Planet Descent

Community => Mess Hall => Topic started by: karx-elf-erx on June 08, 2011, 09:59:35 PM

Title: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: karx-elf-erx on June 08, 2011, 09:59:35 PM
There have been a few more minor iterations in D2X-XL's improved lighting code, and in the course of that a few bugs that could cause program crashes have been fixed.

darklord42 is also providing us with up to date OS X versions of the program quite reliably. :-)
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 08, 2011, 10:13:56 PM
As much as I appreciate how much effort you put into this for us at no cost and without being asked... When did PD.net become D2X-XL.net? The last few posts have been fairly major things, but this is just a little bug fix... Chances are anyone who was having problems with it already would be checking the D2X-XL forums anyway. At the very least, can we keep it to one thread?

It's late, I'm probably over reacting, and I probably shouldn't even post this... Woohoo!
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: karx-elf-erx on June 08, 2011, 11:40:48 PM
It's late, I'm probably over reacting, and I probably shouldn't even post this... Woohoo!
Indeed. It can't get much dumber  than suggesting I'd be trying to take over this forum when all I am doing is to try and keep the people here up to date about significant changes and fixes (ike a crash bug fix) to D2X-XL once in a while - and it doesn't happen more often. Someone who has no accomplishments in the Descent community getting at me (who has accomplished a dang lot for it) for nothing? Deja vu.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 09, 2011, 06:37:58 AM
Word of advice to IHateHackers: Be VERY careful about how you address these sort of matters about D2X-XL in Karx's presence. He feels quite strongly about the work he's done. And rightly so. :)

I personally have no problem with relaying the D2X-XL news this way, BTW. I don't visit the D2X-XL site as much as I used to, so this way I can still stay fairly up to date on the happenings there. :)
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 09, 2011, 10:34:41 AM
Oh look, Karx getting personal over nothing. Deja vu. If you're trying to get an apology, that's not the way to do it.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Foil on June 09, 2011, 12:01:04 PM
Matt, chill.

I, for one, appreciate the updates.  I don't get to play often, so it's nice to know when they happen.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: -<WillyP>- on June 09, 2011, 12:07:53 PM
Matt, if you don't like D2X-Xl,you don't have to use it, but those of use who do appreciate him taking the time to let us know there is another update. And it is Descent related, 90 percent of the posts here have little or nothing to do Descent.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: karx-elf-erx on June 09, 2011, 12:34:37 PM
I didn't feel D2X-XL being criticized. The crucial point is that IHateHackers more or less proposed I would be trying to take over this forum, which is not true. I have no problem with constructive criticism about D2X-XL, no problem with people saying they just don't like how Descent looks when using it (though you can remove all effects ...), no problem when they say it still looks old (it does, compared to Crysis 2 or the Unreal 3 engine). But I have a problem with people being unfair and claiming things that simply aren't true.

IHateHackers, your second post is ridiculously arrogant. Do you believe you are so important to me I'd be yearning for an apology from you? Your statement is laughably far off reality. If you want to keep making a fool of yourself that way, have your way.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Crash on June 09, 2011, 03:04:20 PM
I think it makes sense to post major updates here.
If they start running-over, give Karx his own forum section.

I would think that would be less work overhead for Karx and more convenient for everyone else, not having to visit two forums rather than one.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: karx-elf-erx on June 09, 2011, 03:31:31 PM
I am only posting important updates here, and I am doing this as a service to the people here who want to follow the progress in other areas of the Descent community. Just compare to my dev blah in my own forum, and you'll see the difference. I really don't want my own forum area here. If the admins think I am posting too much about D2X-XL here, they'll only need to say a word and I'll stop.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Crash on June 09, 2011, 04:36:58 PM
I think that's a good idea to have a 'readers' digest' version for Descenters at large.
I know how long it must take to develop your projects, (or at least I can imagine). I think it shows great resolve to go and publicise the game properly in forums as well. I know I'm too apathetic to do that much with any of my stuff.

So, I view it as a good thing.

Another thing though: ... Whenever people tell you your work is 'old' or 'doesn't look as good as they reckon it should', it just means they haven't a clue about anything.
It translates into English as follows: "Hello, I'm a troll and I couldn't have done anywhere near as well as you did".
Never let them get you down.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 09, 2011, 05:06:55 PM
Hello, I'm a troll and I couldn't have done anywhere near as well as you did
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Kaiaatzl on June 09, 2011, 06:47:22 PM
Not to take sides, but I think that it is a good idea to post the major updates here.  (There have been a lot of major updates lately -- there are many more regular updates that have not been posted here though).
I only go to the D2X-XL site about once a day now, but I come here a lot more.  So it's great to know when something important is happening.  It will be even better once I install windows 7 and get the new versions to work :P.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: karx-elf-erx on June 09, 2011, 10:53:06 PM
Crash,

I am working on D2X-XL for over seven years now, having added about 100.000 lines of code to it and having rewritten or replaced most of its code base. I have also rebuilt DLE-XP twice (once ported it to MS Visual C++ and rewritten the interface, once rewritten the entire engine into a half way decent C++ class based application), created a bunch of Descent single and multiplayer missions, have created a website plus forum for it, and I am maintaining a server to host it all. I think I have some bragging rights here. :D

There's also all those great people who have helped D2X-XL to become what it is, be it Novacron or Irontower with hires textures, Metalbeast with hires models, Frustikus with hires sounds, simx and darklord42 with OS X compiles of the program, Pumo, Yokelassence, Sirius, Ben K, Aus-RED-5 and many more people with missions, and a bunch of supporters and helpers on the forum.

Find a brief history (http://forum.descent2.de/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1691) of D2X-XL development here.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Crash on June 10, 2011, 03:00:45 AM
"I think I have some bragging rights here."
I didn't say you didn't. I just thought I was trying to back you up there.
I just hate to see developers take onboard in good faith (as valid criticism) what sounded to me from your earlier message like outright abuse. (I've heard it all before).

If you look at the project I've been mainly working on, it has roughly the same number of sets of conditions and events let alone actual lines of code, (written in an development software that I would classify as 'semi-functional') and I've been working on that project since the middle of 2002. No-one has to impress on me how overcomplicated software development can be. Plus there's the site and, once-upon-a-time, a PHPBB forum (until I realised that it was better to use someone else's forum, which was managed and adminned by them to reduce my overhead. That was really where my suggestion about moving completely into a community forum came from.)

Quite a few people have helped me along the way but an awful lot have been eager to kick you whenever you were down.

And I certainly don't think IHateHackers is a troll either, incase there's any misunderstanding. We're just having a frank discussion between folk here about important stuff.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 10, 2011, 07:12:11 AM
As I understand it, that is more or less Karx's case all right. He puts in all this hard work to make a game as great as he can, no doubt putting in long hours with no real financial income from it, and seems quite prone to get the most ridiculous and unwarranted crap for it in return. As such, I've noticed Karx has gotten to be very quick to defend D2X-XL's cause, and as I said before, it's rightly so. We probably ought to be giving him more props than we have for putting up with it as he has.

Also, for the record, I want to double Crash's sentiment that he, I, and I think most of everyone here, considers IHateHacker a troll. Just...rash, perhaps. :)
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Pumo on June 10, 2011, 12:56:02 PM
I agree.
I don't think IHateHackers is a troll, but maybe just a bit imprudent.  ;D

And yeah, I think the XL news here are a good way to stay up to date, taking in account not everyone updates his XL installation as constantly (as I do it). :P

So it's good to know for general users (specially those who are not part of XL forums) when to update the program with critical updates.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Hunter on June 10, 2011, 05:07:15 PM
I recently got my girlfriend to play D2(XL) - She said she didn't want to kill the 'cute' robots (Having been playing D3 for a while)  :P

You know what I never looked at it before, but she's right. D2 robots are so much cuter looking than those in D1 or D3.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 10, 2011, 06:25:11 PM
I recently got my girlfriend to play D2(XL) - She said she didn't want to kill the 'cute' robots (Having been playing D3 for a while)  :P

You know what I never looked at it before, but she's right. D2 robots are so much cuter looking than those in D1 or D3.
I would beg to differ on that, for most. Some of those bots still scare the pants off me. Although, I will admit old scratch is pretty scary.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Kaiaatzl on June 10, 2011, 07:05:32 PM
I think a lot of D2 robots are cute.  Maybe I'm also insane.

BPer... Sidearm Modula... Smelter... Bulk Destroyer... Omega Spider... Internal Tactical Droid... Water Boss...
E-Bandit manages to look cute and absolutely evil at the same time... and it looks like a leech (form matches function!)  It could have been done in Manga style for the same effect... if someone could make a render of that that would be awesome actually.

E-Bandit FTW.
Best robot ever (personally).  If you don't want to play levels with E-Bandits in them then don't play any levels I've made :P.

In other news playing Obsidian with the custom robots removed is generally much easier than playing it with the custom robots... but it will definitely teach you to fear bulk destroyers.

And yeah I was kidding about the water boss.

EEK!  Schitzophrenic post!
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 10, 2011, 07:46:01 PM
The only ones I'd call cute would be the sidearm modula. Then again, I haven't played enough D2 to know what most of the names mean...
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Pumo on June 10, 2011, 10:13:32 PM
Well, I must say I find the Light Hulk as a really cute robot since the first time I saw it.  ;D

Other robots I find cute are the Gopher, Supervisor, Red Fatty, PEST, and well, even the Thief bot.

Robots I find as a mix of cute and badass are the Medium Lifters, E-Bandits and Class 1 Drillers. :)
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 11, 2011, 10:09:34 AM
Can't say I've EVER thought any of the Descent robots as cute.

But now that you mention it...  ::)

I can tell you which robots I consider the scariest, though. D1 fusion hulk, all the way. *shudders* That robot, to this day, gives me the willies.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Kaiaatzl on June 11, 2011, 10:13:26 AM
Class 1 Drillers. :)

I can see why that would be...
I think the drillers just look demonic.

And the fusion hulks... scary... I still can't play a level with them without getting an adrenaline rush -- at least in D1.  In D2 they were weaker because of the nerfed fusion.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 11, 2011, 10:19:41 AM
Oh yeah, they're actually kind of pathetic in D2. Lost all of their edge. And they weren't the only robots, either. A lot of the other D1 robots just didn't seem the same in D2. Might only be because D2 has a very different feel to it, even though it runs on the same engine more or less.

In D3, I think the robot that gets to me the most is the sharks. Old Scratch has his moments, but I can handle him. When faced with a swarm of sharks, though, I just about go berserk trying to keep them away.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: SaladBadger on June 11, 2011, 11:00:02 AM
I love fusion hulks. I think I've gotten too good with them to be scary though. However, just hearing that sound gets you on edge anyways.

My first encounter with the fusion hulks was on secret level 1. I had known they existed via the game's demos, but I never knew what they were capable of. I pick up all of the shields and promptly lose them upon opening the door. heh
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 11, 2011, 11:54:17 AM
Oh yeah, I have to admit that I kind of hate that secret level for stuff like that. :P

I think D1's secret levels are probably among the best, because you really had to work to beat them. :D
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Kaiaatzl on June 11, 2011, 12:04:11 PM
I like D3's secret level 2.

The first D3 secret level would have been nice if it was longer.

The sharcs (official spelling :P) used to get to me in D3 till I figured out to use napalm or omega.  Now they're easy.
The flaks and black stormtroopers are what get to me in D3 now.  Undodgeable superweapon and everything.  Flaks aren't quite as bad because they have such terrible aim but come on, what are you supposed to do against an undodgeable superweapon?  Kill it before it can shoot?  Yeah, good luck with that.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 11, 2011, 12:10:02 PM
Well, yeah, D3's secret level 2 is pretty darn fun, and challenging, but not quite like the D1 secret levels, which are just hard core challenges, particularly that first one.

I have long thought that the first D3 secret level was more of a mish-mash of material the makers had made but ended up not using elsewhere in the game, so they rolled them all together here. At the very least, there seems to be some kind of story behind a lot of things that appear in that level.
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Matthew on June 11, 2011, 02:31:34 PM
I forget, which one is which?
Title: Re: [News] D2X-XL crash bugs fixed
Post by: Scyphi on June 12, 2011, 06:24:38 AM
The second D3 secret level was the one that had all of the accelerator tubes. The first just seemed to be a mish-mash of rooms.