[taylor]

But I've noticed Brightness/Gamma has changed from RC7. Gamma_Test version is clearer. I don't know if it is a desired change or if it is some kind of cross effect or little bug.

Is it different in a bad way?  I did change how all of the gamma stuff works for OpenGL (hence the "gamma" build ) in order to try and use your initial color profile settings as a base, and then build on that.  I still don't think it's working 100%, but I haven't heard anything back from DaBrain on the subject yet and that's who the build was originally for.  If it looks/works better for you, then I'm not terribly surprised, but if it's worse then let me know in what way and I'll see what I can do about it.

Is standalone supposed to work in this build?  If so it doesn't.  I didn't confirm it but it appears to be the same error as before.

No, it's not.  It is better, but not all that great still.  I have more fixes on the way which I think will take care of all known standalone bugs.  Hopefully the 7dot8 build (may be released tonight, I'll PM you when it's available) will get past all of the known problems so that we can start finding the ones that we don't know about yet.

[Mobius]

Is that rumor about Inferno true?

[karajorma]

I doubt it.

I think you've gotten confused about the fact that the plan is to get rid of the Inferno build by making sure that standard SCP builds have equally high limits.

[Mobius]

Woo wrote the world "crash",I wrote "is R2 safe?" and he said that you will take some time before finish this...thing.

Of course I'm happy it isn't true(right?).

[ARSPR]

If it looks/works better for you, then I'm not terribly surprised, but if it's worse then let me know in what way and I'll see what I can do about it.

The new brighter gamma is definitely worse so I just moved it down two points within game. Now it looks more or less the same as RC7.

It really doesn't matter where you put the "zero" value. Just, put a warning in the next "official" release thread so people don't get surprised with the change.

[taylor]

The new brighter gamma is definitely worse so I just moved it down two points within game. Now it looks more or less the same as RC7.

It really doesn't matter where you put the "zero" value. Just, put a warning in the next "official" release thread so people don't get surprised with the change.

The point of the new gamma code is to actually make use of the existing Windows gamma settings.  So a 1.0 should be exactly the same as what Windows is set to, not the identity ramp that the game used before.  Going up or down will just modify those original ramp values.  RC7 and everything previous to it wasn't necessarily correct, so I don't really want to get it working the same.  Depending on your monitor setup, it didn't work properly before, but would now.  I suspect that this is going to be one change that will throw some people, but those are going to be the people who are used to having the game with a different gamma setup than what they have Windows set to use.

If your gamma/ICC profile is just the default, and it still looks wrong at 1.0, then let me know.

[IPAndrews]

So assuming I know which files are giving black boxes. How am I supposed to fix these files? Keep the explanation as non-technical as possible since I know jack **** about alpha channels. Just tell me what software I use and what buttons to push. They're dds files openning using M$'s directx texture tool.

[taylor]

So assuming I know which files are giving black boxes. How am I supposed to fix these files? Keep the explanation as non-technical as possible since I know jack **** about alpha channels. Just tell me what software I use and what buttons to push. They're dds files openning using M$'s directx texture tool.

It's best to start from originals if possible, since compressed DDS is a lossy format and saving it twice just degrades the quality that much more.  I don't know a thing about MS's DX texture tool though, or if it's even possible to remove the alpha channels with it.  What else do you have that supports DDS?

[IPAndrews]

Yes I thought you'd mention originals. I'll have a look. I don't hold much hope. In answer to your question I've got... Paint Shop Pro 6. That's about it.

[Trivial Psychic]

I have Adobe Photoshop 7 with the DDS plugin.  I can save in various formats, but I've never been successful in working with alpha channels.

[Wanderer]

From what i have its generally best to first create a good 'originals' (tgas) and then use either ATI's Compressonator or Nvidias Nvdxt utilities for converting tga to dds.

[IPAndrews]

Fixed it I think. I recoded the dds files as DXT1 using the DX Texture Tool. Halved the file size from 22 to 11k each but it's a rubbish effect so who cares. As long as I haven't broken it.

[IPAndrews]

SCP bods. TBP has just hit the 130 ship max limit. We've juggled already and we really can't do any more. How about shifting that limit say 20 away from TBP to 150? It's not a huge increase and since we're shutting up shop now it will give us more than enough breathing space to dot the few i's and cross the t's whilst also allowing campaign makers to drop in the odd extra ship of their own. It's not much to ask. 

[Prophet]

Edit: ****. Ofcourse I had to make a grammatic error.

[taylor]

How about shifting that limit say 20 away from TBP to 150?

Not gonna happen.  Changing the limit breaks pilot files and network compatibility.  You'll just have to deal with it for now and wait for the new pilot code like everyone else.  Headless kitten be damned.   

[karajorma]

Or you can go over to using Inferno builds for TBP for the time being. They will work but they will corrupt any multiplayer pilot that you ever load into them so be careful about that.

[IPAndrews]

So SCP now has two very major high-profile mods that need to use "the Inferno build". There's something wrong there.  As for the new pilot code. That's all well and good but it's not going to be in the next stable release is it?

[taylor]

So SCP now has two very major high-profile mods that need to use "the Inferno build". There's something wrong there. 

I'm still not convinced that the problem is anything short of your tables.  I haven't looked at anything current but you had so much crap in there previously that I'm not at all surprised that you are having issues now, even after the cleanup that I'm sure TP has already done.  I hurried to complete the species code updates for 3.6.9 just for TBP.  I'm not the least bit happy that all I've gotten is **** about it so far.

As for the new pilot code. That's all well and good but it's not going to be in the next stable release is it?

Not until 3.7, perhaps a year away.

[karajorma]

So SCP now has two very major high-profile mods that need to use "the Inferno build". There's something wrong there.  As for the new pilot code. That's all well and good but it's not going to be in the next stable release is it?

Inferno builds will work perfectly well in multiplayer now. Like I said the only issue is that you can't mix Inferno build pilots with standard multiplayer ones. But seeing as TBP is a standalone product these days and you shouldn't be coming across standard multiplayer pilot files very often I can't see why that would be a problem.

 I really don't see what the problem with using an Inferno build would be. The only hassle it's likely to cause anyone is for us coders since now we have to make sure that there is an Inferno build of 3.6.9 as well.

[IPAndrews]

not at all surprised that you are having issues now, even after the cleanup that I'm sure TP has already done. 

What? You want us to start deleting ships we're actually using now? Hell why don't we delete everything. Then the problem will certainly go away.

I hurried to complete the species code updates for 3.6.9 just for TBP.  I'm not the least bit happy that all I've gotten is **** about it so far.

Not from me you didn't.

Not until 3.7, perhaps a year away.

TBP won't be in business then.

Look. We'll use "The Inferno build". That said. Pretty please will sugar on top can the Inferno builds actually get built? For example I just downloaded the 3.6.9 RC7 archive and, lo-and-behold, no Inferno build. Also Taylor please try and bare in mind I'm not out on a one man mission to make your life a misery. i'm just trying (operative word) to develop a decent mod for this game engine of yours. I would have thought that was a good thing.