Stellar Frontier 2.0 - Alpha (SVN Repository Information)

[NiteHawk]

NOTE: You will need the latest DirectX SDK from Microsoft! http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&displaylang=en .. You will need the latest DirectX 9 runtime files, despite having DX10/DX11 until I support DX10+ for Vista/Win7.

Brent and I wanted to release SF 2.0 with both DIRECTX and NETWORK coding changes to gather up crashes and fix any new issues that may have come up from all the new coding we have added. We need people to test and beat on the game and if it crashes, send in the zip file it creates so we can fix it!

We are using SVN to keep track of files. SVN is a revision control system that allows us to update files on the go, and all you simply have to do is RIGHT click and click update after everything is setup for the first time. Think of it as patching files very easily without having to do much or download files off a webpage.

1. I prefer TortoiseSVN if you are new to SVN. You can get SVN here: http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads .. Download it and install!
2. Once TortoiseSVN is installed, create a fresh folder where you want SF2.0 to be installed. For example C:\SF20\
3. Right click the new folder you have created, select SVN CHECKOUT, which should now be there after you installed SVN.
4. For URL of the repository, input: svn://stellarfrontier.net:3690/SVN/sfbuild ... Click OK. Watch as it downloads all the files!
5. Once complete, you simply run Stellar Frontier from the binwin folder.. 'Frontier.exe'.
6. To get our coding updates, RIGHT click the MAIN folder where you created the SF2.0 folder, and select SVN Update this time. You only need to do this when we state there is a new SVN update to download. It is very easy to handle!

IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE INSTALLING SVN, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GUIDE WITH PICTURES: http://stellarfrontier.ss-network.net/index.php/topic,1097.0.html

So once again svn://stellarfrontier.net:3690/SVN/sfbuild is the main SVN folder to get SF 2.0 alpha (no branches for this for now.) You do not need a password to get these file, anon access works fine.

Please read the next post for details on what has been added so far. I Hope everyone enjoys this! Brent and I have been working very hard on this!

[NiteHawk]

What's New:
-DirectX has been added and is in testing process. You only need DirectX9 to play.
-Network coding is in and requires testing. However, you REQUIRE to have 64FPS or higher at this time, otherwise you will get out of SYNC.
-Interface has been split up to speed up FPS.
-Several changes to trek.cpp's collision handling to increase FPS. Requires testing.
-Added a few extra resolutions and removed 800x600, as it is too difficult to upkeep two styles of interfaces now.

Known Issues/Information:
-You NEED to have 64FPS or higher at this time. If you cannot get this, you will have to wait until we do some more changes to the game. Again YOU NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST 64FPS!!!!. Dropping past this at this time can cause out of sync issues and slow gameplay.
-Even though FPS has had a large increase (SF 1.4 averaging 35-70FPS, to Sf 2.0 averaging 250-400FPS), the FPS still has a very large fluctuation that needs to be zapped. On most modern computers, you will probably hit anywhere between 200 to 500 FPS on a regular basis. This is KNOWN, but as long as you have more then 64FPS, you will be fine.
-SYNCING should be a lot better now, where little or no resyncing is needed. We are aiming to remove this completely when the network system is complete, and we are still working on the network engine to make it even better. You should have a easier time however playing online against other people.
-Explosions and many other BITMAPS do not have enough frames, and explode VERY quickly. This will be solved when we sit down and redo the bitmaps from scratch. Feel free to assist. BITMAPS require TIMES 4 the frames to have it explode at a regular speed.
-Module values have been increased TIMES 4. This is because modules are based on frames. For the most case, we need to redo modules from scratch and use small values rather then large values. (Rotational Images require 180 frames.) Missiles/etc need changing as well.
-With the above, module values might be too high/low, or damage is too powerful, again we need to rewrite all the modules properly from scratch!
-There are only two scenarios at the moment, SOL and SOL without BOTS. Arceans have been disabled because the ship images need to be fixed. I am currently waiting on this so I can upload the ships. But Terran/Drengin should be in
-If you click cancel while the game is loading, there is an issue that might cause your game to lock up. I have not fixed this yet but it will be solved soon.
-Nexus play has been disabled for now. This is mainly becuase this build cannot play on the nexus, due to the nexus encryption and the EXE crc check would be invalid as well, thus disallowing nexus play. Will solve this in the near future as well.
-The Terran Freighter has a issue where its 'window' goes too dark and goes transparent. Happens when the ship is pointed SOUTH EAST. Will have to rerender/fix it.
-This contains no EXTRA changes, such as weapons/modules/etc. This is PURELY just a graphic/network ENGINE change on 1.4.0! Do not expect anything more for now!
-You get pushed pretty hard from getting hit by a weapon.
-Tabbing with Chat doesn't work.
-Rapid/Autofire fires very quickly because of the FPS increase.

[NiteHawk]

If you DO crash, it will end up closing with no error message. It will however, create a CRASH DUMP. You can upload the CRASH DUMP file to us and we can inspect the crash. I believe it will save in the BINWIN folder. So look there if you end up crashing and upload the file that it created!

[NiteHawk]

Filler For now.

[NiteHawk]

RIGHT CLICK YOUR SF2.0 DIRECTORY and click SVN UPDATE. These are the current changes for the latest update.

-Fixed Corvette shields.
-Removed Arcean missiles for now.
-Fixed Drengin debris

[NiteHawk]

Updated Known Issues List.

[NiteHawk]

Update your folder (Right click on your SF2.0 main folder branch and SVN UPDATE)

-Crash Reporter should be working now. It will generate a crash log with the date (.dmp file) Zip it up and upload it to http://stellarfrontier.net/upload and let us know it is there!

[NiteHawk]

Grab the new SVN Updates!

-Fixed targetting bug when following.
-Fixed color issue on races (tractoring/lasers/etc)
-Fixed several crashes on exiting
-Fixed a check valid pointer crash that occurred over time.
-Fixed tractor location on several ships.
-Fixed non 3D schematic image location.

If you get a crash, it will create a dmp file in the BINWIN folder. Please make sure to upload the dmp file at http://stellarfrontier.net/upload so Brent and I can fix it. Let us know when its there.

[NiteHawk]

Update your SF2.0 SVN Directory

-Fixed Grenades
-Fixed DirectX issue involving vertex processing (software/hardware check) when initializing CreateDevice() to support older graphics cards. This should fix D3DERR_INVALIDCALL: Invalid Call issues.

However, you still might not be able to play if your FPS drops below 64 FPS. Hit F7 and watch your FPS in BATTLES (Gunfire drops FPS). If it drops below 64 FPS, I would probably not bother testing 2.0 until we complete the DirectX rendering/stabilize FPS.

[NiteHawk]

Update your SF2.0 SVN Directory again

-Fixed Orbiting and Blockading
-Added more DirectX query to prevent init errors

[NiteHawk]

UPDATE SVN!

-Changed directx RESET(). Kept variables for DX rather then calling to try to get them to solve a bug. Revised hardwarevertex/softwarevertex coding.
-Chat/Right Panel should refresh on RESET() (For example, minimizing and maximizing would cause RESET.)
-Fixed chat. Also, chat can only be toggled using TAB now. You cannot click with mouse/hover to chat. (Basically how 'new' games do it via clicking a button before chatting!). You can click tab again to get back in game, and enter to submit the chat, as usual. This should make the annoyances with mouse hovering go away as well.
-Hopefully fixed bug where AI ignore radius of the sun (UNTESTED).
-Removed 2D image from target window (For now.) You can still the 3D images however.

[NiteHawk]

Update your SVN.

-Fixed autofire rate.
-Fixed colony files.
-Fixed damage 'push'.
-Fixed bottom screen messages to display properly.
-Updated icons used now.

Just a note, push is probably high because damage is high. I may need to raise it back up after we fix module/missile/damage settings.
Autofire rate will be adjustable soon. Theres a variable now that handles this, but isn't external (Means you can't edit it).

[NiteHawk]

Update SVN again.

-Fixed laser damage & laser sounds.
-Solved software menu issues
-Added 'starbase' to no-ai mode so you can change ships.

For now if you are in software mode using the menu will PAUSE rendering the screen. This is the only find I have found so far but if I find something else I will change it. Sorry

[NiteHawk]

Update SVN

-Fixed issue when going online and exploding randomly (Involved push/pop of variables.)
-Part 1 of optimization to Display Engine. This is only a FPS gain, not balance. (Balance as in averaging out FPS as much as I can so FPS doesn't jump. Gain is just a boost to the overall FPS).
-F7 will display average FPS of 5 seconds, including high and low FPS of those.

[NiteHawk]

Update your SVN once more!

-Optimized DE further by rendering interface areas on specific frames.
-Fixed some duplicate coding in DE to speed up FPS.
-Reduced top messages to 5. (Eats alot of CPU right now)  --- I'll probably make this a toggle later on depending on where I place it in the new interface because it eats up a good amount of CPU
-Fixed firing lasers color. Adjusted color when 'firing' laser to act more like a strobe rather then random colors. (Not related to tractor beam)