MAGS September: "Stephen King" (OPEN)

Atelier · Wed 02/09/2015 11:09:11

Topic: 'Stephen King'

This month's guidelines were set by Gurok and CatPunter:

This month, the theme is Stephen King. His style, his books or his crazy demeanor. Anything and everything Stephen King. Maybe the villain takes the form of a crow. Maybe the main character is force fed a fictional pain killer. Maybe you just want to feature his creepy face.

September is the all Stephen King, all the time month. Sharpen your axes, face unspeakable horrors that will haunt you for the rest of your life and make some crappy direct-to-DVD or TV special adaptations.

In the spirit of intricate rules from early MAGS competitions, there are some additional stipulations this month.

1. Must have exactly two rooms (excluding title and credits)
2. Must have exactly two characters

Ending 1st October

Image composition by CatPunter

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is MAGS?

Started in 2001, MAGS is a competition for amateur adventure game makers. The idea is to create a game in under a month, following the rules set by the previous winner. It aims to help you work to a deadline, improve your skills, and provide a kick-start into making adventure games. Regardless of skill, MAGS is for everyone. Voting is based on "favorite" games, and not the most artistic, or the best coded. If you have bad art skills, use it as a chance to do some graphic work. If you're sub-standard at coding, use it as a chance to give scripting a go. Ultimately, people will vote for the most enjoyable entry.

Rules

â€¢ You may work in a team to produce an entry.
â€¢ You are not allowed to use any material created before the competition. Your game must be completely new! An exception is music and sound; you can use any audio that is freely available to the public.
â€¢ Any modules and templates featured in this board are also allowed.

Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualise your game following the month's criteria (see top). Second, create your game fueled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

Ã¢Å"â€œ A working download link
Ã¢Å"â€œ The title of your game
Ã¢Å"â€œ A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fifteen days. The winner chooses the next month's theme, and their name and game is immortalised in the MAGS Archive. For more information, please visit the Official MAGS website.

Mandle · Wed 02/09/2015 14:44:41

Oh nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

Just when I thought I was out...They pull me back in!!!

Stephen King is my most-read author of all time and I have even spoken on the phone with him through an amazing series of coincidences...My throat did lock up at first though actually but I finally managed to ask him the relevant questions I needed the answers to...

Hey....if I do enter then maybe that will be what my game is about...

But I doubt it...

yamipanda · Wed 02/09/2015 19:49:46

awww. That sound like loads of fun, but I'm still exhausted after OROW.

ZapZap · Wed 02/09/2015 21:03:48

Mmmm those rules are calling for a Misery or The Shining game... cool:tongue:

Stupot · Thu 03/09/2015 03:34:37

Yeah, Misery would make an awesome escape-the-room style game

Kastchey · Thu 03/09/2015 18:26:33

So would Carrie... escape the prom!

Retro Wolf · Thu 03/09/2015 19:24:34

I'd love to see the world of the Dark Tower in pixels!

Gribbler · Thu 03/09/2015 19:50:04

Great topic! Can't wait to play your games!

Mandle · Thu 03/09/2015 23:21:25

Quote from: Retro Wolf on Thu 03/09/2015 19:24:34
I'd love to see the world of the Dark Tower in pixels!

Back in the '90's I started making a "The Gunslinger" (1st book) game using Director as the engine, VistaPro for the landscapes and Ray Dream Designer for the rest of the 3D graphics...I got as far as finishing the Way Station (opening scene) before the scale of what I was attempting overwhelmed both my computer's capabilities and myself.

The data is long-gone though

There was no dropbox etc. back then...

I'd be tempted to remake it AGS style but I already have another entry planned out in my head...

P.S: I am a bit disappointed I must admit with the 2 room/2 character limitations on the theme. Throwing out a theme as potentially vast as Stephen King, with his many epic stories containing dozens of characters (The Stand, The Dark Tower, etc) and then limiting it to just 2 rooms and 2 characters seems quite a waste to me. Especially after many devs and players have just come out of OROW with its one-room limitation and might already be feeling a bit claustrophobic...Hmmmmmmm $:-\$

I just feel it may turn some people off from entering where they may have created something amazing otherwise...Just my opinion though of course...

My own project won't be affected as I planned it within the limits (more or less) and am happy with it as is. I'm more worried about the potential of this theme being stifled by the limits. As people don't like to re-use themes this is probably the one and only shot AGS will have at a Stephen King themed contest, so I feel no-limits would be the way to go...

selmiak · Fri 04/09/2015 01:22:56

easy mandle, just win this mags and make your MAGS theme stephen king with as many rooms as the dev wants.

This is a really tempting theme. I'm a sucker for shining (book, kubrick/nicholson version, 3 part TV Series), if anyone wants to team up for a short game about shining just PM me and let's see what happens. Nothing too long as OROW is just over indeed.

Mandle · Fri 04/09/2015 13:13:34

Quote from: selmiak on Fri 04/09/2015 01:22:56
easy mandle,

I'm not angry or anything. Sorry if that's what it sounded like. I just need to speak up when I think I see a missed opportunity for a project to become better. It's all just my opinion of course and can be ignored if I'm off-base...

I start work on my entry soon and very excited about it!

HandsFree · Fri 04/09/2015 13:40:36

Anyone like me to do music for this mags?

edit: I'll be doing music for Mandle's game.

Mandle · Sat 05/09/2015 10:27:36

I have my front view of my Stephen King character completed and most of the side view...

Posting images here when ready:

(PENDING)

Grok · Sat 05/09/2015 14:33:31

I've got a basic idea and a title: Matilda and the Curse of King Stephen.

One character (side view walking animation finished), cursors and the background for the first room started.

Crimson Wizard · Sat 05/09/2015 15:20:41

I was playing with some ideas and wrote a 2-room 2-character game concept that I really like

It's been a long while since I actually tried to make a game myself, so I feel kinda rusty

; but since 2 rooms and 2 characters is not that much, I could even try to make it, regardless of whether I'll make it in MAGS schedule or not.

brit · Sat 05/09/2015 16:50:57

I'm interested in creating a game involving part of the story line and a major character from one of Stephen Kings novels but I'm not sure what the rules are regarding copy-right infringement. Can any one direct me to a resource or give me tips on how to give the author due credit when making my adaptation? I should also mention that this will be my first game so it's fair to assume that I know very little about making AGS games in general.

Gurok · Sat 05/09/2015 17:54:47

Quote from: brit on Sat 05/09/2015 16:50:57
I'm interested in creating a game involving part of the story line and a major character from one of Stephen Kings novels but I'm not sure what the rules are regarding copy-right infringement.

I asked CatPunter about this and she said:

Quote"Basically as long as it's a homage that isn't wholesale ripping off his work it should be fine. Creating a game where you just play through Misery, shot for shot? Not really. Creating a game where you play a nurse over time in her life, exploring her sad life until the end where you drive home and find your favourite writer wiped out in the snowbank? Probably a better idea!

You can use characters from the books or Stephen King himself, but try to avoid anything that would change the meaning of his work (Misery being the victim instead of the villain), make him look bad (Making a game where Stephen King is a rapist), or so serious it could be passed off as an actual adaptation of his work. Tweaking it enough, like making a man locked in a psych ward think he's playing out the events of Misery and Stephen King is an eldrich abomination that feasts on human's fears we all tulpa'd into exsistence would be sufficient tweaks.

Oh, also, no money making. If you want to sell it after make sure to get in contact with the guy to ask if that's okay."

brit · Sat 05/09/2015 18:37:44

Thanks Gurok and CatPunter. I will start tweaking!

brit · Mon 07/09/2015 16:29:43

Quote from: Atelier on Wed 02/09/2015 11:09:11
2. Must have exactly two characters

Just to clarify, does this mean two playable characters or just two characters in total?

Mandle · Tue 08/09/2015 00:28:18

Quote from: brit on Mon 07/09/2015 16:29:43
Quote from: Atelier on Wed 02/09/2015 11:09:11
2. Must have exactly two characters

Just to clarify, does this mean two playable characters or just two characters in total?

I'm not an official in this contest but I would assume either is acceptable...Of course: the definition of what exactly is considered a "character" offers some leeway I feel. Obviously if you were doing a "Cujo" game then the dog would be considered a character, but a random mouse in the background would not I suppose... I'm counting on this leeway anyways for my own game so please nobody define "character" too strictly...