How to Move to Next Screen?

[windebieste]

Hi there.

It's been a long time since I've been on these forums and I've decided to pick up and return to a Project I put aside a long time ago. The plan is to build a prototype first. Then, set up a fully functional vertical slice; and finally commit to building a fully featured release.

I am getting started once again after half a dozen years of absence and need to get up to speed on some items. Basic stuff, too; and yes I've spent all day reading tutorials and watching videos but a concise answer is more expedient as I have missed this detail.

So, my question: How to move the Player to the next screen using only HotSpots? I am thinking Myst style interface with no onscreen character.

Thank you for any assistance.

[eri0o]

in the hotspots properties grid, there's a lightning bolt icon on it, it will switch form properties to events for any element.

One way to go is, after drawing a hotspot, in it's properties grid, add an interaction to it. It will switch to the script editor with the interaction boilerplate code written on the corresponding room script. Add a player.ChangeRoom event to in it - see https://adventuregamestudio.github.io/ags-manual/Character.html#characterchangeroom.

[windebieste]

OK. I have that figured out. Not hard, actually; but thank you all the same for pointing me in the right direction. It's a great time saver.

Another question, if that's OK. After all, this is helping me learn the editor.

I noticed when pressing F5, the mouse cursor was not displaying in game. How do I make the mouse appear; and how do I change the mouse so when it is over a HotSpot it displays differently? So that's two questions, really. I am thinking Arrow cursors to each direction, Left/Right (and Up/Down, too, for that matter.). Thank you.

[Cassiebsg]

To answer that 1st question, we need to know what template you are using, if any, and what does F5 do in game. And even then we might need the F5 code, since there's no obvious reason for the cursor to "disappear"... to me anyway.

As for the second there's countless threads on the forum about it, see if this one helps: https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=46481.msg626278#msg626278

Keep in mind that you might have to activate backwards compatibility or update some of the function/commands names.

[windebieste]

Thanks for the quick response.

Right now I'm not using any templates other than default that is included in the editor. I've not even looked into this area yet. It did strike me as odd the cursor did disappear in the first place, but I am nowhere near customising features of the editor to tailor it to the needs of my Project. I believe in learning software tools such as this by using a "vanilla" environment before purposefully changing it.

I've only just re-installed the editor using the latest version and started using just the other day. So, compatibility issues are not relevant. This is a new Project on a fresh install.

Thanks for the link to the "dynamic" cursor thread; I will look into it further but right now it's a secondary concern. Cursor needs to be visible first. When previewing in F5, no cursor is visible. It's there, just not being displayed. Only when it is placed over the actual HotSpot can I tell that's where it is because the HotSpot message is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Hope that makes sense.

[eri0o]

Which version of the Editor are you using?

[Cassiebsg]

For the first, there isn't a "default" template anymore, as far as I remember.
When you start a new project/game you are asked to choose which to use: Empty, Sierra, BASS, Timbleweed, etc. This will set the "default" code, visuals and way how the game acts/reacts to key/mouse presses. However, I miss understood you. As I thought you were referring to pressing F5 in game, instead for F5 on editor, that runs the game.

AGS does sometimes has that problem/bug, that the cursors isn't displayed, but I normally just close the game and start it over again, and that normally fixes it. If it happens every time for you, then something is amiss (maybe incompatible hardware?) and the devs should take a look at this.

PS: Just for the sake of it, make sure all your cursor modes are actually using a visible sprite, instead of an empty one (maybe you replaced a sprite that was being used for the cursor with an empty one, by mistake?)

PS2: When I'm talking about compatibility issue, isn't on your game, but using older code. Since some functions have changed name from previous/older AGS versions to the newer version. Going to the game settings and setting the script compatility, will means you can use older code as is, without having to update it yourself to the new function names (which would be preferred, but can be a handful when you're just starting).

[windebieste]

This is the version I am using:

AGS Editor .NET (Build 3.5.1.7)
v3.5.1, June 2021

It's a fresh install of what I believe to be the latest version of the editor.

As far as default templates, there are five at start up if I remember. ...but I'm not here to quibble over definitions... The template I am using ( has not been modified. It's as provided by the publisher, unaltered. Once again, I have not made any changes to the cursor. All settings are default as provided by the publisher. I don't exactly remember which one, it's the one that displays information when placed over a HotSpot.

Right now the only scripting present in the Project is linking four background images together. At this stage, that's it.

I hope that helps.

[eri0o]

Honestly, I have no idea what could be happening, can you PM me your project?

[windebieste]

Thank you but that won't be necessary. I uninstalled and re-installed the editor and it now displays the mouse. I also located an older build of the editor and uninstalled that completely.

I am guessing extant code from the older install was causing an issue(?). Thank you for pointing me in the right direction and calling my attention to such potential conflicts.

Now... back to where I was at before. Thank you for the help. I'll be back soon enough for some more assistance.