MAGS 2009-04: Space Derelict

[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)!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Topic: Space Derelict

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

The theme of this month's contest is a classic sci-fi setting - you must have your main character(s) on a ship afloat in space that is, for whatever reason, unable to move (other systems may be malfunctioning at the creator's discretion). Are the characters scavenging the ship? Or is their own ship out of commission? The cause of the malfunction is up to the creator.

The game must include a spacecraft that is unable to function, and one puzzle must center around repairing or jury-rigging something on the ship to get it working again*. Though the characters must spend some time on the derelict craft, other locations are allowed (i.e. a nearby planet, space station, their own ship if the derelict isn't theirs, etc).

*The repair puzzle can be as simple as accessing the craft's mainframe, or as complex as repairing the ship's engine/hull, any puzzle that involves getting something that is not functioning to function again is acceptable, and need not include getting the entire ship to function again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All games need to be in by April 25th.

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

[SpacePaw]

I'm totally onto that!

[OneDollar]

Ooh... I'm tempted

[BOYD1981]

hmm, would a ship that is unable to stop be allowed (like on a collision course or something) be acceptable?

[OneDollar]

Seen as we're dealing with position in space you could simply take the reference frame as the ship itself and claim all the other stars and planets are moving... its all good and legal in relativistic physics!

[SpacePirateCaine]

Boyd: I'm fine with it.

Honestly, I'm kicking myself for wording it as 'unable to move'. I wonder if we could broaden the scope to include both ships and space stations, and not require that they be immobilized, but just to be unable to function normally (So can't move, life support systems failing, whatever)? Basically, I think if you can justify it, it's not a big deal.

[Ubel]

I'm glad to see some more laid back and NORMAL rules for a change. Lately there seems to have been a lot of experimenting going on with the MAGS guidelines. And I'm always intrigued by a sci-fi theme.

I can't wait to see what people can come up with! Good luck everyone who thinks about participating!

[bspeers]

Sounds like fun!

[SpacePaw]

By the way. Do we put MAGS entries in the "completed game" or "games in production" forum section as well?

[SpacePirateCaine]

Hey SpacePaw,

That's entirely up to you, I imagine. There's never been a rule saying that you aren't allowed to advertise the project that you're working on for a MAGS competition, though since it's a competition, sometimes it's more interesting if you play your cards close to the chest, as it were.

I've seen plenty of MAGS competition entries end up in the Completed Games section after the competitions have ended - I'm still doing some work to improve my last entry, so I haven't yet, but that's all - again - up to you.

[Baron]

Intriguing.....

[Dualnames]

I'm might just enter this one..promised for the previous one too..

[Trihan]

*waits for someone to submit The Vacuum as their MAGS entry*

[Wyz]

I don't think I can make the deadline, but I'm going to give it a shot
I like the space theme, and I have an idea.

[miguel]

Ok, I'll enter my first MAGS if I can do it next Friday and Saturday.
I've got something on my mind for a space game and I have to get away from Blue Moon for a while and this seams like the perfect excuse.

[AngelicCharon]

I've been working away at an entry, however being the first time I've gone near the engine, not sure if I'll have everything I wanted together by the deadline.

So, I know this is an incredibly noobish question, but as a rule of thumb when it comes to MAGS entries, is it better to just pull together what one can if one isn't going to meet the deadline and submit it, even if somewhat incomplete, or to hold it off on a submission?

I'm only asking, because I doubt I'll complete what I initially set out to do by the 25th, and if it's better to just submit 'something', even if incomplete, I can rework my project to cut corners/cut things out for the time being.

[OneDollar]

It up to you, as long as you meet the contest requirements and you spent quite a bit of time working on the game its fair to enter. Of course if its full of bugs and dead ends people aren't going to enjoy it much.

I suggest you look at the overall game plan and divide it roughly into groups:
- Things that must be in the game for it to work (e.g. the broken ship, fixing puzzle, all major bugs squashed)
- Things that really ought to be in the game (e.g. interactions for important objects, minor bugs squashed)
- Things that would be nice to have in the game (e.g. generic interactions for all objects, animation)
- Things you're only going to add if you have time (e.g. a custom interaction for every object, extra bits)
Then tackle them in that order. If you end up with something that's unfinished but works you can submit it as a kind of demo, but if you can't finish the necessary bits drop out and finish the game in your own time.

That's what I'm doing, anyway

[miguel]

Just want to say that I'm on this one! Maybe get it done tonight!

[Wyz]

I hope I make it before the deadline, I've got a lot of game finished though

[lord_hellfire]

I still got some work to do, but If everything will go as planed I should finish in less than 24 hours.