See this post for latest info
MPR++ v0.2.6c open for alpha testing
Hey all, to not flood udm or christmas thread with mpr++ related issues, please use this topic instead.
update: fixed character repetion (chat/save)
update: switch chroma/alpha transparency mode via ini
in mpr++.ini activate RENDERMODE=MPR_CHROMA (by removing the # infront) for buggy transparency if mod isn't adjusted to use alpha in palettes instead
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Story:
Some might remember I once tried to develop a new network engine for botf (actually not 'for' botf but like the graphic engine compatible to ). That project got balked, I still missed experience and had a hard time with RL so didn't manage to finish it like I wished for.
When I found time for programming again, some interesting 'insight' to old mpr engine , more and more reported graphic issues (partially also experienced myself) and seeing all the hob trouble bugg'in modders, I wanted to see if it's possible to replace that damn old mpr97 graphic beast and gave it a try. That was some time last year, before gowron sadly disappeared (I still hope he's alife and well up and some time will shows up again ).
Again I encountered lots of troubles but always found a solution and learned ALOT by it. Alot on botf, on c++ programming and also assembler. And I enjoy it alot too, so am happy to spent my free time on this - maybe not as much as I did last days
Now managed to get a first fully playable version done compatible to botf, all mods and even multiplayer (ha surprise). Always found it annoying to play fullscreen, now you can run windowed or select different resolutions. Botf will scale but 1024 project (thumbs up for this cool project) and other resolutions are supported, too.
You even can run multiple instances, connect on same system and have your hotseat session if you want.
Speed is not optimal yet, that's mainly cause 3D rendering currently is dependent on old botf rendbead render system already converting data to 2D before it get's to the graphic engine, and also cause I didn't find an easy way to identify and reuse vertex buffers but recreate them every frame. Furthermore it doesn't seem to work well on some old systems with slow graphics.
But for 3D that's just a temporary as we'll get rid of hob format, bsp trees and rendbead all together but use replacement ships.
Thanks help and kicks of Quasardonkey I began work on replacement ships. With lots of analysis on rendbead I found position and rotation and lots of other data and can identify ships (or better to say their viewable models, no ship data yet) over frames and render anything I want in the exact same position and orientation, that's what replacements are and they are already fully supported.
You can change the rendermode in mpr++.ini, have a look to the INI-Manual, you find many more options.
If I'm right and santa didn't change this, for testing purposes in 3D mode there's already one replacement ship for the federation included, have a look, enable both modes MPR|3D to compare (remove '#' infornt [mpr] and RENDERMODE=MPR|3D).
Sadly ships can't be replaced in part but all have to be replaced at once, and there's still some work on phasers, animations and other effects missing so 3D mode is disabled by default.
But that's not all, I also successfully managed to skip & replace whole combat, but while replacements are mp compatible, implementing a new combat isn't and still requires ALOT of time I don't have right now.
Furthermore mpr++ itercepts all input allowing for some new input options.
While I probably could continue to fill 20 more pages on mpr++, give it a try, find out yourself, enjoy and leave some feedback.
new controls:
f6 opens fps info
f7 shows an ogre3d (the graphic engine behind) test mesh
f8 toggles fullscreen
f12 takes screenshots and saves timestamped in screenshots folder
ctrl /strg key can be used for mouse repeat + shift = faster repeat (useful for build menu)
on map you now can move faster and diagonal
Known bugs and issues:
- MPR mode combat rendering is slow:
either get a faster pc or wait for 3D mode ship replacements - Ship Textures are partially transparent 'have holes':
that's due to chroma key and just about right, we'll get rid of the problem by replacing the textures and deactivate chroma key but use alpha transparency (also allowing for semi-transparency) - ship textures stretch on close view: that won't be fixed, instead wait for replacement ships
- progress and load game doesn't show up but view freezes during that time
that might be fixed another time, it's a bit complicated, so you've to live without for now - screensaver doesn't work
disabled it by feeding botf with mouse position though you don't move it (workaround) cause it crashed the game for unknown reasons. Might implement a new one another time. - stars render above ships
could be fixed but I rather replace the whole background rendering
One thing always making me so excited on this community is all the modders still believing in this great game, so I wanna thank you all, nm if you did make it to get a release done for christmas or not.
I'm sure there are lots cool things to come, so looking forward to it.
While thanking for modders and community as a whole, and ofc the mandatory thank to every nameful contributor by single [place in your names here] (hey, did anyone count the bugfixes released by SCT? ), the installer by thunderchero and lots of endurance and encouragement by many, I also want to give big thanks for all the talk and ideas with thunderchero, anjel and ofc my buddy KrazeeXXL High Five Hive!
Please no ranking, love you all, without you botf for long would be dead!