[Campaign 4] Release & Development topic

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Yeah, that's what I kinda figured (that it couldn't be changed). That's how I had been doing it before, simply downloading the .zip and extracting from there.

On another note ... *drumroll* ... I finally got the port to 3.2 functioning. This will be a slow, grinding slog to get all of the WUDS assets in place, but the process I used to get the MP stuff in was pretty similiar to what I did for the 2.3.9 to 3.0 transition. Since we had a nice, fresh build of 3.2 in the buildbot I thought I'd have another go. Took about two hours to get everything situated, so it really was pretty straightforward. The port to the 3.2 branch is now going to take precedence over all other matters at this point, for the reasons stated earlier in the topic. Once the dataset is ported, the next step is going to be converting the entire campaign over to the new JS API and its' lovely and much more elegant modularity.

Huzzah!

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

The port to 3.2 is going to take place more slowly, since there's so much work to do. Think of it as if one is cooking in the kitchen. Now that we have our first round of ingredients together, we can put that pan over on a side burner on low heat and let it simmer for a while before we need to add some other ingredients, because we have this large pot of chili going that we need to take care of first.

On that note, onward with more Release-23 goodness.

- Work continues with retooling the events and dialogue for "good practices", aka not overloading the player with too many things going on at once. Dialogue OR action, but not both at the same time.

- Campaigns 5 and 6 now have their founding ideas and basis. Yes, they tie in to Campaign 4; and yes, you folks will love them. I promise. MUCH more to come later .. no spoilers yet.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

And if contradicting myself wasn't enough .. a status update on the 3.2 port.

All Contingency, USM/MiniMod, ExtraObjects, 'Mechs, and Cam 4 assets, .pie files and textures have FINALLY been ported into 3.2 and are loading without errors/asserts. All that's left (and I say "all" like it's going to be quickly finished) is to get them actually IN the game (stats, research topics, names, etc).

The light at the end of the tunnel IS actually there, finally. Huzzah!

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Another status update.

- Bodies and features are all in and functioning as they should be. Getting those done was easy. Obviously Cyborgs and Mechs will take more to get situated, since those require templates.

- I've gotten a few Contingency and Cam 4 weapons and structures in as well. The changes with the stats format to the all-.ini system has slowed things down a bit, but nothing I wasn't able to deal with. I must say, it's nice to have some breathing room without all the guesswork.

A million and one thanks go to the Dev team for making the engine a LOT more forgiving and resilient in the 3.2 branch, especially when it comes to entries being in names.txt when there aren't any stats for those names.

More to come tomorrow.

[Tenoh]

dropbox wont let me dowmload it... any chance of changing that?

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Yep, I'm not using Dropbox anymore, and I have no way of changing the first post sadly.

If you look under my avatar, there's a globe. That's the link to my Github page. click on 'Download .zip' on the lower right, and that will get you the current released version of Cam 4.

[Tenoh]

Its cool and all but i got no idea where to go properly or what a my doing or how even to install the damn thing.Little text at the top just not good enough when i need to go back and read all the convo i missed cause i was fighting.
Oh and game crashes once i reach second green marker after getting nexus prototype.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

I'm still working on Release-23 which likely fixes the above issue. Sorry about the crash you've experienced. Does it occur in the same place on repeat plays?

[Tenoh]

yes it does.. let me get you stuff from the log.. maybe its something i done?

info |02:33:33: [resLoadFile:437] Hash collision "gnhhowtar.pie" vs "gnhhowtbb.pie"
info |02:33:33: [resLoadFile:437] Assert in Warzone: frameresource.cpp:437 (strcasecmp(psRes->aID, pFile) == 0), last script event: '<none>'
info |02:33:35: [findAssemblyPointPosition:4997] unable to find a valid location!
info |02:33:35: [findAssemblyPointPosition:4997] Assert in Warzone: structure.cpp:4997 (!"unable to find a valid location"), last script event: '<none>'
info |02:33:36: [res_parse:102] script/binary is not a directory!
info |02:33:36: [res_parse:102] Assert in Warzone: resource_parser.ypp:102 (PHYSFS_isDirectory(aCurrResDir)), last script event: '<none>'
info |02:35:56: [giftSingleStructure:7165] EW attack by selectedPlayer on a structure
info |02:35:56: [giftSingleStructure:7165] Assert in Warzone: structure.cpp:7165 (bFromScript || selectedPlayer != 0 || attackPlayer != selectedPlayer), last script event: '19 (CALL_STRUCT_ATTACKED)'
info |02:35:58: [giftSingleStructure:7165] EW attack by selectedPlayer on a structure
error |02:53:52: [scrRemoveMessage:1566] cannot find message - OBJECTIVEB9_MSG
info |02:54:06: [scrOrderGroupObj:462] scrOrderGroupObj: Invalid object pointer
info |02:54:06: [scrOrderGroupObj:462] Assert in Warzone: scriptai.cpp:462 (psObj != __null), last script event: 'N/A'

[Tenoh]

some stuff from difrent log

info |04:21:33: [resLoadFile:437] Hash collision "gnhhowtar.pie" vs "gnhhowtbb.pie"
info |04:21:33: [resLoadFile:437] Assert in Warzone: frameresource.cpp:437 (strcasecmp(psRes->aID, pFile) == 0), last script event: '<none>'
info |04:21:35: [res_parse:102] script/binary is not a directory!
info |04:21:35: [res_parse:102] Assert in Warzone: resource_parser.ypp:102 (PHYSFS_isDirectory(aCurrResDir)), last script event: '<none>'
info |04:22:57: [pal_GetTeamColour:102] Attempting to get colour for non-existing team 4294967294
info |04:22:57: [pal_GetTeamColour:102] Assert in Warzone: piepalette.cpp:102 (false), last script event: 'N/A'
info |04:22:57: [pie_Draw3DShape:486] Negative team -2

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

The Non-Existing Team/Negative Team thing is an old error. Not much I can do about that one. And yes, it will repeat a LOT. It shouldn't cause crashes.

The other error

Code: Select all

info |02:33:33: [resLoadFile:437] Assert in Warzone: frameresource.cpp:437 (strcasecmp(psRes->aID, pFile) == 0), last script event: '<none>'
info |02:33:35: [findAssemblyPointPosition:4997] unable to find a valid location!
info |02:33:35: [findAssemblyPointPosition:4997] Assert in Warzone: structure.cpp:4997 (!"unable to find a valid location"), last script event: '<none>'

That's one that happens when the script tries to place an object and something is in the way, either one of your own units or an AI unit. Can you tell me at what stage that is happening? From the time indicated in the log, it's pretty late in the game so I'm guessing M4 or M5?

Never mind, I know what and where that is -- and I've already fixed that for Release-23. Had to think about it for a moment. It's a bodgy Factory Delivery Point location that was out of range relative to its' Factory. Sorry.

The next error ..

Code: Select all

info |04:21:35: [res_parse:102] script/binary is not a directory!
info |04:21:35: [res_parse:102] Assert in Warzone: resource_parser.ypp:102 (PHYSFS_isDirectory(aCurrResDir)), last script event: '<none>'

Should never happen. EVER.

From the looks of it, you're on Linux, correct? Do you have the most recent version of Phyfs installed?

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

As for missing the text while fighting, I've fixed the majority of that for Release-23 as well.

23 is turning out to be a major release compared the others, with lots of usability and functionality changes, especially in regards to how it plays. I think everyone will be pleased.

It's almost ready. I have one or two more things to check and I should be able to let it out into the wild later on today.

[Tenoh]

nope lol i am on 8.1 windows. Linux never grown on me sadly.
But yeah, love over all feel on the campaign... just need more clear indication on what to do.
What about adding choppers they own propolsion instead of just replacing vtols?
Assaults re weak,maybe need a buff in rof? cause they dont seen to help at all just tank.
In any case loving it,keep it up!

[Rman Virgil]

.

Well then I'll await playing v. 23 before commenting on stuff you likely already addressed.

I will mention that I've been thinking about extracting your message strings, placing in sequence and time stamping them with elapsed game time to run in a text window so if I get lost I can pause the game and just scroll to the appropriate time stamped message to re-orient myself.

Ultimately the voice acting will be the answer but I understand the work involved and how it should not be rushed. Speaking of the voice acting, some questions.

- Shall the game be paused when it is triggered ?

- Will the text be overlayed on a still graphic during the pause with the voice over as Bungie did in thier "Myth" trilogy ?

- Or will you do a vid selfie in costume acting the message ? Or maybe you have some acting buds you can recruit ? I'm flashing on the way Westwood did some of the classic "C & C" games.
.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Hey there Rman.

I apologize to all for not releasing v23 yesterday as planned. Real-life has a way of interjecting itself into things that others consider "not as important".

I will mention that I've been thinking about extracting your message strings, placing in sequence and time stamping them with elapsed game time to run in a text window so if I get lost I can pause the game and just scroll to the appropriate time stamped message to re-orient myself

v23 should make it not needed to extract to text file to read & catch up. I've put a lot of work into "stopping the action" so that the player can read and not need to fight. There likely will be a few rough edges in this regard, and those will continue to be smoothed out over the next few releases as needed, especially in later stages that don't recieve as much testing due to my personal real-life time concerns.

Ultimately the voice acting will be the answer but I understand the work involved and how it should not be rushed. Speaking of the voice acting, some questions.

- Shall the game be paused when it is triggered ?

I hadn't considered that option. What I wanted to do was lower the music and FX volume via script a certain percentage during voice dialogue then raise it again to where it was. Pausing the game would eliminate the issue of action going on while important dialogue was taking place .. it's an option but read below for the continuation.

- Will the text be overlayed on a still graphic during the pause with the voice over as Bungie did in thier "Myth" trilogy ?

Star Treak Armada and Armada II did something like this as well (including the "pause" feature) and I found the experience a bit .. abrupt. Things just "stop". I think it can be done more gracefully.

- Or will you do a vid selfie in costume acting the message ? Or maybe you have some acting buds you can recruit ? I'm flashing on the way Westwood did some of the classic "C & C" games.

You don't want to see that. Nobody wants to see that. I'm self-concious just doing the voice acting for crying out loud.

I'll endeavour to get v23 out this evening.