Racer v0.5.3 beta 7
Phew, finally a new beta. Racer is still actively being developed, although often with targets that don't always match the desires for the public version.
Anyway, the download location:
http://www.racer.nl/dl_beta.htm
For ATI users, download a patched Racer (see attachments) and in racer.ini make a renderer.ati=1 setting (to avoid stripy cars).
Important notes:
- you will often need to run
http://www.racer.nl/download/vcredist_x86.exe to get all DLL's associated with the new compiler used (Visual C++ 2005)
- the network has a new middleware library; ENet. So multiplayer in this version is INCOMPATIBLE with older versions. I've only used it over LANs, but supposedly this library takes care of reliable packets, so let's hope for a bit of action.
- while our team is creating tracks, we wanted OpenGL's mipmap LOD tweaking parameters working. This caused havoc on ATI boards, so perhaps it does now again... (my new laptop has an nVidia Go7600 though).
Hope you enjoy this one! And sorry for taking such a loooooong time; hope to improve that by releasing more often.
Ruud
Finally, the update list then:
- Network (multiplayer) reworked a lot. Using ENet as an intermediate network library now (meaning reliable packet sending should work)
- Bugfix: ini file reads could result in extra information at the end for CR+LF formatted files.
- Bugfix: if a remote client connected before the local client (a multiplayer master is both client & server) cars wouldn't update properly
- Tracked bugfix: material index was one off in the ASE Multi/sub cutter (!)
- Tracked: when using 'Cut Multisub ASE', any resulting texture tiling/offsets weren't used.
- Tracked: Convert ASE->DOF improved (could take a LONG time); optimization is also optional now.
- Tracked: ASE importer had a bug for some split ASE files with lots of vertices but few faces.
- Tracked: added some keys/functions in Spline mode to facilitate editing splines a bit better.
- Bugfix: Ackerman wasn't applied correctly to the steering wheels (effectively operated only on 1 wheel).
- Added shader's mipmap_min_lod and mipmap_max_lod parameters again. Used to crash on ATI cards, not on nVidia. Does it work now?
- Added shader mipmap_lod_bias variable to modify mipmap behavior.
- Added resolution.no_border option to get rid of borders in non-fullscreen windows
- Added 'global' setting for freeshifting in data/controls/default.ini
- Added 'dbg_car.susp_implicit_integration' to racer.ini. 1 is the old Racer behavior, although it generates weight bugs (Ctrl-9)! Wheels get more spikey when this is 0.
- Changed spline painting colors from yellow to red and thick green for start/finish
- Added data/locale/racer_english.txt as a 'backup' language for untranslated texts in other locale files
- Added Dutch locale (racer_dutch.txt)
- Some extra locale texts (ai.learn_on etc)
- Removed wav/mp3 load failure message when menu AVI was used (without accompanying sound file)
- Stub image (when no image can be found) is now a little more colorful (red/blue)
- Added racer.ini:textures.compression (defaults to 1) to enable app-wide support for texture compression
- Added shader 'compression' key (globally and per layer!) to be able to disable compression for certain textures (skies!)
- See
http://www.racer.nl/tutorial/gfxtwea...texcompression for texture compression details.
- Some texture map loading changes; images without alpha will be stored as GL_RGB instead of GL_RGBA (might help performance)
- Views (for cars) are no longer loaded sequentially; instead of going through the list, now they're properly referenced as views.view0, views.view1 etc.
- Same for view elements; now referenced using views.view<n>.elt<m> instead of iterating. This should not make a difference normally for car views, except when the views.ini is not correct.
- Removed 2 second pause when starting 'Race' (this is needed for slave computers, but was even used no slaves were connected)
- Improved ini file reading speed for slightly faster startup and loading cars etc.
- Improved readability of debug info (^1-^9; shadow added)
- Fixed location of some object in non-800x600 resolutions; start lights, console text.
- Revived motion blur; it seems to start to work with at least my DuoCore/nVidia7950 machine (renderer.motion_blur.passes).
- Optimized particle drawing if no particles are visible
- Added 'trackmap save' command to save the live environment trackmap. For non-live trackmaps.
- Smoke image from Some1 included (thanks!)
- Fixed brakes flickering when ABS kicks in
- No crashes anymore when body.dof isn't found (seen a lot with Mustang2005GT; perhaps updates were installed?); a dark cube of 1x1x1m is created instead
- Added car.ini wheel<x>.reverse_steering option to allow reverse steering
- (beta6 fix) mirror was using compression so it was slow, and ATI drivers even crashed or were mangled at best
- Screenshots now use TGA again.
- Added 'debug <n>' script command to control debug info through scripting.
- Added 'format=<f>' to car's views.ini digital view elements. Format can be 'simple', 'time' or 'relative_time'. See
http://www.racer.nl/tutorial/newcar.htm#views
- Added 'volume <x>' script command to set the master volume.
- Added sideload control (future motorbike simulation)
- Added aero.body.cz (and cy) for generic body downforce generation (only drag was supported) (car.ini)
- Added car.ini engine.braking_offset (next to engine.braking_coeff) for a more detailed engine braking torque line.
Lae alla