MAGS November "Rain and Snow" (RESULT)

[Stupot]

Topic: Rain and Snow
Chosen by Slasher and JackPutter

	Ice Station Zero by Slasher
	Rain & Snow - The Bouncer by Intense Degree
	The Cabin by TheBitPriest
	Not My First Apocalypse: Stormpuncher by PlayPretend
	The Cradle by Creamy, Kastchey and Julia
	The Cat Case by Racoon

Create a game featuring rain and/or snow as a mechanic, story point, or graphical element. Characters could be caught out in a storm, or they could be suffering from a drought and longing for some rainfall, or you could even play AS the falling snow in some fashion. As long as water falling from the sky in some way, shape, or form is important to the game, then it counts!

Use of existing graphics, music, and sound effects is allowed.




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 guidelines 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 "favourite" 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
Entering MAGS is simple. First, conceptualize your game following the month's criteria (see above). Second, create your game fuelled only by coffee. Finally, post your game in this thread, including:

* A working download link
* The title of your game
* A suitable in-game screenshot

At the end of the month, voting will begin, usually lasting for fourteen days, and the winner chooses the next month's theme.

Remember that this is a challenge to see what you can do in a month, so any tinkering you do after that, including fixing minor glitches, is against the spirit of the competition. The exception to this is that you may go in and fix major, game-breaking bugs only during voting. We want you to have a game that voters can actually play and that runs on their machines.

So to reiterate, during the voting period fixing major, game-breaking bugs is okay, fixing minor glitches or making cosmetic changes is cheating.

Tips
Here are some ways to make sure you have a game to submit at the end of the month:
* Make a tiny game. Plan small, then cut it in half. Find shortcuts (e.g. if making walkcycles is time-consuming, make the characters static or have it in the first person).
* Plan to have your game playable and submittable with a week to spare. This way you have a week to fix bugs, add some flourishes and maybe even get someone to test it.
* Plan to submit it a day or so early. This way, if there are any technical issues with uploading, they can be sorted out in time.

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Need a little help with graphics? Perhaps The AGS Trove has something you can use.
Don't want to go it alone? Try the Recruitment board.
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[Slasher]

Well,  I cant see any reason why I can't enter.... it keeps me out of mischief 

I've had a think...I have decided on snow.... where is a cold place? There are plenty.... I've gone with the north pole.....I could use snow (and ice) as visual effects and a problem....

Maybe its a Station Base? There could be a heavy snow blizzard?  Maybe something is happening?  Perhaps they are stranded?

I find it exciting to have nothing and then build on ideas....

In my head I see the title:  "Ice Station Zero"....

I've written down some ideas....

It's just a running idea at the moment... I hope I have the time to complete it....

Come on guys, get involved and make your own game... 

[VampireWombat]

Alas, this theme hasn't given me any ideas. Plus I have other things to do this month, like AdventureX in a couple of weeks. But if anyone does need help making a game, feel free to ask.

[HyperAnimated]

Man, I was gonna take a break this month, but I've had an idea I like...I'll be back later if it pans out.

[Slasher]

Good luck to everyone..

This afternoon I have sketched the storyline and am now looking into the mechanics...

So far so good.....

[Slasher]

Well, thing's are progressing well...

The storyline is finalized, the mechanics have been done.... Splash Intro has been created....

All good....

Ice Station Zero

"Ice Station Zero: an outpost at the north pole for US military to escape attack from enemy forces.
For five days the facility has been hit by snow blizzards of minus 60 degrees and gales up to 40 miles an hour. 
Things seemed fine until the main generator failed and you are now on aux power but that won't last long.
The men are desperate. You won't survive for long on aux power if the main generator isn't fixed.
What's more, strange things have been happening: equipment is being taken and several of the team's husky's have gone missing! The last outpost team there vanished with a trace."

Game includes a body Warmth meter...

This is the first part of this game....

[heltenjon]

Alas, this theme hasn't given me any ideas. Plus I have other things to do this month, like AdventureX in a couple of weeks. But if anyone does need help making a game, feel free to ask.

Well, I have an idea and can write you a story/design if you want, but I won't be able to do any programming. 

[Slasher]

Ice Station Zero

First few major scenes completed...

[heltenjon]

Alas, this theme hasn't given me any ideas. Plus I have other things to do this month, like AdventureX in a couple of weeks. But if anyone does need help making a game, feel free to ask.

Well, I have an idea and can write you a story/design if you want, but I won't be able to do any programming. 

It doesn't look like our esteemed Texan is interested, and now a third of the month has gone by anyway. I'll just save it for a pitch contest some time down the line. If someone else wants to participate, but need an idea, drop me a PM. 

[VampireWombat]

It doesn't look like our esteemed Texan is interested, and now a third of the month has gone by anyway. I'll just save it for a pitch contest some time down the line. If someone else wants to participate, but need an idea, drop me a PM. 

Sorry. Most of the reactions to last month's submission has made me unsure if I'm even going to ever do Mags again. I might even be to the point of no longer making adventure games or using AGS any more. But I'm definitely to the point where I'm not going to try more than a month in a row. I do wish you luck in being able to use your idea in some way, though.

[Olleh19]

It doesn't look like our esteemed Texan is interested, and now a third of the month has gone by anyway. I'll just save it for a pitch contest some time down the line. If someone else wants to participate, but need an idea, drop me a PM. 

Sorry. Most of the reactions to last month's submission has made me unsure if I'm even going to ever do Mags again. I might even be to the point of no longer making adventure games or using AGS any more. But I'm definitely to the point where I'm not going to try more than a month in a row. I do wish you luck in being able to use your idea in some way, though.

Why do it? I won't do MAGS more either. It's pointless if you've already tried it and failed (like i did). It's better to take the time it takes to make a game that you are proud off.
Don't give up on AGS or games just cause you can't finish anything good in a month.

[VampireWombat]

Why do it? I won't do MAGS more either. It's pointless if you've already tried it and failed (like i did). It's better to take the time it takes to make a game that you are proud off.
Don't give up on AGS or games just cause you can't finish anything good in a month.

Part of me still wants to create something that actually could win. And I'm not giving up on making games. I'm just not sure if it's adventure games that's my problem, AGS, Mags, or something else. I might end up trying Mags once or twice a year. And I might end up completely moving on to other game engines. All I can say for sure at this moment is that I can't do Mags again this month.

[Olleh19]

Part of me still wants to create something that actually could win. And I'm not giving up on making games. I'm just not sure if it's adventure games that's my problem, AGS, Mags, or something else. I might end up trying Mags once or twice a year. And I might end up completely moving on to other game engines. All I can say for sure at this moment is that I can't do Mags again this month.

Who doesn't want to win something. I've done it before tho, not an MAGS win but something a lot bigger with hundreds of entries. Never forget that wonderful feeling
Maybe it's worth fighting for. I don't know. I think focus should just be on making a great game, doesn't matter what genre. I'm doing a completely different genre game in AGS atm.

[Cassiebsg]

Maybe that's your problem VW, you're going after a win. Just make a game you like the way you see it, forget about winning. Just have fun, and if it results in a win, the better. But do not it just "to win". Also, stop throwing your games out the window 2 days before the deadline and then expect to be able to put up a full long game.

Start small, and add to it, if you have the time, and above all, always have the game at a point where you can put a "The end!" or "To be continued...". Then decide if you want to continue working on the game and not deliver it, deliver it and continue working on it, or it's done and only bug fixes will be worked in.

If you notice, nobody else is trying to make MAGS every month (unless you're name is slasher).
I think 1 to 3 MAGS a year is a decent amount for the rest of us, mere mortals, IMHO. 

[VampireWombat]

Maybe that's your problem VW, you're going after a win. Just make a game you like the way you see it, forget about winning. Just have fun, and if it results in a win, the better. But do not it just "to win". Also, stop throwing your games out the window 2 days before the deadline and then expect to be able to put up a full long game.

Start small, and add to it, if you have the time, and above all, always have the game at a point where you can put a "The end!" or "To be continued...". Then decide if you want to continue working on the game and not deliver it, deliver it and continue working on it, or it's done and only bug fixes will be worked in.

If you notice, nobody else is trying to make MAGS every month (unless you're name is slasher).
I think 1 to 3 MAGS a year is a decent amount for the rest of us, mere mortals, IMHO. 

You misunderstood what I meant by that. My problem is that I usually end up losing motivation, not that I'm trying to win. I have never actually tried to win. That's why I have to figure out if the problem is adventure games, AGS, or Mags.

[Slasher]

Game Intro in production...

https://youtu.be/qxxZ9FQZFkw

More to come.....

[HyperAnimated]

I'm hard at work on an entry - just lost time because I tried to adapt an older MAGS attempt, keeping the GUIs and main character, deleting all the rooms/NPCs for a fresh plot. But somehow that kept breaking the code no matter how careful I was, so I'm rebuilding from scratch.

VW: I feel the same way all the time. Most months I start a MAGS idea, have a few good creative bursts, then can't make it work. Adventure is a weird genre...the classics are mostly "what wacky way can I use unlikely objects to solve puzzles", and it's hard thinking up fresh material there.

It's why I don't even share my idea or say anything until I'm halfway done, tired of embarrassing myself. Last one I actually finished was March!  But these days, I'm trying to remind myself, it took Lin Manuel Miranda six years to write Hamilton. I can be kind to myself for not finishing a whole creative project in a month.

And nothing wrong with swapping genres, engines, interests. I finally gave up on National Novel Writing Month after 14 years because I realized I just don't enjoy writing any more.  MAGS is a nice baby step towards building my creative confidence again through little, potentially finishable projects.

No matter what you choose, you'll be okay, and we support and understand your choices.

[Slasher]

PlayPretend: if you can produce a game like last month you are doing something right and once you are back on track i'm sure you will produce..

Some people are not cut out for making quick games, and that's ok... Me? I love it and I make them for me whatever..

Good luck to everyone...plenty of time...

[Cassiebsg]

VW, keeping motivation is the hardest part to be honest. And can't help you with that very much, since I'm currently also out of motivation.
Ways that work for me: I've planned most of the story, dialogues, puzzles in my mind and I just want to share them with all of you. Or I'm working with someone else and then that's my motivation, to deliver my part no matter what.

Right now I'm working on scenario (BG) for this month, but since all I have is a just a vague idea, it might not end up becoming a game... this month anyway. At least I'm having fun building a 3D mansion. 

[AndreasBlack]

Slasher, i love the atmosphere. I think that is gonna be a killer of an entry!