Messages

Just to be clear, will this game be eligible for the AGS Awards as it is, or does the author have to make a new entry in the database to get the correct "time stamp" in order to be so?

Finally made a new entry in the database 

You missed two ways to die, Wiggy 

Spoiler

1: in the apartment (broken vacuum)
2: space lab tube (fan)

[close]

This game has now been released:

https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2436-a-son-of-xenon-space-quest-prequel-full-version-2022-/

Remember the star generator from Sierra’s “Space Quest I”?

In this vintage stylish prequel (look and feel of Space Quest III), naive engineer not-yet-janitor Roger Wilco learns why the sun of Xenon had to die in the first place.
Download this free full length classic adventure game (80 pictures) and travel to strange new planets, puzzle your way through parallel worlds, and discover new species from across the galaxy, all of whom want to kill you. And they WILL kill you!

Think you’ve already played this game back in 2020? You have NOT! That was just a draft of the first act to see if people from Terra III were looking for another Roger Wilco adventure. Turns out they were.

So, curtain up for your hero, Roger Wilco, a true “Son of Xenon”.

So, sorry if this may sound like a stupid question, but what do you mean by "engine exe" and where do I find it?

Engine exe is acwin.exe, located in the editor's installation folder.

Thanks! Looks like this solved it. So reliefed! Thanks a lot. Release of the game now imminent... 

Also, it is possible to gather a game distribution by hand, combining game.ags file from Compiled/Data and the bare engine exe. Except you'll also have to rename the engine exe to your game's title, and change the file's icon with some tool, if you want one...

If the latter option comes without upgrading AGS, I'd rather try that.
So, sorry if this may sound like a stupid question, but what do you mean by "engine exe" and where do I find it?

AGS has been known for false virus alerts for years. I had a guess that the reason is that it appends game data to exe file. This means that it constantly opens exe file for reading. Antiviruses probably don't like it. Sometimes they may slow it down, because each time it reads some game data, AV would halt it for another check.

If that's the case, then the solution would be to not attach game data to the engine exe, and instead distribute game as a separate engine exe (renamed to game's title) and *.ags file with game data in it. Such option was added since 3.5.1 and called "Attach game data to exe (Windows only)", and located in General Settings -> Compiler section. Perhaps you could try this and see if these alerts go away.

PS. I also wonder why did not i make it default to not attach since 3.5.1. Probably no one noticed that this option even exists.

Thanks, that sounds promising. I did make my game with AGS 3.4.1 though. Is 3.5.1 100% compatible?

Usually you can report false positives to the anti virus developer's website through a form or through email and they really quick at patching out these checks. I did for the AGS Editor many times - it gets checked by 70 something anti virus when I push it through chocolatey, and it's not unusual for one to give me a false positive.

Thanks, that's what I did for my previous project. But I'm not convinced they whitelisted it, and I can't find those reporting options anymore resp. they limited the file size to 10MB (the game has 18)...

Which version of AGS are you using ?

Can you reproduce this with an empty project ?

Are you sure your computer is not infected with a virus ?

I use AGS 3.4.1
Going to reproduce it. I had the issue with my previous project, too...
I'm 99.9% sure my computer's not infected. It's got an AV program, I only use if for the game design and it's hardly ever online (only when I exchange emails with trusted sources or upload the game on a data exchange plattform for testers and co-producers)

I just finished creating a high quality full length game with AGS and started sending the compiled game (.exe) to betatesters.
Folks report that their antivirus programs (Kaspersky, Microsoft Defender, maybe others too) block the game because they detect a trojan.

It's possible for the players to bypass their antivirus program by temporily disabling it and tell it to ignore the game folder. BUT: I can't expect from the future players to do that!
I doubt it is still possible to report the false positive to the AV vendors.

What can I do? Why is my game file treated like that? Would it help to compile the game on another computer? What's causing this problem and how can I get rid of it?
I'm a bit desperate  . We spent 1000+ hours on this game and created something really wonderful for people looking for adventure game nostalgia. But this might be a real showstopper.

Thanks for any help.

Entering testing phase now 

I'm happy to tell you that we've almost finished coding the final act. We're now revising the dialogues and polishing up this and that.
If everything goes to plan we can enter testing phase before the end of summer.
Wanna test? Please PM me! It might take a few weeks, though, before I send you the download link (wetransfer.com).

Thanks Crimson Wizard!

I want to reuse the walkable areas, walkbehinds and if possible the hotspots for a second room.
Is there a possibility to simply duplicate a room? (not necessarily the script, but everyting that needs to be drawn)

Act IV almost complete. Final act V started. The game should be finsihed in 2022.

Since phase 3 (out of 5) is almost done here's another proof of life. Look familiar? Guess so 

The second part of the game is complete 
Currently the dialogues are being revised by my 'script doctor'. After that I am happy to send the game to a few beta testers... Any volunteers? PM me!

A short update:
The last few weeks have been very productive. The background pictures for the space lab (part II of the game) are more or less complete. I have started scripting this part...
Furthermore, I have revised the next parts. Part III will take place on a familiar dessert planet. Part IV will lead us into an exotic environment until we reach the final part where Roger saves the world - or not.

In celebration of the 1000th download of the first part of "A Son of Xenon" I want to assure you that I am still working on the game.
My time is currently very limited but the project is alive. And as a proof of life I want to share another background picture with you:

When will episode 2 be?

I have the framework of the whole story in my head, but unfortunately I don't have time for Roger at the moment. Too many other non-computer related projects... I do want to continue, but I do not yet know when. But definitely not until the Space Quest Historian has published a let's play video of the first part