Messages

They lost out not working with Himalaya!

Perhaps Himalaya dodged a bullet? Yes, a Walls-involved police adventure game has great potential. But AGDI/Himalaya has built a sterling reputation, and maybe this project would have presented challenges and frustrations outside Himalaya's control that would have sullied Himalaya's image at a time when Himalaya is still riding high from the bang-up job they did with their Mage's Kickstarter campaign.

Still wouldn't mind seeing Walls team up with Himalaya in the future!

You're the greatest and have such a good reputation for a reason. You seem so meticulous, and I am sure the touch versions will be well done.

I would recommend playing all the way though (if you have time) touch versions of games like Fester Mudd, LSL:R, Monkey Islands 1&2, etc., if you haven't already. After playing all the way through (not just for a few minutes), you have a really good feel for what works and what really, really drives you batty. Sounds like you already have things well thought out, though!

One other little thing. I have no idea how any of the technical stuff works, but it would be helpful if you could somehow make it so that when you long tap on the very edge of a screen, an arrow might appear, and when you release your finger the character would move to the next room, when applicable and when there aren't doors. All without the player having to worry about selecting the "walk" action or tapping more than once. Or something like this.

LSL:R didn't have anything like this, and little frustrations related to basic things like going from room to room in the touch version of LSL:R after awhile seriously started to detract from the entertainment. In a game with lots of wandering and movement, I think I would go insane if I had to use the LSL:R interface the whole time. So many times I accidentally would "look" or "taste" or use my "member" on the ground when all I wanted to do was go to the next screen in a hurry.

This is probably something for consideration well down the line, but I wanted to suggest that you make the labeled hotspot option set to on by default for touch screen devices.

I have played through several point and click games on my iPhone, and I can tell you that labeled hotspots are A MUST when playing this way. You can drag your finger over the screen and see what you are selecting and what's available to interact with. Playing without labels on a mobile device is excruciating (LSL: Reloaded suffers here, for example), and I can imagine that many customers would give up after a few minutes (assuming they didn't know to switch on the labels) and then might leave a bad review in the App Store. It can be hard enough using a mouse to play a no-hotspot label game, and with just your finger it's just not fun at all and is a major struggle sometimes doing something as basic as picking up an object.

Also, I'd consider making the "verb coin" interface the default for touch screen versions of the game, since the icon bar can be a bit of a pain with the touch screen.

Finally, consider including a special, detailed gameplay tutorial with the mobile versions of the game. It can be a bit tricky playing on a touch screen, especially if you haven't played many of these kinds of games before.

Also maybe consider making the action go back to "walk" after each action. It's annoying having to keep selecting walk just to move around after looking at something. And maybe when tapping on certain hotspots, the game will do a default "look" action. Switching back and forth a between  look and walk on a small touch screen device is really special kind of hell. I like what MI2:SE did by using the look action as the default action for various hotspots. It requires less fiddling with the interface.

Finally, let us use the walk action to open doors. It can be annoying struggling to do basic things just because of a finicky, clunky interface.

I'm just basing these things on having recently played through LSL:R and other games on my phone.

I also hope you streamline and simplify your interface in future games. Maybe only allow certain actions for particular hotspots, and list the available actions for a hotspot after it is selected... sort of like in LSL7.

I still hope that one day Britney has the opportunity to work on a game that would allow her to draw from her police work experience.

While I am disappointed that Jim Walls won't be teaming up at this time with Himalaya (a developer that always does excellent work and knows adventure games as good as anyone), I remain excited about Mage's Initiation and future Himalaya projects, and I am interested to learn more about Precinct and hope it turns out great.

Their pitch video seems like an ad for Sierra Online. I still don't know enough about the game.

I'll be watching for more updates (and hopefully a demo?) before backing. I want to back this game, but I'm just not convinced yet.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/precinctgame/precinct

I guess that answers that.

Anyone hear anything new about this? Is Britney Brimhall still involved in game design? I remember during the KS campaign she said she'd try to do a video talking about AGDI/Himalaya's history, but then she announced she had gotten sick and was busy with her new job. I'd still be interested in seeing the video and also hearing from her about her plans for a possible police adventure game.

Very exciting. Sounds like you all have been making a lot of progress already.

This page summarizes a lot of adventure game Kickstarters:

http://www.adventureburger.com/

Puts everything in one place.

Here to pester again. Was wondering if the next combat demo download will be available to everyone, or just to backers at a particular tier level. Also, any idea when it might be available?

I'm just one small backer, but I'd like to make a request. Can you do one or more of your upcoming updates at least partially in video form? It adds a nice personal touch, and I enjoy seeing video updates now and then. The production values aren't important. It can be someone just talking in front of a webcam.

Thank you for all you do, and have done, for adventure gaming!

Good news, everyone!  The blog is now officially live and includes not just news about Kickstarted adventure projects but also reviews, interviews, and other articles.  Come check it out and have fun.

http://www.kickstartadventure.com/home/

I love this, but the formatting shows up really awful on my iPhone. I don't mind making the adjustments in my browser to be able to read it, but I think the formatting could be tinkered with slightly so that it is easier to read on some mobile devices.

Also, I mentioned this earlier:

http://www.adventure-treff.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=475159#p475159

I also wish the Kickstart Adventure blog had all the info this German post has, but in English.

Anyway, great job with the blog!!!

Get well soon! We need the best indie adventure game development team leader out there to be at full strength and working his magic again to give us another great game!

I'd definitely like to do a mini-update sometime soon about the financial aspects, showing how much we ended up having to work with after the smoke cleared and how the Show Me The Money pie chart shifted as a result (since that's really my area of expertise.) It would not only be informative and transparent to you guys, but I also hope it helps educate prospective creators and the general public about what they can reasonably expect finance-wise.

Are we getting the next monthly update soon? I am very interested to see the current state of the money situation. I believe you had said you were going to post breakdowns of where things stand now. Also interested to know about progress on combat, etc. Seems like the combat system is going to be extremely important to get right.

I can almost foresee possible "Mage's Initiation" review headlines a year from now: "beautifully and carefully constructed adventure, BUT combat disappoints." I know you are doing everything you can to get the system just right, so hopefully that fate can be avoided. So great that you are letting us try out the combat so we can give feedback during development.

Great job so far, guys!

[DEADLINE: MAY 8, 2013]

Please help spread the word (on Twitter, online forums, etc.) to all the talented artists out there. This is your chance to maybe contribute to some of the official online promotion for the awesome new Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded game. Let's give Larry's comeback the kind of epic, slick or otherwise memorable cover art it deserves. I know there are some excellent artists out there in the adventure game community.

DEADLINE: MAY 8, 2013

from Josh Mandel's latest game update:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leisuresuitlarry/make-leisure-suit-larry-come-again/posts/467281

We've been sending the Collector's Box art to various e-tailers who, although selling only a non-boxed digital version of the game, like to – or insist on – a mocked-up box for their websites. Since a lot of people have seen the Collector's Box art and thought we shouldn't be using it for marketing purposes, we're going to start a contest (today or tomorrow) for all aspiring commercial artists. Details for the contest can – or shortly will be – available on the Replay forums, https://forums.replaygamesinc.com/  There will be a separate subforum just for this contest; there, you'll be able to find the exact rules, and you're free to post your submissions on the forum for critique (although official entries will need to be sent directly to Replay per the rules you'll find on the Contest subforum).

Official rules:
https://forums.replaygamesinc.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=900

1. The dimensions of the front of the mock box should be 10.25 x 8.75. The top and left side should also be visible. Four separate files should be sent in PSD or other high-res format:
a. Complete 3-D Box mock-up;
b. Front of the box;
c. Side of the box;
d. Top flap of the box
2. Please include contact information with each entry.
3. All submissions must be sent to cs@replaygamesinc.com by midnight on 5/8/2013 to qualify.
4. The decisions of the judges are final.
5. The winner will be awarded a special credit in the game AND will have a choice of having either Al Lowe or Josh Mandel record the greeting on the winner's answering machine or voicemail. No further prizes will be awarded.
6. We can not guarantee that the winning entry will be used on any/all particular e-tailer websites. However, the prizes will be awarded independent of whether and how much the winning entry is used.
7. All entries become the sole property of Replay Games, Inc.
8. All artists are encouraged to sign their work!

SOME BACKGROUND: A Replay Games forum thread discussing the collector's edition box art, where some people express concerns about that art and other art being used to promote Larry Reloaded online:
https://forums.replaygamesinc.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=881
(a good read)

Here's another good looking adventure game: A Small Favor by ClickShake Games. I loved their Reemus games and previous Small Favor games and I just had to back it. They're billing it as a 2D side-scrolling adventure and I'm hoping that it makes it.

I'm backing it too! The price is right, and I liked their pitch video.

Ok, that's understandable. It would be cool if even just D'arc (and no one else, if it's not feasible) had the different expressions, since he'll have a ton of dialogue throughout the game and we'll be seeing his portrait a lot in all the conversations. Maybe he could smile between or during certain lines. Maybe wink sometimes. Furrow his brow, etc. It could give him more personality.

Are you going to have the characters (in portrait or close-up view) make certain facial expressions (like irritated, amused, happy) to correspond to what they are saying? I liked how that was done in the LSL games, for example. Can't remember if your previous games also had this feature.

[though I've only completed King's Quest 1 and only fiddled with others]

I also want to thank y'all for getting me into the adventure genre though I've only completed King's Quest 1 and only fiddled with others and am embarrassed because of it. Then again I haven't been playing much besides 3DS due to so much going on.

For shame!  I think you need to go download and play through AGDI's KQ2+ and KQ3 Redux ASAP. Then you can hold your head up high. Everybody who's anybody has played all the AGDI games. 

It's great that you are visiting the forums again!

I absolutely LOVE the portraits we saw in your latest update. Brilliant artist you have. If this is who is going to be doing all the close-up art, I am very happy. This artist has an impressive knack for doing eyes; they have a real, warm human quality. The subtle expressions in these portraits are just great.

I would love to see as many close-up scenes as possible, hopefully not just in cut-scenes but in interactive sequences as well.

A little bit of an update on the KickstartVenture front.  Broomie asked me if I would help out with posting updates and news for the FB page and upcoming blog, so you know you'll be kept up-to-date on the goings-on of projects past and future.

Excellent. Where is the blog going to be hosted?

[It's funny, because I want to finish up "Mage's", because I'm so excited to get started on a Police adventure game.]

Would a potential new game like this be started before or after the final version Mage's is released? And what about Mage's sequels? Would you guys work on more than one game at a time?

Here is what Britney Brimhall said on Kickstarter:

Thanks guys for donating and pushing us past the $40,000 mark. SO EXCITING! I appreciate you pushing us into the next tier, BigD!
And YES—this is my DREAM, to work with Jim Walls on a Police Quest type adventure game, and I think it would be the perfect collaboration. It feels as if all my experiences in life, and my team's experiences, have sort of led up to this exact point, making us the perfect fit to work with Jim on this game. We've been discussing this, and he mentioned us in his last interview.
It's funny, because I want to finish up "Mage's", because I'm so excited to get started on a Police adventure game. Yet at the same time, am so excited about "Mage's", because it's turning out so well, and is the type of game I've been wanting to play for Ages (being a huge fan of Quest for Glory style games)! Two amazing games. I have to remind myself to take it step for step, but it feels like Christmas being able to work on two such fulfilling projects.
As we finish "Mage's", and I continue patrolling, I am certainly getting more and more ideas for an upcoming Police Adventure:) Every day on the street is really like a lifetime lived. A single day would be enough fodder for a grand adventure game!

I agree. There is no personal touch. I really miss the Designer Journals from the old AGDI site. It was nice learning about the people behind the games beyond the usual, canned "she so excited to be a part of this team" paragraph blurbs. But you guys are all over this forum answering questions, so I guess I can't complain too much. 

I've backed practically every adventure game Kickstarter since Leisure Suit Larry.  You want a list, here it is:

My KS Profile Page

That's legend status right there.

Okay, my second attempt at an off-topic post. First was shut down to prevent rumors and speculation, which is good because it shows this Himalaya team conducts themselves with professionalism and integrity. Makes me more proud to be a backer.

Anyway, I would love to see a continually updated list with the details of current and past adventure game Kickstarters, similar to this German language one:
http://www.adventure-treff.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=475159#p475159

If anyone out there is able to translate that information, it would be great to have all of that information easily accessible in English somewhere.

I also think it's fun to see little rankings like "top funded adventure" and "highest percentage funded of initial goal", etc.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/looking-at-leisure-suit-larry-reloaded-and-whats-ahead-for-replay-games-with-paul-trowe/

And more here:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/activision-is-planning-something-for-kings-quest-franchise-rights-reportedly-recovered-from-telltale-games/

Juiciest bits:

A new Roberta Williams game doesn't automatically mean a new King's Quest game, unfortunately. Trowe is unsure of Activision's willingness to hand over the rights to the series. Reports from a couple of years back put those right in the hands of Telltale Games, the California-based studio behind 2012′s critically acclaimed The Walking Dead series. Now Telltale is preparing to turn its attention to a similar episodic treatment of Bill Willingham's Fables. According to Trowe, Telltale is out of the King's Quest picture.

"They had [the King's Quest rights], and we were going to license it from them to make the remakes. I wouldn't do a King's Quest without Roberta. [Telltale senior VP of publishing] Steve Allison told me that they have the rights but they don't have the bandwidth." Allison offered to look into sub-licensing King's Quest out to Replay, but Trowe hit a dead end when he brought the conversation over to Activision. "I talked to the guys at Activision and they were like, 'No, we're pulling it [from Telltale] because we're going to do it ourselves.'"

This is the first public mention of Activision's plans for King's Quest since the Telltale connection was first revealed in early 2011. We've reached out to Activision for comment and will update accordingly when we hear back. Think about the possibilities though. More Leisure Suit Larry, post-release content updates, a planned F2P casino game, and the possibility of an entirely new game from Roberta Williams. It's like 1987 all over again. Trowe is just as much excited gamer as he is industry professional, but wouldn't you be too?

I wonder what revelations from Activision and Telltale will come tomorrow as journalists follow up on this story.

Just want to say here that AGDI's(aka Himalaya) King's Quest remakes are what really brought me back into adventure gaming. I will forever be grateful to them for that.

Anyway, I hope KQ is brought back the right way. Maybe all the Kickstarter adventure game-related activity will make it happen sooner rather than later.

Will you other gamers be sad if Telltale doesn't do KQ, or happy since it means we might end up getting a new KQ game that is actually an adventure game with (though modernized) the core explorative and puzzle design characteristics that, I believe, are popular among many fans of classic adventures?

If there was one thing I learned from the "Mage's Initiation" Kickstarter campaign, it was that the Mage's backers like to chat about all kinds of stuff. Do you think we could maybe get a "Misc" forum category here? Among other things, it would provide a forum here for people to promote other worthy Kickstarter projects. I want to see this site become even more buzzing with activity, and maybe an additional public discussion topic category or two could help with that, if even in a small way.

Update: I see other people were already using "General" in this way. And here I was trying to follow the rules precisely by not going off the listed topic. :-p

The start reminds me of the beginning of the "Flight of the Navigator" theme, and the main part that begins at 47 seconds reminds me of "Superman" and "Back to the Future" (and of course QFG) themes. Rousing, catchy and adventurous sound. Also, the magical, mystical sounds at the beginning and end seem appropriate for this Mage's series. Well done!

Love it. Reminds me of an Alan Silvestri adventure movie score.

Excellent!

This was a great read:
http://www.himalayastudios.com/forum/index.php?topic=639.0

Did you ever get pics from him/her? Please tell me you did. Hope his/her sister appreciated the hard work!

These adventure game forums can turn up some interesting characters!!

Hopefully the Mage's website is fixed to display properly on iPhones before the big launch. Worse than just not being very mobile device-friendly, the text and pictures display all out of alignment.

We can't wait for more details about this game!

Awesome! I have no doubt you guys will get lots of support! Count me in as a backer.

What's the latest on the Himalaya Studios' Kickstarter for Mage's Initiation?

When do you plan to launch?

Awesome! I plan to get both.

By the way, the music in this video sounds fantastic:
http://youtu.be/N0VS57E5T_A

Is this actual music from the game? It's very beautiful and creates a mysterious and adventurous mood.