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

[abstauber]

Sorry for necroposting, but shouldn't this belong in Modules & Plugins? Otherwise I doubt anyone would ever find this new template.

Btw. great work everyone. This turned out really nice!

[cat]

Ideally, this should go into the AGS distributable as new default template. But you are right, I'll move it to the other board.

[morganw]

If licensing is definitely not a problem, I need graphics for a test game (so developers no they haven't broken something), which can potentially also be a new demo game (code in the existing one is not up-to-date).
Does this need clearing with everyone listed as contributing to the template?

• ProgZmax
• CaesarCub
• Hobo
• Selmiak
• Jim Reed

[Jim Reed]

I waive my rights to any art I made for this.

[selmiak]

Imho do what you want with the template, make a new game from it, make a new demo game from it, but credit the sources.

[morganw]

I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.

[Crimson Wizard]

Creative Commons may be a good choice imho, there is a list of them to choose most suitable:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/


For example, CC BY (Attribution):

This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.

Or

CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial):

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don't have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

[selmiak]

I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.

If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam I would expect them to either do this to make a quick buck with a demogame (oh, the immeasureable riches lol), so I wouldn't expect any credit from that person (but still demand it), rather confusion by everyone why this is even happening. Or someone uploads the maybe soon to exist demogame to steam to interest people in AGS coding, then I'd sure expect that person to write some interesting article on the steam game description to really attract new users and within that text I'd just expect that person to credit the sources. Of course expectations can be subverted by reality, but then, what other reasons are there to upload a game engine demo game to steam...

[CaesarCub]

I feel this really needs a specific clearance / licensing  on it. If someone just uploads the demo game to Steam, I doubt they'll be looking to credit the authors.

I was planning to go for a CC BY (Attribution) or even CC-0.

Everyone on the team except ProgZmax (whose art was made for a previous attempt of the template that was never made), is aware that this is meant as a template and a basis for a demo and that a CC BY license was to be expected when participating in it.

We could infer that ProgZmax work was also meant to have a license that allows reuse, but since I never got confirmation of this, I decided not to add the corresponding license file until it was clear.

I can add a license file saying that everything but nu-Roger is CC BY (or even CC-0) but I have no idea what to say about the character art itself.

[Crimson Wizard]

I think that mainly the abscence of license prevents me from adding this to AGS package, because, I believe, it must make things clear in case people will use it, especially for commercial games.

We could infer that ProgZmax work was also meant to have a license that allows reuse, but since I never got confirmation of this, I decided not to add the corresponding license file until it was clear.

If this still needs clarification, have you tried contacting ProgZmax? It looks like he was visiting forums recently.

[Cassiebsg]

Just pitching a bit here, even though I contributed nothing to this template... so feel free to ignore me.

Anyway, I think the script of the template should be free for free and commercial games, not like there's that much in there anyway. But the art should be free for free games, but not commercial. If you going commercial do your own art or compensate the artist!

[CaesarCub]

If this still needs clarification, have you tried contacting ProgZmax? It looks like he was visiting forums recently.

I sent him a message, so now it's time to wait for a response I guess.

Update:

Got the ok from ProgZmax, added a CC BY license to the template.

[cat]

Awesome!

[Crimson Wizard]

Cool.

Should I completely replace Default template with this? Also, should it be called "Default" or "Sierra-like" (or else)?
People seem to prefer single-click controls more over last years, this is why "Default" may be a little misleading, also not explanatory.

[Cassiebsg]

Cool! Glad to see this finally moving forward.

I've said it before, I don't think we should have any template called "Default" cause every new by will pick that one before he even knows what he wants to do and considering which template to use. My vote is for remove default template and call it sierra-like... In that we could even still have sierra-original and sierra-improved templates...

[CaesarCub]

I agree on the removing of Default in favor of Sierra-like

[morganw]

I think in the long run it would be good if all templates used the same assets, so it is more clear where differences in coding are linked to how the interface works. So I would say, don't use 'Default' and use something more representative of the mechanics that it implements ("Sierra-like" in the absence of a better description).

[selmiak]

In that we could even still have sierra-original and sierra-improved templates...

good point, but wouldn't it be sierra-improved and AGS-original-sierra-like template.

I think in the long run it would be good if all templates used the same assets, so it is more clear where differences in coding are linked to how the interface works. So I would say, don't use 'Default' and use something more representative of the mechanics that it implements ("Sierra-like" in the absence of a better description).

this is cool and really educative for newcomers to the engine.
Then is would be a goo thing for that demogame to feature all the templates and explain the differences in coding then. in some semi-advanced chapter.

[Crimson Wizard]

good point, but wouldn't it be sierra-improved and AGS-original-sierra-like template.

Do you want to keep original template as well?

[selmiak]

there is no improvement in the scripting part between the two modules, only a cosmetic change on the surface, a stylish uplift of the art, right?
Then actually I am against keeping both versions and of course favour the new version this thread is about.
And it shouldn't be called sierra improved, only sierra-like.

to keep some nostalgia, the old (and ugly) roger sprite could still be kept in the sprites tab or even the complete view of ugly rog. This is a template and offers some variety this way and these are just a few kb of nostalgia and every pc nowadays can handle this extra load

hmmm, the mousecursors in the old version where ripped from sierra games or repainted version of that, so these mousecursor sprites and the menu images and the menu gui of the old template should also remain to make it easier for people that want to make an original looking sierra fangame and can just switch to the original gui with a simple click or replacing gNew with gOld in the code.
It is that there are people that know what they are doing with the sierra template and produce their own great art for the original sierra template and then there are noobs that don't know what they are doing and when chosing the original template it results in crap and I'd prefer noobs to just use the gui and mousecursers of the new template...