Watching replays in 0.78.1.1

[Wingflier]

Since I upgraded to the new version of Spring, I can no longer see replays in my "list" accessed in the lobby.

I've tried restarting Spring, restarting my computer, and pretty much everything else. I've talked to other people who all have pretty much told me they have the same problem.

I found a temporary work around by just going into my actual Spring folder and running the replay files with the Spring.exe file.

Unfortunately, that option works only one time. The second time you try to watch a replay using the "work around" you get this error: Gamesetup: Player 15 has name unnamed (spec) which is already taken

After you get that error the replay closes and you can't watch it again. This happens over and over and doesn't change.

So I guess my question now is, how do I get around this? I would assume that the fastest way to do it is to change my default Spring.exe name from unnamed to something different. I think that would fix the problem for now, but I have no idea how to do that.

Changing my name in the Spring battleroom has no bearing on that and I have no idea how to change my default name from unnamed to something else.

So if anyone can help me. I'm trying to put together another commentated game to help the community some more.

Thanks,
Wing

[SwiftSpear]

Traditionally, spring isn't compatible with replays from older releases. You have to use the old version of the engine.

This won't likely change any time soon, since maintaining backwards compatibility is massive amounts of coder time, and that's a resource we don't have.

[lurker]

Default name is in the config file, but it sounds like you're not watching the replay again, but watching the replay of the replay. Don't do that!

Lobby not having it is lobby fault.

I'm not sure what swift is responding to.

[Wingflier]

No no, I am actually trying to watch the same replay again, I've tested that several times. Somehow by watching it (manually, instead of through the Spring lobby) the file becomes "corrupted", somehow being imprinted with an "extra" player that resonates there when you try to watch it again.

I would assume that changing your name in the Spring config file would solve this, however, that runs me into another problem...

I can't find the damn thing.

I've looked under my Spring folder, there is no Spring config file there.

I checked C:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\springsettings

No spring.config file there either. The only file there was springlobby.conf, which I'm assuming is not it.

So then I even did a Microsoft computer search for it, still can't find it.

And yes, I have "show hidden files and folders" activated.

So...if anyone can help me find that file, it would be greatly appreciated.

Wing

[MelTraX]

It's under Local Settings/Application Data/springsettings.cfg..

[Wingflier]

Have my babies..

[MelTraX]

Sure thing.

[smoth]

I want the video, 9.95$ for site membership right meltrax?

[Spawn_Retard]

just an idea, but why cant you devs build a version of spring that can also play old replays from older versions of spring. It would make more sense that you guys wait until you have something solid thats ready to use than to build something new to please a few people and ruin everything you've already made. I have old replays of myself playing this game back when i started here, but i cant watch them due to the way you guys build these updates.

What i'm asking is simple, spend more time pleasing everyone, rather than ship these updates out, annoy 80% of the spring community and lose a few players because they cant be botherd to look for a fix.

I wouldnt care if it took a year to release a new version, just so the version works like the last one did.

[imbaczek]

it's not simple, it's impossible due to the nature of what actually the replay is. what is needed (and was done i believe, at least in part) is a helper program, a replay launcher, that knows:
1) which exe is the version to watch the replay on (user input and old version download here)
2) which version has which settings and where and how to translate them
3) which version needs which old base files for the replay to sync (again user needs to download those, or the launcher has to have them packaged.)
4) how to parse current and older demo versions so it can use points 1-3

i've seen this done for quake3. it worked well. we don't have the time to do this, but welcome any contributions.

the other part of your post (about working releases) is also impossible

[Spawn_Retard]

it's not simple, it's impossible due to the nature of what actually the replay is. what is needed (and was done i believe, at least in part) is a helper program, a replay launcher, that knows:
1) which exe is the version to watch the replay on (user input and old version download here)
2) which version has which settings and where and how to translate them
3) which version needs which old base files for the replay to sync (again user needs to download those, or the launcher has to have them packaged.)
4) how to parse current and older demo versions so it can use points 1-3

i've seen this done for quake3. it worked well. we don't have the time to do this, but welcome any contributions.

the other part of your post (about working releases) is also impossible

You could give the update version they need to download on start up and you could look for that file in libary that could be stored on one of the hosting sites.

This means you wouldn't have to download everything and would make these files just like the mods and maps, you only take what you need.

Really from what i can see your trying to make the work seem 10x more than it is, and if you kept back ups of all the files they need from now on, it would solve the problem.

[imbaczek]

i know all that, what i've written isn't hard work, just something that needs to be done. every download could be automated, even with springdownloader interface or something (when it works.) the point is, somebody has to _do_the_work_.

[Spawn_Retard]

IF i had the time and had the abillity i would do it myself. Its sad to think if anything vital needs to be done. its only worked on if someone needs it right now.

Like i said earlier, if you guys would wait longer to release stable versions people would stay happ, you wouldnt get people like me RAEGING all over the place and you'd certainly have less headaches and spammers in #MAIN.

No one complains if they havent seen a new update in a while and from looking at the changelog i don't see anything that was vital to spring (other than that start bug where depending on the amount of spots thats the maximum amount of players it could take.) I'm not bashing you guys, i just don't want you to end up like big companies that have players who hate them when updates appear. (Ubisoft for example)

If i didnt see an update for a year or maybe more, i wouldnt mind.

What i do mind is that when new updates do pop up my games stop working and take the fun out of spring.

[MelTraX]

Then TEST the new releases before they are released! Join #playtest.

Imo we should release way more often. But as you can see every release leads to bitching so devs just don't want to.

[lurker]

Crashing on resize was another huge bug, and sim had lots of little bugs in it.

[Kloot]

No one complains if they havent seen a new update in a while

False.

It's also a _bad idea_ to wait a year between releases, as the 76b1 ==> 77b2 transition made abundantly clear. You might have a point if, say, all the people playing 8v8 DSD each night regularly tested the devbuilds, but they don't.

[Spawn_Retard]

Then TEST the new releases before they are released! Join #playtest.

Imo we should release way more often. But as you can see every release leads to bitching so devs just don't want to.

I am testing the new version.


I can see some of the updates were needed, but nothing like the state this version is in.

False? i think the only people that bitch are devs and mods who just want this game to look better and better.

I've seen 0 players complain about a lack updates when there hasn't been one for a while.

[lurker]

Complaining about already-fixed bugs is the same as complaining about lack of updates.

[MelTraX]

Noone forces you to update anyway. Install 0.77b5, join a backup lobby server, play.

But saying that we should take time with the updates is stupid. It won't get tested by itself. So we could never release it.

[Spawn_Retard]

Meltrax, try to get more testers for the test build, like ive already told you.

The difference between bitching about lack of updates and bugs is that one could be avoided by more testing and longer release periods.