Current Roadmap for next version

[10th_account]

It's not very practical to use obscure formats. Can MS Paint save in jpeg-turbo? No.

Won't someone think of the modders?

[Denacke]

libjpeg-turbo is just a library to rapidly encode / decode jpeg files, it's not a new jpeg file format. So yes, you can use paint to save in jpeg which that library could use.

That said, I don't see the point except for perhaps making screenshots jpegs to reduce filesize. As said multiple times before BMP is just a lot easier for the developers to work with and file size is hardly the issue.

[Meteorisch]

Its not really necessary to convert those into jpegs. There are more important issues in this game.

If you don't like the filesize you just delete the screenshots. That easy is it.

[L[0ne]R]

PNG sounds like a great choice, but I don't know much about performance issues it can cause. Personally, I never experienced any even on a map with 500 sceneries most of which were PNGs.

I remember seeing DDS used in many other games, so maybe it's worth a try with Soldat too? Of course editing it will be a bit of a pain since you'll have to convert images back and forth, but if it works right - I think it'll be worth it.

[Hacktank]

I always get freezelag/framerate issues on maps with huge quantities of polys; such as TW maps. Extremely inefficient poly-rendering could be an issue as well? (high end pc, so thats not the issue)

About the file format:
If the file format for soldats images was to change i would opt for either PNG due to lossless compression, or TGA due to good compression. Animation should not be done with another new format, it should be done with a sprite-sheet, IMO.

My opinion on optimal dev priorities (in order):
major bugs(framerate, wep drop, reload bug ect)
scriptcore stabilization
Ec. added scriptcore functionality completed
other new features & minor bugs

[Horve]

<Shoozza> http://shoozza.servegame.com/start2.exe <-- complete start.exe rewrite
<Shoozza> feedback kthxbye

<Vig> start.exe already exists and its darker tones are superior to those of start2.exe. Either way, is there any reason for the makeover?
<Shoozza> because the old one was written in xprofan
<Shoozza> a very unknown language which has only german tutorials and documentation
<Shoozza> what are the benefits?
<Shoozza> hoverbuttons, smaller size, no need to have skcontroll.dll, no need to have startgb.bmp, little bugfix, easier to extend.
<Shoozza> also it's not centered on the active screen
<Shoozza> instead of being at pos 200x200
<Shoozza> it looks very similar to the old one
<Shoozza> only the controls differ a bit

<Shoozza> x button added

[Shoozza]

Damn leaks .
Btw the link doesn't work all the time you can't download it when I'm offline.
Also noticed a bug with the fonts so it's not really finished.

Edit
Thanks for the feedback in the IRC channels.
Fixed all the issues.

[Monsteri]

There was discussion about ambience. But when I have started to think it, maybe it isn't good thing in the end. Everybody 12ed for it, but I'm damn sure there was coming gamemodes, like ''rock concert'', I think weathers sound is enough.

Rain should be VTT's one. Now It's not even noticeable.
Dumb ideas?
Btw, can you say when next version comes out, roughly?

[freestyler]

Are script features like InterfaceImage and such work as they did in 1.5.1 beta or they're deleted? Any other scriptcore updates?

[Illuminatus]

And what happend with all the bugfixes and improvements between 1.5 and 1.5.1beta? What version did you use as your coding basis?

[Shoozza]

There was discussion about ambience. But when I have started to think it, maybe it isn't good thing in the end. Everybody 12ed for it, but I'm damn sure there was coming gamemodes, like ''rock concert'', I think weathers sound is enough.

Rain should be VTT's one. Now It's not even noticeable.
Dumb ideas?
Btw, can you say when next version comes out, roughly?

Next version comes out asap.
About the other stuff you said: no idea what you exactly mean.
But suggestions ideas and bugs don't belong in this thread.
We have subforums for that.

Are script features like InterfaceImage and such work as they did in 1.5.1 beta or they're deleted? Any other scriptcore updates?

Everything that was added to the server after 2.6.4 is possibly missing.
Make sure to remind us about what has been added and how it exactly works.

And what happend with all the bugfixes and improvements between 1.5 and 1.5.1beta? What version did you use as your coding basis?

All bugfixes till including client version 1.5.1.12 are there, however everything after that is possibly missing.

[JohnnyFong]

There was discussion about ambience. But when I have started to think it, maybe it isn't good thing in the end. Everybody 12ed for it, but I'm damn sure there was coming gamemodes, like ''rock concert'', I think weathers sound is enough.

Rain should be VTT's one. Now It's not even noticeable.
Dumb ideas?
Btw, can you say when next version comes out, roughly?

Next version comes out asap.
About the other stuff you said: no idea what you exactly mean.
But suggestions ideas and bugs don't belong in this thread.
We have subforums for that.

Are script features like InterfaceImage and such work as they did in 1.5.1 beta or they're deleted? Any other scriptcore updates?

Everything that was added to the server after 2.6.4 is possibly missing.
Make sure to remind us about what has been added and how it exactly works.

And what happend with all the bugfixes and improvements between 1.5 and 1.5.1beta? What version did you use as your coding basis?

All bugfixes till including client version 1.5.1.12 are there, however everything after that is possibly missing.

Then after the bugfixes, have you guys considered rewriting parts of the game in each new release (1.6, 1.7, 1.8, ...) and do bugfixes for the rewritten part in the minor releases (1.6.1, 1.6.2, 1.6.3, ...)?The outdated part (like the charater animation, a physics engine integration like http://www.box2d.org/ or http://howlingmoonsoftware.com/chipmunk.php to make fast interactive object and rigid body possible in the game) can be updated.

And according to MM 's post, he said that he might consider open sourcing Soldat if the thing works out well. Then have you guys consider to start replacing open source alternatives to the proprietary content in the game (if there is)?

[scarface09]

Hey I'd like the new version to come out before I start year 12 yeah?

[Dusty]

Without exact - or even estimated dates the developement begins to look like how it was before. Lack of public updates of the progress is not helping either.

Just hoping this will change in the (near) future with the new release.

[Illuminatus]

Lack of public updates of the progress is not helping either.

He is absolutely right. Tell us your progress. Tell us if you haven't done anything this week. Tell us what you're planing for the next week. Just tell us anything. Pls. We won't bite you. I don't see the benefit when you leave us in the dark and act like it will be a big surprise. The community needs to know that you are working hard. That's the reason why people could continue playing Soldat. If they know that something is going on behind the curtains and that this game is maintained.

Why don't you just post one-two sentences on what you are working at the moment once a week or so? Just like MM does it on his blog. It probably takes about 5min to do this. Make a new thread everytime you do this. So we can comment on the exact post you made. And after a while when you join this forum it will also look like there is much progress.

It's just annoying to read comments like these on some other threads: "Steady development *is* underway. Progress is being made. I'm not going to say anything more than that, but believe me, the new dev team is serving its purpose well."
Or to have to join the IRC to get some information.

[Furai]

For me IRC is fair enough solution.

[Clawbug]

How on earth can performance be a problem these days?

I don't know what kind of spaghetti code is being written, but having a 2D game lag on a 2 GHz dual core CPU and a high end graphics card from 2007 is really an achievement.

I really, really wonder why it's so slow. Heck, I'd claim that efficient 2D software renderer would work loads faster than the current DirectX spaghetti.

[darDar]

There should be some kind of dev blog

[Bonecrusher]

There should be some kind of dev blog

Few people pointed that out already and that's why there's Soldat Developer Log