Messages

Alright, so you both seem not to go for option 3. You know what, I think the full preload bar is annoying too...I just wish I could find a way to preload those suckers quicker before using the booklets...and having the fastest page flipping fps possible!

Thanks for your suggestions/comments Sonny + ProgZmax...

@ ProgXmax: hmmm, good idea. Ill fiddle with that and see what I can come up with...makes sense!

@ Sonny: Thanks for your enthusiam...I really really hope to finish one day (cause who nows with life getting in the way, you know how it is)...and make a realistic and cool cop game that even real police officers would enjoy!

1) No preload: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eUHfb2xuXw

2) Preload each page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayhEUnKuDa8

3) Preload bar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxJFYUOUXBk

Ok, so this is what Ive got as results...the first clip shows the animation of the page flipping without preloading the views at all...the fps gets pretty low (13-14fps).

The 2nd clip, I preload the page flip view everytime the player flips the page...much better fps cause the view is played on an invisible gui first...then I replay it visible

The 3rd clip, I just preload all the views for all the pages of the booklet in one shot...with a progress bar. The best fps here (34-44 fps), but do you guys think it can be annoying for players to wait a few seconds for the preload each time before being able to use the booklet?

Without hijacking (or intending to), will global funtions be available in AGS aswell one day? As in, I can access a global funtion no matter where  it is?

Heheh...well I did reach a conclusion however you're right...I wont rest until I know everyone who plays the finished game in 23 years from now will need a 5000$ system 

I just retested with all my quickguides visible and its "slow" again, so Ill post the code+youtube vids first thing tomorrow...but if its just 1 guide at a time, its nice and fast

ps: I can also upload the whole thing for you aswell, but I'd be afraid your computer might melt, hihihi.

I added some various values (with a mb to kb converter I found online ) and in my case...uhh...hehe, 500mb was the perfect number! I tried 3 gigs for fun, and the game wont even start (hangs). Ive got 8gigs ram so I tried to see...didnt work!

With the cache to 500mb, I found that after turning the pages of my quickguides once, for the rest of the time, it was always running fast (50fps or more)...when before, it was like 15fps or lower!

I tried using an array (placing the sprites into dynamic sprites) method Mode7 suggested, however it only works if I downgrade to 16bit. I didnt notice any speed-up unfortunatly even in 16bit with his method.

The other method I tried was just playing the animation on the gui while the transparency is set to 100...then just resetting it to 0 and playing it again! Kinda of crappy, but it got the job done (although there is a delay while you wait for the 1st "preload" invisible animation is playing).

Want me to post that crap here? I can post a vid on youtube too if you wish. I also coded a nifty loading bar to go along with it...gee I wish I had your talents Monkey!

lol! Hehe...yeah, it is quite monstrous!!

Ok, Ill try that out! Just a question, will increasing the sprite cache limit make the game use more RAM or something? (*this may or may not be a stupid question.)

By increasing this limit, AGS will be able to store more sprites into memory, making heavier animations play smoother, right?

I'm working on a "crap-azz" script that kinda tries to pre-load huge view sprites into memory before it gets played, and its kinda working (amazingly)...I can share it with you if you want to see a semi-pooish script!

random meaningless smiley of the day:  

Oh, btw, is the sprite cache just for the editor or for the game too? Check this post out here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=21373.msg258745#msg258745

Iceboty V7000a had an awesome idea way back in 2005 for "PreloadSprite(int slot)"
and "ReleaseSpriteControl(int slot)"...any news on that?

Is there a way to increase the sprite cache limit? Right now the max is 100mb...it would be nice to put a higher value!

What do you guys think? Can it be done?

Khris is one of the most helpful posters here (if not, the most)...I dont think its a real good idea to "direct" him in how he "should" help you! It can come off as a bit insulting, really.

Major newbie question but is there a current "how to" section for creating plugins? I guess I need visual studio or something? Ive got my c++ for dummies book, maybe I can get myself a visual studio book too...cause its fun.

I looked in the manual and I didnt seem to find anything that could permit me to open a folder on the user's system.

In melScript, there is a command "system ("explorer "...blah)  where from within maya you can open folders with explorer by scripting.

Would there be a way to do this with AGS? It would be so that when a screenshot is saved, the savegame folder gets opened.      

[!!1]

...guess what dbuske is looking for!!1

Everytime  I see !!1, I feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Ahhhhh!! Didnt know I could do that...looks like Im gonna be rewriting a crap-load of stuff now, hehe!! Well you're quite the teacher

Thnx Monkey, I always appreciate your help!!

[MUaaaahhaahhh!!]

MUaaaahhaahhh!!

Evil gril  

...Now that you're on a roll with your modules Monkey...

<tilts head back and laughs maniacally while wringing hands>

...what says-you to p'raps make the above request work?  

...MuuaAAhahaah-haha HAHA HAHAHh haha!!

<thunder claps in distance, evil glare in eyes>

Evil gril  

Ah crap, well I thought that if I put that script in rep_exec...I dont want AGS to constantly reset the mouse bounderies over and over again...so I added a bool "if it hasnt been setup yet, set the bounderies to this"...that way I figured it will only run it once.

Ok, Ill try what you wrote, Ill keep you posted

**EDIT**

Awwwwwww YEAH!! Much cleaner + more effecient Monkey! Shanks!!1

Hi,

I wrote a script where I can set different mouse bounderies depending on if certain gui's/menus are visible. It works, only I believe there is a nicer way to do it so that its compact, and non-redundant.

Also, everytime I add a new enum "eType" (because Im still not sure how many I need since Im still designing), I have to manually add new lines each time into the script, and create new global variables. Is there a way  to do this so that the script scans the enum list (which is going to grow with time as I work on the game), creates a global variable for each new addition, and then runs the script so everything works? (If not, atleast, how to do it so the script isnt redundant and shortest possible.)

Code: ags

//.ash
enum eGameBoundsType 
{
  eGamePlayBounds, 
  eMenuBounds, 
  eMagnifierBounds,
};

Code: ags

//.asc
bool bGamePlayBoundsSet = false;
bool bMenuBoundsSet = false;
bool bMagnifierBoundsSet = false;

void setMouseBounds(eGameBoundsType eType)
{
    if (eType == eGamePlayBounds)
    {
      if (!bGamePlayBoundsSet)
      {
        Display("eType == eGamePlayBounds...");
        mouse.SetBounds(7, 53, 1000, 700); //Lft Top Rght Btm
        bGamePlayBoundsSet = true;
        //set all other bools to false...
        bMenuBoundsSet = false;
        bMagnifierBoundsSet = false; 
      }
    }
    else if (eType == eMenuBounds)
    {
      if (!bMenuBoundsSet)
      {
        Display("eType == eMenuBounds...");
        mouse.SetBounds(7, 53, 990, 700); //Lft Top Rght Btm
        bMenuBoundsSet = true;
        //set all other bools to false...
        bGamePlayBoundsSet = false; 
        bMagnifierBoundsSet = false; 
      }
    }
    else if (eType == eMagnifierBounds)
    {
      if (!bMagnifierBoundsSet)
      {
        Display("eType == eMenuBounds...");
        mouse.SetBounds(99, 99, 1000, 700); //Lft Top Rght Btm 
        bMagnifierBoundsSet = true;
        //set all other bools to false...
        bGamePlayBoundsSet = false; 
        bMenuBoundsSet = false;
      }
    }
}

Thanks!  

I always love the good old two exclamation points and a one at the end of a post ("!!1")...almost as awesome as a triple question mark

Looking forward to my mind being blown!!1

Can you make a poptart module? 

lol! I know exactly what you mean...peeking out the closed blinds to see...see if "they" are watching...watching...with "their" eyes...

It even makes toast and improves your sex life.

Awesome module Monkey...When is the ImproveSexLife Module coming out?

hehe...don't forget, to be able to play my game the user will also need three 24" screens, a flux-capacitor from 1885, 2.2 gigawatts of power and 3 pounds of scabs.