Suggested GUI changes for 3.4.0

[tomreyn]

As discussed previously on IRC, I suggest to remove GUI access to the following options:

* Path finder selector: Unfortunately Silnarm's path finder has not been working for us for a while now and it has not been worked on for a while, so at this point it is just an option which will cause crashes, and should thus be removed from GUI. It can remain as an .ini file option, though, so that it can be worked on again later if someone gets around to it.

* Server controlled AI: Client controlled AI does not work too well and has been causing crashes in the past, but server controlled AI works very well. So I recommend to remove GUI access to this option. If, for any reason, client controlled AI would seems to make more sense in a certain use case, it can remain as an .ini file option, though, so that it can be worked on again later if someone gets around to it.

* Shadow mapping: This option does not seems to work for anybody - it seems to always result in a message of "GL_ARB_shadow_ambient required for shadow mapping". So it seems to either rely on an OpenGL extension which is not available in nowadays hardware or it just fails to detect availability of this extension properly. In any case this option is not usable for anyone. So I recommend to remove GUI access to this option - it can remain as an .ini file option, though, so that it can be worked on again later if someone gets around to it. Alternatively, it might be possible to try and fix shadow mapping. Thanks to kobe for pointing this out again recently.

[-Archmage-]

* Path finder selector: Unfortunately Silnarm's path finder has not been working for us for a while now and it has not been worked on for a while, so at this point it is just an option which will cause crashes, and should thus be removed from GUI. It can remain as an .ini file option, though, so that it can be worked on again later if someone gets around to it.

I haven't had any pathfinder crashes, been using the PB-beta, and I love it.

* Shadow mapping: This option does not seems to work for anybody - it seems to always result in a message of "GL_ARB_shadow_ambient required for shadow mapping". So it seems to either rely on an OpenGL extension which is not available in nowadays hardware or it just fails to detect availability of this extension properly. In any case this option is not usable for anyone. So I recommend to remove GUI access to this option - it can remain as an .ini file option, though, so that it can be worked on again later if someone gets around to it. Alternatively, it might be possible to try and fix shadow mapping. Thanks to kobe for pointing this out again recently.

I've never had a problem with shadow mapping before.

[claymore]

We've had some desyncs and some unexplained crashes with RP-beta, but this and the option for server-controlled AI are already hidden under advanced options anyway. So I don't really see the problem.

At most, indicate beside these options that they are "unstable".

[tomreyn]

It's possible that the issues reported about the "RoutePlanner" path finder are only subject to a specific use case, such as cross-operating system/architecture network gaming, and/or that they only occur in certain configurations. But since network gaming is, as of now, the main focus of MegaGlest, and this path finder obviously is not stable there, yet,  and hasn't stabilized lately, I suggest to remove access to it off the GUI.

My idea is that unstable options should not be presented to users at all. Neither as directly accessible nor as 'advanced' options. The common notion on 'advanced' options is that they are more difficult to understand, more complex, and possibly also that they can have side effects, but not that they are unstable or act unreliably, or that they are known to more likely crash an application. That's why I'm suggesting to remove such options off the GUI entirely. These options can still remain in the active code, and be available by .ini options, so that whoever still likes to use them can still easily activate them without having to recompile. I think this is a good compromise which suits everybody's needs.

[ultifd]

Ok

[softcoder]

I have removed some of the items from the UI as requested. I have left the pathfinder selection for now until I can check with silnarm regarding his plans for the route planner. Silnarm any idea as to when you might be able to look into the route planner in MG?

For now I have left shadow mapping as is, since I want to look into getting it to work. I researched a bit and found out what the problem is and there DOES seem to be some possible solutions. ATI cards look like they generally do come with the missing extension (just an FYI).

Thanks

[tomreyn]

Thanks for applying those changes.

ATI cards look like they generally do come with the missing extension (just an FYI).

Oh so this is not a bug, just a feature with limited hardware support...

[Omega]

I've never seen any problems with either the pathfinder or the Shadow mapping... Why remove either?

[-Archmage-]

I've never seen any problems with either the pathfinder or the Shadow mapping... Why remove either?

Yea, please don't remove this stuff, just set defaults to the most stable stuff.

[-Archmage-]

No sense, a lot of NVIDIA graphics cards and ATI cards do not support the shadow mapping.
"OenGL extension supported: GL_ARB_shadow_ambient, required for shadow mapping"

I've never heard of that problem until this thread, all graphics are ATI(my laptop, Main computer, other computer).

[silnarm]

We've had some desyncs and some unexplained crashes with RP-beta...

If anyone has had RoutePlanner related crashes, please get me a stack-trace!

The 'new pathfinder lied' exception was removed, it was never a terribly bad thing, and shouldn't have been cause to throw an exception, but it also shouldn't happen, so I wanted to know if did. That said I'll probably never find the time to investigate that one properly.

Silnarm any idea as to when you might be able to look into the route planner in MG?

Reasonably soon now, once the next GAE bug-fix release is out, so probably next week some time.

[Ishmaru]

I too have seen the shadow mapping issue on four computers up to this point. They all are running windows systems with either Ati or Nvidia cards. (3 Nvida 1 Ati)

I found this post a long time ago but it may be helpful for fixing this problem:

https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=4c0393cf0e8a5f7d91dd4909cf443d3e&topic=3820.0

[softcoder]

Thanks shadow mapping is fixed

[Omega]

By fixed, do you mean that that it now works for those whom it won't?

Oddly, my last two computers are ATI and it worked fine on both...

[softcoder]

The change now works on my NVidia 9800 (whereas before using the _ambient extension many NVidia cards do not). Thus far this still does not seem to work on Intel cards.

[Gabbe]

6870 - works

xfire 5870 works

xfire 5970 works

5830 works

GTX 295 works

GTX 460 works

nVidia 7000m geforce works

[Coldfusionstorm]

6870 - works

xfire 5870 works

xfire 5970 works

5830 works

GTX 295 works

GTX 460 works

nVidia 7000m geforce works

you can add 8800GTX to the list.

[wciow]

Works with my GT220 

Unfotunately the shadows look VERY aliased even with a 1024 shadow map and units have a "flicker" which looks weird 

[Coldfusionstorm]

I saw some flicker too, i tought it were my mod wich had badly models, il check more troughotly when i get home,

EIDT;I know this message had bad grammar, i can't be botherd to fix it tho.

[Gabbe]

I saw some flicker too, i tought it were my mod wich had badly models, il check more troughotly when i get home,

EIDT;I know this message had bad grammar, i can't be botherd to fix it tho.

is like one sentence..

6870 xfire works aswell

[Omega]

I can also confirm that it works perfectly on ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650.