AGS 4.0 - Alpha 21 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.