Pickup moving to .4.

[INW]

So I just found out you can only play in pickup servers if you use the .4 beta client.

Uhh, this is stupid.

I've used the same version of tron forever and it is great. All of my settings and instant chats don't transfer over to .4 when I download it (I've tried). So I don't want to use it.

This means if you don't want to use .4, you will never be able to play pickup. They are indirectly banning 2.8 users from pickup.

That isn't right at all.

Besides my bickering, why change? Why can only .4 users play? Is this a strategy to get more people to play pickup? I see it as a way to get less people to play...

[dlh]

Actually, that requirement was changed to a warning. When the pickup servers are updated you can continue to use your old alpha 0.3 build (update your client). You can also use a recent 0.2.8 release—0.4 is certainly not required.

The 0.4 snapshots use a different user data directory than the stable builds—it's very simple to copy over your old settings from the stable versions. Your settings are copied automatically on the first run of a 0.4 snapshot. You probably ran a snapshot, then moved back to your old version and changed some settings. The settings changes are not synced. You need to do it manually.

[INW]

So my not be able to join the servers on my current client is just temporary?

Also, I don't even know where I found this exact version of tron. I've tried to find it for my laptop but failed.

It is the .3.x/Experimental version .3_alpha8870

[Cronix]

It is the .3.x/Experimental version .3_alpha8870

I think I had the same version of Armagetron. I updated it to 0.4 and it kept all my instas and settings and stuff. I had no problem with that.

[Cody]

I stopped going to pickup for this exact reason. It won't let me on what so ever. I don't feel like updating my client, why fix something thats not broken.

[ppotter]

0.2.8 users are not banned at all, it's just 0.3 (or certain versions of it).

Just use the "official" version of Armagetron and you'll be fine.

[Cody]

0.2.8 users are not banned at all, it's just 0.3 (or certain versions of it).

Just use the "official" version of Armagetron and you'll be fine.

i'm a 0.2.8 user and I cant gain access to any of the pickup servers.

[Jip]

0.2.8 users are not banned at all, it's just 0.3 (or certain versions of it).

Just use the "official" version of Armagetron and you'll be fine.

i'm a 0.2.8 user and I cant gain access to any of the pickup servers.

Get the latest 0.2.8 snapshot and you will be fine.

[compguygene]

Not that I play pickup, but since I am implementing some new .4 servers, may I ask what it is about the current pickup configuration that forces the use of the latest .2.8 series snapshot?

[vov]

Also, I don't even know where I found this exact version of tron.
...
It is the .3.x/Experimental version .3_alpha8870

beta.armagetronad.net. It's the 2009-... version there.
Yes, 2009, almost three years old, that's why you were notified about outdated versions
And 0.2.8.3.x should definitely work afaik (maybe Cody uses 0.2.8.2 which is even older than INW's version)

[epsy]

Not that I play pickup, but since I am implementing some new .4 servers, may I ask what it is about the current pickup configuration that forces the use of the latest .2.8 series snapshot?

None. The clients considered themselves expired, with no enforcement from the server. I'm sorry, I don't know what the patch dlh mentionned does exactly.

[compguygene]

Thank you for the explanation. My concern was that Armagetron has always allowed old versions, with varying levels of support for said clients. I am glad that has not changed.

[Cody]

um what epsy?

My client works great on all servers except all pickup, it says version expired. What is on the server side that tells my client its out dated?

Also since my client is outdated, then why does all the other servers allow me to play but not pickups?

[Z-Man]

The expiration code is triggered by your client seeing there is a newer version out. It only does that when it connects to that new server, and only then can problems be expected that the expiration is meant to avoid.

Intent of that code: We can't guarantee compatibility of all combinations of development versions of servers and clients. Especially troublesome can be old snapshot builds of clients on new servers; we want to be free to change our mind about things between real releases, for example the transition to utf8 had an intermediate phase that is incompatible with current snapshots and future 0.4 (IIRC). New clients on old snapshots servers can be trouble, too, but we kind of expect server admins to do the sensible thing and upgrade their snapshot builds when people report trouble.

The problem: An implementation mistake made the trunk/0.4 snapshots expire too quickly.

The solution: Stick to stable releases or update your snapshots. The new ones won't expire that quickly, and even if they do, it'll only be a warning (as dlh stated). We won't go back and fix the bug for old snapshot builds. It'd be horribly complicated and really, running old snapshots is not going to get us a lot of good testing data anyway. Which is another reason the expiration code exists: if you run testing code, we want you to run current testing code.

[Phytotron]

I just played in Dogfight with respawning, Sky Tower Sumo Bar, and some fortress server using 0.2.6.0. They played like doody, there was only a single red zone, and I was passing through walls and stuff (client-side only), but I got in. Won a round in sumo, too. Shrunkland and a ton of other servers said "upgrade needed," though.

0.2.7.0 crashes on startup. And 0.2.8.2.1 does some weird thing in fullscreen where it gets shrunk down into the lower left corner. That version on back said "upgrade needed" for pickup, but everything between that and 0.2.9 allow entry.

Interestingly, colored names show in all old versions except 0.2.7.1.

By the way, as I'm always reminded when I load up these old versions, can we pleeease have back the old brighter red pulsating of highlighted menu items and the chat/console prompts? Looked so much cooler than the muted red and pinkish now.