Posts on Jan 2012

Network lag after build 265 poll

Vote KAG! (JiG Best of 2011)

Hey, you know how cool Jay Is Games is right? Fairly cool? They certainly gave us a nice review a few weeks back.

It’d be pretty super awesome if you’d vote for King Arthur’s Gold in their game of the year thing. Be sure to check the box up the top when voting for it so that you submit a vote for game of the year, it’s on the first page about ¾ of the way down with a nice picture of the knight next to it, like this:

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

We’re sure you’ll follow your hearts on the vote 😉

(You can vote once per day, for those die hard vote a hundred times if they could kind of fans)

New engine news clarification

Some time ago I wrote about starting work on a new KAG engine. I haven’t spoken about it since then. So to clarify that…

I have started work on a new engine but realized after about a week of work that it’s gonna be more work than I expected. So I stopped doing that and decided to make a game engine live organ transplant.

What this means is that the skeleton of the engine remains the same but I am gradually replacing every component of the engine with new better code. I am doing this so that the game development does not stop for a couple weeks and we can all play and have frequent updates. For example the workshops are completely new code that interacts with the old code. The same with zombies. Eventually everything will be rewritten seamlessly and if you’re not interesting in programming you shouldn’t even care about this :).

Good news for modders is that all the new code is data-driven meaning every thing in the game has its own .cfg file in the Base/Actors directory. Every modifcation of those files works over network so there can be servers with completely different gravity, jumping, health etc.

Have fun,
MM 

Duel map with radiosity lighting

Here is how the old swordfight map presents itself with the new lighting model. As you see caves and castle interiors are darker. It is possible to make a room totally dark if you don’t build any holes or windows.

(click)

Lighting is pretty much done. Zombies are also half-way through. We should make this release this month.

MM

Real darkness

Today I worked on fun zombie AI. My favorite monster AI of all time is Doom II. I try replicate that wherever I can.

But most importantly I made real darkness on maps today. Meaning only surface areas have light. If there is a cave it is dark and you need a lantern to see inside. I’m not using ray-casting for the lighting like I did for example in Link-Dead. I feel that does not fit the pixel theme of the game and generally produces ugly effects. So we’ll have a nice lighting model that still makes nice darkness for creepy monsters to hide in.

MM

BUILD 265 RELEASED!

Most important fixes coming your way!

You’ll also notice the chat is now on top. It makes so much more sense to have that there, especially if you’re an archer shooting poor knights from top of a bridge.

(if you want to change this open KAG/Base/Scripts/config.gm
global cc_valign = 2; – for the old bottom chat) 

Changes 263-265:

– fixed native resolution in fullscreen broken
– fixed map collisions (not climbing, corner jumping etc.)
– chat console is disabled if no players
– unit counters changed to minimalistic numbers
– chat moved to top
– gamemode descriptions support line break (new CTF description)
– chat box position, transparency improvements
– chat box only displays under 140 chars
– fixed help texts not appearing during build time
– fixed not being able to build sometimes at some spots
– fixed buying bomb by spamming with left over coins
– fixed massive gold appearing under tent in older generator scripts
– fixed hole in map generator causing tower
– added flat map with hole in middle to deafult map cycle
– fixed 2 players from the same IP being authenticated wrong on master server
– Mac: fixed space appearing after pressing shift in chat


If there is trouble updating to build 265 download a fresh install:

http://kag2d.com/download 

BUILD 262-263 RELEASED!

THIS BUILD IS A PREPARATION BEFORE THE NEXT BIG UPDATES INCLUDING ZOMBIES & WAR MODE

This means the goodies aren’t yet here but if you consider bug fixes and game improvements goodies then you’ll be really satisfied with this release. The most important changes in this build are:

  • Changed workshop building to an UPGRADE MECHANISM using USE KEY [E]
    All rooms are 3×3 grids that you build with the generic room block. After you have an empty room, press [E] on the room and select the workshop you want to build.

  • Outposts and catapults are built in the SIEGE WORKSHOP

  • KAG map format which saves everything on the map (/loadmap /savemap commands eg. “/savemap plaza”)

  • Faster network code. Many optimizations in this area you’ll notice a slightly lower ping.

That’s the tip of the iceberg, here is a detailed list. Read this (especially if you’re on a Mac).

Changes 228-262:

– new Swordfight map
– fixed some collision bugs
– fixed tents spawning underground
– map format changed to .KAG
– loadmap savemap – loadssaves .KAG files
– loadbitmap NAME – loads PNG map format from Maps/
– packet compression is back on
– arrows stick to bodies
– fixed rules time counter and display
– changed to larger font for catapult health and blocks menu resources display
– builder rectangle cursor doesn’t appear if not buildable and not diggable
– fixed ping times in server browser
– fixed favorites in server browser
– fixed server browser password prompt display
– fixed sort types list box
– fixed most bottom blocks on map indestructible bug
– added speedhack detection and prevention
– units are decreased on spawn not death
– Mac: fixed ingame web browser
– Mac: fixed screen options not saving
– Mac: changed team chat switch to Ctrl
– Mac: improve graphic performance on
– Mac: fixed game crashing when window larger than desktop
– fixed authentication mix up when two players from same host connect
– improved network code – slightly lower pings
– added server check for knight slashing
– slash takes 5% longer
– sv_compression variable works again
– fixed throw sound being played if trying to drop materials during warmup
– fixed client crash on map restart
– fixed trying to connect to full server
– units aren’t decreased in build time
– added nextmap command (restartmap works as it should now)
– Mac: fixed clipboard pasting Cmd+V
– Mac: fixed mouse button / shield problem
– fixed head config hack
– fixed bomb killing teammates
– improved offscreen objects netcode
– autoupdate can be canceled with ESC
– new linux dedicated executable works w/o batch file “./KAGdedi”

Changes 262-263:

– fixed kick and swap menus not scrolling
– arrows don’t stick to shields
– fixed unpredictable bomb throwing on high ping
– fixed unit_count=0 in gamemode.cfg (one life for all)
– fixed warmup counter display
– fixed quarters not healing if something in front of it

DOWNLOAD NOW

LINUX AND MAC USERS ARE ADVISED TO DOWNLOAD AND MAKE A FRESH INSTALL OF THIS BUILD.

Linux server needs to be launched manually with ./KAGdedi after autoupdate (chmod +x KAGdedi too)

New Release Imminent

We’ve been toiling to get everything converted for an interim release before the zombie release soon – We’re as keen for it to be out the door as I’m sure you guys are to play it.

We’re working out the last of the bugs at the moment and collating everything, so be sure to keep your eyes on the devlog so you know when to patch your game.

If you’d like to help out with testing, download the test build from this thread and be sure to report any bugs that you notice in the test build subforum!

Geti

Test build available

The testing build of the next KAG patch is available for testing for all 3 platforms.

http://kagforum.com/index.php?threads/test-build.216/page-75#post-47021

General testing notes:

Be warned that there might be unexpected bugs that won’t allow to play the game.

Please post bugs/opinions about the test version on that forum topic ONLY.

READING THE CHANGELOG IS MANDATORY. Asking stupid questions about the changes will result in kick. The changelog is located in the KAG directory in the file readme.txt, it will also be available here when I post it.

Zombies are switched off because this patch isn’t about zombies. They will come after this I promise.

MM

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