Are there plans to expand the list of compatable games?/ LBA

[Graxer]

I know that once Grim Fandango is finished you may be adding compatability for "Escape from Monkey Island". After you have done this though, are you planning on adding compatability for other engines like was done in ScummVM? Is this going to become just like ScummVM, but with 3D adventure games, or is it going to be exclusively for the Grime engine?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I have been wondering it for some time.

[aquadran]

I know that once Grim Fandango is finished you may be adding compatability for "Escape from Monkey Island". After you have done this though, are you planning on adding compatability for other engines like was done in ScummVM? Is this going to become just like ScummVM, but with 3D adventure games, or is it going to be exclusively for the Grime engine?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I have been wondering it for some time.

Scummvm support 2d adventure games, due grim and monkey 4 are 3d games, they will never accepted for inclusion. So that's why ResidualVM become and it was only written for grime engine. Later for portability to other platforms I added code from scummvm (to prevent reinvent wheel also). Recently I added more code from scummvm, so residual is very close to multi engine implementation. Now only small steps is needed to allow support more engine. Personaly I'm not against adding other engines, but first someone need implement it. So far there is no any available engines.

[Graxer]

Just as a suggestion, (ignore it if you dont want engine suggestions) there is an old adventure game called Little Big Adventure (Relentless in the US) which was an old DOS adventure game. An interpreter called LBAWin exists which allows it to run in Windows. LBAWin takes certain files which are contained on the disc and works as a replacement .exe file just as ScummVM and ResidualVM do.

Little Big Adventure is very similar to Grim Fandango in that pictures are used for the environment and only the characters and collectable objects are 3D. The control mechanics are also very similar, with the addition of jumping to add a bit of platforming.



There is a Little Big Adventure 2 which has an updated engine that uses 3D for outdoor environments, while the original pictures for backgrounds style is used in indoor scenes.

Would it be at all feasable that the original Little Big Adventure could be supported with the help of the LBAWin interpreter? I understand that the answer may be no, but im just suggesting it as I believe it one of the great classic adventure games.

There is a fan community here http://www.magicball.net/ where you can find more information if you are interested.

EDIT: Actually, this should probably be in a seperate topic.

[aquadran]

I never played that game, but it's not quite classic 3d adventure game. It's isometric view gfx with some 3d objects.
And as you pointed a bit platform type game. That remind me RAW engine situtation happen in scummvm in past. So I prefer not repeat mistake and keep typical adventure style games.
Besides I don't see any sources, it seems closed sources project run by original authors.

[sev]

Besides I don't see any sources, it seems closed sources project run by original authors.

Heh, Pawel

It is another of Yaz0r's engines. Grab it here.

Also Yaz reimplemented Alone in the Dark engine.


Eugene

[MeddlingMonk]

So far there is no any available engines.

Funny. I've never even thought of ResidualVM branching out like ScummVM has. What other games would be good candidates? Other 2d/3d mixes? The Longest Journey? Syberia? Hmm.

[ezekiel000]

I never played that game, but it's not quite classic 3d adventure game. It's isometric view gfx with some 3d objects.
And as you pointed a bit platform type game. That remind me RAW engine situtation happen in scummvm in past. So I prefer not repeat mistake and keep typical adventure style games.
Besides I don't see any sources, it seems closed sources project run by original authors.

Isometric with 3d objects isn't really different to Grim, its just 2d backgrounds with 3d objects.
And the open source project source is here: http://prequengine.svn.sourceforge.net/ ... equengine/

I'm not saying you should add it just pointing things out.

The best other candidate would be Discworld Noir.
And also a lot of people wanted Blade Runner in ScummVM but it uses some 3d (I've never played it).

[aquadran]

I never played that game, but it's not quite classic 3d adventure game. It's isometric view gfx with some 3d objects.
And as you pointed a bit platform type game. That remind me RAW engine situtation happen in scummvm in past. So I prefer not repeat mistake and keep typical adventure style games.
Besides I don't see any sources, it seems closed sources project run by original authors.

Isometric with 3d objects isn't really different to Grim, its just 2d backgrounds with 3d objects.
And the open source project source is here: http://prequengine.svn.sourceforge.net/ ... equengine/

I'm not saying you should add it just pointing things out.

The best other candidate would be Discworld Noir.
And also a lot of people wanted Blade Runner in ScummVM but it uses some 3d (I've never played it).

Let me state it what I was mean I don't see other engines available and what is needed for potential inclusion engine:

- typical 3d gfx adventure game: each room has diffrent POV of camera. Also gfx doesn't need full 3d, because a lot of them had 2d backgrounds. So 3d isometric view does not much that point.
- adventure game where other elements besides adventure must be really small like some action sequences like space quest series, operation stealth and. in case lba (based on wikipedia info) it's still adventure with some action sequence and rpg elements, that is why it's not clear typical 3d adventure game. I prefer put this engine for better time for now.

- source code must exist and must be open source GPL/LGPL. a) if project is look like abandoned for long time:
simply ask author if he would be fine by copy his source code and use in residual. If no replies for few tries for some long time then it might be asume that author doesn't care, vanished, or superbusy so no time for answer. Then project I think might be have status abandoned.
This way is polite and I prefer. (cine, sarien engine in scummvm, strictly in this examples authors agree for import their source code projects)

b) if project is still active. In this case mean merge projects. It may happen if author of engine really want it.
I prefer not push anyone to join ResidualVM. All things must be polite. (freesci project example)

c) source code obtained as open source license from original game developer. (example Revolotion developer for Broken Sword 1,2 and others)

d) someone working on some 3d engine and wanting import it into ResidualVM

- in case import abondoned project that also depend how in state game engine is. If is finished no need people to maintance it. if it's not finished state, first are needed volunteers for continue working on it.


All that things are the same as in ScummVM except here needed to be 3d not 2d games.

[aquadran]

Besides I don't see any sources, it seems closed sources project run by original authors.

Heh, Pawel

It is another of Yaz0r's engines. Grab it here.

Also Yaz reimplemented Alone in the Dark engine.


Eugene

You are right, I forgot about this ones Do you know what state is of this engines ?

[aquadran]

I found twin-e has completable game support.
And fitd has also completable state for alone in the dark 1.
Alone in the dark 2 is only playable.
So they looks good.

[zweitplatzierungsboy]

i'd love to see aitd 1-3 and lba in residual, that would be awesome!

what about ecstatica? would also fit the description (as would the resident evil series, i guess), although i can't really remember if it was an adventure with action elements or an action game with action elements.

[zoppo]

The best other candidate would be Discworld Noir.

is there a real possibility then?
what about the code and the license? are they connected with those of discworld 1&2?

[ezekiel000]

Best candidate in terms of style of game, graphics set-up and links to ScummVM (in that it supports the first two in the series).

I guess there might be some shared types of resources between noir and the first two as they are all developed but the same company.

[Kerbox]

The best other candidate would be Discworld Noir.

is there a real possibility then?
what about the code and the license? are they connected with those of discworld 1&2?

Seems unlikely we will get source for Noir in the near future, and the license for the game is a bit murky. But the possibility of support for the game is good in my opinion, until I hit upon a big hurdle at least. The core engine looks very similar, and Chris Bateman indicated to me that it was indeed just an extension of the original tinsel engine. So I'm hopeful. The resources are also very much the same, except small changes like compression of the scripts and mp2 instead of adpcm audio. I have no idea about the bmv files yet, and don't even ask about the 3d stuff.

- Kim

[George22]

There is a patch with code from the twin-e project for Little Big Adventure support in ScummVM. The game should run with it but I did not test it.