TGEA MS 4.2 Release
by Brian Ramage · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 01/23/2007 (4:17 pm) · 119 replies
Hey guys,
MS 4.2 should be up now. Like I said in my blog post, no new features, it was mostly work fixing
memory leaks, fixing bugs, cleaning up some areas, etc. Here's a list of some of the fixes:
- Fixed a bunch of memory leaks. Pretty much everything major should be fixed now, although
I don't believe the Atlas memory leak fixes made it into 4.2, so that will be in RC1.
- setTexture() optimization - reduces redundant texture states
- Xinput controller connected query fix
- Atlas dynamic lighting enabled
- Fixed Load/SaveGuiDlg support.
- Killed "newMission" loading from main menu.
- Fixed project files for VC2003 and VC2005
- Double sided Material fix
- Misc lighting fixes and updates
- Detail maps work on legacy terrain
Here is a list of known major and intermediate issues with this build:
- terrain painting error - causes crash when painting with "set empty" brush
- crash when editing camera spline path
- deleting SimGroup "environment" causes crash
- occasional crash when changing resolutions
- going into mission editor in walkthrough drops camera inside waypoint marker
- legacy terrain issues with tops of peaks missing in editor mode
- lighting messed up when switching between fullscreen and windowed
If you are seeing bugs that are not on this list, please go ahead and post them in the "Bugs" area on the forums. If they are significant and reproducable, we'll get to them for RC1 which we're hoping we can get to you in a week or two. That release will include a "default material" feature so you don't have to create a Material for every single texture in your game.
In addition to the bug fixing, we're working on fleshing out the docs more. If you have any requests for areas of the engine that you'd like to see more documentation on, go ahead and post them and we'll try and hit as many as we can.
December 2006 DirectX SDK - I just wanted to let you all know that there are issues between TGEA and that DXSDK. Those issues won't be resolved until after TGEA goes 1.0. Please use the October 2006 SDK until then.
MS 4.2 should be up now. Like I said in my blog post, no new features, it was mostly work fixing
memory leaks, fixing bugs, cleaning up some areas, etc. Here's a list of some of the fixes:
- Fixed a bunch of memory leaks. Pretty much everything major should be fixed now, although
I don't believe the Atlas memory leak fixes made it into 4.2, so that will be in RC1.
- setTexture() optimization - reduces redundant texture states
- Xinput controller connected query fix
- Atlas dynamic lighting enabled
- Fixed Load/SaveGuiDlg support.
- Killed "newMission" loading from main menu.
- Fixed project files for VC2003 and VC2005
- Double sided Material fix
- Misc lighting fixes and updates
- Detail maps work on legacy terrain
Here is a list of known major and intermediate issues with this build:
- terrain painting error - causes crash when painting with "set empty" brush
- crash when editing camera spline path
- deleting SimGroup "environment" causes crash
- occasional crash when changing resolutions
- going into mission editor in walkthrough drops camera inside waypoint marker
- legacy terrain issues with tops of peaks missing in editor mode
- lighting messed up when switching between fullscreen and windowed
If you are seeing bugs that are not on this list, please go ahead and post them in the "Bugs" area on the forums. If they are significant and reproducable, we'll get to them for RC1 which we're hoping we can get to you in a week or two. That release will include a "default material" feature so you don't have to create a Material for every single texture in your game.
In addition to the bug fixing, we're working on fleshing out the docs more. If you have any requests for areas of the engine that you'd like to see more documentation on, go ahead and post them and we'll try and hit as many as we can.
December 2006 DirectX SDK - I just wanted to let you all know that there are issues between TGEA and that DXSDK. Those issues won't be resolved until after TGEA goes 1.0. Please use the October 2006 SDK until then.
#102
02/06/2007 (4:15 pm)
Are you volunteering? ;) It's something I've often thought would be good but haven't had time to really pursue. We'd also want a way to filter bug reports so we don't waste time looking through crashes from 3rd party devs.
#103
Actually, if this wont likely make it in otherwise, it is something that I could implement. I have been looking for a contained project that I could give back to the community.
I can commit to work on this after GDC. My thought was that the minidump would be saved to a directory and there could be .cs file that contains email addresses for automatically sending out the dumps.
Anyone interested, please email me off this list with any specifications/thoughts at todd.scott@tormentedgames.com. (I'm trying not to hijack this thread.)
Thanks
Todd
02/06/2007 (4:26 pm)
Ben,Actually, if this wont likely make it in otherwise, it is something that I could implement. I have been looking for a contained project that I could give back to the community.
I can commit to work on this after GDC. My thought was that the minidump would be saved to a directory and there could be .cs file that contains email addresses for automatically sending out the dumps.
Anyone interested, please email me off this list with any specifications/thoughts at todd.scott@tormentedgames.com. (I'm trying not to hijack this thread.)
Thanks
Todd
#104
02/06/2007 (6:00 pm)
Making RC1 build now, will go into QA tomorrow.
#105
It has worked well for most of what we've had to track down. They normally charge per year for the service, but they've been allowing us to use it "till whenever". If it would help to find out what is crashing for others, I can help implement Bugsplat in somebody's build to run and generate some crash dumps.
Otherwise, we use to use a crash dump part of RakNet, which due to licensing and such, might be feasible for moving into Torque (just the crash part)
02/06/2007 (6:07 pm)
For minidump support, we're using BugSplat for our builds. It is a "middleware" for crash reporting. You uploaded the exe and pdb to a webpage (via a program or webpage), then hook into it in c++ and, then anytime it crashes, you get a Send Report dialog.It has worked well for most of what we've had to track down. They normally charge per year for the service, but they've been allowing us to use it "till whenever". If it would help to find out what is crashing for others, I can help implement Bugsplat in somebody's build to run and generate some crash dumps.
Otherwise, we use to use a crash dump part of RakNet, which due to licensing and such, might be feasible for moving into Torque (just the crash part)
#106
The crash only occurs on my workstation (which has no debugging tools). I tried to hook into the process from my laptop but it dies too fast to be able to do anything. Is there a better way to do this?
02/07/2007 (2:07 am)
Quote:
Can you get a call stack?
The crash only occurs on my workstation (which has no debugging tools). I tried to hook into the process from my laptop but it dies too fast to be able to do anything. Is there a better way to do this?
#107
Or if it dies before that then you might look into seeing if it's possible to launch app remotely with the debugger, which I don't think is impossible.
02/07/2007 (9:18 am)
Stick a debug break at start of main so you can catch it in the debugger - you run it, it dies, then you attach w/ remote debugger.Or if it dies before that then you might look into seeing if it's possible to launch app remotely with the debugger, which I don't think is impossible.
#108
WHAT??? NOT a priority??? Atlas was THE STRONGEST and MAIN REASON why we started using TSE for our game project over 8 months ago. We've been waiting around with promises that it WILL have a terrain editor and be fully implemented. Having the terrain editor is absolutely neccesary for our development. Every game needs a world. How can you just pull the ground that we walk on out from under us like this? Who decided it wasn't a priority? Certainly not the developers who are using it!
I don't know I guess if you're making a flying game it doesn't matter quite as much, but those of us stuck on the ground, we need a pretty terrain. Please reconsider your list of priorities.
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
02/07/2007 (7:58 pm)
"@Andy and Thomas - yep, looks like there are some Atlas problems. I've assigned it to Ben, but know that Atlas is not a priority for 1.0 release." by Brian Ramage, EmployeeWHAT??? NOT a priority??? Atlas was THE STRONGEST and MAIN REASON why we started using TSE for our game project over 8 months ago. We've been waiting around with promises that it WILL have a terrain editor and be fully implemented. Having the terrain editor is absolutely neccesary for our development. Every game needs a world. How can you just pull the ground that we walk on out from under us like this? Who decided it wasn't a priority? Certainly not the developers who are using it!
I don't know I guess if you're making a flying game it doesn't matter quite as much, but those of us stuck on the ground, we need a pretty terrain. Please reconsider your list of priorities.
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
#109
02/07/2007 (8:07 pm)
Did you read my follow up post?Quote:
Guys - to clarify on this point since it seems to be confusing to many:
Atlas bug fixes are high priority. We want what's there to be solid at release.
Atlas pipeline work is on-going. However we will not hold up TGEA 1.0 just for an Atlas pipeline feature. If what's in there is bug-free when our internal deadline hits, then we'll be releasing 1.0, and Atlas pipeline improvements can go into later releases.
#110
Thanks for taking the time to respond Ben. I do appreciate it. Blessings to you,
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
02/08/2007 (7:49 am)
Well get the mosquitos out of the brush tool then, because I want to use it! :D If you're looking for specific requests of what tools are most needed (for our project anyway) we need the terrain excavation and leveling tools to work, and we need the painting tools to work. :) Have a look at our terrain and you'll see why we need the editor so badly. http://www.visionsgame.com/#Screenshots =D Our terrain is too big to edit the texture in photoshop, and we can't tweak the elevation in photoshop properly at all. We love your interactive tools from TGE and want them back again. :)Thanks for taking the time to respond Ben. I do appreciate it. Blessings to you,
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
#111
02/09/2007 (3:02 am)
Can the following be explained as a fix, rather then jargon? Or should we just wait for RC1?Quote:The problem comes from the terrainLight datablock shipped with MS 4.1 and 4.2. Combined with the new batcher in Atlas, the above squared lighting shows up with some parts of the terrain being lit/unlit.
This only happens when (in the terrainLight) datablock has a brightness of 1 with a low radius (tested with the default 30).
When the radius is changed to 2000, then the entire terrain is lit up correctly. And when turning down the brightness it all looks as expected.
#112
It is completely random as to the extent of the effect.
The 1st time I loaded the mission it was all white, the second was brown and the third was fine... go figure...
Another issue we have is when you fire the crossbow, the entire terrain cell lights up like a nuclear blast....its insane...
Im at the point where Im gonna give up doing any more work until RC1 is released as the bugs are annoying... and Im hoping they wont be an issue with the new code...
02/09/2007 (3:37 am)
Heres some screenshots of the weird terrain bugs...It is completely random as to the extent of the effect.
The 1st time I loaded the mission it was all white, the second was brown and the third was fine... go figure...
Another issue we have is when you fire the crossbow, the entire terrain cell lights up like a nuclear blast....its insane...
Im at the point where Im gonna give up doing any more work until RC1 is released as the bugs are annoying... and Im hoping they wont be an issue with the new code...
#113
I think that RC1 is out. You can download it from your account.
Bye,
Jacopo
02/09/2007 (3:58 am)
@addiktiveI think that RC1 is out. You can download it from your account.
Bye,
Jacopo
#114
02/09/2007 (4:37 am)
I had a few problems where I would get pink squares (that looked a lot like when you haven't assigned a default cursor) or semi-random bitmaps (that I am using elsewhere) showing up on the terrains. It doesn't always happen, just sometimes. It might just be me since I screwed around with the terrain shaders some.
#115
ftp://visions.game-server.cc/Upload/Screen-Shots/ss-hot-pink-bridge-1-3-07.JPG
Does anyone know why this happens? As funny as it may be, it does kind of break the feeling of immersion and announce (in hot pink!) that the player is in an artifical game world and not really *there* in history. We would like to fix it if there is a known fix for it.
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
02/09/2007 (7:29 am)
We get hot pink "shadows" on a couple of our largest buildings. Not on the terrain though. Not sure why it happens but it is kind of funny. :) ftp://visions.game-server.cc/Upload/Screen-Shots/ss-hot-pink-bridge-1-3-07.JPG
Does anyone know why this happens? As funny as it may be, it does kind of break the feeling of immersion and announce (in hot pink!) that the player is in an artifical game world and not really *there* in history. We would like to fix it if there is a known fix for it.
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
#116
02/09/2007 (9:33 am)
Is it possible the engine thinks it has automipmap support but it doesn't? That looks a lot like a bad mipmap.
#117
@Sparkling, make sure to compile your interiors with the latest TSE map2dif.
02/09/2007 (10:19 am)
@addiktive, try RC1 - also what hardware are you running?@Sparkling, make sure to compile your interiors with the latest TSE map2dif.
#118
I get the same result on various different computers, so it's an engine issue, not hardware.
02/09/2007 (11:10 am)
I'll download RC1 and see what happens.I get the same result on various different computers, so it's an engine issue, not hardware.
#119
I will try to check with RC1 map2dif to confirm same behavior and try to gather more information
02/09/2007 (4:03 pm)
We're seeing very similar issues with interiors, except no hot pink, just black. It doesn't do it on the GG Interior (demo interior), but only on our interiors. I figure its either a mipmap issue, lightmap issue, or some bug in map2dif that was fixed somewhere along the way and our guys are using older map2difs... I will try to check with RC1 map2dif to confirm same behavior and try to gather more information
Torque Owner William Todd Scott
Adding minidump support to the engine would make tracking down issues like this much easier. We could all see the call stack, registers, etc. and it works with a release (and debug) build.
Just a suggestion/feature request.
Todd
edited for clarity