Messages

1

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: King's Quest IV VGA-ish

« on: September 09, 2020, 11:31:25 PM »

Ironically, SQ4 might also be a good candidate.

As I understand it they wrote it for a text parser originally, then were forced to convert to point and click. I’d read somewhere that the only reason they were able to do that way because they wrote some kind of conversion function that would convert verb clicks into the text ‘said’ strings they’d originally programmed for. So the underlying code is still just parsing saids. I haven’t looked into it myself though.

Regardless, this looks like a fantastic project. I can’t wait to follow your progress.

2

AGI Development Tools / Re: NAGI is not working properly on Windows 10

« on: August 23, 2020, 01:49:26 PM »

Are there other possibilities to play AGI games on Windows 10?

You could give ScummVM a go.

3

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 08, 2020, 04:05:13 PM »

EDIT: I posted the two full dissessemblies, but they were too big.

I see a bunch of lofsa commands in each.  I'm assuming the line "01d6:72 0b3b          lofsa $0d14 // cast" means QFG2 uses relative addresses for lofsa commands -- starting at address $1d6, add 3 bytes for the lofsa command (plus arguments), then jump $b3b bytes, ending up at address $d14.

Other than the order of the classes and instances being different between the two versions, I can't see anything odd.

EDIT 2: Added a recompiled SCRIPT.994 from QFG1EGA.  ScummVM does not flag any detectLofsType() warnings in that recompiled game, and again I can't see any significant differences between it and QFG2's.

4

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 08, 2020, 02:18:55 PM »

I'm not necessarily suggesting the SSCI problems I'm having with QFG2 are because of lofsa, but I am thinking more generally that SciCompanion is having a problem compiling SCI01-compatible scripts [see edit 1].

A problem that is just subtle enough it's not outright crashing in SSCI, but is causing ScummVM to detect the SCI version as > SCI_VERSION_01 and < SCI_VERSION_1_1.  So one of: SCI_VERSION_1_EGA_ONLY, SCI_VERSION_1_EARLY, SCI_VERSION_1_MIDDLE, or SCI_VERSION_1_LATE.

I don't know what the differences are in compiling for any of those, but that's the only conclusion I'm able to draw.

I don't think the problem is with script.002-- that's just the first indication I had there was a problem.  If I run my compiled QFG2 in ScummVM with a stock SCRIPT.002, it still trips up on auto-detecting.

I'd try stepping through ScummVM to see what exactly is causing that detectLofsType warning, but I haven't gotten scummvm to compile on my machine yet.

EDIT 1: Or whatever version of SCI is used by QFG2... I always thought it was called SCI01, but I'm seeing different naming conventions in the ScummVM code.

5

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 08, 2020, 10:22:54 AM »

Hmm... So that's a ScummVM function... I see here that it depends highly on the getSciVersion function.

So ScummVM doesn't detect it as SCI_VERSION_01 (which is what it should be), but has to guess... looks likeit picks either SCI_VERSION_0_EARLY or SCI_VERSION_1_MIDDLE.  I'm guessing SciCompanion's compiling it as SCI_VERSION_0_EARLY... but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ -- still, this kinda circles back to it being a bytecode discrepancy.

Can I force SciCompanion to compile scripts under a different version?

6

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 07, 2020, 11:45:59 PM »

Oh, that's brilliant.  The code/heap seperation would also explain why ScummVm appears to be unaffected, while SSCI is having trouble.

The only warning that ScummVM gives me on my compiled code vs stock QFG2 is:
WARNING: detectLofsType(): failed, taking an educated guess!

Which happens before Trial:init, based on where I placed my SetDebug breaks. Also before Trial:play... which I thought was supposed to be the first thing called?

7

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 07, 2020, 09:14:39 PM »

It's a line in another procedure in the same file.

Code: [Select]

(procedure (SetGraphicsSoundInit)
;;;NOTE: If this is left in, possibleScore will be changed in the second procedure.
;If it is commented out, then possibleScore will NOT be set properly
(= suckBlueFrog FALSE)
;;;
;;;
(= musicChannels (DoSound NumVoices))
(if (< (= colorCount (Graph GDetect)) 8)
(= hpStatusView 811)
(= hpFontColor vWHITE)
(= statColor vBLACK)
(= statColorNew vRED)
else
(= hpStatusView 810)
(= hpFontColor vLCYAN)
(= statColor vLBLUE)
(= statColorNew vLRED)
)
(DoSound MasterVol 15)
(Joystick JoyRepeat 0)
)

(procedure (SetGameInit &tmp nextRoom skill)
(= deathMusic 10)
(= showStyle HWIPE)
(= possibleScore 500)
(= userFont 300)
(= smallFont 999)
(= bigFont 300)
(= timerStamina 20)
(= timerHealth 15)
(= timerMana 5)
(Bset SAVE_ENABLED)
(= currentDay 1)
(SetGameTime 8)
(= sillyClowns clownsOff)
(= arcadeDifficultyLevel arcadeNormal)
(= gameTimeScale timeNormal)
(= nextRoom 0)
(if (and suckBlueFrog TRUE)
(= skill 0)
(while (< skill NUM_ATTRIBS)
(= [egoStats skill] 80)
(++ skill)
)
(= [egoStats EXPER] 1900)
(= [egoStats HEALTH] (GetMaxHealth))
(= [egoStats STAMINA] (GetMaxStamina))
(= [egoStats MANA] (GetMaxMana))
(= [invNum iGold] 100)
(= [invNum iRations] 10)
(= [invNum iWaterskin] 1)
(= currentWater 10)
(StrCpy @userName {Hero})
(Bset fInMainGame)
(= nextRoom (BlueFrogTP))
else
(Bclr fInMainGame)
)
(if (not nextRoom)
(if (GameIsRestarting)
(= nextRoom rOpeningScroll)
else
(= nextRoom rPiracyNotice)
)
)
(return nextRoom)
)

It's the first line in the first procedure, actually. If I leave it in then sag $10 instruction runs as expected (although there are other oddities in other areas of the game). If I take it out, then sag $10 gets changed to sati $65 (and again, probably other errors elsewhere.

8

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 07, 2020, 08:43:30 PM »

I think sati is actually $B8 (wide) or $B9 (byte). And given the command it overwrote was the a single-byte parameter and it didn't overshoot the next command, I assume this sati was $B9.

I'm using this as a guide.

I confirmed the actual bytes in the file, and (as expected) they matched what the disassembly report showed. The game is changing them after loading them in memory.  This helps explain to me why this error would go away if I commented out a line earlier on... maybe it's overwriting whatever's at address 00a7.

I'm a fair bit out of my depth here, but I'm thinking maybe I try commenting out that one line, and keep an eye on that address, see if it still changes values.

9

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 07, 2020, 06:37:54 PM »

Aha!

So with this compiled code:

Code: [Select]

// EXPORTED procedure #1 (SetGameInit)
(procedure proc_0099
  0099:3f 02             link 2 // (var $2)
  009b:35 0a              ldi a
  009d:a0 009b            sag deathMusic
  00a0:35 00              ldi 0
  00a2:a1 11              sag showStyle
  00a4:34 01f4            ldi 1f4
  00a7:a1 10              sag possibleScore
  00a9:34 012c            ldi 12c
  00ac:a1 16              sag userFont
  ...

QFG2 is reading it fine until except until the instruction at  00a7
Instead of reading it as sag $10 it reads it as sati $65.

Then it carries on at instruction 00a9 as if nothing was wrong.

I haven't checked the actual binary file to see what the code really is, but clicking Script-Dissemble gives me the snippet I pasted above.

10

SCI Development Tools / Re: SCI Editors - beside SCICompanion/SCIStudio?

« on: May 06, 2020, 10:46:52 PM »

I suspect they started making SQ4 in VGA with a parser. We know Sierra had a VGA Interpreter with a parser at one point, because the 1990 VGA Xmas demo has it ( http://sciprogramming.com/community/index.php?topic=27.0).

And SQ4 was first released in March 1991. Seems reasonable they started development on the same parser the Xmas demo used 3 months earlier.

11

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 05, 2020, 11:26:34 PM »

The interpreter that shipped with QFG2 does not include the debugger, however Eric found a compatible interpreter in one of the Xmas cards or demos or something, which he bundled with his decompilation archive QFG2 source.

It’s not an exact drop-in replacement, but it crashes in the same spots as the stock interpreter. The only difference I’d noticed was concerning the cursor. The stock interpreter will let the game use its custom sword and lion head(?) cursors all the time, whereas the other interpreter will often show the built-in arrow cursor and disk drive cursor instead.  It drove me batty trying to figure out what I was doing wrong until I realized the interpreter itself was the problem.

Anyway, I’ll try stepping through the code in the debug interpreter tomorrow. Might even be able to compare that, step-by-step with ScummVM’s interpreter too.

12

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 05, 2020, 11:24:17 AM »

Okay, I got it up and running in ScummVM.

And it works perfectly.  The score gets set properly, and the game doesn't crash when entering the alleyway. It does crash entering the alleyway when run in the original interpreter.

So, I think you're on to something about byte-code differences.  I'm assuming the scummvm interpreter is more flexible about accepting different SCI versions, or something.

EDIT:
I found a difference when comparing the disassembly from the original script.002 and my newly compiled script.002. Is this significant?  (This is just a small snippet, from the 1st procedure... The variable names are missing, which I assume is because I didn't generate any sco files for anything.)
Original SCRIPT.002

Code: [Select]

// EXPORTED procedure #0 ()
(procedure proc_0048
  0048:35 00              ldi 0
  004a:a1 65              sag 
  004c:78               push1
  004d:39 03            pushi 3 // $3 y
  004f:43 2d 02         callk DoSound 2

  0052:a1 80              sag 
  0054:78               push1
  0055:7a               push2
  0056:43 6c 02         callk Graph 2

  0059:a1 7f              sag 
  005b:36                push
  005c:35 08              ldi 8
  005e:22                 lt?
  005f:30 0014            bnt code_0076
  0062:34 032b            ldi 32b
  0065:a1 99              sag 
  0067:35 0f              ldi f
  0069:a1 9a              sag 
  006b:35 00              ldi 0
  006d:a1 95              sag 
  006f:35 04              ldi 4
  0071:a1 96              sag 
  0073:32 0011            jmp code_0087

new compiled SCRIPT.002

Code: [Select]

// EXPORTED procedure #0 (SetGraphicsSoundInit)
(procedure proc_0048
  0048:35 00              ldi 0
  004a:a1 65              sag suckBlueFrog
  004c:78               push1
  004d:39 03            pushi 3 // $3 y
  004f:43 2d 02         callk DoSound 2

  0052:a0 0080            sag musicChannels
  0055:78               push1
  0056:7a               push2
  0057:43 6c 02         callk Graph 2

  005a:a1 7f              sag colorCount
  005c:36                push
  005d:35 08              ldi 8
  005f:22                 lt?
  0060:31 17              bnt code_0079
  0062:34 032b            ldi 32b
  0065:a0 0099            sag hpStatusView
  0068:35 0f              ldi f
  006a:a0 009a            sag hpFontColor
  006d:35 00              ldi 0
  006f:a0 0095            sag statColor
  0072:35 04              ldi 4
  0074:a0 0096            sag statColorNew
  0077:33 15              jmp code_008e

So, they look nearly the same... but I think the sag commands on the original one are all 1 byte, whereas the sag commands on the new one are mostly 2 bytes.  So, now what can I do with this information?

13

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 04, 2020, 02:03:19 PM »

Thanks for looking at it.

I'll give ScummVM a try.  How do I do that though... I've tried editing my scummvm.ini to add it as a game, but it always gives me an error: "Error running game: Game data not found"

It's a v2.1.0 build from last October.

14

SCI Syntax Help / Re: Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 04, 2020, 09:17:18 AM »

I wrote the above from memory, and it looks like I got it a bit messed up.  It's still more or less the same problem, but it's not in the Trial:init that's causing the problem. Trial:init calls a procedure from another script, that that's the one I'm seeing the problem in.
Trial:init

Code: [Select]

(method (init &tmp parseStr)
(Bset IN_SHAPEIR)
(= highHunk (if (>= (MemoryInfo TotalHunk) 17408) TRUE else FALSE))
(= systemWindow sfWin)
(= customWindow cWin)
(= ego egoObj)
(= gEgoBase egoBase)
(= version {x.yyy____})
(= waitCursor HAND_CURSOR)
(StatusLine code: (= dftStatusCode statLn))

; Make sure some important modules are loaded in.
;CI: NOTE: This bit here looks suspect... unlike any other SSCI code I've seen.
; ... shouldn't these be in brackets? or assigned to tmp variables or something?
Cycle
StopWalk
DCIcon
Window
TheMenuBar
HandsOffScript
TopWindow
TargActor

(LoadBaseScripts INTRFACE LOADMANY SAVE SIGHT SORTCOPY QG2_DIALOG QG2_EVENTS QG2_TALKER)

;EO: According to SCI16's KERNEL.SH, kernel function 122 is Lock, but it is not in VOCAB.999
;CI: see http://scicompanion.com/Documentation/Kernels/Lock.html?highlight=lock
(kernel_122 RES_TEXT MAIN TRUE)
(kernel_122 RES_TEXT QG2_COMMONTEXT TRUE)
(kernel_122 RES_TEXT MENU TRUE)

(super init:)

;init common handlers
((= keyDownHandler keyH) add:)
((= mouseDownHandler mouseH) add:)
((= directionHandler dirH) add:)
(= useSortedFeatures TRUE)
(= ftrInitializer ftrInitCode)
(= musicChannels (DoSound NumVoices)) ;CI: NOTE: this gets done in the SetGraphicsSoundInit function anyway.
(= doVerbCode HQVerbCode)
(= egoWalk egoW)
(= egoStopWalk egoSW)
(= egoGrooper egoGL)
(= errorLog errLog)

;set up spell casting code segments
(= codeCastSpells (= codeCastDefaultSpells defaultSpellCast))
(= codeCastAllSpells allSpellCast)
(= codeCastNoSpells  noSpellCast)

;init common music samples
((= cSound cMusic) number: 10 owner: self init:)
(= cIcon deathIcon)
((= miscSound miscMusic)    number: 10 owner: self init:)
((= spareSound spareMusic) number: 10 owner: self init:)

(SetGraphicsSoundInit)  ;calls Script 2, procedure 0.
(= parseStr {*})
(StrAt parseStr 0 0)
(User
alterEgo: ego
prompt: parseStr
blocks: 0
y: 160
verbMessager: verbWords
)
(TheMenuBar init:)
(HandsOn 1)
(= possibleScore 100)
(Printf {possible Score1: %d} possibleScore)
(= startingRoom (SetGameInit)) ;calls Script 2, procedure 1.
(= possibleScore 10)
(Printf {possible Score2: %d} possibleScore)
(theGame newRoom: QG2_SPEEDCHECK)
;the first room we go to is room 98: the SpeedCheck Room.
)

Script 2, procedure 1

Code: [Select]

(procedure (SetGameInit &tmp nextRoom skill)
;turn on debug by default
;CI: NOTE: This is kinda weird. If I don't explicitly set the suckBlueFrog to FALSE right here, none of the following variables get set properly
;, and the game glitches out when the hero gets low on stamina shortly thereafter.
;(= suckBlueFrog FALSE)

(= deathMusic 10)
(= showStyle HWIPE)
(= possibleScore 500)
(Printf {possible Score(SetGameInit): %d} possibleScore)
(= userFont 300)
(= smallFont 999)
(= bigFont 300)
(= timerStamina 20)
(= timerHealth 15)
(= timerMana 5)
(Bset SAVE_ENABLED)
(= currentDay 1)
(SetGameTime 8)
(= sillyClowns clownsOff)
(= arcadeDifficultyLevel arcadeNormal)
(= gameTimeScale timeNormal)
(= nextRoom 0)
(if (and suckBlueFrog TRUE)
(= skill 0)
(while (< skill NUM_ATTRIBS)
(= [egoStats skill] 80)
(++ skill)
)
(= [egoStats EXPER] 1900)
(= [egoStats HEALTH] (GetMaxHealth))
(= [egoStats STAMINA] (GetMaxStamina))
(= [egoStats MANA] (GetMaxMana))
(= [invNum iGold] 100)
(= [invNum iRations] 10)
(= [invNum iWaterskin] 1)
(= currentWater 10)
(StrCpy @userName {Hero})
(Bset fInMainGame)
(= nextRoom (BlueFrogTP))
else
(Bclr fInMainGame)
)
(if (not nextRoom)
(if (GameIsRestarting)
(= nextRoom rOpeningScroll)
else
(= nextRoom rPiracyNotice)
)
)
(return nextRoom)
)

Script Dissassembly for Script 2, Procedure 1.

Code: [Select]

// EXPORTED procedure #1 (SetGameInit)
(procedure proc_0099
  0099:3f 02             link 2 // (var $2)
  009b:35 0a              ldi a
  009d:a0 009b            sag deathMusic
  00a0:35 00              ldi 0
  00a2:a1 11              sag showStyle
  00a4:34 01f4            ldi 1f4
  00a7:a1 10              sag possibleScore
  00a9:7a               push2
  00aa:74 109f          lofss $114c // possible Score(SetGameInit): %d
  00ad:89 10              lsg possibleScore
  00af:46 00ff 0004 04  calle ff procedure_0004 4 // Printf

  00b5:34 012c            ldi 12c
  00b8:a1 16              sag userFont
  00ba:34 03e7            ldi 3e7
  00bd:a1 17              sag smallFont
  00bf:34 012c            ldi 12c
  00c2:a1 1a              sag bigFont
  00c4:35 14              ldi 14
  00c6:a0 0081            sag timerStamina
  00c9:35 0f              ldi f
  00cb:a0 0082            sag timerHealth
  00ce:35 05              ldi 5
  00d0:a0 009c            sag timerMana
  00d3:78               push1
  00d4:78               push1
  00d5:47 01 07 02      calle 1 procedure_0007 2 // Bset

  00d9:35 01              ldi 1
  00db:a1 6e              sag currentDay
  00dd:78               push1
  00de:39 08            pushi 8 // $8 underBits
  00e0:40 0809 02        call proc_08ed 2

  00e4:35 00              ldi 0
  00e6:a0 00b4            sag sillyClowns
  00e9:35 02              ldi 2
  00eb:a0 0129            sag arcadeDifficultyLevel
  00ee:35 01              ldi 1
  00f0:a0 00a5            sag gameTimeScale
  00f3:35 00              ldi 0
  00f5:a5 00              sat temp0
  00f7:81 65              lag suckBlueFrog
  00f9:31 65              bnt code_0160
  00fb:35 01              ldi 1
  00fd:31 61              bnt code_0160
  00ff:35 00              ldi 0
  0101:a5 01              sat temp1

        code_0103
  0103:8d 01              lst temp1
  0105:35 1e              ldi 1e
  0107:22                 lt?
  0108:31 0b              bnt code_0115
  010a:39 50            pushi 50 // $50 title
  010c:85 01              lat temp1
  010e:b0 023b           sagi egoStats
  0111:c5 01              +at temp1
  0113:33 ee              jmp code_0103

        code_0115
  0115:34 076c            ldi 76c
  0118:a0 024a            sag global586
  011b:76               push0
  011c:45 04 00         callb procedure_0004 0 // GetMaxHealth

  011f:a0 024b            sag gHealth_3
  0122:76               push0
  0123:45 02 00         callb procedure_0002 0 // GetMaxStamina

  0126:a0 024c            sag gStamina_2
  0129:76               push0
  012a:45 03 00         callb procedure_0003 0 // GetMaxMana

  012d:a0 024d            sag gMana
  0130:35 64              ldi 64
  0132:a0 0161            sag gTheInvNum_2
  0135:35 0a              ldi a
  0137:a0 0153            sag global339
  013a:35 01              ldi 1
  013c:a0 0175            sag numWaterskins
  013f:35 0a              ldi a
  0141:a0 0083            sag currentWater
  0144:7a               push2
  0145:5a 0000 029f       lea 0 29f
  014a:36                push
  014b:74 0f6d          lofss $10bb // Hero
  014e:43 47 04         callk StrCpy 4

  0151:78               push1
  0152:7a               push2
  0153:47 01 07 02      calle 1 procedure_0007 2 // Bset

  0157:76               push0
  0158:40 0ae3 00        call proc_0c3f 0

  015c:a5 00              sat temp0
  015e:33 06              jmp code_0166

        code_0160
  0160:78               push1
  0161:7a               push2
  0162:47 01 08 02      calle 1 procedure_0008 2 // Bclr


        code_0166
  0166:85 00              lat temp0
  0168:18                 not
  0169:31 12              bnt code_017d
  016b:76               push0
  016c:43 2c 00         callk GameIsRestarting 0

  016f:31 07              bnt code_0178
  0171:34 02fd            ldi 2fd
  0174:a5 00              sat temp0
  0176:33 05              jmp code_017d

        code_0178
  0178:34 02fc            ldi 2fc
  017b:a5 00              sat temp0

        code_017d
  017d:85 00              lat temp0
  017f:48                 ret
)

And the outputs I see are:

Code: [Select]

possible Score1: 100
possible Score(SetGameInit): 100
possible Score2: 10


15

SCI Syntax Help / Problem recreating QFG2 source

« on: May 02, 2020, 03:56:12 PM »

Im working on recreating the source for QFG2, using a mix Eric’s source from the decompilation archive and my own efforts decompiling from scratch.

The problem is I’m seeing what feels like a memory corruption error and I don’t even know where to begin to troubleshoot it.

In a nutshell it looks like variables aren’t being set properly. Take this one instance in script 000, near the end of Trial:init (which isn’t that like the first code the game runs?)

Code: [Select]

(= possibleScore 500)
(Printf {possibleScore is %d} possibleScore)
It prints the message “possibleScore is 0”

Part of the problem I’m having is that I don’t think there’s anywhere *before* there that I can fix. I haven’t done any extensive troubleshooting, but given what I’m seeing, I don’t know where to begin. Any thoughts?[/code]