When you choose "Start a new game" in the initial "Welcome to AGS" dialog box, a window appears with various templates that you can base your game off.

AGS comes with a few standard templates, but you can create your own too.

Using downloaded templates

If you've downloaded a game template from the internet, you should find a file with a .AGT extension. This is the AGS Template File, and you just need to copy it into the "Templates" folder within the AGS Editor directory.

Creating your own template

A game template is basically just an archive containing all of the game source files, which are then extracted into the new folder when the user creates a new game. It is similar to you just zipping up your game folder and sending it to a friend - except that this way looks far more professional.

To create a template, first of all you create a game as normal in the editor. Once you have everything set up how you want it, select "Make template from this game" on the File menu. This will prompt you for a name for the template (this is what will appear under its icon in the "Start New Game" dialog box), and then it will go away and compile the template for you.

The template game takes the following files from your game folder: Core game files (GAME.AGF, ACSPRSET.SPR), all script and room files, all sound and music files, all fonts, game icons, and *.TXT (to allow you to include a README.TXT or whatever).

If you include a template.ico file in your game folder when you make the template, then it will be used as the icon in the Start New Game dialog box. Otherwise, the icon will be taken from user.ico (if present), or if not it will get the default AGS icon.

You can also include a "template.txt" file in your game folder. If you do, then its contents will be displayed to the user in a messagebox after they create a new game based on the template. You could use this to explain briefly about any key aspects of the template, or it could tell them to read your README.TXT file. This file should be quite small - its entire contents need to fit into a standard message box.

NOTE: Do not simply make a template out of a half-finished game. If you want to make a template, you should start a game from scratch and make your changes - the user probably doesn't want to already have a semi-completed game when they use your template.