I cam across this a while ago while playing an old RPG and thought that perhaps it would be a useful/desireable feature to add to AGS. The RPG seemed to use the concept of rooms similar to AGS. Although the game seemed to have a huge and continous backgound or playing area it seemd to be broken up into seperate "rooms". For example if the PC continued to walk right eventually he would walk into the next room. The room transition would occur by scrolling the current and next rooms' backgrounds left until the next room's background was approx. 50% or 75% on screen. Since the right edge of the current background matches up to the left edge of the next room the playing area looks continous. When crossing the top, bottom, or left edges of the room the transition works in a similar manner.
There would be a number of advantages if something like this were available in AGS, provided of course that there would be a practical implementation.
- Easier to make RPG, platform, and other non-adventure game
- Easier to make maps and top down navigation,driving,etc
- Easier to work-around object and other room limits
Anyway I thought I'd share the idea and see what everyone thinks.
If played around with this idea in the SlideRoom module (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=21310.0). It works by taking a screenshot of the current room, changing rooms, taking a screenshot of the new room, then animating the transition. I haven't worked on it for while and many problems it currently has can probably be solved by now.
I'm sure you can make it work if you set your mind to it, but of course I would welcome a built-in solution.
/me is reminded of one of his first posts in the AC forum.
Juncmodule and I were working on an unrealized project last year and he created this very effect. We didn't get very far with it, but it was pretty damn slick. It worked, if I remember correctly, but the setViewPort commands.
I'll see if I can dig it up ...
Yes, a Sierra-style scrolling room transition would be handy. I think I had some technical issues the last time I tried, but I"m sure it's possible to do.
Tracker'd: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/tracker.php?action=detail&id=593