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This is a feature I've long-requested for AGS, but didn't get implemented, so here's a module for it!

Lip synching with Lucasarts-style speech module

AGS won't let you use both Lucasarts-style speech and Pamela-file lip-synching, so this module hacks speaking characters after picking up the Pamela files manually.  It's adapted from Calin Leafshade's original code, without which I wouldn't have had the faintest clue of what to do, so thanks Calin!

I've tried to comment the code and make it all understandable, but post a reply here and I'll see if I can help further.  It was a big help for my own game, Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass, and with the help of Smiley's lip synch manager (which auto-generates the pamela files), I got lip-synching into my game in about two days.

Hope someone finds it useful!

Thanks!

Lip-synching was surprisingly easy, once I found out how.  First I used smiley's Automatic Lipsync Plugin to generate .pam files for each speech file (just double click the audio file, press start and it does a pretty good approximation).  Then I renamed all .pam files to .dat, and wrote a module (using some long-lost code here as a basis) that reads the file and manually overrides the character's frames when talking.  Bit of a hack, but it works.

Anyone want the module?  I'll upload it if so - I always wanted a way of having lip-synching in Lucasarts-style games and it's the only way I know of doing it.

...aand just a mere seven years later, this is done!  Update in the first post.

The main reason hardly anybody's been making use of pamela lip-synching is because it's been extremely labourious.  However, smiley's automatic pamela creation plugin does a superb job of creating realistic .pam files for you.  I've tested it out and it's absolutely excellent.

My game in production, Da New Guys: Day of the Jackass, is nearing completion, and lip-synching would be a major plus with it.  If there's any chance this feature could be implemented soon I would be immensely grateful.  Not only would it boost the quality of the game, it would also encourage others to give their projects an extra sheen of professionalism.

Thanks.

I've been pretty scarce on these boards for a while now, and it's high time I showed why.  I've spent the last six months putting together a short 3D movie featuring the wrestlers from my games.  It's a fun, quirky little movie and I hope you enjoy it!


High quality Large size but slower to download
Low quality Small size but quicker to download


From my site:

"The film follows Simon, Defender and Brain during a typical night at The Wrestle Zone as they do battle with a washed-up actor, an obsessed fanboy and his gang of internet nerds."

Why did I make this?  Two reasons: to try to bring the concept of "Da New Guys" to a wider audience, and also to see if I'm cut out to be a filmmaker!  It's my first proper 3D work (and my first proper film!) and it was pretty tough going!  Hopefully it was worth it, and I'd love to make another one if the response to this one is positive.

Lastly, I'd like to say a big "Thank you!" to The Scorposer, for producing it's great soundtrack!

P.S.: Oh, and apologies to all the forum's moderators (you'll see... )

Works fine for me!  Didn't even need the extra zip for the music.vox either.  I haven't got too far through it yet (it's best played in the dark!  ) but I'm hoping to save those campers this time around!

Great work!

Aagh!!  2 hours d'loading only to find the zip file is corrupt!  Could you check it to see if it was just a problem my end?  I'm really looking forward to playing this!

Oh my!  I played the first BR game a few months ago after randomly picking it out, and I've been hooked ever since - the series gets better with each installment and they have a real wit that's not often found in indie games.  I'm really looking forward to this one, and a big kudos to you for sticking to the project after what sounds like an enormously bad string of blows!

Great stuff!

KhrisMUC:
If you want pamela support for a voice-only game, you can fake it by loading the speech font into an editor and removing all the letters.  Then if you set it to "text and voice" mode you can't see the text!  (Be sure to use a separate font for everything else though!)

CJ, nice hunch - that was exactly it!  Perhaps it was to do with the increased engine speed, or something...
Anyway, cheers, I'm relieved to have that outta the way!

GarageGothic:
Yes, the script is being run - I should have made that clear.  I put in a "QuitGame" line to check it, and the game closed only when I tried to use an inventory item on the screen.

Ghost:
No I didn't, and neither did I during 2.72 either.  When I did check it, I wasn't able to click on inventory items at all.  I'm using my own functions for the handling of inventory items, since my icon-based dialogue system also uses inventory items for topics.  That checkbox only seems to affect the actual inventory GUI, however, rather than the handling of "active" items.

Sorry I can't elaborate too well.  As I said, this problems only come around with 2.8, so I'm really stumped!

This new engine is great, and a lot faster - thanks CJ!
I've come across a really confusing problem, though since importing DNG2 into it..

The game no longer seems to be able to handle inventory interactions (you can interact with items, just not use them on characters/objects/etc)

Strangely, it's OK with unhandled events.  This is only a problem for objects and so on that have a "UseInv" function.  I've been trying to figure out why, and am completely lost!!

I'm using a self-written inventory system, coded inside the on_mouse_click function, and use the ProcessClick function:

if ((button==LEFT) && (GetCursorMode()==MODE_USEINV)) {

    ProcessClick(mouse.x, mouse.y, MODE_USEINV);
    SetCursorMode (MODE_WALK);
    SetActiveInventory (-1);
}

The answer is probably right under my nose, and it's probably some minor change I'm missing, but it all works with 2.72.  Please help!

Sorry for being so quiet about this production of late!  You may have noticed I've removed the estimated release date from the first page - instead of letting anyone down again with missed deadlines, just know that it is coming.  I realise lots of people are waiting for this, and I'm really trying to make sure it's worth it.

In the meantime, check out this promotional track we've prepared!  Listen in on the game's development as Da New Guys themselves "appeared" on their local radio station.  Enjoy!

EDIT:   : Link fixed!

Giving The Camp Crusader the coke was the original way to unlock the alternate ending.  If you did so, there was a dream sequence right before Brain wakes up in Part 3, in which CC tells him of the connection between Smiley Joe and Mr. Nice Guy. 

Then ... I realised that didn't make any sense.  I kept the coke bit in, though 

Apologies for the size of this one, but then it was a huge room (at 320x240!)Ã,  Basically my first attempt at painting over a scanned sketch.

This was the first screen of a game in the vein of Monkey Island, mixed with old-skool Jules Verne adventure stories.Ã,  Too many puzzles, too many locations, too little timeÃ, 

Sorry to hear this is going to be a while, fenty - I was really looking forward to it!

Then again, getting a few smaller projects under your belt is a real sensible idea.  Get that experience, improve your skills, and wait until you can make the game exactly how you envisioned!  Kudos to you (and when I think back to my earlier, unreleased projects, I'm glad I made them before trying Da New Guys!) 

Good luck with your new proj in the meantime, then!

Gone and made a trailer!Ã,  Just a little something for all those who have been waiting so patiently for this game to be released.Ã,  Enjoy!

EDIT: Oh, and my new site is also up, in case you missed it - woohoo!

I got a heads up that "Da New Guys" was on there a while back.  I didn't check to see if any other AGS games were there, but a quick e-mail to them was enough for them to take it down.

They told me that they only charge to keep the site up.  True or not?  No idea.

High time for an update, methinks  :

First of all, sorry for missing the summer release date.  I could try aiming for a new one, but then I've been saying "next month" for about 6 months now    I will, however, say that it can not POSSIBLY take that much longer: it's high time this thing came out!

Anyway, the least I can do is tell you some of the recent developments!  Yay!

1) Voicework is taking longer than hoped.  I've been ad-libbing a lot of new jokes while doing the voices, which really makes the game more fun, but then I have to go back and code them in properly.

2) Britney Brimhall (of Himalaya Studios) has kindly agreed to voice the lead female!  Revealing any more would be a spoiler, so let's just leave it at that 

3) M0ds and The Scorposer are collaborating to bring you a full MP3 soundtrack, that's becoming a great mix of orchestral/hard rock.  Anyone who's watched wrestling on TV will instantly recognise the over-the-top style 

4) The game will also feature a full audio commentary - from the trio themselves!  Unlike say, The Adventures of Fatman (where you clicked on a button in each room and had to sit still while you hear an audio clip), this will be as close to a DVD-style movie commentary as I can make it.  The gang will comment on what you do / who you talk to / what happens in general, point out fun things to try, and even start talking amongst themselves if you don't give them anything to talk about.

Well, that's all for now.  I'm hoping to get a new website together (ie. one that I'd be proud to call mine  ) and hopefully a fun trailer too!

Bye!

My edit, which helped me bring up a few points:


-For that cartoon look, I used a line width of 2, and used the curvy freehand tool on PSP (not sure if Gimp has a similar tool).
-Turned him slightly to his left.  This way, you can put in some definition in his profile, plus because it's not symmetrical it's more interesting.
-Added shading (whoops, forgot the hair!).  He's turned slightly towards the light source
-More variation in the colours, eg. trousers
-Added a few details such as the sleeves with line width of 1 (for finer detailing)
-Given more shape to the torso (waist curves downwards, defined shoulders/elbows, neck)
-Straightened the legs.  I tend to have one foot facing straight on, the other turned
-Simplified the hands - they're hard to do!!!
-Added eye sparkle!