AGS 3.3.5

Started by Crimson Wizard, Sat 26/03/2016 01:39:40

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Crimson Wizard

AGS 3.3.5 released


Please, read "Upgrading to AGS 3.3" AND "Upgrading to AGS 3.3.5" topic in the manual that comes with this version before upgrading your game project to 3.3.0 - 3.3.5! It contains important information on few potential problems you may encounter.

Released: 26th March 2016

Previous version: AGS 3.3.4 forum thread



Please, read before using
This update adds a serious change that may be not noticeable at first (and many players will probably not notice it at most times).
The change was discussed at: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=52897.0

Since 3.3.5 AGS does not allow to write any files into other path rather than "$SAVEGAMEDIR$" (personal user saves directory) or "$APPDATADIR$" (all-users game data directory). An attempt to open file for writing at any other path from script will make engine automatically remap the path to $APPDATADIR$. If your game is built in Debug mode, it will also print a warning into "warnings.log".

At the same time the players are allowed to set up their own custom path to write game saves & data in. This basically works as remapping $SAVEGAMEDIR$ and $APPDATADIR$ to custom location. Game script will be "unaware" of this, and work as usual.

Conceptually, AGS is gradually leaning towards using only "symbols of file locations" rather than actual, explicit locations.

Furthermore, winsetup will now write config file into game saves location, rather than game's installation directory. If config file is present in the game installation folder, then it is used as "default" read-only config file. The config in saves folder overrides default one.
This way it should be totally safe to install any AGS game into C:/Program Files, without having administrative rights, or even have it installed on device with read-only access.


Changes since version 3.3.4:

Editor Features:
- Path to resource's (sprite, audio) source file is now saved as relative one if the file is
  located inside game project's folder.
- Removed arbitrary limit of the script imports (was 50000).
- Script allows struct member qualifiers to be in any order.
- Better detection of integer constants overflow in script.
- Removed arbitrary limit of integer default value of +/-32000. Integer values are now limited
  by correct 32-bit values (-2147483648 to 2147483647).
- Support for negative constants in enums.
- Better folding markers and indentation guides in script editor.

Editor Bug Fixes:
- Fixed compiler crash if unknown keyword used after "readonly".
- Fixed compiler did not properly report incorrect type of dynamic array in function declaration.
- Fixed compiler did not report proper type name in case of syntax error sometimes.
- Fixed mouse cursor flicker above the script editor.

Engine Features:
- Removed unconfigurable mouse cursor's acceleration (Windows).
- Support for mouse cursor speed control (works in fullscreen mode only by defau;t): may be defined in configuration and changed in script.
- A config option for keeping consistent cursor speed relative to user's desktop resolution.
- Support for locking mouse inside window: automatic lock is enabled in configuration, and user
  may use Ctrl+Alt combination to lock/release mouse at any time.
- Restricted writing game files to special system directories
  (game is forbidden to write files into installation directiory or by absolute path).
  For old games unsafe paths are remapped.
- Support for player defined saves & game file directory.
- -v/--version command line argument makes engine display its version and bail.

Engine Bug Fixes:
- Fixed crash if screenshot is taken while game window was minimized or moving.
- Fixed alpha blend did not work properly for speech portrait if blinking frame did not have alpha channel.
- Fixed Display and Say script commands were displaying text for minimal amount of time under certain conditions.
- Fixed legacy audio functions did not start digital music playback if MIDI driver failed to initialize.
- Fixed game was run in smallest possible window if graphics driver failed to initialize fullscreen mode.
- Fixed "--help" command line argument not working all times depending on its order.
- Fixed engine did not always properly closed application window when running debug build.

Script API:
- Supported late_repeatedly_execute_always() callback in script, called after game has updated, but
  before it is drawn.
- Added Mouse.ControlEnabled (readonly) and Mouse.Speed properties.
- Added System.HasInputFocus property which tells if game currently has focus or runs at background.

Cosmetics & convenience:
- Clarified disabled MIDI option name in WinSetup.
- Extended information displayed if graphics driver failed to initialize.
- Clarified error messages for running unsupported games.


Templates updated:
Empty and Default Game templates were converted to 32-bit ones. You may still downgrade them to 16 and 8-bit after creating the game project of course.
Default Game template has its save system fixed, as explained in this thread.

Mehrdad

#1
Great update.Nice job CW and developers ;-D
Thanks in advance for your hard works.
My official site: http://www.pershaland.com/

Retro Wolf

Nice one CW! And all the contributors!

Danvzare

Brilliant CW! :-D
And thanks to everyone who helped bring this to fruition.

AnasAbdin

Thanks Crimson and all developers for working hard on the new release (nod)

Billbis

Many thanks to all contributors!

selmiak

Sweet! Thanks for this! ;-D

Atavismus


Muyfa666

No cfg-file is created when I run acwin --setup. The game I'm running is Maniac Mansion Deluxe. Also, I can get the mouse lock to work, but it glitches, kind of like the mouse is trying to "excape" the lock.

Crimson Wizard

#9
Quote from: Muyfa666 on Sun 27/03/2016 12:50:38
No cfg-file is created when I run acwin --setup. The game I'm running is Maniac Mansion Deluxe.
After you run winsetup with new engine, the config file is now supposed to be created in the standard "Saved Games" folder (e.g. "C:/Users/<Username>/Saved Games/<Game Name>", if you run Windows 7). But then again, if you run setup program, you do not (usually) have to edit that file by hand.
On the other hand, you may create acsetup.cfg in the game's folder yourself, and it will be used as a "default" config, but still overriden by the one located in "Saved Games", if there is one.
The reason why it is made so is explained in the first post of this thread.

Quote from: Muyfa666 on Sun 27/03/2016 12:50:38
but it glitches, kind of like the mouse is trying to "excape" the lock.
Could you elaborate?

Muyfa666

#10
Ok, found the config. That's good. Most options doesn't seem to do anything, but I guess that could be due to the game itself?

For the mouse issue... if I move the mouse cursor to the very edge of the window on left or right, the in-game cursor disappears for a split second. This continues to happen as long as I move the mouse cursor from eg. top left to bottom left or vice versa.

Also, the in-game text in MMD looks very strange, like the black lining of the letters are too thick. A scaling thing?

Crimson Wizard

#11
Quote from: Muyfa666 on Mon 28/03/2016 00:13:23
Ok, found the config. That's good. Most options doesn't seem to do anything, but I guess that could be due to the game itself?
I cannot answer such question without clarification on which options you are talking about.

Quote from: Muyfa666 on Mon 28/03/2016 00:13:23
Also, the in-game text in MMD looks very strange, like the black lining of the letters are too thick. A scaling thing?
Sorry, but I cannot answer such question without more details. For instance, screenshot would be helpful, as well as knowing what display mode you are running the game in.
In any case, the relative thickness of outline is not supposed to change with game scaling. Only thing I can think of is image stretching to wider screen (in fullscreen mode).

Muyfa666

#12
http://imgur.com/VCY6w19
These does not do anything at all for me:
Filter
Mouse speed
Enable side borders
Enable top & bottom
Smooth scaled sprites

Example of think lines of text:
http://imgur.com/paJTqjz

Danvzare

Quote from: Muyfa666 on Mon 28/03/2016 09:18:35
http://imgur.com/VCY6w19
These does not do anything at all for me:
Filter
Mouse speed
Enable side borders
Enable top & bottom
Smooth scaled sprites

Example of think lines of text:
http://imgur.com/paJTqjz

Those problems have been affecting Maniac Mansion Deluxe whenever you run the game from acwin, for a long time. And so have nothing to do with the currently released version.
In my opinion, it's because the game is too old. I find it best to just run the game as is through the default executable, although I'm guessing that isn't an option for you.

Crimson Wizard

#14
Quote from: Muyfa666 on Mon 28/03/2016 09:18:35
http://imgur.com/VCY6w19
These does not do anything at all for me:
Filter
Mouse speed
Enable side borders
Enable top & bottom
Smooth scaled sprites
Are you sure? You mean that when you change filter even the window size does not change?
Also, mouse speed and borders only work in fullscreen mode (and borders only appear if there is a need for them).


Quote from: Muyfa666 on Mon 28/03/2016 09:18:35
Example of think lines of text:
http://imgur.com/paJTqjz
Hmm, this rather looks like outlining is not emulated properly. Like Danvzare said, MMD is a pretty old game and some things could have changed in AGS since.
If that bothers you, one thing you may do is enable 640x400 mode font in the older games when running with new engine; add following to the config file:
Code: text

[override]
upscale=1

This is all because of the way it was implemented in old games: they had just two resolution modes, but could have two different font groups to use depending on mode.



EDIT
Quote from: Danvzare on Mon 28/03/2016 12:38:10I find it best to just run the game as is through the default executable
The whole point of making new engines run old games is that you just can't run old AGS games on modern computers anymore. For example, I personally am unable to run any 320x200 game of Maniac Mansion Deluxe age in fullscreen on my PC at all, and when in windowed mode it is too tiny.
Also, after recent update to my video card driver, running AGS games in DirectDraw5 mode (and ALL the old games have only that mode) started to produce lots of glitches.
Using modern engine is the only way to play them now.

Muyfa666

[override]
upscale=1

This seem to work for the font outlining. Great. Most other thigns also seem to work now. Strange.

The scaled smooth sprites does nothing thou. Not very important. D3D9 glitches quite a bit, but DDraw5 works quite ok.

Julius Dangerous

It works perfectly with my project, thanks!
___________________________________________________________

Sylvr

Hey guys, been a super long time! I've got another group of kids who want to make a game, but all we have, computer-wise, is a Windows Surface tablet. But AGS doesn't appear to run on it. Any thoughts/a workaround?

Thanks!
| Ben304: "Peeing is a beautiful thing, Sylvr" |

Crimson Wizard

Quote from: Sylvr on Mon 06/06/2016 19:26:37all we have, computer-wise, is a Windows Surface tablet. But AGS doesn't appear to run on it. Any thoughts/a workaround?
Hello.
How does "does not run" look like, do you get any error messages when launching the Editor, or something else?
Also, which operating system exactly is installed on the tablet?

Sylvr

The screen simply says, give or take a few words, "This program cannot be run on this device. Please see the app store for a list of compatible programs." As for the OS, I'll have to get back to you on that as the tablet stays there.
| Ben304: "Peeing is a beautiful thing, Sylvr" |

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