Spring RTS Engine

Sometimes there are noobs and then they are gone.
If new players knew about #xta channel it would be easier for them to find other players.

So we had idea to put a message like "To find other players, join the #xta channel in the lobby" into the loadscreen.
Which means making new loadscreens unless gizmo still has the original files that can be edited etc

Sure, why not. I think we should make new loadscreens anyway.

The old ones maybe have some charm, but they are low resolution, and the tips they contain aren't really very good.

A long time ago, I made some retro load screens, which the community did NOT LIKE.

Not sure if I have the original ones around. Ill have a look when im more sober. Ill reply when I know more.

No idea if I still have the orgs that XTA uses. I didn't make them but sure I had a copy of them somewhere. But ive had numerouse hard drive failures since then, ill do the best I can to help out. Cant remember who made the ones xta uses at the mo.....sorry all.

However its a good idea Mr. Knorke

(Giz)

Yeah cant find the orgs for the current load screens, soz guys

I made some new ones, but people don't like them either. One problem is that I can't produce any in 1920*1200 resolution. Because my screen only goes to 1200*1024.

Now with new spring there is possibility to decouple images from other stuff in the load environment. The new LuaIntro in svn contains a load indicator, the xta screen capture and music. More things can be added, like tips.

But what do people want? For instance, is it not preferable to have load music playing?

The load indicator works by measuring the load times for a specific combination of map and mod, and writing them to a file. Then, next time the same combination is used, it displays the load progress. So as a consequence, it works correctly only the third time a combination is loaded (linux logic).

Jools wrote:But what do people want? For instance, is it not preferable to have load music playing?

One problem I encountered regarding that is that cause the engine isn't fully loaded yet, none keyboard shortcuts work and so neither F6 to mute sound. It can be a bit annoying when starting spring the 1000th time

Yes, I agree. Still, many games have loading music. Of course, it is possible to include that functionality in the luaintro files itself, like F6 or a button to mute music.

The springsettings should be available during loading time, so a PlayLoadingMusic=1/0 in springsettings.cfg could be used to control that (ie. Spring.GetConfigInt(setting)). Same for other stuff, like rotating loadscreens, tips, etc.