Topic: AGS 3.1.0 Final - World's Heaviest Bridegroom Edition

[Pumaman]

THIS IS A BETA VERSION. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. ALWAYS KEEP A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR GAME BEFORE TRYING A BETA VERSION

Download here:
http://www.bigbluecup.com/AGS-3.1-Final.exe

[GarageGothic]

* Added option to continue running game loops while dialog options are displayed
* Added "Go to sprite" context menu option to script editor when right-clicking on a number
* Added Game.ChangeTranslation and Character.Move script functions.

All excellent features. ChangeTranslation should be particularly helpful so user don't have to mess with winsetup.exe.

* Added support for calltip help text if you put a comment starting with /// on the line before the import declaration. I've added this text for the String, DrawingSurface, Character and Game methods, and would appreciate your feedback as to whether it's useful enough to bother going through and doing it for the rest of the script commands.

Have to try it in action before I can comment, but it sounds like a useful feature.

* Removed 30 character limit on hotspot descriptions

Awesome, I ran into that limit recently.

* Renamed String.Contains to String.IndexOf to reduce confusion with other languages such as Java and C#. String.Contains will continue to work as well for the foreseeable future

I understand your reasoning, but I must admit that I will continue to use String.Contains. It seems a much more natural name for the function and is instantly recognizable.

* Fixed object image not being refreshed properly if it had a dynamic sprite which you deleted at the same time as making the object invisible

Thanks! That must be the quickest fix ever! 

[Lt. Smash]

* Added support for calltip help text if you put a comment starting with /// on the line before the import declaration. I've added this text for the String, DrawingSurface, Character and Game methods, and would appreciate your feedback as to whether it's useful enough to bother going through and doing it for the rest of the script commands.

This is a very nice and useable feature. But it would be even better if you seperate the text from the fill-in advice or at least highlight it. Look for example at the freeware java eclipse platform.
Some other things that would be nice for the script-editor:
 - Ability to drag and drop selected code.
 - If the autocomplete dialog opens for enums etc. don't close the calltip dialog.
 - If the cursor stands after a '}' and I hit enter, the '}' shouldn't move back one tab.
 - Ability to write: surface.DrawingColor=RGB(12,33,234);(if this is possible?) instead of using the colours tab and searching for a color number.
 - Ability to wheter choose if the editor should automatically close curly braces.
so if the player writes { and hits enter, two new lines will be added. One empty with the active cursor in it and one after with a closed bracket.

The other improvements are very helpful and I hope that some more of the AGS wishlist (like ability to change hs und obj descriptions via code) will be added.

[TwinMoon]

* Added option to continue running game loops while dialog options are displayed

Wow. Great stuff, Chris!

[Dave Gilbert]

Hallo all!  I'm having a little issue with my switching characters code.  The last version of AGS I was using was 3.01, and this code worked fine.  Now that I've upgraded to the 3.03 beta, it's acting a little funny.

You start the game as the character "Rosa", and it works fine.  But when you switch to Joey, he doesn't move at all.  He turns and faces the correct direction, but he doesn't walk to the spot you clicked on.  If you switch back to Rosa she walks normally.

Does anyone know why such a thing would happen? I've posted the code below, which worked just fine in 3.01 if anyone really wants to take a look at it.

Thanks!

function CharSwitch()
{
  Character *otherchar;
  Character *curchar; 

  int newvp=1;
  int oldvp;
  if (player.ID == ROSA)
  {
    curchar = cRosa;
    otherchar = cJoey;
   }
   else
   {
     curchar = cJoey;
     otherchar = cRosa;
   }
     curchar.StopMoving();
      otherchar.StopMoving();
   
    if (otherchar.x > curchar.x)
    {
   
      while (GetViewportX() < otherchar.x-160  && newvp != oldvp)
         {
           oldvp = GetViewportX();
            SetViewport(GetViewportX() +6,  GetViewportY() );
            newvp = GetViewportX();
            Wait(1);
            ReleaseViewport();
            
         }
    }

    if (otherchar.x < curchar.x)
    {

      while (GetViewportX() > otherchar.x-160  && newvp != oldvp)
         {
           oldvp = GetViewportX();
            SetViewport(GetViewportX() -6,  GetViewportY() );
            newvp = GetViewportX();
            Wait(1);
            ReleaseViewport();

         }
    }

   
   
 if (GetGlobalInt(25)==0)
 {
  if (player.ID==ROSA)
  {
    Mouse.ChangeModeView(eModeWait, 49);
         mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(mouse.Mode, 619);   
       cJoey.SetAsPlayer();
    cRosa.StopMoving();
    cJoey.StopMoving();
      cJoey.FollowCharacter(null);
      cJoey.Clickable = false;
      cRosa.Clickable=true;
      btn_notes.Enabled=false;
      btn_change_joey.NormalGraphic=26;
      btn_change_rosa.NormalGraphic=49;

      if (GetGlobalInt(70)==0)
      {
        Wait(10);
         Multi.SRespond("turswitch>>>>");
         int x=Multi.response; 
         if (x==1)
            MyDisplay("TUTORIAL: [[Excellent! We're now controlling Joey.[[(You can also switch characters by pressing the \"TAB\" key on your keyboard))[[Let's see if Joey has better luck with the door.  LEFT-CLICK on the door to make Joey interact with it.");
            SetGlobalInt(73, 1);
      }
      
   }
   else
   {
      Mouse.ChangeModeView(eModeWait, 48);
         mouse.ChangeModeGraphic(mouse.Mode, 259);      
       cRosa.SetAsPlayer();
      cRosa.StopMoving();
     cJoey.StopMoving();
      cRosa.Clickable=false;
      cJoey.Clickable=true;
      gMaingui.Transparency=0;
      btn_notes.Enabled=true;
      btn_change_joey.NormalGraphic=25;
      btn_change_rosa.NormalGraphic=50;
      
      if (cRosa.InventoryQuantity[ipaperclip.ID] >0 && GetGlobalInt(70)==0)
      {
         Multi.SRespond("tutrosainv1>>>>");
         int x=Multi.response; 
         if (x==1)
            {
               Wait(10);             
               MyDisplay("TUTORIAL[[You're now controlling Rosangela again, even if you can't see her.");
              MyDisplay("TUTORIAL[[Since the main interface is open, we can see her inventory, and look! There's the paperclip!  Now let's try using it on that door.");
              MyDisplay("TUTORIAL[[To open the door, LEFT-CLICK the paperclip.  Then, move the cursor to the door and LEFT-CLICK again.");

            }
            
      }
      
   }
 }   
}

[Pumaman]

3.0.3 is a beta so it's possible that there may be problems, in particular the character movement code was changed to support the new Character.Move command.

Would it be possible to upload something that would demonstrate the problem?

Also, I'll merge this into the 3.0.3 beta thread.

[Dave Gilbert]

Thanks CJ!  I'm uploading a one-room example of the problem.  You hit the tab button to switch between the characters.  You start off as Rosa and she can walk around the room.  If you switch over to Joey, he won't walk but he'll turn in the correct direction.

Link:
http://www.davelgil.com/boe/conv/conv_switch_chars.zip

[GarageGothic]

- Ability to write: surface.DrawingColor=RGB(12,33,234);(if this is possible?) instead of using the colours tab and searching for a color number.

You could try:
[code]surface.DrawingColor = Game.GetColorFromRGB(12,33,234);[/code]

[Lt. Smash]

- Ability to write: surface.DrawingColor=RGB(12,33,234);(if this is possible?) instead of using the colours tab and searching for a color number.

You could try:
[code]surface.DrawingColor = Game.GetColorFromRGB(12,33,234);[/code]

Oh. Ok, then this is already implemented.

[Pumaman]

- Ability to drag and drop selected code.

It should work within the same window, but it seems that it only works once you've started editing the code -- if you just open the window and try to drag it won't work. I'll look into that.

- If the autocomplete dialog opens for enums etc. don't close the calltip dialog.

This seems to be a limitation of the text editor component that AGS uses, I don't know if I can change this.

- If the cursor stands after a '}' and I hit enter, the '}' shouldn't move back one tab.

Yeah I've been meaning to change the way this works, it's not very user-friendly.

- Ability to wheter choose if the editor should automatically close curly braces.
so if the player writes { and hits enter, two new lines will be added. One empty with the active cursor in it and one after with a closed bracket.

That's a possibility for a future version.

Thanks CJ!  I'm uploading a one-room example of the problem.  You hit the tab button to switch between the characters.  You start off as Rosa and she can walk around the room.  If you switch over to Joey, he won't walk but he'll turn in the correct direction.

Thanks, I've investigated this and confirmed it as a bug in beta 1. I'll get it fixed for beta 2.

[Lt. Smash]

when you go and add this calltips for other functions, it would be nice if you add them also for variables like player.x = Sets the current players x feet position.

[Dave Gilbert]

Quote
Thanks CJ!  I'm uploading a one-room example of the problem.  You hit the tab button to switch between the characters.  You start off as Rosa and she can walk around the room.  If you switch over to Joey, he won't walk but he'll turn in the correct direction.

Thanks, I've investigated this and confirmed it as a bug in beta 1. I'll get it fixed for beta 2.

Great!  Cheers, CJ.

[freshpaint]

How do you call the new dialog feature?

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Yay, non-block dialogs at last.  You are the man!

[monkey_05_06]

* Added support for calltip help text if you put a comment starting with /// on the line before the import declaration. I've added this text for the String, DrawingSurface, Character and Game methods, and would appreciate your feedback as to whether it's useful enough to bother going through and doing it for the rest of the script commands.

Wasn't sure what this was meant to do till I saw it in action. This could be quite useful especially in helping new users. They'll still have to look up functions in the manual for the full description obviously, but the calltip prompt will help them remember without having to reference the full entry each time.

However on this system at the end of the line between the function parameters and the help text, I see a null-character box (the square character used by some fonts to represent null/non-displayable characters). Just a quirk in my system perhaps?

[subspark]

* Added option to continue running game loops while dialog options are displayed

Nice work Chris! I believe I was the first one to complain about this limitation. Nice to see it fixed at last!
As for the other features...Bravo, Bravo!

Cheers,
Paul.

[Pumaman]

How do you call the new dialog feature?

There's a new option in General Settings in the Dialog section called "Run game loops while dialog options are displayed".

However on this system at the end of the line between the function parameters and the help text, I see a null-character box (the square character used by some fonts to represent null/non-displayable characters). Just a quirk in my system perhaps?

Hmm strange -- I've made a change to the new beta, so let me know if it fixes this.


Anyway, beta 2 is now up. It contains significant changes to support native hi-res co-ordinates, so as a result I've now rebranded this as the 3.1 release.

Hi-res coordinates

Hi-res co-ordinates are accessed by the new option "Use low-res co-ordinates in script" in the Scripting section of General Settings.
By default, they will be disabled for backwards compatibility with current scripts.

In the editor, all co-ordinates will now always be shown at the native resolution. However, the above option will determine whether the scripts see them as low-res or hi-res.

If your game is 320x200 or 320x240 this change should make no difference.
If your game is at a higher resolution you will notice all the co-ordinates in the ediotr have doubled.

Because of the significant changes to support this, I expect that there will be problems. So please give it a go and let me know.

Sorry I'm a bit rushed here, I want to explain better but that will have to wait for tomorrow.

[subspark]

YIPEEEE! FINALLY HI-RES COORDS!! YOU DA MAN CJ!
I'd buy you a CrispyCream dougnut if I had the money to ship it to you!
Rock on dude!

Sparx.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

D3D driver now automatically tries 640x400 if your monitor doesn't support 320x200, like the DX5 driver already did

It's funny how something simple like this could be so useful.  I was wondering if this had been suggested since I recently switched video drivers and they no longer allow me to view 320x200 resolutions, so this is great!

[monkey_05_06]

The calltip-box issue has been resolved. And official high-res coordinates? That's been one of the longest outstanding issues I've seen. Sure there might be a few bugs to work out, but hopefully nothing serious will arise. This is one of the most exciting updates this year.

It would be amazing if the calltip help tool could be implemented for properties as well as functions. That would certainly be a huge undertaking adding all those comments, but I think for a new user it could be an invaluable tool in learning AGS.