Upcoming Beta and Changes March 22, 2011
Posted by luciusdxl in Uncategorized.trackback
Since my last blog post, I have been spending a lot of my free time working on DaggerXL version 0.20. The plan was to work on the DarkXL Beta at the same time, but until this week my hectic schedule hasn’t let up as much as I originally thought. However I am once again working on the Beta release for DarkXL, with all the features discussed in the previous article. A release should finally be made within the next couple of weeks, assuming “real life” behaves for a while.
As for changes, I’ve reconsidered the goals of the Pure Renderer. While the prospect of having the GPU renderer display the game almost exactly like the DOS version is cool, and matches the original goals, it doesn’t really completely solve the problem. And that problem is that there are many people with older systems or newer systems with terrible GPUs and/or drivers that would like to use something like DarkXL but can’t due to under-performing parts, drivers or just the age of their GPU. So despite my original plans, the Pure Renderer will become a software renderer. It’ll still support the DOS-like mode (i.e. 320×200 8bit) but also support higher resolutions, 8 bit and 32 bit modes.
The Pure Renderer will share the mesh rendering and blitting code with DaggerXL (which is also getting a software renderer for the same reasons) but will, of course, use a specialized renderer for the sector geometry. With all that said, the hardware renderer will continue to be optimized and improved but this will give people another option. This means that fixed-function GPUs will not be supported (and they are not currently), but the Pure Renderer will be available instead.
This also means that DarkXL will have a software voxel rendering implementation after all as well. Though the current hardware implementation will remain of course.
I, for one, am super pumped about the next release. Especially if you’re able to squeeze in OS X support! A dream come true.
Even though I am a 100% windows user. It largely helps to add Multi-OS support to encourage a wide variety of computer users to get together and enjoy something we have in common.
I hope things are going well for you Luciusdxl. It sounds like things are getting a little hectic for you, as I express concern in the matter.
It’s really nice of you to add support for so many systems and hardware configs. It’s something you really don’t see much of!
So let me get this straight – old PCs with old hardware/drivers won’t be able to run DarkXL but will be able to run it via Pure Renderer due to it being in Software mode?
Great idea, looking forward to seeing how it turns out in practice!
Well it’s still DarkXL – just running using the Pure Renderer instead of the hardware renderer. By yeah, you get the idea.
Hey Luciusdxl!
I was just reminded today about a game that might work with your daggerXL Engine someday. Bethesda published a few games using Daggerfall’s engine and system, even reused a few resources from too. Terminator Future Shock, and Skynet (Sequel or expansion to TFS) both run on the daggerfall engine developed by Bethesda.
Think there could be a future possibility of squeezing in compatibility for TFS and Skynet.
(Its incredible how these games Daggerfall and TFS/Skynet where, though stripped of the RPG elements, they went on to be pretty good titles.)
Google them up if you can, you might be impressed.
(That is, unless you already know about them.)
Yes I played both of those games when they came out. Future Shock is still my favorite Terminator themed game – great atmosphere. As for future support, I am definitely considering the possibility.
Don’t forget Battlespire and Redguard!
2nd Future Shock for future support as that game had so much going for it. driving, flying, fps. inside/ ouside locations a pretty special experience for its day with a great theme.
For years I’ve been modding DooM, but Dark Forces was my first love. I’ve been wanting to actually mod DF since my uncle gave me the 3-level shareware disc back in 1995-1996. Dear Lord, has it actually been 15+ years? Some of the fonder memories include nearly jumping out of my chair the first time I was attacked by a dianoga (“Come on, it’s just an eyeball. What could it possibly- YAH! BIG MOUTH! BIG TEETH! TENTACLES! RUN AWAY!”) Also, the first Phase I DT that comes out of the Gromas Mine generator? That was the fastest enemy I’d ever seen in a game up to that point… and oh yeah, it looks like an angry Terminator with a big sword *running straight at me*!!! Then the “Oh crap” feeling as that door lowers to reveal the first Kell Dragon. Heh heh heh, oh boy, good times, good times…
…now with DarkXL, those times will live again, ONLY BETTER! All hail Lucius!
This is gonna be SWEET!!!
Looking forward to it.
I haven’t played the alpha version, so maybe you’ve already handled this… but after trying to play the original Unreal yesterday I was motivated to come over here and place a request. If your mouselook support avoids the weird inescapable mouse acceleration that shows up on many older games, I will be a happy man.
Mouse accel that can’t be disabled is a dealbreaker for me these days.
That’s another key thing… being able to minimize to the desktop and restore the game at will is a nice feature in any FPS game.
Boss key? lol