In 1.33, the largest variant was Forged. It was 178 KB. This, however, was mostly taken up with a handful of buildpics I've just realized are unnecessary.
So, to put things in perspective:
AA data file: 9,500 kilobytes
Standard: 4 kilobytes
Barebones: 3 kilobytes
Forged: 9 kilobytes
So, yes, I could put out versions which only include standard. It would save you approximately 4 kilobytes of transfer (or, less than a second on a 14.4 modem), as the amounts shown above are before the files are even zipped.
Absolute Annihilation: Spring[old]
Moderator: Moderators
In a high-resource game the screamer is a monster. You can dominate the sky of half the map easily if you back up your annihilator line with a screamer line. The screamer means that the only aircraft that will get anywhere near your base must be a concerted assault, not a light force.greenail wrote:the range on the scramer is nuzt, but i've never used it in a game.
Think of the Screamer as a Guardian for aircraft.
Has it crossed your mind that perhaps you were doing things kosher all along, something that Spring SHOULD like, but it doesn't like because of a Spring bug.Caydr wrote:I'm going to go back to 1.31 and re-do all the changes from there. I must've made a mistake somewhere along the line. I have yet to see even a single sync error though, and I played (that is to say, lost) an hour-long game a couple nights ago.... thought I was home-free.
If your redo of the changes doens't work either, and things that you think should work don't, you might want to open up communication with the Spring programmers to see if you can pinpoint where and why the desync is occoring.
Indeed. Mercuries/Screamers are the intended counterbalance for the overwhelming firepower of those two air units, as well as the strength that any close-together group of aircraft can have. I have seen literally hundereds of hawks shot down many screen widths away from their target by 8 or so of these when strategically placed.
As I've now learned the hard way that a single playtest, I'm going to bring in a second computer for proper playtesting. Not sure when I'll have a new stable version ready... I guess in the meantime you're stuck with 1.31.
As I've now learned the hard way that a single playtest, I'm going to bring in a second computer for proper playtesting. Not sure when I'll have a new stable version ready... I guess in the meantime you're stuck with 1.31.
Well, I have this idea that might help pin point the problem with the crashing.
Lots of things happened btwn 1.31 and 1.33.
I suggesting just taking 1.31 and just do the pic formatting conversion you did, then, release that to the public as a 1.34 alpha. After a few days testing to see if that causes the crashes, move on to the next change if there were no problems. If no problems, do a few changes that was in 1.33 and call it 1.34 beta. Keep doing this until you find the problem.
Lots of things happened btwn 1.31 and 1.33.
I suggesting just taking 1.31 and just do the pic formatting conversion you did, then, release that to the public as a 1.34 alpha. After a few days testing to see if that causes the crashes, move on to the next change if there were no problems. If no problems, do a few changes that was in 1.33 and call it 1.34 beta. Keep doing this until you find the problem.
I can't interpret the error dumps, no.
It appears I've isolated the problem tonight. It's the JPG compression. Two identical versions were tested, except for the buildpic format. the PCX version works perfect, JPG version crashes about 10-20 mins into the game. I wonder if it's some kind of overflow error... JPGs are much more heavily compressed than PCXs, obviously. (28k per PCX, 3k per JPG)
Changelog thus far: (as you can see, the only change missing from the newest beta is JPG compression)
Since it's been explained to me that DDS is ultimately the best format for image compression in games, I'm going to try finding a mass PCX -> DDS converter. Perhaps the problem is only with JPGs.
It appears I've isolated the problem tonight. It's the JPG compression. Two identical versions were tested, except for the buildpic format. the PCX version works perfect, JPG version crashes about 10-20 mins into the game. I wonder if it's some kind of overflow error... JPGs are much more heavily compressed than PCXs, obviously. (28k per PCX, 3k per JPG)
Changelog thus far: (as you can see, the only change missing from the newest beta is JPG compression)
Code: Select all
scroll down for newest changelog
Last edited by Caydr on 05 Jan 2006, 23:28, edited 1 time in total.
If yo have Adobe Photoshop, there is an Nvidia made plugin that lets you save to .dds and convert any picture to that format.
There are alot of special settings for what type of dds you want to make, whether you want dxt1(no alpha/1bit alpha), dxt3 (explicit Alpha) channels, dxt5 (interpolated alpha), if you want to generate Mipmaps and dozens of other settings as well.
I used this tool when I was making textures for my Bf1942 mod, and I would use the DXT3 with greyscale alpha channel and mipmaps for Geometry texturing and Dxt3 without mipmaps for Icons that would be used in the GUI interface.
This is the location to the tools at Nvidia
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_t ... tools.html
You will have to find out exactly what format you need, as far as what imprint the dds needs to be compatible in spring, but this tool should help you alot Caydr.
There are alot of special settings for what type of dds you want to make, whether you want dxt1(no alpha/1bit alpha), dxt3 (explicit Alpha) channels, dxt5 (interpolated alpha), if you want to generate Mipmaps and dozens of other settings as well.
I used this tool when I was making textures for my Bf1942 mod, and I would use the DXT3 with greyscale alpha channel and mipmaps for Geometry texturing and Dxt3 without mipmaps for Icons that would be used in the GUI interface.
This is the location to the tools at Nvidia
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_t ... tools.html
You will have to find out exactly what format you need, as far as what imprint the dds needs to be compatible in spring, but this tool should help you alot Caydr.
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Doomweaver
- Posts: 704
- Joined: 30 Oct 2004, 14:14
http://www.irfanview.com/ does DDS via plugins not tired the DDS support but the batch converter works a treat.Caydr wrote:Since it's been explained to me that DDS is ultimately the best format for image compression in games, I'm going to try finding a mass PCX -> DDS converter. Perhaps the problem is only with JPGs.
AA 1.35 link:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ta-a ... p?download
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ta-a ... p?download
Code: Select all
1.34 --> 1.35
Removed unused units and corresponding buildpics,
the actual total unit count is in fact 391 (not
393)
Uniform mobile unit rotation speed increase: 10%
Uniform mobile unit acceleration increase: 20%
Uniform mobile unit brake increase: 25%
Uniform mobile unit maxvelocity increase: 15%
Mobile artillery impulsefactor reduced to 0.5 (1)
Arm "Luger" AoE increased to 180 (148)
Core "Pillager" AoE increased to 192 (156)
Arm "Luger" accuracy reduced to 450 (350)
Core "Pillager" accuracy reduced to 500 (400)
Core "Tremor" AoE increased to 200 (180)
Core "Tremor" impulsefactor reduced to 0.5 (1)
Core "Tremor" accuracy reduced to 600 (550)
"Shellshocker", "Wolverine" impulsefactor reduced
to 0.5 (1)
Added "cloakable" to Ambusher's description (it
was already cloakable though)
Spies now explode with a large-AoE EMP blast
1.331 --> 1.34
Depthcharge launcher can't be built on water
anymore
"Phoenix" bomber port wing moved oh-so-slightly
towards the model's center... I'm psychotic
Nano tower buildtime reduced by a further 2000
units
Nano tower metal cost reduced by a further 50
units
Sumo cloaking removed
Spy minimum cloaking radius increased 25%
Arm construction ship can now build underwater
storage again
"Moho Exploiter" buildpic redone
Deflector strength increased roughly 400%
Deflector range decreased roughly 40%
Removed the 8 least interesting load screens
Level 1 bombers now drop the correct number of
bombs
Removed unused textures
1.33 --> 1.331
Reverted to 1.31 data set
1.32 --> 1.33
Fixed sync errors related to FBI decimal values
Removed unused textures-
Forboding Angel
- Evolution RTS Developer
- Posts: 14673
- Joined: 17 Nov 2005, 02:43
caydr, hats off dude. The new version is simply the most fun I have had is a VERY long time.
I had 3 slugfest matches tonight and every single one of them was a pleasure. THe increased speeds are so damn cool!!
Nanotowers are perfect now IMO. Absolutely perfect. I played both arm and core tonight. Seems to be damn near perfectly balanced.
I love it!
/me is so happy! :D
I had 3 slugfest matches tonight and every single one of them was a pleasure. THe increased speeds are so damn cool!!
Nanotowers are perfect now IMO. Absolutely perfect. I played both arm and core tonight. Seems to be damn near perfectly balanced.
I love it!
/me is so happy! :D
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Mars Keeper
- Posts: 240
- Joined: 25 Jan 2005, 21:00
Its that good?!Forboding Angel wrote:caydr, hats off dude. The new version is simply the most fun I have had is a VERY long time.
I had 3 slugfest matches tonight and every single one of them was a pleasure. THe increased speeds are so damn cool!!
Nanotowers are perfect now IMO. Absolutely perfect. I played both arm and core tonight. Seems to be damn near perfectly balanced.
I love it!
/me is so happy! :D
I need it now! *Downloading
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DavetheBrave
- Posts: 281
- Joined: 22 Jun 2005, 02:52
I also like the changes...but I think that the increased speed helps brawlers too much. I dont think it really changed the balance with ground units, but now that brawlers are so much faster, it is much harder for static defenses to shoot them down before they get to kill something important (like a comm :/).