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AGS Support => Modules, Plugins & Tools => Topic started by: selmiak on Sat 15/04/2017 09:53:45

Title: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 15/04/2017 09:53:45
Current Combined Community Crafting Contest:
Template Background
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54956.0 (CLOSED!)






I like reading about the plans for a new demogame for AGS here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54692.20

this made me think one small step would be create a new set for the sierra control icons that are default to AGS. I personally like Lucas Arts controls better than clicking through mouse modes, but sierra controls are AGS default atm, but they were made many many moons ago and probably are programmer art and personally I think they are ugly. And we have a lot of talented artists here, why not make a new icon set for the sierra style controls in AGS. most if not all noobies to AGS use sierra style as it is the default and there are tutorials for it (on ags page and youtube and some) and these look ugly all the time. I don't want noobs to make ugly games and I don't want ags to have ugly standard icons.

So my intention with this thread is to create a new sprite icon set that will be the default for AGS. But before that I want to get your opinions on this, how easy would it be to make a new iconset the default in AGS and still have the really old and outdated sierra icons just one click away for fangames in sierra style? (this is mostly directed directly @ CrimsonWizard I guess)
Are the users of AGS all for that? Or rather have the ugly sierra icons the AGS default and let the user choose the newer style with just one click? I prefer the new icon set as default for more beautiful noob games so they don't even have to search for the option to change the defaults.

We could have a contest-styled activity with some kind of deadline for the icon-sets, we vote on the new default and all runner ups still get added to AGS with an easy dropdown menu to chose from (and in AGS 5.0 with a preview).

Would this be a good addition?
Would this be technically possible?
Are some artist interested and would join in on the pixeling?
Should we rather have one combined community effort for only one new set and no contest styled icon pixeling activity?
Should we also skin the rather blank default sierra textboxes and menus with that?


List added:
the Default Game Template has:

GUIs
*gStatusline (no bg by now)
*gIconbar (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54703.msg636561612#msg636561612)
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/sEb0268.png[/imgzoom]
*gInventory (5 sprites + bg)
*gPanel (settings: sliders, Textbuttons (replace with icons?), bg)
*gRestartYN (Textbuttons + bg)
*gSaveGame (Textbuttons + bg)
*gRestoreGame (Textbuttons + bg)

Inventory Items
*iKey
*iPoster

Views
*View1 (4 walkcycles of recolored AGS blue Roger)
*View2

Characters
* cEgo (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54703.msg636559430#msg636559430) (roger from View1) (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54703.msg636559053#msg636559053)
[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/roger_blue.png[/imgzoom]


Mouse Cursors
*Walk To
*Look at
*Interact
*Talk To
*use Inv
*Pick up
*Pointer
*Wait
*Usermode 1 (Walk to Sprite)
*Usermode 2 (Walk to Sprite)
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/A84CUTe.png[/imgzoom]


Fonts
* 3 SCI fonts, they are terrible and do not support any foreign characters. They need to go.

Audio
* no sounds or music, should we add a short, maybe 10sec track?

Rooms
* room 1... the only room of the template
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/hqLe4Tv.png[/imgzoom]
topic (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54956.0)

Sprites
*already listed above, inventory items x1,5 + bluecup, gIconbar buttons, mousecursors + 2 arrows for scrolling


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The state of the template on github:
https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: CaesarCub on Sat 15/04/2017 13:07:50
I think it would be great to renew the art of the default UI.
And I'm willing to help with the pixeling (or participate in a contest).

I'm up to doing cursors, window borders, buttons, fonts or other UI elements.

What I'm just thinking now is that it might be interesting to also offer an out of the box high resolution default UI.
Now that AGS supports 720/1080p we should take advantage of showing that off on the templates.


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 15/04/2017 13:18:53
Quote from: selmiak on Sat 15/04/2017 09:53:45how easy would it be to make a new iconset the default in AGS and still have the really old and outdated sierra icons just one click away for fangames in sierra style?

These are game templates, which come as files in Templates directory. You may have any number of them as you want.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: cat on Sat 15/04/2017 18:19:24
Great idea! I'd enter such a competition.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Cassiebsg on Sat 15/04/2017 18:26:11
Good idea selmiak!  (nod)
Also the current Sierra cursors seem to lose the black outline when converted to 32 bits...  8-0 Which makes them even worse/hard to look at.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Danvzare on Sun 16/04/2017 01:05:49
I love this idea, and think all of the default AGS art could do with an update. :-D
But isn't there already technically an updated version of the default AGS SCI GUI sprites on one of the old RON templates?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Quote from: Danvzare on Sun 16/04/2017 01:05:49
But isn't there already technically an updated version of the default AGS SCI GUI sprites on one of the old RON templates?
Yes, there is:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/p0aFGcE.png[/imgzoom]

But I like this idea and it's about time to get rid of those grey old boxes.
Should there be a separate set of icons for different resolutions or should they be somehow scalable?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Danvzare on Mon 17/04/2017 11:28:54
Quote from: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Quote from: Danvzare on Sun 16/04/2017 01:05:49
But isn't there already technically an updated version of the default AGS SCI GUI sprites on one of the old RON templates?
Yes, there is:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/p0aFGcE.png[/imgzoom]
I remember a version even older than that, which looked exactly like the default AGS version, but coloured in. I'm sure I could find them if I looked for them.

But who cares, since this thread is about creating whole new icons!

Quote from: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Should there be a separate set of icons for different resolutions or should they be somehow scalable?
I think there should be different sets for different resolutions. Preferably sets that look almost identical, but I'll understand if that's not possible. We really should hold a contest for this. Maybe the icons used could be some sort of combination of all of the entries.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: selmiak on Mon 17/04/2017 14:39:30
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 15/04/2017 13:18:53
Quote from: selmiak on Sat 15/04/2017 09:53:45how easy would it be to make a new iconset the default in AGS and still have the really old and outdated sierra icons just one click away for fangames in sierra style?
These are game templates, which come as files in Templates directory. You may have any number of them as you want.

So we are basically building a new default (sierra) template there, alright :)
interest is there, mouses and tablets are ready, we only need some more definitions before we can get going.


Palette:
How many colors do we want? I'd say something between 4-16.
If we set a fixed palette we can easily swap images between contest entries in the final template!
Anyone up for defining a varied colorful and contrasty palette with low colorcount?

Resolution(s)
How many resolutions should this support. What are the icon- and box- sizes in the different resolutions?

anything else?
What is missing?

Quote from: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Yes, there is:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/p0aFGcE.png[/imgzoom]
looking nice already. What do the ? and X button do anyways?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 17/04/2017 14:46:29
Quote from: Danvzare on Mon 17/04/2017 11:28:54
Quote from: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Should there be a separate set of icons for different resolutions or should they be somehow scalable?
I think there should be different sets for different resolutions. Preferably sets that look almost identical, but I'll understand if that's not possible.
Depending on what you mean by having "almost identical" sets for different resolutions, but if you want to use exactly same images just of different sizes, you may just use one set and resize it in game script accordingly.

Another option is to have several sets, and either several templates, or one template with proper set chosen at runtime. Although in latter case game may end having unused gfx.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 17/04/2017 15:10:35
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 17/04/2017 14:39:30
Palette:
How many colors do we want? I'd say something between 4-16.
If we set a fixed palette we can easily swap images between contest entries in the final template!
Anyone up for defining a varied colorful and contrasty palette with low colorcount?
The palette should be divided on GUI windows and borders and the verb icons themselves.
I'd go for 16 if we plan to redo the whole GUI.
If you want the entries to be swappable it might be a good idea to ask for monochrome icons (which also means the palette can be changed more easily later on if needed).
I think it would be nice to customise the whole UI, including the sliders and even the Quit window (I remember going crazy the first time I used AGS looking where it was in the GUI list).

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 17/04/2017 14:39:30
Resolution(s)
How many resolutions should this support. What are the icon- and box- sizes in the different resolutions?
I think we have 4 main resolutions: 320x200, 640x480, 720p and 1080p
Older classic resolutions like 800x600 and 1024x768 can accommodate the 720p ones.


Quote from: Hobo on Sun 16/04/2017 17:50:57
Yes, there is:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/p0aFGcE.png[/imgzoom]
Am I the only one that finds it funny using for the Sierra template icons that are inspired by Sam and Max Hit the Road? :-D

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 17/04/2017 14:39:30
looking nice already. What do the ? and X button do anyways?
I'm guessing options and quit
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: cat on Mon 17/04/2017 16:36:22
Why limit color count when we can even do alpha channel in 32 bit, especially for high-res.
I'd say let's do a low-res (pixel art, with low color count) and a high-res (32bit, with proper alpha channel for anti-aliasing and stuff) version.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: [delete} on Mon 17/04/2017 21:46:17
A timeless and well-rounded interface should ship with AGS Classic. Pleasant UI design is not easy, so we should set the bar with an already good one.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 13:10:28
I'd just like to mention that we had this discussion in 2006 as well.
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=27959.0

I think I have the assets still cached on my drive, the "new" Roger was drawn quite nicely.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: CaesarCub on Tue 18/04/2017 13:22:44
Quote from: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 13:10:28
I'd just like to mention that we had this discussion in 2006 as well.
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=27959.0

I think I have the assets still cached on my drive, the "new" Roger was drawn quite nicely.

So, we have had nicer assets that could be used on the Sierra template since over a decade?
Now I really want to see them.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 15:16:46
Found the Roger sprites 8-)
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/roger.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogerpose.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogertalkdown.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogertalkleft.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogertalkright.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogerwalkdown.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogerwalkleft.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogerwalkright.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogerwalkup.gif[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: selmiak on Tue 18/04/2017 18:45:52
@abstauber:
these look great! Let's use this! ;-D


I did some listing. I hope I didn't miss anything.

the Default Game Template has:

GUIs
*gStatusline (no bg by now)
*gIconbar (10 sprites + bg?)
*gInventory (5 sprites + bg)
*gPanel (settings: sliders, Textbuttons (replace with icons?), bg)
*gRestartYN (Textbuttons + bg)
*gSaveGame (Textbuttons + bg)
*gRestoreGame (Textbuttons + bg)

Inventory Items
*iKey
*iPoster

Views
*View1 (4 walkcycles of ugly roger)
*View2

Characters
*cEgo (roger from View1)

Mouse Cursors
*Walk To
*Look at
*Interact
*Talk To
*use Inv
*Pick up
*Pointer
*Wait
*Usermode 1 (Walk to Sprite)
*Usermode 2 (Walk to Sprite)

Fonts
* 3 fonts, we could replace them or leave them

Audio
* no sounds or music, should we add a short, maybe 10sec track?

Rooms
* room 1... a black room. we could just leave it as is as this is a template and no demo game. or some really simple room, a square box to encourage changing it immediately.

Sprites
*already listed above, inventory items x1,5 + bluecup, gIconbar buttons, mousecursors + 2 arrows for scrolling
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Snarky on Tue 18/04/2017 20:01:04
Quote from: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 13:10:28
I'd just like to mention that we had this discussion in 2006 as well.
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=27959.0

Thanks! I remember that, and the considerable resistance against making the default template "too good", thereby either discouraging newbies with impossible standards or tempting them to use the defaults rather than make their own.

I dunno... That may have made sense at the time, but I suppose we're all over it by now, right?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: selmiak on Tue 18/04/2017 21:52:29
Mommy, mommy, look what I made!
What did you do, little Timmy?
I made this game, mommy!
Oh this looks nice, what Engine did you use?
I made it in AGS!
Oh, AGS, now that's hot!


the default template of the engine should be tempting to use and tempt people seeing the finished game to try the engine imho.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Hobo on Tue 18/04/2017 23:37:32
Quote from: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 15:16:46
Found the Roger sprites 8-)
Neat stuff! Couldn't resist doing a little animation of my own.
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/eThUC0v.gif[/imgzoom]
Quote from: Snarky on Tue 18/04/2017 20:01:04
...making the default template "too good", thereby either discouraging newbies with impossible standards or tempting them to use the defaults rather than make their own.
Impossible standards usually inspire and motivate me :)
And considering how many games still use the default menus or icons (especially MAGS games, because of time constraints), I'd rather have them look good than bad.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 07:30:21
Quote from: Snarky on Tue 18/04/2017 20:01:04
I dunno... That may have made sense at the time, but I suppose we're all over it by now, right?
All the naysayers are gone for Unity anyways :P Though I have to admit, I'm quite nostalic when it comes to the blue cup.
Let's send ol' Roger and is dull GUI buttons to retirement!

@Selmiak: The included sci fonts are terrible and do not support any foreign characters. They need to go.
@Hobo: Looking great, keep going :D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Danvzare on Wed 19/04/2017 12:47:09
Quote from: abstauber on Tue 18/04/2017 13:10:28
I'd just like to mention that we had this discussion in 2006 as well.
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=27959.0

I think I have the assets still cached on my drive, the "new" Roger was drawn quite nicely.
Wow, I had no idea. I guess it only took a little over a decade for everyone to get over themselves. (laugh)

Also, while I love that new Roger. I think we should make him look a little more like the AGS Roger rather than the Space Quest Roger (yes, I know they're one of the same, but hear me out) by giving him brown hair and red sleeves.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 19/04/2017 15:52:21
I added the list of everything in the template (by now) to the first post and added abstaubers comment about the fonts (with which I agree :)).
I'll keep the first post up to date with everything else happening here and after some finetuning and getting a direction we should get some contests rolling to finally do some pixeling.

Quote from: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 07:30:21
I have to admit, I'm quite nostalic when it comes to the blue cup.
You mean the very first sprite in the template? Of course we keep it, it's not even used in the template (yet) and just appears when you add a new object to the game :)

@Hobo: Cool talkie animation!


For all the low res versions of the icons and sliders and menus (read: non characters, non inventory items) we need a palette, then we can even vote on individual icons and gfx in the contests and easily combine them all to the final set. The palette needs good contrasts and lots of blue, as in blue cup, y'know.
Does anybody have a fitting 4-16 color palette at hand or wants to define one, please go ahead, guess I'll try something later today or so...
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 19/04/2017 16:07:31
If we want a blue-cup blue palette, orange gives the best contrast.

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/OIc99gT.png[/imgzoom] [imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/fKLItXx.png[/imgzoom]

Edit Added one using the forum blue cups as a base.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 20:31:49
@CasearCub:
In which case should the palettes be used?

@Hobo:
Do you also have some spare backgrounds we might add to the template(s)?

--edit: if anyone else has a nice background with a low color count (preferably matching Rogers space theme)... you know the place to post ;)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 19/04/2017 20:56:46
Quote from: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 20:31:49
@CasearCub:
In which case should the palettes be used?

I was mostly thinking of the idea of using one set of colors for the UI panels, and the other for the icons, and maybe the fonts, like this:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/xiZf7JK.png[/imgzoom]

Selmiak was mentioning the idea of having a small palette for the UI in general, and he mentioned it would be nice in blue-cup blue.
So that's why I decided to make these two.

I am stopping myself from designing more, because several people mentioned the idea of making it a contest.

I'll see if I find some of the fonts I already made for AGS and post them here for consideration if anyone cares.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 21:16:34
How about some more contrast on the oranges?
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ags_pal2.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 19/04/2017 21:35:09
I like it, but I wouldn't go so red.

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/SRN2CAK.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 21:44:33
Way better. Cool!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Wed 19/04/2017 21:53:34
This is the first version where I recognized what it was depicting, so that's a definite improvement. Thumbs up from me!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 19/04/2017 22:13:10
As for fonts, these are the ones I made for different games, most of them are missing characters, but that is easily fixable, if needed be. Though from what I recall there are tons of fonts already in the forums right?
Spoiler

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/7k4FbvJ.png[/imgzoom]
[close]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Wed 19/04/2017 22:15:28
Quote from: abstauber on Wed 19/04/2017 20:31:49
@Hobo: Do you also have some spare backgrounds we might add to the template(s)?
Not really, at least nothing that would fit the size and style of that Roger sprite.

Good work with the icons so far!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 19/04/2017 22:19:26
The darker brownish red is a nice tone and contrast.

I like reserving the blues for the backgrounds. The shadow-of-the-object color is redundant though, the darkest blue also fits there and frees another color slot.

I tried introducing some contrasty greens for more colors for the actual objects but it all looks crap :P Maybe I didn't go dark enough, but green is somehow not the color to go for, at least I didn't find a fitting hue of green, then I tried some deep purple  ;)
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/8N5AM5R.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 19/04/2017 22:39:41
Quote from: selmiak on Wed 19/04/2017 22:19:26
I like reserving the blues for the backgrounds. The shadow-of-the-object color is redundant though, the darkest blue also fits there and frees another color slot.
I tried introducing some contrasty greens for more colors for the actual objects but it all looks crap :P Maybe I didn't go dark enough, but green is somehow not the color to go for, at least I didn't find a fitting hue of green, then I tried some deep purple  ;)
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/8N5AM5R.png[/imgzoom]

Yeah, purple is the direction I was already going with the orange/gold dark tones.
I added a fourth blue color just to have more options when it came to making borders, but I never really used it.

How generic should the borders be? I did that double-line border because it felt more interesting that just doing the classic 3-shade bevel button.

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/FxuTTFc.gif[/imgzoom] [imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/75w3zF4.gif[/imgzoom]


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Ali on Thu 20/04/2017 00:00:49
This has been overdue for years, good work everyone for kicking it back to life.

However, I have to say: if the idea is to replace the default sierra template then I think these icons make too strong a colour statement. Blue and orange are pretty contrasty - they're not going to work well with low-saturated artwork. It could be very difficult to use this artwork for a horror game, or a mystery noir, for instance.

In an ideal world, no one would use the default graphics. But since people do, I think they should be as neutral as possible. I think buttons that use one easy-to-change colour, or greyscale would be more useful. Perhaps there should be neutral / monochrome / high contrast alternatives?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Thu 20/04/2017 01:04:54
Quote from: Ali on Thu 20/04/2017 00:00:49
However, I have to say: if the idea is to replace the default sierra template then I think these icons make too strong a colour statement. Blue and orange are pretty contrasty - they're not going to work well with low-saturated artwork. It could be very difficult to use this artwork for a horror game, or a mystery noir, for instance.

In an ideal world, no one would use the default graphics. But since people do, I think they should be as neutral as possible. I think buttons that use one easy-to-change colour, or greyscale would be more useful. Perhaps there should be neutral / monochrome / high contrast alternatives?

The idea (at least how I see it) is to use a very limited palette (so far only 8 colors) just so anyone can quickly change them as needed if they wanted to:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/st1Jwgt.png[/imgzoom]

Maybe we could vote for different palette colours for the default Sierra Template once the icons are made. I did the blue/orange one because I found cute the idea of basing it on the blue cup.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Thu 20/04/2017 01:22:06
BTW, it is easy to script a function that would replace the colors on dynamic sprite according to certain rule. You can create a set of sprites in greyscale, for example, and template will have several coded presets (color mappings), one of which would be chosen and applied in the game_start function.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Thu 20/04/2017 05:59:35
Ali raises a valid points and CW has the solution, though that would require making the template some kind of short demogame that explains where to define the colormapping or where to switch the predefined palettes.
I like CC's greyish version, but let's not jump ahead, we should first all be happy with the basic palette for the first iteration of the icons and so, have some contests, get the final designs, then we can play around with palette swappings to darkness and brighter values and vote on that. Well, noone is stopping you from experimenting with palette swapping now already, but we don't need it atm.

@Borders:
What about we don't define the borders now, but rather say max 2px wide borders (or 3px max?) please on icons that are w x h and then see what comes out of the contest, both borders and the icons.

So if nothing game/template/contest breaking happens in the next few hours I'll make a thread for this in the competitions board tonight. I'd say gIconbar is the first thing from the template to get the overhaul.

Does anyone have a fancy title for all this? Like RessurAGSion. Or like, better than this? ;-D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Thu 20/04/2017 07:40:47
QuoteBTW, it is easy to script a function that would replace the colors on dynamic sprite according to certain rule
In realtime AGS SCRIPT?!

That would be mindblowing - colorcycles could finally be done again...
(http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/avatar_db32_3.gif)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Thu 20/04/2017 10:36:29
Quote from: abstauber on Thu 20/04/2017 07:40:47
QuoteBTW, it is easy to script a function that would replace the colors on dynamic sprite according to certain rule
In realtime AGS SCRIPT?!

Depends on what you mean by realtime. I used this trick to prepare a number of differently colored sprites based on a single template, but only at the room load. Doing that repeatedly each game tick is also possible, but that's time costly operation (uncomparable to 8-bit palette cycling), and will slow game down if you are processing lots of images.

True 32-bit solution is perhaps shaders, but AGS does not support them.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Thu 20/04/2017 11:58:56
Ah okay, like scanning the image with GetPixel.

Well... pre-rendered palette cycling will continue to work just fine.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Thu 20/04/2017 12:12:15
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Thu 20/04/2017 01:22:06
BTW, it is easy to script a function that would replace the colors on dynamic sprite according to certain rule. You can create a set of sprites in greyscale, for example, and template will have several coded presets (color mappings), one of which would be chosen and applied in the game_start function.

Now I'm really interested in this. How would it work? The only way I thought of by looking at the help manual is to separate BGs from icons, use the Tint function to add monochrome colours on them and then compositing them. (I have done this before on other games, but never on AGS... I really should read up and test the DynamicSprite section).


Quote from: abstauber on Thu 20/04/2017 11:58:56
Ah okay, like scanning the image with GetPixel.

Or that would work as well.

Quote from: selmiak on Thu 20/04/2017 05:59:35
Ali raises a valid points and CW has the solution, though that would require making the template some kind of short demogame that explains where to define the colormapping or where to switch the predefined palettes.

This could be interesting, and better than duplicating assets for multiple character games.

Quote from: selmiak on Thu 20/04/2017 05:59:35
I like CC's greyish version, but let's not jump ahead, we should first all be happy with the basic palette for the first iteration of the icons and so, have some contests, get the final designs, then we can play around with palette swappings to darkness and brighter values and vote on that. Well, noone is stopping you from experimenting with palette swapping now already, but we don't need it atm.

Thanks, but those were just to point out that palette swapping on assets is easy when you have a small palette. The green-pink one was deliberately low on contrast and non-generic. :P

Quote from: selmiak on Thu 20/04/2017 05:59:35

@Borders:
What about we don't define the borders now, but rather say max 2px wide borders (or 3px max?) please on icons that are w x h and then see what comes out of the contest, both borders and the icons.
So if nothing game/template/contest breaking happens in the next few hours I'll make a thread for this in the competitions board tonight. I'd say gIconbar is the first thing from the template to get the overhaul.
Does anyone have a fancy title for all this? Like RessurAGSion. Or like, better than this? ;-D

I'm completely up for it. except for the punny name (wtf).
I'd also only start with the basic 320x200 resolution and leave the HD ones for later.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Thu 20/04/2017 12:37:00
Warning: not tested
Now tested, works.

Remember to put "noloopcheck" in the function definition.
Code (ags) Select

void noloopcheck ReplaceColors(this DynamicSprite*, int colors_from[], int colors_to[], int num_colors)
{
  DrawingSurface *ds = this.GetDrawingSurface();
  for (int x = 0; x < ds.Width; x++)
  {
    for (int y = 0; y < ds.Height; y++)
    {
      int old_col = ds.GetPixel(x, y);
      for (int i = 0; i < num_colors; i++)
      {
        if (old_col == colors_from[i])
        {
          ds.DrawingColor = colors_to[i];
          ds.DrawPixel(x, y);
          break;
        }
      }
    }
  }
  ds.Release();
}


Usage:
Code (ags) Select

DynamicSprite *dspr = DynamicSprite.CreateFromExistingSprite(10); // 10 - is the number of your sprite
int colors_from[] = new int[8]; // 8 - is the number of colors you want to change
int colors_to[] = new int[8];
// Setup conversion tables
colors_from[0] = 1; // replace this color
colors_to[0] = 2; // replace TO this color
// etc
//
dspr.ReplaceColors(colors_from, colors_to, 8);



EDIT: DynamicSprite.Tint would work too, and it is faster, but its results are more restricted.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Alan v.Drake on Thu 20/04/2017 16:25:11
Quote from: Snarky on Tue 18/04/2017 20:01:04
Thanks! I remember that, and the considerable resistance against making the default template "too good", thereby either discouraging newbies with impossible standards or tempting them to use the defaults rather than make their own.

Too good?  Whew, when I tried AGS for the first time I was about to drop the ball for how ugly it looked,
Presentation is important, sadly.

As they say, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

- Alan
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Fri 21/04/2017 09:24:53
In the meantime I started to work on a room. It is far from being completed, but maybe somebody wants to join the fun.
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/room1.png[/imgzoom]

It is drawn in this palette:
https://github.com/geoffb/dawnbringer-palettes/blob/master/DB32/db32.png
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 14:20:52
That's a really nice background.
And the palette looks quite interesting. I'll have to give it a go in a background at some point. :D

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/dMdl7Nn.png[/imgzoom]

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS Sierra Icons
Post by: Hobo on Fri 21/04/2017 14:21:19
It might be a personal preference only, but I'm not particularly fond of the type of anti-aliasing you used on the planet. I think it's called banding? Did a quick and sloppy edit on it. I also moved the door a bit, so it wouldn't line up with the shadow so much. Otherwise I like it, good old simple and clean pixel art.

[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/room1_edit.png[/imgzoom]
Quote from: Danvzare on Wed 19/04/2017 12:47:09
I think we should make him look a little more like the AGS Roger
I can dress him in AGS blue, is that more fashionable?

[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/roger_blue.png[/imgzoom]
Are we set with this Roger sprite? If so, then are there some additional must-have animations he should have?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 14:31:57
Quote from: Hobo on Fri 21/04/2017 14:21:19
[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/roger_blue.png[/imgzoom]
Are we set with this Roger sprite? If so, then are there some additional must-have animations he should have?
I like the recoloring, and I feel it sets him enough apart from the other Roger.
I'm more of a Lucas guy myself, so I instantly thought of the reach-high reach-mid reach-low sprites used in those games.

But then again, if this is just a template, I don't think it would need more stuff. Though the more I see all this stuff the more I think "All this could be put in use to make some nicely updated demo games that we were talking about in another thread." (roll)

Selmiak, hurry up with the SpriteJam so we can start tinkering with the verb icons (laugh)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 15:02:54
pffft, I'll just sit here and wait until the new demogame is done, looking good already :-D

seriously though, @abstauber+hobo:
keep on pixeling that BG, but actually we want to start with a new template, not a complete game, but don't let this stop you, the new demogame needs assetts too ;)
So what about using this in both the demogame and this template, but make sure it kind of fits the palette we are defining for the icons and also that it or something on it screams THIS IS JUST A TEMPLATE, REPLACE ME WITH YOUR OWN PAINTING YOU LAZY BASTARD!

the blue AGS Cup Roger is niiiiice! :-D

Will start a thread with something to pixel soon.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 15:17:08
Quote from: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 14:20:52
That's a really nice background.
And the palette looks quite interesting. I'll have to give it a go in a background at some point. :D

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/dMdl7Nn.png[/imgzoom]



the blue/yellows look too washed out, I like our palette for that better
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Fri 21/04/2017 16:10:21
Thanks Hobo. That looks much better.

Here's a little teaser of what I'm currently doing 8-)

[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scumm_mockup.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 17:07:08
Quote from: abstauber on Fri 21/04/2017 16:10:21
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scumm_mockup.png[/imgzoom]

So the new Sierra template is a SCUMM 9 Verb interface... well, more of a Thimbleweed Park one? nice (laugh)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 17:16:50
Look at that, there it is:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54738.0
(gIconbar)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 18:07:04
Quote from: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 15:17:08
Quote from: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 14:20:52
That's a really nice background.
And the palette looks quite interesting. I'll have to give it a go in a background at some point. :D

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/dMdl7Nn.png[/imgzoom]



the blue/yellows look too washed out, I like our palette for that better

and after rushing out that contest thread I think that rightmost silver black floppy looks great! shall I cange to that one? Would be fitting to abstaubers BG image and more classy than blue orange...
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 18:37:48
Do as you wish, but I wouldn't worry about it. The idea of the palette is to just have one so all entries use the same.
We can later on vote which palette is best for the winning verb set.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 22/04/2017 10:15:45
Quote from: selmiak on Fri 21/04/2017 23:34:14
oh these complicated decisions, both look great. idk, lets have this contest with both palettes! and make it a jam in both threads. 8-) :-D

after getting some sleep I think using 2 different palettes for the contest will not work and only get confusing and brainmelting and hairtearing and heartbreaking and running up the walls of crazyness and so on.  And dawnbringer has a nice palette.

Summing up... something like this?

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/8VeY73A.png[/imgzoom]

Putting the palette in a useful order is confuzzling me, you used the 2 darkest colors + the 4th darkest color for the border.
more like this:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/eRexBxK.png[/imgzoom]

So this this is our definition for the icons fitting for the spacey BG. 3 left colors for the background and the 5 right colors for the icons.

alright? alright! No more summing up for the icons and stuff palette anymore, I'd rather get pixeling in the other thread. :D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Sat 22/04/2017 10:54:52
Quote from: Hobo on Fri 21/04/2017 14:21:19
I can dress him in AGS blue, is that more fashionable?

[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/roger_blue.png[/imgzoom]
Are we set with this Roger sprite? If so, then are there some additional must-have animations he should have?
Not the colour I was thinking of, but definitely more suitable.
I actually rather like this Roger. Like CaesarCub said, it sets him apart from Roger Wilco.

Quote from: CaesarCub on Fri 21/04/2017 14:31:57
Though the more I see all this stuff the more I think "All this could be put in use to make some nicely updated demo games that we were talking about in another thread." (roll)
Agreed, I hope this all gets used to make that updated demo game. (nod)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Sat 22/04/2017 15:48:37
Next iteration. Does anyone have a good idea for foreground objects?
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/room1_2.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 22/04/2017 16:00:33
Quote from: abstauber on Sat 22/04/2017 15:48:37
Next iteration. Does anyone have a good idea for foreground objects?

A 60-ies style space chair on the anti-gravity pad.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/43/b1/4b/43b14bc11e58d82cb1941a4b25ec8b19.jpg
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 22/04/2017 18:20:44
space bunnies! Lots of them!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Sat 22/04/2017 21:20:39
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/room1_3.png[/imgzoom]
It is getting somewhere.

Feel free to add bunnies, chairs and stuff on a separate layer ;)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 26/04/2017 16:16:02
I started pushing some pixels for the gIconbar, I'm coming at you CC  ;-D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 28/04/2017 20:29:15
did I kill this thread? I made an iconbar in pixels, I hope this is killer :D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 28/04/2017 21:10:03
It's a great icon bar, the eye and the hand for some reason scream "horror game" in my mind.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 29/04/2017 12:54:12
The longer I look at that handthe more it looks like en elephant or a weird junk of pixels, but then I see the hand again  :-D
I wasn't sure if I should add these veins to the eye or not, but since that red color was left over I added it  ;)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Thu 11/05/2017 05:26:07
just a note for everyone following this thread but not all the competitions in the form, voting on the iconbar icons has begun already, get you vote in today, it is very easy to do so :)
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54738.msg636560696#msg636560696
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 24/05/2017 08:09:07
Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest for the iconbar of the template, namely Bulbapuck, CaesarCub, cat, Danvzare, Gurok, Jim Reed, selmiak and TGames. In a tough race CaesarCub won with this entry:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/Vp6bnHS.png[/imgzoom]
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54738.msg636561403#msg636561403



2nd place:
selmiak
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/4yyknBj.png[/imgzoom]

3rd place
cat
[imgzoom]http://www.clowdergames.com/pics/competition/cat_guibar.png[/imgzoom]



Some quotes from the contest thread that would fit here better

Quote from: Danvzare on Mon 22/05/2017 11:09:01
Maybe we could talk about what we liked most about them both. Like the briefcase from selmiak's as well as the border. And the options icon from Caesar Cub's.
It's just an idea. Feel free to ignore it if you think it's stupid. :-D
Quote from: Gurok on Mon 22/05/2017 11:45:16
That's a great idea, Danvzare!
Can we combine your idea and selmiaks? i.e. Have a run off on the top three entries, then combine whatever the top two entries are.
Do you mean Davzares's entry of CC's entry?

I'm glad there is no C:\> in the winning entry and it already has all the different button states, a well deserved winning entry.

Quote from: CaesarCub on Tue 23/05/2017 14:20:45
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Mon 22/05/2017 15:51:55
IDK if mentioned already, I've noticed some iconbars contain "C:\>", a reference to DOS command prompt. I wonder if Unix users will like these :D.
Hahaha. Well, when I did the first iconbar I put the C:\> and the disks because I was thinking retro, and all the older games were for DOS, but after a chat I thought it was a good idea to replace them with more modern icons (after all, kids these days don't know what C:\> is and they have never seen a floppy disk).
That is the reasoning behind doing a backpack instead of a briefcase. I don't see many people using briefcases now a days, maybe a box or a bag like the one cat made are better suited. A pouch just seemed too medieval.

Quote from: cat on Tue 23/05/2017 21:26:47
I like CaesarCub's icon bar, it has such a nice retro vibe that totally fits AGS and can be used for a wide range of games.
My icon bar, on the other hand, simulates a modern Windows tile view and is probably most useful for Sci-Fi games, but nothing retro. Still, I'm glad that so many people like it :)
[...]
If you want to use any of my icons to improve other template versions, please just go ahead!








So CC's winning entry shall define the colorscheme of the rest of this template (Skinned sierra). It is the one we defined in this very thread, which is a nice touch I think.
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/8N5AM5R.png[/imgzoom]

while we were jamming CC also made some icons already:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/qhfPsme.png[/imgzoom]

these are coming from the silver palette that was en vogue for a moment there. Also some icons are missing. Shall we tackle the mouse cursor icons next?

Mouse Cursors
*Walk To
*Look at
*Interact
*Talk To
*use Inv
*Pick up
*Pointer
*Wait
*Usermode 1 (Walk to Sprite)
*Usermode 2 (Walk to Sprite)


Do we need a contest or do we jam on CC's already made Icons and expand it and make it fit the yellowish palette? Or do we just make CC do all the missing icons and then lock him back in the closet until there are more pixeljobs available? ;) :D

Also feel free to further discuss combining various entries from the gIconbar contest and preferably post a picture of what you mean already ;)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Wed 24/05/2017 13:41:38
Quote from: selmiak on Wed 24/05/2017 08:09:07
Also feel free to further discuss combining various entries from the gIconbar contest and preferably post a picture of what you mean already ;)

Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries: [imgzoom]http://orig03.deviantart.net/66e6/f/2017/144/2/f/example_of_menu_by_danvzare-dba9mrt.png[/imgzoom]

Personally I think it could be improved a bit, the hand could be simplified, and the save and load icons could be given a bit more detail. But you get the idea.
I mostly prefer CaesarCub's entry, but there's a few things here and there from selmiak's and cat's entries that I think would really spice things up. :-D
I really want to know what combinations other people have in their heads. Who knows, maybe I chose a particular icon that no one likes. (laugh)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 24/05/2017 15:16:21
Quote from: selmiak on Wed 24/05/2017 08:09:07
So CC's winning entry shall define the colorscheme of the rest of this template (Skinned sierra). It is the one we defined in this very thread, which is a nice touch I think.
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/8N5AM5R.png[/imgzoom]

I used that palette because it was the base palette we had. I didn't mean to be THE palette.

I personally would desaturate the blue:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/vcke444.png[/imgzoom]

Or maybe change it for a different color altogether:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/9pfGX5a.png[/imgzoom]

Those mouse icons are made using the first iconbar, so I should make an updated version. And while there are more mouse icons in the Template, I don't think they are being used at all, that's why I did not make new versions of those.

Quote from: Danvzare on Wed 24/05/2017 13:41:38
Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries: [imgzoom]http://orig03.deviantart.net/66e6/f/2017/144/2/f/example_of_menu_by_danvzare-dba9mrt.png[/imgzoom]

While I like Selmiak's hand icon a lot, we should try to see how it works without all the shading, since the shape and depth is generated with that.
The inventory icon should also be reworked into the style (this one is easier), though I still think a box or something more like cat's bag should be more contemporary.
My idea of the active inventory icon was to leave it empty, so the item could occupy as much space as possible.
With the load and save icons, I went for a folder on my second version, because people now a days have no idea what a floppy disk is. This is the same reason I reworked the C:\> into a power button.

When I have some free time I'll see about making some variations and update the cursors.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Wed 24/05/2017 15:42:24
Quote from: Danvzare on Wed 24/05/2017 13:41:38
Alright then, I'll post a picture of what I meant. Here's a quick mockup of combining all the parts I liked of the winning entries: [imgzoom]http://orig03.deviantart.net/66e6/f/2017/144/2/f/example_of_menu_by_danvzare-dba9mrt.png[/imgzoom]

Not too keen on this. I find Selmiak's hand hard to read (it looks like some weird flipper to me, or maybe some kind of shell), and the extreme perspective really doesn't match the other icons (particularly given the flat-on suitcase), I prefer folders to floppies, and the negative-space thing on the arrows worked in cat's treatment because it was strictly monochrome â€" I don't think it works at all in color.

Like I said in the voting thread, the inventory icon is difficult because there's no good general-purpose "container" symbol, but I agree with CaesarCub that cat's "shopping bag" is probably the best. It's easy to read (unlike the backpack and even the suitcase) and it's fairly clear what it represents.

Personally I think this:

Quote from: CaesarCub on Wed 24/05/2017 15:16:21
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/vcke444.png[/imgzoom]

... with a version of cat's inventory icon is a great set.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 24/05/2017 16:49:37
Have a collection of Inventory buttons I don't feel completely good about, and the talk one with "!?" written on it

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/0s0BzU1.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 24/05/2017 21:10:49
I like #2 and #7

#4 looks like homer s. ;-D
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/lsvRdRY.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Wed 24/05/2017 21:58:59
I like the talk button with "!?".

From the inventory icons I cannot read #3, #4 and #7, only #2, #5 and #6 are clear to me.

The hand icon still gives me some Mickey Mouse vibe.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Wed 24/05/2017 22:09:23
I think #5 is the best, though it could still use a bit more tweaking (particularly to make the handles stand out more clearly). The problem with #7 is that if you don't already know that it's a box so that you can interpret the geometry, it can be completely mystifying. And the suitcase just feels awfully anachronistic to me, particularly with those protectors on the corners: I literally don't think I've ever seen those outside of old movies.

That said, given that most game makers will design their own UI, it's not really such big a deal.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Fri 26/05/2017 11:25:50
I like #2, #5, and #6.
Although it seems to me as though most people aren't too fond of the suitcase, and for pretty good reasons. So maybe it might be best not to choose the suitcase.

I also rather like the "!?" in the speech bubble. It really spices it up.
I'm not so sure about the desaturated blue though. Hmm... maybe it just needs to grow on me.  :-D

Quote from: CaesarCub on Wed 24/05/2017 15:16:21
With the load and save icons, I went for a folder on my second version, because people now a days have no idea what a floppy disk is. This is the same reason I reworked the C:\> into a power button.
While not everyone knows what a floppy disk is anymore, you can't argue that it's become the universal symbol for saving. I feel as though folder's are a bit more abstract in that regard.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Fri 02/06/2017 22:31:17
The washed out blue colorscheme is nice, the other one is very bright. And stonewashed jeans are just sexy!

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/sEb0268.png[/imgzoom]
I added the ?! to the talk to icon. looks more crowded now.
changed the inventory icon, I like the suitcase.
Then I flipped the hand. I'm righthanded, looks more natural to me with the thumb on this side.
Also I changed the outline color of the toprow set, this seems easier on the eyes to me.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Tue 13/06/2017 19:46:41
any opinions on that latest iteration?
Shall we start with a new menu screen?
With a contest or just in this thread?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Thu 15/06/2017 11:35:09
Quote from: selmiak on Tue 13/06/2017 19:46:41
any opinions on that latest iteration?
Shall we start with a new menu screen?
With a contest or just in this thread?
I like it. The colours are a little too washed out for my tastes, and I'm still somewhat more fond of a floppy disc. But I think the former is simply because I need to let it grow on me, and the latter is just personal preference. So just ignore that.

As for what should happen next.
I uh... don't know. It might be a good idea to start a new thread though.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Thu 15/06/2017 12:53:33
I like the flipped hand. Still don't like the suitcase. To really judge the colors I'd have to see it in a game.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Thu 15/06/2017 23:56:55
Quote from: Snarky on Thu 15/06/2017 12:53:33
I like the flipped hand. Still don't like the suitcase. To really judge the colors I'd have to see it in a game.

My bad, I'm left handed XD


As for what happens next, I guess we should start making the new template. Maybe fork/create a new one on github, and put the new parts we have.
Check what things are missing and if the code should be updated or cleaned up a little.

I remember someone offered to recolor the new Roger so he looked less like the Sierra Roger, if that is done, we could add that, and see what is missing.

Personally I think it would be nice to make new fonts and custom sliders as well.
I for one think it would be a good idea to add a GUI for the Quit menu, because the first thing I have gotten stuck with when I first started with AGS was not knowing where the Quit menu was so I could personalise it.


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Sat 17/06/2017 09:10:34
I replaced the suitcase in selmiak's version with CaesarCub's shopping bag:

[imgzoom]http://www.clowdergames.com/pics/diverse/cats_guibar_try.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Sat 17/06/2017 11:48:49
Quote from: CaesarCub on Thu 15/06/2017 23:56:55
Quote from: Snarky on Thu 15/06/2017 12:53:33
I like the flipped hand. Still don't like the suitcase. To really judge the colors I'd have to see it in a game.

My bad, I'm left handed XD
Me too. :-D
Which is probably why I didn't notice the hand being a left hand.

Quote from: cat on Sat 17/06/2017 09:10:34
I replaced the suitcase in selmiak's version with CaesarCub's shopping bag:

[imgzoom]http://www.clowdergames.com/pics/diverse/cats_guibar_try.png[/imgzoom]
The suitcase might not be the best idea (although I musy admit I like it), but I think a shopping bag is worse. Wouldn't a box be better?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Sat 17/06/2017 12:48:21
I don't find that a box conveys the notion of carrying something with you, and its geometric blandness doesn't make for a good icon. A suitcase is also visually bland (just a rectangle with a little hoop), can actually be a bit hard to read (in some of the original proposals I just saw it as a square shape with some diagonal lines overlaid), and IMO is anachronistic, certainly in the visual designs we've seen. To me, a bag is the least-worst of some not-very-good options. But also, this is just a default template, and I would hope most game makers would (1) not use the Sierra interface in the first place, and (2) if they do, customize it. So whatever.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sun 18/06/2017 23:10:37
but geometric bland is exactly what these stipped down pixel icons already are and need, there is only so much information a few pixels can transport thus the icons are just symbolic representations of an idea or a real world object depicting an idea, in case of the inventory icon transport of items. The speech bubble seems a bit crowded with the !? too, but it's still in balance with the arrows on the folders.

What about we just force CC to pick one final overhaul thingy, he won this contest. 8-)

Speaking of contests, I'll do some research and start another thread in the competitions board for whatever part of the template seems good to do next, like some quit menu or inside the damned inventory so we can backtrace that form or save/load or so... we'll see :)

@Github: I'll look into that, I never maintained a project there yet though.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 19/06/2017 04:10:35
Quote from: selmiak on Sun 18/06/2017 23:10:37
@Github: I'll look into that, I never maintained a project there yet though.

It's been ages since I touched Github myself, but since I had some time I decided to put the icons in the bar to check how it looks: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template (https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template)

If you want I can add you as a contributor, or transfer the project to you.
Same goes to anyone else that wants to lend a hand.

I was not sure about which License does all of this fall (or who has to be credited for the previous work on the template).
I'm guessing it uses Artistic License 2.0 just like AGS, and that the template is by Chris Jones, but I don't know how accurate that is.

As for the inventory icon, I kept the suitcase temporarily.
Whenever we decide for a different one, I'll change it.
Personally I would have gone for the open box, since it's the less setting-related, or the suitcase because it's the most sierra-like one.
Either way, if someone makes one that is readable and stays consistent with the rest of the icons, I have no problem to replace it.

I reused the examine and interact buttons on the inventory GUI, but we can change them as well.
I also modified the status and inventory GUIs backgrounds to match the colors of the menu. But I think we could benefit from having some nice sprites with better borders, and maybe in the case of the inventory, an inner border to delimit where the items will be.


Separate question:
[imgzoom]http://shatten.sonores.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/rogertalkdown.gif[/imgzoom]
Who is the author of the "New Roger" sprites?
If/when we add it, we should credit him/her (and also make sure they are ok with adding it to the new template and about the proposed recolor to make him less Roger Wilco looking).


I added the cursors (I made them black and white versions of the iconbar verbs) to the project:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/A84CUTe.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
I watch this repo now, if you see me there, send it over to me, let me see how this works for a day or two, then I'll transfer it back to you if you want to maintain it, or maybe I decide it's easy to maintain, also I wouldn't mind sharing this responsibility :)

about that license, if noone else minds, what about a wtfpl (http://www.wtfpl.net/) license. if github doesn't have this, I'd use the least restrictive license ever. besides the wtfpl, this is a template after all, no sophisticated module.

any chance to see the spritesheet of the the icons on github directly? I haven't checked out the whole template yet...

@Rogersprite:
No idea who made it, abstauber should know!

The cursors look nice. Can AGS handle animated cursors? I'll make an animated hourglass then just because it's fun. ;-D 8-)
Can we have on click animations? I never used this in AGS, but is it possible? Like, the hand grabs something on click (actually it grabs nothing because there is nothing more in the icon, but you get the idea). The look icon could grow bigger a bit on click, it is a magnifying glass after all. Shoes be walking and talk icon could have one more !? set coming in from right to left (like reading or talking) and end where it was before.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 19/06/2017 15:48:55
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
I watch this repo now, if you see me there, send it over to me, let me see how this works for a day or two, then I'll transfer it back to you if you want to maintain it, or maybe I decide it's easy to maintain, also I wouldn't mind sharing this responsibility :)

I invited you as a collaborator and transfered the project to you (you have to agree on both accounts).

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
about that license, if noone else minds, what about a wtfpl (http://www.wtfpl.net/) license. if github doesn't have this, I'd use the least restrictive license ever. besides the wtfpl, this is a template after all, no sophisticated module.

I don't mind, but we are basing it on the previous default template, so we would have to check if it is ok to default to the wtfpl or any other less restrictive license.

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
any chance to see the spritesheet of the the icons on github directly? I haven't checked out the whole template yet...

If you want I can add them on a different folder as pngs. I guess github should be able to preview those.

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
The cursors look nice. Can AGS handle animated cursors? I'll make an animated hourglass then just because it's fun. ;-D 8-)
Can we have on click animations? I never used this in AGS, but is it possible? Like, the hand grabs something on click (actually it grabs nothing because there is nothing more in the icon, but you get the idea). The look icon could grow bigger a bit on click, it is a magnifying glass after all. Shoes be walking and talk icon could have one more !? set coming in from right to left (like reading or talking) and end where it was before.

I know AGS can handle animated cursors. It would be nice to have the hourglass rotate and stuff.
I don't know about click animations, but I'm sure we could have the cursor briefly change the view on the process click with some code, thought that might make the template more complex to use for new users.
I think this would be a cool thing to add on a demo more than a template.


The next steps for me should be (in no particular order)

There are also things I think would be nice to do

I think we should also go through the code and check the comments and see if they need to be modified to be more user friendly, or if some parts of the code need scrubbing.
The template could use some basic interactions as examples.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Mon 19/06/2017 16:03:59
If my eyes don't deceive me, Nu-Roger is by ProgZmax (Shane Stevens).
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Tue 20/06/2017 09:02:37
Quote from: CaesarCub on Mon 19/06/2017 15:48:55
I don't mind, but we are basing it on the previous default template, so we would have to check if it is ok to default to the wtfpl or any other less restrictive license.
Where would we write down the license anyways? Within the Global script at the beginning? Add a readme.txt or license.txt to the files.
I'd say both. and then I checked the current default template and there is no license text within the global script or elsewhere I looked. Maybe I overlooked something but up to now I found no license for the default template we are  basing this on. Maybe hidden deep in the sourcecode of AGS? Again this is just a template, you want people to use it in the first place, either unchanged or improved or heavily modified or something else based on it without caring about licenses very much.
Though we could demand that people using the resulting template from this thread mention all (ALL) the contributors to the template in their credits. Would be fun, but a lot to type for noobs that forget about this anyways so, uhm, rather no. So in summary, I am in favour of the WTFPL for the template.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Tue 20/06/2017 11:15:00
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 19/06/2017 15:19:58
about that license, if noone else minds, what about a wtfpl (http://www.wtfpl.net/) license. if github doesn't have this, I'd use the least restrictive license ever. besides the wtfpl, this is a template after all, no sophisticated module.
I wholeheartedly agree with this, especially with how this template is likely to be used in the future.
Although just to be clear, this isn't the least restrictive license ever, I once saw one that permitted you to do anything with it regardless of universe or time period. I remember it was quite funny to read, although I can't remember which software had it on. It was definitely for a small simple tool, probably used for game modding. :-\
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 21/06/2017 14:03:57
Quote from: selmiak on Tue 20/06/2017 09:02:37
Where would we write down the license anyways? Within the Global script at the beginning? Add a readme.txt or license.txt to the files.
I'd say both. and then I checked the current default template and there is no license text within the global script or elsewhere I looked. Maybe I overlooked something but up to now I found no license for the default template we are  basing this on. Maybe hidden deep in the sourcecode of AGS? Again this is just a template, you want people to use it in the first place, either unchanged or improved or heavily modified or something else based on it without caring about licenses very much.

I was saying just adding a license.md on the project. Checking the AGS GitHub (https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags), you can see they have a license and a copyright files, mostly to document who worked on the project and what type of license it has for information purposes mostly.

I updated the GitHub. I added nu-Roger and some text I found missing on the status bar (@OVERHOTSPOT@ and @SCORE@).

I think we should open a contest for a background, it looks so empty on black:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/7Q5NLzR.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 21/06/2017 23:58:13
QuoteI know AGS can handle animated cursors. It would be nice to have the hourglass rotate and stuff.
I don't know about click animations, but I'm sure we could have the cursor briefly change the view on the process click with some code, thought that might make the template more complex to use for new users.
I think this would be a cool thing to add on a demo more than a template.
I totally agree with you. Can these cursor animations be disabled by a simple click? Having to delete a lot of frames from a view probably works too and will teach the noob a lesson on how to use AGS... lol. Or we just keep it simple with just an animated hourglass.

about these next steps. I'd say we keep the background as the last thing to do. it is the most fun thing to do, maybe there is no more fun in the contests when we only have menus left to do. idk.
About the font, is this really neccessary. We could and should just use a free pixel bitmap font found on dafont with a very free license, preferably not needing and credit whatsoever or we need another credits file and have to maintain it and 5 people read it. Having a font contest could also be fun, but I doubt I would participate ;) There are probably just a few entries and imho it sucks to create a whole fontset and not have any use for it afterwards as another entry won. It could also be fun to define some outline, guidelines for how the font should look like (like 3x5 px per capital letter, underlines (is it called like that in letters like pqgj?) 2px, etc, which letters are needed, unicode or ascii), then have a thread and whoever posts something posts the next letter in the alphabet, first entry gets added to the fontsheet, only one letter per post. Just a crazy idea or can this work out?

Also good job on that roger recolor CC! ;-D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Thu 22/06/2017 00:49:26
Quote from: selmiak on Wed 21/06/2017 23:58:13
I totally agree with you. Can these cursor animations be disabled by a simple click? Having to delete a lot of frames from a view probably works too and will teach the noob a lesson on how to use AGS... lol. Or we just keep it simple with just an animated hourglass.

I'd recommend just the animated hourglass. It's simple, and shows the user that AGS does support animated cursors.

Quote from: selmiak on Wed 21/06/2017 23:58:13
about these next steps. I'd say we keep the background as the last thing to do. it is the most fun thing to do, maybe there is no more fun in the contests when we only have menus left to do. idk.

Personally I don't think the order will affect the outcome, if people find making a menu boring, they won't participate no matter if the contest is before or after the background one.
The only reason I have not done the menus myself is because we talked about making this a group effort, otherwise I would have already started working on all the UI elements myself.

Quote from: selmiak on Wed 21/06/2017 23:58:13
About the font, is this really neccessary. We could and should just use a free pixel bitmap font found on dafont with a very free license, preferably not needing and credit whatsoever or we need another credits file and have to maintain it and 5 people read it.

Well, honestly I wasn't thinking about people having to make fonts for the template. We already have a lot of fonts made by AGS users over the years. I think we can pick from the ones people want to offer.
Hell, I have made several fonts myself. And all these fonts need would be to extend the character range. So it would be more of a matter of picking a font, asking for permission and possibly extending it to 256 characters (I don't mind doing the extending myself).
Here are some of the fonts I made:
(http://i.imgur.com/7k4FbvJ.png)

Quote from: selmiak on Wed 21/06/2017 23:58:13
Also good job on that roger recolor CC! ;-D

Thanks, but I just reused the palette swap Hobo made earlier.

Quote from: Hobo on Fri 21/04/2017 14:21:19
[imgzoom]http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/roger_blue.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Sat 24/06/2017 07:55:13
While you're palette-swapping the sprite, I wonder if it would also make sense to change the skin tone to something a bit more like the forum smileys :smiley: (in turn based on CJ's Roger), and the hair color to match. Roger doesn't need to be so lily-white, and it would also serve to distinguish him from the Sierra character.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sat 24/06/2017 21:00:27
Quote from: Snarky on Sat 24/06/2017 07:55:13
While you're palette-swapping the sprite, I wonder if it would also make sense to change the skin tone to something a bit more like the forum smileys :smiley: (in turn based on CJ's Roger), and the hair color to match. Roger doesn't need to be so lily-white, and it would also serve to distinguish him from the Sierra character.

Well, if someone is up to it, great. I think the hair and the skin share colors, so it would be a little more of work than just a quick palette swap to use the old Roger's skin and hair color.
I see if at some point I get the time and add the sprites to the github as well.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sun 25/06/2017 13:01:20
Quote from: CaesarCub on Wed 21/06/2017 14:03:57
I think we should open a contest for a background, it looks so empty on black:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/7Q5NLzR.png[/imgzoom]

I see your point there, well, I see nothing except black and it indeed looks empty.

About that contest, we should limit the palette to the colors in the Iconbar, colors on the new roger, black + white and maybe some 5-10 more.

Should we have a theme? Like a spaceship like abstauber already started and it is fitting for roger. or no theme at all, just free creativity? Or something more down to earth like a living room or a bedroom? I'm all for freedom.

Should we enforce a keep it simple rule as this background is about to get changed anyways. this gets a probably not from me.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sun 25/06/2017 14:20:26
Quote from: selmiak on Sun 25/06/2017 13:01:20
I see your point there, well, I see nothing except black and it indeed looks empty.
About that contest, we should limit the palette to the colors in the Iconbar, colors on the new roger, black + white and maybe some 5-10 more.
Should we have a theme? Like a spaceship like abstauber already started and it is fitting for roger. or no theme at all, just free creativity? Or something more down to earth like a living room or a bedroom? I'm all for freedom.
Should we enforce a keep it simple rule as this background is about to get changed anyways. this gets a probably not from me.

I don't think we should add many restrictions. I mean, even on a 256 color game, you'd give the background artist at least a 100 color palette, if not more. I like Abstauber's background, but it is made for a SCUMM UI in mind (a lot of empty space on the bottom third of the screen).
I believe we should just give them nu-Roger, and ask for a nice 320x200 background that works for him without scaling.
I wouldn't add any other restriction than the size and having nu-Roger in mind for it.

If you are Ok with it, I will start the competition since I don't plan to enter it. I already won the icon bar one, and I think it would be nice to have different parts of the template made by different people in the community.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: [delete} on Sun 25/06/2017 17:19:20
Yes please. Since the Sprite Jam is on vacation, lets have a 'Lure of the Template' competition.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Sun 25/06/2017 18:42:58
KAnd when this is over, might I suggest another contest for a new AGS Awards client GUI?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sun 25/06/2017 20:21:44
Jim Reed sent me this font he made:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/atsH5dN.png[/imgzoom]

Unless anyone objects, I will be using it for the template.
Otherwise if anyone wants to offer a different font, we can set all the offered fonts and vote to decide which one goes.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: [delete} on Sun 25/06/2017 23:07:37
Khris created a nice font here (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=4o3ec258116eht14p9hjfl54h5opic=53218.msg636530201#msg636530201) (example (http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/lands-of-lore-the-throne-of-chaos/screenshots/gameShotId,6706/)).
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Gurok on Mon 26/06/2017 02:54:50
Perhaps we should open this up as a competition!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 26/06/2017 12:43:06
Quote from: Snarky on Sun 25/06/2017 18:42:58
KAnd when this is over, might I suggest another contest for a new AGS Awards client GUI?

I don't know who is in charge of the AGS Awards client, but I'd be more than happy to help with that.


Quote from: Gurok on Mon 26/06/2017 02:54:50
Perhaps we should open this up as a competition!

As I said before, if you have a font, or are interested in making a font send it over and we will ask people to vote which one they want for the template (the font shouldn't be bigger than Jim's, otherwise it will be impractical for a 320x200 screen).

Quote from: Amy on Sun 25/06/2017 23:07:37
Khris created a nice font here (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=4o3ec258116eht14p9hjfl54h5opic=53218.msg636530201#msg636530201) (example (http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/lands-of-lore-the-throne-of-chaos/screenshots/gameShotId,6706/)).

That is a nice font indeed, but as Khris mentioned it is taken from a game.
I was hoping to use an original font that came from the community (otherwise we may just as well go to the source and copy one of the fonts Sierra used).

But again, if anyone wants to offer up a font they made, just post it here and we can vote on it.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Mon 26/06/2017 17:35:39
Please use a full TTF that also supports non-ASCII characters (e.g. German Umlauts, French accents,...). I think it is more important to have these than to have a completely new font.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 26/06/2017 17:49:21
Quote from: cat on Mon 26/06/2017 17:35:39
Please use a full TTF that also supports non-ASCII characters (e.g. German Umlauts, French accents,...). I think it is more important to have these than to have a completely new font.

Most TTF don't look good at that resolution, but whatever font we use I will make sure to complete the extended version of it.
I have already done the characters for the font that JimReed provided:

(http://i.imgur.com/zOMvixQ.png)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 28/06/2017 10:06:42
Quote from: CaesarCub on Sun 25/06/2017 14:20:26
If you are Ok with it, I will start the competition since I don't plan to enter it. I already won the icon bar one, and I think it would be nice to have different parts of the template made by different people in the community.
yes, please  ;-D


@Font:
we can use JimReed's font for now and gather fonts people made and are offereing for use over the time this template thread is running and at the end vote on a font to use, what about that?
I'll surely vote on that, even though it sometimes is really hard to decide on a font.
So how do we get people's attention to submit fonts when they don't read this one thread under way more interesting threads about new free adventure games in the forums?
What about we create one post in this thread outlining what we are expecting from that font (not ripped from a game, made by the submitter, including all special chars (list them, post a template?), TTF, something I missed?) and link to that from our forum signatures while this thread is running.


@awards client gui:
yeah, great idea Snarky, sounds like fun again. I'd sure enter that contest, but let's focus on one UI at a time.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 28/06/2017 14:47:45
The Background Competition (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54956.0) is on!

Quote from: selmiak on Wed 28/06/2017 10:06:42
@Font:
we can use JimReed's font for now and gather fonts people made and are offereing for use over the time this template thread is running and at the end vote on a font to use, what about that?
I'll surely vote on that, even though it sometimes is really hard to decide on a font.
So how do we get people's attention to submit fonts when they don't read this one thread under way more interesting threads about new free adventure games in the forums?
What about we create one post in this thread outlining what we are expecting from that font (not ripped from a game, made by the submitter, including all special chars (list them, post a template?), TTF, something I missed?) and link to that from our forum signatures while this thread is running.

No TTF. I am willing to make all the special characters if the font is missing them, but no TTF.
True Type Fonts are vector fonts, so we have no control over the rendering of the font to the pixel like we have with bitmap fonts, add to this that the template is 320x200, and the font will most likely look like crap due to the lower resolution.

Cat is right about needing the font to have all special characters, so we can type words with Ç Ã' àŸ and all the crazy accents our languages use.
Trust me, I want to be able to type CæsarCub with the right character whenever possible.
I already provided those characters for JimReed's font, and I am willing to do that again if the font we use is a different one.

All a font needs is to be small, readable and ideally created by the community. Because if we are stealing a font from a game, we might as well steal one from a Sierra game and call it a day.

I'd say nothing bigger than JimReed's font because the template is 320x200, so there is not much space for a big font.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Wed 28/06/2017 16:04:07
Just to make clear: My point was not to use TTF, but to have all needed characters. Using existing TTF is just the easiest way to get existing fonts (with all characters) into AGS, but of course a pixel font is much better suited here.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 28/06/2017 16:14:56
Quote from: cat on Wed 28/06/2017 16:04:07
Just to make clear: My point was not to use TTF, but to have all needed characters. Using existing TTF is just the easiest way to get existing fonts (with all characters) into AGS, but of course a pixel font is much better suited here.

I feel the same way, that's why I wanted to state clearly that I was planning to add the extended characters to any font we end up using if those characters are missing.
I know that using a TTF would be easier, but since the idea is to update the template with nicer art I believe it's worth the effort that the font we use looks good as well as being completely functional.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Wed 28/06/2017 16:17:03
For the record, it's perfectly possible to make a pixel font in TTF, which â€" as long as it's imported at the intended point size â€" will be pixel-perfect in AGS.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Wed 28/06/2017 22:05:44
Quote from: CaesarCub on Wed 28/06/2017 14:47:45
No TTF. I am willing to make all the special characters if the font is missing them, but no TTF.
True Type Fonts are vector fonts, so we have no control over the rendering of the font to the pixel like we have with bitmap fonts, add to this that the template is 320x200, and the font will most likely look like crap due to the lower resolution.
There are plenty of pixelart looking TTF fonts that work brilliantly with AGS. And apart from a few minor bugs with how AGS renders TTF fonts, they usually look brilliant, and are almost always indistinguishable from the bitmap fonts.

That being said, I agree with you about the whole No TTF thing. Just for different reasons. TTF fonts are harder to make and edit, and can be a little unpredictable when using them to make a pixelart looking font.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Wed 28/06/2017 22:47:45
So I updated the first post with more links and images and colors. I wouldn't know where to link to for the fonts. Anything I missed?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Wed 26/07/2017 19:20:04
Well, it looks like we'll soon have an awesome background for the template. What's the situation with the character sprites? Are we set on the current one?

Snarky suggested changing the skin tone to distinguish him from Sierra's Roger, which would require restructuring the whole facial area, because of the skillful palette choices. So, I did some editing, I kind of like the original ones more, but at least the hair and skin are separated and can be changed to whatever color. Is that something we should do? Whatever the choice, I'd also like to take a crack at a female version of the sprite.

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ilZcYsY.png[/imgzoom]

@CaesarCub - Did you only recolor the walking animations or also the rest of it? If not, I'd gladly recolor them and throw in some additional animations (reach for example).
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 26/07/2017 21:42:41
Quote from: Hobo on Wed 26/07/2017 19:20:04
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ilZcYsY.png[/imgzoom]

@CaesarCub - Did you only recolor the walking animations or also the rest of it? If not, I'd gladly recolor them and throw in some additional animations (reach for example).

I did a quick palette swap on all the walking animations, so I have it in blue.
But if you guys want to go for auburn Roger, just send it to me and I'll replace it.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Wed 26/07/2017 22:15:46
Doesn't really have to be auburn Roger, that was a random color choice by me. The only benefit of the edit would be easily swappable hair and skin tones, I was just wondering if it's worth it.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: dactylopus on Thu 27/07/2017 06:22:39
I really like the skin tone changes, and I like the female Roger as well.  I think it goes a long way to differentiating it from Roger.

And not to get too political, but this also allows for a female person of color to represent the default, which is so often represented by white males.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Khris on Thu 27/07/2017 10:22:15
I made a new version using the original colors and this awesome template (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=14864.msg583836#msg583836) by antipus:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/k6ITZdy.gif[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/suRm6EV.gif[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Thu 27/07/2017 17:32:18
I've used that template myself, it's a nice one. I'm not particularly fond of the specific colors themselves, saturation is maxed out and the facial area is a bit low on contrast, but a variation of these colors might work and feel nostalgic.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Thu 03/08/2017 19:13:37
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/hqLe4Tv.png[/imgzoom]
the background for the template...

what is next? maybe the inventory?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Thu 03/08/2017 19:25:43
Next is the GUI elements that are missing.

Buttons, borders, sliders... I'll start the contest later today or tomorrow.
With that we will have pretty much a working template.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Fri 04/08/2017 17:54:26
Ok, I've done some animating, got a few extra moves for Roger and a female base with three possible heads/colors on different layers:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ZW1xwUH.png[/imgzoom]
But before uploading, I'd like to verify the color choices. On my screen, the current palette looks a little bit bright and saturated against that background. How's it looking for you, fine enough?

Here's a slightly darker version for comparison:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/COUK2li.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sun 24/09/2017 15:03:38
Ok, I did some work on the Template.
I mostly added the winning GUI elements and extrapolated them to the rest of the UI.




[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/Z51aSAK.png[/imgzoom][imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/VRlzpVC.png[/imgzoom][imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/qahRtjF.png[/imgzoom]
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/9I5I7JH.png[/imgzoom][imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/0WliVTU.png[/imgzoom][imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/wY6BdMt.png[/imgzoom]

Here is the GitHub for the template: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/ (https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/)
It contains all the used sprites and fonts in the resources folder.
Anyone wanting to be a collaborator let me know, and I'll gladly add your github user to the repo.

The template folder contains the template itself. Here is the download link for the template as it is so far: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/raw/master/template/sierra.agt (https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/raw/master/template/sierra.agt)

I'm not sure that there is much more left to do. I think it would be a good time to decide if we should take this template and start working a new demo, or some tutorials from here.
If anyone wants to contribute, maybe clean up the code or add some extra features (I still think it would be nice for the SCI/Sierra Template to implement a portrait) we should discuss it further.
Also, it's on github, so anyone can fork the template and then offer enhancements to merge back.



Quote from: Hobo on Fri 04/08/2017 17:54:26
Ok, I've done some animating, got a few extra moves for Roger and a female base with three possible heads/colors on different layers:

[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ZW1xwUH.png[/imgzoom]

I really like them, maybe we could have some voting to decide which Roger should be the Nu-Roger based on all these variations.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: lorenzo on Sun 24/09/2017 20:40:24
I just tried the template, it looks (and works) really nice! Great job CaesarCub, and everybody else who contributed.

I found a small problem: the string "voice and text" is too big for the button. See the image:
(https://i.imgur.com/gRcAoTr.jpg)
Otherwise, no complaints from me.

Quote from: CaesarCub on Sun 24/09/2017 15:03:38
I still think it would be nice for the SCI/Sierra Template to implement a portrait
I like the idea!

Hobo: I love your sprites! I actually prefer them to the new Roger.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 08:09:32
niiiiiice. I love it when a plan comes together :D

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way :)
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/7NTwahq.png[/imgzoom]
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Mon 25/09/2017 10:15:58
Yes, triple yes.
I know we are all emotionally attached to Roger and EGO, and to the remains of Chris Jones' touch, but AGS needs to be more attractive for people who run the empty/basic template for the first time. I know there's a cool demo game included, but this more down-to-eart and low-res; it has the same purpose as Roger.
(also nowadays we can totally afford to keep both, resources-wise)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Danvzare on Mon 25/09/2017 12:04:50
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 08:09:32
niiiiiice. I love it when a plan comes together :D

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way :)
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/7NTwahq.png[/imgzoom]
Oh that looks so much better.
If anyone wants to make this change to the status bar, just know that I'm voting yes on it. (nod)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 14:20:47
I had some time on my hands and animated the starfield of the background :)

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/goFz4Bz.gif[/imgzoom]

all 4 frames in one imgur gallery:
https://imgur.com/a/6oDUS

tweening the transparency of the images over each other over 1-2 seconds each could look even cooler, but would require the tween module, way too much for a template... or is it? I'd be happy to not have to import the tween module all the time :)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 25/09/2017 20:07:24
Quote from: lorenzo on Sun 24/09/2017 20:40:24
I found a small problem: the string "voice and text" is too big for the button. See the image:
(https://i.imgur.com/gRcAoTr.jpg)
Otherwise, no complaints from me.

This is fixed, I added a second longer button to the template to accommodate for this.
The main issue of using sprite buttons is that the size becomes static, but they look much better than the ones the engine provides.

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/HKBkrvQ.png[/imgzoom]

I modified the Verb buttons to be thinner but retain the curved borders.
Both changes are already pushed to github, so the template is updated. [Link here] (https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/raw/master/template/sierra.agt)

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 08:09:32
somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way :)
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/7NTwahq.png[/imgzoom]

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 20:48:05
Quote from: CaesarCub on Mon 25/09/2017 20:07:24
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 08:09:32
somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way :)
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/7NTwahq.png[/imgzoom]

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.
what about adding a 1% opacity black background? Not noticable, spreading out the gui and reacting to mouseover and the like.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: dactylopus on Wed 27/09/2017 01:28:01
Quote from: CaesarCub on Sun 24/09/2017 15:03:38
Quote from: Hobo on Fri 04/08/2017 17:54:26
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ZW1xwUH.png[/imgzoom]
I really like them, maybe we could have some voting to decide which Roger should be the Nu-Roger based on all these variations.

Count my vote for the middle of these 3.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sun 24/12/2017 15:06:58
Hello. I just got a PM from selmiak who suggested to add this template to newest release of AGS.

I was not quite following this thread, but is this a replacement for Default Template or Demo Game?

Is it actually complete? I noticed it was not posted in Templates and modules (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?board=10.0) section yet.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sun 24/12/2017 15:45:23
there is this:

Quote from: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 20:48:05
Quote from: CaesarCub on Mon 25/09/2017 20:07:24
Quote from: selmiak on Mon 25/09/2017 08:09:32
somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way :)
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/7NTwahq.png[/imgzoom]

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.
what about adding a 1% opacity black background? Not noticable, spreading out the gui and reacting to mouseover and the like.

but beside this, yeah, I think it is complete and it is indeed thought as a niced up replacement of the current default/sierra template, but I wouldn't know how to handle this from here :D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 30/12/2017 15:13:51
We have a repository for default template files (in compiled form): https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags-templates
And another for template sources: https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags-template-source

In sources we only have templates that are not "authored" by anyone else, like Empty and Default. So, since this new template already has an author and a repository, there is no need to put sources there (unless author him/herself wants to store it there).
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 06/01/2018 10:06:55
So how would we add this template to the default template files and/or source on github? Should CC as the owner of the github project for this template be involved or is the owner of the target github project responsible?

so it's not for sources. WHat I mean is, when I download the newest version of AGS and start the create a game wizard there is for example the LW_BASS template by ghost there, bass 2 click has an author (ghost), it is not default. I mean how do we add this template to the create new game wizard in 3.4.2 and should it be a "polished default" or just replace the default template so we get prettier noob games?!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

Earlier, when Nick Sonneveld was around, we had automatic building script that took all templates from the ags-templates repository, and copied them into release package. So, having them updated in that repository was important. Now, when auto-building is not working, that's rather an option, but still useful, because you may just blindly copy all the files from there when preparing a release.

To put the new template there you need either someone who has commit rights, or make a pull request.


PS. The template's repository does not have any license, only list of contributors. Maybe this is just a formality, but is there supposed to be one?
I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Also, this reminds me that if the template is replaced, we also will have to replace credits in the manual.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Tue 09/01/2018 12:08:13
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.
So you mean the template folder of AGS sources on github rather than a template folder on my hdd AGS is installed on?
I'm so clueless about the github repositories things...


Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Hmmm, I wanted to animate some things on the background image but seriously lack time for that atm. how hard is it to update the template from its own github once it is integrated into AGS? Should the 2 github projects be merged somehow?


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Tue 09/01/2018 12:18:30
Quote from: selmiak on Tue 09/01/2018 12:08:13
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.
So you mean the template folder of AGS sources on github rather than a template folder on my hdd AGS is installed on?
I'm so clueless about the github repositories things...

What? No. There is no "template" folder in AGS sources... I was talking exactly about template folder as on your HDD. Or in AGS installation package.


Quote from: selmiak on Tue 09/01/2018 12:08:13
how hard is it to update the template from its own github once it is integrated into AGS? Should the 2 github projects be merged somehow?

Templates are NOT integrated into AGS, that's the point, otherwise how would people make template for themselves?
They are separate files put into Templates folder where the Editor is installed.

Updating template is just using new version of the template file next time you release AGS.

Uhhhh... looks like my explanation was not clear at all.


When you prepare AGS release you set up all the editor files together. When you do, you may also add Templates folder with templates in it. Then it will be installed along with AGS.
If you do things by hand, then that's all.

But for organization sake it is better to also commit new/modified templates to ags-templates repository, to make everyone know what exactly we are releasing with AGS.
If automatic building will be set up later again, it will also take templates from repository.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Tue 09/01/2018 13:35:43
Should/could have probably uploaded these already last year, since they've been sitting on my hard drive for quite some time, but better late than never, I guess.

RogerEdits.zip (http://www.tulevik.eu/ags/RogerEdits.zip)

What's in the file?
- Original ProgZmax gifs
- Blue Roger edit in gif, png and GraphicsGale formats
- 3 female versions in gif, png and GraphicsGale formats

Examples of the sprites:
[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/0GwjAcl.png[/imgzoom]
The Blue Roger edit has some minor pixel changes compared to the original and also a few additional animations, so it's slightly different from the current color swap version.

It doesn't really matter to me what happens with these sprites, whether they get integrated into the template, added as bonus resources or tossed aside. I just thought it might be useful to have more choices for the main character and a possibility to add NPCs.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Snarky on Tue 09/01/2018 13:48:02
Awesome! Guess who's going to be attending the Awards ceremony this year? :-D
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Wed 10/01/2018 18:23:34
Hello.
Sorry for the delay but the couple of weeks I decided to spend visiting friends and family are the ones this thread gets active again.

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sun 24/12/2017 15:06:58
Hello. I just got a PM from selmiak who suggested to add this template to newest release of AGS.
Is it actually complete? I noticed it was not posted in Templates and modules (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?board=10.0) section yet.

The template is finished (it can always be improved) but it is on a working state.

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

Earlier, when Nick Sonneveld was around, we had automatic building script that took all templates from the ags-templates repository, and copied them into release package. So, having them updated in that repository was important. Now, when auto-building is not working, that's rather an option, but still useful, because you may just blindly copy all the files from there when preparing a release.

To put the new template there you need either someone who has commit rights, or make a pull request.

The template file is available here: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/tree/master/template (https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/tree/master/template)
If you want me to I can add it and make the PR.

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 06/01/2018 14:28:21
PS. The template's repository does not have any license, only list of contributors. Maybe this is just a formality, but is there supposed to be one?
I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Also, this reminds me that if the template is replaced, we also will have to replace credits in the manual.

I wasn't sure which of the open licenses applied to it, so I decided not to add one until I got the confirmation.
While everyone I asked to contribute myself agreed (and understood) that this template was meant to have an open license (after all the code is based on the old default AGS code), the nu-Roger sprites are created by ProgZmax and modified by Hobo.
ProgZmax created them for an older version of the new template, so I guess it could be assumed they were created with an open license in mind, but I really can't tell for certain.

Other than that everyone else contributed to it knowing it was for a template that people might reuse.
At least for what I am responsible (UI icons, cursors and code modification) I'm open to whatever open source license is more compatible for people to reuse and modify things as they see fit.




Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: abstauber on Tue 24/04/2018 20:23:37
Sorry for necroposting, but shouldn't this belong in Modules & Plugins? Otherwise I doubt anyone would ever find this new template.

Btw. great work everyone. This turned out really nice!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Tue 24/04/2018 20:39:19
Ideally, this should go into the AGS distributable as new default template. But you are right, I'll move it to the other board.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: morganw on Tue 24/04/2018 21:23:16
If licensing is definitely not a problem, I need graphics for a test game (so developers no they haven't broken something), which can potentially also be a new demo game (code in the existing one is not up-to-date).
Does this need clearing with everyone listed as contributing to the template?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Jim Reed on Fri 27/04/2018 10:34:30
I waive my rights to any art I made for this.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sun 29/04/2018 23:21:40
Imho do what you want with the template, make a new game from it, make a new demo game from it, but credit the sources.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: morganw on Mon 30/04/2018 22:00:25
I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 30/04/2018 22:08:03
Creative Commons may be a good choice imho, there is a list of them to choose most suitable:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/


For example, CC BY (Attribution):
Quote
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.

Or

CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial):
Quote
This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don't have to license their derivative works on the same terms.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Tue 01/05/2018 11:44:20
Quote from: morganw on Mon 30/04/2018 22:00:25
I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.

If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam I would expect them to either do this to make a quick buck with a demogame (oh, the immeasureable riches lol), so I wouldn't expect any credit from that person (but still demand it), rather confusion by everyone why this is even happening. Or someone uploads the maybe soon to exist demogame to steam to interest people in AGS coding, then I'd sure expect that person to write some interesting article on the steam game description to really attract new users and within that text I'd just expect that person to credit the sources. Of course expectations can be subverted by reality, but then, what other reasons are there to upload a game engine demo game to steam...
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Tue 01/05/2018 14:43:54
Quote from: morganw on Mon 30/04/2018 22:00:25
I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.

I was planning to go for a CC BY (Attribution) (https://tldrlegal.com/license/creative-commons-attribution-4.0-international-(cc-by-4)) or even CC-0 (https://tldrlegal.com/license/creative-commons-cc0-1.0-universal).

Everyone on the team except ProgZmax (whose art was made for a previous attempt of the template that was never made), is aware that this is meant as a template and a basis for a demo and that a CC BY license was to be expected when participating in it.

We could infer that ProgZmax work was also meant to have a license that allows reuse, but since I never got confirmation of this, I decided not to add the corresponding license file until it was clear.

I can add a license file saying that everything but nu-Roger is CC BY (or even CC-0) but I have no idea what to say about the character art itself.

Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Fri 11/05/2018 01:42:28
I think that mainly the abscence of license prevents me from adding this to AGS package, because, I believe, it must make things clear in case people will use it, especially for commercial games.

Quote from: CaesarCub on Tue 01/05/2018 14:43:54
We could infer that ProgZmax work was also meant to have a license that allows reuse, but since I never got confirmation of this, I decided not to add the corresponding license file until it was clear.

If this still needs clarification, have you tried contacting ProgZmax? It looks like (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=147) he was visiting forums recently.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Cassiebsg on Fri 11/05/2018 07:58:36
Just pitching a bit here, even though I contributed nothing to this template... so feel free to ignore me. ;)

Anyway, I think the script of the template should be free for free and commercial games, not like there's that much in there anyway. But the art should be free for free games, but not commercial. If you going commercial do your own art or compensate the artist! (roll)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Fri 11/05/2018 12:36:25
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Fri 11/05/2018 01:42:28
If this still needs clarification, have you tried contacting ProgZmax? It looks like (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=147) he was visiting forums recently.

I sent him a message, so now it's time to wait for a response I guess.

Update:

Got the ok from ProgZmax, added a CC BY license to the template.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: cat on Sat 12/05/2018 16:06:33
Awesome!
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 12/05/2018 16:26:27
Cool.

Should I completely replace Default template with this? Also, should it be called "Default" or "Sierra-like" (or else)?
People seem to prefer single-click controls more over last years, this is why "Default" may be a little misleading, also not explanatory.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Cassiebsg on Sat 12/05/2018 16:30:29
Cool! Glad to see this finally moving forward. (nod)

I've said it before, I don't think we should have any template called "Default" cause every new by will pick that one before he even knows what he wants to do and considering which template to use. My vote is for remove default template and call it sierra-like... In that we could even still have sierra-original and sierra-improved templates... ;)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sat 12/05/2018 16:33:19
I agree on the removing of Default in favor of Sierra-like
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: morganw on Sat 12/05/2018 16:39:35
I think in the long run it would be good if all templates used the same assets, so it is more clear where differences in coding are linked to how the interface works. So I would say, don't use 'Default' and use something more representative of the mechanics that it implements ("Sierra-like" in the absence of a better description).
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sat 12/05/2018 21:32:51
Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sat 12/05/2018 16:30:29
In that we could even still have sierra-original and sierra-improved templates... ;)
good point, but wouldn't it be sierra-improved and AGS-original-sierra-like template.

Quote from: morganw on Sat 12/05/2018 16:39:35
I think in the long run it would be good if all templates used the same assets, so it is more clear where differences in coding are linked to how the interface works. So I would say, don't use 'Default' and use something more representative of the mechanics that it implements ("Sierra-like" in the absence of a better description).
this is cool and really educative for newcomers to the engine.
Then is would be a goo thing for that demogame to feature all the templates and explain the differences in coding then. in some semi-advanced chapter.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sat 12/05/2018 21:33:58
Quote from: selmiak on Sat 12/05/2018 21:32:51
good point, but wouldn't it be sierra-improved and AGS-original-sierra-like template.

Do you want to keep original template as well?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: selmiak on Sun 13/05/2018 12:07:42
there is no improvement in the scripting part between the two modules, only a cosmetic change on the surface, a stylish uplift of the art, right?
Then actually I am against keeping both versions and of course favour the new version this thread is about.
And it shouldn't be called sierra improved, only sierra-like.

to keep some nostalgia, the old (and ugly) roger sprite could still be kept in the sprites tab or even the complete view of ugly rog. This is a template and offers some variety this way and these are just a few kb of nostalgia and every pc nowadays can handle this extra load ;)

hmmm, the mousecursors in the old version where ripped from sierra games or repainted version of that, so these mousecursor sprites and the menu images and the menu gui of the old template should also remain to make it easier for people that want to make an original looking sierra fangame and can just switch to the original gui with a simple click or replacing gNew with gOld in the code.
It is that there are people that know what they are doing with the sierra template and produce their own great art for the original sierra template and then there are noobs that don't know what they are doing and when chosing the original template it results in crap and I'd prefer noobs to just use the gui and mousecursers of the new template...
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sun 13/05/2018 12:26:13
Quote from: selmiak on Sun 13/05/2018 12:07:42
there is no improvement in the scripting part between the two modules, only a cosmetic change on the surface, a stylish uplift of the art, right?

I think the only change is that this template uses a custom Quit gui instead of the system one to preserve the look and feel.
It has been a while since I touched this code.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Cassiebsg on Sun 13/05/2018 13:05:43
Maybe it could be a good idea to have a sticky thread with links to all templates with a short explanation about the differences... Not every one that first downloads AGS, starts a new game and is asked to choose a template (or none), knows what a BASS template is... (roll) I know I had no idea, couldn't find a quick explanations, and thus choose "Default" thinking the blank is scary and default should be the one to fit my needs... (laugh)
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 14:52:05
@CaesarCub, could you also put the License.txt into the template source itself?

Also, idk if anyone noticed, or is it intended, but the template.ico still has old roger sprite on it.


Quote from: Cassiebsg on Sun 13/05/2018 13:05:43
Maybe it could be a good idea to have a sticky thread with links to all templates with a short explanation about the differences... Not every one that first downloads AGS, starts a new game and is asked to choose a template (or none), knows what a BASS template is... (roll) I know I had no idea, couldn't find a quick explanations, and thus choose "Default" thinking the blank is scary and default should be the one to fit my needs... (laugh)

I believe that would be convenient to have template description displayed when you choose it in the menu. Right now AGS displays the contents of "template.txt" when you first open the new game. Probably that could be better to show it in the template selection window.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Sun 13/05/2018 16:17:03
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 14:52:05
@CaesarCub, could you also put the License.txt into the template source itself?

Is it enough with adding it to the directory or do you want me to add it to the script header as well?

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 14:52:05
Also, idk if anyone noticed, or is it intended, but the template.ico still has old roger sprite on it.

Updated the icon with a new one.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 16:35:51
Quote from: CaesarCub on Sun 13/05/2018 16:17:03
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 14:52:05
@CaesarCub, could you also put the License.txt into the template source itself?

Is it enough with adding it to the directory or do you want me to add it to the script header as well?

I am not an expert in how this works, but I think that the text should be present in the template itself, at least in some form, when you unpack it.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 16:39:48
Also, following files are created by the Editor as you work, and should not be inside the template source:

Game.agf.bak <--- I think this one is actually packed inside agt file right now, it appears when I create new game
Game.agf.user
backup_acsprset.spr

EDIT: Oh, sorry, perhaps AGS creates these on its own when making new game from template.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: CaesarCub on Mon 14/05/2018 13:13:45
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sun 13/05/2018 16:39:48
Also, following files are created by the Editor as you work, and should not be inside the template source:

Game.agf.bak <--- I think this one is actually packed inside agt file right now, it appears when I create new game
Game.agf.user
backup_acsprset.spr


Added them to git ignore and removed them from the repository.

As for the license, I'm unsure as where to put it.

I tried to put the license in the template.txt so it is shown the first time the user imports the template, but it just overflows the message window and it's no good.
Should I put it in the GlobalScript header? Won't that imply that any new code put there by whoever uses the template will fall into that category?

Would it be enough to mention in the template.txt that the template falls into the CC BY license and maybe add a link, or do we need the whole license to be there?


Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 13:24:13
Quote from: CaesarCub on Mon 14/05/2018 13:13:45
As for the license, I'm unsure as where to put it.

Simply having a License.txt in the game files should suffice, I believe.

EDIT:
Ok, I checked the License in the sources again, and it looks like a big legal document, which is hard to understand. I think there were shorter variants of CC BY text, which explain it in simple human language.
I do not know how to organize this "correctly", or if there are any rules. Maybe this is not that a big deal and you may put both license texts there.

For example, this is the contents of License.txt in the published sources of my game:
Quote
The 'Last'n'Furious' game source is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Legal code: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
Human-readable summary: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Project script by Ivan Mogilko (aka Crimson Wizard).
Art by Jim Reed.

Music authors and licenses are noted in Music/licenses.txt
But I am not an expert there and do not know how what is proper.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Mon 14/05/2018 13:33:01
Quote from: CaesarCub on Mon 14/05/2018 13:13:45
Should I put it in the GlobalScript header? Won't that imply that any new code put there by whoever uses the template will fall into that category?
How about creating an new script called licence and putting all the related stuff there, then it can all be easily deleted from the game also.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 13:36:06
Quote from: Hobo on Mon 14/05/2018 13:33:01
How about creating an new script called licence and putting all the related stuff there, then it can all be easily deleted from the game also.

Why creating script if you can create a txt file?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 13:45:33
Ok, I have to apologize, because I could have been mistaken about all thing and just wasted everyones time.

Earlier I thought that the template was different from Default one in terms of script too, but now it appears it is only different in terms of graphics.

This probably means that it should be noted that a license is applied to graphics only?

Other templates do not have any licenses other than ones in script.

What about adding a License.txt saying that template's graphics are subject to CC (which you chose) license, giving a short "human" variant of license text and just a link to full legal text?
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Mon 14/05/2018 13:47:09
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 13:36:06
Why creating script if you can create a txt file?
In case you want to have the stuff inside the template itself and not only in the game folder. Just a thought.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Cassiebsg on Mon 14/05/2018 14:38:48
What is wrong into putting a "blurb" like CW suggested into the template header&script (code license & graphics license)? Seems not too much and easily readable/accessible. Then one can just have licence.txt with the bigger lingo attached.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 14:55:34
Quote from: Hobo on Mon 14/05/2018 13:47:09
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 13:36:06
Why creating script if you can create a txt file?
In case you want to have the stuff inside the template itself and not only in the game folder. Just a thought.
I am sorry, but I do not understand, what do you mean by "have stuff inside the template itself"?



Quote from: Cassiebsg on Mon 14/05/2018 14:38:48
What is wrong into putting a "blurb" like CW suggested into the template header&script (code license & graphics license)?
Afaik you put license in script when you are author of the script, this is what they do with script modules.
Title: Re: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)
Post by: Hobo on Mon 14/05/2018 15:35:14
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Mon 14/05/2018 14:55:34
I am sorry, but I do not understand, what do you mean by "have stuff inside the template itself"?
Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I was under the impression that the current plan was to either have an external .txt file show up on screen once when the template is imported for the first time or simply have an external .txt file that you can access from the template folder. And I was suggesting to add a new script (titled template licence, for example) next to the GlobalScript, which then contains overall licence information in the header or the script itself. So that when I want to read it again, I can do it from inside my project and don't have to look up the .txt file from the template folder.