new to the underground scene...what should i play?

[crazypumpkin]

Out of the blue, there seem to be so many graphic adventure games already developed! I'm ecstatic about this, but...I want to know where my time is best spent ;)

So far I've played all of Rob Blanc, Yahtzee, Larry Vales, space quest: replicated, 5 days a stranger, out of order, and everything Tierra ;)

Are there any great freeware adventures I'm missing out on?

~CP

[Stinger]

Space Quest: The Lost Chapter is far superior to Replicated. Aftershocked! and Ozzie and the Quantum Playwright are two fantastic AGAST games.

We'll be announcing our 2003 Underground Awards nominations next week, that will give you some good ideas.

[remixor]

If you want a nice itemized list of some good AGS games that have been released this year, check out the AGS Awards Nominees:
http://www.sylpher.com/AGSAwards/2003.htm

Voting for the awards themselves is currently underway and will finish on the 31st of this month.

[Erkki]

I'd also recommend a really short game "6 Day Assassin". I think the name comes from the fact that the game was made in just 6 days. And it IS short - can be completed in about half an hour I think.
But what's good about it is because the game is so small there has been more time spent on writing lines for many possible interactions. So you often get a good explanation why something doesn't work instead of "This doesn't work".

[Tamara]

I've never understood why people don't add lots of comments for possible interactions. It's the easiest possible part of designing a game, and it's fun. When I was making my demo [and yes, eventually, I will finish the full game] I would write comments in between being stuck, say, on a difficult piece of scripting. It helps ease your block and makes your game better to boot .. what more could you want?

[AGA]

Yeah, I agree totally, Tamz. Writing hotspot interactions is one of the most fun parts of designing a game. In the early days before AGS expanded the amount of possible hotspots in a room I would quite often run out. I would add interactions for every vaguely interesting item in a room.

As for good games, take a look at these (http://www.adventuregamers.com/underground/games.php). Most of them are really good. Oh, and don't forget to play these (www.agagames.com/games/) :P

[Vel]

I think you should first play nominated games for awards, as remixor said. TCn Awards (http://www.trumgottist.com/crowsnest/nominees.php) AGS Awards (http://www.sylpher.com/AGSAwards/2003.htm)

[remixor]

I've never understood why people don't add lots of comments for possible interactions. It's the easiest possible part of designing a game, and it's fun. When I was making my demo [and yes, eventually, I will finish the full game] I would write comments in between being stuck, say, on a difficult piece of scripting. It helps ease your block and makes your game better to boot .. what more could you want?

Agreed completely. Before my game was destroyed, I would just add extra descriptions and interactions whenever I had some free time. It adds character and it's fun, and it doesn't even require much work at all. Makes me wonder what went wrong with Syberia...

[Fairygdmther]

Agreed completely. Before my game was destroyed, I would just add extra descriptions and interactions whenever I had some free time. It adds character and it's fun, and it doesn't even require much work at all. Makes me wonder what went wrong with Syberia... Perhaps it was the cost of paying actors to say those extra lines, and then having them translated into many other languages, with more actors being needed. Only a guess, but we all agree that it would have been better, and more fun.

[Erwin_Br]

I've never understood why people don't add lots of comments for possible interactions. It's the easiest possible part of designing a game, and it's fun. When I was making my demo [and yes, eventually, I will finish the full game] I would write comments in between being stuck, say, on a difficult piece of scripting. It helps ease your block and makes your game better to boot .. what more could you want?

You're totally right. I also add a lot of extra animation for the main character. And I try to avoid the standard 'I can't use these things together' line as much as possible. Instead the character will try to do the action, with sometimes funny results. Details are important and add a lot to the experience.

The downside is a lot of recorded speech for the main character.

(I hope you have some lots of spare time in the future, Tom King ;) )

--Erwin

[Vel]

Sorry for going a bit off topic, but how was your game destroyed, remixor? Hard disk failiure?

[Tamara]

My game isn't hugely inventory-based, so I don't really have that problem. But yeah. :) One reason it took me so long to get the thing done was that I tried to anticipate every single action a player could do in every possible order, and made the game world reflect that. No-one ever notices these things unless I show them, but they would if they weren't there. I've got the itch to start writing again, incidentally. :) Once these exams are done [feb 16th] I wanna start doing the game again.

Oh, and Erwin, when are we going to record? :D I don't use the hotmail address, so don't contact me there.

[Erwin_Br]

My game isn't hugely inventory-based, so I don't really have that problem. But yeah. :) One reason it took me so long to get the thing done was that I tried to anticipate every single action a player could do in every possible order, and made the game world reflect that. No-one ever notices these things unless I show them, but they would if they weren't there.

Working on these little details is very satisfying for me. Everything feels more 'finished'. You know, I'm even optimalising the code now. My 'programming' is very messy and even though everything works and the player won't see one line of code, I still want it to be 'clean'. I'm just weird that way :P :crazy:

Oh, and Erwin, when are we going to record? :D I don't use the hotmail address, so don't contact me there.

I'm almost ready, and I'll contact you soon at your 'onvol' address, okay?

--Erwin

[remixor]

Sorry for going a bit off topic, but how was your game destroyed, remixor? Hard disk failiure?

Yep, my HD broke. Literally broke. One of the brackets supporting it fell off and the hd was physically damanged. Toshiba tech support was fast and free, but I lost all the stuff I had on that drive.

[Erwin_Br]

Yep, my HD broke. Literally broke. One of the brackets supporting it fell off and the hd was physically damanged. Toshiba tech support was fast and free, but I lost all the stuff I had on that drive.

Oh shit, how did that happen? Did you transport your PC?

The reason I'm asking is because of this: I don't have enough room to decently put this new HD into my PC (I use it as a server). It already has two HD's, which are taking up all the room.

I managed to attach it with only ONE screw. It's pretty stable, as long as I don't kick or move my server too enthousiastic.

--Erwin

[remixor]

I have no idea. I transport it fairly regularly between school and home, but I'm very careful with it, and the problem didn't begin until it had already been stationary for probably two months. Go figure.

[Trumgottist]

Working on these little details is very satisfying for me. Everything feels more 'finished'. You know, I'm even optimalising the code now. My 'programming' is very messy and even though everything works and the player won't see one line of code, I still want it to be 'clean'. I'm just weird that way :P :crazy:
That's not weird at all. (Or maybe I'm only saying saying that beacuseI'm the same.:)) A creative person should be a bit of a perfectionist. Just don't take it to extremes and get too bogged down by the details...

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Anyone ever play the Time Quest demo? For a fan-made adventure game (made in the old Sierra style ala Space Quest: The Lost CHapter), it was dang decent and had fairly good puzzles.

Ah, here we go. Found its homepage...
http://chadgoulding.port5.com/

Wait, there's a 2nd demo out? Cool beans!

Sky Warrior Bob