new cube release... collect your stuff!

by Aardappel_ on 08/07/2005 22:23, 148 messages, last message: 09/18/2005 09:02, 124893 views, last view: 07/01/2024 07:10

So we haven't had a new cube release in a while, and I guess everyone understands why: sauerbraten is the engine of the future.

But Cube has its own maps, its own gameplay, and is worthy of its own spot for a while to come. So next weekend I will take a little break from sauer and my other projects, and work on a cube release. That doesn't mean that there will be a cube release next weekend, in the best case there will be, in the worst case a whole lot will get done and it will be the week after.

The bad news (if any) is the new cube will NOT receive any significant new features. Sauer is version 2.0 of Cube, and it simply does not make any sense spending large amounts of time in updating Cube. Work on Cube is to be focused on polish and bugs. The main reason for this release code wise it to fix the list of small bugs that have appeared since the last release.

So is this the last release of Cube? Maybe. I am not sure either way, there is always a possibility for more versions, but the way things are going with Sauerbraten, what I want for Cube is a very stable version that people can enjoy while we make Sauerbraten the greatest thing since, well, Cube.

So what do I want from the community? Well, 2 things will go into this release, new media, and bits of code.

For media, I simply want to collect the best released new maps and other items since the last release. I already have most of them, but if you want to be sure I don't miss any simply post links here in this thread... rememeber, just the most high quality stuff.

Then code. I know this is going to be hard for you because you all have your pet little feature that you want to see in Cube. If you read the above, you know these are not going to happen. Some things I just don't find important. Like probably the #1 requested feature is a configureable player model, but that is not going to happen for this release. These kinds of things will likely be in sauer. It is not that it is hard (rather, it trivial), it is just not a priority.

So I will list some things that I definitely intend to fix, or try to. You *MAY* use this thread to suggest certain additional fixes/features, and who knows I can be swayed if a lot of you make convincing arguments, but remember, unless it is a few line easy fix or just incredibly important to cube right now, its not likely going in.

I will report on this thread as things progress.

features already in:
* lots of smaller fixes that I didn't bother to write down. Maybe if you note them here I can say "yes that is already in"
* stereo sound effects
* put in workaround for buggy ATI drivers (glReadPixels() result, already on linux)
* tweaked kickback strength for various weapons

for sure planned to go in:
- seperate release archives for windows, linux, and macosx (less FAQs)
- fixes for amd64. if someone with such a machine can be on call in irc next weekend for testing, that be great
- fixes where illegal protocol could corrupt client state
- vdelta edit fix
- shooting rockets at HOM -> out of memory error
- jumppad velocity Z cancellation (better jumps)
- cap fps to 200 or whatever (variable) (some cube code starts behaving weird when it nears 1000).
- fixes for sound crashing on linux
- some minor tweaks to SP balance and AI
- listen server functionality will be removed
- demo play bugs like sticky scoreboard
- make serverinfo port obey -i
- maxclients

maybe will go in:
- some of the features requested by the german "pro" community (not sure which)
if they have CLEAR list of what they changed to fix what, that might help things
go in (you listening Makke?). Though I am guessing since I won't add all their stuff,
they may want to stick with pcube anyway.
- look at that immortality bug that sometimes pops up. I have a demo of it. It is however
hard to debug and I make no guarantees. Same with other "happens occasionally in
multiplayer" bugs people have.
- kick vote

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#50: ..

by staffy_12 on 08/12/2005 10:09

Any chance of getting this map (or sky) into the next release?
http://cube.snieb.com/node/31

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#51: Re: progress...

by spentron on 08/12/2005 12:47, refers to #42

"rhino has 20% bigger bounding box" ... I hope you mean to shoot, not where he fits, or at least he still fits in a 2 cube wide space. That would "break" some of my maps (though probably be a boon in DMSP) -- well at least in that case make sure none of those maps are in the release ;) .

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#52: cfg

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 03:57

I changed the cfg loading such that it automatically writes out a config.cfg with all aliases, binds and variables. It loads this file, if not present it loads defaults.cfg. Afterwards it loads autoexec.cfg as before. This makes making persistent changes inside the engine easy.

I also applied this change to sauer.

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#53: replies...

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 04:48

sorry... didn't reply to everyone's posts yet. Here's some snippets:

wasda: soundbufferlen variable (added), pain sounds, will have a look
mitaman: most new dcp models have been included
tentus: I can't have you modify dcp's models, but if you have any of you own feel free to send them to me
cc_machine: sorry, no. any really new things are for sauer
kernowyon: unless you have a reproducable case of the network error, no, and for 64bit testing a programmer would help
makke: I agree with many/most of your request. But like I said, besides fixes that are desperately needed, any bigger features to improve multiplayer will go into sauer only. sorry.
nielz: no... cube's lighting is really restricted, read what makke said. For big lights, use sauer :)
fanatic: added your map
tyguy: kick.. maybe
timhortons: those sparklies are very hard to fix
fireballz: the pistol will remain sauer only. All new gameplay goes to sauer.
spentron: thanks, added
any map errors... test, and get me new versions..
pxtl: I agree. sauer.
mitaman: thanks... that's a good improvement
spentron: I am afraid bounding box is used for physics and hits alike

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#54: ..

by horstal1ty on 08/14/2005 12:55

hitsounds, balanced ffa mode, brightskins, more functionally sensitivity, modificable hud, shaft for ffa, bigger maps
for playing 2on2+

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#55: Re: cfg

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 21:36, refers to #55

yes.
yes.

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#56: beta TODAY

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 21:38

There will be a cube beta out today... at least windows, but probably also linux if eihrul wakes up again. x86-64 testing would be great, any programmers with such a machine get in contact with me.

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#57: Maps

by |_apskaus on 08/14/2005 22:06

hey, long time no see :) Would be cool if SP_infidel made it into the release, if it isn\'t in there already? I have no idea where to get it though :\\

Also, there\'s a few pretty bad maps included with cube. I suggest you weed out some of them. Keep a minimum level of quality. I mean, there\'s no shortage of maps, and new players are probably having a hard time finding the ones that are fun to play.

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#58: Re: Maps

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 22:29, refers to #57

welcome back :)
Yes, that would be a good one to include... if anyone still has it, email it to me, I don't.

Good plan. What I could do is not delete them (given their size, there is little point) but take them out of the menus. Then again, the menus are already set up such that the newer, prettier maps appear in the first menu, and you have to dig a bit deeper to get to the older uglier ones... what do people think?

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#59: ..

by makkE on 08/14/2005 23:00

Hmm of course we´ll all have a diffrent opinion..
Personally, I´d like to see caged,wandering, zippie, taurus, matador, 32, q3dm2, kmap5, gdb1, kmap2 kmap1 , matador rpgcb01, ludm1, taurus, ger1, dragon,style ,hylken5, artanis,tongues, plagiat,metalv2 lbase,templeofdespair
to be dropped.

Heh hope this doesn´t piss anyone off.. it´s just what I think are the least fun to play. q3dm2 works great in q3, but is kind of pointless in cube imho.
All other maps are great if you get a chance to play em with their intended playercount. (or the appropriate gamemode)..

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#60: Re: ..

by Aardappel_ on 08/14/2005 23:27, refers to #59

I am afraid cube maps are not selected solely on how they play in DM... how much fun something is in DM depends on your style, and there is also DMSP. But Cube is also about creating cool worlds, and so pretty but not great gameplay maps also get a good spot, which applies to quite a few of the maps you mention.

btw, just got sp_infidel from spentron.

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#61: BETA!!!

by Aardappel_ on 08/15/2005 03:37

ok, this beta is for cube regulars only. Please do NOT give these links out to anyone, they are betas, there will be a full release for the whole world to enjoy shortly after this beta (as soon as no new bugs show up).

So help test! Everyone will need the main archive, windows users need the updated exe, and linux users the linux bins.

Have a look at history.html, and see if you can find anything wrong with the features mentioned therein. Again, new features time is OVER (lets focus on sauerbraten), but any showstopper bugs must be found, as who knows for how long this will be the current Cube release.

http://wouter.fov120.com/cube.zip

http://wouter.fov120.com/cube.exe

http://wouter.fov120.com/bin_unix.tar.gz

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#62: Re: BETA!!!

by Aardappel_ on 08/15/2005 03:42, refers to #61

oh and, this beta still uses the same protocol as the previous one, for ease of testing. The actual release will have a higher protocol.

The only network related feature is maxclients... if you connect with an old client to a new server with maxclients full, you will simply be disconnected, whereas with a new client you will get an appropriate error message.

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#63: Re: ..

by spentron on 08/15/2005 03:44, refers to #60

I think some should be dropped from normal server rotation, presuming they're in there already. Having the files is fine, even having them in the menus is little problem. Any map with only one spawnpoint is pretty poor -- I see artanis, tongues and especially ludm1 -- no ammo or health either on that one, only a quad. Other rather overminimalistic ones a quick scan reveal are gdb1, ger1, dragon, hylken.

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#64: ..

by nieb on 08/15/2005 07:05

hey aard, could you please consider this map...
http://cube.snieb.com/node/6
...I could change the skybox to one that is already included. Also I noticed that "camera" is on the SPmap list twice.

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#65: Archive

by pushplay on 08/15/2005 07:51

There are a few file sin the archive that seem like they shouldn't be there:
cube/packages/sounds/readme.txt.bak
cube/packages/*/Thumbs.db

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#66: So

by pushplay on 08/15/2005 07:56

From what I understood I would be able to connect to old servers to test this build but I got the boot:
illegal network message (type)

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#67: Re: So

by scott666 on 08/15/2005 08:19, refers to #66

Ditto.

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#68: Re: ..

by Aardappel_ on 08/15/2005 09:44, refers to #64

nieb: sure, email me a version with different cfg
menus fixed

pp: files fixed

I now remember of a certain network message I removed.. so sorry, no testing on existing servers. Forgot about that.

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#69: ..

by |_apskaus on 08/15/2005 10:01

I agree with just dropping them from the server rotation, and changing the menus a little so that it's obvious that some are for sightseeing only. I just want it to be super easy to find the maps that are good. They should have their own menu, not just be on top.

oh well, time to give the beta a spin!

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