[chief1983]

That's right, it's time to run the 3.6.14 codebase through its paces and find any remaining showstopping bugs we aren't already aware of.  This new release includes overhauled sound code, integrated shaders, massive speed improvements in various areas of the code, and many other enhancements.  So let's see what we can break (and then fix) before we settle on a final build.

3.6.14 RC1 release thread

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Facebook wall linked to this page. I'll probably link to future individual RC release threads if they are ever created.

Is a Highlight in order?

[chief1983]

No, not for the RC probably.  We'll have a highlight when it's finalized.

[Colonol Dekker]

I will comment in the relevant thread.


PARADOX.

[FSHero]

Hello, does anyone know of the expected release date for 3.6.14?

I am an avid multi-player, and when playing last week (Fri 2011-11-04) using the 3.6.14RC1 build, I experienced a crash whilst hosting the STV Gauntlet (detail added for my own future reference). Unfortunately I was not running a debug build at the time, so was unable to post any fs2_open.log.

I would like to reproduce this crash, but I will not be near that same computer until Thursday 2011-11-17 (and probably won't be able to play until Friday 18th.) Will there be enough time for me to do this before the final 3.6.14 is released?

[Androgeos Exeunt]

The final version doesn't come out so soon. The previous version took about a month to get out of RC status, I think.

[Mongoose]

It'll basically come out as soon as the team is satisfied that any and all bugs reported in the RC builds have been taken care of.  How long that takes depends on how many issues come up, and how long they need to be resolved.

[Trivial Psychic]

I remember that 3.6.9 had a VERY long code freeze associated with the team's final drive towards release.

[chief1983]

That was the main reason why I got involved with the SCP in the first place

[kev11106]

What are the chances of a functioning installer on the next build release?

[Androgeos Exeunt]

I thought there are some functioning installers apart from Turey's.

[MatthTheGeek]

Each time an installer is mentioned, I murder a kitty.

Use this instead.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Each time an installer is mentioned, I murder a kitty.

Use this instead.

I tried not to mention that...

[Aardwolf]

I take it there is a feature freeze in effect, and that is why there haven't been any Nightlies recently?

[The E]

That is correct.

[acidtwin]

Hey, hope this is the right thread for this.  Just thought I'd chime in and mention that this release solved a big issue for me and now i can finally play Fs2 again over Xmas, so THANK YOU

I posted in more detail here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76316.msg1572076#msg1572076 as to what the issue was.

Thanks again to everyone hard work [and fantastic work] here and Merry Xmas all.

Edit:  Oddly enough mods using i think the new shaders [??], e.g. blue planet etc, work when i remove atioglxx.dll from the folder.  FS2 missions seem to require atioglxx.dll to be in the folder :S

Edit 2: Thought I'd point out that crossfire, no matter what i try, including custom profiles for CCC, will not work with FS2Open.  Not read that it is supported though so perhaps this is normal?

[Zacam]

acidtwin: Newer mods with their own shaders (such as the Re-Released Blue Planet) are using shaders that are more in-line and unified with the engine. The original release of the MediaVPs (3.6.12) are using older shaders that are not as well laid out or optimized as the shaders that were later developed in the engine, hence the RC release threads having a release link for newer shaders to be put into the MediaVPs 3.6.12 data directory (mediavps_3612\data) which should then resolve those issues.

Future releases of the MediaVPs will be relying on the built-in engine shaders to remove this issue from being present in the future.

[acidtwin]

acidtwin: Newer mods with their own shaders (such as the Re-Released Blue Planet) are using shaders that are more in-line and unified with the engine. The original release of the MediaVPs (3.6.12) are using older shaders that are not as well laid out or optimized as the shaders that were later developed in the engine, hence the RC release threads having a release link for newer shaders to be put into the MediaVPs 3.6.12 data directory (mediavps_3612\data) which should then resolve those issues.

Future releases of the MediaVPs will be relying on the built-in engine shaders to remove this issue from being present in the future.

Wonderful, fantastic work too. 

Do you think ATI/AMD Crossfire support will be implemented at some point or does that work for people already and ATI drivers are just being mean to me?

Only negative really is that and the fact that the GPU usage is around 50/70% max with the latest Blue Planet [stunning work, again] but fps drops below 30 at times.  Shouldn't happen if my card isn't breaking past 70% GPU usage.  I'm going to experiment with different ATI drivers though as that might be more a driver issue than anything else. [Running a 4870x2 currently on the latest cat drivers trying out the new profile support]

[The E]

Wonderful, fantastic work too. 

Do you think ATI/AMD Crossfire support will be implemented at some point or does that work for people already and ATI drivers are just being mean to me?

No. This will never be implemented, because it's basically not something we can control in OpenGL. From the development side, all GPUs look pretty much the same; coding for specific GPUs or configurations is a) a pain in the ass, and b) something a good PC programmer will avoid.

Only negative really is that and the fact that the GPU usage is around 50/70% max with the latest Blue Planet [stunning work, again] but fps drops below 30 at times.  Shouldn't happen if my card isn't breaking past 70% GPU usage.  I'm going to experiment with different ATI drivers though as that might be more a driver issue than anything else. [Running a 4870x2 currently on the latest cat drivers trying out the new profile support]

Reason for this is that, in your scenario, FSO is CPU-bound. Meaning that the engine is unable to supply enough data to keep the GPU happy. Yes, there are ways to improve that. Yes, we are working on them. If you're thinking "Why isn't FSO multithreaded?" you're on the right track. If you're thinking that adding multithreading is easy, we would invite you to try.

[wolfen]

OK I just downloaded the 3.6.14 files and placed them in my FS2 folder, I also downloaded and installed the latest and greatest launcher, at first it didn;t work, until I actually opened the 3.6.14 files (I feel dumb), but now that I did it right it works great