0.4 Featureset

[Luke-Jr]

What features/branches do we need to merge before we branch 0.4?

*** Up-to-date list (edited as this topic progresses) ***

NOTE: items with a '?' need peer review. Nothing will have '?' removed until someone accepts it as an assignment.

To merge:
- CMake (epsy) - Dependencies need finishing!
- net-vulnerable-blinking (Luke) ?
- UNSILENCE_ALL_PLAYERS (smoothice) ?
- Separate cycle/trail colours (Luke)
- (Independent) cycle colour changing during a round (Luke) ?
- Remove Zones v1 code (v2 is backward compatible now) ?
- Support for cycle/trail colour updates after creation ?

To finish:
- CMake OSX (dlh?)
- CMake Win32 native - only needs testing in theory
- Fortress AI (z-man) ?
- Old glancing ?
- fortress_launch_monitor (dlh) ?
- Unified aamap DTD (Luke)
- map-zone-visuals (Luke) ?
- map-zone-gradients (Luke) ?
- map-zone-border (Luke) ?
- Events (epsy)
- Particle sparks/explosions ??
- Headlights ??

To write:
- Freeze tag ?
- MATCH_CENTER_MESSAGE ?
- Server history?

(for historical reference) Rejected:
- TR2N Origins compatibility

[compguygene]

I would just like to point out one thing about TR2NOrigins compatibility. Manta did express the desire to not have said compatibility, in a prior forum post. Also, the TR2NOrigins developers have done everything possible to try to optimize server/client performance, this includes supporting only one client. It has been noticed that lag is introduced whenever somebody comes into a t20 server running the "hacked" Armagetron client.
If you run the current t20 client, you can have it look exactly like Armagetron. The rubber meter and hud can be identical, and you can choose the standard Armagetron movie pack. Therefore, there is really no reason for a player to use an Armagetron Client for t2o.
Personally, I hope the developers here focus the bulk of their efforts on getting a .4 stable client/server going. There are many exciting things to be seen that many people are not aware of in the current trunk series!
As to features in the .4 series, I would like to see the following:
Refactoring of the rubber code that Lucifer has indicated he would like to take on.
Inclusion of the Pickup Channel Project that epsy is running.
Also, on a related note. I am no longer a member of the Wild West clan, I am going to remain clanless henceforth. I also am maintaining a greater focus on Armagetron than I had originally planned. I will be adding some new servers to Armagetron, organizing tournaments, etc. My involvement in the t2o project will be mostly limited to hosting my own servers there. Although I will still do doing some other things that I had planned.

[epsy]

Uh yeah, the CMake branch needs some finishing, especially for OSX, and windows needs to be checked for if native builds can be done. Also, I gotta repeat it before we forget, sound is broken there. (although sound output seems to be opened)

[Luke-Jr]

Uh yeah, the CMake branch needs some finishing, especially for OSX, and windows needs to be checked for if native builds can be done.

Do we care if it's possible to build on Windows? None of us developers use it, do we? If someone on Windows actually wants to build Arma, I imagine CMake/mingw will be easier than what we had before.

Also, I gotta repeat it before we forget, sound is broken there. (although sound output seems to be opened)

Broke worse than on Linux?

[Luke-Jr]

It has been noticed that lag is introduced whenever somebody comes into a t20 server running the "hacked" Armagetron client.

For the record, this is 100% Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. It is a technical impossibility for 0.2.8.3 to act any differently than TR2N 0.4.2 in this matter, since they are for all server-aware purposes the exact same code.

[epsy]

Do we care if it's possible to build on Windows? None of us developers use it, do we? If someone on Windows actually wants to build Arma, I imagine CMake/mingw will be easier than what we had before.

Yeah, but testing it can't hurt.

Broke worse than on Linux?

It fails loading the ogg's although it finds them. Couldn't investigate yet but it says it can't open them as /WAVs/, which if not an approximation in the error message would be the cause.

[compguygene]

It has been noticed that lag is introduced whenever somebody comes into a t20 server running the "hacked" Armagetron client.

For the record, this is 100% Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. It is a technical impossibility for 0.2.8.3 to act any differently than TR2N 0.4.2 in this matter, since they are for all server-aware purposes the exact same code.

I understand your viewpoint on this. However, real world testing appears to show different results. I do not deny the truth of your statement regarding the code. But, the network code in .4.4 of TR2NOrigins has changed. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter if this is F.U.D. Decisions have been made. So, there is really no virtue in further discussion of the matter.

[Luke-Jr]

Back on topic... I would really like to get my spinning-classic mode to have normal-looking grid walls. Anyone know how to get texture support on zones and such that it would require? Would it take a lot of changes?

[Luke-Jr]

Bump. Nobody to answer my questions?
What about all the todo tasks I listed with a question mark?

[Luke-Jr]

re-bump

[Lackadaisical]

Someone should make this a forum-wide announcement if you want more feedback. Anyway I'm not really sure how the process is of getting to 0.4, which would determine which features i would pick. So do you start off with what is in the trunk (is that 0.3 something?) right now and merge these features we can sort of pick from, and work towards making that a release? Would this also mean that we wouldn't get any new 'big' features after 0.4 is released since they would be pushed to 0.5 which would have the same role as the current 0.3?

I don't really care about most of those features really, but i notice that i see nothing about sound? is this because there is no branch to be merged/no plans for a branch or is it already in the trunk? (and i mean the engine sounds, not the music)

And although I guess it's not a feature, but I would really like it if 0.4 would come with a nice moviepack/standard cycle like pike's and a nicer cockpit by default.

[Luke-Jr]

Someone should make this a forum-wide announcement if you want more feedback.

I'm not sure this involves people who aren't involved in development...

Would this also mean that we wouldn't get any new 'big' features after 0.4 is released since they would be pushed to 0.5 which would have the same role as the current 0.3?

It would mean no new features go into 0.4 after the freeze, which is what this thread is intended to lead to. Freeze is followed by betas, then RC, then final.

I don't really care about most of those features really, but i notice that i see nothing about sound? is this because there is no branch to be merged/no plans for a branch or is it already in the trunk? (and i mean the engine sounds, not the music)

This only deals with features. Bugs are addressed during Beta.

And although I guess it's not a feature, but I would really like it if 0.4 would come with a nice moviepack/standard cycle like pike's and a nicer cockpit by default.

I would consider that a feature.

[epsy]

Well, CMake still needs OSX porting, and to have sound fixed on windows.

[Luke-Jr]

Well, CMake still needs OSX porting, and to have sound fixed on windows.

Yeah, CMake/OSX is on the to-finish list... Sound doesn't work on *any* platform, does it? In either case, it's a bug, not a feature.

[Jip]

14:17:10 < Titanoboa> suggestion: MATCH_CONSOLE_MESSAGE that replaces the ROUND_CONSOLE_MESSAGE at the start of a match if there is one.
14:17:53 < Titanoboa> i realize this can be done with scripting, but i reckon it'd be much smarter if 1 person does it rather than everyone who wants it. Please consider!

Sounds like a good idea.
You could also add MATCH_CENTER_MESSAGE then