DarkRadiant 1.6.0 Pre-Release Test

[greebo]

Although I've had the Particle Editor on the roadmap to 1.6.0 I'll leave that one for 1.7.0 perhaps. This clears the way for a 1.6.0 pre-release check, which should definitely be shorter lasting than the half-a-year-pre-release phase we had with 1.5.0.

 

Download links:

http://www.dramtheth...t-1.6.0pre1.exe (32 Bit)

http://www.dramtheth...6.0pre1.x64.exe (64 Bit)

 

A word of warning: the map loading and saving code has been redesigned in 1.6.0, which implies that there might be bugs in this rather important section. Don't use this pre-release if you're anxious about border-line cases where work might be lost. That being said I'm pretty sure that the new code is ok, angua and me have been using it for our "daily" mapping work already and it appears to be fine. I'd appreciate if people can test it nonetheless, just keep in mind to make regular backups of your work. If nobody tests it the bugs might slip into the actual release, so I'm kind of relying on you folks.

 

Things that have changed:

 

- Quake 4 Map Support: this is the first DR release to feature native Q4 map save/load support, including a minimal .game file. I don't have Q4 myself so I can't really test it, but loading Q4 maps will work in any selected .game.

- Fixed Desktop Composition Disabling code

- Fixed the problem with models showing up as "Shader not Found" on a seemingly random basis.

- Fixed the single-pixel lines showing between brushes/patch connections.

- Fixed a problem with mirroring func_statics - the child primitives won't be translated across the map and stay where they belong now

- Faster rendering: I could decrease the overall time needed to render a non-far-clipped camview in large maps to about 50%, though your specific mileage may vary. Before the changes, 66% of the render time were spent on the front-end render pass, which could be reduced to 30%. Most of the render time is now spent in actual OpenGL calls which is a step forward. More rendering improvements are to be expected when the actual render strategy changes (== renderer redesign).

- Fixed ModelPreview problems on Eyefinity systems.

- Fixed crash when importing Readables with more than 9 pages

- New grid rendering code contributed by radon.

 

Please check it out if you can, remember to make backups and report any bugs especially with regards to saving/loading. With any luck I can push the actual 1.6.0 release off my back soon.

[grayman]

Happy to participate.

 

The flyaway func_static mirroring and missing shader fixes alone are worth the price of admission.

 

I save often, so hopefully that won't be a problem.

 

Thanks.

[grayman]

It's identifying itself as 1.5, both during installation and in the Help window.

[DeTeEff]

What does "faster rendering" do? Is that only eminent when using "real" lighting with f3 or is the "Overall floating around in the level" faster?

[Bikerdude]

Greebs, I will test that renaming issue I mentioned having with 1.5 etc..

[greebo]

It's identifying itself as 1.5, both during installation and in the Help window.

Hm. It should say "This will install DarkRadiant 1.6.0pre1 on your computer" or something like that. The actual version in the About > Help dialog should be 1.5.1 (because it's a pre-release version), build date April, 1st.

 

What does "faster rendering" do? Is that only eminent when using "real" lighting with f3 or is the "Overall floating around in the level" faster?

I was referring to the regular textured preview mode. I didn't look at the lighting mode at all, the changes I've made might be noticeable there or maybe not.

 

Greebs, I will test that renaming issue I mentioned having with 1.5 etc..

I haven't touched that code, so any problem you have with 1.5.0 in that respect will still be there in this 1.6.0 pre-release.

[Bikerdude]

I haven't touched that code, so any problem you have with 1.5.0 in that respect will still be there in this 1.6.0 pre-release.

Ah ok.

 

• On a performance note I have to say this new version is much faster when zipping around in ortho/camera view. Its like turning on far plan clip, the speed jump is that good!
  
• And bloody hell fire, I just turned on full shader view... before it was practically unusable, but now Im even able to use it on a 35mb map file...!!! And the 3D view is even closer to what the map looks like in-game, stunning!
  
• Thanks for putting the dot-grid feature in orthoview, less clutter makes a mapper life that bit easier.
  

 

Man... I cant wait to see what other new improvements/features there are...

 

[New Horizon]

Wow, the 3D preview looks awesome! You're right BD, it definitely looks much closer to how it looks in-game now.

 

Beautiful, just beautiful.

[Darkman]

- Fixed Desktop Composition Disabling code

 

thats the point which sounds best from my point of view, as i had to remain at version 1.4 due to some kind of malifunction around this feature with 1.5 (although others did not have a problem there in 1.5).

 

i hope that at version 1.6 the disabling code will work again for me

Edited April 1, 2011 by Darkman

[greebo]

i hope that at version 1.6 the disabling code will work again for me

Feel free to check it out. At least it can be confirmed then that the fix is working - if it doesn't work it can be reinvestigated before 1.6.0 rolls out, otherwise you might have to wait for 1.6.1 or later.

[DeTeEff]

DarkRadiant crashes on 3D view for me...

 

Specs:

 

Windows XP

Pentium Dual core 3GHz

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX

[Shadowhide]

everything ok for me,my specs is almost same

 

PS

 

anybody can wrote tutorial how to influence DR for Quake 4 ?

[DeTeEff]

Also, there are lines missing in ortho view. It's like the program skips certain lines...

[greebo]

DarkRadiant crashes on 3D view for me...

You mean in lighting mode or in regular preview? Previous DR versions work for you? Which error message do you get?

 

Also, there are lines missing in ortho view. It's like the program skips certain lines... <_>

I think I know what you mean. This is related to radon's grid view changes, I believe, but I'm not certain.

[DeTeEff]

You mean in lighting mode or in regular preview? Previous DR versions work for you? Which error message do you get?

 

It's the F3-mode when lights and shadows are more real.

 

It's the usual XP-error: "DarkRadiant.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." And a question whereas I want to send or not send the bug to mr Gates...

 

 

I think I know what you mean. This is related to radon's grid view changes, I believe, but I'm not certain.

 

A picture tells more than a thousand words...

 

[nbohr1more]

No crash in 3D mode for me...

 

P4 3.0GHz

HD4650 1GB AGP

2GB PC3200 (DDR400)

XP SP3

 

Did you make sure to disable "Threaded Optimizations" in your nVidia drivers Fieldmedic?

[DeTeEff]

I don't care too much because I never use that rendering mode anyway, mostly because it takes forever to load and is performance heavy...but as it seems to be quicker in this version it would be nice if it works...

 

Well, I'm happy and impressed of how hard you tech guys work on this mod and editor and I wouldn't demand anything if others don't experience any problems

[Bikerdude]

A picture tells more than a thousand words...

Fm go into prefs and change the grip type, there are now 8 options to change what the grid looks like!

 

regardng the crashing, what driver are you running and have you updated directx

[Bikerdude]

@Greebs, some bugs

 

When I try to import any prefabs I get error pop-up -

• after clicking import prefab
  
• each time I click on a folder from the file browser
  
• and after clicking on a folder there is a option or seomthing stuck to the mouse cursor.
  

 

# it has only happened once, was my quick save key (I bind the F5 button to do quick saves in DR - stopped working.

# at grid 4, using default setting of 'lines' for both major/minor - when you zoom in, but beyond a certain point the grid disappears.

[greebo]

When I try to import any prefabs I get error pop-up -

• after clicking import prefab
• each time I click on a folder from the file browser

All of these work fine for me. What error message do you get?

 

# it has only happened once, was my quick save key (I bind the F5 button to do quick saves in DR - stopped working.

There is no quicksave in DR. But you can assign shortcuts to any command in DarkRadiant, the save command has always had Ctrl-S, of course.

 

# at grid 4, using default setting of 'lines' for both major/minor - when you zoom in, but beyond a certain point the grid disappears.

Confirmed.

[greebo]

Also, there are lines missing in ortho view. It's like the program skips certain lines... <_>

# at grid 4, using default setting of 'lines' for both major/minor - when you zoom in, but beyond a certain point the grid disappears.

These two are fixed in SVN now.

[Bikerdude]

All of these work fine for me. What error message do you get?

To be extra sure I nuked my DR prefs etc, the error is "failure opening map file" "d:/games/doom/darkmod/prefabs/ai" and for example if I click on readables or any other folder I get that wierd mouse icon issue. have attached a pic.

[greebo]

Ah, got it now. I haven't had any folders in my prefabs/ path that's why I didn't run into this.

[Fidcal]

No crash in 3D mode for me...

~~~

Did you make sure to disable "Threaded Optimizations" in your nVidia drivers Fieldmedic?

Hey! thanks for this! It fixed it for me. I've not been able to use render mode for a couple of years - probably since I got this machine.

 

Like Fieldmedic, I'm not that bothered about full rendering but I did use it occasionally so it's nice to have the option again now.

 

One question: what effect does disabling threaded optimizations have on other software/desktop? If there is a downside I'll probably put it back on auto.

[Fidcal]

I can answer my own question now!

 

Switching off threaded optimisations crashes Dark Mod every time. It must be 'on' or 'auto'. Is this a known bug with Nvidia? If not I'd better add it to the wiki. Do we know of anyone unable to play Dark Mod because it just crashes out that we've not been able to solve?