1.4.x Information and Suggestions

[NiteHawk]

The current system is going well.

This will not relate to lag issues, or fixing images/framerate/sound just yet, we will leave that for next version. Right now I am aiming to get up a half decent playable version.

So far I've zapped most things on the Mantis, I know there are still several 'lag' expliots, but those will be solved when lag is corrected. If you have any other bugs not LAG related, please please, post it up soon on mantis! Also I will take some requests.

As for the bug where the interface vanishes.. Simply because the game doesn't relate to new resolutions. I need to solve this before I release the game. I may end up having to use a similar fullscreen theme like Continuum, where you can 'SET' your resolution. There is an issue where if you have lets say a odd size screen, like 1440.. It will check for 1440 in the 256 folder for the sf-ui.. If not found.. Will error.
Don't worry, even in full screen mode, I am making a gimmick minimize.. But unfort, to advance, we need to do something like this.

We could make a combination of windowed mode and full screen mode, however. Currently it tries to maximize, but it doesn't work with new operating systems properly anymore, you have to remember, this was made in the what? late 90's? It doesn't support properly anymore.... So it will most likely end up being windowed mode and full screen.. And no, windowed mode is not like how it is now.

Things that are solved, if you haven't seen the changelog:

- 0000026: [Client] Killable A.I. Starbases (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000027: [Client] Support for more races display (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000024: [Client] Laser while cloaked (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000031: [Client] Option to disable klaxon warning system and pinging noise (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000030: [Client] Create a mimmick of a minimize button on the top titlebar (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000013: [Client] Window Sizing (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000025: [Client] No player characters and hitting cancel causes the client to crash (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000021: [Client] IP visible if Shipname too long (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000022: [Client] Set nickname to be at least ONE character long, and set nickname limit to 30 characters max (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000018: [Client] In-game IRC chat window (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000023: [Server & Client] Upgrade zlib to 1.2.3 (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000020: [Client] "New Player" registration box (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000011: [Server & Client] Update dates and times of the client and server (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000017: [Server] Server Crashes on Stop (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000019: [Client] Obscenity filter (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000015: [Client] Increase time to check nexus when it is down (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000014: [Client] While server is trying to connect to the nexus, if you hit cancel, client crashes (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000012: [Client] Game Crash (After Cancel of Play On The Internet/Followed by Play against computer) (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000010: [Server & Client] Nexus - Pointing to nexus.stellarfrontier.net (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000007: [Server] Server crashes on exit (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000005: [Client] Client Crashes on exit (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000004: [Client] Blank Loading Screen / Hanging (NiteHawk) - resolved.
- 0000001: [Client] Stellar Aces - Removal (NiteHawk) - resolved.

Couple things here... Killable AI starbases is now a special option value you can set on your servers, it does however have a default.
The two toggle features are starbase_damage and starbase_popdamage, which scale in a percentage base. starbase_damage handles the damage a starbase takes, and starbase_popdamage is the population loss a starbase can have. They both work together if you need, but popdamage only starts when shields are down, remember that when setting starbase_damage.

Starbase_Damage/PopDamage - 0 = No damage taken, 100 = 100% Damage taken (Like a normal ship).. Default values are 25 Damage/75 Pop Damage now, which is fair, there are reasons for this. You can however go BEYOND 100%, so they take more damage. This may work out in population damage more, as currently they may not take enough pop damage.

A. You cannot really mine a starbase to well without dying, and they can shift instantly without hitting them.
B. Ram will be fixed to vanish on cloak, so you cannot cloak and kill the AI. I was thinking of removing RAM, but it just needs to be balanced and fixed.

I'm not positive on the values yet, but I think it will take 3 people to take down a starbase, maybe more, we need to adjust it and play with it, perhaps people who test can do this for me to give a fair setting for them, and I will make it a default setting.

Two more things with this I feel were good:
A. You cannot friendlyfire kill your AI base (still applies to other robots)
B. You cannot capture another AI base, but this may be a toggle in the future.

Simple right? I feel this should be a great change anyways. Now we can play to see what the best options are for a firm starbase that can fend off about 3 players.

---

Also if you do not like the pinging or the klaxon (critical) noise, you can disable them in the sound settings, etc. Serveral crashes are now prevented, but it still feels like theres tons of expliots left, since I do not really know a good amount, and the rest are just lag expliots which will be solved.

I'd also want to use some of ATC's sounds, he did post about it, specially his edit of the main theme. His music is awesome. But that is his call as well, though he did make a post about it, defo for next version. PNG system is being added soon as well, but the change to PNG images will be LONG. I may try to make lag bearable before this release too, there MAY be a few things I can touchup for now. We shall see.

There shall be more fun things to be added before the release, stay tuned. I apologize for the wait, but it will be worth it!

[NiteHawk]

Oh, and two tractors still defines an AI starbase.

Simply because it is easy to detect, doesn't require a 'set' name.. It's pretty smart idea for now. Not to worried about it..

==


As for the bug with the windows issue (Not displaying properly.) Currently SF tries to make the resolution based on your computer. This is not really good because of like I said, random screen sizes now and days rather then the defaults, such as 1440, which causes issues, such as the bug where the UI doesn't appear, and the wording overlaps.

The game needs to have set values, where it can be FULLSCREEN (real fullscreen, as in the screen adjusts to the game instead of the game adjusting to your screen.) and windowed mode. Currently it just tries to maximize, and it fails horribly now. Keeping itself above the taskbar is also annoying, and doesn't work properly unless the game covers the full screen.

So this will probably be a big thing to do, but it is required in order to have a game that functions in any resolutoin. Basicly, you will be able to select a resolution that you prefer...

It would be great to get a general setting of resolutions...

800
1024
1280
1400
1440
1600

Does anyone know anymore other then those?

[Staker]

My pc runs on 2048 res... but I don't play at all on that pc...

Will it be on WS res :?

1280x800 :?

Offline Feature: Level's... Like Missions and such...
Co-Op online
Make it harder to get ranks... You don't get points for taking planets nor killing Ai's only Humans. Therefore eliminating Farming Servers.

Taking a system on your own does not give you any points... Taking a system with some humans on the team or opposite does.

[NiteHawk]

Ah 1280x800 is one of the ones I was thinking about, 16:9 in that point.

And for the bigger res you got there, we'll add it after we get all the smaller ones done, but we will definatly add it!

Playing in full screen however you can use any res you want long as your screen supports it. Offline features and Coop. Yeah, prob sometime in the future, but more we should add 'missions' to the in game current, and make it so players can actively take it.

Yeah we do need to see about ranks, but we will be shifting the ranking system with alot more things then it currently has, definatly, and I'll see about this. Maybe different points vs AI for example.

[Staker]

The truth is... I play more on my laptop than my pc...

My laptop is a Toshiba... and it has this cool feature where if its not on the game res... It goes to that res w/o stretching the game into W/S. Like i have two black bars vertical... XD

[NiteHawk]

Took me a full day of coding. However, SF is not resolution dependent via what your resolution is.
Simply put, there are now two modes, window mode, and full screen mode. Default is YOUR RES and full screen. If it cannot find your resolution on first load, it will set default to 1024x768 windowed mode.

So basicly, anyone can play the game now without it erroring out. This solves the graphical interface not loading, and the buttons going all wacked out. I've added some new resolutions to be more happy with wide screen laptops as well. Full screen mode is like game mode where it will stretch the game if needed or shrink it, thus you can play on a higher resolution for more fighting space if needed!

It's a BIG improvement. I had to recode a good portion of the video coding, but eh, it is worth it!

Resolutions you can set too:
800x600
1024x768
1152x768
1280x800
1280x1024
1400x1050
1440x900
1600x1200

.. That is so far. The issue with making it use any is the graphical interface and how it is. It would require days of coding to change the UI to shrink and raise, and buttons etc would have to be changed. Though I have an idea to solve this smart wise without the vast amount of coding, I won't be doing this just yet, however, I will do something about this in a later version to support ALL resolution.. But this should be pretty up to date, and support about 95% of computers.. And if you don't have one of the above, you can run one in window mode or full screen stretch, and you'll be okay! All computers SHOULD support at least a couple of these, each. (WIDESCREEN for the win).. I haven't been able to fully test them all, but I've tested a few and there great!

Fullscreen or windowed mode BOTH SUPPORT MINIMIZE! (Pro.)

Some screenshot example, first one is full screen 1280x800, full screen..
http://stellarfrontier.net/images/fullscreen.jpg

Second screenshot is 800x600, windowed.
http://stellarfrontier.net/images/windowed.jpg

You can see the new options too in the menu and the titlebar.

Way better then the game trying to pick the resolution your running and corrupting everything if you don't have it... Much like how continuum is basicly for windowed mode and full screen...

[Staker]

So... I can choose a windowed mode for 1280x800 :?

[NiteHawk]

Of course :p

[Sandtrooper]

There should be a setting in the design file for ships to set max crew count (regardless of mass). Example code of what I'd like to see if there was such a setting:

Right now you can have a crew of 2,000+ on a Marauder if you fitted armor and flames. Bit large for a 40x40 bitmap!

Code:

*                                                          expl expl                           num
*                              rank     max   bmp     max         bmp sound    ship     race      module
*  class    name          ro needed   speed   index  crew      index index    id       id    vol  slots  modules
*  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   [race]   Galaxy        0      11    .16   1024    Galaxy[mr]             3 sexplode [nr]014  [nr] 6250     12 ([mr]1005,[mr]5004,[mr]2004,[mr]3009,[mr]7003,[mr]9201,[mr]9301*18*0*18,[mr]4003,[mr]4502*0*0*1*0*35)

(1024 being the max crew).  If there wasn't a number, an asterisk should be there instead to let SF manage the crew like this idea never existed.

[Jason123]

I'd like to make a suggestion.  The Credit System could be better.  I don't really have any ideas on how to make it better, but its kind of lame that once you conquer a few times you pretty much have max creds for the rest of the time unless you get capped.  Maybe changing bounty and conquering amounts, as well as weapon/system values? 

Also, I think changing the point system is a good idea, and like Duke says it should revolve more closely around taking the system using teamwork and killing human players.  Maybe try making it rank/ship based?  Say, an Admiral in a Dread killing a Captain in a Destroyer would recieve considerably less points than vise versa.  Also, when the reward for conquering the system is given, points could be based on how much you contributed, active kills, time in the server, amount of people in the server (combination of how many people are on your side and the opposing sides) etc......  And/Or fix how many points/kills it takes to get to each rank.  Make it a badge of honor to be an Emperor or Deity again!!!  Pretty complicated stuff but I have faith in ya's.  Thats all for now I guess

                                                               -Jason123

[NiteHawk]

I do agree with most points here, we'll be changing the credit system most likely into something more benifical, but for 1.3 won't happen since it will require alot of work to do.

When changing this, this will also include ranking and such changes as well.

[NiteHawk]

 

[Staker]

YAY XD


EDIT: Wait... I see BMP's! Why not a lighter graphic :?

[NiteHawk]

In 1.3 there won't be any graphical change.

It requires ripping apart half of the game, I'd rather get a working version up first, then work on graphics/sound/etc.
In the future, yeah defo PNG most likely.

BMP's wouldn't be bad if they allowed more then 256 colors however. And that you didn't have to rotate the ship. The size would be cut down by 36 times really. (36 rotationz!)

I might first change the ships to what PNGs will be, then change it to PNG. the game isn't just a plug and play to change, you need to encorp a few files into the lib file, libPNG is what its called in general. After that, you need to create your own buffering/displaying/etc.. You cannot use the BMP one..

Then you have to change everything that uses BMP into a similar PNG version of it.

Overall, its going to take more then just a couple weeks. ;(

[Staker]

Well get to it... I want to see it... Shine!!! jk... When ever you have time bro XD