Topics

Is there a way to embed a startup dialog in the dialog system? I mean a dialog that isn't triggered by a dialog option selection, but by a dialog start? Right now, I'm using Character.Say() in these cases, but my dialogs are mixing up with the code. Other problem is the game msgs, I display them with Display(), but the text again gets mixed up with code.

I wanted to give ONLY the game text to the plot/game design team... My idea is to dump the dialogs to a text file using this option in AGS, but these others texts aren't included. I can export the scripts as well to get the other texts, but I dont want code in my text file.

What you guys would suggest to isolate data and code in these situations? I've thought  in using text files, but the documentation says to only use them to handle simple stuff as saved games...

Thanks in advance

I'd like to know how game entities (rooms, objects, hotspots, regions, characters, sprites) are handled inside AGS. There is a array of each of size AGS_MAX_ENTITY (eg AGS_MAX_CHARACTERS) with the structures or pointers to the structures that are alloc'ed when needed? If that's the case, the engine uses some a simple garbage collector?

For me, room stuff (background, hotspots, regions) is a perfect candidate to be only alloc'ed when needed. Is that how it works?

If they aren't, is there anything that is alloc'ed in execution time besides DynamicSprite?

Regards

1) I build a custom dialog GUI (normal, not text box, to allow the GUI position customization). I'd like to change topic options colors, remove their highlight on select and put a border in each topic (qfg4 style).

I read an old topic that says it isn't possible.
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=21155.0

This still lasts?

2) Other problem I have is to change characters face expression during dialogs... Do I need to have a talking view for each expression, can't I make 1 talking view with several loops?

3) In QFG4, just a few parts of the character animates in the dialog screen (usually eyes and mouth). You could have the static character image and use sprites for these small parts that animate. It seems to be this can't be done in AGS, I have to use a view with the entire character corpse, right? Quite a waste of space, isn't it?

4) In a game with stats as qfg4, How could I test a combination of stats and game flags to turn on/off certain topics during the dialog? I thought in using "run-script X", which would do the checking and turn on/off a flag, but I'd need to have a LOT of global flags for this (some for each game character). Is there a better way?

5) Is it possible to change the background during the dialog? It'd be useful when you're talking to 2 persons represented by just an character or one character likes to give his opinion, although you're not talking to him. It happens often in qfg series...


Thanks in advance.