Announcing Oolite v1.77

[another_commander]

Oolite v1.77 is now available from oolite.org. This version comes packed full of new exciting features and improvements over previous releases and is the one currently recommended by the Oolite dev team. Note that it is not considered feature-stable, though. The official latest Oolite stable release continues to be 1.76.1.

Version 1.77 is the first official test of producing the game in Deployment Configuration, which is the configuration that ensures maximum performance at the expense of debugging features. As a reminder, please be aware that Deployment Configuration is different to Test Release (the configuration we have been using up to and including v1.76.1) in the following ways:
1. Debug OXP and Debug Console are not supported.
2. OXP Verifier functionality is excluded.
3. Localization tools support is excluded.
4. AI Graphviz support is excluded.
5. Debugging information functionality (e.g. AI stack, collision, entities, memory usage, dump target state, script tracing etc. information) is removed.
6. FPS info (Shift-F) displays just that: FPS.
7. JS monitor support is disabled.
8. The JS method takeSnapshot() is disabled.
9. TAF is disabled.
10. A lot of sanity checks are ommited deliberately, resulting in slightly better performance.

For OXP creators, testers and whomever in general would prefer the Test Release configuration, patch programs are available that will do the switch for you. See http://developer.berlios.de/project/fil ... up_id=3577 for download details.

Linux users who have installed beta 1.75.1 or later using the oolite.org self-extracting package (not from a Linux distro repository!) may update to the latest deployment release by executing the oolite-update command.


Changes in version 1.77:
Gameplay:
=========

General:
--------
* Enabled reverse-stepping through list of beacons shown by the Advanced Space Compass. The default key is '|' (Shift-'\').
* Energy bomb made strict mode only.
* Ships with a bounty will often avoid the main station
* A certain classified device is now possible to repair and has had minor changes to its behaviour.
* Improvements to sound effect handling for scoop and laser
* Several efficiency improvements for smoother gameplay
* New combat behaviour and AI, including:
More consistent missile explosion behaviour
Smarter Thargoids
Smarter use of turret weapons
Better reactions against cloaked opponents
Better reaction to deployment of Q-mines
NPCs can now use side weapons
NPC lasers now equivalent to player lasers in terms of rate of fire and overheating.
* Gamma control for SDL builds
* System populator cleaner, and hermits now semi-persistent
* Longer visibility distance
* Criminal behaviour sanctions now equivalent for player and NPCs
* Witchspace exit speed now depends on the lead ship, and player following NPC through a wormhole now behaves better.
* Keyboard precision mode
* Stations can now have multiple docks
* Docking Clearance Protocol now a Game Option
* Interfaces screen on docked F4 for accessing arbitrary station or ship systems. Passenger and cargo contracts moved to this screen;
parcel contracts added.
* Can switch to custom views while paused
* Improved rendering of planetary atmosphere and sun
* New 'b' key for activation of secondary function of primable equipment (e.g. a mode switch)
* New starfield textures
* New laser textures
* New exhaust textures
* Mac specific: ctrl-cmd-f is the new toggle key for full screen display

Expansion Pack Development:
===========================

AI:
---
* New events:
DEFENSE_TARGET_LOST
DEFENSE_TARGET_DESTROYED
CASCADE_WEAPON_DETECTED
ATTACKER_MISSED
* New commands:
addFoundTargetAsDefenseTarget
addPrimaryAggressorAsDefenseTarget
broadcastEnergyBlastImminent
clearDefenseTargets
findNewDefenseTarget
performLandOnPlanet
performScriptedAI
performScriptedCombatAI
recallStoredTarget
setTargetToLastStation
setTargetToRandomStation
storeTarget
* Higher skill combat AIs available through 'accuracy' setting
* Full frame-by-frame control over ship AI now available from script

Config files:
-------------
* Required space in equipment.plist now works as intended
* damage_probability setting in equipment.plist
* Ship role list now automatically includes "[shipDataKey]"; roles beginning with "[" are forbidden.
* Shipdata weapon_facings property to set available laser mounts
* bright_fraction property for flasher subentities
* Crosshair plist files separate from HUD
* Several new descriptions.plist and missiontext.plist entries
* New effectdata.plist to define visual effects - items with a visual appearance, and perhaps a scanner and compass signal, but no physical presence. These can be used to supplement/replace break patterns, among other effects.
* shipdata.plist exhaust z-size now acts as a z-scale within the range 0.5 to 2.0. Out of range values default to 1.0 = standard size
* cloud_alpha property in planetinfo.plist to control atmosphere opacity

Scripting:
----------
* Various debug console improvements
* Additional 'b' key and mode() function for primable equipment
* "Dock" entity type, for control over docking and launching, especially in multidock stations.
* More parameters for mission.markSystem, to allow custom markers
* Condition scripts for equipment, ships, and shipyard to replace legacy conditions.
* Numerous additional options for mission.runScreen, and related properties for mission objects
* "VisualEffect" entity type, for management of effects defined through effectdata.plist
* guiScreenChanged fires for entering mission screens

* New properties
clock.adjustedSeconds
entity.isInSpace
player.ship.hyperspaceSpinTime
player.ship.missilesOnline
player.ship.price
player.ship.serviceLevel
ship.*Weapon now editable
ship.AIFoundTarget
ship.AIPrimaryAggressor
ship.autoAI
ship.beaconCode
ship.boundingBox
ship.commodity
ship.commodityCount
ship.currentWeapon
ship.dataKey
ship.desiredRange
ship.destination
ship.laserHeatLevel
ship.maxEscorts
ship.pitch, ship.roll, ship.yaw
ship.weaponFacings
ship.weaponPosition*
station.breakPattern
station.hasShipyard
station.market
system.breakPattern

* New methods
global.autoAIForRole(role)
player.replaceShip(key)
player.ship.beginHyperspaceCountdown(delay)
player.ship.cancelHyperspaceCountdown([delay])
player.ship.resetCustomView()
player.ship.setCustomView(position,orientation)
player.ship.takeInternalDamage()
ship.dealEnergyDamage()
ship.getMaterials()
ship.getShaders()
ship.setBounty(amount,reason)
station.setMarketPrice(cargo,price)
station.setMarketQuantity(cargo,price)
system.addVisualEffect(key,position)

* New events
cascadeWeaponDetected(weapon)
dayChanged(day)
equipmentRepaired(equipment)
playerBoughtCargo(commodity, units, price)
playerSoldCargo(commodity, units, price)
shipBeingAttackedUnsuccessfully(attacker)
shipBountyChanged(delta,reason)
shipHitByECM {new 'whom' argument}
shipLandedOnPlanet(planet)
shipScoopedFuel()

Miscellaneous:
--------------
* TAF changes only possible when FPS display is active (Test Release builds only)
* Planettool updated

Bug fixes:
==========
* 'sendAllShipsAway' no longer tries to send ships without a hyperspace motor away.
* Added missing new keyboard controls to the BBC keyconfig.plist
* Scoop icon fixed for ships carrying special cargo
* Docking behaviour now more reliable at low frame rates and at odd approach angles
* Negative ship distances on HUD fixed
* Laser position display fix
* Target system memory expansion now works properly with cloaked ships
* Cargo rounding and save/load bugs fixed
* Advanced Navigation Array display bug fixed
* Being on board a witchspacing carrier now works more sensibly
* Larger witchbuoys no longer a collision risk
* Several crash bugs fixed
* Turret declarations now work as intended
* Planetinfo overrides now cleaned up from savegames
* Problems with wormholes in zero-distance doubles fixed
* Fines now only applied at main stations
* Attempting to calculate a route to or from interstellar space no longer crashes
* Scooped and released escape pods work properly

System requirements:
====================

Mac-specific
------------
* Oolite now requires an Intel processor and Mac OS X 10.5 or later.



Once again, we thank you all for your continuous support during the development of this release. This really is a great community.

Enjoy the game!