Topic: New GFX set for AGS default Template (based on Sierra games)

[Hobo]

Ok, I've done some animating, got a few extra moves for Roger and a female base with three possible heads/colors on different layers:

x1 x2 x4 x8

But before uploading, I'd like to verify the color choices. On my screen, the current palette looks a little bit bright and saturated against that background. How's it looking for you, fine enough?

Here's a slightly darker version for comparison:

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[CaesarCub]

Ok, I did some work on the Template.
I mostly added the winning GUI elements and extrapolated them to the rest of the UI.

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Here is the GitHub for the template: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/
It contains all the used sprites and fonts in the resources folder.
Anyone wanting to be a collaborator let me know, and I'll gladly add your github user to the repo.

The template folder contains the template itself. Here is the download link for the template as it is so far: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/raw/master/template/sierra.agt

I'm not sure that there is much more left to do. I think it would be a good time to decide if we should take this template and start working a new demo, or some tutorials from here.
If anyone wants to contribute, maybe clean up the code or add some extra features (I still think it would be nice for the SCI/Sierra Template to implement a portrait) we should discuss it further.
Also, it's on github, so anyone can fork the template and then offer enhancements to merge back.

Ok, I've done some animating, got a few extra moves for Roger and a female base with three possible heads/colors on different layers:

x1 x2 x4 x8

I really like them, maybe we could have some voting to decide which Roger should be the Nu-Roger based on all these variations.

[lorenzo]

I just tried the template, it looks (and works) really nice! Great job CaesarCub, and everybody else who contributed.

I found a small problem: the string "voice and text" is too big for the button. See the image:

Otherwise, no complaints from me.

I still think it would be nice for the SCI/Sierra Template to implement a portrait

I like the idea!

Hobo: I love your sprites! I actually prefer them to the new Roger.

[selmiak]

niiiiiice. I love it when a plan comes together

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way

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[Monsieur OUXX]

Yes, triple yes.
I know we are all emotionally attached to Roger and EGO, and to the remains of Chris Jones' touch, but AGS needs to be more attractive for people who run the empty/basic template for the first time. I know there's a cool demo game included, but this more down-to-eart and low-res; it has the same purpose as Roger.
(also nowadays we can totally afford to keep both, resources-wise)

[Danvzare]

niiiiiice. I love it when a plan comes together

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way

x1 x2 x4 x8

Oh that looks so much better.
If anyone wants to make this change to the status bar, just know that I'm voting yes on it.

[selmiak]

I had some time on my hands and animated the starfield of the background

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all 4 frames in one imgur gallery:
https://imgur.com/a/6oDUS

tweening the transparency of the images over each other over 1-2 seconds each could look even cooler, but would require the tween module, way too much for a template... or is it? I'd be happy to not have to import the tween module all the time

[CaesarCub]

I found a small problem: the string "voice and text" is too big for the button. See the image:

Otherwise, no complaints from me.

This is fixed, I added a second longer button to the template to accommodate for this.
The main issue of using sprite buttons is that the size becomes static, but they look much better than the ones the engine provides.

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I modified the Verb buttons to be thinner but retain the curved borders.
Both changes are already pushed to github, so the template is updated. [Link here]

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way

x1 x2 x4 x8

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.

[selmiak]

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way

x1 x2 x4 x8

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.

what about adding a 1% opacity black background? Not noticable, spreading out the gui and reacting to mouseover and the like.

[dactylopus]

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I really like them, maybe we could have some voting to decide which Roger should be the Nu-Roger based on all these variations.

Count my vote for the middle of these 3.

[Crimson Wizard]

Hello. I just got a PM from selmiak who suggested to add this template to newest release of AGS.

I was not quite following this thread, but is this a replacement for Default Template or Demo Game?

Is it actually complete? I noticed it was not posted in Templates and modules section yet.

[selmiak]

there is this:

somehow I think the statusbar icons could benefit from a smaller rounded corner than the rest of the elements, but for now I removed the background on the statusbar as a suggestion. I like it better this way

x1 x2 x4 x8

This looks nice, but will require some coding, otherwise the status bar will be peeking out because it doesn't hide automatically when the icon bar is shown. (As well as making sure it shows again when the other GUIs are showing, lilke the Item window).
Another solution would be to make the iconbar solid but add a border to the bottom of it so it looks less plain.

what about adding a 1% opacity black background? Not noticable, spreading out the gui and reacting to mouseover and the like.

but beside this, yeah, I think it is complete and it is indeed thought as a niced up replacement of the current default/sierra template, but I wouldn't know how to handle this from here

[Crimson Wizard]

We have a repository for default template files (in compiled form): https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags-templates
And another for template sources: https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags-template-source

In sources we only have templates that are not "authored" by anyone else, like Empty and Default. So, since this new template already has an author and a repository, there is no need to put sources there (unless author him/herself wants to store it there).

[selmiak]

So how would we add this template to the default template files and/or source on github? Should CC as the owner of the github project for this template be involved or is the owner of the target github project responsible?

so it's not for sources. WHat I mean is, when I download the newest version of AGS and start the create a game wizard there is for example the LW_BASS template by ghost there, bass 2 click has an author (ghost), it is not default. I mean how do we add this template to the create new game wizard in 3.4.2 and should it be a "polished default" or just replace the default template so we get prettier noob games?!

[Crimson Wizard]

To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

Earlier, when Nick Sonneveld was around, we had automatic building script that took all templates from the ags-templates repository, and copied them into release package. So, having them updated in that repository was important. Now, when auto-building is not working, that's rather an option, but still useful, because you may just blindly copy all the files from there when preparing a release.

To put the new template there you need either someone who has commit rights, or make a pull request.


PS. The template's repository does not have any license, only list of contributors. Maybe this is just a formality, but is there supposed to be one?
I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Also, this reminds me that if the template is replaced, we also will have to replace credits in the manual.

[selmiak]

To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

So you mean the template folder of AGS sources on github rather than a template folder on my hdd AGS is installed on?
I'm so clueless about the github repositories things...

I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Hmmm, I wanted to animate some things on the background image but seriously lack time for that atm. how hard is it to update the template from its own github once it is integrated into AGS? Should the 2 github projects be merged somehow?

[Crimson Wizard]

To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

So you mean the template folder of AGS sources on github rather than a template folder on my hdd AGS is installed on?
I'm so clueless about the github repositories things...

What? No. There is no "template" folder in AGS sources... I was talking exactly about template folder as on your HDD. Or in AGS installation package.

how hard is it to update the template from its own github once it is integrated into AGS? Should the 2 github projects be merged somehow?

Templates are NOT integrated into AGS, that's the point, otherwise how would people make template for themselves?
They are separate files put into Templates folder where the Editor is installed.

Updating template is just using new version of the template file next time you release AGS.

Uhhhh... looks like my explanation was not clear at all.


When you prepare AGS release you set up all the editor files together. When you do, you may also add Templates folder with templates in it. Then it will be installed along with AGS.
If you do things by hand, then that's all.

But for organization sake it is better to also commit new/modified templates to ags-templates repository, to make everyone know what exactly we are releasing with AGS.
If automatic building will be set up later again, it will also take templates from repository.

[Hobo]

Should/could have probably uploaded these already last year, since they've been sitting on my hard drive for quite some time, but better late than never, I guess.

RogerEdits.zip

What's in the file?
- Original ProgZmax gifs
- Blue Roger edit in gif, png and GraphicsGale formats
- 3 female versions in gif, png and GraphicsGale formats

Examples of the sprites:

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The Blue Roger edit has some minor pixel changes compared to the original and also a few additional animations, so it's slightly different from the current color swap version.

It doesn't really matter to me what happens with these sprites, whether they get integrated into the template, added as bonus resources or tossed aside. I just thought it might be useful to have more choices for the main character and a possibility to add NPCs.

[Snarky]

Awesome! Guess who's going to be attending the Awards ceremony this year?

[CaesarCub]

Hello.
Sorry for the delay but the couple of weeks I decided to spend visiting friends and family are the ones this thread gets active again.

Hello. I just got a PM from selmiak who suggested to add this template to newest release of AGS.
Is it actually complete? I noticed it was not posted in Templates and modules section yet.

The template is finished (it can always be improved) but it is on a working state.

To have this template in the Editor you need to put it in the Templates folder when you prepare release package.

If you make release package by hand, then you are manually copying all required templates there, obviously.

Earlier, when Nick Sonneveld was around, we had automatic building script that took all templates from the ags-templates repository, and copied them into release package. So, having them updated in that repository was important. Now, when auto-building is not working, that's rather an option, but still useful, because you may just blindly copy all the files from there when preparing a release.

To put the new template there you need either someone who has commit rights, or make a pull request.

The template file is available here: https://github.com/caesarcub/AGS-SCI-Template/tree/master/template
If you want me to I can add it and make the PR.

PS. The template's repository does not have any license, only list of contributors. Maybe this is just a formality, but is there supposed to be one?
I'd rather have a confirmation from the template author(s) that the template is complete and may be used in release.

Also, this reminds me that if the template is replaced, we also will have to replace credits in the manual.

I wasn't sure which of the open licenses applied to it, so I decided not to add one until I got the confirmation.
While everyone I asked to contribute myself agreed (and understood) that this template was meant to have an open license (after all the code is based on the old default AGS code), the nu-Roger sprites are created by ProgZmax and modified by Hobo.
ProgZmax created them for an older version of the new template, so I guess it could be assumed they were created with an open license in mind, but I really can't tell for certain.

Other than that everyone else contributed to it knowing it was for a template that people might reuse.
At least for what I am responsible (UI icons, cursors and code modification) I'm open to whatever open source license is more compatible for people to reuse and modify things as they see fit.