Fountain of Youth and Fate of Atlantis 2

[Redwall]

As an assiduous follower of amateur adventure games, I thought I should bring these two fan projects to the attention of those unaware. (Of course, those unaware are probably those who thought Fate of Atlantis was stupid )

IJ and the Fountain of Youth - http://www.barnettcollege.com

IJ and the Fate of Atlantis 2 - http://www.amberfisharts.com

FoA2 (better known as IndyProject) has been around for quite a while (how many years is it now?), and their stuff is very professional. Unfortunately not a lot of updates.

FoY is a bit younger (though still been in the works for quite a while) and has some absolutely gorgeous background art.

Unfortunately, the "Indy-esque" adventure theme is one suprisingly uncommon among the amateur/underground adventure community. There's Rise of the Hidden Sun (http://www.chapter11studios.com), a Western with archaeological elements, but aside from that I can't really think of any game. Especially one finished...

[edit: hmm, should this go here or in the fan works?]

 

[vaxer]

I was very much impressed by the little demo of foa2. They're doing a great job! Of course it's has been and it's gonna be a long wait but that's what it takes to make quality.

 

[Finn]

FoA II is coming pretty well along. It's been made for a long time, but it's a good thing it isn't a dead project. Now, all we have to hope that it will have a story worthy the Indiana Jones lore, because at least the technics appear to be okay.

FoY looks promising too. Great thing to have two Indiana Jones adventure games coming up like this.

And finally... this doesn't happen to me often, but when I visited that Rise of the Hidden Sun page, I got <i>really</i> impressed about this game... it looks like a sure bet something you want to play.

 

[Redwall]

Yeah, FOA2 has some difficulties as a direct sequel that FoY doesn't have, but then they have Sophia... best Indy girl ever.

It's too bad that OTHER Indy fan-game fom a couple of years back never got very far off the ground. The one our very own Aaron H was working on, as well as a few others...

*whistles nonchalantly*

And any fan of adventure games in general should definetely try Pleurghburg: Dark Ages (http://www.gaspop.com). Once you get past the character art (which is, quite frankly, horrendous), it's an awesome game. (awesome as in awe-inspiring, huge, momumental, HOLY CRAP WHEN DOES IT END kind of thing)

And of course Beneath A Steel Sky was released as freeware a while back... but I'm getting off-topic.

 

[VP]

when I visited that Rise of the Hidden Sun page, I got <i>really</i> impressed about this game...

Me 2.

 

[Aaron H]

Yeah, FOA2 has some difficulties as a direct sequel that FoY doesn't have, but then they have Sophia... best Indy girl ever.

It's too bad that OTHER Indy fan-game fom a couple of years back never got very far off the ground. The one our very own Aaron H was working on, as well as a few others...

*whistles nonchalantly*

Well if it wasn't for the fact that other team members vanished into the night we might still be working on it....ya know now would be a good time to restart the project.

Anyone willing or able? I could write a storyline, but not much else (got too many things on my plate as it is).

 

[Urmel]

Well if it wasn't for the fact that other team members vanished into the night we might still be working on it....ya know now would be a good time to restart the project.

Do you speak from the canceled Fandadventure Indiana Jones & The Spear of Destiny or another one?

 

[Aaron H]

Another project that never got off the ground, much less started.

 

[Pan Rado]

Could you elaborate?

EDIT:
And here's something for those of you who like to ponder on 'what could have been': http://www.mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=39

 

[Aaron H]

Could you elaborate?

Well, it goes something likes this:
A group of about four of us decided that we needed a better 3D Indiana Jones game that was more adventure focused than action. So we decided to use the Unreal engine (if I remember correctly), however, we never could get the group together to discuss what the storyline was going to be. So before any pixel was even programmed into place the project slowly faded away.

The storyline that I was thinking about was based off of a fan script that "Col. Musgrove" was working on, Indiana Jones, Jr. It was going to be quite a romp throughout the globe.

I think what killed the project was that it got to epic for its own good.

There were some great parts, a bed race, escape from a booby-trapped Sphinx. Like I said it was to be a fun romp.

I wonder, however, if someone out there would be not only able, but willing to work on the project.

 

[Pan Rado]

Ermm... a bed race? Is that an idiom?

Anyway, sounds interesting. I'll get back to you on that subject.

UPDATE:

First of all, I think the project, the way you described it, was too epic from the get go. Actually, switching to third person perspective (from Unreal's default first person) and programming a simple hand-to-hand combat system is probably not a lot of work even for a relative novice, but all the scripted events required for such a game and more importantly, implementing whip-related actions may actually prove to be quite a problem. It's rather unwise, in my opinoin, to even consider doing such a thing without a skilled and commited codder.

Also, was the game supposed to be a continuous romp through tombs, or were you thinking about setpiece based gameplay (with each 'stage' being a different mini-game, like in old movie licenses)? If so, I'd suggest collecting a handful of gameplay ideas (the race, a fight, an airfight, things like that) and actually build a story AROUND them. A game should be PLAYABLE in the first place, and while a good story is ALMOST equally important, it can be told in any other medium.

Now, if it would help to get the project off ground, I could write an actual script that brings the setpieces and story ideas together, assuming nobody else would want that job and someone would care to correct my English. Worry not, I have working knowledge of how Design Docs are written. There are two setbacks though - 1) after the end of the holiday, I will have to start paying attention to my collegge again and 2) I'm currently discussing writing a Fountain of Youth comic adaptation with its lead designer, and if we reach agreement, the comic goes first.

And another thing - if you/we'd choose to use photo references, I could help with character textures.

 

[Aaron H]

It was a litteral bed race through a village. An annual event in a lot of places throughout the world. They race beds down the main street.