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Development News
| How to make sure your client is up to date October 22, 2012, 09:51:35 pm by Daemon |
| One month after the public XR 1.0 release and more than two months after the initial pre-release, the testing period for Savage XR 1.0 is over. We would like to thank our testers and players so much for their patience and support! As time progresses, the moment to sever the ties with the past closes in. At this point, under 5% of all the Savage clients being used are not XR 1.0. Although there are unfortunate exceptions like honest players believing their computers are too old to run anything other than outdated versions, there are those whose choice is not so benign. Many if not most that still use them do so because of the client cheats and hacks only working on those. The countermeasures we could implement in the servers, we did, but there's nothing we can do to prevent those unfair advantages on age-old installs with no auto-updater and crafty cheaters. Besides the new anti-cheat protection in XR, there are new features which are incompatible with old versions: the new auth server, the new clan commands like inviting, voting and playing mods 'on the fly', the new XR maps with all their props. In fact, the xr_ maps triggered a new kind of exploit: the XR 1.0 props and textures are invisible on older clients even though they CAN play them. The players using them can actually see through them like there was nothing there. It's time we cast them out. Further development is also hindered by having to maintain retro-compatibility. You have to be a Savage dev to know how many times we felt suicide urges because of the amount of work needed to add the smallest of things without breaking backwards compatibility. As yesterday's patches showed, the updates to the Testing installs, both client and server, which many of you still use, can cause quite some issues. So, in order to remove the cheaters once and for all and to clear the way for the development of XR 1.1, everyone should switch to public release Savage XR 1.0 Production version, which will only get major updates, and not untested and frequent dev patches. Please read the following instructions carefully: _________________________________________________________ To find out exactly which version you have, run Savage, pull down console with the tilde key ("~"), type cl_SEPVersion and press Enter. The number you get shows your version: 1005: YOU ARE OK. You have the public release Savage XR 1.0 Production, you need not do anything, except make sure you always start the game with savage.exe and not silverback.exe. 1006: You were an XR 1.0 tester, and still use a Savage XR 1.0 Testing install, used by developers to test new changes through frequent updates that may happen to break it. You can either reinstall the game from the download page or edit 2 files to keep using your current install. To do the latter, find your Savage XR installation folder and edit the "a-u.cfg" file located inside. Just change the value of the "isTesting 1" keyword to "isTesting 0" and your install will become Production. Start Savage, let it update and play. 820-1004: If cl_SEPVersion resulted in anything lower than 1005 or 1006 (like 1003, 1000, 999, 820 etc.) means you have an outdated and unsupported version. You need to reinstall the game by downloading your appropriate client from the download page. As soon the final preparations are in place, a patch will be uploaded for all servers, clients and OS's installs. That will most likely be tomorrow evening. Among other dev changes, it will break compatibility with outdated clients so please make sure you take care of it by then. Thank you. |
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| Savage XR 1.0 Released - Full Details September 17, 2012, 12:41:39 am by Django |
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  More than 5 years in the making (and 6560 SVN revisions later), and having involved the contribution of dozens of different persons, Newerth is proud to announce the release of Savage XR 1.0. An incredible number of improvements, bug fixes, new content additions and amount of polishing was made over any previous versions (vanilla, SFE, EX2 etc). The complete list would be so long, it would need a couple of people to read, taking turns when the other one collapses in awe. The main new features and changes, only a fraction of the grand total, are as follows: 
Clan & Stats Panels  
New 3D Assets  
Improved Models  
Customized Content  
Savage Evolution  
Python Engine 
GUI Additions  
GameScript & Modding  
78% more Savage 
Revamped Editor 
New Server Features  
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| Final call July 14, 2012, 06:04:04 pm by Daemon |
| A couple very important problems got worked out tonight, thanks to Mohican: 1. The LODs (levels of detail) weren't working anymore since the introduction of custom unit skins, possibly dropping client FPS. As a side effect, now it's possible to use custom skins on unit LODs as well (remember the DA red pred that turned back to normal texture as soon as it moved away?) 2. The centralized Newerth map update system is fixed. The mappers that want test their maps or the players that want to host edited maps, that don't match with the versions on the map database, should use "devworld map_name" or "world map_name 0" to override the checks. Basically, 3 major things are left to do in order to release: 1. Finalizing and uploading the trees pack (Daemon) 2. Fixing the linux ESC/black screen GUI bug (DJ) 3. Making the demos work properly again (Mohican) Hopefully, all three should be fixed the following week. Other, minor fixes would be made after releasing XR 1.0. Wish us luck! :D |
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| Savage XR Gameplay Demonstration June 16, 2012, 01:38:14 am by H3027 |
| Almost 3 months after we announced the demo competition, the winner demos are chosen and our new representative gameplay is finally implemented into the Tutorial section of Savage XR. Featuring a public match with Shagroth playing Humans on crossroads, Nanaa dueling Xaero with all units on a beautiful map designed by Faun made with the newest XR textures and props, as well as the exhibition round of the Savage World Cup 2012 with Shagroth as Beast in team Scandi versus United Kingdom on snowblind. Beginners can now relax and enjoy the show. (runtime: 45 minutes)     |
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| The Lego May 01, 2012, 05:01:41 pm by Daemon |
This may not warrant a special dev post but it was 3 days of work and 8 years too late: the 'fixed' lego. Pictures don't do him justice! Was scared each time a new player started the game and saw this crap S2 had the guts to release :D.  I've fixed all the holes and spikes and errors (like the pointy ass) and most limbs twisting problems, and re-rigged the entire armor to the lego model so they can go along without visible overlapping areas.  Just one thing left to do and I AM DONE with what i had to do for XR - and we can release! |
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| The XR_Nature trees pack April 17, 2012, 12:42:00 am by Daemon |
| The tree pack is finally assembled with stuff from Mchief and myself. We aren't the best of modelers and making tree textures is hard stuff, so be gentle. :P. Before adding it to the AU, there's a couple of issues to be discussed. 1. The quality. Please download the PACK and test it a little. Try and bring some constructive feedback. I've included the textures in TGA format so if you could make a better job of those, be my guest. 2. The "Replace vs. Don't Replace" issue. The question is whether we keep the old ones, or replace them, where replacing is possible. For instance, those awfully saturated Birch trees can be replaced with the new ones without any side effects, since they're pretty similar in size and collision boxes. But the new Fulltree is totally different from the old one, except the size. Replacing it would have some weird effects like tree trunk parts hanging in mid air or collision boxes not matching. The new Birch trees. They can replace the old ones, no sweat. (props to BabaJaga for the original texture!)  The new Hawaii trees. They could replace the old ones but those are actually pretty good themselves, and the shape is kinda different.  The new Fulltrees. These can't replace the old one, which was an abomination, and hopefully will stop being used.  A new tree with 3 variations, unimaginatively called Sparse tree :P.  Another new tree, called Dense tree :P.  New Palm trees that could replace the old ones (which were also good) so i guess better just add them. A new Pine tree, perhaps replacing that ugly low-res one with the hanging billboard branches, and a new trunk for the Oak tree. Unfortunately, we haven't managed to get new foliage too :/.  I've tried toning down Flatplant and Bush4 (from XR_Nature), but they're made in such a way that i didn't manage to get good results. So for now, i've added a small yucca plant with similar colors so they don't feel alone on exotic maps.  |
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| XR 1.0: Editor News October 04, 2011, 07:50:55 am by Mohican |
| Some final improvements are being made to the XR 1.0 Editor before release. First of all, most crash bugs have been fixed!! (The GUI code was found to have many issues, dating back from 2.0e, which have all been solved) Next, I am progressively making substantial improvements to the interface/functionality: New Config Panel:  With this new Panel you can write server-side and client-side scripts, as well as pack extra assets into the map file. What can you do with it? Here are some examples: - Modify/Initialize special cvars to make special map mods (check out latest xr_mini or xr_tutorial_h1). - Load custom GUI files, to add more information (check out latest xr_mini). - Add extra sound effects, textures or models (to use in "effects" for instance). Do not hesitate to contact me for more information on this new feature! New Objects Panel:  Selected Object Panel:  New Triggers Panel:  All selection menus will be improved in a similar way, as well as file load/save. NOTE: Mappers interested in using the XR 1.0 editor before release can send me a PM. |
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| Progress Update - XR 1.0 September 02, 2011, 10:43:03 pm by Daemon |
| Hello :). We have entered the final stages of working on XR 1.0. Countless improvements have been made, and a great deal of work has been invested in the FPS performance, game complexity, ease of modding, bug fixes, new content and lots of other aspects of the game. I will list some of the things that were done and some that are near completion, mostly the kind which i can attach pictures of :). Many of these aren't yet visible in Testing, but they do exist and will be released very soon. - LODs (levels of detail) have been added for the units that had none, like the Predator. This helps reduce the performance impact on the computer when rendering multiple units which aren't close enough so every detail counts. - The Catapult, which got new LODs as well, now also features a... nomad!   - Major fixes to screwed up unit models, out of which the Stalker and Predator stand out. Before:    After:    - Distinctive and visible squad markers were added for both races to really make the squads feature useful. Soon, siege units will be given the same markes also.    - New officer flags for all squads:  - New GUI squad selection icons:   - A new Savage logo is in the making. It will be fully 3D which would make it available for all kinds of uses, including Youtube clips, customizing and so on. Mind you, this is not the final take on this, which would feature the "nature" theme as well.    - New tools for mining, building and repairing. The special mine/build anims will probably be reverted completely and these tools will be visible instead for said actions.   - A batch of new, pro-style, crosshair icons - by Tirza.  - Re-worked ingame Savage myth section - by Tirza.   - Armor parts were split into pieces (shield, bracers, leggings, boots, breastplate, shoulder pads, helmet etc). This was done to allow interchangeability and customization. Slightly differentiated helmets were added to the units.  - The Unique Items system is 100% working. Some clans already know this! And don't worry, we plan to offer unique items gifts to all NSL clans by the time XR 1.0 is released.            - A large number of tree foliage texures and tree models have been greatly improved by Mchief and Babajaga. A big topic is going to be posted soon about it. (next pictures are not the latest versions)    - New high quality maps / terrain textures made by Aneurysm. Will be made part of the mapping news thread as well. - New props are being added for map makers to be able to come up with original set-ups.       - New vote type facilitating playing any mod on any server on any time: "/callvote mod mod_name". This will simply load the specified mod on the map currently loaded (if it doesn't use special maps). This is greatly helping with the next entry. - The gameplay changes discussed in the Re-Balancing Suggestions forum are carefully analyzed and tweaked by a group of Newerth admins, and implemented in a sandbox-type mod, called "Evolution". Players will be able to load it at anytime and experience the new changes and then, community input is welcome before transplanting them to mainstream Savage servers. Last discussed suggestion was S18. These are the results, which don't automatically exclude the suggestions not present here, in view of a holistic approach to re-balancing: * Healing tech research costs decreased: buildings, units, abilities, items) cost reduced by 50%. * Monastery/Sanctuary now do not require Arsenal to be built in order to unlock them. * Rupture improved: 50% increase in ammo, damage rounded to 90 (compared to tempest's 170), +10% larger splash damage area, 10% bonus damage to all enemies in the area it hits, for each enemy it touches and up to 3 enemies per shot (1=100%, 2=120%, 3=130%). * Mana Crystal became consumable. It can be thrown like disruptors, it breaks on impact and produces 3 pickable mana crystal goodies. * Sensors are now stackable, max 2, single slot. Total team sensors: 16. * Ammo boxes now refill ammo over the 50% limit, if player has ammo pack. * Sprinting costs 20% less stamina, for both races.  - The "Evolution" sandbox mod also features 2 new siege/melee units: the Mech and the Glider. They exist out of the hope that just as the addition of Medics to Savage, they are too going to add to the replayability factor and strategy diversity of the game. They are available for Testers to try, by simply using /callvote mod evolution. But mind you, they are not final in any way, shape or form, as nothing is, until Savage XR 1.0 is released.      High poly    Low poly (2990 polys)    Ingame    This is a clip i've put together with screenshots taken during the development of the Mech. Enjoy!  Some other clips: http://www.newerth.com/daemon/xr/mech_walk2/mech_walk2.html http://www.newerth.com/daemon/xr/mech_walk3/mech_walk3.html www.newerth.com/daemon/xr/glider_fly1.avi www.newerth.com/daemon/xr/glider_melee1.avi ______________ There are a gazillion fixes and code improvements i don't have the proper knowledge to explain properly. Mohican and Clemens went out of their way to tame silverback. I can only name a few points: - VoIP system is almost done. Buffering has been added to it and the possibility to talk to All/Team/Squad/Specs. - XR Demo Replay functions properly and is able to play demos recorded with any previous version as well. - New Stats Screen, accessible from within Main Menu, without the need to connect to a server - by Crash. The release of XR 1.0 will bring many other features not covered in this post, like Python server triggers, anti-hack protection and detection, a clan management panel, achievements and custom items shop. We really hope you will enjoy playing it as much as we did making it! |
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