Few update suggestions

Posted By: 3run

Few update suggestions - 07/17/21 13:33

Hey @jcl!

I wanted to suggest two things, which (in my mind) would significantly improve gamestudio user experience yet with minimal effort.

1) - Official Lite-C extension for VSCode. Is it possible to get one from conitec? I started making my own one, but when it came to Lite-C grammar specific things (.tmLanguage.json) I gave up. It doesn't seems to be too hard for a person, who knows all ins and outs of Lite-C to be able to create extension. This would improve coding experience dramatically, since VSCode is featuring all the things (autocompletion, autoformatting instead of indenting, intellisense, etc) that SED is missing. At the end it also could be uploaded to VSCcode marketplace, so all newcomers would be able to set it up within few clicks! Atm, I was able to get Lite-C working with VSCode, but it's not fully working (supported), since I'm using official C extension which doesn't recognize Lite-C specific syntax. It's a bit tricky to get it up and running, and might be difficult for those, who may wanna try acknex out.

2) - Yesterday I've found out, that WED can open quake .map files. After googling for a while, I've came across TrenchBroom which seems to be the best (and modern) mapping tool atm for quake 1. I was able to create a level with it, which then was successfully opened in WED and compiled with the Map Compiler. Player's position was recognized as a camera position, light was recognized correctly as a static light. Even texture alignment worked correctly! Also it turns out that TrenchBroom's source is available on github under GNU General Public License v3.0. Aside from being an open source, TrenchBroom has a powerful manual + dozens of tutorials over the web. It can do anything level designer could only wish for. I think it would be a great replacement for WED and would take minimal effort forking it and adapting to GameStudio needs.

Trailer that shows TrenchBroom features: TrenchBroom 2 Trailer
Source code: TrenchBroom Git

Imported level showing working texture alignment.
[Linked Image]

Best regards!
Posted By: Emre

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/20/21 10:11

One more suggestion: If there is going to be an update, it would be great if there was a change to make the engine work with 4GB of memory on 64-bit systems. Although this can be done with external tool, it would be good to take care of this while the update is going to be done. I guess it doesn't take much effort to do that either. It also increases the attractiveness of the engine.
Posted By: jcl

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/20/21 16:15

I'll check that out. Alternatively to VSCode, try Notepad++ that already has a lite-C extension. It's for Zorro, but by replacing the keywords you could use it also with Gamestudio.
Posted By: 3run

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/22/21 14:37

It took me about 8 hours to get all the keywords (with params, etc) working. So now I have a working notepad++ alternative to SED. But at the end this is not even comparable to VSCode. The main reason is, that you have to type all those keywords by hand, which is a very bad idea. If Zorro or GameStudio will get new features (or old features are going to get removed) this will constantly require the keywords to be added/removed, which is (pardon) a huge pain in the ass. While with VSCode you can simply include the header file (in case with GameStudio it's acknex.h) and everything will work out of the box (autocomplition, highlighting) + it will be easier to maintain future updates. It also helps to navigate your project, because 'include' does indeed include the script file and all of it's variables, functions, etc are becoming available (same reason why it doesn't require any keywords to be added by hand). I'm really sad that I couldn't create an extension for VSCode myself, so I do hope, that you will give it a try. It would work for Zorro and Gamestudio almost without any changes (the only differences it will have will be in compiling the code, means running the script with acknex.exe or zorro.exe).

Screenshots:
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Best regards.
Posted By: jcl

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/23/21 08:21

That's right, we do indeed update NP++ with any new feature. This can not be fully automatized with header files. But if it works automatically with VSCode, then what do you need us to implement?
Posted By: 3run

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/23/21 08:47

VSCode doesn't fully support LiteC syntax.

What I'm doing atm is:
Code
-Use official C extension from Microsoft
-Define 'include path' to match GameStudio's 'include' folder
-Create 'launch.json' in order to compile the script (acknex.exe and args (filename, -diag, etc))

But this doesn't help with syntax, so I'm getting this kind of issues:
[Linked Image]
This happens with all 'alike' PANEL, TEXT, VIEW, MATERIAL, etc.
It can't auto-format the thing, because it expects ';' at the end of the line (like in C).
This also messes up the reset of the script file, so intellisence won't work correctly.
If you could create official LiteC syntax extension to VSCode, it would work out of the box.
Posted By: 3run

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/28/21 09:47

Originally Posted by LiteC Syntax
type name = value;
type name = { ... }

; Semicolon terminates each instruction or logical line.
{...} Winged brackets enclose structs or instruction lists.

Is there any way to force compiler to accept ';' at the end of the instruction lists?
So it would be:
Code
type name = { ... };
instead of:
Code
type name = { ... }
This would fix a lot of issues that LiteC has with all C/C++ IDE's. Because all C parsers in this case expect the end of the line (;).

Code examples:
Code
ENTITY *ent =
{
    layer = 1;
};

PANEL *pan =
{
    layer = 1;
};

VECTOR *vSpeed =
{
    x = 10;
    y = 20;
    z = 30;
};

ANGLE *aSpeed =
{
    pan = 10;
    tilt = 20;
    roll = 30;
};
Instead of weird
Code
ENTITY *ent =
{
    layer = 1;
}

PANEL *pan =
{
    layer = 1;
}

VECTOR *vSpeed =
{
    x = 10;
    y = 20;
    z = 30;
}

ANGLE *aSpeed =
{
    pan = 10;
    tilt = 20;
    roll = 30;
}


EDIT: I've faced this syntax problem with VSCode in the past, now I'm facing it while getting Geany to work with LiteC.

C parser can't parse this... it goes all the way down till ';' is found at the end of ENTITY* ent_ptr !
[Linked Image]

But it works correctly when everything is closed with ';'
[Linked Image]


Best regards
Posted By: jcl

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/28/21 15:11

That's nonstandard syntax for bachwards compatibility with WDL. Since we're using the lite-C compiler also for Zorro, its recent versions don't support the WDL-style structs anymore. But I'll add the ending semicolon to the change list for the next Gamestufio update.
Posted By: 3run

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/28/21 15:33

Originally Posted by jcl
I'll add the ending semicolon to the change list for the next Gamstufio update.
This is a great news! Any ideas when new update will be out (at least approximately)? Thank you!
Posted By: jcl

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/29/21 12:07

Afraid not - it might be still a long time.
Posted By: JeyKey II

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/30/21 09:44

I find it tasteless of you to give the users hope, even though you know very well that it will never happen.
Maybe in the next life?
Posted By: jcl

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/30/21 14:40

I cannot tell when there will be a release, but I can tell that we have a noticeable to do list for it.
Posted By: 3run

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/30/21 16:09

To be honest I was happy to hear that there is a 'change list for the next update'. But my happiness didn't last for too long, since your answers were not unambiguous and they felt like 'yes we are going to update the engine' and 'no you better don't wait for it' at the same time...

With all the respect jcl, I have to say, that you don't appreciate enough those users who still hangs around Gamestudio...
Engine wasn't updated for 5 years (since Mar 9 2016)! You guys got notepad++ extension for Zorro thing, but ignored Gamestudio (and it's community)! You guys are using more recent versions of lite-C compiler for Zorro while still ignoring Gamestudio (and it's community). What kind of appreciation is this? Instead of being honest with users by saying 'acknex is dead, it's not going to be maintained, you better move along' you are giving us false hope that it will EVENTUALLY get an update. Sure thing, it might get an update when there will be no one left here, but what would be the point then?

You last words about when new update will (not) come out were the last nails in Gamestudio's coffin for me.
You don't say things straight as they are, probably because Gamestudio is still on sale, but that's indeed tasteless.

Even if it's on sale, most of the ads aren't applicable to it anymore:
Originally Posted by Gamestudio main page
Gamestudio is the world's fastest authoring system for interactive 2D and 3D applications - such as multimedia tools, video games, simulations, or any other software program.
Originally Posted by New Features in Gamestudio / A8
With purchasing a Gamestudio Edition from the Gamestudio website, you aquire the right of lifetime free updates of your engine version. Updates are released in regular intervals as long as the engine version is developed.


Best regards.
Posted By: Emre

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/30/21 16:56

Originally Posted by jcl
I cannot tell when there will be a release, but I can tell that we have a noticeable to do list for it.

Lol. If you're being sarcastic, I see a keen intelligence there. If it's not sarcasm, I think you would make a great politician, because you're a master at not saying anything definitive, which is also a sign of keen intelligence. In this case there is nothing left for us but to show respect.

I'm sure that the to-do list is epicly long. Considering that you do not want to devote/spend time and resources to this issue, or that you cannot do it for financial reasons, it is obvious that this update will not come out. What we expect from you is to release small updates for important stuff. Maybe as a result, people will continue to use acknex and you will get new acknex customers through emerging projects. it's a win win situation. Or maybe even a small update takes more time and resources than I expected though. If that's the case, of course we can't insist. However, I'm not sure what is the case, since our communication consists of short sentences that are not precise, I cannot reach a definite judgment either. I'm just speculating.


Don't get me wrong. Frankly, I really respect you. Developing games was my dream. Without Acknex, I could not have made this dream come true. Because there is no other engine that is so easy to use and takes so little time to learn. I'm sure many people have entered this field and have done successful work thanks to acknex. I even know that one of them owns a game development studio now (of course they use another engine.) and he remembers Acknex with gratitude.

What I'm going to say is that you made a great engine, even though it's no longer being updated and it's lagging behind today's standards. I wish you hadn't thrown it away.

Best Regards!
Posted By: pegamode

Re: Few update suggestions - 07/31/21 17:16

There were times when the engine was updated every few months. You found bugs and knew that they would be fixed relatively soon. New features were added and existing ones were optimized. It was really fun to work with this engine.

Now it's been 5 years without a single update. If there was really still interest in providing the engine with updates, then they would at least implement small things piece by piece and simply release minor updates. That would be owed at least to the users, in my opinion.

Especially the lack of 64bit support and the associated limitation of memory access hurt a lot, because the debug mode is not usable for large projects.

It's a real shame for the engine and the community, which has been very active here for many years and there have always been many helpful people.

In the beginning I had hoped that updates for the engine would continue to come out, but I gave up that hope years ago. As much as I wish to be wrong with it, I don't believe in an update anymore.
Posted By: rayp

Re: Few update suggestions - 08/31/21 12:29

What i really need is a fbx Format Update.

Converting Back to fbx2010 (in 2021) was a pain last years. Now i have the First Files where converting is impossible already.

When mixamo (4ex) stops the 6.1 Version, its totally over (with assests).

Even with expensive pro Apps Like Maya, converting 10 years back is almost not possible without losing a Lot of feats

I have pro mocaps...cant use...Stuck in fbx2013...at best.

Maybe an fbx expert knows more ways to convert, who knows...i know a lot ways but by far not enough...


Edit: and yes its a shame that acknex is "dead"
Posted By: Quad

Re: Few update suggestions - 09/01/21 08:37

Even if they update FBX importer, most new features would not be available anyway unless there is also a MDL7 update which would me mdl8 i guess, but then that would require an engine update. Which all of us know is not going to happen.
Posted By: rayp

Re: Few update suggestions - 09/03/21 12:14

True. But i would be happy if i could import my files...at least wink ...missing feats (known problem when dealing with acknex today).
edit: good thing is, converting static meshes works almost every time (but its getting more and more a task).

Quote
I'm sure that the to-do list is epicly long. Considering that you do not want to devote/spend time and resources to this issue, or that you cannot do it for financial reasons, it is obvious that this update will not come out. What we expect from you is to release small updates for important stuff.Maybe as a result, people will continue to use acknex and you will get new acknex customers through emerging projects. it's a win win situation.
Very good idea. To show conitec still cares about acknex AND to attract new users.

But when looking at the amount of last active users and the feedback from JCL in this thread..."i have a bad feeling about this" wink
When price droped i thought, well now a update is not much realistic "any more".

greets
Posted By: Emre

Re: Few update suggestions - 09/03/21 17:20

Originally Posted by rayp

When price droped i thought, well now a update is not much realistic "any more".


I absolutely agree. One of the Edgar Allan Poe's (The Raven) poem always comes to my mind when talking to jcl about this subject.

Quote from the poem:

Leave my updateless unbroken!—
quit the beta above my hope!
Take thy acknex from out my heart,
and take thy bugs from off my scope!”
Quoth the Lotter “Nevermore.”
Posted By: rayp

Re: Few update suggestions - 09/07/21 22:31

Quote
Now i have the First Files where converting is impossible already.

Bit off topic...but i wanted to say...i finally managed to downgrade the newest FBX (7.7) mocap to fbx2010 laugh ...finally!
cheers!

edit:
Next update suggestion: MED+WED - stop working for me if i reach some project size, while other apps of this time still open the files. For example "too many" animations frames and med tells me "Out of ram", while i have around 20gb free in task manager. Fragmotion and other open with no problem in a second.
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