Stuff to finish before release

[Tobi]

Ok, it's about time to decide what the exact goals for 0.75 release are. Feel free to add your ideas here, this is an open discussion, but do not spam/troll or post not bug reports here, unless they are truely release critical.

Because of lack of time & the "release early release often"-rule, the 0.75 release will (most probably) not have resync. If all goes well however, it will have new netcode which is (hopefully) actually understandable for (other) developers so bugs can be fixed more easily etc. Resync may happen in 0.76 but I can not promise that (just like I shouldn't have said I'd make it for 0.75).

So here is stuff that are blocking points for the 0.75 release IMHO. (I may have forgotten stuff please remind me)

• Working Linux lobby shipped with Spring. It doesn't matter which one it is as long as it can host/join all kinds of battles, is compatible with TASClient users, has chat and the author doesn't mind it being shipped with Spring. Unless this takes far too long of course, but looking at the amount of competition and the speed with which lobbies have progressed in the timespan between 0.74b3 and now, I think this should be doable.
• Trepan's LUA code should be OK & tested for release, as indicated by him.
• XTA v9 in win installer if they are fast enough
• New default map finished, showing off at least water and features.
• Tool to make it easier to install maps/mods (I made a thread about this)
• Double check new code for sync error testing

[Neddie]

I'll set the advertising plans back accordingly. Everything looks ship-shape here.

[imbaczek]

I'd like mantis #525 solved (don't have time to compile/test newer versions and didn't see anything in svn log) - you can reproduce the problem easily with my barrage nanoblobs mod if you try to target the a demon with the spell. The demon will start shooting missiles at a target that isn't visible to the player.

Other than that, I think that new Lua stuff is so hot it needs a release ASAP. Release early, release often. Resync, while damn useful, can wait.

[trepan]

I'd still have a few items to complete for the lua code (writing the test
gadgets has been helpful in finding missing pieces). If all goes well, I
should have it done by the end of the weekend (R/L is going to be a
serious detractor for the next little while though).

[AF]

You have 3 options for linux lobby:

- AFLobby
I have an issue with windows users, and script generation, but otherwise ready togo. Should work fine as long as no tasclient ppl join the battle.

- lobby++
Just starting off

- Unity
needs a new developer/maintainer.

I can safely say none of them will be ready within the next 2 weeks, due to time constraints and academia.

I would say 3 weeks for addition of AI support and starting rectangles/holepunching and resolving the other 2 issues would suit me fine for aflobby.

I believe the same time period would work for Unity lobby if a developer popped up tomorrow and announced work.

I dont know enough about lobby++ to say however.

[LathanStanley]

Better stock maps, with features included!

thats what I say.... we need to start, or get everyone to add, to the feature thread...

so that we can GPL them, and include em

[Tobi]

within the next 2 weeks

0.75 release will definitely not be within 2 weeks

Should work fine as long as no tasclient ppl join the battle.

Rephrased the requirements for the lobby. This should definitely work for it to be considered for inclusion since there are no plans to change the windows lobby, and I have the idea that it is easily possible with the current rates of development.

[Argh]

The suck with aircraft and custom steering parameters needs to get addressed. I can live with it until later on, though, when I may have enough spare time to address the main code problems.

[LordMatt]

but otherwise ready togo. Should work fine as long as no tasclient ppl join the battle.

Sounds like it isn't ready then.

[KDR_11k]

Mantis 529 and 279 strike me as gamebreaking (although 279 just limits what mods can do). I'd hope at least 529 gets fixed. 279 isn't that much of a priority but mods have to avoid death animations until it's fixed, especially if quick retargeting is important so it should be fixed if you want mods to make use of that Spring feature. 443, while gamebreaking, can be handled with the new anti-assist tags.

[1v0ry_k1ng]

but otherwise ready togo. Should work fine as long as no tasclient ppl join the battle.

Sounds like it isn't ready then.

lol

when is this release happening? and since its important to pack it with a pretty map, what map will be used?

[Tobi]

No ETA, but it will still take quite a while (easily 1, 2 months I'd say this is a lower bound not an estimate!).

You'll see about the map (actually maybe I ask you or another XTA regular for playtest once next XTA alpha with better ships is out )

[Machiosabre]

if it's really going to take two months, why not just save some features for next time and make a release for all the people waiting to release stuff until a new version?

[Tobi]

Thats what I'm doing already (note e.g. resync) and even then it will take at least a month. Realize that 'just making a release' usually takes like a full day or even weekend or so when you add all the crap thats needed around it , I don't have those full days available in high numbers and then you're also assuming current SVN can be released as is, which it can't.

[submarine]

has the crashbug with AAI and latest svn been fixed yet? there have been several threads about it but iirc no solution so far

[yuritch]

Mantis 529 and 279 strike me as gamebreaking (although 279 just limits what mods can do).

I wrote a simple patch that (hopefully) fixes 279 (i.e. units that reached 0 health, but are still "living" because of running killed() function should not be targetted). The patch is very simple, even TOO simple, so I suspect there might be more to it, but so far my tests show it works. It's in the mantis.

[trepan]

The 'isDead' unit parameter could probably be
used instead of doing the floating point comparison.
It also looks like neither method works for units in
the CAirMoveType::AIRCRAFT_CRASHING state.

[KDR_11k]

How's aircraft crashing even controlled? I still have no idea what triggers it.

[yuritch]

Aircraft in crashing state should be targettable: they can still fire their weapons when falling, so they aren't really dead yet and are still dangerous. Try to shoot down an adv. bomber in some OTA-based mod (XTA should do) and you'll see how it fires its anti-air turret weapon while going down. I think I've seen bombers drop bombs in that state, too.

[Zpock]

I like the units getting targeted during the kill animation. The way it works with aircraft is best, that they die but are still targets until they hit the ground, and can die a 2nd time after wich they explode.

If you remove it please add in a FBI tag toggle or something.