Gamestudio 7.50 public beta

A new Gamestudio update is available for a public beta test:

gstudio_setup.exe

This version contains fixes for the bugs listed for 7.10, as well as new features such as an improved map compiler, improved shaders, normal mapping for level blocks, model lightmap import, monitor selection for multi-monitor systems, improved hit detection, and many new or improved engine functions.

You can install version 7.50 as an update to your previous Gamestudio/A7 version. About installing and using the new features, please read:

http://manual.conitec.net/newfeatures70.htm

Please test everything and if you find a bug, please report it to the bug forum.

If you wonder why the version number is 7.50 and not 7.30: This is a retail version and the number was a request by our publisher.

So, where's my wed sdk?

http://server.conitec.net/down/wedmedsdk75.zip

Menu placement is described under "newfeatures.txt".

To get faster to the next payed release?

Thank you!

On a glance it all looks great. I didn't however find the new 'SetMainScriptName()' function. Do you know where it is or how it's called?

*wobble* Thanks!

What is the planned release date for this? Must be major to jump from 7.10 to 7.50 wow major indeed.

Faulty assumption:

thanks for the update and the fixed bugs!

publisher? sybex? atari?

After installing 7.50 over 7.10.1 as update and de-select German helpfiles. SED displays Command Help in German language.

I've uploaded a new version where the command help is now english.

You can download the english command help separately here:

http://server.conitec.net/down/3DGSCommands.db

Command database works for me. All good now. Thanks.

For some reason, with the engine SDK I get an access violation in engine_open(). Not good...

I've been reporting this error since the first beta after 7.10

I got the following messages when I assign fx_bump
to my model :

Error in effect:
mtl_test(22): error X3000:syntax error: unexpected token 'bumpOut'
>float4 DoDiffuse(bumpOut In,float3 Normal)<

Error in effect:
mtl_specBump2(24): error X3000:syntax error: unexpected token 'bumpOut'
>float4 DoBlinn(bumpOut In,float3 Normal)<

Error in effect:
mtl_specBump(26): error X3000:syntax error: unexpected token 'bumpOut'
>float4 DoPhong(bumpOut In,float3 Normal)<

Error in effect:
mtl_bump(22): error X3000:syntax error: unexpected token 'bumpOut'
>float4 DoDiffuse(bumpOut In,float3 Normal)<

For using predefined shaders and materials, see the manual:

http://manual.conitec.net/amaterial2.htm

and make sure not to mix up .fx files from an old and a new version. Otherwise you'll get error messages, such as above. 'bumpOut' is defined in default.fx.

I've reinstall A7.50 to ensure all files are updated,
assign the fx_bump action to my model in WED, the above
messages popup when run, then I use the following
action as you taught me last time :

action myBump()
{
my.skill41 = floatv(50);
my.skill42 = floatv(50);
fx_bump();
}

the above messages still exists, any ideas?

When you install a software, only the files in the program folders are updated. The files in your own project folder are not updated. That's where you had an opportunity to mix up old and new .fx files. Just delete the old files from your project. The error message is about an old default.fx version.

I like the way shaders are working with level geometry now. But there seems to be something wrong with the vecLight... variables. The template specbump2 shader is only effected by the sun.
Another question which came up into my mind is, how can I set the shader settings, like specularity and shininess for levelgeometry? What about a specularity map and shouldn´t the specularity be based on the views direction towards towards each vertex and also be depending on the lights position? And what about attenuation for pointlights?

Those are just the things which came up into my mind after playing around with those normalmapping shaders for a while. Other than that I am really very happy with this update. Could you please do again, what you just did with the shader performence?^^

@jcl, thanks.

wow ent_decal is like soooo cool ^^
one of the best features ever !!
thank you for this great update !

I also find ent_decal is a very cool addition.
Although I would need to influence the stack order of the decals to be able use it in my actual project.
Any idea if there is a possibility to do that?
For details please see my original posting
http://www.coniserver.net/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=226820#Post226820

Ok, we'll change the decal stack order with the next update so that later decals cover earlier ones.

It would also be good if it would be able to choose on which layer the decal should be placed (layer 2 overlays layer 1 ...)
just like the layers of the panels

Yes! That would be nice.

Cheers

Will it soon be a 3dgs A/8?

That's great news! jcl, thank you for that!

([edit]related post was delete - (not possible by default as far as i know))

Where is the stable A7?
All the features offered with A6 and added since A6 should be fixed/work and released in a stabel A7 before starting with A8.

mercuryus

Has something been done about the access violation in engine_open()?

If you mean the bug list, the solution is listed there.

Is it just me, but i can no longer see untextured models when i run my level in WED, but i can still see there shadows, why is this?

Maybe a dumb suggestion, But have you unchecked material setup in MED

Yep, it worked fine before i updated, i didnt change a thing, just recompiled.

Ok, i just ran it again (with the model textured, and with it having an action attached), and the model is still invisble but works like it isnt, but also when i move close to it, it becomes visible. Bug?? or me?

the workaround for the engine_open bug until the next public release is to make sure your program has a capitalized .EXE
progname.EXE not progname.exe

Hi!

My current project worked well using 7.10. Now I updated to Version 7.50 (not beta). Although there`s no scripting bug (as far as I know and the engine compiler tells me) the engine crashes dirctly after the startup with the error message (german) "acknex.exe funktioniert nicht mehr". The code is the same that worked befor updating. I use Windows Vista 32bit SP1, 4 Gig RAM, Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS G92, Intel Core 2 Duo E6400. Do I need to update the graphics driver/DirectX version?

Thanks for replying,
Robin

Edit: Found the problem! I just had to update my "include" folder in the game directory that I copied from the gamestudio installation folder.
The update is awesome: I had a problem with the collision system that is gone now. And the wonderful new dynamic lightning as well as the dynamic shadows on level blocks topped by self-shadowing of the models. Wonderful! Thank you very much!

Hi JCL!

I am encountering long initial loading times (when the gstudio startup window appears), for my game. It's 55 seconds compared to around 15-20 seconds using 7.10, I have no idea why this is happening would you happen to have any ideas?

Thank you!

David

Thanks for this update, but unfortunately I have the very same problem as the user "Blade" has.
I got a single model in a scene with blocks but it is not visible.
It has no texture file as skin but a skin defined as "skin1" including a material set-up. In MED it is rendered as green, like it should.
But when I run the level from SED it is not visible, the statistic panel however lists one entity and one visible entity which must be it.
Other facts:
- entity is created via ent_create and gets a simple action attach which just sets a pointer to it
- nothing else

any suggestions?
(yes in the prior version it worked just fine)

I'll look into the untextured models issue. If a model has neither texture nor material it probably won't be visible, but with a green material it should.

David: Loading times can be affected by image conversion processes, such as TGA to DDS. But I can't see a reason at the moment for a loading time difference between 7.10 and 7.50 when the script is otherwise unchanged.

Here the exact material and skin settings:
- Skin Name: Skin1
- Material Setup: Activated
- Diffuse: 0 128 0
- Ambient: 0 128 0
- Specular: 1 1 1
- Emissive: 1 1 1
- Power: 1.0
- Alpha: 100

File-Key: mdl7

Thanks in advance jcl!

Where can I download the latest beta version ? (V 7.53b)

One of my models is only visible from the front when i am close, but from anywhere behind its visible anywhere??

I can send the .exe is needed.

Maybe wrong oriented normals?

Not sure, but it worked fine in 7.10, so its something in the update.

Two materials below absolutely not working with 7.50, and they work with 7.10 Were there any changes regarding material assigment or something?


MATERIAL* hide1 =
{
effect = "technique orangeBrat
{
pass p0
{
SrcBlend = Zero;
DestBlend = One;
AlphaBlendEnable = true;
}
};";
}

MATERIAL* hide2 =
{
effect =
"technique test
{
pass p0
{
AlphaBlendEnable = True;
SrcBlend = Zero;
DestBlend = One;
zwriteenable = true;
zenable = true;
colorwriteenable=alpha;
colorwriteenable1=alpha;
colorwriteenable2=alpha;
colorwriteenable3=alpha;
}
};";
}

Is there a way i can revert to A7:10 , as this new update is causing me to many problems with models.

Tell me about it. The bmap_blitpart function no longer works! Models with no texture or just a material effect assigned in MED are not visible in game!
I am going back to 7.10.

Last thing, are these problems being fixed (and will they be done soon) or shall i just revert back to 7.10 , as this is really stopping my work.

they are on holiday, nothing is happening currently (they will be back one week later.)

ahh
why do they need holiday, lolz

Because they work their back sides off to deliver these updates to all of us. It's mind frying work and they deserve a break every once in a while.

it was a joke

little bump.
I'd still like to know the source of the effect that my entity is disappearing.

Thanks in advance and welcome back from your hiking trip, hope you guys had fun!

I'm getting crazy with the need for ".EXE" instead of ".exe" files... i can't change the output-file of my visual c#. Manual renaming of the .exe to .EXE works, but if i start it out of visual studio to debug its somehow still recognized as ".exe". I really hope this will be fixed soon.

Version 7.50 is not in beta anymore, so this thread is sort of outdated. All reported 7.50 bugs were listed in the bug list and fixed for the next update. Whenever you encounter any problem that's not yet listed in the bug list, please post a description in the bug forum, as detailed as possible - when we can reproduce a problem we'll take care of it. Any questions about this version can be posted to the Ask Conitec forum.