Spring 86.0!

[Enjinn]

0OGL is more powerful anyway.

Well, OpenGL is 2D/3D API, but DirectX (as someone said this abbrev) is a general purpose API which can be successfully used (rly) even in commercial non-entertainment software. With open source solutions you need to be very carefull to stick all things to work as you expect, even with latest library versions. For example try to effectively debug bullet and boost libraries

From my point of view DirectX provides better image quality than OpenGL, especially on proffesional screens (Wide CRTs and S-IPS).

And btw DirectCompute came before OpenCL. Well, not exactly but came with enough features :)

I'm no Dev but a move to another graphics library, like Directx, would have little to recommend it unless it was overwhelmingly superior to the current.

Am I missing something amazing about DirectX here?

[PicassoCT]

You propably dont feel it because microsofts iron boot in everyones neck has snapped your spine. Otherwise DirectX is fine.

[100Gbps]

Well, no one defends Direct3D or OpenGL here. In fact modern videocard drivers are potent enough to deal with them. The problem is the way AAA titles using those APIs - usually gives me the feeling of things that they are made of poo (RAGE, BF3, Skyrim, *put some random hyped title here*)

[Dominges]

Let's drive OGL vs. DX flame in other direction: i personally don't care about API, i want SLI/CF support. Spring does not like when i select generic AFR1/AFR2 rendering mode for it's binary, and gives me 1-2 fps.

I'm way overkilled CPU-wise (2600k @ 4.6 GHz), and i would like to see more than 30 fps on max settings with 2000-3000 units on map. GTX 295 in single-gpu mode is obviously bottleneck here, and seeing 30 fps while 3 spare GPU's just idleing is frustrating.

[Jools]

! remove support for selectionkeys.txt

Why is the support for selectkeys removed, how does it make spring better and how are we supposed to customise the keyboard interface now?

I appreciate the work you do, but this is a feature that i use a lot. I'm sure there is a good reason for this change, I guess I would just like to hear it.

Improving the pathfinding is a great improvement if that works well.

I have a feeling that I don't really understand most of the things that are fixed in the engine, I guess it's most improvements on how things work behind the scenes. So I make a list of things that are visible to users such as me, with the hope that it offers valuable input also to engine developers.

Here is what I think is most important in terms of improving the engine:

Interface:
— Remove inconsistencies regarding the hold fire command. I know it is represented as a toggle button in spring. However, it is from user perspective very much a command. When give a hold fire order to your unit, it does not stop the current order.

— Fix inconsistency with cloak command. Similarly, when giving the cloak order, units will not cloak if they have a current fire order. The cloak order should override the current fire order so that the unit will cloak when ordered to. This is what the user expects.

— Attack orders are dropped if target is destroyed before the unit has reached it. This is more debatable, I think that the unit should maybe still continue to move towards the target location in this event.

Visual:
— Subs leave a shadow even in deep water. Looks weird.

— Commander leaves footprints in water.

— Explosions from projectiles sound the same, no matter if they occur on land or in water. It should not be hard to implement a separate sound effect in sea. I did that that in anteer strait for meteors, but I think it should be dealt with on gloabl scale. In my opinion, it would improve the quality of the engine a lot for a small effort.

I'm sure others have written similar lists before. But I think these things are always worth discussing.

[very_bad_soldier]

! remove support for selectionkeys.txt

Why is the support for selectkeys removed, how does it make spring better and how are we supposed to customise the keyboard interface now?

selectionskeys.txt is redundant because its functionality is completely covered by uikeys.txt nowadays. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Jools]

In uikeys, can you make a difference between just selecting a unit and both selecting and zooming to it?

[Google_Frog]

uikeys.txt can do exactly the same thing as selectkeys.txt. Here is my uikeys.txt, I'm sure you could use this format to translate your own.

Code: Select all

bind ctrl+a select AllMap++_ClearSelection_SelectAll+  
bind ctrl+b select Visible+_Builder_Not_Building_Not_Commander_Idle+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+
bind ctrl+g select AllMap+_Not_Builder_Not_Building_Not_Commander_Not_Transport_Not_Aircraft_Weapons+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+
bind ctrl+h select AllMap+_Not_Builder_Not_Building_Not_Commander_Not_Transport_Aircraft_NameContain_Stiletto+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+
bind ctrl+t select PrevSelection+_Not_RelativeHealth_50+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+ 
bind v select AllMap+_Builder_Not_Building_Not_NameContain_Caretaker_Idle+_ClearSelection_SelectOne+
bind ctrl+x select Visible+_InPrevSel+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+
bind ctrl+y select AllMap+_Not_Builder_Not_Building_Not_Commander_Not_Transport_Not_Aircraft_Weapons_WeaponRange_600+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+
bind ctrl+z select AllMap+_InPrevSel_Not_Builder+_ClearSelection_SelectAll+

[Jools]

Cool, thanks.