AGS 3.0.1 Final 2 - Queen's English Edition

[Recluse]

I'm running a flat screen and AGS doesn't look too great. But I'm not complaining, because I'm more interested in the functionality it provides than how pretty the IDE looks when I'm coding in it...

Then again, ever since I got this flatscreen... everything's gotten screwy...

[GarageGothic]

Sorry for double posting, but I was afraid that this might get lost among the other wild ideas in the suggestions thread.  I consider it somewhat of a "lost functionality" in the move from RawDraw to DrawingSurface, so I'm sorry I didn't point it out during the 3.0 beta phase:

Suggestion: A DynamicSprite.CreateFromDrawingSurface(DrawingSurface*, int x, int y, int width, int height) function similar to DynamicSprite.CreateFromBackground.

Please see full explanation for this request in my original post in the Suggestions for AGS 3.0.1 thread.

I really hope you'll consider this, CJ.

[subspark]

Then again, ever since I got this flat screen... every thing's gotten screwy...

Well I've been running AGS on a 1280x1024 for a few months now, my 30" is being used for other projects right now but I have had these graphical artifacts since version 2.8. While particular forum members are just itching to ostentatiously twist my words because they view my equipment and setup as rare, the reality is that it doesn't matter what resolution I run AGS in as it still presents visual problems.

I'm not after a prettier GUI in any way, I'm after a fully functional GUI and if anyone would care to look at the screen shot I took the time to put together they will notice that amongst other less important problems there are two major bugs that obstruct my work flow in a number of ways. While SSH would prefer to spend his time putting me into a turgid category, I imagine Chris would more likely spend his time fixing bugs that incur a less-than-desirable workflow.

This might surprise you SSH, but AGS is actually a tool for everyone, not everyone -1.
If you want to take this further, I'd be glad to discuss the dangers and history of categorizing people in groups labeled 'other' or 'foreign' over a PM or two as your apparent lack of social intelligence and decency has no place on the forum.

I shouldn't have to explain myself again.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

I have to say that I agree it's very unreasonable to dismiss certain resolutions "just because". The game engine can have it's limitations, but the editor should be available for everyone in the same way that, say, Microsoft Word is. It should be able to run at pretty much every resolution and color depth (accourse, set them too low and things'll be screwy, but that's strictly the user's responsability). Suggesting changing the desktop resolution and/or any other thing each time AGS is started, to then reset it back when it's done... it's highly unreasonable.

[Antonio]

I'm sorry but thats a ridiculous statement and one that is unacceptable.

I work IN the games industry

I'm sorry but this is more than a backwards approach and a hindrance to users who are equipped with technology to develop for next-gen games and other high-end applications.

I mean I hate to burst your bubble like this but not everybody works in Uncle Sam's Retail and runs a VGA card.

Why are you so condescending Sparky? It really boils my blood, man

[Pumaman]

Hmmm no, we have the DX development in a different plugin for now, and AGX is still using the DX5 drivers. I'll have a play see if I can give you more info, but all I can say is it is calling DrawText with a valid string, and an on screen location, in the POSTSCREENDRAW on DX5, and we're not getting any text displayed.

Ok, I'll look into it -- though I can't think what might have changed in beta 4.

"Check for Updates" didn't tell me of the update from beta 3 to beta 4, is that intentional?

Haha, I should never have added that feature, I'm always forgetting to update the latest version setting on the server. Should be fixed now.

cMia.ChangeRoom(12, 100, 100);

it sets her position to 100, 100, and THEN it fades out to change room, which is making all the room transitions look a bit odd at the moment.

I'll look into this, as SSH has pointed out it has been reported before but I must have missed it.

The AGS 3.0(+) manual is wrong when it says:
in the tutorial. In fact, this si the only place it really tells you how to export variables rather than  functions.

Sorry, I'm not really sure what your point is here? Are you saying that the manual doesn't actually explain exporting/importing variables and that it needs to?

Suggestion: A DynamicSprite.CreateFromDrawingSurface(DrawingSurface*, int x, int y, int width, int height) function similar to DynamicSprite.CreateFromBackground.

Can you not use something like DynamicSprite.Create(width,height) and then DrawImage(-x,-y) to simulate this?

This might surprise you SSH, but AGS is actually a tool for everyone, not everyone -1.

I shouldn't have to explain myself again.

Alright, this bickering has got to stop -- this isn't what the Technical Forum is for.

* Yes I agree that the editor should look nice whatever your DPI is set to.
* In theory this is handled automatically by the .NET Framework so I need to investigate why it isn't working.
* But because you have to restart your computer to change the DPI it's a pain in the ass to test.
* I agree that it should be fixed but I don't see it as an urgent issue that needs to be fixed immediately.

[GarageGothic]

Suggestion: A DynamicSprite.CreateFromDrawingSurface(DrawingSurface*, int x, int y, int width, int height) function similar to DynamicSprite.CreateFromBackground.

Can you not use something like DynamicSprite.Create(width,height) and then DrawImage(-x,-y) to simulate this?

As I explained in the linked thread, there are workarounds. Your solution avoids the cropping stage, which is a great idea. But still, since I need to perform the same operation 1-200 times every loop, I'd rather avoid copying/drawing the full sprite:

Most of my distortion effects work by retrieving part of an image, distorting it and drawing it to either the original surface or a new one. Previously, I used the background as a buffer (which is no longer feasible due to slowdowns in Direct3D mode), and found DynamicSprite.CreateFromBackground very handy. But now my workflow looks like this:

1) Draw surface to a temporary DynamicSprite (sprite A)
2) Create an even more temporary copy of sprite A (sprite B)
3) Crop sprite B down to the actual area to deform (often a single row of pixels)
4) Deform cropped sprite B and draw it back to DrawingSurface
5) Repeat steps 2 through 4 until the whole sprite has been deformed

Without knowing exactly how AGS handles copies of sprites internally, I would guess that the repeated copying and cropping of the full sprite must be quite a bit slower than creating a new sprite consisting only of the needed area.

[Andail]

If you want to take this further, I'd be glad to discuss the dangers and history of categorizing people in groups labeled 'other' or 'foreign' over a PM or two as your apparent lack of social intelligence and decency has no place on the forum.

I shouldn't have to explain myself again.

That attitude won't get you anywhere. You're hardly in a position to tell what belongs on this forum and what doesn't, nor to use words like "unacceptable" when speaking of the engine's capacity.
If the current restrictions of AGS "incur a less-than-desirable workflow" I suggest you go back to your industry and focus on your commercial block-busters until AGS has caught up with your standards.

[SSH]

As per this thread AGS should really stop people calling views, guis, characters, etc. anything that would cause a compile error... as soon as they type it in, since the errors caused are very unclear to most people.

[rock_chick]

This isn't a bug or error issue but something that has got me completely confused. In the old version there was an easy way to find the auto generated dialogues for things such as talking to yourself, etc. and a very easy way to set up room messages and global messages but with the new versions I can't work out how to do any of this. The only thing I can find that can help is the Dialogue area, but I've imported a game using an older version of AGS, 2.7 I think so my room messages are still there. Basically is this all organised under the new system. I did read the manual for hotspot messages but they just lead to me the dialogue editor

[SSH]

rock_chick, all messages are no longer supported going forward. You need to script up messages like this:

Code: ags

player.Say("I'm looking good");

which you'll find easier, in the long run, I hope. Imported games retain their old messages, but there's no way to change them (other than re-importing)

subspark: I looked at your artifacts and as far as I can see they are all cosmetic except for two: the Say/Show radio buttons and the View preview. It looks to me like the view preview cannot be worked around and is therefore higher priority. But the say/show buttons can be made visible if you drag the split between the script and the options to the right (although the draggable bit is hard to find)



And for reference, here's the screen resolutions of people who've read my blog: http://ssh.me.uk/img/screenresstarts.png

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

rock_chick, thankfully SSH is talking about Global Messages, as Room Messages are still there. Which I'm very grateful for, as I actively use them in my still-ongoing-WIP IF template, and are generally still very usefull for less-standard message manageament.

[rock_chick]

rock_chick, thankfully SSH is talking about Global Messages, as Room Messages are still there. Which I'm very grateful for, as I actively use them in my still-ongoing-WIP IF template, and are generally still very usefull for less-standard message manageament.

Okay I understand the globally messaging now but do I get to make room messages? I can't work it out with this new interface.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Open a room and take a look at the pane in the lower-left or lower-right of the screen, wherever you've defined it to be. It's just above "Room Properties".

Ayuh, it's not too intuitive for people who've gotten used to the olden way, but you'll get used to it.

[rock_chick]

Open a room and take a look at the pane in the lower-left or lower-right of the screen, wherever you've defined it to be. It's just above "Room Properties".

Ayuh, it's not too intuitive for people who've gotten used to the olden way, but you'll get used to it.

Yeah I checked that out before but it's not allowing me to add any new messages, for any rooms at all.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Right-click anywhere in the message field.

[rock_chick]

Right-click anywhere in the message field.

It works, thanks lots!

[CaptainBinky]

And for reference, here's the screen resolutions of people who've read my blog: http://ssh.me.uk/img/screenresstarts.png

Bug Report for SSH:
I read your blog a day or two ago and my screen res is 1600x1200.

[Pumaman]

As I explained in the linked thread, there are workarounds. Your solution avoids the cropping stage, which is a great idea. But still, since I need to perform the same operation 1-200 times every loop, I'd rather avoid copying/drawing the full sprite:

Ok, I'll look into it.

As per this thread AGS should really stop people calling views, guis, characters, etc. anything that would cause a compile error... as soon as they type it in, since the errors caused are very unclear to most people.

Fair point, it should really.

cMia.ChangeRoom(12, 100, 100);

it sets her position to 100, 100, and THEN it fades out to change room, which is making all the room transitions look a bit odd at the moment.

As far as I can see, this only affects some screen transition types and only the Direct3D driver. Has anyone had this problem with the DX5 driver?

[lemmy101]

cMia.ChangeRoom(12, 100, 100);

As far as I can see, this only affects some screen transition types and only the Direct3D driver. Has anyone had this problem with the DX5 driver?

Us, actually. The version I'm getting this on is still in DX5, we've not ported the overlay system across to DX9 yet. :S
I've tried it on Instant and FadeOutFadeIn and is doing it on both.

Cheers!

lemmy