[Scummvm-devel] Possible new backend features

[Neil Millstone]

Chris Apers wrote:

>Well, I'm not sure if it still works but the gameid is (was) available=20
>using :
>
>#include "common/config-manager.h"
>..
>	... ConfMan.getActiveDomain().c_str()
>..
>
>voila
>

That looks great, although it is a bit of a cheat, and as others have 
said, it would be better to query certain features rather than certain 
games.

The tweaks I have so far basically treats Sam & Max as a special case, 
and everything else I support is the same.  On the earlier Scumm games, 
I use the d-pad to switch which mouse button is in use.  So D-pad left 
chooses the left button, D-pad right chooses the right, and D-pad up 
chooses hover.  After that, when the user touches the screen the 
relevent mouse button is pressed (or just a mouse move in the case of 
hover mode).  The actual mouse cursor is not shown, as it would just get 
in the way.

Sam & Max is a little different in that right clicks are not used, and 
the button is used to cycle between the different verbs.  So here, D-pad 
right is not a mode switch but just causes the mouse to click.  The 
current mouse cursor is also shown on the top screen to indicate which 
mode you're in.

Having looked at Benieth a Steel Sky, it would also need special case code.

So it would mean that so far I would have three game types:
- Old-SCUMM style
- Sam & Max Style
- Bass Style
and possibly more when I have more engines working.


John Willis wrote:

>The GP2X implements the 640*480 games using it's hardware scalar (down to 320*240) but I have been toying with the idea of doing something very much like this to allow the user to swap on the fly to a 320*240 panned view centred on the users (or better still talking) character. I guess if this
>was standardised whatever was built could just be empty unless the backend wanted to do something with it.
>
The zoomed view works nicely for me.  I will have to get myself a GP2X, 
I think.  I nearly got a GP32 but it didn't quite do it for me, but the 
GP2X looks like great fun from a hacker standpoint!



Max Horn wrote:

>That should be simple enough... Something like a
>    setFocusTo(int x, int y) or focusOnRect(Rect r)
>method, possibly with a matching resetFocus() method. Empty  
>implementations could be provided by default, and only backends that  
>are "interested" could make use of it 
>  
>
Sound just like I was thinking.  It would be great to have this feature, 
and probably not too much effort either.


>Left-hand option for a stylus? I always thought those are independent of your handedness
>  
>
Exactly my thoughts at first, but then you realise that when you hold 
your stylus in your left, and the DS in your right, different buttons 
are accessible than if you were holding the unit with your left.  
Therefore all the buttons are mirrored accross the DS for left handers.


>Anyway, the PocketPC port also adds some control to the in-game  
>options dialog, I think. It sure would be possible to make a port  
>specific tab. But again, whenever possible I'd prefer a generic  
>solution over port specific ones. In the case of the stylus, that's  
>probably not possible. Not sure about the Indy-fight stuff, since I  
>haven't quite understood what it's supposed to do... It is a checkbox  
>that you check just before fighting? Or you simply check it for all  
>"Indy3/Indy4" games in your game list? Or what?
>
You check it just before you're about to fight, therefore it could be 
added as a SetFeature() call just like the virtual keyboard is turned on 
and off at the right times.


>I think all of those can be solved, some quickly, some with a bit  
>more effort required, but none of 'em seem insurmountable.
>
I'm glad.  I wouldn't want to cut out all the nice features of my port 
in order to get into official CVS!

Thanks for your help Max, and everyone else too!

- Neil