Eternal Lands 1.9.6 release candidate

[Entropy]

We have a release candidate for the next EL version. Please help test it, especially the Android client (which is quite different from the current one).

Please read this page VERY carefully! Don't just download, but actually read what is said there.

https://github.com/raduprv/Eternal-Lands/releases/tag/1.9.6.0-rc1

 

Please post any issues here.

[Nogrod]

Copying my observations from the New development version of the Android client thread with some changes based on additional testing.

 

I'm using Android version 1.9.6.0-rc1-20211109.0003 on test server

• The client crashes after fighting mobs.  It happened once yesterday and today it crashes after every fight.  Before the crash, the animations get very choppy then get stuck and then the client crashes after about a second.
• I got the screen where I have to read and accept the rules the first 2 times I launched the client.  After that it no longer takes me to that screen.
• How do I open the mini-map?  I tried tapping the top right corner of the screen but the click goes either onto a tile on the game screen or if I click on the EL icon in the HUD, I get a keyboard pop up.  I had no problems like this on the old version. One difference is that on the old version, the Android bar with the battery, clock, notification icon, etc. is hidden and so is the HUD. On the new version, I can't seem to click on the right spot either with the HUD visible or hidden.
• There is a big difference in the interface and font scale between 1.1.2 and 1.9.6.  In 1.9.6 everything is so tiny, I can only click menu options with much difficulty and chat text is almost impossible to read. Even cranking the scaling options way up barely makes a difference. Is there any way to control the resolution?

[Burn]

It's very important to only  use the full install on Test server.

 

To test in regular play on Main, use the "executable only downloads".

 

 

Using the full install on Main prior to a server update will result in a lot of problems mapwalking and accessing areas. (Test server has the 1.9.6 maps so the full install works there.)

 

 

A Mac test version is forthcoming, Friday or so.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Burn

[bluap]

31 minutes ago, Nogrod said:

1. The client crashes after fighting mobs.  It happened once yesterday and today it crashes after every fight.  Before the crash, the animations get very choppy then get stuck and then the client crashes after about a second
2. I got the screen where I have to read and accept the rules the first 2 times I launched the client.  After that it no longer takes me to that screen.
3. How do I open the mini-map?  I tried tapping the top right corner of the screen but the click goes either onto a tile on the game screen or if I click on the EL icon in the HUD, I get a keyboard pop up.  I had no problems like this on the old version. One difference is that on the old version, the Android bar with the battery, clock, notification icon, etc. is hidden and so is the HUD. On the new version, I can't seem to click on the right spot either with the HUD visible or hidden.
4. There is a big difference in the interface and font scale between 1.1.2 and 1.9.6.  In 1.9.6 everything is so tiny, I can only click menu options with much difficulty and chat text is almost impossible to read. Even cranking the scaling options way up barely makes a difference. Is there any way to control the resolution?

The Android client is now based on the latest desktop source code with Android features incorporated from the original and then extended.  The development thread you posted to had been up for a long time and answers some of your questions.  The new client uses newer versions of libraries and includes years of client fixes and improvements.  It also changes the default controls and reintroduces things like context menus (long press), user menus, the URL window, Notepad etc.  It also has the password manager on by default which answered a major issue people had.   Most people find the new camera and walking controls easer but you can enable the precious camera-bar method if you wish.  Read thought the development thread for more information.

1. Some others also experience crashes but we have not yet found a solution.  I have tried many old and new devices and not experienced a crash.  I've played on Android a lot too building a new character entirely on the android client.  If the previous Android client was stable on your same device then please confirm that and tell us the specs, it may prove useful information.  Did you remove the old client before installing the new?  Was this the first time you'd used a test server profile on Android?
2. The rules screen works the same as the desktop client does, if you successfully exit the client or saved while playing, you should not get the rules screen again unless you go to the new character screen.
3. You should have a couple of user menus enabled, you can open functions missing a bottom bar icon, like the mini-map, from there.  If the user menus are not shown then you may have an old el.ini file.  Enable the menus in your settings.  By default the hud background is shown but you can disabled it in settings.  By default clicking the EL logo will toggle the on-screen keyboard.  The Android status bar is on due to building with newer library versions.  Most people like this and I've not sort to turn it off.
4. The scaling issue is unexpected.  The scaling code is completely different in this version as its using the desktop client code.  However, on first start, the scaling should have been calculated using the same thresholds as the original client.  As with the desktop client, you can go to the fonts tab of settings to set the overall scaling factor.  Once that is done you could use the "#set_default_fonts" command to get a fresh state for fonts and font sizes.  Unless you have a device with incredibly high DPI, the range of scaling should be fine; let us know if that is not the case.

 

[Aislinn]

I'm posting for Raz who is unable to get to forums right now but something about the full install is smaller than the executable only.  "If you click the full install it opens what looks like exe and dll and v/v." (Windows version)

[Nogrod]

41 minutes ago, bluap said:

The Android client is now based on the latest desktop source code with Android features incorporated from the original and then extended.  The development thread you posted to had been up for a long time and answers some of your questions.  The new client uses newer versions of libraries and includes years of client fixes and improvements.  It also changes the default controls and reintroduces things like context menus (long press), user menus, the URL window, Notepad etc.  It also has the password manager on by default which answered a major issue people had.   Most people find the new camera and walking controls easer but you can enable the precious camera-bar method if you wish.  Read thought the development thread for more information.

1. Some others also experience crashes but we have not yet found a solution.  I have tried many old and new devices and not experienced a crash.  I've played on Android a lot too building a new character entirely on the android client.  If the previous Android client was stable on your same device then please confirm that and tell us the specs, it may prove useful information.  Did you remove the old client before installing the new?  Was this the first time you'd used a test server profile on Android?
2. The rules screen works the same as the desktop client does, if you successfully exit the client or saved while playing, you should not get the rules screen again unless you go to the new character screen.
3. You should have a couple of user menus enabled, you can open functions missing a bottom bar icon, like the mini-map, from there.  If the user menus are not shown then you may have an old el.ini file.  Enable the menus in your settings.  By default the hud background is shown but you can disabled it in settings.  By default clicking the EL logo will toggle the on-screen keyboard.  The Android status bar is on due to building with newer library versions.  Most people like this and I've not sort to turn it off.
4. The scaling issue is unexpected.  The scaling code is completely different in this version as its using the desktop client code.  However, on first start, the scaling should have been calculated using the same thresholds as the original client.  As with the desktop client, you can go to the fonts tab of settings to set the overall scaling factor.  Once that is done you could use the "#set_default_fonts" command to get a fresh state for fonts and font sizes.  Unless you have a device with incredibly high DPI, the range of scaling should be fine; let us know if that is not the case.

 

 

1. Crashing issue: Phone details: Pixel XL Android Version 10.  This is the first time I used a test server profile on Android. I selected the profile through the Server tab in Options. I've not manually changed any files.  After clearing all data for both old and new clients, and also completely uninstalling old client it still crashes.  Please let me know if you'd like any more specific details. The behavior of the crash is the same as Scratch describes it.
2. I got the rules screen again after exiting the client for the first time using the #exit command.  On the third launch I no longer get the rules screen. This happened both before and after uninstalling the old client. This is caused by switching servers. Probably expected functionality.
3. Thank you for the new controls. They work very well.  I was able to open the minimap by long-pressing on the HUD and selecting the menu option.  This is a good FYI for any players newly installing the client as I was not able to figure this out directly from reading the development thread.
4. The scaling issue was fixed after I completely cleared out all app data from the old client.  Rather than having this step as a sometimes according to the development thread, we should just tell people to clear out the old data before they try the new client.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Nogrod

[Raz]

5 minutes ago, Aislinn said:

I'm posting for Raz who is unable to get to forums right now but something about the full install is smaller than the executable only.  "If you click the full install it opens what looks like exe and dll and v/v." (Windows version)

Thx Aislinn

The windows downloads (64bit for certain) - the full install downloads the exe&dll - and the exe&dll link downloads the full client.

 

[Aislinn]

If anyone has edited files such as servers.lst, global_filters.txt, sound_warnings.txt, key.ini, etc (I'm sure there are others), make sure you make backups of these files before you start downloading stuff.  If you don't, and your files become overwritten, we can't help you get them back.  Make backup copies of ANYTHING you have tinkered with EVER.  Just to be safe, maybe make copies of your counters files too.

[Burn]

Oh yeah, and if you installed your unoff tab maps the way el-wiki said to, using the /1_9_5/ folder in your personal data area, change the folder name to /1_9_6/ to keep using them on main with this rc.

 

 

(My Unoff tab maps for 1.9.6 will come out the same day as the update, though the 1.9.6 client will now also include tab maps for every map by default.)

[bluap]

1 hour ago, Aislinn said:

I'm posting for Raz who is unable to get to forums right now but something about the full install is smaller than the executable only.  "If you click the full install it opens what looks like exe and dll and v/v." (Windows version)

Sorry, I got the links for windows the wrong way round in the release text.  Fixed now.

 

[mihaim]

Installed the binary and kept the old maps and files . Works as expected.  No crash so far.

[vinoveritas]

Quick replay the select language dialog on android client is to small it should be if possible a seperate window not the pc version window.

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by vinoveritas

[bluap]

3 hours ago, vinoveritas said:

Quick replay the select language dialog on android client is to small it should be if possible a seperate window not the pc version window.

Not sure why its too small in your case, it should actually use most of the screen.  Here's a screenshot of it on my device:

[vinoveritas]

Ok i know the error, i turned the smartphone between start and show of screensplash so it just did not adjust the picture and the text after the turning.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by vinoveritas

[bluap]

2 hours ago, vinoveritas said:

Ok i know the error, i turned the smartphone between start and show of screensplash so it just did not adjust the picture and the text after the turning.

OK, I see now, that's the same for me.  It's a bug and I'll fix.....

[Entropy]

Please let me know when the new android client is ready.

 

[bluap]

On 11/11/2021 at 8:58 PM, Entropy said:

Please let me know when the new android client is ready.

When I fixed the language screen bug, I found and fix more historical issues with the rules window and the new character screen. There was also a discussion on the Android development treads about a better way to open the on-screen keyboard.  Adding that I found and fixed a few historical chat window issues.  Not that much churn in the client code but some.

 

Should we do another round of RC builds before release?  Its all scripted for me so its not a load of work, just time.

Edited November 14, 2021 by bluap

[Entropy]

Yes, if it's not much trouble please build them again, it is a good idea to thoroughly test them before release.

 

[bluap]

On 16/11/2021 at 7:42 PM, Entropy said:

Yes, if it's not much trouble please build them again, it is a good idea to thoroughly test them before release.

I've added a RC2 release on github that contains client only builds for Linux and Windows with the latest changes, plus Android packs for 1.9.6 data and 1.9.5 data.

Edited December 27, 2021 by bluap
Remove links as no longer valid