AGS 4.0 - Alpha 21 for public test

[Baguettator]

Sorry for double post, I hope it's not too much "out of thread" if I ask here.


I would like to know how AGS 4.0 is "good" to manage games with high resolution (1920*1080), high quality graphics (like photos as rooms' background), BUT no animation ? I'm thinking about another Point'n click game of this kind, so I'm asking here.

ALso, if it's not a secret, what are the next improvement AGS 4.0 will get about that ? (speed in scripts/sprites management/memory...)

The best for me would be to host my game on the web, but I don't know if the game's size allowed to be hosted on web will be increased ? (with 1920*1080 sprites, it can be quickly heavy, and if I remember well, I have read that it was for about 300Mo max for a web port).

[Crimson Wizard]

I would like to know how AGS 4.0 is "good" to manage games with high resolution (1920*1080), high quality graphics (like photos as rooms' background), BUT no animation ? I'm thinking about another Point'n click game of this kind, so I'm asking here.

3.6.1 is already good enough for that, and there's a 1920*1080 game just released in 3.6.1:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/ags-games-in-production/old-skies-time-travel-adventure-by-wadjet-eye!-demo-available!/

ALso, if it's not a secret, what are the next improvement AGS 4.0 will get about that ? (speed in scripts/sprites management/memory...)

It's not a secret, I do not know what it will get. My planning in this project rarely gets beyond 3-4 tasks.
There's one idea about having sprites loaded as a background task, where they are scheduled and loaded ahead while the game keeps playing. Right now AGS can preload sprites and views by a script command, but it's a blocking operation that stops the rest of the game. Loading resources in background (in a free time between game updates) is the basic way of loading resources today, but when I tried to add this to AGS engine I've met with few issues because of how its code is organized. I might look again later, after I'm done with my current work.

The best for me would be to host my game on the web, but I don't know if the game's size allowed to be hosted on web will be increased ? (with 1920*1080 sprites, it can be quickly heavy, and if I remember well, I have read that it was for about 300Mo max for a web port).

I never heard about such limit. It may be the matter of the web server you're hosting or running on.
EDIT: actually, I suspect that web version may require to load everything into the memory before launching? that's why it takes so long to start up games. I'd need to double check that. Better ask here in the dedicated Web Port thread:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/engine-development/ags-engine-web-port/

But obviously each platform has its own limitations. Something that works well on desktop (Windows, Linux, Mac) may not work as well on consoles with less CPU/GPU power like Switch, or when you run in a web browser. Normally you should make separate versions of the game if the same game does not work well everywhere. (Not to mention that these may require different controls)

[Baguettator]

Thanks a lot for your long answer. Good job for all you are doing !

I double checked, in the thread about web port, it's written "you can't compile games more than 300Mo". But not a big problem for me, I think I will not port my game for the web

Also, I have to ask about AGS 4.0 : currently, if I delete some rooms, the ID numbers don't change. I think it's intended, while it could be confusing (but not a real problem...). What do you think ?

[Crimson Wizard]

I double checked, in the thread about web port, it's written "you can't compile games more than 300Mo". But not a big problem for me, I think I will not port my game for the web

To be precise what it sais:

the port won't work in any big ags game (like a game beyond 300MB

That does not mean that you "can't compile", that means that it won't work when running.
Here's an explanation why:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/engine-development/ags-engine-web-port/msg636642456/#msg636642456

Also, I have to ask about AGS 4.0 : currently, if I delete some rooms, the ID numbers don't change. I think it's intended, while it could be confusing (but not a real problem...). What do you think ?

The rooms have arbitrary numbers. You may have room 1, 10 and 100. Therefore it makes no sense to update their numbers if any room is deleted.
The rooms are referenced in script by their numbers. If numbers will shift on room deletion, then your scripts will break.

If you need to change some room ID, then you can edit room's Number property (and recent update also has a context menu command for that).

[Baguettator]

Understood

I encounter a crash with no idea what's the problem. I'm using the last version of AGS4 downloaded on the first page of this thread.

The message says :
(Engine version 4.0.0.17)
Error : GetRenderTargetData failed

Any idea ?

[Crimson Wizard]

The message says :
(Engine version 4.0.0.17)
Error : GetRenderTargetData failed

There's this error again! It happens when you make a screenshot of the game.
I fixed it recently, but did not realize that it's already in the release.

It's being displayed by our automatic tests too, but I don't know how come that I did not notice that!

I will have to make a urgent update.

Here's a temp build from our build server, but it has more changes, so idk if it messes anything else:
https://cirrus-ci.com/task/4615289289048064

[Baguettator]

Thanks for the answer !

But I didn't make any screenshot... From what I investigated, it happenned during a player.ChangeRoom function.

Let me know if it's an already known bug ? Will try your last build !

[Crimson Wizard]

But I didn't make any screenshot... From what I investigated, it happenned during a player.ChangeRoom function.

Are you using a Crossfade or Dissolve transition? they make screenshots.

[Baguettator]

Oh yeah, I was using a Crossfade !

[Baguettator]

Is there anything that changed regarding mouse clicks ? It seems it doesn't click very well where my mouse points...

EDIT : because, now, I have to click upper from some buttons (not all !!!) to call their OnClick function. Weird !!

EDIT 2 : OK, it seems this temp build you sent me messes up with call functions. What happened is that clicking on some buttons that DON't HAVE onclick functions in editor calls the onclick functions of OTHER BUTTONS which don't react when I click on them.

[Crimson Wizard]

So, it's broken even more now.

Please try this, this is a earlier build made just with a fix:
https://cirrus-ci.com/task/6097909818589184

EDIT 2 : OK, it seems this temp build you sent me messes up with call functions. What happened is that clicking on some buttons that DON't HAVE onclick functions in editor calls the onclick functions of OTHER BUTTONS which don't react when I click on them.

Is there a way to get your game build again? Or can I use the one that you sent previously?
I am not sure if there's a specific scenario that I need to be testing.

[Baguettator]

So should I try your last build first ?

[Crimson Wizard]

So should I try your last build first ?

The last link is a link to the earlier build which contains just the fix to the screenshots.
The link that I posted earlier today was a build which contains more changes, and it seems broken, as you say.

[Baguettator]

So, I just tried with the last link you sent me, and now, it seems working with the buttons !

I will test deeper soon, but I didn't encounter the problem for the 2 minutes I just tested.

[Crimson Wizard]

@Baguettator , I tried testing few small games using the previous build, and could not notice any mistakes.

Is there a way to get your game privately, to let me look into these issues you had with buttons?

[Baguettator]

I didn't encounter the buttons' bug with your last build ! Do you really need my game so ?

[Crimson Wizard]

I didn't encounter the buttons' bug with your last build ! Do you really need my game so ?

That last build posted here is not latest made, it's earlier made. The first one that I posted here was the latest made. If it has errors, then I will need to fix it.