How can I help Windows find files more easily?

[EnterTheStory (aka tolworthy)]

I'm having intermittent problems with Windows not finding files when using start menu shortcuts and RunAGSGame. For example:

I installed the games on D drive. I moved from game A to game B, then tried to move from game B to game C: The game crashed....over and over again. Same happened A to C to B.
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Then I installed the game on my C drive...same computer....windows XP
Did the same things and this time everything worked perfectly, back and forth, back and forth...
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...until the seventh time, then crash.
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Then I installed the game on my laptop....windows vista. This time everything worked perfectly.
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Then tried to start the game from a start menu shortcut (not the desktop shortcut) ...and it wouldn't.
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I tried the same thing on the XP-machine...it did open eventually, after nine attempts....as if it finally found what it was looking for???
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I tried again...it opened....tried again...tried about twelve times, it opened perfectly every time.

It sounds like Windows is having problems finding things. Is there any way that I can make the job easier? Like using certain folders (I install to My Documents), only using DOS 8.3 filenames, forcing the user to only start with the same game each time?

I am really stuck here. My game relies on frequent use of RunAGSGame, and if Windows can't always find files then I'm in serious trouble.

[GarageGothic]

Not sure if this is at all related, but there's an item  in the shortcut properties named "Start in:", make sure that your installer sets it up to point to your game's folder for both the desktop and start menu shortcuts. Can't see why it would work intermittently at present though.

Do you get any message from AGS when the engine crashes on RunAGSGame?

(Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask, but I'm curious if you've made any survey of what percentage of your audience actually makes use of the between-game movement? I know the feature plays a huge part in your overall concept of the Enter the Story project, and I wouldn't dream of suggesting you to compromise your vision. But personally, speaking as a gamer, I find the idea of jumping between already complex fictions utterly confusing, and the mechanic seems to be such a major source of tech issues.)

[Wyz]

Yes I think that's the culprit. I read in the manual AGS looks in the same directory as the game that currently runs. I think it uses the working directory. IN that case you need to specify the right working directory in the shortcut.

[EnterTheStory (aka tolworthy)]

Thanks - the advice is very much appreciated.

re: error message:
I can't reproduce the error. The only person who's reported it is very thorough, yet didn't mention any message. But I'll check.

I'm curious if you've made any survey of what percentage of your audience actually makes use of the between-game movement?

Until the current game (A Tale of Two Cities) I would guess almost none, because there was very little natural overlap. However, the streets in A Tale of Two Cities directly connect with the streets of Les Miserables. All future games will grow incrementally like that, adding new streets to existing cities. This allows me to add games rapidly, only adding the bare minimum necessary rooms for each one, yet having each feel like it's part of a vast world.

Also, the maps tend to link to more than one game - e.g. the Les Miserables map includes streets from A Tale of Two Cities, since they intertwine.

Also, the 'retro room' code relies on RunAGSGame - where old games can magically sprout new rooms (actually stored in later games). Ultimately the whole game is not about stories, it's about discovery. The first person to extensively test the latest game raved about that: she loved how you can just explore and find new stories around every corner.

For me, RunAGSGame is the killer app, the heart and soul of AGS.

I find the idea of jumping between already complex fictions utterly confusing

The transition is improved in the latest games - less jarring, more pleasing. Or that's what users report anyway.

[GarageGothic]

The transition is improved in the latest games - less jarring, more pleasing. Or that's what users report anyway.

Didn't really mean the transition as such - only tried it once or twice, but seemed to work flawlessly. I was more imagining myself trying hard just to keep track of the plot and characters of Dante, then on a whim jumping into A Tale of Two Cities and three hours and five different games later finding myself digging up Captain Flint's treasure while thinking "how the hell did I end up here?" . Or at least that's pretty much what happens when I start a Wikipedia session. In any case, as you say maybe playing styles change once there's more games available. I'm fascinated by the idea and wish you the best of luck, it's just such a different approach to playing games that I have a hard time wrapping my head around it.