All AGS Versions Depository?

[Indra Anagram]

Hello, AGS Community! I don't know if such topic already exists (couldn't find anything through Search) or if I'm posting this in the correct forum 

I am trying to run a game and explore its global script made with AGS 5.1 beta. However the earliest version available for download on AGS site is 2.72.

Hence my question: Is there a site or topic of some sort where all the versions of AGS are available for download? Do those files still exist at all?

Thank you for your help!

[heltenjon]

They are at The AGS Depository at archive.org, at least. But if that site was blocked in your country, I guess it doesn't help much.
(Searching the site with tag Chris Jones finds the different versions.)

[Indra Anagram]

Hey heltenjon!

They are at The AGS Depository at archive.org, at least. But if that site was blocked in your country, I guess it doesn't help much.

I've installed a VPN in my browser and now archive.org works well on my side.

(Searching the site with tag Chris Jones finds the different versions.)

Well, the earliest version that I can see is Adventure Creator (AGS Prototype) v1.12a. Isn't there a comprehensive list of all versions that have ever been published?

The point is I'm trying to run and explore an old game/tutorial called Platformerius: The Ninja Incident. Its folder looks this way:



As you can see, the files were created in 2002. In the readme.txt the author, Linus Larsson aka 2ma2, says the game was made in AGS5.1.

When I try to run platformerius.exe, an error shows up:



So, is there a way to get access to AGS older and oldest versions and to open that game/tutorial?

Thank you!

[Khris]

First of all: this game was most likely made with AGS 2.5.1 beta 2

It'll also be somewhat useless to learn how to script stuff because AGS 2.7 introduced a major revamp of the scripting language. Calculating jumps and the like will mostly work the same but keep in mind that 50% of the commands are going to be obsolete, for instance MoveCharacter(1, x, y) became cEgo.Move(x, y) etc.

You should be able to open the game with AGS 2.72 (although I did open it with 2.62 first and save it, that definitely works); this way you can also recompile it and use winsetup:

1. Check the "run in a window" option
2. pick the 3x nearest neightbor filter
3. select 960x600 (fastest) at the top if not active already

[Indra Anagram]

Hey Khris  Thank you for your detailed friendly reply and advice!

First of all: this game was most likely made with AGS 2.5.1 beta 2

You're absolutely right about this. And I was able to open the game in 2.5.1. The author made a mistake in readme file, saying it had been made in 5.1. I was also able to run the game successfully both in full-screen and windowed mode. The game is practically two rooms - intro and gameplay. The intro room looks this way:



and the gameplay part looks like that:

It'll also be somewhat useless to learn how to script stuff because AGS 2.7 introduced a major revamp of the scripting language. Calculating jumps and the like will mostly work the same but keep in mind that 50% of the commands are going to be obsolete, for instance MoveCharacter(1, x, y) became cEgo.Move(x, y) etc.

Isn't there a sort of a table that lists the obsolete commands and their revamped analogs? Something like:

Obsolete	New
MoveCharacter(1, x, y)	cEgo.Move(x, y)

You should be able to open the game with AGS 2.72 (although I did open it with 2.62 first and save it, that definitely works); this way you can also recompile it and use winsetup

I managed to open the game with 2.62 Editor like you advised, but when I press 'Test the game', it shows up in a tiny window:



In the gameplay room1.crm the issue is that two PCs instead of one and a ninja appear:



After the PC jumps off a platform, an error message appears that reads:



How is it possible to make it work properly? How exactly did you re-compile it for later re-opening in 2.72? Do the scripts automatically upgrade to the revamped version in the process?

You may ask why bother trying to reanimate such an old game. I've got at least 3 reasons for that attempt:
1. AGS itself was inspired by old games and keeps that nostalgic vintage vibe in style as I can see.
2. Lots of people have wished to make a non-adventure game with AGS by expanding its initial functionality. A game like this one proves that AGS is more than "Lucas Arts and Sierra style point-and-click adventure games engine". The author kindly made Platformerius an open source project specially for the purpose of learning.
3. And let's not forget it was the game that the Father of AGS considered important enough to comment on, giving his praise to the author:



I'm sorry if bringing this up insults or annoys somebody here, but guys, what do I know? I am still a beginner in AGS. If you think this thread is stupid, feel free to ignore it. If not - here are links to the discussed files:

The game - https://www.dropbox.com/s/60oznzea6r00ee4/platformerius-the-ninja-incident.zip?dl=0
AGS version in which the game was created - https://www.dropbox.com/s/lu12k5qlk3hm3pm/ags_251a.zip?dl=0
AGS version 2.6.2 in which Khris was able to recompile it - https://www.dropbox.com/s/lmp3cjda9t1sx09/ags_262.zip?dl=0
AGS version 2.7.2 with new script commands in which Khris says it is possible to open the recompiled game - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ckp2r13mx6yuvzy/ags_272.zip?dl=0

Thank you for your attention and help!

[Crimson Wizard]

For information, all the old engine & editor executables are available for download from this torrent:
https://www.agsarchives.com/agsarchives.torrent

as well as a thousand of older AGS games.

Isn't there a sort of a table that lists the obsolete commands and their revamped analogs?

Yes:
https://adventuregamestudio.github.io/ags-manual/ObsoleteScriptAPI.html

But also there is a way to enable all the old commands in the modern AGS:
https://adventuregamestudio.github.io/ags-manual/ScriptAPIOverview.html#api-switches

EDIT: Only "Enforce object-based scripting" is now called as "Enforce post-2.62 scripting" for clarity.

[Indra Anagram]

Hello, Crimson Wizard!

For information, all the old engine & editor executables are available for download from this torrent:
https://www.agsarchives.com/agsarchives.torrent

as well as a thousand of older AGS games.

That is a great thing to learn. I knew about the torrent containing games, but never thought the editor versions were there too. Thank you for the link!

Yes:
https://adventuregamestudio.github.io/ags-manual/ObsoleteScriptAPI.html

But also there is a way to enable all the old commands in the modern AGS:
https://adventuregamestudio.github.io/ags-manual/ScriptAPIOverview.html#api-switches

Big Thanks, I'll look up the new commands to make the necessary replacements in the code. Meanwhile, I've partially succeeded to do what Khris suggested: opened the game in 2.6.2 and tested it. Even 3.2.1 won't let backward compatibility for Platformerius because it was created prior to 2.72. So, I decided to follow Khris' instructions to recompile the game in 2.6.2 for 2.7.2. Initially, this popup showed up:



I don't know if this is important.

As 2ma2 himself states in the readme, he removed intro.crm from the open source files. So, the game woudn't run when tested in the editor without intro.crm. There are only two rooms in the game - intro.crm (absent in the open source files, but present in the compiled demo). I figured out the character had room 0 which is intro.crm in the settings as the room he first appeared. I changed 0 to 1 and the game ran correctly from the editor. Everything seems to work fine - the character moves, jumps the platforms and attacks ninja with his sword and by throwing stars:



Here are the files re-compiled in 2.6.2 - https://www.dropbox.com/s/59064rnbgc6is3e/platformerius.zip?dl=0

Then I opened the game in 2.7.2. This information came up:



It seemed like the project re-compiled successfully in 2.7.2, but when testing it in the Editor I noticed some issues: the character can move and jump but cannot sway his sword or throw stars at ninja - pressing keyboard keys for those purposes causes nothing to happen. What could be the reason? Some obsolete piece of code is my guess.

EDIT: Only "Enforce object-based scripting" is now called as "Enforce post-2.62 scripting" for clarity.

So, the game won't open in 3.x.x anyway, right? Not unless I re-compile it in 2.7.2?

Thank you for your kind advice!

[Crimson Wizard]

The latest versions of AGS (from 3.5.0 at least) support opening game projects as old as from AGS 2.50. AGS 3.2.1 could not do that, but this ability was restored now.

[Indra Anagram]

Hey Crimson Wizard!

The latest versions of AGS (from 3.5.0 at least) support opening game projects as old as from AGS 2.50. AGS 3.2.1 could not do that, but this ability was restored now.

Not true in this case, it seems 

When opening the original 2.5.1 Platformerius in 3.5.1 the Import Old Game Wizard suggests me to create the game's backup. However an undentified error causes the Editor to crash and close. If I open the re-compiled 2.6.2 version of the game in AGS 3.5.1.19 , the Editor says:



Any ideas why this might happen? Probably, Khris faced same issue, that's why he first said the game must be re-compiled in 2.6.2 and then 2.7.2. But in 2.7.2 not everything works like it does in 2.6.2: the character doesn't respond when keyboard keys for sword and throwing stars are being pressed.

Thank you for your kind help!

[Crimson Wizard]

When opening the original 2.5.1 Platformerius in 3.5.1 the Import Old Game Wizard suggests me to create the game's backup. However an undentified error causes the Editor to crash and close. If I open the re-compiled 2.6.2 version of the game in AGS 3.5.1.19 , the Editor says:

Yes, it looks like it can decypher the 2.51 game itself, but it cannot load the editor project data of anything lower than 2.72.
The crash is a bug, and should be fixed, but that won't make it import the project. So, resaving in 2.72 still has to be done before importing to 3.* editors.

Any ideas why this might happen? Probably, Khris faced same issue, that's why he first said the game must be re-compiled in 2.6.2 and then 2.7.2. But in 2.7.2 not everything works like it does in 2.6.2: the character doesn't respond when keyboard keys for sword and throwing stars are being pressed.

I quickly tried this, and it seem to work well if you import directly into 2.72. The sword and throwing stars work too; the script is in place, and I saw no reason for it to not work, unless it got modified.

[Indra Anagram]

Hi, Crimson Wizard.

Yes, it looks like it can decypher the 2.51 game itself, but it cannot load the editor project data of anything lower than 2.72.
The crash is a bug, and should be fixed, but that won't make it import the project. So, resaving in 2.72 still has to be done before importing to 3.* editors.

Okay, so re-compiling the game in 2.72 is the inevitable milestone.

I quickly tried this, and it seem to work well if you import directly into 2.72. The sword and throwing stars work too; the script is in place, and I saw no reason for it to not work, unless it got modified.

What do you mean by saying 'if you import directly'? How do you directly import the project into the Editor? What version of Platformerius did you successfully test in 2.72 - the original 2.51 build or the files re-compiled by me in 2.6.2? Because I open the 2.72 editor like you said and see this window immediately:



I tried both original and re-compiled versions. When I choose ac2game.ags, this pops up:



And after I choose the default resolution for the game:



As I test the game - the sword and throwing stars don't work.

Could you please provide the detailed step-by-step of what you did to make everything work?

Thank you for your guidance!

[Crimson Wizard]

I quickly tried this, and it seem to work well if you import directly into 2.72. The sword and throwing stars work too; the script is in place, and I saw no reason for it to not work, unless it got modified.

What do you mean by saying 'if you import directly'?

I mean: directly from original game into 2.72 editor, without using 2.62.

I downloaded from this link you posted above. Judging by the file dates, it's the original game (I guess?):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/60oznzea6r00ee4/platformerius-the-ninja-incident.zip?dl=0

I open 2.72 editor, choose "Load an existing game", choose the game's ac2game.dta.
1. Rooms have to be recompiled - yes.
2. Specify resolution - leave it at 320x200 and OK.
3. Warns about "loose inventory" option - ignore and proceed.

Here I notice that the player character is set to start at room 0, but only room 1 exists. Either game sources are incomplete, or 2.72 was unable to extract the intro room. But the gameplay room is still there.
EDIT: looking inside the ac2game.ags file (with a text or hex editor), it mentions "intro.crm". Apparently 2.72 ignores this file when unpacking (that's my only explanation). There may be a solution to this, but I ignore for now, as this is likely not critical for the current goal.

So to fix the game:
4. Go to Characters
5. Select character "Fruittree", because he has "This is the player character" checkbox ticked.
6. Edit "Start in room" to 1.

Press Ctrl+T to run the test.

Working controls:
A - strange grayscale effect;
S - throw ninja star
D - swing sword

[Indra Anagram]

I downloaded from this link you posted above. Judging by the file dates, it's the original game (I guess?):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/60oznzea6r00ee4/platformerius-the-ninja-incident.zip?dl=0

Yes, it's the original game files by Linus Larsson aka 2ma2.

I open 2.72 editor, choose "Load an existing game", choose the game's ac2game.dta.
1. Rooms have to be recompiled - yes.

You actually missed something. This:



Will you be able to live with that? 
Here I had to rename the game directory (folder) name to simply 'platformerius'.

Press Ctrl+T to run the test.

Working controls:
A - strange grayscale effect;
S - throw ninja star
D - swing sword

After I pressed Ctrl+T, something unusual happened: the editor seemed to reload in a way. I guess it signified the game has been re-compiled. Was 'Test game' in the Editor menu same as Ctrl+T?

Anyway, after Ctrl+T nothing seemed to change - the sword and throwing stars didn't work... until I thought, "Wait.. It says I should use A for taking in-game snapshots, S - for throwing stars and D - for the sword... What if I Shift+Alt from the Russian language to English?)". And it worked! SUCCESS! The game runs correctly!

Is there a way to make the A, S and D keyboard buttons work whatever the language is on on my machine? Because someone having non-Latin alphabet might have the game not working as well.

Also Esc doesn't seem to work. Was it ever coded as UI? I can see this in the global script:

Code: ags

#sectionstart interface_click  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE
function interface_click(int interface, int button) {
  if (interface == 1) {
    if (button == 4)   // see inventory
      InventoryScreen();
    else if (button == 5) {   // use selected inventory
      if (character[ GetPlayerCharacter() ].activeinv >= 0)
        SetCursorMode(4);
    } 
    else if (button == 6)    // save game
      SaveGameDialog();
    else if (button == 7)   // load game
      RestoreGameDialog();
    else if (button == 8)   // quit
      QuitGame(1);
    else if (button == 9)    // about
      Display("Adventure Game Studio v2 run-time engine[[Copyright (c) 1999-2002 Chris Jones");
  }  // end if interface 2 
}
#sectionend interface_click  // DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE THIS LINE

Save/Load/Quit are mentioned as commented lines there. Or is it a standard part for any global script in AGS? If not, and it WAS coded by 2ma2, how do I make it work?

THANK YOU!

[Crimson Wizard]

Is there a way to make the A, S and D keyboard buttons work whatever the language is on on my machine? Because someone having non-Latin alphabet might have the game not working as well.

I did not pay attention to this earlier, but it seems like this got fixed in AGS 3.6.0; it's in Beta currently, may be found here:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=59842.0

If I print keycodes on screen in on_key_press, the AGS 3.5.1 prints 65, 83, 68 for A-S-D keys if latin lang is on, and always 94 if cyrillic lang is on (94 means '^' character, this character is used to replace "invalid codes", I think).
At the same time, AGS 3.6.0 prints 65, 83, 68 regardless of the active system language.

EDIT: oh, I see now, this works correctly only if "Use old-style keyboard handling" is off in the game settings; this is default in 3.6.0. If you switch it on (use old mode), then it stops working correctly again.

[Indra Anagram]

Dear Crimson Wizard,

I did not pay attention to this earlier, but it seems like this got fixed in AGS 3.6.0; it's in Beta currently, may be found here:
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=59842.0

So there is no way 2.72 and 3.x.x could solve this?

EDIT: oh, I see now, this works correctly only if "Use old-style keyboard handling" is off in the game settings; this is default in 3.6.0. If you switch it on (use old mode), then it stops working correctly again.

Are you talking about 3.5.1 or 3.6.0?

I tried to load the game to 3.5.1 Editor, and an error window emerged:



And in the Output there is:



What does this mean?

Thank you for your patience and help!

[Crimson Wizard]

So there is no way 2.72 and 3.x.x could solve this?

3.6.0 can, any previous version most likely cannot.

EDIT: oh, I see now, this works correctly only if "Use old-style keyboard handling" is off in the game settings; this is default in 3.6.0. If you switch it on (use old mode), then it stops working correctly again.

Are you talking about 3.5.1 or 3.6.0?

3.6.0, this is where this change was implemented.

I tried to load the game to 3.5.1 Editor, and an error window emerged:

What does this mean?

You have "Direct3D" driver set in Default Setup. Change it to "Software".

Although, you should not be getting this error anymore, because it's lying, Direct3D can run 256-color games, it just cannot do all the palette effects.

[Indra Anagram]

Crimson Wizard, you're a shaman.

You have "Direct3D" driver set in Default Setup. Change it to "Software".

Now Platformerius works in 3.5.1 with English chosen in Windows language panel. Thank you for spending your time on testing this old project and upgrading it for the new Editor version!

3.6.0 can, any previous version most likely cannot.

I remember Sierra style template had keyboard controls too, but those worked whatever the language was on. How was this solved there? As far as I can tell, that template was created with the older Editor version, wasn't it?

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

[Crimson Wizard]

I remember Sierra style template had keyboard controls too, but those worked whatever the language was on. How was this solved there? As far as I can tell, that template was created with the older Editor version, wasn't it?

Does not it use arrow keys? The system language only affects letter keys.

[Indra Anagram]

Does not it use arrow keys? The system language only affects letter keys.

Crimson Wizard, you mean Platformerius could have worked fine disregarding the lang on if the sword and throwing stars had different keys assigned? Say, Ctrl for the sword or Space for the stars? Do I understand what you're saying correctly?

[Crimson Wizard]

Crimson Wizard, you mean Platformerius could have worked fine disregarding the lang on if the sword and throwing stars had different keys assigned? Say, Ctrl for the sword or Space for the stars? Do I understand what you're saying correctly?

That is correct. You may notice that arrow keys still work in game regardless of the system language.