Running SCI0 on Atari ST

[robbo007]

Hi guys,
I decided to test my game code on my Atari ST as a proof of concept. I copied all the executable files from the Atari version of LSL3 which uses the interpreter is version 1.002.026 ran the Atari ST version of the Sierra installer to make sure hardware was all detected and resource.cfg written. Game loads fine. Seems to load rooms etc. Crashes when I try and type something. Not sure if its because I'm using Brian's s hack for the User interface? (Something I need to change at a later stage). http://sciwiki.sierrahelp.com//index.php?title=SCI_Studio_Tutorial_2#User_Interface

Could this be causing the crash? Could it be the Atari ST interpreter version I'm using? I don't want to spend much time on this just curious as this is another massive rabbit hole to go down and now is not the time. There is also the Amiga also. I've not got one so I cant test it

Thanks,
Rob

[Kawa]

By all means I can't think of a reason the skinning would be an issue, but I don't know enough about the Atari ST terp to be certain. LB1 had skinned windows, even in its Atari release, but done in a different way, so...

Either something is wrong somewhere in the input handling, or something is fishy about window drawing. The game seems to load rooms, but have you tried to open any other kind of window, through the menu? If something like the About window also crashes...

(Edit: the LB1 windows are done the same way KQ5's are, with lines for the edges and drawcel calls for the corners. Not exactly how Brian's code does it, nor like Sierra's BorderWindow in SCI1.)

[robbo007]

Yeah, I will try to open the menu's. I can't remember remember if it crashed or not? I will test again. Do you know what version the last version of the SCI0 interpreter for Atari ST? I can restore the standard LSL3 interface and try that to see if it works also.

I did read through your blogs posts about the interface stuff. I need to read it again as its quite complicated for me. hehe I want to try and change mine to something a little better than Brian's hack as it has the problems with the extra border not lining up with certain sized text windows.

I do love how Sierra made it easy for porting to another platform. Imagine a release on Atari ST, Amiga, Mac Classic and MSDOS. hahaha. If I ever finish my game I will try

[Kawa]

Going by Mobygames' "Game Engine: SCI" page sorted by year, the last Atari ST game would be Hoyle's Book of Games II: Solitaire (1990). Make of that what you will. But you might want to try and un-skin your game first to narrow down the issue.

[robbo007]

ok thanks,
That games has interpreter: 1.002.034, which is higher than i was using. I've just changed my version to this. Menus work, crashes with the changed text interface. IE when I type and the parser pops up or if any text is displayed. I'll try and restore the original LSL3 text window and see. If not. I think I'll leave it there. Too much work to be done to finish the game on MSDOS first

 

[Kawa]

"Or if any text is displayed"... but the menu bar itself is made of text. The only difference is that you can't skin the menus.

So I'd say unskin it and try again. If that fixes it, you know it's something about Brian's code and if you must have fancy non-standard window styles you might want to look into alternative methods.

(PS: "the original LSL3 text window" is just a SysWindow, right?)

[robbo007]

Right so it was that. I restored the standard code to the controls.sc and working perfectly Amazing how good it looks on a CRT

[lskovlun]

As I recall, the first game to support skinned windows was Colonel's Bequest, and I think that earlier interpreters did not support skinning at all. But it's been 20 years, and I have no idea about Atari ST interpreters.

EDIT: This is the LSL3 PC interp running CB1:

[Kawa]

I'm a bit surprised at this limitation, but understand now why Brian's window skin works so differently.