| redruM |
Hello. As stated in the subject, this is mainly a question directed to Brian Provinciano. I've emailed him once with some of these questions, but he never answered, so I suppose he never got the e-mail, so rather than try again and hope for the better, I decided to post here. But if anyone else can answer me, I'd be much obliged. So. My name's redruM, and I use AGS. And recently I've remade Larry 2, introducing a Point and Click interface, using graphics I ripped with SCI Studio. I'd like to re-make siera games that don't work on the newer systems, port them to AGS. Games like Gabriel Knight 1, Shivers, Phantasmagoria, Police Quest. I've got them all, I can't play them, I want to fix that. So, my two questions - 1) Will the next version of SCIStudio, the one that'll allow VGA editing, also edit FMV games like Phantasmagoria and allow the use of it's video files? 2) I realize that for copyright issues the script on original sierra games can't be modified. BUT I'd like to at least VIEW them. I can't play most sierra games in my PC, so the only way to port them would be to look at the original code (ONLY look, that's all I want to do), figure it out, and port the code to AGS. Programming-wise, I'd only have to convert SCI code to AGS scripting and I'd have a parfetc copy. There's no workaround this, as I can't even LOAD some of my games, and I can't rely on my memory to reproduce them. Not to mention some hard-to-code instances, like, I HAVE to know how they coded Gabriel Knight's tape recorder so I can reproduce it in a DIFFERENT engine. If Mr. Provinciano reads this, please answer any of the questions above, preferably both. Or if you are not him but can answer, please do. |
| nhojnotle |
I believe it'd be way easier to fix game bugs in the first place rather then remake them from scratch... and believe it or not, there are guys out there which are trying to do this. Most of SCI game's bugs are caused by computers running too fast nowadays indeed. Besides I don't think AGS alllows you to use movies, neither in AVI or any other format. I wasn't aware of problems running Phantasmagoria on recent systems, perhaps you could enlighten me? ??? |
| Brian_Provinciano |
Nice job on your remake. I've always been wishing to see someone remake LSL2 with a point a click interface! The next version don't support the FMV, nor editing them, but I'll likely do a conversion utility between AVI/FMV. I have done a script decompiler. It's mostly done and will allow you to view the code in a high level form. Good luck! |
| redruM |
nhojnotle ******* It MIGHT be easier to fix those bugs, yes, but I can't script in SCI Studio and so can't work with it very well. Also, I never considered using SCI Studio to fix the games because I never thought it could work, considering the problems were system-related. For instace, in XP Home (my PC), NO SCI games will run in 640x480 conmpatibiklity mode, they all switch back to the previous one. For this reason, KQ5 doesn't work. Also, Shivers and Phantasmagoria play EXCRUCIATINGLY slowly, and even the sound breaks. Phantasmagoria 2 doesn't play at all. Now, how would someone fix the "bug" in Phantasmagoria 2? Also, in GK1, I can only swave in the map screen. Why? Don't know! And AGS DOES allow you to use AVIs and FLCs, and I think that recently MPGs. YOu may have not checked it out for a long time - at version 2.6SP1 (and at beta version 4 with MANY new features), it grows in an unpreceneted rate! Brian Provinciano ************ Hm, it's a shame about next version not supporting FMVs... but, do I read you right, your next utility will convert them for AVI for them to be seen? Actually, I'd jiust settle with a way to extract those FMV resources, I think I can find an FMV/AVI converter somewhere on the net. And as for that script decompiler - that means I WILL be able to view the code in Sierra's games, right? Will it be a separate utility, or will it be part of SCI Studio? And I'm sorry if I'm asking dumb questions, this is really the sort of questions I go :P when they're posted in the AGS forums, but hey, I'm a complete stranger. I only use SCI Studio for extracting resources. And thank you very much for your compliment, Mr. Provinciano! Just a little PS - do you know it found its way into Underdogs? Don't worry, I've credited SCI Studio in the manual AND gave the link! |
| nhojnotle |
redruM wrote: I know that it is easier because I'm doing that myself ;) The problems are not strictly system related, I mean- they show up because of systems running very very fast, yes, but they're just bugs in the game scripts. Only they didn't showed up on old PCs cause those were very slow at that time and so the game perfomed well anyways. For instace, in XP Home (my PC), NO SCI games will run in 640x480 conmpatibiklity mode, they all switch back to the previous one. For this reason, KQ5 doesn't work. What do you mean by 'switch back'? Also, Shivers and Phantasmagoria play EXCRUCIATINGLY slowly, and even the sound breaks. Phantasmagoria 2 doesn't play at all. Are you sure you're trying to play the Windows version?
Wow! Time to check it out than! 8) |
| redruM |
The problems are not strictly system related, I mean- they show up because of systems running very very fast, yes, but they're just bugs in the game scripts. Only they didn't showed up on old PCs cause those were very slow at that time and so the game perfomed well anyways.Even the massive slowdowns in games like Shivers? Or the fact that I can't even get Phantasmagoria 2 to load? Or Lighthouse? If you can fix these bugs, I'd be very grateful, but I doubt they ARE bugs in the original games. Same goes for Gabriel Knight's saving problem. What do you mean by 'switch back'?I mean it tries to switch to 640x480 but never actually manages to. And KQ5 checks the display before loading the game. So, it's quite unplayable for me. Are you sure you're trying to play the Windows version?My Shivers version is WIN only. My copy of Phantasmagoria isn't, but - let's put it like this. I'm 18, and I've been playing adventure games ever since I was 7, most of them Sierra's. I can safely tell the difference between DOS- and WIN-based applications. |
| nhojnotle |
redruM wrote: These sounds more like OS incompatibilities indeed. :( I mean it tries to switch to 640x480 but never actually manages to. And KQ5 checks the display before loading the game. So, it's quite unplayable for me. I have a solution for this. You have to make a .bat file in place of the shortcut and apply the compatibility fixes to the bat file instead. 8) My Shivers version is WIN only. My copy of Phantasmagoria isn't, but - let's put it like this. I'm 18, and I've been playing adventure games ever since I was 7, most of them Sierra's. I can safely tell the difference between DOS- and WIN-based applications. I was asking cause DOS emulation of 32 bit extended games like these may be quite hard on WinXP, regardless of the power of your system. :-\ |
| BoyofDestiny |
Most of the games you mentioned work perfectly under windows, linux, and others. http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/ P.S I've yet to re-play many of these classics. I can say that Space Quest IV is perfect, went without a hitch. |
| cloudee1 | so uhm where's a link to this leisure suit larry 2 remake? |
| Brian_Provinciano | It's at the official AGS website: http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=detail&id=356 |
| redruM | I know about Dosbox, but for some reason it hasn't really worked for me.And Psome of my games are WIN only. |