AGS 3.0 Final - it's been a long road

[Pumaman]

Actually I'm rather fond of making new game projects. I'm always testing out new ideas as well as developing new modules. Most of which get tossed by the wayside for various reasons, but I'd say at least once every week or two I'm making a new game project.

Fair enough, I'll put this on the list for 3.0.1

Besides, it's an issue every AGS developer is going to have every single time a new project is started. And counting by the number of developers out there that could amount to quite a few inconveniences.

But that's simply not the case. I'm sure at least 90% of developers will be happy to create their games in the My Documents folder, so it's not the major issue that you make it out to be.

You can set multiple views to have the same name. The only error generated will say "Macro XXX is already defined." from "_AutoGenerated.ash".

Thanks, I'll look into this.

I find it a bit weird that in the Characters-category of the project tree the character-list shows the characters' script names and not their "real" names since almost every other tree item is listed by their specified name and not their script name.

Hmm, I'll think about this one.

I just tried to replace the Main background of a room with multiple backgrounds. When I tried to delete the extra backgrounds (note that this was after I had replaced the main background), it gave me this error.

Thanks for the report, I'll look into this.

I found a bug: If you try to set a cursor's sprite to -1 it kicks up an error and replaces the image with a big red X which can only be gotten rid of by first setting a valid sprite number and then closing and re-opening the game.

I'll look into this.

Also, it seems that you can't use GUI 0 as the "custom text-window GUI" because setting that value to 0 just uses the default built-in window.

This has always been the case -- I know that it's not an ideal situation but it's no worse than 2.72 so it's not something I'm going to change right now.

There's possibly a very serious bug if you delete inventory items. It seems that although it shows the IDs for any items listed after the deleted item being updated, it doesn't always update them internally. If you'd like I can upload the CrashInfo.dmp file and/or possibly the game projects (working with the Demo Quest project, using multiple (two) projects).

Yes, that'd be useful if you would please. I just tried deleting some inv items but it didn't seem to cause any problems.

I'm working with larger than normal character sprites 591 tall by 351 wide (temp size for testing purposes) and when I go to preview the animations, the preview window is not able to show the whole view at once. Here's a picture of what I'm seeing:

It's a reasonable point, 2.72 did this as well. I guess ideally it should scale down the sprite to fit the preview window.

I got this error message when the game try to play a sound:

---------------------------
Illegal exception
---------------------------
An exception 0xC0000005 occurred in ACWIN.EXE at EIP = 0x0043E03D ; program pointer is +1501, ACI version 3.00.966, gtags (1,0)

Can you confirm whether it's the sound or the DisplayMessage causing the problem? (try commenting out each command, one at a time, and see if it still crashes).

Are you using the "Always display text as speech" setting? If so, is the player character visible at the time?

I might have found a bug in the function "changeRoom" from AGS 3.0 RC4. KhrisMUC says it works fine with AGS 2.72

Interesting, I'll try and replicate this.

If I open AGSeditor.exe, it'll recognize the audio plugin, which is located in the AGS folder, the same one where AGSEditor.exe is located. No problems there.

But if I open an *.agf file, I get the following error:

Hmm, strange ... I can't replicate this. Are you using RC 4? When I double-click to launch an AGF file, it does correctly load the plugins from the AGS folder.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Ah, I just remembered that because of the reports with installer issues I just hadn't gotten around to downloading the latest beta yet, and since I always keep myself up to date I assumed... whoops! : Ok, if it's been fixed it's been fixed!

[Sparkplug.Creations]

I'm working with larger than normal character sprites 591 tall by 351 wide (temp size for testing purposes) and when I go to preview the animations, the preview window is not able to show the whole view at once. Here's a picture of what I'm seeing:

It's a reasonable point, 2.72 did this as well. I guess ideally it should scale down the sprite to fit the preview window.

Thanks, though I prefer being able to preview it in original size, if the only solution is to shrink it down to fit within the current preview window, I'll accept that!

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

It's a reasonable point, 2.72 did this as well. I guess ideally it should scale down the sprite to fit the preview window.

Could you make it so that when you click on the animated view window it just expanded/shrinks the frame to fit the sprite dimensions/default size?  I'm not sure how challenging that would be, but at least you'd be able to also see the image at its proper size.  Another alternative would be launching it in an external image viewer?

[Reid]

I know the issue of deleting views and folders for views has come up before. They can't be deleted because rather than referencing them by name, they are referenced by a number called an index. If one gets deleted, the numbers automatically change, which could break scripts easily.

Here are some possible solutions I'd like to suggest:
- allow deletion, but the index numbers don't get updated
- user can hide views so they don't clutter up the list
- default to referencing names first and index values second

-Reid

[Reid]

I'm trying to use PlayVideo with .wmv files. I can see and hear these videos just fine in my windows media player, but when I try to play them within a game, either I get video and no sound or I do get sound, but no video. Any ideas what's causing this?

PlayVideo("video_file.wmv", 1, 0 ); // 1 to use ESC to quit and 0 to play in original sound with AVI audio.

Hmm, is it because it's a .WMV file that it can't play the audio? I'll try converting the video to .AVI and see if I get audio.

-Reid

[thebaddie]

I got this error message when the game try to play a sound:

---------------------------
Illegal exception
---------------------------
An exception 0xC0000005 occurred in ACWIN.EXE at EIP = 0x0043E03D ; program pointer is +1501, ACI version 3.00.966, gtags (1,0)

Can you confirm whether it's the sound or the DisplayMessage causing the problem? (try commenting out each command, one at a time, and see if it still crashes).

Are you using the "Always display text as speech" setting? If so, is the player character visible at the time?

what a strange thing...

if I comment line 21 or line 22 or line 21 and line 22 the game dosn't crash
instead commenting line 23 or 24 the game crash...

19 function oObject0_Look()
20 {
21 //character[1].Walk(258, 227, eBlock);
22 //character[1].FaceLocation(295, 211);
23 PlaySound(0);
24 DisplayMessage(0);
25 }

[RickJ]

Template Text Problem
When creating a game from a template, if the template.txt file is too long, the OK button on the dialog, that pops up showing the template.txt file, is off the bottom of the screen and can't be pressed.  In earlier versions I believe you limited the number of lines displayed in the dialog.

Error Re-size GUI
When resizing a gui get invalid dimensions error.  I am setting the dimensions in a module and have tried hard coding the dimensions.  There are two guis and somewhere along the line the first one started working without giving the error.  The second one does however.   I reported this previously and you couldn't replicate the problem, so here is the game that has the problem.  Press the F1 key to open the second gui and cause the problem.

http://demo.agspace.ws/project/archive/BluBug.zip

As a little bonus press the esc key, fill out the form, and check out this url -- I think you'll enjoy seeing this ...
http://typo.i24.cc/rickj

[monkey0506]

Actually I'm rather fond of making new game projects. I'm always testing out new ideas as well as developing new modules. Most of which get tossed by the wayside for various reasons, but I'd say at least once every week or two I'm making a new game project.

Fair enough, I'll put this on the list for 3.0.1

Thanks, I'll keep my eye out for it.

You can set multiple views to have the same name. The only error generated will say "Macro XXX is already defined." from "_AutoGenerated.ash".

Thanks, I'll look into this.

I found a bug: If you try to set a cursor's sprite to -1 it kicks up an error and replaces the image with a big red X which can only be gotten rid of by first setting a valid sprite number and then closing and re-opening the game.

I'll look into this.

Thanks Chris. The latter here probably isn't a major issue as most people will use the Sprite Manager instead, but I just figure it could be handled a bit nicer.

Also, it seems that you can't use GUI 0 as the "custom text-window GUI" because setting that value to 0 just uses the default built-in window.

This has always been the case -- I know that it's not an ideal situation but it's no worse than 2.72 so it's not something I'm going to change right now.

That's fair enough. It's nothing major, just something I noticed that seemed a bit odd as GUIs can have an index of 0.

There's possibly a very serious bug if you delete inventory items. It seems that although it shows the IDs for any items listed after the deleted item being updated, it doesn't always update them internally. If you'd like I can upload the CrashInfo.dmp file and/or possibly the game projects (working with the Demo Quest project, using multiple (two) projects).

Yes, that'd be useful if you would please. I just tried deleting some inv items but it didn't seem to cause any problems.

I'm not sure which problems exactly these particular dumps relate to, but I'm pretty sure they're all related to the inventory issues. If you need me to generate some specific dumps I'll go ahead and track some of those down for you. Or if you need me to upload the game project files I can try that.

http://www.meleepta.com/file.php?dir=ags&file=CrashDumps.rar

[Pumaman]

Could you make it so that when you click on the animated view window it just expanded/shrinks the frame to fit the sprite dimensions/default size?  I'm not sure how challenging that would be, but at least you'd be able to also see the image at its proper size.  Another alternative would be launching it in an external image viewer?

I guess I could do that, yes. However I think it's something for 3.01...

Here are some possible solutions I'd like to suggest:
- allow deletion, but the index numbers don't get updated
- user can hide views so they don't clutter up the list
- default to referencing names first and index values second

Yes, suggestion (1) is my plan but it's not something I'll have time to do for 3.0; it'll have to wait for the next version I'm afraid.

I'm trying to use PlayVideo with .wmv files. I can see and hear these videos just fine in my windows media player, but when I try to play them within a game, either I get video and no sound or I do get sound, but no video. Any ideas what's causing this?

Is this problem specific to 3.0, or do these videos play correctly on 2.72? Are you using Direct3D or DirectDraw graphics driver?

what a strange thing...

if I comment line 21 or line 22 or line 21 and line 22 the game dosn't crash
instead commenting line 23 or 24 the game crash...

Does the character have at least 4 loops and at least one frame in each loop?

Template Text Problem
When creating a game from a template, if the template.txt file is too long, the OK button on the dialog, that pops up showing the template.txt file, is off the bottom of the screen and can't be pressed.  In earlier versions I believe you limited the number of lines displayed in the dialog.

Well, whether it's off the bottom of the screen or not will depend on the user's screen resolution. I'm not going to try to fix this, I think template authors just need to be careful that they don't make their template.txt file ridiculously long.

Error Re-size GUI
When resizing a gui get invalid dimensions error.  I am setting the dimensions in a module and have tried hard coding the dimensions.  There are two guis and somewhere along the line the first one started working without giving the error.  The second one does however.   I reported this previously and you couldn't replicate the problem, so here is the game that has the problem.  Press the F1 key to open the second gui and cause the problem.

Thanks, I'll look into this.

As a little bonus press the esc key, fill out the form, and check out this url -- I think you'll enjoy seeing this ...
http://typo.i24.cc/rickj

Well, I got an error that plugin ags_filenet was missing, but if it's what I think it is that's pretty cool!

I'm not sure which problems exactly these particular dumps relate to, but I'm pretty sure they're all related to the inventory issues. If you need me to generate some specific dumps I'll go ahead and track some of those down for you. Or if you need me to upload the game project files I can try that.

Thanks -- have you deleted the sprite for one of the sides/corners of your textwindow GUI? And on a side note, I've just realised that the editor doesn't stop you doing so, which it should really.

[monkey0506]

I don't think I've changed it at all. Though I did have to export the text window GUI and reimport it. Since I've been unable to find a valid link to any of the DemoQuest minigame files, I've been working on converting some of the rooms from an older version of the quest myself. Currently I'm working with the LEC room, and I've been trying to remove most of the non-essential components from the minigames. This lead to the text window GUI being GUI 0, which lead to the need to export and reimport it to continue using it as a text window. I can see if attempting to repair the GUI, or just defaulting on the GUI fixes the problem.

[DemoQuest]

Hi monkey,   The links in the DemoQuest GiP thread have been working since last Dec 1.  They are repeated here below for ease.   The Gui rooms were the most difficult for me to convert/upgrade their scripts.   I am not familiar with all functions each style gui has traditionally provided, I'm too old to have played that many games, the documentation was sparse if at all existent, and multiple literal script translations from AGS version to AGS version left many things non-functional and no clue as to how they were supposed to work.   

The GUI rooms could use a thorough redesign where each GUI room is based on a solid, current, and peer reviewed template.  So that if someone saw a GUI example they like they could just use the template associated with that room.   I plan on starting this process with the new verb coin template that is to be included with the AGS distribution.  Misj has been kind enough to contribute low res graphics for it but I haven't had a chance to do much with it yet.

If you have an interest in improving any of the Gui rooms give me (i.e. RickJ) a PM so we can coordinate our efforts and so I can give you all the files and resources you may need.  There probably should be some open discussions as to what is needed here in the tech forum as well.

Mini-Games
The Arcade and Gui rooms have been converted to mini-games.   They can now be played from within DemoQuest just as before and they may also may be played directly from the OS.  Beta releases of all the mini games are available below.  They come with source code, graphics, etc.

DemoCycle-A0100
DemoSlot-S0100  
DqAgi-S0100-B03  
DqAgiPnC-S0100-B02  
DqSci0-S0100-B02  
DqSciPnC-S0100-B02  
DqVerbCoin-S0100-B02  

Cheers
RickJ

[thebaddie]

what a strange thing...

if I comment line 21 or line 22 or line 21 and line 22 the game dosn't crash
instead commenting line 23 or 24 the game crash...

Does the character have at least 4 loops and at least one frame in each loop?

no only 1 loop and 1 frame cause it's a wip... then i'll try with more frames

[Pumaman]

no only 1 loop and 1 frame cause it's a wip... then i'll try with more frames

Would anyone have any strong objections to me changing those editor warnings into compile errors when you don't fill in all 4 loops in character views, because this isn't the first time that people seem to have ignored the warning and then reported a bug?

BUG FOUND IN changeRoom FOR RC4

I might have found a bug in the function "changeRoom" from AGS 3.0 RC4. KhrisMUC says it works fine with AGS 2.72

When you set the automatic rooms transitions to "fades" and then put a "changeRoom" in interaction "player stands on hotspot" or "player stands on region", then the following thing happens :
- player first teleports to the coordinates passed as parameters to "changeRoom"
- THEN the automatic fadeOut/fadeIn occurs

It behaves exactly as it used to behave when end-users misused functions changeRoom/fadeIn/fadeOut and then complained that they occured in the wrong order.

I tried putting a ChangeRoom in a Player Stands On Region event, and it seemed to work fine. CAn you post the surrounding script?

[GarageGothic]

Would anyone have any strong objections to me changing those editor warnings into compile errors when you don't fill in all 4 loops in character views, because this isn't the first time that people seem to have ignored the warning and then reported a bug?

While I already find it annoying that they give warnings, I see how it could save the tech forum from a lot of questions. Adding three  bluecup loops for each character isn't much extra work, and I also realize that the alternate solution of having the game default to loop 0 when a non-existing loop is selected would just make it harder to troubleshoot, so by all means do change it to compile error.

[RickJ]

As a little bonus press the esc key, fill out the form, and check out this url -- I think you'll enjoy seeing this ...
http://typo.i24.cc/rickj

Well, I got an error that plugin ags_filenet was missing, but if it's what I think it is that's pretty cool! Wink

Here is a link to a copy of Dorcan's plugin ags_filenet.dll
[http://demo.agspace.ws/project/plugins/ags_filenet.dll

Once I get it working, it will be made available to everyone as open source.

[naltimari]

Would anyone have any strong objections to me changing those editor warnings into compile errors when you don't fill in all 4 loops in character views, because this isn't the first time that people seem to have ignored the warning and then reported a bug?

Hmmm... Personally I would find it *really* annoying. The way they are now, the warnings are annoying enough.

Maybe if the editor creates four (empty) loops upfront whenever one creates a character, then you could leave the warnings and avoid the issues that you mentioned, without getting too much in the way.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Wasn't leaving the UP/DOWN loops a feature for just using LEFT/RIGHT movement?

I would really find it annoying. Especially if it was a stationary character that I'd randomly have to assing loops for just so the engine liked it. Especially if I was just testing code, and loading templates, and etc.

Actually, I already find the warnings that *are* there quite, quite annoying.

[LimpingFish]

I'm trying to use PlayVideo with .wmv files. I can see and hear these videos just fine in my windows media player, but when I try to play them within a game, either I get video and no sound or I do get sound, but no video. Any ideas what's causing this?

Is this problem specific to 3.0, or do these videos play correctly on 2.72? Are you using Direct3D or DirectDraw graphics driver?

Actually, this happens to me in 2.72 whenever I try to use .wmv files. It also happened, and therefore may be caused by a similar problem, when I used .mpg files in Unbound.

I had FDDShow installed, and when AGS tried to display the mpgs, FDDShow would attempt to decode them, bypassing WMP altogether. Of course, it resulted in a blank screen. Uninstalling FDDShow fixed the problem.

I guess if certain video filetypes (WMV, MPEG, AVI, etc) are defined to be handled by a media program/decoder other (or with a higher priority) than WMP, the problem occurs.

[Khris]

Would anyone have any strong objections to me changing those editor warnings into compile errors when you don't fill in all 4 loops in character views, because this isn't the first time that people seem to have ignored the warning and then reported a bug?

I'd like those warnings to be changed into compile errors, but does it sound reasonable if the compiler only checked the player character for all 4 loops?
An NPC just standing around, using e.g. only the down loop doesn't crash the game anyway, iirc.