AGI and Pre-AGI graphics

Scarlatti · Post by **Scarlatti** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:16 am

I'm a bit curious about the graphics used on those old adventures by Sierra. I read in the Wiki they are vector-based, but I was wondering how much so. They seem to be more of an vector-based interpretation of a bitmap image, otherwise I guess the ScummVM team could implement a higher resolution without jagged lines and other distractions. Or maybe there's a limitation because of the priority background that defines interaction and requires pixel-perfect precision.

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:43 am

The PICTURE resources (backgrounds) are vector-based, both the priority/control and visual information. The VIEW resources (objects, people, anything that moves) aren't vector-based and are drawn pixel by pixel. And yeah, objects do require pixel-perfect percision with the priority/control information in the PICTURE resources.

Scarlatti · Post by **Scarlatti** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:05 am

Hmmm. So the older, pre-AGI graphics are mostly vector-based? I didn't find any VIEW resources, only some .OOO files inside an OBJ folder that are probably the equivalent to the later format. And I'm not sure if they have any priority control files at all, because of the more primitive gameplay.

The Mickey Mouse head in this shot:

is actually made of three vector circles then?

md5 · Post by **md5** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:05 pm

Scarlatti wrote:Hmmm. So the older, pre-AGI graphics are mostly vector-based? I didn't find any VIEW resources, only some .OOO files inside an OBJ folder that are probably the equivalent to the later format. And I'm not sure if they have any priority control files at all, because of the more primitive gameplay.

The Mickey Mouse head in this shot:

is actually made of three vector circles then?

Circles and brush strokes, yes

Scarlatti · Post by **Scarlatti** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:32 pm

Is it possible to render the Pre-AGI graphics with a higher vector resolution? Or are there any complications and limitations of the engine, or ScummVM itself?

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 12:20 am

Oh THOSE games. I didn't even think they were AGI.

md5 · Post by **md5** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:13 am

They're not AGI, per se, all the game logic is hardcoded. The only thing they share with AGI is the picture drawing code. And the picture drawing code is the most advanced code in these games, the rest of the game code (i.e. the logic) is very simple, which is why they've been classified as "pre-AGI" games and are playable through the AGI engine.

As for your question Scarlatti: it's certainly doable, though for AGI games, the associated priority map (i.e. the invisible screen that handles screen barriers) should reflect the scaled up graphics, so that the game's script are not affected by scaling. This requires extra work, and noone has worked on adding such a feature. But then again... I don't expect any miraculous results myself, the vector graphics of these games are very crude and simplistic anyway...

OmerMor · Post by **OmerMor** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:57 pm

Is it possible to easily manipulate only the picture drawing code to scale the vector graphics, just for the sake of producing sample images with it?
I'm just curious as to how they're gonna look when scaled.

Post by **sev** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:14 pm

OmerMor wrote:I'm just curious as to how they're gonna look when scaled.

You may get at least some impression from this page. See High Resolution Pictures section there.

Eugene

Scarlatti · Post by **Scarlatti** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:28 pm

OmerMor wrote:Is it possible to easily manipulate only the picture drawing code to scale the vector graphics, just for the sake of producing sample images with it?
I'm just curious as to how they're gonna look when scaled.

So am I.

I want to see how they look with scaled vectors on the maximum supported resolution, either 960x600 or 960x720 with aspect correction.