The long overdue Build 9.0 has finally been released. Please go to the download page to get it. You can see all the new features and issues on the download page. I’ll go ahead and do a quick run down of some of the new features here and make a larger post later about the future.

Click on the images to see them in full size.

More texture filtering modes:

Lowest setting – no filtering:

Max Setting – anisotropic filtering:

Bloom off

Bloom on

Dynamic Lighting off

Dynamic Lighting on

I uploaded a video showing many of the new Build 9 features such as dynamic lights, bloom, WIP approximate color map support, reticle support and optional textured minimap support running on the new renderer.

Download the high resolution version

(If you read the forums, some of this information will be redundant)

It’s been a long time in coming due to various issues, distractions and delays but I’m “over the hump” with Build 9 and I’m on the down hill slope toward release. Build 9 marks the end of an era, the final set of major internal refactoring and rewriting tasks – the rendering engine has basically been completely rewritten since Build 8.05 with major changes to other systems like collision. What this means is that all builds can be much smaller and more incremental. I’m hoping to get on a release schedule until the project reaches “release,” maybe 1 build a week. What this also means is that the path toward beta will be relatively smooth and clear. There will be issues and bugs of course but the major hurdles are past.

Build 9

Here is the feature list for the upcoming build (may be incomplete but the important stuff is here):

• Much improved renderer. Improved performance, improved culling, no more overlapping sector issues, no more complex-sector tessellation issues. Much better batching and data management. This is the “final” renderer (i.e. just bug fixes and enhances from here on out).
• Improved collision detection using the improved sector data format. This should fix getting stuck on adjoins, seeing black when at an adjoin, falling through rotating sectors.
• Extended feature – dynamic lighting.
• Extended feature – glow/bloom of fullbright / emissive pixels.
• Extended feature – reticle support. Reticles can be recolored, opacity can be adjusted and reticle image can be selected.
• iMuse modified to just play the basic track and not switch to “combat” music until I fix it properly. In addition hopefully the hanging notes will be gone as well.
• Proper sprite/flat sorting – no more dark edges around sprites.
• Various rendering fixes – such as walls being able to display sky.
• All levels can be selected, though not necessarily completable (see next part of the post for a timetable for that).
• Launcher.

The Path to Beta and Release

Once this build finally gets out, the plan is to implement the remaining logics and weapons (and fix bugs of course). I’m going to do this incrementally. For example, whenever a new weapon is implemented – as well as the logics necessary to acquire the weapon and it’s ammo – a new build will be released. If a new enemy is implemented, a build will be released. And so on. I will do this until all the logics and weapons are implemented (including secondary fire).

Once that is finished, I will proceed to fix/finish all the INF features – incrementally.

At that point I’ll fix/finish anything that remains that does not allow the game to be completed from start to finish. This will mark the “beta.” Once at beta, I will then finish/fix anything remaining that needs to be there to complete the experience. This includes finishing/fixing iMuse, fixing any cutscene issues and whatever issues may remain at that time. I will also spend the time to make sure that any problems with user levels are addressed as well. During the beta phase I will also be working on the level editor again.

Once the level editor and other editing tools are functional and the game is “complete” I will consider the “core DarkXL” project to be finished. At this point I’ll move on to features such as multiplayer and other extended features. Of course I’ll be fixing bugs as well. Anyway multiplayer will have it’s own alpha and beta period – allowing users to be able to download a stable, tested release version or the current multiplayer beta until that is complete. There’s not much point planning beyond that phase.

Source Code Release

If you look at the FAQ or read the forums, you’ll see that I promised to release the source code at some point. That point will be shortly after DarkXL reaches BETA and I have time to clean up and document the code. From then onward, every release will also have up to date source code made available. At that point I will probably start to coordinate with some volunteers about getting some ports to other platforms, such as Mac OS X. The DarkXL engine will also serve as a base for future ports/remakes that use similar types of engines, whatever they may be.

Even though the editor won’t be released in the next build as originally planned, it is still very useful to me when it comes to fixing the remaining rendering issues in DarkXL. There was already a quick shortcut to go from 2D mode to 3D mode and vice versa. Now I’m putting in a similar shortcut that saves the level to temporary files, builds the appropriate GOB, launches Dark Forces using DosBox and immediately launches your level. In addition the start point is moved to the current camera location, so you instantly show up in the same view and location in Dark Forces. This allows me to quickly test sector/wall flags and other situations and verify the rendering is correct.

As I’m verifying and fixing rendering issues, I’m doing some of my testing in some of the more complex user made levels. While Dark Tide 4 loaded before, this is the first time that it actually looked correct. The main reason is that I somehow neglected to support compressed BM’s, which I’ve fixed. Sector tessellation was also an issue in the past, though it is no longer. I’ve also fixed various other problems, such as when VUE’s cause objects to pass through many sectors (causing problems with Harkov’s Defection).

Here’s some screenshots of user levels that I’ve been using to test. The goal is to have these levels look completely correct for the next release, as well as the 14 original levels. The idea is that if the most complex user made levels render correctly, then most likely most of them will. If any do not, they will hopefully be found in testing. There are still some issues to fix, however.

Screenshots from DarkTide 2

Screenshots from DarkTide 4

Screenshots from Harkov’s Defection

DarkXL is a project that has been going for a while but I decided to change over to a new website. I found that I never updated the original site, it just too much time to make changes and upload them. I’ve had great success with my DaggerXL blog, wordpress makes it really easy to update and maintain the sites. There are many reasons for this: faster iteration times – with online editing you make a few changes and the site is instantly updated, easy content creation, easy media uploading and display and more. If you want to learn more about DarkXL, visit the About page or the forums. Within the next couple of days, I’ll be putting this site together – getting the download section up, and then begin blogging my progress.