Adventure Game Studio [freeware]

[Tami]

[url=\"http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/\"]Adventure Game Studio[/url] (AGS for short) allows you to create your own point-and-click adventure games, similar to the early 90's Sierra and Lucasarts adventures. It consists of an easy-to-use development environment, and run-time engine.

**note** there are loads of cool games on the AGS site as well**

The game interface is fully customizable, although the classic Sierra interface is supported by default. You need no programming experience to make a game using AGS - setting most game options is just a matter of point-and-click (though scripting is of course available if you prefer). AGS manages most of the game so that you don't have to - it provides load/save game functions, inventory management, and more.

Add in some interactions (ie. what happens when the player clicks on various things) and you're done. You can even create a standalone EXE file containing your entire game, which you can then distribute.

So, how much does it cost? Nothing. That's right, AGS is free, and you can even create commercial games with it (subject to license terms).

NOTE: AGS is not for everyone. To make more advanced parts of a game, such as cutscenes, you will need to be prepared to learn the scripting language. It is recommended that you have at least a basic knowledge of computers before attempting to use AGS - such as, you know what a PCX file is, you can think logically and you know the difference between your hard drive and your RAM.

You can use the links on the left to see AGS's features, download games made using AGS, and more.

If you decide that AGS is for you, then visit the [url=\"http://www.bigbluecup.com/acdload.htm\"]Download[/url] and Tutorial pages to get started.

Features:

So, is AGS for you? Well, that depends what you want to do. It is designed to create adventure games, in the classic point-and-click style. It is not designed to make platformers, straight RPG's, or any other type of game (although simple arcade sequences are of course possible).

As an overall summary of the features, we have:

* Windows-based IDE for creating your games as quickly and easily as possible. For screenshots of the IDE, have a quick browse of the beginners' tutorial.
* Native Windows, Linux (x86) and MS-DOS versions of the game engine, to maximise the number of people who can play your game.
* Powerful "C"-style scripting language if you don't like point-and-click. But don't worry, most stuff can be done with your mouse in the editor instead if you prefer.
* In the graphics arena, 256-colour, 16-bit colour and 32-bit colour are all supported - either go for that retro feel, or enjoy the benefits of no palette! It's up to you. Alpha-blended sprites are supported in 32-bit colour games.
* Screen resolutions of 320x200, 320x240, 640x400, 640x480, and 800x600 are supported. Your game can be run full-screen or in a window.
* For sound and music, you can use OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM and MIDI files. Ambient location-dependant sounds, automatic footstep sounds, multiple sound channels and crossfading between music tracks are supported too.
* Easily create talkie games if you like - speech is compiled into a single data file, which you can distribute as an optional download.
* Point-and-click setting of reactions to game events, or a powerful C-like scripting language if you so prefer.
* Easy inventory management - just define all the items in the editor, then use simple Give and Lose commands during the game.
* Almost everything is customizable, from the GUI you use to the mouse cursor graphics. A standard Sierra GUI is supplied, but user-made templates of other GUIs can be downloaded.
* Have up to 150 characters roaming your world - they each have their own inventory and can be smoothly scaled and lit in different areas. 2, 4 and 8-directional walking animations are supported.
Multiple player characters, such as in Maniac Mansion and Day of the Tentacle, are possible too.
* Scrolling rooms are supported by simply importing an image larger than the screen resolution.
* Lucasarts-style conversation system should you want to use it.
* Translations of your game to other languages are easy to make, and can be distributed seperately as add-on packs.
* Plugin system which allows more advanced developers to add extra functionality to AGS.
* Compile your game into a single EXE file for distribution. Digital music and voice samples can also be compiled into seperate files to allow for optional downloads. You can of course set a custom icon for the produced EXE file.
* The game script is compiled to byte-code when you save the game, to maximise the speed of the engine.
* All the standard things you would expect, such as game Save and Load features, automatic pathfinding, sprite mirroring, walk-behinds, hotspots, objects, cutscenes, animations, timers, and so forth.