New Build (2011-05-14) - Multiplayer Madness!

[Ultraken]

I didn't plan it this way, but today's build seems to be all about multiplayer...

Also, I have some updated game assets. Throw 'em into your addon folder.


Downloads:

Testing Executable and Symbols - this is the preferred build for now
Release Executable and Symbols
Assets (New!)


What's new:

* Fixed stuck controls in MP after leaving SP with the editor on
- Mission cleanup now clears out the terrain editor state

* Fixed a crash on starting a SP map after playing MP
- Network system now clears hosting and networking flags on leaving

* In-game chat /kick notifies the kicked player and returns them to the lobby
- It should now be just as effective as the shell version

* Added shell /lock and /unlock commands to control player joins
- Players get an "Unable to join game" message if they try to connect

* The game list in the shell lobby hides locked sessions
- There's no point in showing games that players can't join

* Allow shift-F9 view to zoom in further

* Units treat (blocked) building cells like cliffs
- This makes pathing more consistent with 1.4

* Improved how AI handles "stuck" conditions
- It checks more directions so it has a better chance of finding a good one
- It also checks for collisions so it doesn't press blindly into obstacles
- This helps units escape semi-enclosed areas like the NSDF Hangar

* Destroying a building in MP shows a kill message
- "<Owner>'s building destroyed by <Killer>"

* Changed the spawn point selection process a bit
- Host player starts at a completely random spawn point
- Non-DM maps spawn players at the safest location
- DM maps spawn players at a weighted random location

* Fixed the chat send-to-all key (`) showing up in the chat input
- This also applies to ally/unally when triggered by a printable keystroke

* Made the NSDF Sasquatch much more effective in combat
- Walkers converge their shots at the distance to the target

* Prevent players from joining an ended game and crashing on launch
- Host auto-locks the session when the game ends
- Un-launched clients disconnect when the game ends
- Launched clients go to the post-game shell as usual

[Eddy]

* Improved how AI handles "stuck" conditions
- It checks more directions so it has a better chance of finding a good one
- It also checks for collisions so it doesn't press blindly into obstacles
- This helps units escape semi-enclosed areas like the NSDF Hangar

I noticed this in the last build - while the AI is smarter than before, they would still get stuck if a structure was near a wall (kinda ping-ponging around but not finding a way out). I still see the occasional scav getting serious air, like someone gave it a big kick in the butt. If I remember, that has to do with pathing and climbing hills.

Eddy

[Ultraken]

I'll try to reproduce that situation and see what's going on. I think what might be happening is the stuck unit tries to find the shortest way out of the blocked area and picks the direction "through" the wall. Here's an example scenario:

Code: Select all

........
########
.:::@::.
.:////:.
.::::::.
........

@ represents the stuck unit
. represents an open cell
# represents a cliff cell
: represents a building cell
/ represents a building cell with building geometry on it

When surrounded on all sides by blocked cells, units try to escape in the direction with the closest open cell. In this particular case the unit tries to go north since the open cell is only two units away. Checking for terrain collision would exclude northwest, north, and northeast since those directions are impassable. Checking for geometry collision already excludes southwest, south, and southeast since the building geometry blocks it. That leaves only west and east as valid directions. The unit would pick east since the open cell in that direction is closer.

[Red Devil]

could these downloads be mirroed somewhere, please? i still can't download them.

[Ultraken]

That's so strange. I don't have any other file hosting handy so I might have to look into something like RapidShare. Maybe Nathan would let me store them in the same place as the BZ2 files.

[Eddy]

Hitch usually mirrors them on his server, check on bzc.

I have a ton of disk space on my server if you want a place to dump files (your own domain or I can put it on sehost.com or bz911.net domains)

Eddy

[Ultraken]

That's certainly an option.

I thought about using Nathan's server as a mirror since it might let me use the same download links at all three places I post builds (here, BZC.org, and BZ1.net). Barring that, I can go back to generating two sets of download links, one for here and BZC.org, and the other for BZ1.net. I don't have FTP access to the latter for full automation, but Spock is very punctual about mirroring builds and updating the beta 1.5 installer.

[Eddy]

Do you have a domain of your own? You can use something like mirror1.superken.com and point it to any IP address (you'd have full access to your own domain on the server - ftp, http, etc).

Eddy

[HitchcockGreen]

Hitch usually mirrors them on his server, check on bzc.

I have a ton of disk space on my server if you want a place to dump files (your own domain or I can put it on sehost.com or bz911.net domains)

Eddy

Although I haven't been mirroring the 1.5 files (there already seemed to be plenty ), I think I might now.

Mirrored here: http://bhbz.org/1_5/

Launchalot's site(s!) is(are!) usually up to date. I can make sure that they're uploaded there as well.

[Red Devil]

Thankee, that worked