BATTLEZONE

Version 1.5.2.24

Preview 2014-08-10

Updated 2014-08-11

Re-Updated 2014-08-12

I've added enough stuff since the 1.5.2.23 preview that it warrants a new version number. The update and re-update fix a few bugs reported in the original preview and add a couple new features. I'm hoping this release will be the one that sticks. :)

Downloads

Testing Executable and Symbols

All-In-One 1.5.2 Asset Pack (2014-08-12)

Check the main 1.5.2 page for other downloads.

What's New

Scripting

• Integrated LuaBitOp 1.02 into Lua
  • Automatically enabled as part of Lua
  • Provides a variety of bit operations (hence the name)
  • Might be useful for packing data into network packets
• Added Lua "warning" function
  • Works like "print" but outputs yellow text to the console window
  • Changed error messages to red
  • Changed panic messages to magenta
• New Lua script event handler
  • GameKey: called when a game key gets pressed
• New Lua script utility functions
  • SetLabel: change the label of a game object
  • IsLocal: returns true if the game object is local
  • IsRemote: returns true if the game object is remote
  • GetTimeNow: get local system time in milliseconds (good for profiling)
  • GetTimeStep: get the simulation time step in seconds
  • SelectedObjects: get iterator returning selected objects
  • GetTeamSlot: get the handle of the object in a team slot
  • GetRecyclerHandle: get the Recycler handle
  • GetFactoryHandle: get the Factory handle
  • GetArmoryHandle: get the Armory handle
  • GetConstructorHandle: get the Constructor handle
  • SetLocal: sets a game object as local, transferring ownership
• New Lua global variables
  • GameVersion: contains current build version (e.g. "1.5.2.24 Preview")
  • LastGameKey: holds the most recently pressed game key
  • TeamSlot: maps between team slot numbers and names
• Enhanced LuaMission Send and Receive
  • Can send an arbitrary number of data values
  • Preserves data types instead of converting to string
  • Converts game object handles

Gameplay

• Fixed Building::DamageAlloc rounding damage down
  • Particularly noticeable with low damage-over-time values
• DayWrecker supports direct-impact damage

  [DayWreckerClass]
  damageBallistic = 0
  damageConcussion = 0
  damageFlame = 0
  damageImpact = 0

• Torpedo supports direct-impact damage

  [TorpedoClass]
  damageBallistic = 0
  damageConcussion = 0
  damageFlame = 0
  damageImpact = 0

• Tweaked PowerUp landing logic slightly
  • Check terrain height, not floor height
  • This makes DayWrecker collision work properly
• APC can reload at an undeployed Recycler again
  • Restores original 1.4 behavior
• Disabled code in Building constructor snapping it the ground
  • It's redundant and interferes with some custom maps
• SetCurHealth and SetMaxHealth update health ratio (returned by GetHealth)
  • Only AddHealth did this before
• SetCurAmmo and SetMaxAmmo update ammo ratio (returned by GetAmmo)
  • Only AddAmmo did this before
• Fixed Mines not snapping themselves to the ground
  • Turns out the Mine constructor had never done it right...
  • Update Mine position after it snaps itself to the ground

Multiplayer

• Remote damage packet supports damage types and team
  • Not used for anything (yet)
• Added support for team-based spawn points
  • Zero team allows any player team to spawn there (like before)
  • Non-zero team allows only that player team to spawn there
• CommandPanel shows Factory, Armory, Constructor, and Satellite entries again
  • These had gone missing due to changes in initialization order
• Added /help command to in-game chat

Shell

• Fixed Version and Mission CRC labels overlapping "READY TO LAUNCH" label

Editor

• Fixed current working directory when saving terrain
  • The file requester modified it and made the save fail

Load/Save

• Show an error for missing mission, save, or terrain file
  • Provides better feedback about which file is missing
  • Avoids showing a series of unhelpful error messages
    • "Error Loading pallete"
    • "Error loading luminance table"
    • "Translucency table not found; disabled"
    • "Alpha table not found; disabled"
    • "Zone Loader Error"
• Removed LuaMission "started" flag from mission file (BZN)
  • Missions by definition have not started when loaded from BZN
  • Bumped save version to 1045
  • BZN version 1045 is equivalent to version 1043
  • SAV version 1045 is equivalent to version 1044
• Use LuaMission as a substitute for missing mission classes
  • Print a red error notification in the console when this happens
• Basic support for Red Odyssey mission files
  • BZN version 2003 and 2004
  • Skip over Craft cloak values
  • Skip over Portal state values
  • Skip over ConstructionRig lastRecycled value
  • Don't try to read Scavenger scrap held (added in BZN version 1039)

Debugging/Logging

• System warning and system error dialogs also output to console
  • System warning outputs red text indicating a non-fatal error
  • System error outputs magenta text indicating a fatal error
• Fixed MonoDebug pushing additional consoles onto the console stack
  • This prevented it from restoring the debug console
• Missing transparency and alpha table messages include file names