What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

What do you want to see in Armagetron soon? Any new feature ideas? Let's ponder these ground breaking ideas...
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Lucifer
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Lucifer »

Updating the list:

* Updated zones documentation. This should hopefully also include some copy&paste zones for effects people are used to seeing, or would like to reuse.

* Cockpit issues. It's in many ways a non-trivial task to edit a cockpit, but it is also beyond the scope to make it easy to use configuration items to modify a chosen cockpit.

* Being able to choose cockpits. There's the possibility this can happen, actually, but don't bet on it just yet. I need to look a bit deeper. But if we can have a cockpit chooser that works both in the in-game UI and the global UI, I'll do it.

* Sound complaints. I added some sounds. It seems reasonable, considering how sounds work now, to make configuration items to disable them. I'll see about that. (I'm assuming people don't like the countdown, but it doesn't matter, the way I set it up I should be able to make toggles for *all* sounds)

* Make sure we have cockpits for all previous versions. And create a new cockpit for the new version. Current version is a show-off cockpit, not an actually reasoned-though cockpit. It shows what can be done. So we need to make sure classic gauges are respected and available, and have something new that truly represents 0.4.

* Automated builds: Working on that right now.

* Making cockpits easier to edit. I'm not sure what we can do on that one, but I'm open to discussion. The main complaint is being able to use settings to move cockpit widgets around, which is nearly impossible, but not completely. Let's talk some more. Talk was made about a cockpit editor tool, but until such a thing materializes, we must assume it will never exist.

* A way for users to report to the server admin abusive players. We've sorta ignored this. Maybe there's more we can do besides this? I definitely think looking at the ct+sty branch is a solid start.

* Speaking of the ct+sty branch, is there anything else in there that you'd like to see in 0.4? (Besides the CTF and styball, I don't believe we can extend the zones to include those for 0.4, but consider that a high priority as soon as 0.5 gets started)

* Merging Epsy's cockpit branch

* SDL2 support. SDL1.3 is apparently now going to be subject to bitrot, so to keep being able to build the game, we'll need to go with SDL2. Not really a choice on that. The previous concerns (before SDL2 had their drama, and compguygene: the drama I'm talking about was quite a long time ago, so it's not surprising that someone's picked up the glove and pushed SDL2 to release) about SDL2 support had a lot to do with keybinds and being able to migrate old configs to the new ones. I suspect we'll just ignore those concerns, though. But we'll see. ;)

* Distributed resource repositories that mirror each other. In a perfect world, we'll release 0.4 with 4 repositories up and running and able to service clients and servers. I guess I'll run the "official" project repo, which should provide the baseline repository required to be in the rotation of distributed repositories. We also need all the current repository code people are using, and willing to contribute, to be put in a bzr branch and hammered out into something resembling a distribution. That way, the "official" repositories can all run on the same basic code, with expected individual improvements by the server admins running them.

In terms of priorities, I consider the buildbot the highest priority right now. As soon as I can deploy it and have buildslaves for Windows and Mac OS, then we'll be able to actively develop for all three platforms supported.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by /dev/null »

Just a coupla bits to add.

SDL2? ******* finally. Ive been demanding this for years.

Merging sty is another thing ive wanted, but Id prefer if it was merged in such a way that fixed its issues with rubber. I havnt wasted enough time determinging exactly why its rubber is weird though, so I cannot help with the details.

The rest of the post is solid enough.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Durf »

Lucifer wrote:* Speaking of the ct+sty branch, is there anything else in there that you'd like to see in 0.4? (Besides the CTF and styball, I don't believe we can extend the zones to include those for 0.4, but consider that a high priority as soon as 0.5 gets started)
What about sty+ct+ap? There was a decent amount of stuff added in. Although you may not want to add all of it into 0.4, there is plenty that everyone likes (map rotation, unlimited color codes in names, etc.). Not sure if you're excluding the +ap for any reason in particular (or if you ignored my post about the reports).

Anyway, I'd like to see some of the things from sty+ct+ap merged in to 0.4.
You probably have enough on your plate already so I won't start posting more ideas.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Lucifer »

Durf wrote:
Lucifer wrote:* Speaking of the ct+sty branch, is there anything else in there that you'd like to see in 0.4? (Besides the CTF and styball, I don't believe we can extend the zones to include those for 0.4, but consider that a high priority as soon as 0.5 gets started)
What about sty+ct+ap? There was a decent amount of stuff added in. Although you may not want to add all of it into 0.4, there is plenty that everyone likes (map rotation, unlimited color codes in names, etc.). Not sure if you're excluding the +ap for any reason in particular (or if you ignored my post about the reports).

Anyway, I'd like to see some of the things from sty+ct+ap merged in to 0.4.
You probably have enough on your plate already so I won't start posting more ideas.
The only things I know for sure we can't take are the sty/ctf stuff, because they're completely incompatible with zones as they are in 0.4. Anything else, I'm open to. There's a strong possibility they've done a lot of stuff that we wanted to do, just haven't done. ;) (This is one of the reasons we encourage forks, doncha know)

I only left out the AP part because I don't know the full name of the branch, and really don't care. ;) Anything that's in there besides CTF/Sty, I'm open to. I might need some pointers on where to look for specific things, so maybe a list of everything that's added so we can discuss it? (If you want to do this, please make a separate thread, and we'll talk about it there)
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by /dev/null »

Lucifer wrote:
Durf wrote:
Lucifer wrote:* Speaking of the ct+sty branch, is there anything else in there that you'd like to see in 0.4? (Besides the CTF and styball, I don't believe we can extend the zones to include those for 0.4, but consider that a high priority as soon as 0.5 gets started)
What about sty+ct+ap? There was a decent amount of stuff added in. Although you may not want to add all of it into 0.4, there is plenty that everyone likes (map rotation, unlimited color codes in names, etc.). Not sure if you're excluding the +ap for any reason in particular (or if you ignored my post about the reports).

Anyway, I'd like to see some of the things from sty+ct+ap merged in to 0.4.
You probably have enough on your plate already so I won't start posting more ideas.
The only things I know for sure we can't take are the sty/ctf stuff, because they're completely incompatible with zones as they are in 0.4. Anything else, I'm open to. There's a strong possibility they've done a lot of stuff that we wanted to do, just haven't done. ;) (This is one of the reasons we encourage forks, doncha know)

I only left out the AP part because I don't know the full name of the branch, and really don't care. ;) Anything that's in there besides CTF/Sty, I'm open to. I might need some pointers on where to look for specific things, so maybe a list of everything that's added so we can discuss it? (If you want to do this, please make a separate thread, and we'll talk about it there)
Lets be honest, you, as the devs, have ignored useful moves to pursue your own desires. Your desires have made tron worse.

Perhaps listen to the people?
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by voodoo »

I'm already using a 0.4 client based on sdl2 branch and espy's cockpit one for quite a while now. It's pretty stable and I have no issue performance on a 2010 mbp and a 2009 imac (except freetype slowdown each time a center message required to generate glyph for very high resolution (on imac 27", but this is the case with all version since the use of FTGL library). This said, there's to go through some issues with key binding and existing cockpit as many things changed in those 2 branches. IIRC, players might lost part of their key binding, cockpit widget required adjustment (in term of size and positioning)... I've tried to adjust default binding in sdl2 branch but this is error prone and boring to remap things and I might have left some incorrect settings.

sdl2 branch probably required to be review and polished before being considered. For example, there's a lot of preprocessor #ifdef to allow to compile using sdl1.2 or sdl2. Using a completely different branch might be a good option.
configure.ac deserves review and overall, extensive testing of various platform should be a good idea (I've tested it on OS X and ubuntu only. IIRC jip tested it on windows, but I guess only a few players are actually using it). Among other things, I remember using a function to ease SDL1.2/SDL2 support that might leak. Can't recall if I fix that or not...

I might be able to find motivation and time to rework on that but I'll be busy for the next 2/3 months, so it will not be before april.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Lucifer »

Don't worry, i won't merge without testing.

SDL2 will also require some research. I'msure they have a mmigration guide i need to read.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Monkey »

As some of you already know, I use OpenBSD (Currently i386) and am using the Armagetron package in OpenBSD's package repository (Armagetron version 0.2.8.3.2). I know that there are other OpenBSD users that play/have played this game but I haven't seen/heard anything from them for quite a long time. Therefore, unless somebody else steps forward, I am offering to help test 0.4 on this platform. I must state, however, that my skills are a bit nooby in some areas so you will have to bear with me a little. I will do my best.

There is no OpenBSD package for 0.4 yet and the maintainer for 0.2.8.3.2 is just listed as being the "OpenBSD ports mailing list". I will speak to them and see if they want me to create a package for 0.4. However, for now, testing.

If anyone has any questions/comments/suggestions for me then feel free to ask/tell me at any time.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by /dev/null »

Im willing to test it on gentoo if its going to be a real thing, and not just another vanity version like 3
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Z-Man »

I'll handle SDL2. Keybindings are one of the two reasons we'd want to upgrade for features, only there, it is possible to get the key name to a scancode. So the default binds can be "wherever y is on an US keyboard" and correctly translate to z or y or whatever else can be there on display. The second feature would be better videomode setting methods. Both are my domain.

I'm currently handing the problem Phytotron mentioned (maybe elsewhere): on a fresh 0.4 install, almost all servers show "experience recommended". Clearly, the newbie-friendliness as measured by the client of the friendliest servers decreased since I wrote that code. I'll make the threshold dynamic in such a way so at least a handful servers are on the list.

Calling dibs on cockpit selection, too.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Monkey »

OpenBSD wrote:sdl2 is currently marked broken. The problem should be solvable but so far nobody's taken the initiative to push a fix.
On OpenBSD, at least, SDL2 is not useable/available at the moment; I just thought I'd point that out but don't let it stop you working with it. Hopefully it will get fixed soon and be put back into the tree.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Phytotron »

Guys, guys, this is important. Before you move on to 0.4, you absolutely must correct this issue I just discovered. Using Ubuntu 14.04 and Armagetron from the official repository, the Armagetron icon in the Dash is getting scaled up and made crappy looking. See for yourselves:
Why does Ubuntu's screenshooter use colons when nothing accepts that as a valid filename?
Why does Ubuntu's screenshooter use colons when nothing accepts that as a valid filename?
screenshot.png (42.89 KiB) Viewed 3854 times
Priorities, gentlemen.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Durf »

Function before fashion.

No one will play a nice looking game that doesn't work.
At least some will play an ugly game that does work.

Not saying that fixing the icon issue isn't important; but like you said, priorities.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by /dev/null »

I never expected to agree with durf, but what he said it true.

No one gives a flying **** you integrated xml into a patchset you wont mainline.
Some of us (granted it isnt many) still play tron for tron.
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Re: What it is it going to take to make a .4 stable release?

Post by Ratchet »

Phytotron wrote:Guys, guys, this is important. Before you move on to 0.4, you absolutely must correct this issue I just discovered.
...
Priorities, gentlemen.
Durf wrote:Not saying that fixing the icon issue isn't important; but like you said, priorities.
uh, did your sarcasm radar break?
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