jack

As of this morning, one touch of a button can turn these:

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into this:

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Also downloadable from http://semichrome.net/~jack/DesertDemo/ . There's nothing there, but if you're curious enough you may want to see it playing. On windows you need the exe, the dll, and desertdemo.mad. On linux you'll need the binary or source from http://sourceforge.net/projects/mad-project/

DesertAdv ver 0.06 Features

* One script compiles GIMP graphics, via bitmaps and lua code, to a single game file, with masks, coords, etc, produced automatically.
* Change walkables, objects, etc, in GIMP
* Character walks round obstructions
* 2.5d objects, with you either in front or behind.
* Act on objects (only "look" "window" exists)
* Runs on windows, untested but should run in linux

DesertAdv ver 0.06 Placeholders

* The little man and the gui came from the MAD demo
* the room is programmer art drawn in the gimp.

Opportunities

* Make user interface not clunky
* Fix z-order rendering
* Make Lua scripts nottweaked by hand but compiled from gimp-exported config file of names and coordinates of objects, and csv database of actions
* Design demo puzzles
* Draw actual demo art

You are in an maze of twisty hell-dimensions, all terrifying and entailing complicated philosophical, moral, and plot implications

(One for the non-techies)

Father David is a church magician, excluded from the Catholic church because his magic is officially unrecognised, but the go-to guy for a variety of metaphysical/supernatural conundra[1]

He is latestly charged with tracking down a ancient noun (unknown whether it be an artefact, spell, word, prayer, or person) that conquers death. Which some Generic Fanatics are also after. He's doubtful about the theological/moral implications. He wonders if he can bring his dead wife back to life.

He finally acquires it just ahead of the fanatics, who kill him, but he finds himself returning from the dead as a ghost, needing to reassemble the thing to complete his return. He is angry and vengeful and retains his full spellcasting powers.

These are generally elemental in nature, eg. can make or extinguish a small spark quickly, and raise or put down a storm over a period of time.

OK, I had the idea for the character, and the death, and the idea for the magic came from thinking about interfaces, but I made up the connections on the spur of the moment. The actual plot will probably turn out to be something completely different.

It's funny how well, Indiana Jones fits this style of game, I guess it's because: going out and about to places means you often face non-arbitrary puzzles; no-one ever gets tired of acquiring more mystical objects; ancient tombs have puzzles; he's cool.

You are in a maze of twisty user interface features, all subtly related

Several of you have heard me expounding about designing an adventure game. I was thinking about it last weekend, before it got overtaken with other things. I probably won't actually do all this at this time, but

I love Monkey Island games. In fact, "like Monkey Island" is actually more accurate than "point-and-click adventure game" because the genre we all like not only has that style of game and interface, but that style of humour too.

Sonic's commented several times (both, I think, in put-down and in seriousness) that I ought to write one. The idea appeals to me because I get to do: much programming, much design, much puzzling and some art which fits the ideal proportions.

The only flaw is I wanted to write something open ended, like an action or puzzle time filler, that isn't this. But it's fun.

The twist I like, the defining feature

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Other features

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