Vista compatability?

jjsonick · Fri 05/01/2007 05:11:00

Right, I guess I was wondering what syntax with Game.SetSaveGameDirectory would guarantee the save file would end up in Vista's Save Games directory -- normal relative paths (or $MYDOCS$ on a non-Windows system) would put the save file inside the game's folder (wherever it happens to be installed), right?

pcj · Fri 05/01/2007 05:15:08

Right.

Pumaman · Fri 05/01/2007 20:00:54

As I understand it at present, Vista's Saved Games folder is only usable by games that support the Game Explorer. Unfortunately, to support this your game needs to have a digital signature, which is something that's difficult to implement with AGS because the EXE is rebuilt every time you save the game. It's something I'm looking into.

pcj · Fri 05/01/2007 20:12:30

I think all Game Explorer requires is a GDF (Game Definition File, an XML document), as described here.Ã,Â And the structure of the GDF (as defined here) doesn't seem require a signature and looks rather straightforward to programmatically generate.

Edit:

Information on using "Rich Save Games" with Game Explorer can be found here.

Pumaman · Sat 06/01/2007 16:49:52

Ok, maybe that would work -- I was trying to integrate the Vista Parental Controls with AGS and found that it wouldn't work because of digital signatures. Perhaps the save game thing doesn't have that requirement.

I'll investigate it at some point.

jkohen · Sat 13/01/2007 15:06:03

Quote from: jjsonick on Fri 05/01/2007 02:38:19
Aha, thanks pcj. So it looks like all should be well for high-resolution games if I tell Vista users to install the game in My Documents, or better yet, if I make a custom installer for the game that will put it in that location.

Eek.. installers actually make it harder for Linux and MacOS users to play your game. Please think twice before locking us out. Thanks.

jjsonick · Sat 13/01/2007 20:02:53

Quote from: blashyrkh on Sat 13/01/2007 15:06:03
Eek.. installers actually make it harder for Linux and MacOS users to play your game. Please think twice before locking us out. Thanks.

Don't worry, if I went that route, the installer would only be for Vista users, and everyone else could use the regular exe.

BUT, from the information given in this thread, it looks like that complication is unnecessary, since SetSaveGameDirectory allows the tag $MYDOCS$, which will save to the user's documents folder in Windows and simply uses the game directory in non-Windows systems. Using that, the regular exe should be Vista-compatible AND cross-platform compatible -- and that's my plan.

EllePollack · Sat 03/02/2007 04:10:30

I'm working my way through the tutorial, using a release candidate version of Vista; I've got one room and the default sprite, in 32-bit mode at 640x480. Trying to test the game in fullscreen mode resultes in a black window and I have to kill it from the Task Manager. Running in a window works fine though.

theatrx · Fri 09/02/2007 06:41:51

You guys are already working on the Vista!?Ã,Â Whoa!

I'm not touching that os until it works.Ã,Â It doesn't work!

It took me a year to get the xp prefessional version to work with everything I had running.Ã,Â Sound card most important!!!

I run a theater.Ã,Â I write music.Ã,Â Sound had to be the number one priority... Since I built all the sound files from scratch... violins, flutes, sax, trombones etc.

SSH... Cudos!Ã,Â I passed my game to my son (on a mac) with your docking and it worked perfectly between Windows and Mac.Ã,Â Thanks.

I have to say that you guys are doing wonderful work making this engine viable and workable and usable by us 'joes' out here in the netherworlds.

Hugs and rubs
Steve

pcj · Fri 09/02/2007 13:34:47

Vista works fine, and better than XP in most cases.

EllePollack · Sat 10/02/2007 20:06:52

Quote from: theatrx on Fri 09/02/2007 06:41:51

It took me a year to get the xp prefessional version to work with everything I had running.Ã,Â Sound card most important!!!

I run a theater.Ã,Â I write music.Ã,Â Sound had to be the number one priority... Since I built all the sound files from scratch... violins, flutes, sax, trombones etc.

You definately will want to wait a while before considering whether to upgrade then. Vista rewrote most of the sound architecture and the software and hardware manufactuers haven't caught up yet. A lot of old software might not work either.

I've been using the pre-release versions without a lot of problems though, and I will probably buy it when I build a new computer later this year.

Now back to your regularly scheduled topic.

nick.keane · Thu 09/08/2007 05:10:12

Quote from: pcj on Fri 09/02/2007 13:34:47
Vista works fine, and better than XP in most cases.

I agree with pcj. Vista has worked cleanly for me. In fact, I was able to install Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 on my comp cleanly on Vista, whereas on XP the installer would always freeze up (important b/c I need that software for my C++ programming classes).

However, big however, AGS has been giving me turds and gravy ever since I upgraded to Vista. For some reason, I can't run an AGS game in Vista, which seems to be attributed to the lack of 320 x 200 support, I guess, because that's the kind of error I get when I try to run Casserole Caper (a 320 x 200) game in Vista. I tried updating my graphics card, but that didn't help much. Not sure what to do. Need help. Send biscuits.
!
EDIT: Sorry, I just realized this particular thread was a little outdated! Blame Gilbot!

Gilbert · Thu 09/08/2007 05:25:48

Don't blame me

, especially when it's the right place to post if you really have new info for it.

It's just digging up old threads without constructive content that's prohibited.

nick.keane · Thu 09/08/2007 07:20:29

There actually probably are new drivers, but ATI is being a bit of a bitch. See, they don't allow updated driver downloads for labtops (Mobile Radeon is their chip brand), and that forces me to go back to my original manufacturer (HP) for updated drivers. However, HP isn't very good at delivering drivers made by other companies to the consumer. In fact, I can't even find a new driver for my graphics card online, so I'm stuck with a driver install that was updated way back in early August of 2006. I don't even think Vista was commercially available then, although I haven't really been keeping tabs. Therefore, put 1-and-1 together, and you get 'my drivers aren't even meant to be used in Vista!

I can still use AGSEdit, but the lack of a test ability and executable running means 1) Debugging is nigh on ipossible and 2) I can't draw inspiration from fellow AGS projects if I can't play them.

Gilbert · Thu 09/08/2007 07:30:10

But did you follow my advice in the other thread to try test it windowerd or at 640x400? That'll probably work.

nick.keane · Thu 09/08/2007 08:09:17

Quote from: Gilbot V7000a on Thu 09/08/2007 07:30:10
But did you follow my advice in the other thread to try test it windowerd or at 640x400? That'll probably work.

Yes! It works perfectly. I'll try running it outside of windowed mode (just 640x400) to see if that works, but it seems to be running smoothly. Thanks a lot, robot-based chum!