Opened 4 weeks ago

Closed 3 weeks ago

Last modified 3 weeks ago

#15061 closed defect (fixed)

SCITetris detected as template and fails to run (win11, scummvm dev build)

Reported by: necros2k7 Owned by: sluicebox
Priority: normal Component: Engine: SCI
Version: Keywords: sci, fanmade
Cc: Game: SCI Fanmade

Description

"can`t find any engine capable of running this game" error after start

https://sciprogramming.com/game1.php?action=download&id=208

Change History (5)

comment:1 by necros2k7, 4 weeks ago

Summary: SCITetris detected as template and fails to runSCITetris detected as template and fails to run (win11, scummvm dev build)

comment:2 by sluicebox, 4 weeks ago

This game is deliberately excluded from the detection table because it doesn't work in ScummVM.

https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/commit/4368a380c4afcc3130e203c0938afb07e6cde0db

The game's high score script has many mistakes: it tests the wrong FOpen return value and passes characters instead of pointers. The room number is also wrong so that suggests even more problems. It would take many workarounds and patches to accommodate these mistakes, and even then, the game is currently unplayable.

The site you've linked to is hosting version 1.0 of this game, but in the message board thread that announced the game, someone made a version 1.1 that removed the broken high score code and fixed other things. The thread ends with a request to update the game page, but they didn't. https://sciprogramming.com/community/index.php?topic=1917

I loaded version 1.1 in ScummVM and it's unplayable. It drops events, so most key presses don't work. That's why I didn't add it years ago.

I may take a look at this eventually, but it feels like we may be past the threshold of reasonably supporting this game. It's only from 2020, but the author doesn't appear interested in updating it, and sciprogramming.com doesn't appear interested in updating the version.

comment:3 by necros2k7, 3 weeks ago

Game: SCI Fanmade
Keywords: fanmade added

comment:4 by sluicebox, 3 weeks ago

Owner: set to sluicebox
Resolution: fixed
Status: newclosed

I've reluctantly made this work. The game is practically unplayable due to input lag and dropped events, but it's also that way in DOS. I wish it worked better, it's a fun idea and layout.

I think the input problems are because this game does all its work in the doit method. Sierra programmers were instructed to do as little work as possible in doit, preferably none.

Both versions are now detected, and the broken high score scripts in both versions are now ignored: https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/commit/9e089d50932de96852bd3d56b0ff0d26d4db8a7f

comment:5 by necros2k7, 3 weeks ago

Thanx!

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