Difference between revisions of "Alan!"

From The Game-Maker Archive
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(15 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
 
|text=
 
|text=
 
'''Release type:''' [[Freeware]]<br />
 
'''Release type:''' [[Freeware]]<br />
'''Release date:''' [[1994]][[Category:1994|Alan 1994a]]<br />
+
'''Release date:''' February 6, [[1994]][[Category:1994|Alan 1994a]]<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 4<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 4<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Adam Tyner]]<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Adam Tyner]]<br />
 
'''Related games:''' ''[[Bear Fun Show]]'', ''[[Alan B-Day]]'', ''[[Alan '95]]'', ''[[Alan '96]]''
 
'''Related games:''' ''[[Bear Fun Show]]'', ''[[Alan B-Day]]'', ''[[Alan '95]]'', ''[[Alan '96]]''
}} [[Category:Pending articles|Alan 1994a]]<center>'''FULL ENTRY COMING SOON!'''</center>
+
}}Adam Tyner seems to have produced both ''Alan!'' and ''[[Alan B-Day]]'' in early 1994, in celebration of Alan Caudel's birthday (and in response to Caudel's two earlier presents). Of the two games, ''Alan!'' is the simpler and apparently the earlier effort.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A tribute to [[Alan Caudel]], presumably upon his birthday. The relationship between ''Alan!'' and ''[[Alan B-Day]]'' is unclear, as both seem to be competing for the slot of Alan's 1994 birthday opus.  
 
  
 +
Whereas the later birthday games are all side-scrolling affairs, ''Alan!'' is a top-down action-adventure game in the close model of ''[[Sample]]''. It basically consists of a large contained field, scattered with landmarks, items, and enemies; find a Nerf bow and collect arrows to defend against zombie hands, Adam's "fierce attack dog," Mr. Bear, and other strange foes; find a keycard to unlock the laser barriers; unlock the laser barriers to find three presents; bring the three presents to the roped-off area to the southeast, for a strange conclusion.
  
 
[[File:Alan!Sprite.gif|center]]
 
[[File:Alan!Sprite.gif|center]]
  
 +
[[File:Alan!Shot.gif|thumb|320px|Cemetery central in ''Alan!'']]
  
 +
''Alan!'' is a rudimentary and often awkward game, that makes a good case for itself as Tyner's first-ever Game-Maker project. As a potential first project, however, there is a surprising amount of ambition here. The first level is a selection screen, allowing a choice of character: Alan Caudel, or Mr. Bear. (Possibly this split explains the ''Alan B-Day''/''[[Bear Fun Show]]'' double feature: for the next project, two games with the same resources instead of one game with two branches.) They play largely the same, but it's a complicated way to start off.
  
 +
The ending, also, is... confusing, and possibly does not work the way it was intended, but boy is it a surprising and unobvious use of the tools. There is a sense of technical adventure at play here, that must be applauded.
  
 +
Although Tyner would only rarely return to this model of design, it is worth observing that one of his most advanced games, ''Bone!'', is in design terms nearly a spiritual successor to ''Alan!''. Even the titles share some DNA.
  
 +
{{SeriesNav|Alan's Birthday series{{!}}(Overview)|Alan!|Alan B-Day|[[Alan's Birthday series]]}}
  
 +
== Story ==
  
 
+
N/A
 
 
  
 
== Instructions ==
 
== Instructions ==
 
[[File:Alan!Shot.gif|thumb|320px|Spud alert in ''Alan!'']]
 
  
 
Find the CARD KEYS to open the BARRIERs and collect your PRESENTS!
 
Find the CARD KEYS to open the BARRIERs and collect your PRESENTS!
Line 54: Line 51:
 
This game is not known to have been distributed in any form, prior to its addition to the Archive.
 
This game is not known to have been distributed in any form, prior to its addition to the Archive.
  
 +
== Archive History ==
 +
 +
After an earlier wave of rediscoveries, on July 13 2011 Alan Caudel provided another archive of previously missing Game-Maker material, including the following:
  
[[Category:Needed - Archive History]]
+
{| style="color:black;"
 +
|
 +
* ''[[Alan!]]''
 +
* ''[[Alan B-Day]]''
 +
* ''[[Alan '95]]''
 +
* ''[[Alan '96]]''
 +
* ''[[Bear Fun Show]]''
 +
* ''[[Benny]]''
 +
* ''[[Bone!]]''
 +
|
 +
* ''[[CGA Hell]]''
 +
* ''[[Doom]]''
 +
* ''[[Off The Page]]''
 +
* ''[[DD4: Canadian Boxing Day]]''
 +
* ''[[Frisbounce]]''
 +
* ''[[Godzilla]]''
 +
* ''[[Hamsterman]]''
 +
|
 +
* ''[[Jon '95]]''
 +
* ''[[Kozmo Kat]]''
 +
* ''[[The Legend of Budd]]''
 +
* ''[[Mr. Berkel Derkel!]]''
 +
* ''[[Mister Spiff IV]]''
 +
* ''[[Nathan Rocks]]''
 +
* ''[[Ninja]]''
 +
|
 +
* ''[[Palladia: The Game]]''
 +
* ''[[Power Budd!]]''
 +
* ''[[Power Flux]]''
 +
* ''[[Robo-Wars]]''
 +
* ''[[Ski]]''
 +
* ''[[Star Avenger]]''
 +
* ''[[Star Avenger III]]''
 +
|
 +
* ''[[Star Avenger 4]]''
 +
* ''[[Star Wars]]''
 +
* ''[[Stickman!!! Die]]''
 +
* ''[[Stickman Die!!]]''
 +
* ''[[Trees]]''
 +
* ''[[Twister, argh!]]''
 +
* ''[[What the...?!?]]''
 +
|}
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
Line 66: Line 107:
  
 
* '''''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/alan!.zip Alan!]''''' (144 kB)
 
* '''''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/alan!.zip Alan!]''''' (144 kB)
 +
* [[Media:Alan!Map.png|Game map]] (61.2 kB)
  
 +
[[Category: Game-Maker games|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Freeware|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Freeware|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Adam Tyner|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Adam Tyner|Alan 1994a]]
Line 78: Line 121:
 
[[Category: Complete games|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Complete games|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Eponymous titles|Alan 1994a]]
 
[[Category: Eponymous titles|Alan 1994a]]
[[Category: Games needing maps|Alan 1994a]]
+
[[Category: Florida|Alan 1994a]]
 +
[[Category: United States|Alan 1994a]]

Latest revision as of 12:35, 19 November 2016

Alan!
Alan!Title.gif

Release type: Freeware
Release date: February 6, 1994
Levels: 4
Author: Adam Tyner
Related games: Bear Fun Show, Alan B-Day, Alan '95, Alan '96

Adam Tyner seems to have produced both Alan! and Alan B-Day in early 1994, in celebration of Alan Caudel's birthday (and in response to Caudel's two earlier presents). Of the two games, Alan! is the simpler and apparently the earlier effort.

Whereas the later birthday games are all side-scrolling affairs, Alan! is a top-down action-adventure game in the close model of Sample. It basically consists of a large contained field, scattered with landmarks, items, and enemies; find a Nerf bow and collect arrows to defend against zombie hands, Adam's "fierce attack dog," Mr. Bear, and other strange foes; find a keycard to unlock the laser barriers; unlock the laser barriers to find three presents; bring the three presents to the roped-off area to the southeast, for a strange conclusion.

Alan!Sprite.gif
Cemetery central in Alan!

Alan! is a rudimentary and often awkward game, that makes a good case for itself as Tyner's first-ever Game-Maker project. As a potential first project, however, there is a surprising amount of ambition here. The first level is a selection screen, allowing a choice of character: Alan Caudel, or Mr. Bear. (Possibly this split explains the Alan B-Day/Bear Fun Show double feature: for the next project, two games with the same resources instead of one game with two branches.) They play largely the same, but it's a complicated way to start off.

The ending, also, is... confusing, and possibly does not work the way it was intended, but boy is it a surprising and unobvious use of the tools. There is a sense of technical adventure at play here, that must be applauded.

Although Tyner would only rarely return to this model of design, it is worth observing that one of his most advanced games, Bone!, is in design terms nearly a spiritual successor to Alan!. Even the titles share some DNA.

Previous Current Next
(Overview) Alan! Alan B-Day
Alan's Birthday series

Story[edit]

N/A

Instructions[edit]

Find the CARD KEYS to open the BARRIERs and collect your PRESENTS!

Press

  • SPACE or ENTER to shoot a NERF dart,
  • left and right to go left and right,
  • up and down to walk up and down,
  • p to pick up stuff, and
  • d to drop stuff.

Have fun!

Credits[edit]

by Adam Tyner

'Nuff said.

Availability[edit]

This game is not known to have been distributed in any form, prior to its addition to the Archive.

Archive History[edit]

After an earlier wave of rediscoveries, on July 13 2011 Alan Caudel provided another archive of previously missing Game-Maker material, including the following:

Links[edit]

Downloads[edit]