known issues with loading another game from within a game?

[EnterTheStory (aka tolworthy)]

I plan to load a game from within a game, then close the original game. Are there any known issues with doing this on different systems? E.g on a slower computer, on Linux?

If game 1 to end with a white screen, then game 2 starts with a white screen, is there a danger of a black screen (or, worse, seeing the desktop) in between?

Also, I am guessing that the following would be possible, but would appreciate any comments: Could game 1 could write a text file saying "start in room x" and then game 2 would read that file and start in room x?

[Galen]

Ignore this, I'm dumb.

[Khris]

Of course you can use a text file to pass additional messages, but the RunAGSGame command allows to pass all GlobalInt values and/or a single int value.

I don't have any experience with using this, so I'll guess: The game.exe is acwin.exe with the game's data appended to it. So I believe using the command won't actually close the first game but rather load the data of the second exe into the running acwin part of the first game. (Hence the "restriction" that both games must use the same point version of the engine.)

I'm too lazy to try it out though. Why don't you?

Edit: Crazy, no: the first game quits when the new game is loaded.

[monkey0506]

I would say you should definitely check out the MiniGame module. It implements functions to make this process much easier, and even allows you to pass string values in addition to just integer values. Also if you want to return back to game 1 it has a function to simplify this as well, restoring you right back to where you loaded game 2 from.

I'm not sure about the white transitions because I know that by default the game starts loading with a blank, black screen. You probably would see this black screen while game 2 was loading. However you definitely wouldn't (shouldn't) see the desktop screen at all. I've been working with RunAGSGame and although sometimes the specific games I'm working with can take a little bit to load; it looks like a seamless room transition between the two games.

[FSi++]

Would using WHITE "loading" pcx for the second game do the trick?
And can't one set fadeto color from within the game then?
Never tried that though.

[EnterTheStory (aka tolworthy)]

Thanks for the answers. I use white fading betweemn my scenes, and it works fine, but the first scene always starts with black. I'll have to experiment with that one some more. As for saving global ints between games, AGS is amazing! This opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

[Dualnames]

Not long ago Rui(RedRum) posted somewhere around here something similar search his last posts and you'll find it.