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[MegaGlest 3.5.3-beta1 - come and get it while it's hot]

MegaGlest 3.5.3-beta1 - come and get it while it's hot

Changelog:

v3.5.3-beta1

- New font system and enhanced International language support (Chinese, Japanese, etc)
- New intro
- Enhanced AI plays smarter and responds more quickly
- Improved mod menu which always checks for updates for all mods now and more
- Modders can change intro, menus, faction AI behavior and many more things.
- New ability to enable in game team-switching for defecting to other teams in game
- Ability to toggle languages anywhere in the game using CTRL-L
- Numerous bug fixes as reported in the bugs forum
- Improved Megapack including better balanced Romans faction
- New attack boost system (currently used by Romans faction) which allows new types of in game unit effects.
- New headless server mode allows dedicated servers to host games for network players (command line option --headless-server-mode)
- Added ability to 'pause' network games by press ESC in game to show a new popup-menu with in game options.
- Hosts can now set a title for their game for network games.
- Music fades in and out of game start/stop
- New low food warning indicators tells players when they are running out of food
- MacOSX support (thanks weltall)
- Players are no longer dropped in game lobby when toggling maps (player status may show as unassigned network node if they are ina slot that is not applicable to the selected map)
- Bugfixes for supported UPNP for auto router configuration when hosting games
- many more...



Important information

   
• Read the installation instructions, or you may fail to install.
• Linux users need to install 7-zip (package p7zip-full on Debian + Ubuntu) to be able to install mods and for file transfers.
• Please report any issues and bugs at http://bugs.megaglest.org for easy tracking. General reviews and non bug reports should go to the main forum.
• Please also subscribe to our low traffic announcement-only mailing list so that you will know when new releases become available.

Full installers

Linux 64 bit:
Download Here (258 MB)
sha1sum 14f3d6aa6d88f816997f3d02df4eafdee94a2a4d

Linux 32 bit:
Download Here (256.4 MB)
sha1sum 14f3d6aa6d88f816997f3d02df4eafdee94a2a4d

Windows:
Download Here (234.2 MB)
sha1sum 00fa7c1479f8d9c7e78781892e6185856073ebae

Mac OS X:
Download Here (369 MB)
sha1sum efd968a6cb33c4d0766803f712ccd8e29f80e619



Advanced options

Click to open the spoiler (requires Javascript).

[spoiler]

Manual data installation:

   
• Full Data package (for both Linux and Windows)
  glest.ini and glestkeys.ini are not included. They are platform specific and distributed with the binary.
  Download Here (176.1 MB)
  sha1sum 572d58264d85cb91dda64754596108d36a9984c1

   
• All other downloads

Running a standalone server in headless mode:
megaglest --headless-server-mode

More info on running dedicated servers is available on the wiki.
[/spoiler]

I just made changes in svn that allow the intro and menus (And startup + menu music and models etc) to be totally modded without having to touch the main MG data. Basically nearly anything that can go into the data folder can be overriden (menu files, intro text and music etc). Also new language files can be added after release using this same mechanism. IT would be possible using a number of features now to have the same binary running vanilla MG and custom Mod's.

Yes! I have a crude .OBJ working example and will integrate in MG shortly. This should allow people to animate models much easier since OBJ is supported by many modelling programs (including the new Blender).

I added (in svn) a new lua function that allows you to load another scenario from inside an existing scenario:

Code Select Expand

loadScenario('capture_the_flag2')

Currently there are a number of things incomplete so i need feedback. I have a restriction that the new scenario must have hte same techtree and factions, but map, tileset can change. How should we make this progress, what kinds of things would we want to see? Carry over untis or start iwth new units and new factions? Bring over builds and upgrades or not etc?

Update: Added a way to call the next scenario with exisitng factions or with only newly defined factions in the new scenario:

Code Select Expand

-- keep existing factions
loadScenario('capture_the_flag2',1)
-- drop existing factions
loadScenario('capture_the_flag2',0)


Playing around with this shows a lot of promise for doing things like missions! Using the current svn code I made two scenarios. The first scenario i setup a cell trigger (to find out cell co-ordinates, svn's debug view shows mouse xy cell coords):

Code Select Expand

cell_event_newscenario = registerCellTriggerEventForFactionToLocation(0,{12,20})
print( 'cell_event_newscenario = ' .. cell_event_newscenario )


When any unit from faction 0 touches the cell at 12,20, my cell trigger event is called:

Code Select Expand

<cellTriggerEvent>
                       if triggeredCellEventId() == cell_event_newscenario then
clearDisplayText()
DisplayFormattedText('warping to new scenario!')

createUnit('blacksmith', 0, startLocation(0))
createUnit('technodrome', 0, startLocation(0))
technodrome= lastCreatedUnit()

giveResource('gold', 0, 400);
giveResource('wood', 0, 400);

giveUpgradeCommand(technodrome, 'robotics')

loadScenario('capture_the_flag2',1)
end
</cellTriggerEvent>


In this case i add a few new units, start an upgrade and then load all of my factions into scenario: capture_the_flag2

This should make for some great new scenarios :)

The current version of svn has an experimental mode that allows mg to run as a pseudo headless server. Here is the FAQ regarding what we have so far:

1. To start a headless server (an MG server that will use minimal resources and is designed to host games) run:

Code Select Expand

./megaglest --headless-server-mode

2. The headless server currently starts a network lobby on the usual defined port.
3. The first client that connects to this game is the admin and is able to change settings in the lobby
4. The admin can change settings and start the game when ready (click play now)
5. If the admin selects data (tech, tileset or map) that does not exist on the headless server, the data is not changed and the admin's selecting is reverted to the servers data value.
6. The headless server at this point does NOT do any rendering, and neither does it take any slots so it can host up to 8 network players!
7. Once the headless server detects no more connected network players it auto quits the game and goes back to a new network game lobby to host a new game.

*NOTE: Currently this mode only handles hosting 1 game at a time. This will be changed later once we have worked out the bugs.

*Update: Current svn version does not load models or sounds now resulting is much less memory usage. I did a quick test and saw the headless server taking about 60 MB 20MB for an 8 player game during game play (compared to my client which was using about 450MB). With rev 2569 I also try to completely avoid calling opengl which has further cut down on the memory footprint.

As requested by Elimnator, there is a new advanced game setting that allows players to switch teams in game! Currently this is how it works:

1. a new popup menu comes up in game when you press ESC
2. if in the lobby the server user selected (under advanced options) to enabled Switch Teams (there is also a percent accept rate associated to AI users) then the popup menu will display an option to 'join another team'
3. If a player selects this option they are shown a list of possible players to join (one of them is 'create a new team which means joining a team # not used)
4. If a player 'creates a new team' then they join the first unused team# automatically
5. If a player selects a team to join which has players, each player on selected team receives a yen / no vote for this player to join their team.
6. If > 50% respond yes, then the player switches teams and all players are notified of the change
7. if all players on the team have answered and >= 50% vote no then all players are notified that the player was denied switching teams.

*notes:

- AI player randomly chooses based on percent accept specified in the lobby
- You may ONLY ask a given AI player 2 times per game maximum to join their team, otherwise they always answer No

Thanks

At Elimnators request I have added optional attributes to Unit Particles. start-time and end-time will synchronize the particles with the units skill animation. For example smoke particles can 'puff' smoke in this manner:

Code Select Expand

<skill>
<type value="stop" />
<name value="ss_skill"/>
<ep-cost value="0" />
<speed value="300" />
<anim-speed value="100" />
<animation path="models/power_plant_idle.g3d" />
<particles value="true" start-time="0.5" end-time="0.7">
<particle-file path="smoke_particles.xml"/>
</particles>
<sound enabled="false" />
</skill>


Notice the: <particles value="true" start-time="0.5" end-time="0.7">

This will start particles when the models animation is at 50% and end particles at 70% (and keep cycling along with the animation). This change is in svn.

Just wanted to say i'm not ignoring the latest bug reports. I'm extremely busy with work related things at the moment so please be patient.

Thanks

Elimnator and Tiger asked for it so here it is:

With svn version you can now:

#1. have multiple models per skill example:

Code Select Expand

<skill>
<type value="stop"/>
<name value="stop_skill"/>
<ep-cost value="0"/>
<speed value="1000"/>
<anim-speed value="45"/>

<animation-random-cycle-maxcount value="1" />
<animation path="models/archer_standing.g3d" />
                        <animation path="models/archer_walking.g3d" />
<sound enabled="false"/>
</skill>


<animation-random-cycle-maxcount value="1" />

This optional node tells the engine to cycle through a maximum of 1 random models (useful for death animations, pick a random one but don't switch to another after it finishes animating). If this node does not exist we assume no maximum

You simply stack the animation nodes in the skill and we will pick random models each time from that list.

To FORCE a particular model to be used when the unit's HP are within a certain range you may add the optional fromHp and toHp attributes:

<animation path="models/archer_walking.g3d" minHp="0" maxHp="7" />

This would tell the engine to always pick this model when the units hp is between 0 and 7

#2: Define attack-boost information per skill. Think of attack-boost as a 'temporary upgrade' which is associated to a skill of a unit. Once 'affected' units com within the range of the units attack-boost radius, a special upgrade + particles are applied while the affected units are in this radius, example:

Code Select Expand

<skill>
<type value="attack"/>
<name value="attack_skill"/>
<ep-cost value="0"/>
<speed value="50"/>
<anim-speed value="50"/>
<animation path="models/archer_attacking.g3d"/>
<sound enabled="true" start-time="0.5">
<sound-file path="/sounds/archer_attack1.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/archer_attack2.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/archer_attack3.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/archer_attack4.wav"/>
</sound>
<attack-strenght value="100"/>
<attack-var value="50"/>
<attack-range value="10"/>
<attack-type value="piercing"/>
<attack-start-time value="0.5"/>
<attack-fields>
<field value="land"/>
<field value="air"/>
</attack-fields>

                        <attack-boost>
<allow-multiple-boosts value="false" />
<radius value="5"/>
                        <target value="faction"> <!-- ally foe faction unit-types all -->
<!-- <unit-type value="catapult" /> -->
                                </target>

<max-hp value="100"/>
<max-ep value="0"/>
<sight value="5"/>
<attack-strenght value="6"/>
<attack-range value="0"/>
<armor value="10"/>
<move-speed value="0"/>
<production-speed value="0"/>

<particles value="true">
<originator-particle-file path="glow_particles.xml"/>
<affected-particle-file path="glow_particles.xml"/>
</particles>

                        </attack-boost>

<projectile value="true">
<particle value="true" path="particle_proj.xml"/>
<sound enabled="true">
<sound-file path="/sounds/arrow_hit1.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/arrow_hit2.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/arrow_hit3.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/arrow_hit4.wav"/>
<sound-file path="/sounds/arrow_hit5.wav"/>
</sound>
</projectile>
<splash value="false"/>
</skill>


Here is a screenshot showing real Chinese:

Which version of GAE would be used as the base for the merge work and where can i get it?

Thanks

[Downloads here: http://megaglest.org/download.html]

MegaGlest 3.5.2 release - come and get it while its hot (svn revision 2311)
Downloads here: http://megaglest.org/download.html or below

Sample screenshots below showing some international text.
(NOTE: Chinese is just a teaser for the next release, its not yet supported)

Russian


Ukrainian

[spoiler=Chinese]
Chinese
[/spoiler]

Changelog:

v3.5.2

- Lots of work to make MegaGlest a Linux distro friendly package (Debian, Arch, etc)
- Added Support for Russian and Ukrainian with proper fonts in Linux if installed.
- Map editor now supports diagonal flipping
- Windows users now have a shortcut to the mod folder in their MegaGlest programs Menu.
- Bug fixes including:
 - Fix corrupted g3d viewer screenshots, and automatic screenshot mode does not steal focus for Linux users
 - Proper network disconnect detection when connection drops in an abnormal way
 - Avoid crash when user has no soundcard installed
 - Better video handling for buggy opengl drivers that don't properly handle non power of two textures
 - Better support for non ASCII file paths (like Japanese, etc) for international users and Unicode enabled parts of the code

v3.5.1

- Much better pathfinder performance
- Allow servers to temporary block specified network players from the game lobby
- Better Linux distro packaing support (by default megaglest works in standard linux paths and make install added)
- Game data cleanup (duplicate sound files have been merged in megapack) and non free content replaced.
 (autumn and desert tilesets)
- Displayed up to 15 queued commands (observers can view all players queued commands)
- Allow factions in a techtree to share common data using the special tag in xml files $COMMONDATAPATH
 which points to the techtrees commondata/ folder.
- standardized games and tools startup scripts with names starting with 'startup_'
- updated translations for German, Italian and French
- bugfixes reported in 3.5.0
- AI enhancements (better repair, and safer build positions)
- Improved network code, fixes some out of synch issues.
- Display players svn revision# in network game lobby

v3.5.0

- Menu changes to better group similar items
- Added Blender related tools in blender sub folder
- Modified binary and script names for Linux builds to avoid conflicts with original glest
- Added preview info in mod menu, scenario menu and tutorials
- End game stats have more info now
- Added more validations for modders for techtrees and scenarios (commandline options)
- Bugfix for OpenAL (now works in v 1.13)
- Updates to Romans faction
- Network messages generated by the game are now displayed in the local users selected language
- Support for custom credits (add the file data/core/menu/credits.txt)
- More AI player improvements
- Default screenshot format is now jpg (configurable in options menu)
- Fixed some performance problems with 'stuck' units
- improved resource selection
- performance improvements, now make it possible to play with more units and slower hardware than before.
- new maps with cliffs and higher terrain
- support for sending 7z tilesets and techtrees over network
- new game mod management console to download new game content or remove existing mod content
- multi-threaded pathfinding for better performance when many units are moving
- CPU AI player improvements (units get unstuck more often and stationary air units attack more efficiently)
- new tileset and resource particle support.
- added jpg screenshot support
- optional compressed GPU texture support
- improved harvesting and resource selection
- better support for multiple platform compiling
- Modifiable keyboard hotkeys
- bugfixes for map editor and g3d viewer to work more stable on multiple platforms
- LSB conform ".megaglest" usage




Please do read the installation instructions, since they contain important information.

Linux users need to install 7-zip (package p7zip-full on Debian + Ubuntu) to be able to install mods in the game (and to support various file transfer types).




Full installers:

Linux 64 bit:
Download Here (209.1 MB)
sha1sum f77ebce3b034381a0c25730422da62fff42428a6

Linux 32 bit:
Download Here (206.9 MB)
sha1sum d1f5a0d365f01cd9a820c035ae4535aecf08bc81

Windows:
Download Here (187.7 MB)
sha1sum 105434f30046af2e3f2586a990c225eb3f4f2c5e

***NOTE: Windows users who installed the 3.5.2 installer may be missing a file (7z.dll). If you experince problems downloading mod content please get the missing 7d.dll from:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/megaglest/files/7z.dll/download

and place it into your megaglest installation folder, otherwise install 3.5.2.2 (the link above for windows users).




Advanced options:
[spoiler]

Manual data installations (for advanced users only):

Full Data package (for both Linux and Windows):
glest.ini and glestkeys.ini are not included. They are platform specific and distributed with the binary.
Download Here (188.1 MB)
sha1sum 0b4b24f72562f50f69d1a8b0ccc425717e7fb4e5

All Downloads here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/megaglest/files/current_release/
[/spoiler]

Please remember to report any issues and bugs in a separate thread, not here.

Why did we move mod data in 3.5 outside of the installation folder for megaglest for both Linux and Windows? This is due to the fact that when upgrading or uninstalling we did NOT want to automatically or accidentally remove mod content and user settings. Also we had the need to write to a 'safe' location that the user would always have access to write to (given todays security restrictions). As of 3.5.1 we are now compliant in both Windows and Linux in terms of where we store our data. Now if you want an easy way to 'get' at the mod data nothing stops you from creating a shortcut or link to the mod data folder from your installation folder.

<insert feedback here>

</insert feedback here>

See this link for details:

https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?topic=7119.msg73114#msg73114

[Downloads here: http://megaglest.org/download.html]

MegaGlest 3.5.1 release - come and get it while its hot (svn revision 2252)
Downloads here: http://megaglest.org/download.html or below

Changelog:

v3.5.1

- Much better pathfinder performance
- Allow servers to temporary block specified network players from the game lobby
- Better Linux distro packaing support (by default megaglest works in standard linux paths and make install added)
- Game data cleanup (duplicate sound files have been merged in megapack) and non free content replaced.
 (autumn and desert tilesets)
- Displayed up to 15 queued commands (observers can view all players queued commands)
- Allow factions in a techtree to share common data using the special tag in xml files $COMMONDATAPATH
 which points to the techtrees commondata/ folder.
- standardized games and tools startup scripts with names starting with 'startup_'
- updated translations for German, Italian and French
- bugfixes reported in 3.5.0
- AI enhancements (better repair, and safer build positions)
- Improved network code, fixes some out of synch issues.
- Display players svn revision# in network game lobby

v3.5.0

- Menu changes to better group similar items
- Added Blender related tools in blender sub folder
- Modified binary and script names for Linux builds to avoid conflicts with original glest
- Added preview info in mod menu, scenario menu and tutorials
- End game stats have more info now
- Added more validations for modders for techtrees and scenarios (commandline options)
- Bugfix for OpenAL (now works in v 1.13)
- Updates to Romans faction
- Network messages generated by the game are now displayed in the local users selected language
- Support for custom credits (add the file data/core/menu/credits.txt)
- More AI player improvements
- Default screenshot format is now jpg (configurable in options menu)
- Fixed some performance problems with 'stuck' units
- improved resource selection
- performance improvements, now make it possible to play with more units and slower hardware than before.
- new maps with cliffs and higher terrain
- support for sending 7z tilesets and techtrees over network
- new game mod management console to download new game content or remove existing mod content
- multi-threaded pathfinding for better performance when many units are moving
- CPU AI player improvements (units get unstuck more often and stationary air units attack more efficiently)
- new tileset and resource particle support.
- added jpg screenshot support
- optional compressed GPU texture support
- improved harvesting and resource selection
- better support for multiple platform compiling
- Modifiable keyboard hotkeys
- bugfixes for map editor and g3d viewer to work more stable on multiple platforms
- LSB conform ".megaglest" usage




Please do read the installation instructions, since they contain important information.

Linux users need to install 7-zip (package p7zip-full on Debian + Ubuntu) to be able to install mods in the game (and to support various file transfer types).




Full installers:

Linux 64 bit:
Download Here (211.9 MB)
sha1sum 7659b05c6acb156685f1f6546a8cf86cdc9a4d66

Linux 32 bit:
Download Here (209.4 MB)
sha1sum 652df9b06097e3735422ac1d895217b33ac3cbc3

Windows:
Download Here (187.6 MB)
sha1sum a331632d12ab4fe394adef4c8e743fa3b53f2a14



Advanced options:
[spoiler]

Manual data installations (for advanced users only):

Full Data package (for both Linux and Windows):
glest.ini and glestkeys.ini are not included. They are platform specific and distributed with the binary.
Download Here (188.2 MB)
sha1sum 8f931d4d5932bf3389ffbed6f4eb4c151354f12a

All Downloads here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/megaglest/files/current_release/
[/spoiler]

Please remember to report any issues and bugs in a separate thread, not here.

Edit (tomreyn, 2011-05-08 08:19 UTC): fix sha1sum for MegaGlest-Installer-3.5.1_i386_64_linux.run
Edit (tomreyn, 2011-05-08 08:57 UTC): replace reference to hard-/software requirements by reference to installation instructions on website

The following AI changes are in svn as we prepare for a 3.5.1 release we would ask all svn able bodied people to test these out:

- AI now selects units to repair which they have another unit that has the ability right now to repair it (this caused the ai to NOT repair important units and waste time ignoring repair altogether at some points in the game). Example: Persian worker got damaged by an enemy attacker, but no unit currently had the ability to heal the worker, so other units (like castle etc) were neglected for a long time (in some cases indefinitely).

- AI enhancements, now units that harvest AND attack will be more wise when choosing to attack, (think persian) since they need to harvest more than they need to attack when their harvester count is very low. (or they run out of resources and cannot build more units)

- AI Units now place higher priority on repairing 'castle' style units when looking for something to repair.

We have discovered some problems with our network layer and are working to fix these issues and will release a 3.5.1 once we have tested and corrected this (and possibly other important defects).

Inspired by an annoying user from Brazil the other day (you know what i mean, people who quit in the middle of the game and then expect to join your next game and won't leave) I have added a temporary block in the lobby for the server user. Once a network player connects to the game a 'Block Player' button appears for each connected network player. To block this player for the new game only (temporary) click Block Player. To clear all blocked players in the lobby you can click Clear Blocked Players.

Its a sad day to implement this feature, but I knew it would come none the less!

[!!!! Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) users must have installed the package p7zip-full to be able to install mods in the game !!!!]

MegaGlest 3.5.0-beta2 - come and get it while its hot (svn revision 2053)

!!!! Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) users must have installed the package p7zip-full to be able to install mods in the game !!!!

Changelog:
v3.5.0-beta2

- Menu changes to better group similar items
- Added Blender related tools in blender sub folder
- Modified binary and script names for Linux builds to avoid conflicts with original glest
- Added preview info in mod menu
- End game stats have more info now
- Added more validations for modders for techtrees and scenarios (commandline options)
- Bugfix for OpenAL (now works in v 1.13)
- Updates to Romans faction
- Network messages generated by the game are now displayed in the local users selected language
- Support for custom credits (add the file data/core/menu/credits.txt)
- More AI player improvements
- Default screenshot format is now jpg (configurable in options menu)
- Fixed some performance problems with 'stuck' units
- Scenario preview screen support

v3.5.0-beta1

- performance improvements, now make it possible to play with more units and slower hardware than before.
- new maps with cliffs and higher terrain
- support for sending 7z tilesets and techtrees over network
- new game mod management console to download new game content or remove existing mod content
- multi-threaded pathfinding for better performance when many units are moving
- CPU AI player improvements (units get unstuck more often and stationary air units attack more efficiently)
- new tileset and resource particle support.
- added jpg screenshot support
- optional compressed GPU texture support
- scenario preview logos
- improved harvesting and resource selection
- better support for multiple platform compiling
- Modifiable keyboard hotkeys
- bugfixes for map editor and g3d viewer to work more stable on multiple platforms
- LSB conform ".megaglest" usage



Full installers:

Windows:
Download Here (181.4 MB)
sha1sum 8251476eac1b1f289f0c429a2b429a3e620aa920

Linux 32 bit:
Download Here (228.5 MB)
sha1sum 8851a3123e629d9d1239630545280d61edd6afcc

Linux 64 bit:
Download Here (225.3 MB)
sha1sum fb38e6509489853d31ab32e5ce3c1ed3706efc57



Advanced options:
[spoiler]

Data upgrades and manual data installations (for advanced users only):

Full Data package (for both Linux and Windows):
glest.ini and glestkeys.ini are not included. They are platform specific and distributed with the binary.
Download Here (190.1 MB)
sha1sum fdf65dcccc67f47d3e0b3f4b7dde4c993aecb162

All Downloads here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/megaglest/files/in_development/
[/spoiler]

Here is what we have so far (all features work, thats right install and remove mods right from within the game).
Titi is polishing up the UI to include a preview and description of each item.

Items in darker grey are available for download / install, other items are already installed in your user data area.

I think soon we'll put out a beta, but for anyone who is able to compile, please test the latest svn code and let us know how it compares to 3.4.0, there are many changes and I think the new release will be very fun! Our testing so far has proven this next release will be excellent for network games, making better use of hardware and keeping fps higher (hopefully).

Feedback is appreciated (forum trolls keep quiet for now if you can't compile you will have to wait for an official beta post).

Thanks

I checked in some changes to svn today so that we no longer need the newer libcurl library, so hopefully this makes things easier for others to compile megaglest now. Likewise the g3d viewer and map editor (and megaglest) should be able to compile using xerces 3.1 as well as wxwidgets 2.9.1 so this will hopefully make it easier overall to compile on other distros etc. Things still continue to work with xerces 2.8 and newer libcurl also, but new libcurl features are not used anymore.

This latest change may fix the transparency bug in the g3d viewer too and make it more stable on more distros.

Thanks

For good measure I added another commandline option to the techtree and faction validators so now you can see a list of files that are NOT used by your techtree or faction using:

Code Select Expand

./glest.bin -validate-techtrees=megapack

To automatically delete this files you add this option:

Code Select Expand

./glest.bin -validate-techtrees=megapack=purgeunused

Please send your feedback and let me know if there are bugs.

As of svn rev #1852 there is a new commandline option to convert one or more G3D models into the latest G3D format (v4) which has been the latest version for a long time (most people likely didn't know this). Beyond that, this conversion optionally allows converting all textures in the model to the specified texture format (like png). Doing a sample on megapack cut the entire folder disk size from 823 MB to 775 MB. Also i added more fault tolerant texture loading and better details when error are encountered when loading models.

To convert a faction, techtree or individual file just pass the path to the command like this:

Code Select Expand

glest.bin --convert-models=techs/megapack_new/=png

where the first part after --convert-models= is the path to the model or a folder containing models (this is recursive) and =png is the optional texture format to convert model textures to when saving.

Enjoy!

The current svn code will now look for 7z versions of tilesets when transfering files. Currently the code does NOT create 7z files, the server must already have the tileset i nthe tilesets folder and the file should have the same name as the tileset folder but also contai nthe 7z extension of course. Clients will now first look for the 7z tileset and if found download and extract it. This requires the client to have 7z, for windows users 7z.exe is already in the same fodler where glest_game.exe is placed, for linux users they need to install it if they want this to work.

If this works out we could try sending techtrees or factions next.

The current VirtualBox 4.x opengl drivers are very buggy. If you want to run in this environment please install OLDER Guest additions Open GL drivers and things should work ok:

http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/3.2.12/VBoxGuestAdditions_3.2.12.iso

Plan:
#1 Both teams finish up their current work and get the code as stable as possible by end of March and release a final version of GAE and MG.

#2. By mid April we will begin work on merging the code into a new project (name yet unknown, please send us your ideas).

#3. our plan is to take the best parts from both projects and make something that everyone can enjoy.

Had a quick discussion with Silnarm on IRC, and the bottom line is that GAE and Megaglest have a good chance of combining into one effort. Please everyone who has thoughts on this show your thoughts, below is a copy if the IRC discussion:

<softcoder> any thoughts on this post: https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?topic=6533.msg67087#msg67087
<silnarm> hi, give me a moment..
<silnarm> ok... so how would you propose we went about a 'combined effort' merge ?
<softcoder> #1 do you want to
<softcoder> ?
<silnarm> Yes
<silnarm> _merge_
<softcoder> ok.
<silnarm> not port features to MG
<softcoder> ok, I understand
<softcoder> I think we then need to determine which parts to merge and which to drop
<softcoder> I'm sure on both sides there are redundant pieces so we determine which would be best.
<softcoder> other areas we simple take a file at a time and merge
<softcoder> now if possible.. we could plan it in pieces so that things are still playable and therefore testable
<silnarm> there are numerous architectural differences, that effect many different files.
<softcoder> sure, its not a small task, but like i said if there is a desire now is the time
<softcoder> and it would be worth having one umbrella and effort
<silnarm> so there would be many files that simply couldn't be merged in isolation
<softcoder> yes sections of the code
<silnarm> yes, absolutely
<softcoder> thats why i think we can take slices and detrermine in some cases to ditch some and take others
<silnarm> if we use git, we can put the data in a sub-module, so the core project is 'code only'
<softcoder> yes... we can use git
<softcoder> in the sense of what we are doing and going forward it seems to make sense
<softcoder> ok, an execercise then..
<softcoder> step #1
<softcoder> we need to look at both code bases  to determine how to split
<softcoder> also.. would you have buy-in from GAE members?
<softcoder> and how would you want it hoated etc?
<silnarm> unknown
<softcoder> hosted
<softcoder> ok.. please do that first then
<silnarm> that is another good question
<silnarm> I'll mail hailstone and Yggdrasil to see what they think
<softcoder> ok.. talk to your guys.. I'll chat with titi and lets see what we come up with
<silnarm> what would you suggest in terms of hosting?
<silnarm> new proj?
<softcoder> I honestly don't care
<silnarm> ok
<softcoder> lets take ideas from all involved
<silnarm> yes, that would be ideal...
<softcoder> ok cool, its a long road, but if we work hard together it'll be awesome
<softcoder> the expertise would make a monster of an RTS
<silnarm> agreed
<softcoder> ok, I'm glad... will mail the MG guys now
<silnarm> ok, I'll do likewise.

Stickied and *quoted*! Good Luck! -Ultifd

_{Edit by Omega: Unstickied and locked.}

I added the following LUA functions to the svn version which will be released with 3.4:

destroyUnit(unitId)
morphToUnit(unitId,morphName, ignoreRequirements)
moveToUnit(unitId,destUnitId)
giveAttackStoppedCommand(unitId, valueName,ignoreRequirements)
playStaticSound(playSound)
playStreamingSound(playSound)
stopStreamingSound(playSound)
stopAllSound()

The commands taking ignoreRequirements expect 0 for try to execute the command with requirements and 1 to skip requirements checking.

Below is a sample scenario using some of these methods:

Code Select Expand

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<scenario>
<difficulty value="3"/>
<players>
<player control="human" faction="tech" team="1"/>
<player control="cpu" faction="tech" team="2"/>
<player control="cpu" faction="tech" team="2"/>
<player control="cpu" faction="tech" team="2"/>
</players>
<map value="in_the_forest"/>
<tileset value="forest"/>
<tech-tree value="megapack"/>
<default-resources value="false"/>
<default-units value="false"/>
<default-victory-conditions value="false"/>
<scripts>
<startup>
print( 'Test, START of Capture the flag!' )
--disable AI
disableAi(1)
disableAi(2)
disableAi(3)
disableConsume(0)

unitA = 'guard'
unitB = 'castle'
captureTheFlagSeconds = 90

DisplayFormattedText('You have %s seconds to move the %s into the %s!', captureTheFlagSeconds,unitA, unitB)

for i=0, 3 do
print( 'Is AI enabled for faction index: ' .. i .. ', ' .. tostring( getAiEnabled(i)) )
print( 'Is consume enabled for faction index: ' .. i .. ', ' .. tostring( getConsumeEnabled(i)) )
end

--allied units
--createUnit('farm', 0, startLocation(2))
createUnit(unitB, 1, startLocation(2))
enemyCastle= lastCreatedUnit()

castleUnit= lastCreatedUnit()
createUnit('worker', 1, startLocation(2))
enemyWorker= lastCreatedUnit()

for i=1, 5 do
createUnit('swordman', 1, startLocation(2))
end

giveResource('gold', 0, 1000);
giveResource('wood', 0, 1000);
giveResource('food', 0, 1000); 

giveResource('food', 1, 5); 

--player units
createUnit('battle_machine', 0, startLocation(1))
battle_machine= lastCreatedUnit()
createUnit(unitA, 0, startLocation(2))
guard= lastCreatedUnit()


moveToUnit(guard,enemyWorker)

createUnit('technician', 0, startLocation(1))
technician= lastCreatedUnit()

moveToUnit(technician,enemyCastle)

createUnit('battle_machine', 0, startLocation(1))
bm2= lastCreatedUnit()

for i=1, 3 do
createUnit('archer', 0, startLocation(2))
test = lastCreatedUnit()
giveAttackCommand(test, castleUnit)
end
for i=1, 10 do
createUnit('swordman', 0, startLocation(1))
givePositionCommand(lastCreatedUnit(), 'attack', startLocation(1))
end

cell_event1 = registerCellTriggerEventForUnitToUnit(guard,castleUnit)
print( 'cell_event1 = ' .. cell_event1 )
cell_event2 = registerCellTriggerEventForUnitToUnit(battle_machine,castleUnit)
print( 'cell_event2 = ' .. cell_event2 )

timer_event1 = startTimerEvent()
print( 'timer_event1 = ' .. timer_event1 )

setCameraPosition(unitPosition(guard))

</startup>

<unitCreated>
</unitCreated>

<unitDied>
enableConsume(0)
enableAi(1)
enableAi(2)
enableAi(3)

for i=0, 3 do
print( 'Is AI enabled for faction index: ' .. i .. ', ' .. tostring( getAiEnabled(i)) )
print( 'Is consume enabled for faction index: ' .. i .. ', ' .. tostring( getConsumeEnabled(i)) )
end

clearDisplayText()

print( 'About to morph unit: ' .. technician )

morphToUnit(technician,'build_air_ballista',1)
destroyUnit(battle_machine);

giveAttackStoppedCommand(bm2,'hold_position',1)
playStreamingSound('/home/softcoder/Code/megaglest/trunk/data/glest_game/techs/megapack/factions/romans_beta/music/romans.ogg')

print( 'Done morphing...' )
</unitDied>

<cellTriggerEvent>
--print('Cell Event ' .. triggeredCellEventId() )
--print( 'In cell event triggeredCellEventId = ' .. triggeredCellEventId() .. ' cell_event1 = ' .. cell_event1 .. ' cell_event2 = ' .. cell_event2 )
if triggeredCellEventId() == cell_event1 or triggeredCellEventId() == cell_event2 then
clearDisplayText()
DisplayFormattedText('You captured the FLAG!')
stopTimerEvent(timer_event1)
unregisterCellTriggerEvent(cell_event1)
unregisterCellTriggerEvent(cell_event2)
end
</cellTriggerEvent>

<timerTriggerEvent>
--print('Timer Event ' .. triggeredTimerEventId() )
--print( 'In timer event triggeredTimerEventId = ' .. triggeredTimerEventId() .. ' timer_event1 = ' .. timer_event1 )
if triggeredTimerEventId() == timer_event1 then
if timerEventSecondsElapsed(triggeredTimerEventId()) >= captureTheFlagSeconds then
print( 'In timer event triggeredTimerEventId = ' .. triggeredTimerEventId() .. ' timer_event1 = ' .. timer_event1 .. ' seconds elapsed = ' .. timerEventSecondsElapsed(triggeredTimerEventId()) )
clearDisplayText()
DisplayFormattedText('Your time ran out of time to capture the FLAG!')
stopTimerEvent(timer_event1)
unregisterCellTriggerEvent(cell_event1)
unregisterCellTriggerEvent(cell_event2)

                    endGame()
end
end
</timerTriggerEvent>
</scripts>
</scenario>

Mega Glest 3.4.0 is released! - come and get it while its hot here:
https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?topic=6506.0

( modified by titi, because release should be announced in a new topic! )

http://soft-haus.com/glest/pictures/G3D/

shows some screen shots, which you can now take directly from the G3D Viewer, you can also change the background color to a custom color as well. This will be released in the upcoming Megaglest 3.4 release.