new cube release... collect your stuff!

by Aardappel_ on 08/07/2005 22:23, 148 messages, last message: 09/18/2005 09:02, 123500 views, last view: 05/19/2024 00:17

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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#41: Re: media... (attn MitaMan & dcp)

by Aardappel_ on 08/11/2005 13:27, refers to #40

yes I would like to include both... be careful with quality settings, don't do it to where you see artifacts.
I was more thinking of doing a "replace" on all least used textures with existing textures.

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#42: progress...

by Aardappel_ on 08/11/2005 13:28

these are all done just now:

- jumppad velocity Z cancellation (better jumps)
- fixes where illegal protocol could corrupt client state
- vdelta edit/remip fix
- out of memory error when shooting rockets at HOM fixed
- listen server functionality removed
- SP tweaks: slowest monsters move a liiitle faster, some fire a little faster, rhino has 20% bigger bounding box, all monsters search a little bit longer when stuck
- fixes for sound crashing on linux when no sound device available
- command "minmillis" regulates fps on very fast machines (see docs).
- maxclients setting for dedicated servers / serverbrowser displays FULL if maxclients reached

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#43: ..

by >driAn<. on 08/11/2005 13:44

great!

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#44: Re: Map errors

by -Rick- on 08/11/2005 13:45, refers to #40

That would be it I guess..thanks ;)

Aard: Nice...:) But what was wrong with a listenserver...?

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#45: ..

by makkE on 08/11/2005 13:46

Mitaman, I noticed some textures are in the mpsp4 as well as in the mpsp5-folder.
Maybe you should combine both to a single folder and adjust the cfg´s accordingly.

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#46: Re: ..

by mitaman-at-the-cave on 08/11/2005 15:33, refers to #45

makkE,

Well, one problem, some of the same textures are different sizes and have different brightness, contrast, saturation, etc...

It would take me forever to figure out what textures to remove.

To be honest whats the big deal if a map is 3 meg of textures or 2 meg of textures, it's still so small for a map compared to any other game download.

I'll go with the reduce texture quality thing and see if that works, if not, don't bother adding my maps if +/- a meg or so is a big deal.

MitaMAN

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#47: Re: ..

by MitaMAN in the cave on 08/11/2005 21:31, refers to #46

Aard & makkE,

Well reducing the texture quality for mpsp4 & mpsp5 is no good, they look far too ugly to be of any use (for the little amount of file size saved).

So makkE, I will try your suggestion and combine all textures into a common folder (over-writing the duplicates) and modify the config files to point to the new texture location. Then I'll run thru the maps and see if it works out (I hope so).

So Aard, if makke's suggestion works and saves file space great. If not you have to decide if my maps will go in as is (the original state). I just don't have the time to go thru both maps (they are huge!) and replace my new textures with textures available within CUBE. Besides, without the new textures I feel (IMHO) the maps would lose the feel I spent months working on. I hope you understand, and I respect any decision you make.

I'll work on the texture combination/configs tonight.

Wish me luck (as mitaman pulls out what little hair he has left).

MitaMAN

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#48: Re: ..

by MitaMAN in the cave on 08/11/2005 22:38, refers to #47

makkE, it took no time at all doing what you said, and it all worked out fine. How can I ever thank you?

File size was reduced nearly 1 meg and the maps played fine.

Aard, I sent the revised maps to your emeil listed here. I hope the file size is ok with you, whatever you decide is fine with me.

Thanks again makkE, as usual, the man with most of the answers to help me.

MitaMAN

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#49: new textures

by shadow.516 on 08/12/2005 05:03

I've been dabbling around with creating some new textures, and I came up with three decent ones. I'm not sure if they're cube worthy (that's for aard to decide).

You can get them here: http://shadowstestsite.5u.com/cube/

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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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