Adventure Game Studio

AGS Support => Advanced Technical Forum => Topic started by: Laura Hunt on Fri 28/08/2020 19:45:55

Title: Overlay Z order?
Post by: Laura Hunt on Fri 28/08/2020 19:45:55
Hi all,

As mentioned in another thread (https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=57477.msg636624592#msg636624592), I have created a lantern effect using a GUI with a transparent "hole" in the middle.

When my player character speaks, his lines appear on top of this GUI, as expected. However, when I use SayBackground for another character, their lines appear under the GUI, making them illegible. I have also tried using Overlay.CreateTextual, but unfortunately, with the same results.

(Click below if you don't mind spoilers if you want to see what I mean).

Spoiler
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvNjY5OTg4LzQxNDIyNDUucG5n/original/GYEhci.png)
[close]

My question, then, is obvious: is there any way to assign some Z-order of sorts to an overlay, or are overlays always drawn on the background? Is my only option to put this character's lines in a label on a second GUI with a higher Z-order than my lantern?
Title: Re: Overlay Z order?
Post by: Cassiebsg on Fri 28/08/2020 20:14:53
Maybe you could try and draw the text on the lantern GUI? That way you wouldn't need a new GUI, though not sure that would work, since I haven't tried it and don't know if there's any special code that would interfere with the text being there.

Title: Re: Overlay Z order?
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Fri 28/08/2020 21:04:11
No, currently there's no way to control overlay's z order.
Title: Re: Overlay Z order?
Post by: Laura Hunt on Sat 29/08/2020 05:52:32
Quote from: Cassiebsg on Fri 28/08/2020 20:14:53
Maybe you could try and draw the text on the lantern GUI? That way you wouldn't need a new GUI, though not sure that would work, since I haven't tried it and don't know if there's any special code that would interfere with the text being there.

Oh, nice. I pretty much never use Draw commands, so it hadn't crossed my mind. It might work, thanks for the tip :)

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Fri 28/08/2020 21:04:11
No, currently there's no way to control overlay's z order.

Oh, well. Thanks for confirming!