good luck"(for example: "Kudos on that street hooker thing you got going).

I use it 'cause it sounds cool.
And I'll keep using it until I get bored with it, or I think of something better.

By the way, no music for my game, just some sound effects if I can find them, so tough! :p

And... yes... it's coming... KUDOS!

raddicks · Mon 04/09/2006 18:42:58

Guess I will have to download AGS for the first time.
Ahhh this will be difficult but i guess im a masochist
May I use Sepia tones rather then black and white?

Klaus · Mon 04/09/2006 20:10:42

Quote from: Dan_N_GameZ on Mon 04/09/2006 18:00:20
Ah... And by the way, can I use the default 16 colors from MSpaint?

I don't use MSpaint but doesn't it offer 28 colours by default? Maybe these include the required palette but please only use the 16 colours (+ grey scale).

Quote from: raddicks on Mon 04/09/2006 18:42:58
May I use Sepia tones rather then black and white?

I see your point but please use the grey scale.

Dan_N · Mon 04/09/2006 23:04:15

Actually Klaus, when you give a drawing a save as, you can choose the number of colors: monochrome, 16-colors, 256 colors and 24-bit. At least that's how it is at my MSPaint. Anyway, on any mode from 16-colors and above, the first 16 colors are those of the EGA pallete.

Klaus · Tue 05/09/2006 07:40:23

Quote from: Dan_N_GameZ on Mon 04/09/2006 23:04:15
Actually Klaus, when you give a drawing a save as, you can choose the number of colors: monochrome, 16-colors, 256 colors and 24-bit. At least that's how it is at my MSPaint. Anyway, on any mode from 16-colors and above, the first 16 colors are those of the EGA pallete.

Ah, thanks. I searched the web for the MSpaint palette and only found infos and screenshots with 28 colours. So I wasn't sure about this. That's how my answer came up.

Dan_N · Tue 05/09/2006 11:09:23

Right, so can I?

Use the first 16 colors of MSPaint and not fiddle arroun with the pallete? ('cause I'm not very good at it... :'()