DF-21 Forums

[lucius]

The next build was supposed to address the remaining visual and collision issues. However, I had to work on some other stuff on and off so I decided to handle a bunch of smaller tasks - working towards the goal of making the gameplay complete - instead. I will probably continue to release smaller builds like this, while working on the bigger stuff, so that the game can become fully playable soon. The next major build will have the above mentioned fixes, however.

So I started out this build by implementing a few smaller logics. So the first thing I did is have the missing logics printed in the console window whenever I load a new level. In Nar Shadaa, the red and blue keys didn't work because they were named differently than all the rest of the red and blue keys in the game - so I fixed that. I also implemented the NAVA card, which is needed to complete the Jabba the Ship level and the aforementioned Nar Shadaa. This means that all the key cards, keys, code cards and so on are implemented. Next I implemented Kyle's stuff, which you pick up in Jabba's Ship to restore all the stuff taken from you at the beginning of the level - which also happens in DarkXL now too.

Also I finally added the blaster damage falloff. This means that enemies can take an extra shot to kill if you're at enough of a distance. I've also decreased the reaction times for most enemies, which makes the game in general harder. The slow reaction times in the DOS version are needed due to controls and aiming issues, but they are just too slow when playing through DarkXL. Later I'll make this a slider for those that want the slower reaction times back, or going the other way we can make enemies fire more often and be more accurate as well - but that can wait until later.

To make modifying the script file a little easier and to make my own logic editing better - script errors are now printed in the in-game console window.

The two biggest additions are the first pass at Turrets and the Imperial Repeater (the 5th weapon you find in the game). The Turrets still have some things that need to be tweaked later, but I want to get all the enemies in a mostly correct state quickly to get the game fully playable, then I'll go and do final tweaking later.

The current issues are:
* They fire a standard blaster shot, it should be green and do a little more damage.
* They don't go into the crazy damaged mode when nearly dead yet.
* The death explosion is wrong.

Pictures of the Turrets and Imperial Repeater in the game:





Go to the download page to get the latest version.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[klasodeth]

Turrets?! NOOOOOOOOoooooooo.........!!!!!!

I was in no hurry for you to implement those.

[Tsophika]

Thanks for implementing my favorite gun, although I'll echo Klas's sentiments about the turrets.

I'm going to suggest LAIMLAME be implemented for testing. I died a lot running through looking at things, especially since the enemies are VERY accurate and there's a lot of shooting through walls as well.

Probots keep the red hue after playing Gromas.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5750/dxlb84cb3f9c5.png

Rendering issues, but I think you know about this one.
http://img822.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3f425.png/

These turrets are not visible.
http://img714.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3f864.png/

I know I'm not supposed to be here, but this might be a rendering issue. The crow is visible in one sector but not if I move into another.
http://img405.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3f900.png/
http://img687.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3f906.png/

Can't walk under these sprites. I'll also mention you can get stuck under the red cliff lights on Fest.
http://img534.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3fa86.png/

This wall texture scrolls.
http://img149.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3faed.png/

3DO placement.
http://img813.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3fbc0.png/

This animated texture is wacky.
http://img718.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3fbef.png/

I don't think this texture should be visible this way.
http://img440.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3fc9e.png/

If I remember this is actually an error in the original game, but I'm posting it if my memory fails me.
http://img823.imageshack.us/i/dxlb84cb3fcf3.png/

[lucius]

As for the Crow, it's probably assigned to the wrong sector, but since you're never supposed to see it, it doesn't matter.

There are vertical collision issues with some sprites, agreed.

The Crow clipping through the wall in Nar Shaddaa is weird, when I load that level it looks fine. Does this happen for you when you first start?

And finally you can safely ignore any floating enemies that don't have logics implemented. Ideally he'd fall to the ground, but right now it's basically just a WAX decoration.

Thanks for all the feedback, I'll be sure to look at the issues you raised.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[lucius]

I just fixed the problem with the Death Star plans sub-sector (and a few others, including one in the Sewers). It was a case where there were solid walls, plus adjoins (occupying the same edges but reversed directions) from the main sector to the subsector, and adjoins from the subsector to the main sector. Basically similar to a regular subsector but with a solid wall thrown in as well. So now there's just a weird case in Jabba's ship that I have to look at and then I only have to look at precision issues, which should be comparatively straight-forward.

The fix will be in the next build.
Hard to explain, but it works now.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[lucius]

So I've fixed the one major sector problem that I know about (I fixed the Death Star plans type sector combinations before as I mentioned last post), which was in the Jabba the Ship level.

So now there are just some clipping issues with moving sectors (such as the rotating wall in SecBase and the rotating bridges in Talay), which is my last major fix for the new sector renderer.

In addition I've fixed the sky floors (pits) and sky walls ("nowalls") - at least most of the time.

*Edit* I forgot to mention that in Build 9.03+ I made the enemies 100% accurate, which was just too much in 9.04 due to faster reaction times. The accuracy has been reduced to more tolerable (and Dark Forces like) levels.

I've also been implementing logics - I have all the ammo types implemented, I will start working on finishing up the weapons soon.

So the next build should (9.05):
* Fix the remaining sector rendering issues. Testing will be needed to verify of course. [Almost finished]
* Have all items, ammo and weapons implemented. [A few more weapons to implement]
* Secondary fire (needed for weapons). [Still need to add]
* Have pits and nowalls work (mostly). [Done]
* Fix the collision, which should also fix issues with completing level 3 that some people have. [Almost finished]

For the following build (9.06):
* All standard enemies (except Dark Troopers, Boba Fett and Mohc). [Reuse existing AI routines]
* Some INF fixes. [The biggest hurdle]

For build 9.07:
* The remaining enemies.
* The remaining INF issues.
* Any switch issues (some switches are still positioned incorrectly).
* Game completable.

Beyond that comes beta - optimizations, fixing issues such as iMuse playback, briefing misalignment, options for enemy reactions and accuracy, switch to OpenGL for multi-platform support and so on.

Once we reach beta and the game is fully playable I plan to revive the editor and begin the process of supporting Outlaws as well. Down the road, Outlaws needs to support multiplayer, so naturally Dark Forces (through DarkXL) will as well.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[Tsophika]

The next one looks like a pretty big hurdle with the weapon implementation. Maybe there should be a 9.045 that just has the rendering, collision and precision bugs worked out?

Is there currently a way to jump to specific sectors, ala LANTFH? I ask because it would be useful for testing until more INF is implemented. As of right now, one can only get so far in levels like JABSHIP and ARC.

[lucius]

[Tsophika]

I do use g and f. I guess I'm referring to vertical blocks like the trap door before rescuing Jan in JABSHIP or the fan shaft before the Dark Trooper on Anteevy.

[Marley]

Hi Lucius, just played it the new update. Some great work but a few beefs....

*Drift. I've mentioned this before but I don't think the drift when the play lets go of the arrow keys works with the controls - I also don't think it's the same as in vanilla DF. The drift is far too strong and needs turning down/off before I could find it "fun" to play DarkXL. Also it doesn't seem to work correctly as if you are moving diagonally along and you release, you don't drift diagonally as you might expect but end up going in on the directions you holding down. (so if your going forward and strafing left and you release, you end up drift forward or left but not both as you would assume).

*Perspective. I'm not a fan of the new locked down perspective, it makes the aiming reticle redundant and makes looking around disorientating - is this going to be in the final version or is this just a work around?

Other than I'm loving it, the difficulty tweaks in particular are just right.

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*ZaP*

[lucius]

[Gez]

What is the console key? If it's the traditional ~ key, it doesn't work on my computer. (Now I know that the console key not working has been a frequent problem with many games and Vista, but it's the first time it happens to me. With for example Oblivion, a typical victim of that issue, the console key works flawlessly on my computer.)

[lucius]

[Marley]

Cheers for the tips - I found that setting the p_accel_dec to 1 made the game much better play with the mouse

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*ZaP*

[lucius]

I'm going to be adding several sliders to allow people to adjust some of these values to their liking:

* "Friction" (i.e. how much you slide while not on ice)
* AI Reaction times
* AI Accuracy
* Auto Aim
* HUD Scale (so you can scale down the HUD at higher resolutions if desired).

As well as being able to disable mouse look and set keys for rotation, look up and down and center view. For Beta I'll make small adjustments (sliding probably slightly less then it is now but still higher then Doom, the reaction probably defaults to what it is now, auto aim defaults to off, HUD scale to 1.0, mouse look to on, etc.) so it feels right and then let users tweak to their liking. The idea would be to have good defaults, though, for people who don't tweak these kinds of settings and still be able to get the Dark Forces experience.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[lucius]

I wanted to mention that I figured out the issue with rotating and moving sectors - such as those found in Talay. Originally I was thinking that I'd have to do something hacky like runtime fix up as the sectors moved - due to sector intersections - but fortunately I figured out how to avoid that. I have to do something else hacky instead - but this time it matches the original Dark Forces engine behavior (i.e. just emulating LA hackiness) so it's desired.

So the last item to fix are the thin black lines that show up sometimes (due to slight precision issues when clipping wall segments to each other). The renderer should behave very close to the Dark Forces renderer (with quads instead of columns) but without the adjoin and size limits.

Once this is finished I'll re-enable the perspective render, while allowing the forced-perspective view as an option for those that want a 2.5d experience. However I'll release the next build before working on re-enabling the true perspective render again (when quads become trapezoids...). Then I'll get vertical clipping, which will allow me to turn off z-writes when rendering floors and ceilings as an option. This will allow sprites to be rendered without clipping into the floor, like the original, but still be properly occluded due to the walls.

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DarkXL....http://darkxl.wordpress.com

[Gez]

A few issues with windowed mode:
- The mouse cursor is captured and put in the game window even when it's technically on the title bar. It makes it hard to move the window around (e.g. to center it). I have found the work around of keeping Alt-Tab pressed so that the DarkXL window loses the focus and, while the cursor becomes invisible, I can still try to guess where it is and click on the title bar this way.
- It is possible to manually resize the window that way, which is not necessarily a good idea as it distort the aspect ratio.
- When restarting DarkXL in windowed mode, the window is maximized. One has to change the resolution and change it back again to turn it back into a one-pixel-is-one-pixel mode.

Other issues I've found:
-The extra mouse buttons (MX1 and MX2) are no longer detected correctly apparently. Both of them on my Logitech G500 are identified as MX2.
- Sky behaves oddly (tiling and scrolling exaggeratedly). It looks like when you look up and down, you tilt the entire level along, the way they move against the sky backdrop.
- I get a crash on exit when quitting DarkXL from the game. Apparently in the sound code since the issue happens within OpenAL.

[lucius]