New version progress thread

[TinyTerror]

Ok, this thread will be like a progress log for the new version that will be comming out within the next few weeks. I'll post here as I add features to let everyone know how things are comming.

[TinyTerror]

This afternoon I recoded the chat stuff in lunar. The old version was a nasty pile of code that used multiple threads, sloppy techniques, and too many layers of operation. The new code is smaller, faster, threadless, and simple as hell. Because of the reduction in complexity, the stability should be much higher than before.

I also added the craft skill functions. These should let you get your level, rank, and if you are capped or not for each craft skill. Another thing I added is zone id, but it doesn't work right because of a bad memloc.

Currently about 75% of the game data functions are returning correct values. I am using an old version of starhawk's static lib. Its a couple of months old, and still picks up most of the values correctly. Everybody say thanks to starhawk for hos badass code. Hopefully in the next week or so he will be able to get me a newer version with the remaining memlocs fixed.

Just to give you an idea of how stable the new lunar code is, I worked on it all day (about 8 hours) and it only crashed twice. Those two crashes were the result of me doing something stupid in newly added, not bugs in lunar itself. I think the new thread locking code is working out really well.

Anyway, I'll work on it some more this week. I might be able to crank out an experimental version some time this week for the brave among you to mess around with

[TinyTerror]

Today I coded and integrated the audio stuff into Lunar. It should let you load, play, pause, rewind, speed up, slow down, and jump to position on wav, ogg, and mp3 sounds among other formats. I haven't tested it yet, but it should work no problem. It shouldn't be too long before we start seeing mp3 player scripts that work in game.

I also added the code that let different script talk to one another while running. I had codee for this previously, but it was going to be difficult to use and even harder to learn for anyone who has never messed with pipes or sockets before. The new system allows the user to write variables to a table that any other script can read and write to. It is extremely error tolerant, and is about as easy as possible to use.

Next on the list is to get the recast timer memlocs code joined up to the ffxi library. This code will let you see the recast time on any ability in the game. There are alot of ereally cool things you can do with this. After the remaining memloc stuff, all that remains are a few old known issues to be tackled before I can release a working version to the testers.

With the automatic doc wiki comming online soon, this new version is going to be alot better than the last.

[TinyTerror]

I have had a cold all week and am on al sorts of cold pills at the moment. This isn't really a good situation for me writing code for lunar. I might be able to get some testing done, but thats about it. Maybe I will feel better tomorrow.

[TinyTerror]

Im mostly over the cold now. Testing will resume right away.

[Onitaru]

I know this is totaly unrealted but in the 10 nest post link it shows you double posted and I was woundering if you knew why just seems kinda odd and a waste to see the same post one after the other.

[TinyTerror]

Dunno.

[Sufo]

onitaru said:

I know this is totaly unrealted but in the 10 nest post link it shows you double posted and I was woundering if you knew why just seems kinda odd and a waste to see the same post one after the other.

Its because its an announcement so it counts it as an announcement and a post.

[TinyTerror]

Im about half way through getting the new graphics code into Lunar. This code is a slightly modified version of the Windower source code that draws primitives and text to the screen. I am fixing the graphics over text bug that made it a pain in the ass to draw interfaces. Thanks to cliff for the source code.

This is the last major coding work for the new version. If starhawk didn't change the memory lib api since the version thats in lunar currently, I should be able to post a test build relatively soon. The test build will mostly be for people to help me test the new libs that I added. It won't have some of the support functions that a real release would have, but it will be able to show what new features have been added.

[snoopie]

AWSOME! we cant wait. keep it up.

[TinyTerror]

I'm doing some initial tests on the new graphics stuff now. Hopefully it wont kill ffxi too many times before I get it right.

[TinyTerror]

After a stressful period of not being able to get lunar to load on my dev box, I finally got into testing the new graphics stuff. As expected, there are some issues with my CriticalSection code. So now we have a choice. Do you guys want me to focus on getting a new version out with the new features and old graphics system, or spend a bit more time on the new graphics code?

Its up to you. Depending on what happens, I might be able to find some time during the week to polish off the rest of the new features.

[nopantsdance]

I vote for getting the new version out. I'm fine with the old graphics and I have missed Lunar dearly since the update.

[Sufo]

I think we should all be patient and wait for you to get the new stuff out. It shouldn't be too long maybe a couple days longer I assume.

[snoopie]

i NEED my Lunar. damn the graphics,man.