Setting the Stage

Join in with competitions to make the best trials... with a twist!

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Southern Corn
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Southern Corn »

Ooh, the setting of this one does definitely look interesting. My to-play list grows ever larger.
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DWaM
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by DWaM »

I appreciate the consistency the reviews keep coming out with. So far they've managed to intrigue me for pretty much every case, too, which is an extra plus.
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trialdude
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by trialdude »

So yeah, my presentation was kinda rough. That's why I'm learning how to use fades now. They should be there in the final version.
I have the stupidest username in all of AAO. Nowhere else will you find one more stupid.
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Gosicrystal
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Gosicrystal »

It's not your fault the editor is kinda limited, trialdude. Fancy stuff like fades should be a plus, not a requirement.
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by SuperAj3 »

trialdude wrote:So yeah, my presentation was kinda rough. That's why I'm learning how to use fades now. They should be there in the final version.
I read the review of your case and, at least from my perspective being new to making trials, it's a little unfair to assume everyone has access to materials the editor lacks in order to make their case 'polished', so I wouldn't take that criticism personally at all.

I made fading transitions for mine from scratch (albeit a while ago, but just because I knew the editor lacked them) and I've seen others with actual fades that aren't shoddy disolving-effect GIFs like mine were.
Spoiler : If you want to use the ones I made, here they are :
Wait time of 517 in the editor for each.
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bigwins
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by bigwins »

Absolutely to all, I wasn't docking any points for not having stuff like fades etc., just pointing out that those who are used to seeing them should keep it in mind. My first case didn't have them either, and I don't think they're necessary at all. Apologies for coming off as though I was criticizing the case for that reason- I just felt it was an aspect of the presentation worth noting.

Anyway, sorry for the wait! Finally coming at you with another one.
≿————- ❈ ————-≾

How the West was dumb:
Spoiler : The Turnabout With No Name by DannyPlaysSomeGames :
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It may not look like much, but don't worry: it isn't.

The Turnabout with No Name is a pretty high-concept case with a setting that's unique among the entries for this comp. Mia decides to take on a case given to her by cowboy Jake Marshall that sees her going to the Old West to visit the infamous Town With No Name (from the memorably terrible game of the same name). Like most of the other entries, this case is pretty incomplete so far, but it's got some impressive presentation that made me want to keep going (and sad when I got the inevitable "The End", but anyway) :cry:

STORY - The story in this case hasn't been fleshed out very far, but essentially Mia Fey's taking on a case in a western town, and has to go there and check it out. The plot isn't particularly gripping yet but the characters are uniformly well-written, with Marshall sounding enjoyably close to his canon portrayal without coming off as a caricature. Mia's a solid straight-woman protagonist, and the Old-Timer- a character recreated from the original Town With No Name game- is also a treat to talk to. It seems to hew fairly close to the original game's nonsensical storyline, for better or worse. Tonally the thing's a bit inconsistent- the intro is serious while the case later turns into comedy- but it still works.

GAMEPLAY - At present there isn't much in the way of gameplay, just some introductory dialogue options, but props for keeping the spirit of the original game intact by including a completely meaningless and useless option that ends the game prematurely.

PRESENTATION - The Turnabout With No Name's presentation is really bad! But in the best possible way, of course. The fades look great, the animated backgrounds are perfectly timed, the sound effects work well, and the music is, well, fitting at least. The goal is to recreate one of the worst games of all time, and that's knocked out of the park here with the use of actual backgrounds, music and animations from the game itself. Of course it looks flat, bland and bad, but it works really well, and definitely fits better here (in an actually bearable, comedic environment) than whatever that actual mess on CD-i or wherever is. Some aspects, like capitalization and text's color and spacing, are different from the main series in a distracting way, but the importance of that may vary to you.

THEME RELEVANCE - Obviously I can't speak on whether the mystery incorporates elements of the setting yet, but wow, what a setting. Somehow the Old West trappings, done in an overall tacky and bad manner, manage to fit Ace Attorney's brand of investigating really well, and I think it's an excellent choice of setting. The solid presentation goes a long way here.

OVERALL - The Turnabout With No Name is surprisingly effective. I never would've thought of this concept myself, but this crossover really does work, perhaps because both games are essentially menu-based adventure games (one a bit more than the other, perhaps). Like so many entries in this competition, however, it's a really solid idea that hasn't gotten very far yet. The presentation and writing, which strongly evoke a bad game but managed to make it appealing, are what puts this one higher on my list. Really good work.
Two left! I've got a fair bit of the awards ceremony done, so that'll be coming soon after the last review, but for now, come back next time for A Less BASEic Turnabout by clcman & Spybreak001!
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DJJ6800
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by DJJ6800 »

So are we getting an actual awards ceremony or just something that announces the winner and that’s it?
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Salamence
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Salamence »

We're probably getting an award ceremony, it would be rather anti climatic for Bigwins to just say that I won and that's it.
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Part 1 complete

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DJJ6800
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by DJJ6800 »

Right. He would totally say I won though.
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clcman
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by clcman »

Wow. That was not what I was expecting at all! Congrats, Danny! That sounds really interesting!
What do REAL, NON-BRIBED people have to say about HTB!?
"This really changed the way I thought about Phoenix as a character. ...Wow." - Reecer6
"HTB! contains truths that might be hard to stomach, but had to be unveiled nonetheless." - Blackrune
"This deserves a best plot twist award." - Evo
"It changed my life, and it can change yours too. For the better, I mean." - Calvinball
"I will never look at Phoenix Wright the same way again" - PhoenixRises123
"omg best thing on aao" - AceAttorneyMaster111
DISCOVER THE TRUTH YOU NEVER KNEW YOU DIDN'T KNOW IN HTB! PROLOGUE AND PART 1, AVAILABLE NOW!!


"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." -Isaac Asimov
"For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong." -H. L. Mencken
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Southern Corn
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Southern Corn »

Yeah, it really does sound great! I really want to see how the finished product is now.
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bigwins
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by bigwins »

Alllright... AAO was down and I was tired but I'm dragging myself up out of the depths to deliver a spooky n' supernatural review. Get ready!
≿————- ❈ ————-≾

The truth is, uh, out-there:
Spoiler : A Less BASEic Turnabout by clcman & Spybreak001 :
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Zombies?! Sadly, no.

A Less BASEic Turnabout is, presumably, the sequel to A BASEic Turnabout, though I've never played it and therefore can't say for sure. Regardless, it stands on its own, telling the story of two agents of the Bureau of Anomalous Subjects and Entities, who are assigned to look into the mysterious revival of a young woman who fell from a skyscraper. Less BASEic isn't complete, but it's got a fair amount of content and its premise is compelling, and that's enough for me (even if it's not enough for the Understands Deadlines Award, everyone :sideglance2:)

STORY - As a police procedural, Less BASEic's straightforward investigating kept me engaged. Its central mystery is interesting because the potential for paranormal activity isn't immediately confirmed, and the goal isn't simply solving a murder but finding the truth behind an odd, anomalous event. The characters all have clever interplay, and while some of them felt similar in voice, they all remained consistently entertaining. Less BASEic's got an X-Files-esque plot hook and central progression, and it's one of the more tightly scripted entries in this comp, with solid pacing that keeps things moving along. Except for that one bit, though very much on purpose.

GAMEPLAY - As an investigation, the case doesn't handhold in terms of what to examine, but also keeps the player informed of the tasks they'll need to do through convenient dialogue prompts. It's nothing groundbreaking, but the dialogue peppered into examinations creates a pretty good feeling of getting your hands dirty and digging through the evidence. It follows the investigation formula to a T, though, and is pretty strongly linear, so if you're looking for anything more you'll have to wait.

PRESENTATION - Less BASEic benefits from some really impressive hand-crafted graphics, as well as cribbing quite a few from the canon games. The early UI and intro images look great, and the sound effects add to the immersion, though there's not too much in the way of new evidence or the like. The music, from various sources, fits the various "investigation"-type vibes the case has got going, and things like the animation scenes really kick up the production values. It's a flashy-looking case, though the use of AAI sprites for a couple of characters can feel a bit inconsistent (the character with Kay's sprites never seems to want to face you straight-on).

THEME RELEVANCE - While the case admittedly doesn't have a weird setting (i.e. separate world or location) all its own, I'll take the blame for being vague. It does feature an organization committed to investigating the weird and supernatural, which apparently exist in this world, so it definitely passes in my book. The case's mystery is also centrally about solving a paranormal incident, so it's intrinsically linked to the setting, which gives it a leg up, though there aren't any weird or haunted locations or anything ( :( ).

OVERALL - Less BASEic is an entertaining investigation, with solid character writing and a mystery hook that'll inevitably draw you in. The presentation's thoroughly solid and clearly had a lot of work put into it. I do wish there was more optional content and variation in what the player's asked to do, as it brings you mostly through a linear string of investigation scenes, but that's to be expected with both this early a part of the case and a case this early in development (plus there is actually a really good, juicy bit of optional stuff). Overall, because of its strong pacing and mystery, I'd say Less BASEic is one of the cases I'm most interested in seeing finished. Don't let this one get added to the list, clcman!!!

Okay, okay. It's been a long time. But don't worry- come back next time for the FINAL REVIEW: The Supreme Turnabout by Salamence! And afterwards, it'll be awards ceremony time... I swear.
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Salamence
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Salamence »

Hype intensifies
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Part 1 complete

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Southern Corn
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by Southern Corn »

Man, these reviews have actually been going really really fast. Good job to bigwins so far, and I can hardly wait for that awards ceremony!
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clcman
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Re: Setting the Stage

Post by clcman »

Spoiler : Some responses :
bigwins wrote:A Less BASEic Turnabout is, presumably, the sequel to A BASEic Turnabout
It's actually a prequel to The BASEic Turnabout. Not that that means anything at all, since all BASEic cases are meant to be independent and playable in any order.
bigwins wrote:and that's enough for me (even if it's not enough for the Understands Deadlines Award, everyone :sideglance2:)
Look, I just invented the Understands Deadlines Award, okay? I leave the winning of it to other people.
bigwins wrote:while some of them felt similar in voice
Out of curiosity, which characters were you thinking of?
bigwins wrote:It follows the investigation formula to a T, though, and is pretty strongly linear, so if you're looking for anything more you'll have to wait.
Gameplay will get significantly more varied later on. Right now, though, the case is still in the "gather information" phase. The "deduce everything" and the "things just got nuts" phases come later.
bigwins wrote:Less BASEic benefits from some really impressive hand-crafted graphics
All credit on graphics and audio goes to Spybreak, the God of Case Art.
bigwins wrote:though there aren't any weird or haunted locations or anything ( :( ).
Saving that for One More BASEic Turnabout, which may actually become a thing someday.
bigwins wrote:I'd say Less BASEic is one of the cases I'm most interested in seeing finished. Don't let this one get added to the list, clcman!!!
I'm trying, dwammit! ...But seriously, Spybreak and I are working on it again as we speak, so hopefully at least one part will be out in the next month or so. And there shouldn't be more than two parts.
What do REAL, NON-BRIBED people have to say about HTB!?
"This really changed the way I thought about Phoenix as a character. ...Wow." - Reecer6
"HTB! contains truths that might be hard to stomach, but had to be unveiled nonetheless." - Blackrune
"This deserves a best plot twist award." - Evo
"It changed my life, and it can change yours too. For the better, I mean." - Calvinball
"I will never look at Phoenix Wright the same way again" - PhoenixRises123
"omg best thing on aao" - AceAttorneyMaster111
DISCOVER THE TRUTH YOU NEVER KNEW YOU DIDN'T KNOW IN HTB! PROLOGUE AND PART 1, AVAILABLE NOW!!


"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." -Isaac Asimov
"For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong." -H. L. Mencken
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