Festival, Winner of the R3 Year's End Festive Game Competition Options

[Cleril]

Mommy say's I'll get to see Santa Clause soon! All the kids go to the mall to see Santa but Mommy says that Santa is a fake. She's taking me somewhere to go and see the real Santa Clause! Mommy said he has a gift just for me! I can't wait to sit in his lap!

Written by Ethan, December 21st, 2011.



Festival follows the short story involving discovery, love, and playful imagination. The game will only last you 30 minutes at most and there is no replay value. However you'll find a suitable amount of mental stimulation in those mere 30 minutes. Festival also won R3 Year's End Festive Game Competition, in case that sways you over. I cannot give much information because there isn't much information to give. The story, while there is one, is stripped to essentials and so anything I possibly give I would consider spoilers. There's only two main characters, Ethan, and the other I can't give a name to because of spoilers.



The gameplay involves no combat but instead has hidden object and puzzle gameplay. The game has a 100% original soundtrack and sound effects created by myself.

Features:

*Custom soundtrack and sound effects.

*Puzzles to tease and a very tightly knit experience.

*An original story that is well written without any fluff and huff.

Script Credit:

Wortana - Smooth scrolling script.

Kylock's Light Effects.

BigEd781 Memorize Event Position

Rei Explosion Blur Effect

Graphics Credit: Lunarea. To be perfectly honest there are others I'm sure who's graphics I have used but because my old laptop broke I no longer know where I found these graphics (I had bookmarks to give proper credit to each artist). If you find I used your art then by all means let me know so I can credit you properly.

Window Credit: Wortana's Windowskin generator.

All pictures in the game were however created solely by me. And of course I was the sole person who made the actual game.

Festival was made in RPG Maker VX.

Downloads with and without the RTP are below:

With RTP (47 MB): http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?q1hchr1ohk1coc2

Without RTP (13 MB): http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?lqnm5d9bu4bo88r

Thank you for reading and please leave any feedback you'd like to on this topic! Or PM me if you're rather shy.

[JinjerJack]

Wow, just wow.

This is stunning.

Nowadays, people are just too busy thinking up some grand plot for their games and stories.

Don't really know many people who are still capable of doing stuff like this.

It has that relaxing feel to it. Just makes me wanna kick back and just let time fly by while listening to the music.

^Which was, by the way, pretty awesome. Has that "special aura" about it.

Congrats, man, you're one of a kind.

Cheers.

[anubischick]

This was brilliant executed and perfectly proportioned. 30 minutes seems like such a short time, but it was just what this needed. You've created a wonderful story. Truman Capote said "The short story is the most difficult and disciplining form of prose writing”. He was right, and you've pulled off an amazing example of it right here.

My thanks, it was half an hour very well spent.

[Cleril]

Wow, just wow.

This is stunning.

Nowadays, people are just too busy thinking up some grand plot for their games and stories.

Don't really know many people who are still capable of doing stuff like this.

It has that relaxing feel to it. Just makes me wanna kick back and just let time fly by while listening to the music.

^Which was, by the way, pretty awesome. Has that "special aura" about it.

Congrats, man, you're one of a kind.

Cheers.

Woo, been a while since I looked in on this topic and look at the glorious response!

Glad you enjoyed the music, I used MAGIX Music Maker 17 for the soundtrack and certain sound effects.

If you like these short little games then I recommend you try The Fall(en) (link in my signature). It was the first game I finished so you might want to lower your expectations compared to Festival.

This was brilliant executed and perfectly proportioned. 30 minutes seems like such a short time, but it was just what this needed. You've created a wonderful story. Truman Capote said "The short story is the most difficult and disciplining form of prose writing”. He was right, and you've pulled off an amazing example of it right here.

My thanks, it was half an hour very well spent.

The contest demanded the game be over 30 minutes and it was rather hard coming up with enough gameplay to fill up that time. The rock puzzles are really what gave me a good 15 or so minutes. Most got stumped on the second one really bad.

At least I made about 25 of those minutes actual gameplay though.

I'm amazed at the response I've gotten from this. Back when I actually put it out I got nothing but a few months later and woah.

I appreciate the support and hope you perhaps play my other titles. You can even play Peekaboo (free like all my games) on Desura if you prefer that particular service.

Currently I'm working on Words, you can find that in the Project Demos forum.

[amerk]

I'm amazed at the response I've gotten from this. Back when I actually put it out I got nothing but a few months later and woah.

Which is one of the reasons I favor a no-necropost rule for completed games, as long as the download link works. Too many games go unnoticed initially, which can be the fault of several factors (low activity, not the right moment, not attracting the right members, too many other games, etc), but at least this gives allowance for legit bumps, even when the game is several months old.

[kaz]

@Cleri

Just played the game - I love it. The hide and seek was very clever- had a few goes at that.

Loved all the puzzles, the room was clever an well thought out.


They were all challenging but not impossible.


Sweet little maps and thought provoking - well done.

[Cleril]

I'm amazed at the response I've gotten from this. Back when I actually put it out I got nothing but a few months later and woah.

Which is one of the reasons I favor a no-necropost rule for completed games, as long as the download link works. Too many games go unnoticed initially, which can be the fault of several factors (low activity, not the right moment, not attracting the right members, too many other games, etc), but at least this gives allowance for legit bumps, even when the game is several months old.

Indeed, after maybe two weeks of checking in on this topic I ditched but then I stumbled upon it thinking "Oh yea, I made this" and found very well thought out feedback posts. Always good for motivation purposes!

@Cleri

Just played the game - I love it. The hide and seek was very clever- had a few goes at that.

Loved all the puzzles, the room was clever an well thought out.


They were all challenging but not impossible.


Sweet little maps and thought provoking - well done.

Very happy to hear that madam Kaz! I'm surprised you liked the hide and seek since it's more of a cliche gameplay mechanic. Although I do suppose it fits the game's themes moving from child-like "Festivals" to more of the horrifying adult hints in the game. I did want to create a contrast from part A to part B and then relax your mind with Part C.

I actually played the game myself after reading the feedback and got stuck on the room puzzle.

I aim to make all of my games as difficult as possible without pissing off the player. One of my design mantras so to speak.

Mapping was one of the more tricky parts (even trickier than making the rock puzzles actually). I'm surprised at myself for the more gameplay content in there versus filler or dialogue. One of my main issues with my first game (Haven) was that it was far too wordy. I do feel I could of done some more exposition with the more adult parts of Festival (the pictures appearing are random and therefore aren't consistent for all players) but at least I avoided being pretentious and preachy.

Thanks for the feedback!

This post has been edited by Cleril: Jul 31 2012, 06:03 PM

[Magical_RuNE_Kni...]

I actually wanted to comment on your game at least 2 months ago... or maybe 3... but, I forgot... \(^D^)/ (!"-0-)

I thought it was very charming though. And nostalgic... I wish my Christmases could be like that. Nowadays, everyone's too busy, or too serious, or too stressed. Or too complicated.
I'm amazed you made all the music and sounds yourself btw. And the puzzles were very clever-- I remember I couldn't find the last dude, so I just ran around while mashing buttons lol. And then I thought "hey wait, this is hide and seek after all"... finally figured out where to look. (XD)

I really enjoyed the tidying-up-the-room puzzle-- even though I hate cleaning. : ) Great game!

[Cleril]

I actually wanted to comment on your game at least 2 months ago... or maybe 3... but, I forgot... \(^D^)/ (!"-0-)

I thought it was very charming though. And nostalgic... I wish my Christmases could be like that. Nowadays, everyone's too busy, or too serious, or too stressed. Or too complicated.
I'm amazed you made all the music and sounds yourself btw. And the puzzles were very clever-- I remember I couldn't find the last dude, so I just ran around while mashing buttons lol. And then I thought "hey wait, this is hide and seek after all"... finally figured out where to look. (XD)

I really enjoyed the tidying-up-the-room puzzle-- even though I hate cleaning. : ) Great game!

I'm sure if I asked the hundreds who download my games why they don't give feedback that they'd say exactly that.

Oddly enough I was raised Jewish and am currently an Atheist who doesn't celebrate holidays. Irony!

I make custom soundtracks from Haven 2 and on. However only games like Words and Festival have music made from MAGIX. The other games used Aviary's Myna which is far less creative and more cut/paste.

I had to figure out how to bring the player back into a more relaxed state of mind from the more stressful rock puzzles/atmosphere. I figured the riddle was:

1. Player's pace. There was no time limit or inherent rush.

[Show/Hide] Game Spoilers

The rock puzzles don't have a timer despite making you feel pushed for time.

2. Not reaction based. It was just sitting back and thinking.

3. It brought you back into more conventional control of a character. The rocks were controlled by choice boxes so you were detached and there were no familiar characters in an unfamiliar place (plot theming through the gameplay OMG). This allows you to feel safer, more in control, etc.

And cleaning has some connections to previous themes hinted in the game.

[Cleril]

I actually wanted to comment on your game at least 2 months ago... or maybe 3... but, I forgot... \(^D^)/ (!"-0-)

I thought it was very charming though. And nostalgic... I wish my Christmases could be like that. Nowadays, everyone's too busy, or too serious, or too stressed. Or too complicated.
I'm amazed you made all the music and sounds yourself btw. And the puzzles were very clever-- I remember I couldn't find the last dude, so I just ran around while mashing buttons lol. And then I thought "hey wait, this is hide and seek after all"... finally figured out where to look. (XD)

I really enjoyed the tidying-up-the-room puzzle-- even though I hate cleaning. : ) Great game!

I'm sure if I asked the hundreds who download my games why they don't give feedback that they'd say exactly that.

Oddly enough I was raised Jewish and am currently an Atheist who doesn't celebrate holidays. Irony!

I make custom soundtracks from Haven 2 and on. However only games like Words and Festival have music made from MAGIX. The other games used Aviary's Myna which is far less creative and more cut/paste.

I had to figure out how to bring the player back into a more relaxed state of mind from the more stressful rock puzzles/atmosphere. I figured the riddle was:

1. Player's pace. There was no time limit or inherent rush.

[Show/Hide] Game Spoilers

The rock puzzles don't have a timer despite making you feel pushed for time.

2. Not reaction based. It was just sitting back and thinking.

3. It brought you back into more conventional control of a character. The rocks were controlled by choice boxes so you were detached and there were no familiar characters in an unfamiliar place (plot theming through the gameplay OMG). This allows you to feel safer, more in control, etc.

And cleaning has some connections to previous themes hinted in the game.

[Cleril]

Silly forum, double posts are for rule breakers.

This post has been edited by Cleril: Jul 31 2012, 08:05 PM