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Progress towards Build 9.08 Update.
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tnoyce
Ree-Yees

Joined: 20 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Nov 07, 2010 12:40    Post subject: Progress View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Lucius,

That is all excellent news!

Keep the fixes coming..

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Tim Noyce

Fish
Gamorrean

Joined: 29 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 07, 2010 12:46    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Fantastic stuff, Lucius! I am so eager to replay those classic levels, and look forward to the upcoming enhancements.

sheepandshepherd
Trandoshan

Joined: 01 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Nov 07, 2010 17:56    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Awesome news, the progress you're making is amazing (as always!) Very Happy

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 03:41    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

So I've been in contact with the ScummVM team, it looks like incorporating their iMuse implementation won't be a problem. So iMuse issues will be ignored for the next two builds, but the be fully implemented for Beta.

In addition I've been implementing important enemies such as the "Ree Yees 2" (punching only variety), the Gammoreans, various missing generators. Next up are the transhodans, Kell Dragons, phase 1 dt, phase 2, Boba Fett, and finally General Mohc. There maybe other enemies missing (Remotes are the only one I can think of off hand) and missing weapons - but it's enough to finish the game. It sounds like a lot, but I now have shared routines for ranged and melée enemies. I basically have to add one more type that'll cover dt 2/3 and Boba Fett.

Almost there. Smile


Edit - The Transhodans and Kell Dragons are in, and the BOSS attribute is working correctly. Smile The Kell Dragons are missing their jump, but I'll worry about that later.

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

Marley
Gamorrean

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 09:00    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Woot! Does that mean the concussion rifle will be ready for the next build?

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*ZaP*

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 11:15    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Marley wrote:
Woot! Does that mean the concussion rifle will be ready for the next build?

Afraid not, I'm putting off the weapon logics until the following build. The player version of the weapon has more complicated logic involved then the enemy version.

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

Marley
Gamorrean

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 14:17    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Oh great, you mean I have to face them without the best weapon to use against them! Oh noes... (jokes, keep up the good work - haven't been as excited about a game release in YEARS)

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*ZaP*

Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon

Joined: 28 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 14:28    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

This is outstanding news! You've come a long way with this, Lucius Smile

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I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

BlazingPhoenix
Ree-Yees

Joined: 22 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 17:30    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Can't wait until Beta! Very Happy

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 08, 2010 18:53    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

I put up a video showing me playing through parts of many of the levels. It is in two parts, the first part being available now, the second part later tonight. Due to time constraints I could only show parts of the levels, not the whole process of completion. I realized too late that I skipped the Robotics Facility, but oh well - I'll show that one off later. Smile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6osnUL_ekWs&hd=1

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

Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 00:32    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

A note about the Mohc logic...

I recall members here reporting that when they ran DF on "modern" machines, his behavior was different than it was originally. Specifically, I think it was that Mohc's rockets no longer homed in on the player. It would be great to see that working again as intended. Can anyone confirm this?

Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon

Joined: 28 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 00:57    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Yeah, I noticed that too. I thought it was a Mac-Specific thing since the only time I remember that happening was on my old G3. But ever since playing the DOS version on my newer computers I can confirm this.

_________________
I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 01:08    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

That's unfortunate. Fortunately a friend of mine has an actual old-school DOS machine that can play Dark Forces. So I'll check it out there if the missiles don't act properly using DosBox.

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

Marley
Gamorrean

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 08:41    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

I think for later in the development when tightening the logics it would be useful to use a DOS machine for comparision. The game was significantly more fluid in dos as opposed to dos box for me.

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*ZaP*

Tsophika
Gamorrean

Joined: 14 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 09:41    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

I remember that issue with Mohc's missiles, they're supposed to home in on you. They kind of just float there on modern machines, even in DosBox. I think the last time I remember them behaving correctly was on a Windows 98 machine.

Pumpkinetics
Ree-Yees

Joined: 16 Oct 2007

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 15:33    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Funnily enough, on my version of dosbox, they do home in on you for a change. They're completely brutal about it too, damn them...

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Patrick Haslow
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 09, 2010 15:34    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

I haven't tried it, but I think that's what DOSBox's config file is supposed to be able to fix. Maybe if someone were to try it with slower CPU cycles...something akin to an old x86 machine. I have no idea what rate that would be though. It is fortunate Lucius has a vintage PC for testing!

Geoffrey S
Gamorrean

Joined: 29 Jan 2005

PostPosted: Nov 10, 2010 21:07    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Doing a great job on this Lucius, good to check back every now and then and see more and more features implemented.
Looking forward to playing this again one day!

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Nov 13, 2010 10:00    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

I tried using my legacy MS-DOS machine to test Mohc's missiles. Unfortunately, the PC is still exceptionally fast by DOS standards (450MHz), and because of that, the missiles Mohc fires tend to remain stationary. Since the issue seems to be speed related, I tried running Dark Forces in DOSBox with CPU cycles cranked all the way down to 5%. Once I did that, Mohc's missiles homed in on me just fine. I cranked the CPU cycles up to 15% and they still worked, so it's just a matter of finding a range of CPU cycles that's high enough for Dark Forces to run smoothly, while still being low enough to avoid causing speed-related glitches. Running Dark Forces in DOSBox with CPU cycles set to maximum pretty much guarantees that Mohc's missiles won't work.

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 14, 2010 09:20    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

It looks like the 9.08 Build will be coming out tomorrow. I tried to make a release for tonight, but there are still a couple of issues that I should look at first.

The DT's and Boba Fett have simple "first-pass" AI. They are pretty easy to kill right now but that's ok because you have limited weaponry to fight them with. The next build (9.09) will focus on implementing the remaining weapons and logics, at which point the AI can be finished and they can fight at full power. All the Boss elevator stuff is working, though, so the levels are still completable.

There will be some other issues, a couple of rendering glitches, etc. - but the important ones will be sorted out by Beta.
A variety of other things implemented:
*fixed jumping/falling so that you can jump onto very skinny ledges (needed for the Arc Hammer),
*implemented all the damage floors, walls, and gas,
*implemented the gas mask
*all enemies except Remotes and Welders are implemented (including generators)
*all the briefing screens now show up correctly - including the Jabba Ship level (which uses a different background)
*Ree Yees now have limited range for their Thermal Detonators
*A lot of INF fixes.
*Everything I've already mentioned in previous posts and things I'm forgetting. Smile

So Build 9.09 is intended to fill in the remaining missing blanks (Remotes, Welders, missing logics such as Ice Cleats, missing weapons, secondary fire). In addition AI, especially with bosses such as Dark Troopers, will be tweaked and improved (or finished). So Dark Forces should be fully playable and almost feature complete as of this build. Also the UI will be modified to support secondary fire, keyboard turning, key board look up/down, make mouse look optional ( for the 3 people that don't want it Razz ), add auto-aim for those that want it and so on. The last item is pretty small but important - the text file is going away, when you launch DarkXL it'll bring up a file dialog to get the Dark Forces path data if it doesn't have it already (or files are missing) and store it in the config file. This means that DarkXL will not longer ship with a config file or settings file - since if it doesn't exist it'll be generated on the users machine. No more having the current path overwritten when getting a new build or having to manually edit files. This also means that any valid Windows path will work properly. Smile

Finally Build 10.0 will be the Beta. This will replace the current iMuse system with the more fully developed ScummVM system. This build will focus on optimizations and source code release. Finally this will tackle any remaining rendering glitches are restore proper perspective vertical looking (though the current method will be available as an option). Finally the pure-renderer stuff will be implemented, such as low resolution support and palette emulation.

Getting closer...

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

dinohog
Dianoga

Joined: 02 Dec 2005

PostPosted: Nov 14, 2010 11:47    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

That is great news, Lucius. Your progress is fantastic. Keep up the great work. Any update on the editing functions? I am particularly interested in being able to apply textures in a 3d window similar to JED. MTFBWY.

lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 15, 2010 19:42    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

dinohog wrote:
That is great news, Lucius. Your progress is fantastic. Keep up the great work. Any update on the editing functions? I am particularly interested in being able to apply textures in a 3d window similar to JED. MTFBWY.

In the current editor you can apply textures in 3D mode. You can also do texture alignment in that mode as well. It still doesn't work with certain settings but I will be fixing that soon. Once Beta hits I'm going to be spending a lot more time on the modding tools as well as adding support for the Outlaws level format and rendering features (slopes, double adjoins, vertical adjoins, per-sector gravity, etc.).

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

joel96
Ree-Yees

Joined: 31 Jan 2010

PostPosted: Nov 16, 2010 14:41    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

http://df-21.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php_p=20317#20317 October 24:
Quote:
get ready to try that one out in a couple of days.


http://df-21.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php_p=20417#20417
November 14:
Quote:
It looks like the 9.08 Build will be coming out tomorrow.


I think we need to start DarkXL Time. http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time Wink I can't wait to see all the work you put into this next patch! Very Happy

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Yes, I am that joeybuddy96.

Marley
Gamorrean

Joined: 30 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Nov 16, 2010 17:07    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

The other common factor between the developers being the quality of the final product Cool

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lucius
DarkXL Developer
DarkXL Developer

Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Nov 16, 2010 18:55    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Yes, sorry about that. A few last minute issues came up - there was a completion issues at the very end of the Executor and an elevator issue on Arc Hammer. Those have been fixed. Smile

In addition, last night I discovered that the switch that is supposed to turn off conveyor belts in Arc Hammer makes them scroll much faster instead (to the point that you can walk on them at all) so I need to figure that out.

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

tnoyce
Ree-Yees

Joined: 20 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Nov 17, 2010 00:34    Post subject: Progress View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

I'm certain you'll figure it out quickly.

Thanks for the update.

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Tim Noyce

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