Is it possible to create a frame around each scene?

sentient · Thu 13/05/2004 18:17:40

Hello, I've just started playing with this and have a quick question to ask.

Is it possible to design a frame and use it as an overlay on all your scenes? I know I could just include it on each screen of the game, but that poses one problem. If the screen was a scrollable one, it would look a bit silly with the frame scrolling off with it. I've only just started playing with this app and it seems quite useful, but I haven't read, (or missed) if you can do something like this in the manual.

Oh, and one more question if anyone knows. Is it possible to increase and decrease the volume of individual sound effects in real time. For example when you walk away from a busy scene etc. I must admit I haven't checked the manual for this but I thought I'd ask while I posted this message.

Anyway, thanks for reading this and any help would be much appreciated!

SSH · Thu 13/05/2004 18:23:00

When I did this in the intro for Awakening of the Sphinx, I used a totally black GUI to do this. Becuase I was only scrolling vertically, I only needed it at top and bottom of screen, but you can easily do left/right as well/instead. The only difficulty you may have is importing a sprite that is totally black: make sure that it isn't interpreted as a totally transparent sprite: I just cut one pixel out of the top left corner and put it in a different colour.

sentient · Thu 13/05/2004 18:33:32

Ok, I am downloading your game to see what you mean. So you have a big image that you loaded as a new Gui? Sorry, but I am new to this and want to get things sorted in my mind before I go too far on the graphics side and find I can't do it as planned.

I think you mean a large full screen image with black set as transparent and the frame will be the only thing I can see? This is how I would attempt something like this in say Dark Basic, but I am not sure how things work in this AGS program yet.

Scorpiorus · Thu 13/05/2004 19:21:52

Yes, you can make a GUI and set your frame (viewport) graphic as its background image (320x200). You also should make that GUI unclickable.
Or you can setup four GUIs (four solid rectangular areas) - each for a certain side of the screen.

QuoteOh, and one more question if anyone knows. Is it possible to increase and decrease the volume of individual sound effects in real time. For example when you walk away from a busy scene etc. I must admit I haven't checked the manual for this but I thought I'd ask while I posted this message.

PlayAmbientSound() function is at your service

sentient · Thu 13/05/2004 20:54:53

I have loaded an 800x600 screen into the GUI and it displays ok. BUT, the black isn't transparent. If I set the background colour from 0 to other values I get parts of the frame transparent but not the main black section in the middle. I also get part of the main frame transparent even when I use 0 as the background colour. Is this a normal problem? I will try splitting it into 4 to see if that makes a difference. I have tried using 16 bit colour and 32 bit colour with no change at all.

Thanks for the help so far.

SSH · Thu 13/05/2004 21:04:13

I used two GUIs, one for top and one for bottom. If you need left and right too, that makes four. It's much easier to get the transparency right when it's at an edge rather than a donut. Also, I re-used the same sprite for the top and bottom.

I've never really played around with using palette numbers to do transparency...

oh, and I see I managed to trick you into downloading my game, bwuhahahhaha my plan worked!

Hollister Man · Thu 13/05/2004 21:09:04

If you WANT to make a frame on one GUI, try making the corner pixel in each corner the exact same color as the center, then importing it again with one of the "corner" transparency settings. You could make a nice GUI, with buttons and everything on the frame, I think, if you wanted to.

sentient · Thu 13/05/2004 21:27:49

Hmm, thought I sussed it. When the image loads in it asks for transparent colour. By default it is using the top left corner, (which is part of my frame). Selecting 0 should have sorted it out. But boohoo it didn't!

I even made a frame with a black edge around it, still no joy.

Scorpiorus · Thu 13/05/2004 21:33:02

Better do it with four GUIs otherwise you'll encounter some issues related to clicking on GUI.

But, still, just to try out - flood the main area with pink color (R=255, G=0, B=255). In 16/32bit pink appears transparent. Also, yes, make a thin edge (use pink too).

Btw, it is important to select the transparent color *before* clicking on the export from file... button.

sentient · Thu 13/05/2004 23:19:14

I gave up with the one screen approach and made 4 sections and after a bit of tinkering got em to fit ok. I possibly clicked on the selection after I imported, can't remember now

I tried so many different ways and times! So hopefully I'm in business. I've no idea how I'm gonna get the buttons to work but at least I'm moving through slowly.

Thanks a lot everyone.