OA 0.8.7 todo, contrib, etc thread

[Cacatoes]

I (and a few players I guess) are a bit impatient for a new OA version.
Some maps have been put aside for some time + the stuff which was contributed during these months.

=====

If I can try to gather what has been done since 085, plus what has been put aside.

From SVN thread, after that post (The last commit for 085)

• Some 2D improvements by Udi
• oasago1
• MeisterLampe's maps
• FreeBSD fix
• slimefac V2
• czestdm1 fix
• angelyss fix
• Q3 bot compatibility files
• As always, Sago's latest OAX

Before:

• DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Maps#Future_maps_which_will_be_included_in_the_next_versions]Maps which were put aside (am_lavactf2, pul1duel, oa_minia update?, oa_nemesis?, void4?,... am_harv-sod, am_icyhell, am_lavaarena, am_lavactf, am_lavactfxl, am_mckinleyish2, am_spacecont, am_thornish, oa_bod, oa_recptctf3)
• liz's fix (according to Udi).
• jute gyte's music
• Some other stuff on which I have no idea of their status (skelebot/beret/assassin fixed normals, some other model stories with gargoyle...)

Some people mentionned their plans:
fromhell

• visual effects
• red armor model
• sound effects

chaoticsoldier

• bot lines

Cosmo

• oa_black (pk3 link doesn't work)
• the ctf map kick52 and I planned about a year ago
• 2nd teleporter model
• new skin for rocket launcher
• new team skins for grism/sarge
• map sleekgrinderV2

andrewj

• oa_nemesis

Neon Knight

• Redoing of oa_bases3plus3
• am_thornish oa_recptctf3

And usual suggestions, bug corrections...
Falkland

• binary update for Win64

Gig

• 085 Bugs thread and DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Bugs]wiki page

If I can add a few remarks about having a bug fix release:
- Either we touch the engine, either we don't. If we don't, then some PK3 patch can apply, but if we do, there is less reason not to provide a full release.
- I still see a few guys joining 085 server who have problems with "can't switch weapon" because they didn't update, so that patch logic seems hard to put in practice, that didn't help players who consequently sticked to 081. I'm not very confident in the autodownload system to apply patches, which is btw not enabled by default.
- Finally what happened last time was a full zip was built as some people felt it was necessary to ease things ...
- It's harder to keep track of changes if a release has some reserve, plus they risk to be left on the side for a long time if OA releases are not frequent.

I probably have missed stuff, I'd like to edit that post if some people have things to add.

I have not checked the development/contrib forum topics yet, but I'm pretty sure there are other work which could be in (or almost), I think about Moixie's maps, and maybe RMF's manual.

[Falkland]

[...]
And usual suggestions, bug corrections...
Falkland

• binary update for Win64

[...]

I'd like to know where I've suggested or posted a binary update for win64 because I am a linux user since ever and I don't even know how Win64 looks like or runs.

[Cacatoes]

1st page of the current topic. We all know you care for Windows users.

[Graion Dilach]

Chaoticsoldier's bot lines are steadily progressing, thanks for mentioning.

Although the first draft needs some weeks, I think. My bot compatibility package's chat-part is based upon that.

Also I still have a bug related to my shim, butI'll write that fix on Saturday. It turned out that some Q3 bots use the weights 0, which is possible in Q3 but not in OA.

[Neon_Knight]

I have updated recently to Ubuntu 10.10, though it was from 10.04 and it left a huge mess I've managed to solve yesterday. I have to see if the compiled NetRadiant I have runs here.

[chaoticsoldier]

Although the first draft needs some weeks, I think.

I would say some months.   It's hard to judge how much time things will take.
For a solid first draft, maybe the end of the year is a good target - so we can give OA a nice Christmas present?

 - The initial chat lines are going well, with random strings being written at the same time. But there are still plenty of gaps and lots of shuffling going on.
 - Reply chats will then be redone after those. The original rchat.c is now incompatible with the new rnd.c. Plus I have lots more stuff to add and there'll be more to reply to.
 - To have everything make sense, synonyms will be rewritten last. Once that file's complete, then every relevant word in every other file just needs to be marked if it is not to be swapped with a synonym (but this won't be anywhere near as time consuming as it sounds).

All files could only be contributed once syn.c is done, or else there may be typos and syntax errors. I doubt it will be ready for the next version, but definitely for the one after that.

[Graion Dilach]

And you can count on me.

Cosmo

• oa_black (pk3 link doesn't work)

New link, I found it in my backup.

[Cacatoes]

Thanks, anyway this is only a beta and I suppose Cosmo still wants to improve it. Meanwhile it will allow a bit of testing.
Provided another link.

[Someone_mad]

Could you make a key to move between first and third person? Like f12, = or $.
                                             
Cause sometimes it's more easy to move under third person and it makes meh lower to write "\cg_thirdperson 1" in the console...
                                                   

[jessicaRA]

Could you make a key to move between first and third person? Like f12, = or $.
                                             
Cause sometimes it's more easy to move under third person and it makes meh lower to write "\cg_thirdperson 1" in the console...
                                                   

/bind f12 toggle cg_thirdperson

[Graion Dilach]

Also I still have a bug related to my shim, butI'll write that fix on Saturday. It turned out that some Q3 bots use the weights 0, which is possible in Q3 but not in OA.

And AFAIK it cannot be rewritten nor using a +10 nor with an if.

If one of the bot's weight was stated as 0, it will result with a Weap out of range error. And I can't fix it... although the bot will work.

[Someone_mad]

Thank's JessicaRA!
           
You wrote it in the console or in the "autoaexec.cfg" file?
                                 

[Gig]

It is a key binding... I suppose that writing it in the console should be enough to have it stored.

I've done some tests with that "toggle" command (that I didn't know before), and updated the wiki page about the DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Command_console]command console with it.

[Someone_mad]

GREAT!
   

[Gig]

One of the problems of the current version is that some maps appear available for some gametypes in the menu, but if you try them, they do not work correcly. Others, instead, would work but do not appear associated to that gametype in the menu. Some others do not appear in the menu at all.

I think that we should carefully check arenas.txt for the next release.

IMHO, when we will be near to the official release (few weeks before), we should:
1) Be sure that the SVN has got all the latest versions of the maps
2) Create a forum thread with the list of all the maps included with the game (or maybe two lists, one for the "stock" maps and one for the "tribute map package")
3) Create one (or two) "test" packages to allow the testers to have all those latest versions of the maps.
4) Each tester should check some maps (for example, 5 maps * 6 testers = 30 maps checked) in all the gametypes, and then write a post on the thread, with the results of his tests in all the 13 gametypes (mapname - 0Y, 1Y, 2Y, 3Y, 4Y, 5N, 6N, 7N, 8Y, 9Y, 10Y, 11N, 12Y), optionally adding some notes under that line (like <<this map works in TDM mode, but it is very small and probably it would better to not make it appear for this gametype in the menu>>. Maybe one may add a second line, similar to the first (0Y, 1N, etc., maybe even 8D (D=don't know)): the first talks about being "technically" compatible with the gametype, and the second would be the personal opinion of the player, if he finds the characteristics of the map (like its size) adapt to that mode; other players may then say their own opinion.
Note: the tests should be "real" tests: do not simply launch the map and see if the flags are visible, but add some bots, take the flag and score a capture, before going to try the next gametype.
5) We should decide if some map, even if technically working, for their structure are not adapt to that gametype, and thus should be not shown available for that gametype in the menu.
6) Someone should update arenas.txt.

Note: Maybe the list of the maps, and the results of the tests, may be placed in a page on the wiki: in this page, everyone will be able to update them!

What do you think about it?
If we split the map list among more testers, the amount of work for each tester will be limited.

[Graion Dilach]

Brilliant idea!

Although only q3ctf4ish got an update since 0.8.5, AFAIK, but I'll do a check between 0.8.5 and SVN. This is actually a great idea, since I tested Harvester mode on q3ctf4ish and I was surprised seeing it works...

[cheb]

Given that nobody ever uses that option other than newbs (who do not read the wiki), I'm still for completely removing it.

Or at least rename it to something clear like "Make me weaker!".

When I just started playing OA it took me a month to figure out that it wasn't by design that my health was capped at 90% -- the result of me fiddling with the "handicap" control before deciding "What the hell? Id doesn't seem to affect anything -- it's probably a stub" and then forgetting it altogether.
Unacceptable.  

The "handicap" word is too vague unless you are really good at English and even then you have to be aware of the concept (which is limited to some esoteric sports like golf). It's not just a word, it's a concept that isn't that widely known. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that it doesn't have to have a dedicated word in other languages (which makes understanding the English word even harder). Seriously. Call some all-important gameplay control "Thingamaboobie" and see the newbs shoot themselves in the foot.

What is even worse, it's placed not on the "gameplay" page but on the player model setup page making people (like me at first) think it's some esoteric visual setting affecting how your model looks! You try to change it -- nothing happens -- You thgink it's not working or the visual FX not supported by this particular model. Presto, an instant disappointee. How the hel I was supposed to know that a control placed on the model setup page named with some rare English word I didn't know at the time is supposed to affect gameplay?!
It's a fatal UI screw-up!

[Cacatoes]

When you set handicap < 30 it toggles the wheeling chair so yes (that gives me DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Character_Ideas]character ideas, if one does it I'm okay to dub it). Nah, I agree with you when you say it's misplaced.
Handicap is also a french word so I'm fortunate to know it. Dunno if it's the same in english but "handicapés" designates people with mental or physical disabilities.

[pulchr]

When you set handicap < 30 it toggles the wheeling chair

when is this actually gonna be implemented? i've been waiting for ages for this.

[Gig]

Handicap has already been modified, in the latest DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/OAX]OAX versions (download and try).
- First, a message has been added to the "player settings" page: when you go with the mouse over the "handicap" option, you are informed that it will make you weaker.
... and for me, it would be enough.... but later another modify was made...
- After you set an handicap, and launch a match, when you come back to the main menu the setting will be reverted to its default value. This means that you will have to set the handicap each time you will want to use it.

But, waiting for the next release of OpenArena, players should DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Handicap]read the instructions, I'm sorry...

[RMF]

@Cheb, in dutch handicap means handicap (or a better translation probably is 'being disabled' but i think handicap works too), so it is known in other languages
And it is used ingame, mostly for making people not splatter when instantgibbed lol. Anyway a title like make me weaker seems better indeed. Also I've always found the number weird, 100%handicap is actually good, it's rather counting how strong you are and not how much handicap you have.

[Bane]

For handicapped you could just have Tony come out on the screen with a lead pipe and hit your character in the kneecaps like they did back in the 50s if you could not pay the mob Maybe then people would get what that option is for or maybe it could be just a command type thing and taken off the menu where newer players could not find it.

[adriano]

//OT on:
I don't know if someone said it before...  

//OT off

[RMF]

Lol I never noticed that

[Neon_Knight]

I'll start again tomorrow.

I have many things to do.

Add to those:
- Tutorial map
- am_lavactf2