Author Topic: Release: 3.8.0-RC1  (Read 11185 times)

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Offline SirKnightly

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Major changes in this version: (chronologically ordered)
  • Support for APNG animations: APNG is a variant of the established PNG format which allows to store animations instead of single frames in a PNG file. This change allows to use these animation files in FSO which significantly improves usability for modders since they no longer have to store all individual frames as separate images.
  • Physically-Based Rendering (PBR): This upgrade of our rendering engine allows to use PBR assets to make models look more realistic and allow more artistic freedom for modders since they have more control over how a model looks. This also added support for HDR lighting which should improve the overall graphics experience.
  • SDL2 usage on all platforms: SDL is a library for abstracting away the differences between different platforms. We now use SDL2 for all platforms which reduces the amount of platform-specific code tremendously and should result in better usability on all platforms. This was a major change that has been in development for several years. Here are a few key features that were added:
    • Pilot and configuration data is now stored in the correct location across all platforms (this allows to run FSO on Windows from the Program Files directory without administrator rights)
    • All platforms now use the ini files for storing settings. This fixes a lot of issues with the registry on Windows.
    • Better support for input devices. Since SDL handles keyboard, mouse and joystick input we now have better support on newer OS versions. Note: This does not mean that we support multiple joysticks (yet). There is ongoing development effort to support this but this release does not have that yet.
  • CMake build system generation: This isn't relevant for players but we are now using CMake for handling compiling our builds. This improves cross-platform support and allows to implement advanced compilation features across multiple platforms. Modders will like the new "FastDebug" builds which are like the previous "Debug" builds but are compiled with all the optimizations of normal Release builds. That should make modding a lot easier since you can now debug your mod with almost the same performance as a Release build.
  • Improved shield effects: Rendering of the shields is now handled by special shaders which improves the overall quality of the effects and allows more freedom for future effects.
  • Native particle systems: Particles have always been supported by FSO but the effects that could be created by them were very limited. There were some attempts to fix this by using Lua scripting for more advanced features but that suffered from performance issues. With these new particle systems that feature has been integrated directly into the engine which should improve performance and allow for better effects in the future.
  • TrueType Font support: TrueType fonts improve the text rendering capabilities of FSO by allowing to use freely scaleable font faces instead of the previous bitmap fonts.
  • Use OpenGL Core Profile for rendering: This is another major graphical upgrade which adds support for the OpenGL Core profile across all platforms (this was also made possible by the SDL2 integration). This upgrade allows us to use more modern rendering techniques and is especially useful for our Linux users who use the open-source Mesa drivers since our shaders failed to compile with those drivers. Now everyone will be able to enjoy the new graphical features added in this and previous releases. This also made some internal changes to how we handle rendering which improves the usability of our rendering engine within our code.
  • Use FFmpeg for video & audio decoding: FFmpeg is a multi-media library which exposes functionality for decoding video and audio files to their raw form so that we can use that data. Thanks to this library we can now play 1080p cutscenes without any stuttering or frame-timing issues. It also allows to use more advanced audio and video codecs such as H.264 for video or Opus for audio.
This list is taken from our GitHub wiki.


Important!!
As always, you need OpenAL installed.  Linux and OS X come with it but Windows users will need to get Creative's OpenAL installer. Alternatively, if Creative's OpenAL doesn't work with your hardware, you can use OpenAL Soft.

Hidden Text: TrackIR Users • Show
Important!!
An external DLL is required for FSO to use TrackIR functions.  The following DLL is simply unpacked in to your main FreeSpace2 root dir.
TrackIR is only supported on Windows.
TrackIR SCP DLL (Mirror) (Mirror)

Launchers, if you don't have one already:
All platforms:  wxLauncher (ongoing project for a unified launcher)

Hidden Text: Alternative Launchers • Show
Windows:  Launcher 5.5g (Mirror) (Mirror) Not compatible with Windows 8+, use wxLauncher above
OS X:  Soulstorm's OS X Launcher 3.0
Linux:  YAL or by hand or whatever you can figure out.

Known issues:


Windows (32/64-bit)
Compiled by Appveyor on Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit, Visual Studio Community 2015 with Update 3

32-bit: fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-Win32.zip
This one is based on the SSE2 Optimizations from the MSVC Compiler.

64-bit: fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-Win64.zip
WARNING: 64-bit builds are still experimental. These builds have been tested but there may still be issues that are not present in the 32-bit builds. Make sure you read the installation instructions below.
Installation: If you use the 64-bit executables you have to make sure that you install all files from the zip file and that there are no remaining 32-bit DLLs left in your FSO directory. Some users have installed the 32-bit OpenAL DLLs directly into your FSO directory which is a common cause for errors. If the launcher fails to use the 64-bit executable this is the first thing you should check.

Hidden Text: Alternative builds • Show

32-bit AVX: fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-Win32-AVX.zip
This one is based on the AVX Optimizations from the MSVC Compiler (fastest build if your CPU supports AVX instructions).

64-bit AVX: fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-Win64-AVX.zip
WARNING: 64-bit builds are still experimental.
This one is based on the AVX Optimizations from the MSVC Compiler.

What are those SSE, SSE2 and AVX builds I keep seeing everywhere?
Your answer is in this topic.


OS X Universal (32/64-bit Intel)
Compiled on OS X 10.11.4, Xcode 7.3 (Apple LLVM version cross-reference)

fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-MacOSX.tar.gz

Linux 64-bit
Compiled on Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS 64-bit, GCC 5
fs2_open_3_8_0_RC1-builds-Linux.tar.gz

These builds use a mechanism called AppImage which should allow these builds to run on most Linux distributions. However, we recommend that you compile your own builds which will result in less issues.
Alternatively, if there is a package in your software repository then you should use that. If you are the maintainer of such a package for a distribution then let us know and we will include that here.

Hidden Text: Other Platforms, Source Code • Show
Source Code Export
Source Code
« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 03:05:35 pm by chief1983 »

 

Offline niffiwan

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woohoo!
Creating a fs2_open.log | Red Alert Bug = Hex Edit | MediaVPs 2014: Bigger HUD gauges | 32bit libs for 64bit Ubuntu
----
Debian Packages (testing/unstable): Freespace2 | wxLauncher
----
m|m: I think I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Bmpman is starting to make sense and it's actually written reasonably well...

 

Offline HLD_Prophecy

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Awesome, you guys put a ton of work into this!  :nod:

 

Offline Luis Dias

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That list is impressive. I congratulate everyone on the team for having achieved this release, it's an admirable feat! :yes:

 

Offline Mongoose

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Gonna assume we want this bad boy stickied. :yes:

 
Shouldn't wxlauncher links to 0.12.0 version? :nervous:

 

Offline IronBeer

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Props to the SCP team. Modders should be pretty excited to sink their teeth into these new features- APNG and the particle system sound especially exciting!
"I have approximate knowledge of many things."

Ridiculous, the Director's Cut

Starlancer Head Animations - Converted

 

Offline chief1983

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Shouldn't wxlauncher links to 0.12.0 version? :nervous:

There is no 0.12.0 version release thread yet, probably because 0.12.0 still hasn't been past the RC phase.  I agree it'd be nice if we could get that stabilized and a full set of builds released.
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"You may not sell or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the source." -- Excerpt from FSO license, for reference

Nuclear1:  Jesus Christ zack you're a little too hamyurger for HLP right now...
iamzack:  i dont have hamynerge i just want ptatoc hips D:
redsniper:  Platonic hips?!
iamzack:  lays

 

Offline Androgeos Exeunt

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And this is...what, 15 years since FS2's source code was released? Good job getting this far. :D
My blog

Quote: Tuesday, 3 October 2023 0133 UTC +8, #general
MP-Ryan
Oh you still believe in fairy tales like Santa, the Easter Bunny, and free market competition principles?

 
Hey guys.  Amazing job on this project.  When will 3.8 be released with the .sln files for vis studio?  The last I could find was 3.7.3 with solution files.  I don't know anything about cmake and the version on github can only be built using cmake right?

 

Offline niffiwan

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Since we moved to cmake I don't think we'll be providing .sln files directly any more. You'll need to create them with cmake which shouldn't be too hard.... although I must admit our doco for building on Windows is a bit... missing  :nervous:

I guess the main readme.md is pretty up to date: https://github.com/scp-fs2open/fs2open.github.com
Creating a fs2_open.log | Red Alert Bug = Hex Edit | MediaVPs 2014: Bigger HUD gauges | 32bit libs for 64bit Ubuntu
----
Debian Packages (testing/unstable): Freespace2 | wxLauncher
----
m|m: I think I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Bmpman is starting to make sense and it's actually written reasonably well...

 
cmake, bah!  I just mod games for fun as a hobby and was looking into an old favorite freespace.  But it's a lot of headache trying to figure something new out like cmake.  Last time I looked into cmake it took hours of reading, installing junk, more forum reading, and still fail.  Error after error, problem after problem.  If it's ready to go in vis studio I can rock and roll and I know I'm not alone.  When releasing a major version doesn't it make sense for one person to compile and include the solution files with cmake so dozens of other people don't have to anyway?  Some Spock-like needs of the many stuff yes?
« Last Edit: April 26, 2017, 09:43:54 am by Captain toot toot »

 

Offline m!m

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You simply need to download and install CMake, point it at the FSO source directory and hit generate. That will give you the Visual Studio solution for building. The generated solution files are specific to the machine they were generated on so it doesn't make any sense to include them in the source code since they would be broken for pretty much anyone.

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Last time I looked into cmake it took hours of reading, installing junk, more forum reading, and still fail.  Error after error, problem after problem.
That sounds like a problem with the project you were trying to build; m!m (and others, but mostly m!m) put a lot of effort into our cmake files so that they'll automatically fetch build dependencies and whatnot; it's very much a simple, straightforward process (especially on Windows and especially if you use cmake-gui to make it even simpler to pick any extra options you may want, which you shouldn't need to just to get a working solution file). If you do run into any problems, there's usually someone on either IRC or Discord (or both) who can help you out.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

 
1.) I Installed Cmake 3.8
2.) Downloaded latest source from github and have it in c:\freespace 2\source3.8\
3.) Ran cmake with these settings (see attached screenshot)
4.) got the below error:


The C compiler identification is unknown
The CXX compiler identification is unknown
CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:41 (PROJECT):
  No CMAKE_C_COMPILER could be found.

CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:41 (PROJECT):
  No CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER could be found.

Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
See also "C:/Freespace 2/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
See also "C:/Freespace 2/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log".


I think the problem has something to do with the "PROJECT(FS2_Open)" in the CMakeLists.txt yes?  It's something to do with not being able to find the CMAKE_C_COMPILER or the CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER.  I just need the solution file, not to actually compile, is there a way to bypass that to just generate it?

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
« Last Edit: April 26, 2017, 05:11:49 pm by Captain toot toot »

 
It seems you're missing the compiler to build the project, do you have visual studio installed with the correct language options?
By default it's located here C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0/VC/bin/cl.exe assuming you're using windows of course!

 

Offline chief1983

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Actually his would be looking for 15.0, since that's the generator that looks selected in the screenshot.
Fate of the Galaxy - Now Hiring!  Apply within | Diaspora | SCP Home | Collada Importer for PCS2
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#freespace | #scp-swc | #diaspora | #SCP | #hard-light on EsperNet

"You may not sell or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the source." -- Excerpt from FSO license, for reference

Nuclear1:  Jesus Christ zack you're a little too hamyurger for HLP right now...
iamzack:  i dont have hamynerge i just want ptatoc hips D:
redsniper:  Platonic hips?!
iamzack:  lays

 
Yes sorry I did not see it!

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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So, Captain toot toot, do you have Visual Studio 2017 installed? If not, you probably shouldn't have selected it as the generator for your project files. If so, where is it installed?
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

 
AdmiralRalwood was onto something I didn't notice the version/year stuff either. Yeah I'm using 2015 which is version 14.  and version 15 is 2017.  So annoying.  I changed it to the correct version then got this error with these settings (see attachment):



[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]