Messages

So does this have keyboard support?

No.

Moving the main character with the cursor arrows is only a nice extra - however, invoking the GUI by keyboard presses (W=walk, T=talk, etc) is essential for LucasArts and VerbCoin GUIs (and a nice extra for Sierra ones). Hence, I would appreciate this being in the standard template. It's only a couple of lines, after all.

Quite. But I won't add it in the module code. I will however put up example code in the globalscript soon. The game designer will almost always want to modify which key does what anyways, and putting it in the globalscript will allow just that.

Ah what the heck. AGS 3.0's got enough new features and options that could REALLY come in handy for my game anyways. And I gotta learn to use it sometime.

I'll use the old MI3 template graphics and whip up a brand new Scumm Verbcoin Gui Template for use with AGS 3.0

Thanks!

see http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=32745.0

It's done!

[New 2.0.0 Features:]

Once upon a time long, long ago, I decided to write an AGS module out of my game script.

- the old version (1.7.2) is already included in the current AGS builds (has been for quite a while now)! - version 2.0.0 for AGS 3.3 is available! (Get the agt file here)

New 2.0.0 Features:

- separate event handler scripts for characters and inventory items (aka interact/look/talk to/use interactions are now handled outside of the global script, keeping it nice and clean. You only need to set a specific function as catch-all function in the events)
- dynamic changing of overhotspot action labels and the 'act' property (if for instance you want to change a specific action to something different than what you set in the corresponding property, or if you want to turn a regular hotspot into an exit or something)
- cursor outline when holding an inventory item and moving over something it can interact with

Old features (but more bug-free):

- fully interchangable gui system (want to switch verbcoin/inventory GUI's half way through the game? you can!)
- a fully integrated verbcoin system where you can add upto 6 buttons to the verbcoin
- @overhotspot@ special interaction label properties (change an object/character/hotspot's properties to display either default or custom text when moving over the corresponding verbcoin button)
- basic keyboard support
- double-click functionality on hotspots/objects based on a boolean property ('act') (useful for room exits!)
- game resolution independent
- the ability to enable/disable this module at any point in your game!

backwards compatibility notice

v2.0.0 will *break* your old 1.7.2 code, though it is possible to replace the old functions with the new (more logically named) functions and properties.
AGS 3.3.0's find all occurrences functionality will make the transition a bit smoother.

Known bugs

No known bugs yet. Old 1.7.2 bugs stomped.
I expect bug reports from you guys!

I tried to load a game in beta 13 that I'd been working on in beta 8.  (It was originally from 7.2.)  It loaded fine, but it didn't prompt me to upgrade anything, and now when I try to run the game itself it compiles and then crashes with this message:

(ACI version 3.00.953)

Error: prepare_script: error -18 (no such function in script) trying to run 'room_Load' (Room 1)

When I run my backup in beta 8 it still runs without problems.

Lyaer, this is probably a lingering problem with the older betas and creating new room scripts for the editor for imported games.  Check the 'Enters room before' event and see if a room_Load function was made for it.  If so, go there and see what's inside the function (if you imported from 2.72 then it is probably a routing function to something like hotspot1_a or whatever).  Make sure the function it routes to (if there is one) exists.  I had the very same problem on several of the earlier builds and it looks like it's still happening.

I get a similar error with beta 14. I Imported a game from v2.72, changed a room hotspot name/interaction response name, and presto!

prepare_script: error -18(no such function in script) trying to run 'room_a' (Room 1)

EDIT: nevermind, figured it out. Probably shouldve dug a bit more through the forum first. (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=18559.msg225968#msg225968)

Any chance you could add an error event handler which displays a "you removed an interaction which is still being referenced" message or something similar instead of this error?

Not necessarily a bug, but a bit annoying:

When setting up custom properties, I have a "Description" string of 170 characters. Basically 2 lines of text.

It fits the properties box quite nicely and no error is displayed. However, when I try to build the game, the editor gives me an

Unexpected error: String is too long:

error.

Could you increase the string lenght for the description field in custom properties (to, say, around 200 characters, which should fit nicely in the box. Maybe a little experimenting with strings can give you the optimal string lenght).

While I'm sure this is no issue for most game developers, if you are creating a template those descriptions will come in handy for whomever starts using the template.

Good idea! If you're interested, you can use my verb-coin module
No ready-to-use template, though. (I encourage all that are interested to make one)

Thanks for the offer. Would anyone have some time to create a ready-to-use version of this template?

Ah what the heck. AGS 3.0's got enough new features and options that could REALLY come in handy for my game anyways. And I gotta learn to use it sometime.

I'll use the old MI3 template graphics and whip up a brand new Scumm Verbcoin Gui Template for use with AGS 3.0

As a starting point, I think it'd be good to include some sort of lucasarts/MI style template, and some sort of verb-coin type template.

Good idea! If you're interested, you can use my verb-coin module (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=27309.20)

, which Dualnames has altered a little (see http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=32398.0)

No ready-to-use template, though. (I encourage all that are interested to make one)

EDIT: Everything works quite perfect. I could fix the code if you like.

Hey, knock yourself out. Haven't got the time myself, unfortunately.

[Monthly update: August 2007 - Filling in the missing pieces.]

Monthly update: August 2007 - Filling in the missing pieces.

Things have been rather slow this month, with the main focus turning back to the script, puzzles and dialogs. While the main puzzles etc. were already written, many of the minor, detail stuff was still missing.
You know the kind, where you can try to interact with EVERYTHING and there's (at least) a witty comment for trying. So I've been filling in the blanks.

[Monthly update: July 2007 - The wheels are starting to turn.]

Monthly update: July 2007 - The wheels are starting to turn.

Not much to mention this month. A roadmap was set up, goals were set and we're now slowly moving forward.
Some of our teammembers are on holiday, so in some fields progress is a little slower then in others.
I've been rather absent-minded of late, due to increased work pressure, but with my 2-week holiday starting monday, I can finally put my full attention back into game development.

Q&A

Do you now have the release date of the act 1?

Short answer: Before 2014.

Long answer: No. This project isn't about setting a release date and working towards it, it's about creating someting of excellent quality, and using as much time as is needed to get it done. It's very hard to predict when that'll be. I updated the main page of our website to display where we are in our roadmap. Check there to see how much closer we are to the completion op part 1.

Is there still a demo of this for download?

There never was a demo of MI - TLY. Waaaaay back, I wanted to build a small MI fangame, (hence the demo of which people talk at the beginning of this topic), but frankly, was quite a mess, and wouldn't have been very fun to play. That project, called RMI, was discontinued. The entire story was re-invented, the game puzzles re-designed, so that in the end you would be able to play a quality game, rather then a quick and poorly constructed one.

Once part 1 is completed and released, the reviews will help us decide whether or not to continue with The Lost Years.

A beta of the version is out. Use it as you see fit.

It's been a while now since the last update by Besh, but is this plugin still being actively developed?

Just checking...

[June 2007 - Good times and free grog all around!]

From now on I'm only give an update once a month and share some thoughts about our progress and answer any outstanding questions. There will be no more graphic updates.

June 2007 - Good times and free grog all around!

Celebrations all around as we've actually managed to get a full core team assembled! (geez, I wonder how long that'll last...  :)

Finally, after all this time, we now got everyone we need busy helping create a great game!

...and that's all I'm saying this month 

Q&A

What kind of goodies? Easter eggs?

At this point in time I will not reveal any such details. Let's just say that once (IF  ) the entire game is (GETS) finished you're going be able to figure it all out...

[edit] Well I finally got it to work. Never mind.

Glad you managed to solve your problem.

In any case, I've decided to swipe off the dust of this module, get it to work better then before, create a new template to go with the module and complete user documentation.

I've let this slide for far too long.

With luck, I can release the whole package (module-template-documentation) sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Here's another sneak peak at what we're doing...
(warning - work in progress)

(work by our character concept artist, Fawfulhasfury)

note: you don't have to point out the flaws, we know and we're fixing them.

*bump*

new screenshot. see first post of this thread.

the character in it is not 100% finished, though. gives you a little peak at what we're doing, though.

Wow! An astonishing "the page can not be displayed!"!!! 

ooopss...fixed now. (I hope  )

Greetings, we've been working on this for some time now...



Check it out!

An update:

Well, things are looking good. The team's almost complete, just 1 person short: the animator.

The story's ready, the part 1 script is almost complete (only thing still being discussed are the dialogs), the background lineart/coloring is coming along nicely, character concepts are looking good, ... 

It seems like *gasp* there's a chance we'll actually might finish making this game someday!

Well, when is it going to be released? In the first or in the second half of the year 2007?

When it's done.  (depending on how fast we find an animator, as that's the only field that's been lagging waaaay behind)

I  again offer my services in dialogs/in-game messages/story-plot section of this game.
Pm me or send me a mail at JustLedZep@mail.gr.
i hope I get the job

I send you a PM.

Well, where can I get the demoversion?

There isn't any atm. Once (a looong time ago), I made a demo (when the game was still called the revival of mi project, with different story) to attract other developers. It wasn't much to look at (frankly, qua graphics it was an embarassment compared to current backgrounds)

Currently, we're not thinking about demos. We're thinking of getting the first part done alltogether and releasing it. (and depending on the critics we'll decide if we want to make parts 2 upto 7)

i can only offer services for voice acting if you want someone with a caribbean accent

Unfortunately, we're not looking for voice actors at this time. If part 1 is well received, and as a result we've made all the other parts, THEN and only then will we be looking for voice actors, to make a "deluxe" edition with full voice-overs and tons of extra little goodies. (so people who played the individual parts/sets would want to play it all over again)

But thanks for offering, I'll be sure to remember that offer if and when the time comes...