[conquest] Conquest 8.1.2ng1 development snapshot is available

[Jon Trulson]

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Almighty Tallest Cataboligne wrote:

>>
>>>       http://radscan.com/conquest/conquest-8.1.2ng1.src.tar.gz
>
>
> Urr.  I had to take a break from this code base, so I have not installed

   Noooo...

> this yet.
> Busy right this moment upgrading my network with wireless hub/cards and
> better graphics cards.
> The current goal is better support for GL games on my network.
>
> My comments are based from the code submitted prior to this update.  As yet
> I have no idea what changes Jon made in implementing what I submitted.
>

         A couple lines or so. :)

>>        1. Shields... In general, I do not like the new shield graphics...
>> I think the shield graphics used on the icon display is actaully much
>> better - I'd prefer that.  The new sh graphics are just too
>> big/distracting.
>
>
> There were a few options to control live shield gfx.  It should not be
> difficult to change the gfx to the design
> you want - i.e. the luminous cloud deal.
>

         Yeah, this was not meant as a list of things for you to fix :)
         I was just trying to get an idea of what others thought.

>
>>
>>        2. Any ideas for re-arranging the icon hud so things are more
>> readable?
>
>
> Need txf font files for all the hud stuff...I was working on this and had to
> walk away when I hit a few stumbling blocks.
> The tools to make txf's cant get ttf fonts even though my OS can use them.

   Ahh, yes, it requires bdf (standard X11 format) fonts.  I wonder if
   there's a tool out there to convert a ttf to bdf...

> This leads to recoding the txf making tool.  I'm not prepared to get into
> that yet.
>
>       3. 'Team colors'.  I find this stuff actually quite confusing.
>
>
> Team colors should have and off option - which should be the default...in
> that case the original red/yellow/green should be used.  Though, if no one
> else will use them, putting an #ifdef set around the code would do fine.
>

         But would you even use them in battle?


>
>>        4.  Numeric indicators for heading and warp.  I'd like them to be
>> bigger.  Also, I find reading the graphical warp indicator... not so easy
>> - sometimes I have to search for the indicator line.  Maybe this indicator
>> should be more obvious?
>
>
> The numbers can be tweaked.
> I know a better positioning system needs to be done for the hud.
> I'll take another look at the heading pointer, but with my upgrade to TFT
> monitors, I doubt my visual is going to help.
>

         Well the headin indicator is ok (need begger numbers) - it was
         the warp line I had trouble locating quickly.  Maybe I'm just
         used to looking at the number...

>       5. tactical grids.  Look nice.  The relative gamma for these needs
>> to be equalized however, so that a 'brightness' of 50 for example looks
>> the same regardless of what grid (team) you are using.
>
>
> I'll take some samples and compare those.  Shouldnt be hard to achieve this.
>

         Yeah, was just going to fire them all up in gimp (at the same
         time) and go from there.

>       A couple of other changes I forgot to mention for the ng1 release:
>>
>>        - reworked the vbg code so that tac and vbg aren't mutually
>> exclusive.  A future addition will be an ALT-G hotkey for toggling the
>> grid.
>
>
> Thought I had a grid toggle key?  Vbg with the tac?  maybe good...the vbg
> should have an swap key too.
>

         There was no grid toggle.  I like the vbg, the grid isn't bad
         either, so yes, I'd probably use both.  The vbg toggle is ALT-B.

>       - directional torp vectors are now standard for all ships.  I
>> reworked this somewhat to base the angle() on the torp's delta direction
>> of fire, rather than the lastblast dir (which can change between the time
>> the torp fire command was sent, and when it actually shows up on your
>> screen).  Much more reliable :)
>
>
> Cool, I had no idea how to do this without server data on the torp.
>

         Ah... Just use the torp dx/dy delta's at x/y = 0 coords and
         take the angle(). :)

>       - Cat had provided different explosion graphics for each team.  I
>> removed this as I think explosions should look the same regardless of
>> what is exploding.
>>
> Hope you just replaced the data in the image resource file...I like the
> different explosions.
>

         Right now only the 'normal' explosions are present.  Once
         animation stuff is done, they could be added back, though I'd
         want other opinions on them.

         I think that all things explode the same way in most universes :)

> My hardware and network changes should be done in a week (I hope.)
> I'll try and get back to this then.  Besides at that point I can do some in
> house testing!
>

         Yes, I want to redo the hud geometry stuff as the first thing :)

> Regards,
> -Cat-
>

         Welcome back..

-- 
Jon Trulson    mailto:jon at radscan.com
ID: 1A9A2B09, FP: C23F328A721264E7 B6188192EC733962
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