new cube release... collect your stuff!

by Aardappel_ on 08/07/2005 22:23, 148 messages, last message: 09/18/2005 09:02, 123148 views, last view: 05/05/2024 20:00

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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#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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#70: Re: ..

by mw on 08/15/2005 10:52, refers to #64

nieb, i've liked that map for a while but maybe if you gave it a shorter, easier, more memorable name it could be more successful - when it comes to voting I think it makes a difference. Just a suggestion anyway..

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#71: .

by |_apskaus on 08/15/2005 11:09

Didn't find anything that isn't cosmetic. I like the new models :D

The only thing i can point at is that maybe the teleporter shouldn't be spinning. It looks kinda odd. But then it might end up facing all kinds of directions in different maps if you lock it down.

Items could bounce slightly slower. Like, less than 1.5x.

I found my old modded items.png. Fits the game better than the current one IMO. I mean, the current one is ancient ;)
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3773/items9dy.png

Now i'd like to try to replace some sounds. The project coming to an end is really inspiring me to try to get some of the stuff i don't like fixed :)

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#72: ..

by makkE on 08/15/2005 12:30

Looks like nothing has changed with the jumppads? Still not possible to jump/fall on it and get where intended.
I demo´d it:

http://www.geocities.com/toke_gardens02/jumppads.zip

Checked trickjumping: OK, no diffrence there :)

Looks like you didn´t put the "final" revision of the shotgun in. (the one that´s in sauer too)

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#73: ..

by Pulsewidth2 on 08/15/2005 12:42

Could there be an option to keep the old models? I think the new models are ugly and much worse than the old ones.

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#74: ..

by makkE on 08/15/2005 12:55

I agree. I´d like to see the old ammo and health models. They represent perfectly what they are on first sight..

Dcp´s quad and teleport and the Mg are great, but the rest looks chaotic,(makes you feel dizzy since they´re all at weird angles) and is hard to spot.

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#75: ..

by -Rick- on 08/15/2005 13:24

q3dm2 is twice on the menu too.

But lots of new cool maps, really like them :)

Oh and Aard/Eihrul: Could I make an 'official' binary for us FreeBSD people?

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#76: Re: ..

by nieb on 08/15/2005 13:37, refers to #70

mw, any suggestions on a new name for the map?

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#77: ..

by makkE on 08/15/2005 13:59

"Lunara"

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#78: Re: ..

by Pxtl on 08/15/2005 15:21, refers to #59

Nice Makke. Two of those maps you listed are my faves :P

Plagiat is by far the best experience you can have in Tactics-type gametypes, and Matador has some of the neatest vertical layout any of the legacy maps. Matador I consider my personal proof that you don't need bridges and jumppads to make a bewilderingly cool map. 32 is similar, but fails for being too large for even it's namesake in players.

Maybe sorting the map-lists by gametype (to a lesser extent this is done already - a bunch've tactics maps are bundled together)? Or even possibly enforcing a "default" gametype for certain maps?

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#79: Re: ..

by Aardappel_ on 08/15/2005 23:04, refers to #72

jummpads: the code is exactly the same as the way I fixed it for sauerbraten, which I thought people liked, i.e. it does:

player1->vel.z = 0; // cancel out downward velocity
vadd(player1->vel, v);

where v is the velocity specified on the jumppad.

shotgun: fixed

pulsewidth/makke: no, I am only gonna have one set of ammo models, you can replace them yourself if you want to. I am working with dcp to make them more visible.

rick: menus fixed, yes we can arrange for you to do that.

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#80: ..

by Pulsewidth2 on 08/15/2005 23:39

Any chance of reducing chaingun damage? In any map with large spaces and 2 ammos together, the chaingun always dominates. On douze especially the chaingun is ridiculously overpowered.

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