Should we remove the "special" AGS splashscreens?

Crimson Wizard · Tue 14/02/2023 19:56:48

I was not certain where to post this; as this is not a technical issue, so will post here...

AGS Editor has 4 hidden splash screens, which is coded to display on particular days: Christmas, Valentine's day, and so on. These splashes are photographs of "old" members of AGS community, made somewhere in 2000-ies. (I don't know full story of these, and don't know most of the people on these photos.)

I wonder if it is okay to remove these from the Editor, let's say, starting from 3.6.0 release; or if there any reason to not remove them.

The reasons I have for this suggestion are:

1) These photographs are made in the times when AGS community was perhaps a more "close" group of people, who knew each other well enough. Today many new members won't even know who these people are, and these photos won't have any sentimental or other value for the majority of users. For the same reason, these won't likely to achieve their original "easter egg" purpose.

2) I cannot speak for the people on these photos of course, but hypothetically some of them may see their remaining presence on the program splashscreens as unwanted. I'm unaware whether they gave any permission to Chris Jones, but now a different team is developing the program, and neither of us have their permission.

3) These screens may actually startle users who do not know their backstory. In the past I've seen at least couple of reports in which users wondered if this is a doing of a virus, or a hacker.

cat · Wed 15/02/2023 08:02:40

I agree with you about removing them from the editor.
I think the people on the photos were CJ himself and AGA. I think it would be nice if we could keep those pictures in a forum thread or on the wiki for the sentimental value you mentioned.

Babar · Wed 15/02/2023 08:06:24

I was going to suggest we ask each of the people in the screens for permission (one of them was CJ, if I am not mistaken, and most are still mostly active on the internet, if not in AGS), but then I thought to myself...why keep them at all?

I would like to keep them, mostly for nostalgia's sake, but I can totally understand all the points you listed against.

How about some activity where we create new artwork for these occasions? Could even be photographs, or multiple for each occasion, and then randomly show one related to that day when it comes around.

Crimson Wizard · Wed 15/02/2023 08:39:46

Quote from: cat on Wed 15/02/2023 08:02:40I think the people on the photos were CJ himself and AGA.

There are also 2 photos of Mittens event, with about 10 people on them (personally I recognize maybe 1-2).

cat · Wed 15/02/2023 08:45:22

Could you add a direct link to the photos in the repo?

Crimson Wizard · Wed 15/02/2023 08:55:56

Quote from: cat on Wed 15/02/2023 08:45:22Could you add a direct link to the photos in the repo?

I double checked, and the mittens photo is only coded to be shown if you hold Shift and press OK button in the About dialog:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adventuregamestudio/ags/master/Editor/AGS.Editor/Resources/splash-mittens.bmp

The comment sais "The cast and crew of Mittens 2007 Canada"

Dave Gilbert · Wed 15/02/2023 11:45:24

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Wed 15/02/2023 08:55:56https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adventuregamestudio/ags/master/Editor/AGS.Editor/Resources/splash-mittens.bmp

Look at those fresh-faced babies! So young. So innocent.

I agree the Valentine's Day/Xmas splash photos could probably be removed, but if the others are just fun easter eggs that you need to enter in a specific keyboard command to access... why not keep them?

eri0o · Wed 15/02/2023 17:26:06

I like the remains of a more whimsical time, I think software in general used to be more fun, and have more personality, and it's nice to have these bits.

I think if there are new images it will be ok to replace, but not just removing without nothing in place.

I remember a drawing floating on Twitter once that had lots of adventure characters, not sure if solely AGS ones, but perhaps one of those could be used? I also like Babar's idea of an activity to create new artwork.

Stupot · Thu 16/02/2023 05:53:05

I know they were originally implemented to be a surprise, but as you say, newer users will just be confused, and even worried when something so random pops up. With that in mind, how about including an option in the settings to allow them or not. Users could see a preview of the images and maybe even a short description on the backstory and then asked if they want to allow it to pop up on those days. Or maybe let them choose from a small selection of seasonal splash screens, including the "classic" ones.

Snarky · Thu 16/02/2023 07:08:35

To quote myself on the topic of Options Considered Harmful:

Quote from: Snarky on Tue 18/08/2015 14:49:35I think adding another configuration setting so that everyone gets to have it however they like is not a good idea. One definition of design is to impose constraints on a problem, or in other words, to make decisions. But since Pumaman, CW and the other AGS developers have always been bombarded with different opinions and ideas, all too often the "decision" has been to have it both ways: to make it optional, configurable. In the long run, all these configuration options makes the system hard to learn and understand, difficult to support and debug (if someone has a problem, you first need to figure out exactly which of a million possible configurations they're using), and increasingly impossible to maintain.

So I would strongly argue that it's better to just make a decision, one way or another, than take the "coward's way out" and add another configuration option.

I personally would like to keep them (and update them), but maybe the presentation could be tweaked to make it less jarring, to put the pictures into more context.

Babar · Thu 16/02/2023 07:17:37

Yeah, having it as a settings option doesn't make much sense in terms of avoiding the surprise or jarringness: the first time people will see them will be when they pop up on those specific days, I doubt anyone will be idly browsing editor settings, or think "Hey, this editor might have different splash screens on different days, I don't want that, let me check if there is a setting for it".

Ponch · Mon 20/02/2023 22:07:47

Quote from: eri0o on Wed 15/02/2023 17:26:06I like the remains of a more whimsical time, I think software in general used to be more fun, and have more personality, and it's nice to have these bits.

I think if there are new images it will be ok to replace, but not just removing without nothing in place.

I remember a drawing floating on Twitter once that had lots of adventure characters, not sure if solely AGS ones, but perhaps one of those could be used? I also like Babar's idea of an activity to create new artwork.

I second everything in this post. I like the more whimsical aspects of AGS. But that's just me. I'm old.

cat · Tue 21/02/2023 08:53:43

Quote from: Snarky on Thu 16/02/2023 07:08:35I personally would like to keep them (and update them), but maybe the presentation could be tweaked to make it less jarring, to put the pictures into more context.

I like the idea: what about just adding a big, blue "Merry Christmas" and smaller "from CJ, creator of AGS" or similar to the screen?