AGS 4.0 - Alpha 22 for public test

[Crimson Wizard]

There's another bad bug in the lasted alpha version, which prevents from creating new Fonts in game.
Following temp build has it fixed:
https://cirrus-ci.com/task/5147027429916672

[arj0n]

AGS Editor .NET 32-bit (Build 4.00.00.17)
v4.0.0, April 2025

Issue: error when hitting Enter key in the open text parser window in the editor while no list item is selected:

• Open Text Parser window from the project panel
• Have no list item selected
• Hit enter key
• 'Object reference not set' Error

The error msg:
Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Version: AGS 4.00.00.17

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at AGS.Editor.frmMain.SelectPropertyByName(String propertyName)
   at AGS.Editor.TextParserEditor.lvwWords_ItemActivate(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ListView.OnItemActivate(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ListView.WmReflectNotify(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ListView.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

[Crimson Wizard]

Issue: error when hitting Enter key in the open text parser window in the editor while no list item is selected:

• Open Text Parser window from the project panel
• Have no list item selected
• Hit enter key
• 'Object reference not set' Error

The error msg:
Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Looks like this bug is present at least since AGS 3.2.1.

[arj0n]

Looks like this bug is present at least since AGS 3.2.1.

The parser is generally a lesser used section I think, and then you still have to hit enter at a somewhat illogic moment, so not that surprisingly this minor issue stayed hidden that long

[Monsieur OUXX]

I've been trying to read through the entire thread, all the updates with the GUIs, the blending modes,  the rendering layers, the nested objects,  the constructors, the new format for dialogs export, etc.

My head is literally spinning from all the awesomeness.

I don't know if that's ever happened to any game before,  but... I genuinely think I'm coming back from Unity to AGS. 2 years ago, I had sacrificed convenience for power. And now I can come back.

In other words: THANK. YOU.

[Crimson Wizard]

@Monsieur OUXX we also have an upcoming custom shaders support:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/engine-development/experiment-ags-4-custom-shaders-support/

[Crimson Wizard]

There should be a big update to 4.0 Alpha in about a week or two, but since a number of serious regressions were found since the previous update, I wonder if anyone could test whatever game they are making with AGS 4 using latest "nightly" build and see if anything is wrong:
https://cirrus-ci.com/task/6429007354265600

(of course, making a project copy for this test just in case).

[edmundito]

I have a couple of questions:
Is there a version of the docs with the updated scripting API?

Do I need to put the .crm files in source control or are they re-built by the editor?

[Crimson Wizard]

Is there a version of the docs with the updated scripting API?

No, still not, unfortunately.

We just now have got a build system that allows to have ags3 and ags4 manuals in parallel.
Alan Drake have prepared a list of things to write:
https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags-manual/issues/283

EDIT:
As a first iteration, one could gather the information posted here in this thread, in "Update" posts, which sometimes contain explanation of a new feature; then the related PRs on github contain explanation, script examples, and sometimes links to test projects.

Do I need to put the .crm files in source control or are they re-built by the editor?

.crm files are strictly output files in AGS 4, so they do not have to be put under source control now.

[Crimson Wizard]

Updated to Alpha 22
(Please use download links in the first post)

This update contains all the new features and fixes from 3.6.2 release and 3.6.2 Patch 1 (except ones related to backwards compatibility).

Own changes:

Editor:
- Editor requires .NET Framework 4.7 to run.
- In General Settings added "GUI common controls handle only left mouse button" option that lets prevent RMB from activating gui controls, except those that have separate actions for left and right mouse buttons.
- Added XOffset and YOffset properties for the View Frames.
- Redesigned Color Finder panel, now it lets to specify alpha color component, and convert between several different color representations.
- Fixed error occuring when creating a new Font.
- Fixed error occuring when renaming a room.

Script API:
- Added ShaderProgram and ShaderInstance structs, meant for the custom shaders support.
- Added Character.Shader, GUI.Shader, GUIControl.Shader, Object.Shader, Overlay.Shader, Camera.Shader, Viewport.Shader, Mouse.CursorShader, Screen.Shader.
- Added Button.GraphicFlip property.
- Added GUIControl.Rotation.
- Added GUIControl.ScaleX and ScaleY properties, GUIControl.SetScale() function.
- ViewFrame.Flipped property is now settable and returns eFlipDirection instead of bool.
- ViewFrame.Speed property is now settable.
- Added ViewFrame.XOffset and YOffset properties.

Engine:
- Support custom shaders, initialized through script API. Shaders are loaded and compiled from GLSL (for OpenGL) or HLSL (for Direct3D) shader scripts, and may be attached to game objects, camera, or the whole game view. Shaders may have user-defined constants, and have up to 3 secondary textures on input.
- Support compressing game saves using Deflate algorithm. Added config option "compress_saves" in "misc" section, disabled by default.
- Always compress a screenshot in game save using Deflate algorithm.
- Consistent GUI translation: the values of textual properties will never be automatically translated on assignment or reading them, only the text displayed on screen will be translated.
- Fixed error occuring when either a screenshot is made, or Crossfade or Dissolve room transition is run.
- Fixed error which had a chance to occur when ordering a character to walk after recently restoring a save.
- Fixed character not making the first animation step before starting a move.


The shader support is a new big feature, and difficult to explain in few words, so I suggest reading more thorough explanation in the dedicated forum thread here:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/engine-development/experiment-ags-4-custom-shaders-support/
This will be added to the AGS 4 manual eventually.

[Mehrdad]

Great update. Well done!
Thanks so much for adding XOffset and YOffset properties for the View Frames. It's really useful for me
Also for shaders.

[Crimson Wizard]

Thanks so much for adding XOffset and YOffset properties for the View Frames. It's really useful for me

Yes, these were asked for very long ago, and it appeared that AGS already have them for a long time but they were unused in the program, so I just wired them up.

Of course there's still no convenient way to set them up visually in the editor (rather than typing by hand for every frame). A View editor redesign is something that has to be done in the future.