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Adventure Game Interpreter

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IBM commissioned Sierra to produce a game that could showcase these new capabilities. They discussed some requirements for the game, and IBM supplied Sierra with a PCjr prototype. They both agreed that the game should be animated—a first for Sierra. A team of six
475:, or SCI. Since the SCI engine required a more powerful home computer, Sierra released an AGI version of the game at the same time. However, Sierra overestimated consumer demand for the lesser version, and ceased production. 362:, Sierra continued to develop and improve the Adventure Game Interpreter. They employed it in 14 of their games between 1984 and 1989, before replacing it with a more sophisticated engine, 1123:
Donald Duck's Playground was released for the Apple II and Tandy Color Computer platforms but did not use the AGI engine for those ports, nor did the game's release for the Commodore 64
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them into video memory. This approach was not just to economize use of system resources; it also prevented the game from revealing hidden objects while it drew the screen.
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caused a sensation in the burgeoning market of PC-compatible computers, and Sierra sold more than half a million copies. They ported it to other computers, including the
1288: 870: 419:. Among the developers were Chuck Tingley and Ken MacNeill (later releases also credit Chris Iden. An Apple II version credits Arthur Abraham). 484:, then focused exclusively on SCI for new adventure game development. Among SCI's enhancements were a more versatile scripting system, an 930: 89: 42: 61: 1050: 467: 1173: 1335: 720: 68: 810: 347:
AGI was capable of running animated, color adventure games with music and sound effects. The player controls the game with a
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on the screen, and then colored them. Beginning with AGI version 2, the game engine drew graphics in an off-screen
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interpreter (the Adventure Game Interpreter). The Game Adaptation Language was a
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IBM premiered the PCjr in 1984; it did not sell well and, therefore, neither did
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In late 1982, IBM began work on the PCjr, a lower-priced variant of the
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could display up to 16 colors at a time—a major improvement over the
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model, higher-resolution graphics (320×200 rather than 160×200), a
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wished to market in order to attract consumers to IBM's lower-cost
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would have consumed an excessive amount of disk space. Instead,
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The following year, Sierra published its final AGI-based title,
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Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards
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Excerpt from a 1984 interview with Roberta Williams
471:, Sierra debuted a more sophisticated game engine: 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 322:. The company originally developed the engine for 1312: 550:Like Sierra's earlier adventure titles, such as 516:to simplify development. The engine comprised a 413:, worked on the game that was eventually titled 618:'s Macintosh computers. In addition, Sierra 931:Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel 642:AGI-based games published by Sierra On-Line 1167: 1165: 1163: 1161: 1159: 1157: 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 1282:) is being considered for deletion. See 1171: 1237: 1235: 1233: 1154: 523:called the Game Adaptation Language, a 16:Game engine developed by Sierra On-Line 1313: 1051:King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella 564:with a capacity of 360 kilobytes, and 492:interface, and support for additional 468:King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella 438:that succeeded where the PCjr failed. 1241: 1202: 1200: 1172:Trivette, Donald B. (February 1985). 721:King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne 1230: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 499: 179:3.002.149 / August 17, 1989 13: 1299: 1197: 811:King's Quest III: To Heir Is Human 587:AGI was principally developed for 14: 1347: 1286:to help reach a consensus. › 1265: 1244:"Making adventure games with AGI" 1242:Kelly, Peter (January 21, 2000). 841:Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter 961:Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge 602:at the time. These included the 23: 1336:Video game development software 533:high-level programming language 512:, so the programmers created a 34:needs additional citations for 1117: 1110: 1: 1271: 508:made it a burden to write in 473:Sierra's Creative Interpreter 465:In 1988, with the release of 364:Sierra's Creative Interpreter 543:, which was executed by the 504:The technical complexity of 58:"Adventure Game Interpreter" 7: 1130: 486:object-oriented programming 426:. However, later that year 10: 1352: 1289:Adventure Game Interpreter 1081:Manhunter 2: San Francisco 481:Manhunter 2: San Francisco 369: 308:Adventure Game Interpreter 124:Adventure Game Interpreter 1295:Retrieved August 15, 2014 1208:"History of King's Quest" 539:. This was compiled into 292: 280: 270: 230: 198: 194: 172: 168: 150: 138: 128: 1284:templates for discussion 1248:Adventure Classic Gaming 1147: 781:Donald Duck's Playground 156: (40 years ago) 556:(1980), AGI games used 553:Wizard and the Princess 1326:Adventure game engines 1214:. 2006. Archived from 592:computer architectures 391:Color Graphics Adapter 382:and sound. The PCjr's 901:Mixed-Up Mother Goose 628:TRS-80 Color Computer 626:computer models: the 614:'s Amiga series, and 376:IBM Personal Computer 265:TRS-80 Color Computer 1331:Sierra Entertainment 560:. The PCjr accepted 521:programming language 358:After the launch of 299:Proprietary software 43:improve this article 1021:Manhunter: New York 351:and, optionally, a 181: (35 years ago) 125: 1212:King's Quest Realm 751:The Black Cauldron 409:, led by designer 130:Original author(s) 123: 1218:on March 31, 2008 1108: 1107: 604:IBM PC compatible 594:, which were the 510:assembly language 436:IBM PC compatible 428:Tandy Corporation 304: 303: 119: 118: 111: 93: 1343: 1259: 1258: 1256: 1254: 1239: 1228: 1227: 1225: 1223: 1204: 1195: 1194: 1192: 1190: 1169: 1124: 1121: 646: 645: 596:state of the art 500:Technical design 411:Roberta Williams 384:Video Gate Array 332:that Sierra and 217:Macintosh System 200:Operating system 189: 187: 182: 164: 162: 157: 126: 122: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1351: 1350: 1346: 1345: 1344: 1342: 1341: 1340: 1311: 1310: 1302: 1300:Further reading 1287: 1268: 1263: 1262: 1252: 1250: 1240: 1231: 1221: 1219: 1206: 1205: 1198: 1188: 1186: 1170: 1155: 1150: 1133: 1128: 1127: 1122: 1118: 1113: 644: 566:raster graphics 558:vector graphics 535:that resembled 502: 490:point-and-click 372: 190: 185: 183: 180: 160: 158: 155: 151:Initial release 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1349: 1339: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1309: 1308: 1301: 1298: 1297: 1296: 1267: 1266:External links 1264: 1261: 1260: 1229: 1196: 1152: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1145: 1144: 1139: 1132: 1129: 1126: 1125: 1115: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1106: 1105: 1102: 1099: 1096: 1093: 1090: 1087: 1084: 1076: 1075: 1072: 1069: 1066: 1063: 1060: 1057: 1054: 1046: 1045: 1042: 1039: 1036: 1033: 1030: 1027: 1024: 1016: 1015: 1012: 1009: 1006: 1003: 1000: 997: 994: 986: 985: 982: 979: 976: 973: 970: 967: 964: 956: 955: 952: 949: 946: 943: 940: 937: 934: 926: 925: 922: 919: 916: 913: 910: 907: 904: 896: 895: 892: 889: 886: 883: 880: 877: 874: 866: 865: 862: 859: 856: 853: 850: 847: 844: 836: 835: 832: 829: 826: 823: 820: 817: 814: 806: 805: 802: 799: 796: 793: 790: 787: 784: 776: 775: 772: 769: 766: 763: 760: 757: 754: 746: 745: 742: 739: 736: 733: 730: 727: 724: 716: 715: 712: 709: 706: 703: 700: 697: 694: 686: 685: 680: 675: 670: 665: 660: 655: 650: 643: 640: 600:home computers 501: 498: 378:with improved 371: 368: 330:adventure game 320:Sierra On-Line 302: 301: 296: 290: 289: 284: 278: 277: 272: 268: 267: 234: 228: 227: 202: 196: 195: 192: 191: 178: 176: 174:Stable release 170: 169: 166: 165: 152: 148: 147: 145:Sierra On-Line 142: 136: 135: 132: 117: 116: 99:September 2014 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1348: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1321:1984 software 1319: 1318: 1316: 1307: 1304: 1303: 1294: 1290: 1285: 1281: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1269: 1253:September 25, 1249: 1245: 1238: 1236: 1234: 1222:September 28, 1217: 1213: 1209: 1203: 1201: 1185: 1184: 1179: 1177: 1168: 1166: 1164: 1162: 1160: 1158: 1153: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1134: 1120: 1116: 1103: 1100: 1097: 1094: 1091: 1088: 1085: 1083: 1082: 1078: 1077: 1073: 1070: 1067: 1064: 1061: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1052: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1040: 1037: 1034: 1031: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1022: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1010: 1007: 1004: 1001: 998: 995: 993: 992: 988: 987: 983: 980: 977: 974: 971: 968: 965: 963: 962: 958: 957: 953: 950: 947: 944: 941: 938: 935: 933: 932: 928: 927: 923: 920: 917: 914: 911: 908: 905: 903: 902: 898: 897: 893: 890: 887: 884: 881: 878: 875: 873: 872: 868: 867: 863: 860: 857: 854: 851: 848: 845: 843: 842: 838: 837: 833: 830: 827: 824: 821: 818: 815: 813: 812: 808: 807: 803: 800: 797: 794: 791: 788: 785: 783: 782: 778: 777: 773: 770: 767: 764: 761: 758: 755: 753: 752: 748: 747: 743: 740: 737: 734: 731: 728: 725: 723: 722: 718: 717: 713: 710: 707: 704: 701: 698: 695: 693: 692: 688: 687: 684: 681: 679: 676: 674: 671: 669: 666: 664: 661: 659: 656: 654: 651: 648: 647: 639: 637: 633: 629: 625: 622:AGI to three 621: 617: 613: 609: 605: 601: 597: 593: 590: 585: 583: 579: 575: 571: 567: 563: 559: 555: 554: 548: 546: 542: 538: 534: 530: 526: 522: 519: 515: 511: 507: 497: 495: 491: 487: 483: 482: 476: 474: 470: 469: 463: 461: 457: 453: 449: 445: 441: 437: 433: 430:released the 429: 425: 420: 418: 417: 412: 408: 404: 398: 396: 392: 388: 387:video adapter 385: 381: 377: 367: 365: 361: 356: 354: 350: 345: 343: 339: 338:home computer 335: 331: 327: 326: 321: 318:developed by 317: 313: 309: 300: 297: 295: 291: 288: 285: 283: 279: 276: 273: 269: 266: 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 235: 233: 229: 226: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 203: 201: 197: 193: 177: 175: 171: 167: 154:May 1984 153: 149: 146: 143: 141: 137: 133: 131: 127: 121: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1277: 1251:. Retrieved 1247: 1220:. Retrieved 1216:the original 1211: 1187:. Retrieved 1181: 1176:King's Quest 1175: 1119: 1079: 1049: 1019: 989: 959: 929: 899: 869: 839: 809: 779: 749: 719: 691:King's Quest 689: 586: 570:King's Quest 569: 562:floppy disks 551: 549: 506:King's Quest 505: 503: 479: 477: 466: 464: 440:King's Quest 439: 424:King's Quest 423: 421: 416:King's Quest 414: 399: 373: 360:King's Quest 359: 357: 346: 325:King's Quest 323: 311: 307: 305: 271:Available in 140:Developer(s) 120: 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 41:Please help 36:verification 33: 1272:‹ The 1111:Table Notes 578:data buffer 545:interpreter 514:game engine 328:(1984), an 316:game engine 287:Game engine 209:Apple GS/OS 1315:Categories 991:Gold Rush! 673:Apple IIGS 634:, and the 496:hardware. 494:sound card 448:Apple IIGS 432:Tandy 1000 407:developers 395:PC speaker 249:Apple IIGS 237:Intel 8088 186:1989-08-17 69:newspapers 1189:March 26, 636:Apple IIc 632:Apple IIe 612:Commodore 403:designers 221:Atari TOS 1274:template 1183:Compute! 1174:"Inside 1131:See also 663:Atari ST 658:Apple II 608:Atari ST 574:polygons 541:bytecode 529:bytecode 527:, and a 525:compiler 460:Atari ST 444:Apple II 380:graphics 353:joystick 349:keyboard 342:IBM PCjr 261:Atari ST 245:Apple II 232:Platform 1276:below ( 1142:ScummVM 582:blitted 580:, then 518:bespoke 370:History 314:) is a 294:License 275:English 225:AmigaOS 184: ( 161:1984-05 159: ( 134:Unknown 83:scholar 1293:Curlie 1279:Curlie 683:CoCo 3 653:MS-DOS 630:, the 620:ported 606:, the 589:16-bit 458:, and 340:, the 213:ProDOS 205:MS-DOS 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  1148:Notes 1137:SCUMM 894:1988 834:1988 668:Amiga 624:8-bit 616:Apple 572:drew 456:Amiga 434:, an 257:Amiga 90:JSTOR 76:books 1255:2016 1224:2016 1191:2016 1101:1989 1095:1990 1092:1990 1086:1989 1068:1989 1065:1990 1062:1990 1059:1990 1056:1988 1038:1988 1035:1988 1032:1988 1029:1988 1026:1988 1011:1989 1008:1989 1005:1989 1002:1989 999:1988 996:1988 981:1988 978:1988 975:1988 972:1987 969:1987 966:1987 951:1987 948:1987 945:1987 942:1987 939:1987 936:1987 918:1988 915:1988 912:1987 909:1990 906:1987 891:1988 888:1987 885:1987 882:1987 879:1987 876:1987 861:1987 858:1987 855:1987 852:1986 849:1986 846:1986 828:1988 825:1986 822:1986 819:1988 816:1986 795:1986 792:1986 786:1986 768:1987 765:1987 762:1986 759:1986 756:1986 738:1987 735:1987 732:1985 729:1985 726:1985 711:1987 708:1987 705:1987 702:1986 699:1984 696:1984 649:Game 405:and 306:The 282:Type 62:news 1291:at 1104:No 1074:No 1044:No 1014:No 984:No 954:No 924:No 864:No 804:No 774:No 744:No 714:No 678:Mac 598:in 452:Mac 334:IBM 312:AGI 253:Mac 241:x86 45:by 1317:: 1246:. 1232:^ 1210:. 1199:^ 1180:. 1156:^ 1098:No 1089:No 1071:No 1041:No 921:No 831:No 801:No 798:No 789:No 771:No 741:No 638:. 610:, 547:. 454:, 450:, 446:, 397:. 366:. 355:. 344:. 263:, 259:, 255:, 251:, 247:, 243:, 239:, 223:, 219:, 215:, 211:, 207:, 1257:. 1226:. 1193:. 1178:" 537:C 310:( 188:) 163:) 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 39:.

Index


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"Adventure Game Interpreter"
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Original author(s)
Developer(s)
Sierra On-Line
Stable release
Operating system
MS-DOS
Apple GS/OS
ProDOS
Macintosh System
Atari TOS
AmigaOS
Platform
Intel 8088
x86
Apple II
Apple IIGS
Mac
Amiga
Atari ST

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