I've managed to claw back some of the performance loss that happened with 1.8.666b, but I'm still not all the way there. Currently it's running at about 75% the speed of earlier versions, which translates to maybe 1.5 times the speed of 1.8.666b. It still compares unfavourably to recent OpenGL-based builds I've been testing, as well as to my semi-souped-up DirectQ 1.0 (with added coloured light support and a few other experimental bits in it).
Unfortunately I remain uncertain as to where the rest of the performance has gone. The theory I favour at the moment is that it's timer-related, and that there's something that used to be done every (for example) 5 seconds that is now happening every (same example) 5 milliseconds instead. This could be totally wide of the mark of course. What I have ruled out is anything related to the server, the sound code, or the renderer, so whatever it is, it's almost definitely happening in the client code.
Quite annoying stuff, to say the least.
I've added a fade to the intermission screens (sorta like the menu fade when you bring it up in-game, but not as dark), the main reason being that I feel that the intermision text might be a little hard to see in many scenes. We'll see how that one goes over; I think it looks kinda cool but some might think "it's different! change it back!" without even considering it on it's own merits. If anyone can come up with a valid gameplay related reason for changing it back I'll be more inclined to do so, in other words. (One that's more important than the reason why I added it wouldn't hurt either.)
Been playing some of the original Half Life lately too. 12 years after the hype it's interesting to re-evaluate the game, and a lot of the things I found wrong or annoying about it first time round still hold up today; specifically that I find most of the environments quite bland and repetitive. Some of the sparkly effects and environment mapping that Valve added to it over time really look badly out of place among the rest of the late-90s graphics too. It's still a fun game if you can ignore the vast expanses of featureless military grey though. Shame the source code will probably never be released; it would be fun to have a poke at that (especially the software renderer).
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Where the Wild Things are
Posted by
mhquake
at
7:03 PM
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Some more wild stuff:
collage of screenshots
Note how the ammo box and medi-kit change, depending on the viewing angle.. I tested with both the final release of 1.8.666 and 1.8.666b and they both have this behavior..
1.8.4 renders them correctly though.
Maps in this pic: utressor and spirit1dm2
Regarding the fade in and out, and other such effects, perhaps you could add a submenu in options > More Options like "DirectQuake Misc"?
I don't always like such features, but I only really hate them when I can't disable them from a menu option, or an obvious console command.
It's not a fade in and out at all, just drawing the scene a little darker. Like so. No cheesy novelty stuff at all - promise. ;) If it's really objectionable I'll an scr_intermissionfade or something for it; that's easy.
> Note how the ammo box and medi-kit change, depending on the viewing angle.. I tested with both the final release of 1.8.666 and 1.8.666b and they both have this behavior..
That's odd. I know what causes that and I'm always on the lookout for it. It doesn't happen in 1.8.7 so far though.
Bad link, try this one: http://i51.tinypic.com/2z59fdt.jpg
I'm fine with cheesy and novelty, as long as it is optional. I do happen to think that looks pretty good. I'm really fine with many things, so long as they are easily toggleable.
Except for disabling gibs and torches, then you're just taking the Quake out of it, IMO ;)
As a Quake old-timer, I don't find the "fade-in, fade-out" objectionable. After having a look at your screenshot, the text does appear much clearer. Good move, and had you never mentioned it, would anyone even notice?
> had you never mentioned it, would anyone even notice?
Possibly not, but I've learned to believe in "fair warning". Sometimes it works out well, sometimes it doesn't (yeah, I've been there too) but on balance everything is open and you know what you're getting (with no nasty surprises), which is positive stuff overall.
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