New version, 0.66b1

Post by **jcnossen** » 08 Nov 2005, 23:41

A new Spring version has been released, the improvements include the new unit format (S3O) which allows UV texture maps, also an updated global AI interface that will make less AI updates necessary in the future (Newer spring versions will be backwards compatible with old AI's). Furthermore a few bugs have been fixed, and some unit/weapon/feature tags have been added.

The full changelog can be found here. There has also been a few balance changes and fixes to XTA, details here.

You will need to update to this version in order to connect to the multiplayer lobby.

If you have installed any 0.6x version already, you only need todownloadthe updating installer. To upgrade any other version or to do a fresh install you will need the regular installer.

Post by **Betalord** » 08 Nov 2005, 23:48

Lobby client hasn't been changed much since I've focused on improving the server which should new be much more stable as it uses completely new network code (java.nio classes). If you experience any problems with the new server, please report them. Client changelog from 0.161 to 0.17:

* fixed network code (multiplayer replays should work now)
* "online maps" are now updated only as needed
* fixed some minor issues

Archangel of Death · Post by **Archangel of Death** » 09 Nov 2005, 00:37

Woot! Health regen control!

Though that means now I don't have an excuse to use 50-100X multipliers when translating in battletech stats.

NOiZE · Post by **NOiZE** » 09 Nov 2005, 10:07

still no more sides support.

ankh · Post by **ankh** » 09 Nov 2005, 12:31

new 3D format!!!!!

I waited for that to make a mod ^^

Great job!

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 09 Nov 2005, 12:34

what exactly is the advantage of the new format? Is the game faster?

ankh · Post by **ankh** » 09 Nov 2005, 12:35

UV texture mapping ^^

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » 09 Nov 2005, 13:16

and that means? What are the differences for the player ig?

SinbadEV · Post by **SinbadEV** » 09 Nov 2005, 14:21

it means that all those people who were "waiting for the new model format" to impliment their mod ideas need to find a new excuse...

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 09 Nov 2005, 18:33

SinbadEV wrote:it means that all those people who were "waiting for the new model format" to impliment their mod ideas need to find a new excuse...

oh yeah, new model format is fine and dandy, but now I need a utility like 3doBuilder (only this one should be good instead) to import and slap my pieces together and texture them!

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 09 Nov 2005, 22:01

Zaphod already made one and released it before this version of the game... of course he's still working on it, but it works!

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 10 Nov 2005, 00:10

[pathetic excuse]well in that case I don't want to work with a beta program, I'll wait until it is polished up first

[/pathetic excuse]
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alright, I'll fess up. I have no idea what UV mapping is, or texture skinning, or using .3ds format, and I feel cold and alone when I think about leaving .3do *sniff*
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well, if there are tutorials/explanations of this stuff I guess it wouldn't be so bad. However, I haven't found any yet, although maybe saying "none have found me" would be more appropriate for how hard I've looked.

GrOuNd_ZeRo · Post by **GrOuNd_ZeRo** » 11 Nov 2005, 05:51

UV-Mapping is a nice feature although skinning is much more time consuming and complicated than per-face texture system.

No Alpha-Textures are supported as far as I have seen which is not a great thing...

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 11 Nov 2005, 08:12

Who's responsible for the XTA changes? some of them sound kind of violent...

Post by **jcnossen** » 11 Nov 2005, 11:18

SJ did the XTA changes. He stopped coding but he still hangs around for things like this (At least for now he did).

No Alpha-Textures are supported as far as I have seen which is not a great thing...

Maybe it would be better to use texture 1 alpha for alpha, and put the team color on the blue channel of texture 2. However realise that alpha blended rendering is not as simple as it seems, your need to sort the triangles to distance otherwise the blending isn't done correctly...
Anyway let's first get it working as it is right now, which gives enough problems already.

munch · Post by **munch** » 11 Nov 2005, 19:52

Is anybody else having the "black ground" effect on some maps? See http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewt ... 8886#38886

Cheers

Munch

PS Can somebody please describe what UV-mapping is and/or what advantages it brings, so far those in the know have managed to avoid describing it! (or does everyone secretly wonder what it is, but daren't admit they don't know)

Weaver · Post by **Weaver** » 11 Nov 2005, 21:25

The old system 3do required would need one texture per square(ish) face of the model. Take a close look at any model ingame to see how its made of the boxy shapes and how each side has its texture applied.

This has been a limiting factor for several reasons, more complex shapes are possible using triangles and UV mapping is much easier for these shapes. So you can easily have a much rounder natural objects like an orange.

Now here come the UV mapping, peel the orange (dont worry about some tears), squash the skin flat and apply one texture over the entire surface or several over different pieces if you wish. Wrap the now painted skin arond the orange so that it fits perfectly in the position it came from. You now have a UV textured orange.

So the advantage is we can texture a complex shape of many triangles with just a few large textures more easily.

munch · Post by **munch** » 11 Nov 2005, 22:06

Wow that was a really excellent description - thanks =)

Munch

Weaver wrote:The old system 3do required would need one texture per square(ish) face of the model. Take a close look at any model ingame to see how its made of the boxy shapes and how each side has its texture applied.

This has been a limiting factor for several reasons, more complex shapes are possible using triangles and UV mapping is much easier for these shapes. So you can easily have a much rounder natural objects like an orange.

Now here come the UV mapping, peel the orange (dont worry about some tears), squash the skin flat and apply one texture over the entire surface or several over different pieces if you wish. Wrap the now painted skin arond the orange so that it fits perfectly in the position it came from. You now have a UV textured orange.

So the advantage is we can texture a complex shape of many triangles with just a few large textures more easily.

NOiZE · Post by **NOiZE** » 13 Nov 2005, 21:03

i gave a stunner cannon

NoSelfDamage=1;

But it still Stuns itself when a enemy unit nearby gets stunned!

EDIT:

My fault i tested with the wrong version

LathanStanley · Post by **LathanStanley** » 16 Nov 2005, 09:16

GrOuNd_ZeRo wrote:UV-Mapping is a nice feature although skinning is much more time consuming and complicated than per-face texture system.

No Alpha-Textures are supported as far as I have seen which is not a great thing...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!

UV mapping is the greatest thing ever...

remember old Quake 1, and how EASY it was to change the skin on a guy?

thats UV MAPPING... much easier than old school per face mapping..

you just gotta know how to do it

Spring RTS Engine

New version, 0.66b1

New version, 0.66b1

Black ground problem

Thanks