[Scummvm-devel] SCI engine progress (Was: [Scummvm-cvs-logs] SF.net SVN: scummvm:[43268] scummvm/trunk/engines/sci/engine/scriptdebug. cpp)

[Walter van Niftrik]

Hey Max,

Max Horn wrote:
> Hi Walter,
> good to see some activity on SCI again. Please tell me: Is the  
> debugger working again to your satisfaction? If not, can you briefly  
> describe how it is broken, and what it would take to make it useful  
> for you again? That way others might be able to help out with it.
>   

A couple of weeks ago wjp finished most of the missing bits and pieces 
and the debugger is now in working order. There are still a few things 
that would be nice to have:

1) The ability to repeat the last debug command by simply pressing enter 
(makes stepping through code easier/faster).
2) The ability to start a game up in debug mode. This used to be a 
command-line argument in FreeSCI.

> I also wonder whether you/anybody has a "vision" on where the SCI  
> engine should go next. I think we the integration with ScummVM is  
> pretty good by now.

There is one area where the integration is not completed yet, and that's 
sound. We currently don't have support for GM, MT-32 and amiga music. 
The old FreeSCI drivers for those still need to be converted.

> I feel that the current "SCI Roadmap" in the Wiki <http://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php/SCI/Roadmap 
>  > is not up to that task yet. It lists some far too specific/narrow  
> tasks (that really should be on the TODO list <http://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php/SCI/TODO 
>  >), some outdated stuff, and some too vague general things. For  
> example, it mentions that string handling somehow needs to be  
> reworked, but doesn't provide any pointers on how to actually get  
> started.
>   

I'll have a look at these lists sometime this week. In my opinion the 
biggest open task is the graphics subsystem rewrite. m_kiewitz said he 
would work on this. As he doesn't have access to internet for another 
few weeks, we'll have to wait a bit longer before we know the outcome of 
his efforts.

> As a first step, it would be really nice to update these two Wiki  
> pages, and to see compatibility of SCI games on <http://www.scummvm.org/compatibility/ 
>  >. That would help give an impression on which games work well, and  
> where work is needed, and what. Maybe we can find some volunteers to  
> help create that list?
>   

Hopefully. I think the odds of that list being created by the developers 
is rather low. One way or another we need to convince some external 
people to play the games.

Regards,

Walter