Messages

76

SCI Syntax Help / Re: SCI0 - How can I use the ESC button for non-menubar stuff

« on: October 29, 2022, 01:40:25 PM »

Couldn't you just deactivate the menubar (as you would in a cutscene, say) and then capture the ESC key pevent to override?

77

SCI Development Tools / Re: Sounder 0.5 - with many improvements

« on: October 19, 2022, 07:12:44 PM »

I have a request for a new feature for Sounder. Some GM sound resources in SCI games require the GM patch file to dump a GM reset and/or some other MIDI information like pitch bend range value to the device before playing the sound resources (see SQ6 which absolutely requires this for many of the tracks to sound correct). SCI Viewer supports saving sound resources as MIDI and also allows the user to select a patch file to "upload" as part of the saving process and puts it at the start of the MIDI. This also helps for MT-32 tracks as they require custom MT-32 instrument patch files (of course). SCI Viewer can also attach the MT-32 sysex to the outputted MIDI file. Is there any way we can do the same with Sounder when converting to MIDI? Say with a user-selected patch file in the GUI? Right now Sounder seems to be the best option for converting sounds to MIDI with the only exception being the MT-32 and GM patch dumps which SCI Viewer supports. However, SCI Viewer outputs sound resources at the incorrect speed (slightly slower than it's supposed to sound I think? Maybe faster, I forget).

78

AGI Development Tools / Re: C# AGI Interpreter

« on: October 19, 2022, 09:04:44 AM »

ZIP. I don't ever depend on adding programs to the Start Menu. Just desktop shortcuts if anything. And I do that manually if I wish. I'm not a big fan of installers in general. Though, many appreciate it of course judging by Collector's popular patches and custom installers, but that's a different case really where one is trying to get the original games working properly. I don't even use installers for DOSBox. I wouldn't for ScummVM either but the daily builds only come in installer EXE form so not much I can do about it. But if I could get ZIPs of them instead, I would.

79

AGI Development Tools / Re: C# AGI Interpreter

« on: October 18, 2022, 08:40:04 PM »

I apologize I've been really busy.

If so, does this imply that the AGI interpreter is using software to manipulate the volume envelope?

Yes, as has already been said, this is the case. The SN76489 (and others in the family) just aren't complex enough to have settings for volume envelopes. It just generates the tones at the requested level and duration and that's it. The envelopes are all handled in software. In fact, among the Sierra tools that were leaked semi-recently there's one for the Tandy driver for SCI games that was used to create Tandy patch files that were solely meant for creating custom volume envelopes for each channel per game.

@MusicallyInspired, do the tone channels now sound closer to what you would expect? I have now implemented the dissolve logic. To me, it sounds a lot better in some of the games I have tried, e.g. KQ4 and BC. I haven't yet changed anything with the noise channel, so in SQ2, the broom noises are still being cut short for some reason. It makes me wonder whether there is a general "cutting short" issue with sounds. I'll probably start looking into this now.

This build also has the various fixes for the AGI Demo 2 that you identified.

One thing I noticed right away is it forces me to uninstall the previous version before installing the new one. I kind of wish it would just install right on top of it or at least offer a way to automatically uninstall it before installing instead of having to bring up Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs manually. I tried to install it to one of my additional hard drives but it complains about not having permission to write there (even though it creates the folder just fine) which forces me to run the installer as admin. But these are small gripes, especially for a beta. 

That said, yes the sound is great! But unfortunately, while watching the SQ2 demo in AGI Demo Pack 1, the sound resources overlap. When Vohaul shows up on the screen the the SQ2 theme is still playing and doesn't stop. Then on the next screen the hovercraft sound overlaps with itself. And then that overlaps with the next screen, and the final short tune at the end. Basically sounds aren't stopping when they're supposed to somehow along the lines.

And yeah, the broom sound effect seems to be truncated. It does sound like a noise channel sound and not a tone like I previously erroneously thought.

80

AGI Development Tools / Re: C# AGI Interpreter

« on: October 10, 2022, 11:40:13 AM »

Yeah, I'll probably have to go back to the sound, particularly the noise. Do the tone voices sound okay?

In what way is the noise gimped? Do you have a link to a video of SQ2 running on an IBM PC JR for comparison? Original machine rather than emulator. I couldn't find one online for SQ2. There are other games, like BC, but couldn't spot SQ2. I've been trying to implement it based on the SN76496 chip, and what is known about it, but I don't think it is quite right yet.

Actually it seems like it just doesn't make any sounds. Or if it does it tries to make sound with a tone instead of noise. I can't find any authentic IBM PCjr footage except for this video



The only noise that sounds however is when the hovercraft is moving at 1:18.

The only other thing I notice is that unlike the above footage, the tones don't have a volume envelope. The volume falls off at a certain rate on every tone on the PC jr and Tandy 1000. ScummVM's PC jr emulation is the most perfect I've heard both with noise channel and tone volume envelopes. Even better than DOSBox's.

Incidentally, I just tried running the AGI Demo 2 game (which has the SQ2 demo in it) and it doesn't seem to like it. Navigating to each page of demos with F9 and F10 works once in a while, but I can't hit a number to select a demo to run. It just doesn't respond.

81

AGI Development Tools / Re: C# AGI Interpreter

« on: October 09, 2022, 07:23:36 PM »

Just trying SQ2 now. Works great. The noise channel of Tandy 3-voice comes out a little gimped though. It doesn't sound like it should. For reference, just skip the intro of SQ2 and listen to Roger sweeping the space deck.

82

SCI Syntax Help / Re: King's Quest 6 Debug Mode (previous subject was: "Compilation error help")

« on: September 30, 2022, 02:01:12 PM »

Brandon is an idiot.

83

SCI Syntax Help / Re: King's Quest 6 Debug Mode (previous subject was: "Compilation error help")

« on: September 29, 2022, 03:51:49 PM »

Just revisiting this. I was just trying it and these files are ignored by Version 1.000, Interp. 1.001.054. The same with the CD version, both by ScummVM and DOSBox. What version did you try it on. I did not try it with any localized versions.

I found that KQ6 is checking for the existence of the file 911.SCR as a trigger for an internal debug menu:

...

However most KQ6 versions no longer contain script# 911. The only versions that still has it are the Spanish and Italian ones.

84

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: AGI Power Pack Demo Game Teaser

« on: September 21, 2022, 10:42:14 PM »

Wow!

85

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: KQ4, LSL2, and SQ3 ZERO-ONE editions

« on: September 07, 2022, 10:05:13 AM »

It's the SCI1 VGA interpreter with the parser still included.

Seasoned Professional is also available in 16 colors. I'm looking at LSL2-01 right now and it's very much still EGA.

Yes, true.

86

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: KQ4, LSL2, and SQ3 ZERO-ONE editions

« on: September 05, 2022, 02:17:16 PM »

It's the SCI1 VGA interpreter with the parser still included.

87

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: KQ4, LSL2, and SQ3 ZERO-ONE editions

« on: September 05, 2022, 11:44:41 AM »

 

88

SCI Community News / Re: Mad dash to move Hosting

« on: September 02, 2022, 11:46:38 PM »

I didn't notice. Good to see it's all handled and this place still has a future.

89

The Games and other Sierra Adventure stuff / Re: Playing around with AI Image Conversion on Sierra titles

« on: August 31, 2022, 07:27:40 PM »

I'd love to know how this was done!

90

SCI Development Tools / Re: Sounder 0.5 - with many improvements

« on: August 30, 2022, 04:39:23 PM »

Nice!