Author Topic: Zathras 2.8 Official Release  (Read 19314 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

  • Self-Propelled Trouble Magnet
  • Moderator
  • 212
  • Master Drunk
    • 165th Beer Drinking Hell Raisers
Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Installation instructions:

First
-Download Zathras 2.8
-ModDB
-Download.com

Second
-If you already have an older version of Zathras
--Rename or backup your existing Zathras directory then extract the archive in your TBP directroy it will create a new Zathras directory.

-If you are installing for the first time
--Just extract in your TBP directory.

Thrid
-Grab the appropriate 3.7.0 builds and updated launcher from the release thread.

Fourth
-Run the launcher and select Zathras as the active mod.

That's all there is to it.


Note:  There were no changes between 2.7c and 2.8 so if you already have 2.7c you do not need to get this version. 
« Last Edit: September 03, 2013, 03:54:13 am by FUBAR-BDHR »
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
So if 2.8 seems like some final version, why not update the front page and offer it bundled with needed builds or links to them?

 
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Can someone help please? I'm getting this error when applying the Zathras mod to TBP (I have the latest build and Launcher 5.5g).

Thanks ya'll!

[attachment deleted by ninja]

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

  • Self-Propelled Trouble Magnet
  • Moderator
  • 212
  • Master Drunk
    • 165th Beer Drinking Hell Raisers
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
It appears that you are using FS2_Open 3.6.9.  You need to be running FS2_Open 3.7.0 with Zathras 2.8. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
My bad, I got it to work now, thanks. Does anyone know if the Zathras mod is optimized for Widescreen Resolutions (16:9, e.g. 1920x1080) or I should stick to 4:3 aspect ratio (1280x960)?

 

Offline Slasher

  • 29
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
I don't think you lose anything if you go widescreen but the HUD will stretch a little.  Non-stretchy HUD might be in a future update.

 

Offline Col. Fishguts

  • voodoo doll
  • 211
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Thanks for putting this together, this adds a lot of polish :yes:

Now I've got the problem that the big explosion shockwaves are completely black (see screenshot) when using the official 3.7.0 exe. Has there been a change the way transparency is handled?

EDIT: It seems to be happening only if 3d-shockwaves are disabled, so its not a big problem.

[attachment deleted by an evil time traveler]
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 06:51:22 am by Col. Fishguts »
"I don't think that people accept the fact that life doesn't make sense. I think it makes people terribly uncomfortable. It seems like religion and myth were invented against that, trying to make sense out of it." - D. Lynch

Visit The Babylon Project, now also with HTL flavour  ¦ GTB Rhea

 

Offline Col. Fishguts

  • voodoo doll
  • 211
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Another potential bug. In the ships.tbl entry for the EA Omega, you added the "no replace" flag to the 4 engines subsystems:

Code: [Select]
$Subsystem: engine01a, 3.5, 0.0
$Alt Subsystem Name: Engine01
$Engine Wash: LargeWash2
$Flags: ( "carry no damage" "no replace" )
$Subsystem: engine02a, 3.5, 0.0
$Alt Subsystem Name: Engine02
$Engine Wash: LargeWash2
$Flags: ( "carry no damage" "no replace" )
$Subsystem: engine03a, 3.5, 0.0
$Alt Subsystem Name: Engine03
$Engine Wash: LargeWash2
$Flags: ( "carry no damage" "no replace" )
$Subsystem: engine04a, 3.5, 0.0
$Alt Subsystem Name: Engine04
$Engine Wash: LargeWash2
$Flags: ( "carry no damage" "no replace" )

This results in the engine submodels disappearing once destroyed, even though you added "engine01-destroyed" submodels to the POF?

Also, the "fire down normals" flag is making some multipart turrets to fire shots at empty space, for example on the Primus or Warlock.
"I don't think that people accept the fact that life doesn't make sense. I think it makes people terribly uncomfortable. It seems like religion and myth were invented against that, trying to make sense out of it." - D. Lynch

Visit The Babylon Project, now also with HTL flavour  ¦ GTB Rhea

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

  • Self-Propelled Trouble Magnet
  • Moderator
  • 212
  • Master Drunk
    • 165th Beer Drinking Hell Raisers
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
If I recall the engines are that way because the original model did not have destroyed versions of the engines.  This resulted in some wired effects with the engines if they were repaired during a mission.  As the engines were quite large targets they were tabled with the no replace flag to keep the original behavior so mission balance wouldn't be affected while allowing newer missions to enable the destroyed versions via sexp. 

As for turrets firing into empty space that should not be happening.  Fire down normals should make them only fire when pointed at the target instead of firing one direction while the barrels are pointing another.  Looking at the Primus it seems the turrets are set up correctly in PCS2 so if they are firing at empty space it could be some kind of code issue. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline General Battuta

  • Poe's Law In Action
  • 214
  • i wonder when my postcount will exceed my iq
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Last time I worked with 'fire down normals' it had some odd behavior on multiparts, iirc.

 

Offline Col. Fishguts

  • voodoo doll
  • 211
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
If I recall the engines are that way because the original model did not have destroyed versions of the engines.  This resulted in some wired effects with the engines if they were repaired during a mission.  As the engines were quite large targets they were tabled with the no replace flag to keep the original behavior so mission balance wouldn't be affected while allowing newer missions to enable the destroyed versions via sexp. 

Ah yes, now I vaguely remember hat issue. But still, the flag could be removed from the zathras table, since the POF in Zatrhas 2.8 comes with "engine0Xa-destroyed" submodels (which are now hidden, but the original "engine0X" still disappears when destroyed)
Quote

As for turrets firing into empty space that should not be happening.  Fire down normals should make them only fire when pointed at the target instead of firing one direction while the barrels are pointing another.  Looking at the Primus it seems the turrets are set up correctly in PCS2 so if they are firing at empty space it could be some kind of code issue. 

It seems it's forcing the shot along the barrel, no matter if it's pointing at the target or not. And target tracking seems somehow borked... I'll have to take a closer look at this.
"I don't think that people accept the fact that life doesn't make sense. I think it makes people terribly uncomfortable. It seems like religion and myth were invented against that, trying to make sense out of it." - D. Lynch

Visit The Babylon Project, now also with HTL flavour  ¦ GTB Rhea

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Hello again everybody. There hasn't been anything new here for months! Are you cool people still developing Zathras and wait for 3.0 as the next official release or wouldn't it make sense to update the main page with Zathras 2.8 if this isn't the case? Because right now the time for a space combat simulation comeback looks promising with Star Citizen raking in big money and all the other kickstarters! I think it would be only fair if The Babylon Project could profit a bit from all the buzz to get acknowledgement for the fantastic work it is, but for that to happen there need to be some new releases that get publicity. Maybe Zathras 2.8 or even a DVD 2.0 release with some missing campaigns and updated missions included?

 

Offline darkmaster

  • 27
  • TBP
    • Personal Website
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Thanks for putting this together, this adds a lot of polish :yes:

Now I've got the problem that the big explosion shockwaves are completely black (see screenshot) when using the official 3.7.0 exe. Has there been a change the way transparency is handled?

EDIT: It seems to be happening only if 3d-shockwaves are disabled, so its not a big problem.

Hello, I am having the exact same problem in game, and I don't know how to enable 3d-shockwaves, any help please ?
TBP's apprentice FREDDER.

Campaign in development:
Guardian of Light (Demo state)(Download DEMO here)
The First Invasion - Part 1 (Planning Concept)

Single Mission :
Human-Narn First Contact (Download here)

 

Offline niffiwan

  • 211
  • Eluder Class
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Go to your launcher's advanced tab, then check "Enable 3D shockwaves" (under graphics)
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 darkmaster

  • 27
  • TBP
    • Personal Website
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
Go to your launcher's advanced tab, then check "Enable 3D shockwaves" (under graphics)

When I go to the launcher "Advance Tab", I see only this message : "The executable did not generate a flag file. Make sure that the executable is an FS2 Open Executable"

The exe that I point to is "FS2_Open_3.7.0 No SSE", so it should work but it didn't :(
TBP's apprentice FREDDER.

Campaign in development:
Guardian of Light (Demo state)(Download DEMO here)
The First Invasion - Part 1 (Planning Concept)

Single Mission :
Human-Narn First Contact (Download here)

 
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
So...how on earth do I get this running?  I just downloaded and installed TBP, and I've got Zathras 2.8 extracted into \TBP\Zathras, but Zathras 2.8 apparently requires fs2 open 3.70, and the latest TBP build is built on fs2 open 3.69.  Since TBP is a standalone product, I'm not quite sure how to integrate what is now an out-of-date version of fs2 open into the TBP directory.  Do I just need the .exe?

Anyone left here who can help?

 

Offline General Battuta

  • Poe's Law In Action
  • 214
  • i wonder when my postcount will exceed my iq
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
TBP should run fine on any modern FSO build. Aside from Wing Commander Saga, all FSO games run on a common executable; there aren't any 'standalone products' in the sense you mean.

 
Re: Zathras 2.8 Official Release
By standalone, I mean the dvd install which does not require you to have any existing FS2 data on your computer.  The TBP files don't get dropped in a subdirectory of FS2 like all of my other mods and run off the main game files, the TBP install is all-inclusive.

However, I did manage to figure it out.  Copied the fs2 3.71 executable from my fs2 directory and figured out how to point the launcher at the new executable.  Runs fine now.