Messages

1

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI 2.2.3 goes International (sort of)

« on: June 24, 2022, 11:57:52 AM »

Thank you for all your work on these great improvements, AGKorson.

Thrpwng's SQ1 translation uses the DOSBox " KEYB " command to utilize a custom codepage that, thanks to the string hack, changes the default font for both AGI graphics and text modes. It's used in the SQ1 French translation because the default English 437 codepage accents are a bit boring, but could also allow for Cyrillic letters or other special font cases. The custom font needs to be packed into a .cpi file, which can be done with an old DOS tool called CPI120 (download cpi120.zip from: http://www.kostis.net/freeware/)

The custom codepage font can also be repurposed to create an agi-font-dos.bin file used by ScummVM. This allows for consistency between both DOSBox and SVM. All possible because of WinAGI 2.2.3!

2

AGI Development Tools / Re: AGI extended character support

« on: April 25, 2022, 03:29:42 PM »

For the SQ1 French translation we've been struggling with the extended characters in DOSBox. I've come up with a hack to create and use a custom codepage which allows us to modify the extended characters, but because AGI handles standard and extended chars differently, it's still using a mix of system glyphs and our custom codepage in-game.

The details of what we are trying to accomplish and where we are currently at can be found in this Vogons thread: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=1061173#p1061173

Looking at AGK's post here. I'm wondering if it would be possible to trick the AGI interpreter to use our custom codepage for the "7 bit ASCII" pointer INT 43h?

If it's possible to get AGI to reference all glyphs from the custom codepage I believe it would allow AGI fan games to use a completely custom 8x8 font in DOSBox.

3

AGI Development Tools / Re: ScummVM support for translating/modifying games

« on: April 18, 2022, 03:52:20 PM »

If the loader is 'sierra.com, then the default WinAGI GameID will be 'SIERRA'. If no valid loader file is found, then the default WinAGI GameID will be 'AGI'.

Not to nitpick, but if I change SQ.COM to sierra.com and import, the resulting default WinAGI GameID is AGI. At least that is what's happening with my v2.2 copy of SQ1. My copy of SQ2, which uses sierra.com also comes in as AGI.

4

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI: automatically setting gameid

« on: April 17, 2022, 08:10:57 AM »

Thanks for the ScummVM fix, ZvikaZ.

5

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI Version 2.1.16 Available for Download

« on: April 12, 2022, 11:15:33 AM »

AGKorson, I'm not sure you noticed, but that looks a lot like it's running in WinXP! Maybe that's part of the problem?

That is very weird, at one point ScummVM would refuse to recognize that version of GR, so I wonder why they would *add* the functionality back in.

It is weird and I don't doubt that it was blocked. I might compile some pre-2.0.0 versions of SVM out of curiosity if I get time. If I ever make sense of it I'll start a separate thread. ty

6

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI Version 2.1.16 Available for Download

« on: April 10, 2022, 09:15:56 PM »

Ah, ok. I didn't realize that was the case.

Still, WinAGI users should be aware that ScummVM versions 2.1.x and above will have trouble running games that don't match the detection tables until the bug is fixed. 


Edit: It looks like Gold Rush isn't explicitly restricted from loading. You get the warning in the image below, but it does launch in ScummVM 2.0.0 which is still commonly found in the GOG releases of Sierra games. With WinAGI, I put ScummVM v2.0.0 next to the .wag, change the preference to point to it and then the run button works great for testing with scummVM.

7

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI Version 2.1.16 Available for Download

« on: April 10, 2022, 05:13:22 PM »

However there are certain game hashes ScummVM also blocks entirely. (For example, the cracked version of Gold Rush.)

This is likely due to an AGI bug in ScummVM versions 2.1.x and above.

8

AGI Development Tools / Re: AGI extended character support

« on: April 09, 2022, 02:21:08 PM »

AGKorson, your string hack for extended character support in DOSBox from this post is awesome. Still in the testing phase, but this will surely be used in Threepwang's SQ1 French Translation.

This, along with the ScummVM font information from ZvikaZ's Hebrew translation, have been invaluable. Thank you both! I'm truly standing on the shoulders of giants.

9

AGI Development Tools / Re: AGI extended character support

« on: April 07, 2022, 07:22:32 AM »

For instructions, please see https://github.com/adventurebrew/HebrewAdventure/tree/master/tools/agi.

This information was extremely helpful. Thank you.

Edit: Need to do more testing before I ask questions - some of my assumptions were incorrect.

10

AGI Development Tools / Re: WinAGI Version 2.1.16 Available for Download

« on: April 04, 2022, 08:16:57 PM »

Sorry for the eye-bleeding-inducing image there, everybody.

When I looked through the logics I had the same trouble as Threep: If I modify any of the logics and "compile game" it will no longer launch in ScummVM. I can run the modified game in DOSBox, but scummVM says it can't find the game data after logic changes.

Is there a way to avoid this?

Edit: Threepwang discovered that the modified game launches fine under ScummVM v2.0.0, so this likely something introduced in SVM2.5.x. Same results when editing logic with AGI Studio.

11

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: Space Quest III French translation ?

« on: March 06, 2022, 12:15:19 PM »

Congrats, Threepwang!

I'm really impressed by Threep's attention to detail. In addition to the text and graphical translations, he's discovered several major and minor bugs present in 1.018. At least two of which have been fixed in recent versions of ScummVM, meaning Threep has improved SQ3 for a large majority of English players as well!

It's worth taking a look, even for non-french speakers, just to see Roger's new hair and uniform!

12

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: What are we working on?

« on: March 04, 2022, 05:52:08 PM »

Here's a SQ4CD debugger I made. Same commands as the SQ4 Beta, with the addition of ALT + s to change the music. Attached below. Since SetDebug was removed from the SQ4 interpreter, I migrated the code from rm800.sc into main. Command list: http://sciwiki.sierrahelp.com//index.php?title=SCI_Debug_Modes#Space_Quest_4_.28beta.29

Also, just for fun I made a KQV CD patch to change poisonous to venomous. See 5500.aud.

Patching individual lines of audio dialog is only possible because instead of using messages for speech, KQ5 uses the AUD resource format which can be patched. I used SCI Sound Utilities to create a new SOUND.000 file, then renamed it 5500.aud. I had to use a hex editor to clean up some garbage at the start of the file to remove pops/clicking.

13

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: MTBLAST.DRV and SQ3 volume control

« on: February 28, 2022, 12:29:35 PM »

Thank you Collector; those links are very helpful. ECE was the search term I was missing when trying to find the munt version of DOSBox.

I'm not sure where Threep got the RESOURCE.CFG, but I can tell you it's like that in the steam Space Quest Collection. Just look at this mess:

Code: [Select]

videoDrv  = MCGA320.DRV
 soundDrv  = SNDBLAST.DRV
 joyDrv    = NO
 kbdDrv    = IBMKBD.DRV
 mouseDrv  = STDMOUSE.DRV
 memoryDrv = ARM.DRV
 CD = yes
 mode = real
 minHunk   = 206K
 directory = .\

MCGA320.DRV prevents screenshake from working which is a major bummer on Ortega. You can change it to EGA320.DRV, but how many steam users would know to do that?

I'm not sure about the GOG version of SQ3, but the GOG KQ4 is the same way with MCGA320.DRV and "CD = yes". In GOGs' defense, I think they assume people will use ScummVM, but how hard would it be for Steam and GOG to update this file?

Edit: Your SQ3 with MUNT installer worked great, once I changed my MT-32 roms to match these names (mine came with version numbers in the name and didn't work at first):
MT32_PCM.ROM
MT32_CONTROL.ROM

Is there much difference between those and CM32L_CONTROL.ROM/CM32L_PCM.ROM?

14

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: MTBLAST.DRV and SQ3 volume control

« on: February 28, 2022, 01:02:09 AM »

Threep, I think we both have MUNT misconfigured. Can you try adding this to your SQ3 DOSBox config:

Code: [Select]

[midi]
midiconfig=1

You can check which midiconfig number you need for MUNT in dosbox using mixer /listmidi.

Code: [Select]

Z:/>mixer /listmidi
  0            "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth:
  1            "MT-32 Synth Emulator"

No wonder it sounded so horrible. I don't believe you can capture MT-32 audio in dosbox with CTL+ALT+F5.

15

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: MTBLAST.DRV and SQ3 volume control

« on: February 27, 2022, 01:50:51 PM »

I probably should have mentioned this question was on behalf of Threepwang's SQ3 French translation. He's managed to suss out most of the bugs in 1.018 and would now like to dial in the best audio settings possible for both ScummVM and DOSBox. I believe all is well in ScummVM, but he'd like to get the volume controls working in DOSBox with MTBLAST.DRV.