Update Info

[Entropy]

Ok, since many people are wondering when is the update, and what it will contain, I decided to post some info about it.

We are planning to release it this weeknd (probably Saterday, or, if not, Sunday).

There will be no update file to update from previous versions. Instead, you will have to redownload the whole thing. But before you do so, you'll have to delete your EL folder.

This is because we removed quite a few files, and we added a lot of new files, changed some stuff around, so we have decided that a complete reinstall is the best option.

Besides, the file size is only about 20 MB, so even the dial up users can download it in less than 2 hours.

 

There client is, from what we tested, ALMOST bug free. There are 2 minor bugs we were unable to fix for the time being, but they shouldn't have a big impact on the gameplay.

 

The server SHOULD also be stable and exploit free, BUT you will have to realize that a LOT of new features and changes were not tested properly, so this means that the first week after the update it will be a TEST WEEK. That means that, if we find some nasty bugs we might have to do a rollback from just before the update. I hope we won't have to, but if necesary we will, so do not complain if it happens, ok?

 

Due to some protocol changes, some of (well, most of) the bots will be unable to operate, until their owners implement those changes. The client sourcecode is open to everyone who wants to inspect it (as you already know) so the bot owners can look at it for additional implementation details. We are sorry for this problem as well, but that's what the progress is: breaking up the compatibility with some outdated or inneficient things.

 

Due to the fact that we'll have to reconvert all the characters, and do various other things, the server will be down for up to 1 hour just before the update.

 

Additions:

 

A new continent with SOME maps (it's not finished yet) will be included in the client, but it will NOT be activated yet. However, when we will activate it, a new download won't be necesary. And to preemtively answer your question, it will be activated when it will be activated. A few weeks is probably a good guess, but don't take my word for it.

Note: Actually, you can go there, via a secret entry. However, this secret entry will be removed once we add a ferryman that will take you to/from the new continent for a fee.

 

5 new animals/monsters will also be included in the client, some of them being also activated later on.

 

A few new items (nothing really fancy, mostly newbie stuff).

 

For admins only: statistics about maps usage (how many players each map) and items usage (how many items enter and leave the game every day). While we do not know yet wether or not we'll make those stats public, they will greatly help us fine tune the game more.

 

 

Client changes:

As some of you know, by using the latest CVS client, there are a LOT of improvements from the old client. So many it would take forever to enumerate here. But here are the most important ones (please correct me if I miss any)

 

# Animations are a lot more smooth due to the use of Cal3D

# All fires will now be lightable

# All 3D objects have descriptions

# Better music support (in buildings as well)

# Buddy list & better buddy interface

# Configurable item quantities (rightclick on the quantity, then write the new quantity)

# Configuration window

# Drag'n'drop based trading

# Fog

# Health / Mana points Items modifiers support added

# Help window

# I18N support on Windows

# Loading window

# Load actor definitions from XML files

# Map area effects

# More 3D objects

# More NPC portraits?

# Multi-channel chat

# New character creation interface

# New visual effects (experience over head, marker on the ground, damage fade-in/out, smoother healthbar coloring)

# Optional perspective view

# Optional chat window and chat tabs

# PNG screenshot capture support on Linux

# Serverside interguild-messaging

# Several 2nd continent maps

# Smaller items interface when in resolutions of 800x600 or less.

# Spell quickbar

# Storage interface

# Storage to storage trading

# Tab based windows

# Updated maps with new God temples

# Updated encyclopedia

# Updated rules

# Visual interface for books

# Visual interface improvements

# You don't have to drop/add non-stackable items once at a time - it will use the amount in the items window

# 200 storage slots

# 3D rain & different rain strengths

# New swear filter

# alpha textures for static 3d objects

 

Please note that most of the things were NOT implemented by me, so please thank to those who implemented them.

Since it's hard to keep track of who did what, if you are a contributor please post here with what you did.

 

The only thing I did for this update (besides for coordinating stuff and making the Win32 package) was the server statistics.

However, I will work more at El for a while, and start a new EL related project soon, but more details about that later on.

 

[edit]

Here is a list of people who made this update possible:

 

 

Programmers:

Entropy

Grum

Mihaim

mikeman

Learner

Corun

Malaclypse

Crusadingknight

Labrat

iostr

Vegar

The_Piper

ttlanhil

Zeplin

Lachesis

Wytter

Lhibou

Sadez

 

Artists:

Roja

ks_copy

 

Map makers:

Moonshadow

Roja

sistema

kedan

Tiras_Hazor

Daxon

Lord_Vermor

Derin

Lotharion

Ravenod

Choris

 

Stories and quests:

Lyanna

Derin

Lord_Vermor

Jezebelle

Crannog

ttlanhil

Quinticus

 

Help window/Newbie FAQ/Skills FAQ/Rules window:

Aislinn

Soldus

 

Encyclopedia:

Jamesvm

Crusadingknight

 

 

Music:

Koriolan

 

Music mapping:

Zeplin

 

Sound FX:

Joakim Forslund

 

And a big thanks to all bug testers!

 

If we left someone out, please let me know. The list is a little old.

[sirdan]

@everyone that worked on it GREAT JOB!!!!!

 

sounds like loads of fun

[Guest Enyo]

will the secret entrance have to be found or discovered since it's a secret or will mods give us some clues?

 

btw.. thanks to the whole team for making this happen

[JaneMuffin]

I heard a few rumors about somethings being harder to harvest.

 

Just wondering if thats true and we should not sleep till saturday trying to harvest those itmes

 

BTW Thanks you guys for making this awesome game even better

 

You all ROCKZ!

 

JaneMuffin

[Entropy]

I don't know about any item being harder to harvest.

[JaneMuffin]

I don't know about any item being harder to harvest.

194226[/snapback]

 

Okay you are gonna kill me for this but....

 

You sound like President Bush *Runs and hides*

 

Let me rephrase...

 

Will any item be more scarce?

 

Will any item be more of a hassle to harvest (i.e. Roses needing leather gloves)?

 

And will manufacturing items be more difficult and time consuming?

 

I think I covered all the bases

 

JaneMuffin

I dont know if I have told you enough...but you and Roja Rock

 

EDIT: typos

Edited September 8, 2005 by JaneMuffin

[Learner]

will the secret entrance have to be found or discovered since it's a secret or will mods give us some clues?

 

btw.. thanks to the whole team for making this happen 

194222[/snapback]

Umm, he said it's a secret, so if mods start telling people how to find it, it wont be a secret any more will it?

[Guest Enyo]

Umm, he said it's a secret, so if mods start telling people how to find it, it wont be a secret any more will it?

194232[/snapback]

 

 

[Lyanna]

Geh, well, that sort of reveals the last few surprises I was planning for the Expedition to Irilion, but hey, I'm not complaining. Good to finally confirm the date and feature implementation. I'll continue with the script anyway, just to finish off the story properly.

 

-Lyn-

[kat]

wheeee!

I can't wait ^_^

and a great job to all of you, as well as a THANK YOU!!!

 

-Kat

[jhunlemon]

woohooo! the much awaited update is finally upon us! great work everyone and our thanks :pickaxe_rune:

[Kendai]

First off, congratulations and a huge thank you to all the helpers in the update, I'm sure it'll be spectacular thanks to your help!

 

Second, a slight problem I have... What kind of video card would you recommend (or not recommend) for the update? You see, I'm having problems with the current version of EL and it interfering with my inferior video card. I may not be able to play once the update hits, I fear... I have an SiS 760 video card.

 

((No wonder I play a baddie in the RP, if the update comes, I may not be able to play! ))

[Tumaros]

Sweet.

Edited September 8, 2005 by Tumaros

[Dent]

Thanks for the info.

[chaoogie]

I would just like to say thank you to all those who worked on the new update. just curious whens the next update so i can start rumors about whats gonna be in it lol

 

Much love radu and roja and devs

 

p.s. any new ingame items that i can buy >.< save me from myself!!

[Entropy]

First off, congratulations and a huge thank you to all the helpers in the update, I'm sure it'll be spectacular thanks to your help!

 

Second, a slight problem I have... What kind of video card would you recommend (or not recommend) for the update? You see, I'm having problems with the current version of EL and it interfering with my inferior video card. I may not be able to play once the update hits, I fear... I have an SiS 760 video card.

 

((No wonder I play a baddie in the RP, if the update comes, I may not be able to play! ))

194241[/snapback]

 

If you can play it now, you will be able to play it after the update. The framerate is a little lower (depending on the options you enable) but the animations is actually smoother.

[Kendai]

w00t, that's great news! Thanks Entropy, I hero-worship you now

[cedox]

Skeletal animation ftw! o//

I'm astonished to see programmers list was that long. Normally artist list is way longer compared to programmers list so I raise hat to that.

 

Great work people. Can't wait to get my hands on this.

 

- Cedox

 

p.s. Remember to contact me after the update if you want me to do those 3D objs and radiosity baking.

[gadai]

Wow - looking great! Thanks to all concerned - no sleep for me this weekend (and wonders if he can get Monday off from work )

[Fox Lupine]

What can I say- you people have put a lot of time ad effort into this, and won all of our admiration- no sleep for me this week

Thanks guys

[scarr]

Nice, i wont power train in the test week for sure LoL!

[Sistema]

Grats to all! Nice job juys!

 

It's really good to see this is developing!!

*gasps*

And soo fassttt!!!!

 

All your base are belong to EL!!

[gunther]

thanks guys you lot roxth but i guess ya know that huh lol

[FRoGkiLL]

Nice work team, excellent feature's for me the new continent will be the collest new thing

 

But us 8 "vilins" will be banned

 

I know how to use SONY ACID PRO if that is any use for sound side of things? I'v good experience with it

 

EDIT: 8 not 7

Edited September 8, 2005 by FRoGkiLL

[Wytter]

Here's a more indepth list of the programmers and the features they implemented:

• Entropy
  • Beautify the shadow mapping slightly
    

Grum

• Chat window
  
• Multi-channel chat
  
• Window manager extensions including tabbed windows
  
• Load actor information from xml-files
  
• Numerous of bug fixes
  
• Serverside interguild messaging support
  

Rogue(mihaim)

• Buddy list
  
• Area effects
  
• Health and mana modifiers
  
• PNG Screenshot support
  
• Serverside interguild messaging support
  
• Numerous of bug fixes
  

mikeman

• Cal3D
  

Learner

• Server-side optimizations
  
• Light optimizations
  
• Bulk work on map area effects
  
• Numerous of bug fixes
  

Corun

• Work on the Mac OS X port
  

Malaclypse

• Documentation & code cleanup
  

Crusadingknight

• Various add-ons; notepad is disabled this update untill it's made stable
  
• Encyclopedia maintainance
  

Labrat

• Anti-bag spamming
  
• Bulk work on the magic quickbar
  

iostr

• Various visual effects
  

Vegar

• Configuration window
  
• Buddy interface
  
• Loading window
  
• Loads of code cleanup, security audit and bug fixes
  

ttlanhil

• Various beautifications & bug testing
  

Zeplin

• Bug testing, bug fixes, memory & CPU usage optimization ideas
  
• Music mapping
  
• Help & skills window
  

Lachesis

• 3D Rain
  
• Fog
  
• Perspective view
  
• Better text zooming capabilities
  
• Numerous of bug fixes
  

Wytter

• Cal3D bug fixing
  
• Item window rewrite
  
• Drag'n'drop based trading
  
• Storage interface
  
• Storage to storage trading
  
• i18n
  
• New character creation interface
  
• Map area effects
  
• New character format, allowing easier conversion between new and older player files
  
• Various Visual effects
  
• Spell quickbar
  
• Visual interface for books
  
• Various interface improvements
  
• You don't have to drop/add non-stackable items once at a time - it will use the amount in the items window
  
• 200 storage slots
  
• Renderer optimizations
  
• Numerous of bug testing and fixing
  

Lhibou

• Numerous of bug fixes
  

Sadez

• Renderer optimizations
  
• Fixed the infamous crash on map change
  

This is NOT a full list - I have most likely forgotten tons of things, so please give me a hint with what you did and I'll add it to the list Hell, I can't even remember all the changes I made

 

Radu left out some important things that are introduced in this update:

 

New commands:

• #list_guild
  - Lists the guild members
   
  #change_buddy <name> <new type>
  Change the buddy type
   
  #accept_buddy <name>
  Accept a buddy request
   
  #add_buddy <name>
  Request adding a buddy
   
  #del_buddy <name>
  Delete a buddy
   
  #clear_buddy
  Clear the buddy list
   
  #set_privacy <on, off>
  Set whether you'll accept buddy requests or not
   
  InterGuild Messenging System
  • #ig <guild short name> <message>
    #ig_block <guild short name>
    #ig_unblock <guild short name>
    #ig_block_list
    

New creatures:

• Skunk
   
  
• Racoon
   
  
• Polar bear
   
  
• Chimeran desert wolf
   
  
• Chimeran forest wolf
  

New items:

• Skunk hat
   
  
• Racoon hat
   
  
• Skunk fur
   
  
• Racoon fur
   
  
• Polar bear fur
   
  
• Bone weapon
   
  
• Stick weapon
  

Optimizations:

• Client supports Vertex Buffer Objects
   
  
• More strict reflection selection
   
  
• The list of nearby actors and 3d objects are generated only once per frame
   
  
• Serverside walking algorithm is now up to 8x faster, hopefully leading to less resyncs
   
  
• Various minor optimizations
  

Bugs fixed:

• Several buffer overflows
   
  
• Crash on map change (thread sync issues)
   
  
• Crash when a map was not found
   
  
• Crash when actors were not found
   
  
• Memory leaks in the core client and in the renderer
   
  
• The FPS were not accurate
  

Various improvements:

• #remove from guild also works when the player is not online.
   
  
• Recalculated guild counts, should get rid of the ghost members that many (older) guilds have