0.8.0 roadmap

[fromhell]

In this thread we discuss the 0.8.0 roadmap.

(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Roadmap#0.8

[pulchr]

* remove vertex lighting

    - it is old, and exists only for older cards such as Rendition and Riva128 and RagePro (which OA is defintiely NOT designed for asset-wise)
    - it breaks shaders of many maps (like islandctf and other maps with terrain shaders), and removes many visual effects to cause the game to look ugly
    - it removes shadows from maps, leading to 'professional gamers' using it to their advantage since having eyes and forced player models are not enough.
    - Other recent Q3 engine games don't have it, so why should we? OA isn't released in 1999, you know.

i do not agree that removing vertex lighting is a good idea at all.

[MilesTeg]

Team Arena UI:
Is the new menu system already supported in OA ?

[sago007]

Missionpack entities.
- This is already done for a lot of the maps
- I don't think you _have_ to place the new weapons in all maps. Only if it makes sense.

Vertex lightning
- Remove it from menu, but keep in engine
- Stop official support. It is annoying having to test multiple lightsettings when you map.
- If Vertex can be used as a cheat then it is not Vertex lights fault. Go through the maps and ensure that all player models are visisble anyware on lightmap+gamme 1.0. I have noticed that there is a problem with dm17wrack there I have to boost the gamme quite extreme to see the other players on some backgrounds.

Gametypes:
- The hardest thing in making new gametypes is the bot support. I am still working on Standard Domination bot support. Perhaps we should create things like catch the chicken as a mod and just include it?

[[TASF]Overkill]

I'd like to see Threewave emulated CTF...  The most important things being the grappling hook and holdable/droppable/always-in-play runes. I can modify the source to allow for these things, but I don't know how to make it part of a specific game mode.

[cosmo]

I have noticed that there is a problem with dm17wrack there I have to boost the gamme quite extreme to see the other players on some backgrounds.

I didn't notice that the map suffers lightning issues. If we create some kind of floating lights I put my hands on wrackdm17 again, adding more rust and cracks and more spotlights.

@Overkill: How about not doing a completely new gametype but having a cvar that enables/disables runes and grappling hook? Runes are needed for missionpack anyway.

[fromhell]

Missionpack does have runes so all that would be missing is a grappling hook which believe it or not is HALF-implemented in the source already, LOL
The hook would have to be remodeled and use a different beam shader, maybe some sort of chain

[pulchr]

use sticky hands instead of grappling hooks

[Taiyo.uk]

Portable jump pads!

[fromhell]

Portable jump pads!

Those are really fun in Shifter Tribes, but we don't have any tall wide maps for such use of those yet

[kr3am]

Sorry everyone if this is the wrong place for this.
i recently read a post about using Open Arena in an environment where some sort of censoring mode could be activated. You know like general public access, class rooms, etc. It got me thinking about that and the direction the game appears to be taking.
From the enormous effort that contributors have given over time the game has become more than the sum total of it's parts, developing an identity of it's own and emerging as ?
Right here at the ? i think implementing a kiosk mode or whatever would be a good thing.
It would give developers the chance to take a breath and not have to worry about suitability, rating, ugh things like that. The General rated kiosk mode could be honed for that specific audience while the regular mode could explore the possibilities and limitations of the game engine.

[sago007]

Some additional suggestions (only if time permits or someone is willing):

Some large DM maps for 12-20 players. Quake 3 only had two really big maps, but Open Arena has none.

Start using the engines build in pk3 ban function to prevent old pak7-patches from being loaded. (The engine has such a function to restrict the demo-version from loading the retail pak0)

Allow the new gametypes (overload, one flag etc.) and weapons (Mine layer etc.) to be used in base.

[ralph]

Allow the new gametypes (overload, one flag etc.) and weapons (Mine layer etc.) to be used in base.

this is how we like it

[EvilJoel]

i do not agree that removing vertex lighting is a good idea at all.

I agree.  I usually play Open Arena a lot on a computer that can't even display the game (with a decent frame rate) at 1024 by 768.  Removing vertex lighting will likely cost me valuable frames.  One of the cool things I like about Open Arena is that you do not need a powerful computer to play it.  This way we can put our older computers and budget laptops to good use.  Hopefully the minimum system requirements for Open Arena will remain constant.

If you still want to remove vertex lighting, only remove the menu option.  That way those of us who know what we are doing can turn it on.

Thanks.

[Snickersnack]

If vertex lighting is to be retained, it should stay on the menu. Hiding advantageous game options in the console doesn't feel sporting to me. Please, won't someone think of the noobs!!!

[KyroMaster]

i do not agree that removing vertex lighting is a good idea at all.

I'm not a person who has lots of money (as a student the opposite is the case *gg) but I used to run the original q3 on a P233 with a voodoo card. This was about 8 years ago. Considering that there are (at least in germany) computers for 120€(/$) in stores which can run oa on vista *gg I don't think considering systems which are so low-end that they can only run vertex lighting is such a good idea for the advance of oa. IMHO you can run oa with every computer built since 2000 which should be enough.
Just my 2 cents

[fufinha]

If vertex lighting is to be retained, it should stay on the menu. Hiding advantageous game options in the console doesn't feel sporting to me. Please, won't someone think of the noobs!!!

Vertex is not advantageous. I agree with the points made above but vertex maybe useful sometimes although I cant remember the last time I used it. When your  a noob or have a poor system then vertex is probably better because you dont realise is that you are a glowing target and much easier to see when you are using default settings and other  people are using pm models which you dont know about. And yea, vertex is simply another shortcut in changing the display detatails so people would have to do it the hard way with all the other r_ settings. noobs wont have a clue about these little tweaks and it maybe just a solution to see slighter better so I guess it should stay. I would suggest using an 800 display, if you want to have an advantage and have higher detail.

[Joe le Kiffeur]

Hi!

I don't know where to post requests for OA.

I suggest two ideas : the support for widescreens 1920x1200 resolution, and refresh more than 60Hz for CRT screen (60Hz--> eyes say "ouch !")

Thanks to consider these features.

[RAZ3R]

r_mode -1
r_customwidth 1920
r_customheight 1200
r_displayrefresh 75

[RAZ3R]

and with widescreen try cg_fov 120

[Joe le Kiffeur]

OK thanks. It should be better if a menu allows players to choose this options.

[Joe le Kiffeur]

That works. I prefer cg_fov 90.

[RAZ3R]

Well if you use 90 fov on a normal monitor you should use 108 on your current monitor as:

standard aspect ratio = 4:3

1920x1200 = 16:10

3/4 = 0.75

10 / 16 = 0.625

(90 * 0.75)/0.625 = 108


fyi fov means field of view, a.k.a. your viewing angle - which obviosuly would be a bit wider on a wide screen. All personal prefernce though obviously .

[fromhell]

Vertex is not advantageous.

yeah nerfing the shadows to the point where there isn't any isn't advantageous alright

[zuma]

if you want to screw up old hardware users- disable r_picmip (its possible to set it to 15, but then it looks really pale)
what i would like to be changed is the brightness of the shaft- for me its too bright, i dont see the enemy when i shoot (no official brightskins). and there is no disabling lightningimpact- at least that would help to aim a bit too (the animation at end of lightn bolt when it touches something)