Zak Mckracken and the Lonely Sea Monster - Back in Production

[LUniqueDan]

Hey Cuppit Friends! - After 20 years of lazyness. - After 10 months browsing AGS help files. - After 3 hours trying to make a post. Here is :

I'm (humbly) trying to render the original taste of Zak McKraken ATAM
That means :

*Creating a sense of freedom through non-linearity
*Creating a feeling of grand adventure through explorations not through puzzles exclusively.
*Keep Zak in the Sleezy Tabloids World, a World of Mysteries, Hoaxes New age Crap as seen on the shelves of your local supermarket.
"Why use plastic C4 when a Can Opener and Peanut Butter will do the job?"


Zak McKraken and the lonely Sea Monster
(An humble sequel to a game I will not name)







Intro : (splitted in 3 smaller parts)

Where I am so far :
Overall ------------------90%
Rooms -- 90 done --- 100%
Gui et Glob Script ---- 90%
Backgrounds ---------- 110% (hey )
Characters ------------ 100%
Interactions ----------- 101%
Story ---- --------------100%

Today : 27 April 20:36
Most of the hardwork is done. I need now to :
+ Fill in 100's of Properties windows (mostly for Zak's 'Headline' and Annie's 'Search' options).
+ Solve a meta-puzzle nightmare due of the non-linear environment.

(BTW, I wish to thanx everybody in the AGS community who spend times answering tech. questions - If I never needed to post anything it's because you were there. )

Today : 6th of May 21:11
Meta-puzzle solve - Posting 2 new Screenies
Intro/Teaser will be available next W/end.

Today : 13th of May 22:12
Scripting / testing of the Intro : Done
Movie rip from the game : Done with Sc.Mov.Stud
But : 40 megs and I only have a 56k....
Conclusion : I'll send the full game instead... still huge, so I need to find a cable connection. Since next Sunday....     Sorry All.

Today : May 22nd 7:00
Alpha-Testing and removing bugs like a Space Marine on coke.  ('Booooring')
Release The Intro : in 3 small parts using an other soft.
Change the speech font. - I just needed to feel creative. - Thanx Radiant for FEdit.
1st - Press released + Title;  2nd - The dream; 3rd - off rel. 

Today : May 30thl 20:36
Alpha still in progress. If The Eniac team found 1 tech problem and coined a new word for it. I can write a full dictionnary from scratch olny with my game.
Everything going well. I just need  to learn how to refrain myself of making a backup twice a day. I re-converted some screenshots using something else that 'MS-Paint' (Yeah, I know it's procrastination...)


************ Unexplained Black Hole ************

Today : August 11th 09:36

All the rooms had been rebuilted from scratch.
Almost as the same stadium than 2 years ago when I first post here.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Looks great, but I have to ask - is the last screenie ripped from Maniac Mansion? If so, what about the other ones? They all look original (and gorgeous), but if one of them is ripped, one'll always wonder about the rest...

BTW, it's great that you're making an "oldies-flavoured" game, but remember that there's things in the old games that disappeared in modern design - and for a good reason. I see you've implemented mazes - just as long as they're easily mappable. I see you've implemented a huge gameworld - just as long as it's not a lot of going to and fro and to and fro and fro and to again with the player having barely a clue of what to do at any given time due to the sheer amount of possibilities. I see you've emulated the original Zack - just as long as you don't include a walking dead (please GOD no walking deads), and don't have the "need money to travel" limitation (I know, I know, it was a puzzle, but it's one of the reasons that got me to give up on Zack. I want to explore, I don't want to be limited by something like money).

Out of curiosity, how many player characters will there be? Will they be swictheable? And is knowledge of Zack 1 necessary for playing and enjoying your game?

Looks great, absolutely great. 100% old-school, which might not be *everyone's* cup of they, but hey, we're a bunch of nostalgic folks, ain't we?

[ildu]

Looks great. Finally someone waited enough to make an announcement thread. I'm worried about the language, though. Even now I'm seeing a bunch of spelling/grammar mistakes.

[LUniqueDan]

Looks great. Finally someone waited enough to make an announcement thread. I'm worried about the language, though. Even now I'm seeing a bunch of spelling/grammar mistakes.

Thanks for the comment.
You are totally right to worry about my spelling/grammar - That's why I'm asking help for this part. Thanks for offering... 

And especially for a game like Zak where Headlines are importants.

[Radiant]

Looks great, but I have to ask - is the last screenie ripped from Maniac Mansion?

Yes. A collage of the hallway and the library.

I must say that I disagree with Rui, and that a huge gameworld and free travel back and forth is an important part of the flavor and charm of Zack. As I recall all mazes in that game were quite easily mappable anyway. I don't even recall any glaring dead ends in Zack (other than running out of money).

I look forward to seeing this game.

[CaptainD]

Ah, Zak... I generally hate big mazes etc but somehow the original Zak McKraken will always remain one of my favourite adventure games! 

Can't wait to play this one...

CaptainD

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Radiant - the mexican temple was one of the first mazes I happened to encounter, and trying to map it left a sour taste in my mouth.

I have nothing against a huge gameworld, as long as there's no limit to the amount of times you can travel and as long as you know what you're trying to accomplish, instead of running around without much of a clue, which is what often happens when huge gameworlds are attempted.

[LUniqueDan]

Sorry if I did'nt answer you first. (time to translate your post and my humble answer) 

BTW, it's great that you're making an "oldies-flavoured" game, but remember that there's things in the old games that disappeared in modern design - and for a good reason.

I agree - oh my god I agree. I'm not a nostalgic 'by itself' - But if I'm creating  a game like that it's mainly because there a kind of original fix that I was unable to find anywhere in adventure game since MM and Zak.

I see you've implemented mazes - just as long as they're easily mappable. I see you've implemented a huge gameworld - just as long as it's not a lot of going to and fro and to and fro and fro and to again with the player having barely a clue of what to do at any given time due to the sheer amount of possibilities.

 
I know that mazes have a very bad reputation inside the gaming community. : (even the creator of Zak once said that if he had the choice, There will be no maze at all!).
I disagree.
Mazes can give a feeling of exploration and discovery, that puzzles or cutscenes won't do.
BTW, If you ever have finish Zak ... do you remember the yellow crystal ?

I see you've emulated the original Zack - just as long as you don't include a walking dead (please GOD no walking deads), and don't have the "need money to travel" limitation (I know, I know, it was a puzzle, but it's one of the reasons that got me to give up on Zack. I want to explore, I don't want to be limited by something like money).

I appreciate that someone share my interest for the exploration factor in games' but:

1- Money should matter : In this case, less than in Zak1. Possibilities to gain money are huges. I don't want to spoil something but My 2nd screenie can give you a clue on the way Zak will earn his cash.

2 - Yes you can die. Not of a "Leisure Suit Larry Dead" - just an early LucasArts one. Just a matter of coherence. Or a char say 'I don't wanna' or Yes, he can push the red button.

Out of curiosity, how many player characters will there be? Will they be swictheable? And is knowledge of Zack 1 necessary for playing and enjoying your game?

Officially there is olny 1 player character (telling more will be a spoiler...) But I did type cXXX.setasplayer a couple of time in the main script 

Needed knowledge of Z1 : It's hard from my POV to set an honest answer. But, at, the best as I can, It won't. Same athmosphere, same main characters, but not more.

Looks great, absolutely great. 100% old-school, which might not be *everyone's* cup of they, but hey, we're a bunch of nostalgic folks, ain't we?

YEAH!
Thank for your nice comment

[tolworthy]

This is FANTASTIC news! I think my Zak fan site will need a major update soon!

Keep up the good work!

www.ZakSite.co.uk

[LUniqueDan]

Crop circles everywhere...


I know... I Know... this tread is not as appealing as the usual 'Look-The-MI-sequel-I'm-planning-to-do-in-2-weeks' but it's ok...

But here anyway for my Fanclub  

LUnique"Attention deficit disorder"Dan

[GarageGothic]

I absolutely love the Commodore 64 look of the graphics. The dithering in the Loch Ness shot reminds me of the Last Ninja games. After watching a speedrun of the original Zak on youtube the other day (oh my how much of it I'd forgotten) I'm even more looking forward to this game.

[Klaz]

It looks great! New Adventures of Zak McKracken was too short. But this project seems that it will be longer.

[LUniqueDan]

GarageGothic :
Thanx for the comments.
I do enjoy the clear cut graphx too. And I believe it's the best way to avoid pixel hunting into adv. gaming.

And for the Last Ninja game :
You are really near the thruth, It's a reworked martial art game sshot.
Just to make me remember that after I played Zak for the first time, I was unable to enjoy any C64 martial and Epyx style afterward, cuz I wanted to open doors and explore the background.


Klaz :
Yep - Longer.
The actual length is a little shorter than The original zak. But because of the mansion part of the game, it's going to be after all a little longer.

Then add some side quests.
Then add the fact I'm trying really hard to give the players some reasons to take their time and smell the roses.
(alien-green roses for sure)
 

So... I'm hopping that I'm going to met your expectations.

Anyway :
Going to sleep - If I want the Intro to get released before Midnight.
EDIT : Need to get back to a Net cafe to Upload the Demo. Not before next w-end.

[LUniqueDan]

Update in the 1st Post.
Wow, am I  bumping my own thread?

[Nikolas]

Dan,

The 3 intros and the music are all lovely! Well made! Lovengly created! Well done mate!

[CaptainBinky]

Looks completely awesome! You hooked me when the "people eating peanuts" C64 drum noises and Zak theme kicked in! The intro's really well done in the style of the original!

Can't wait!


CB

[Klaz]

The intro is awesome, it has a strong reminiscense to the first game.

[Venus]

I usually don't post in GiP threads unless I'm really excited about a game. As you can see, this is clearly the case here. Everything simply looks amazing and I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh, and if you're still looking for beta-tester, I'd hereby like to offer my help in that area. Pm me, if interested.

Keep up the great work!

[tolworthy]

I can't stop smiling!

[LUniqueDan]

Updates in the first post.

So Thanks ! I appreciate the goods comments and especially right now that I'm doing the most boring job of beta-testing ever made with that game.

I close my eyes and I see {x,y} coordinates; I walk in the street and see the walkways on some nasty pastel colors; I cDan.script too much; I see the world in less than 24 colors and have a wet dream about Leslie last night; I uploaded the Zak tune in my cell phone and I'm starting to found any true-color picture inadequate; I'm about to smash my old C-64 with a baseball bat for fun and I'm actually wearing and ugly nasty plain green shirts.

Life is beautiful anyway.

I now have a small Beta-tester team with the head office base in Germany.  One other well known AGS contributor and, last but not least, a patient writer who going to proofread me. (If that is not a proof of patience, my friends).

You still have 2 weeks to contact me if you want to get in the B-team.

See Ya !