Alpha Testing - Round 2

Alright folks, it's time for the second round of alpha testing!

You can grab the build here:

TemplePlus Build 0.1.0-pre+104​

This time the main goal is to see if the under-the-hood engine enhancement are working right - the switch to Direct3d9 and some re-implementation of graphics features. One of the primary features is "fake full screen", which should eliminate mode-switching issues and also make alt+tabbing a lot more convenient.

The secondary goal is to verify that the gameplay system we have replaced with our own code are functioning properly.

What does the above entail? Here's what we want you to do:

1. Run the game at various graphics configurations.
   You will notice that after launching the game for the first time, it will create a TemplePlus.ini file in the main folder. The relevant options there are
   
   Code:

   renderHeight=768
   renderWidth=1024
   useDirect3d9Ex=true
   windowHeight=768
   windowWidth=1024
   windowed=true

   These are the preconfigured default values - we want you to change them to test things.
   Try the following combinations:
   windowed = true / false
   useDirect3d9Ex = true / false
   If you set windowed to false (i.e. full screen mode), change the renderHeight/Width to match your desktop resolution - unless it is greater than 1600x900, that is the biggest supported resolution currently.
   When windowed, if you change the window and render sizes they should be the same value. Try out various configurations.
2. Try the various game systems: start a new game, create characters, open the character viewer, craft items, use skills, initiate combat, buy from shops, levelup, cast spells, check the attack roll history breakdown... anything you'd normally do (though I wouldn't start a "real" game just yet).
   To facilitate testing, you can level up your characters by opening the console and typing "levelup".
3. Should anything strange happen, please post about it here with a short description and a savegame if applicable. Include your version number (you see the version number in the bottom right corner at the main menu). At the time of writing, the latest is v0.1.0-pre+65, but this will be updated every time we push new code. Please also attach your logfile (TemplePlus.log).
4. You should run the Co8 v8.1 NC version, though it should work with other versions too (KotB as well I think). Do not use the Front End (TFE-X) - just run TemplePlus.exe.
5. If everything works smoothly, let us know too

Known Issues:
1. Temporary graphical glitch on map transitions when renderWidth/Height doesn't match windowWidth/Size (or your desktop resolution when windowed = false).
2. This will also occur if your desktop resolution is greater than 1680x1050, since you can't set the render size above that (or the game will suffer the known 1920x1080 resolution issue where characters disappear etc.).
3. Direct3d9Ex requires Win Vista or newer

Thanks for testing!

 

That works too, same restrictions as Vanilla apply (for now). Edited OP.

BTW, forgot to mention, the useDirect3d9Ex option requires Win Vista or newer.

 

TemplePlus-0.1.0-pre+66.zip only contains the TemplePlus.exe file - it does not also contain the help.tab file from TemplePlus.zip in the alpha round 1 testing phase.

I tested with the following setup:
help.tab from TemplePlus.zip in alpha round 1 testing phase
TemplePlus-0.1.0-pre+66

I tested everything (except for crafting items and levelling up) and everything worked normally with the following exceptions:

I noticed the following issues:

1. Alt Tab (to either minimize the game or switch between running applications) doesn't work in fullscreen mode. General Keyboard Issue - appears user specific?
2. the game doesn't save screenshots (when pressing the Print Screen key). Acknowledged

3. the secret portal outside the Moathouse ruins always has a Search DC of 0. I've attached a saved game named Moathouse ruins. If you load this saved game and then move the party up the right side of the map, Nasir should find the secret portal, and the rolls history log should display that the Search DC of the secret portal is 0.
Acknowledged (not a TP specific issue though - is same for normal Co8)

4. when changing the party order or changing the initiative order (by delaying the currently active character's action) in the combat queue (during a combat) (by holding down the left mouse button on a PC's or recruited NPC's portrait and then dragging their portrait), the mouse pointer icon is corrupted by a seemingly random graphic (examples are a black rectangle with blue-lined border along the bottom and right edges of the rectangle, a tiny black & white portrait of Elmo, a tiny black & white portrait of one of my fighter PCs, a tiny screenshot of the map when the game was saved, etc.), and the new blue 2-way horizontal arrow icon is tiny compared to its original size in the vanilla game.

If I opened a character's inventory and then moved an unequipped item to another unequipped inventory slot, then closed the inventory, and then changed a PC's or recruited NPC's party order or initiative order in the combat queue, the corrupted mouse pointer icon can also be the red icon denoting the exit area of the inventory user interface, the icon of a pile of silver coins, the icon of red chainmail, the icon of a scroll with a dark blue ribbon wrapped around it, etc.). If you load the saved game named Moathouse ruins and then hold the left mouse button down on one of the PC's or recruited NPC's portraits, and then drag that portrait, you should see the corrupted mouse pointer icon.
Acknowledged

On one occasion, while in combat against the brigands in the courtyard of the Moathouse ruins, when I quit the game, the game crashed. I've attached the TemplePlus.log of the crash, and I've attached the TemplePlus.ini file so that you can see exactly what configuration I was using when the crash occurred. Both of these files are in the attached TemplePluslogini.zip. Cannot replicate, but may warrant keeping an eye. If it happens again, please try to recall if you performed any special combat maneuvers.

On one occasion, I experienced a graphics glitch where all of the map of the ground was replaced with blackness whenever I scrolled the screen to the left of the Church of St. Cuthbert. I saved the game and then loaded it, but the graphics glitch had gone, so it must have been just a one off glitch (or a fluke as Gaear would call them). I think I've seen this in vanilla too; for now just keep an eye for it. Opened a low priority issue.

I've attached 3 screenshots in a zip file since they are too big to attach as jpg files separately.

When running the Co8 modpack (using either TFE-X or TemplePlus) under Windows 8.1, I am unable to open the command console using the ~ key. I could open the command console when using Windows XP. Does anybody know how I can open the console using Windows 8.1?

I read the following thread and I'll try to change my keyboard driver to see if that will allow me to open the command console.
Added as low priority issue

http://www.co8.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8604

 

Started running through a typical game this morning. So far, so good. It will, of course, take a while to check multiple resolutions, windowed vs fullscreen etc.

Couple of notes...

- The game dropped all of my assigned hotkeys at one point. However, I think this happens without templeplus. Assigning hotkeys also involves lots of non-responsive key presses... I think these are on my end if they aren't otherwise common issues.
Crappy keybinding behavior is known issue.

- First check played at 1680x1050, windowed. Movies and slides are now scaling properly to the window size instead of playing 1:1 and offset in the top corner

- Game cursors are now working properly in windowed mode. No more invisible inventory item dragging, lack of combat cursor feedback, etc

- Directx9 render path confirmed via 3rd party tools
Great!

Smooth sailing except for my hotkey problem. Is that common?
Is this more severe than normal Co8?

I'll have more time this evening to continue...



edit

I have trouble getting shift~ to register under Windows 7. I also have other key responsiveness issues when assigning hotkeys. In the event we're having similar issues... try mashing the keys until it registers. Keyboard driver and utilities might bear some scrutiny, like you suggest. I'll report back if I find anything.

 

I tested it with the following settings:
...
renderHeight=720
renderWidth=1280
showExactHPforNPCs=false
skipIntro=true
skipLegal=true
spellAlreadyKnownWarnings=false
useDirect3d9Ex=true
windowHeight=1080
windowWidth=1920
windowed=false

The most visible improvement is the initialization time - several times faster than previously.
This is really great. Thank you.

I have found the following issues:

1. <CTRL><Shift><Esc> does not return to the desktop. The same issue occurs after <Ctrl><Alt><Del> + Start Task Manager.

2. When you click the door symbol for a split of second the image shrinks to 1280x720 pixels.

3. When you come to Hommlet the text "You stand on the southern road leading into Hommlet..." is displayed using far too small font size.

 

I tested levelling up and crafting items (using TemplePlus-0.1.0-pre+66), and they both worked normally.

I read the following thread:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-hardware/cannot-permanently-uninstall-mcir-keyboard-drivers/296b1acf-21a0-4f24-a7f9-d50aa0f8f0bf

I followed the procedure of the following quote which is from the above thread:

And now I can open and close the command console using Windows 8.1. But Alt Tab still doesn't work in fullscreen mode.

Heinous_Hat, try doing the above and see if that allows you to use the command console.

 

@gazra_1971

Thanks gazra. I think we have different kb problems though. I don't have the MS eHome Japanese keyboard listed in device manager.

My keyboard trouble involves certain mod key combinations (CTRL, SHIFT etc) not registering consistently. So to enter console or assign hotkeys I often need to spam keypresses to get it to work. Seems like a timing problem.

I might try swapping out my keyboard for an older one, as I don't recall this happening a couple of years ago.

As for alt-tab out of fullscreen (which is fake fullscreen)...

I tried it just now, and though it works (brings up the task bar and the application switcher) templeplus is always on top and won't minimize. Only things such as task manager or applications that can be set to stay on top are usable. Taking a closer look to see what's up with that...

 

1) Keyboard -> Switching drivers really shouldn't be necessary here. We're no longer using DirectInput for reading the keyboard state (which is what ToEE did), so the keyboard codes might now be different. We're using whatever Windows sends our way as the key code. The effect might be that the console is now actually on a different keycode.
I'd say we're not completely done in this area. Sitra already added a few issues to our tracker, so thanks for the reports

2) Alt-Tabbing -> This is odd since it works for me (TM). I'll look into it. Fake Fullscreen is a bit finnicky, since we set our Window to be "always on top" and I might've missed setting it to NOT be always on top, when the window is "deactivated" (looses focus, basically).
Also -> Will look into it.

 

A few more observations from another day's play...

Gameplay

-charge attacks allowed along non-straight paths and through obstacles. Acknowledged; Fixed in 0.1.0-pre+76
-full round run action doesn't increase distance vs standard moves General pathfinding issue (Acknowledged)
-dead character performs ready vs approach interrupt Acknowledged; is vanilla bug
-questionable non-application of damage reduction (specifically, Moathouse zombies not getting DR on some piercing and bludgeoning hits)


Some of these may be regular co8 bugs, unsolved vanilla bugs or lack of mechanical knowledge on my part :roll:. The first one (charge attacks) is definitely unique to TemplePlus though. Need to check the rest a bit more vs a regular game.



Technical

-TemplePlus likes to either crash or 'go dark' when minimized (windowed mode)
-Anti-aliasing disabled in both fullscreen and windowed modes.


I typically force driver level AA via nVidia Inspector. That works regardless of the in-game AA setting. Supersampling (4x4) looks really great on character models It still works with TemplePlus, but only windowed.

That's all I've seen, so far

 

Hey there,

That is really strange, since we are actually always windowed, even for the fake fullscreen mode, heh

 

It's an upscaled window though, if resolution is set lower than desktop. Maybe that fouls it up. I'll try lowering desktop to match the game.

Another question... there's a 'lock cursor' option in templeplus.ini. It doesn't work for me, but I'm wondering if that's a planned feature. It would be swell to be able to edge scroll in a window.

 

lockcursor only works in the fake fullscreen mode right now to solve issues you might have with multiple monitors (like me). Your cursor would just leave the first screen when you try to scroll right for example (if your 2nd monitor is on the right).

We can activate this for windowed mode as well, but how would you escape the game then, heh? (Alt+Tab actually resets it)

 

Lol, yeah it would have to actually be useful

BTW, matching desktop resolution to that of the borderless window does fix the driver level forced AA.

 

Damn straight, that's how it should be :cool2:

Well not really

Just to be clear, when you say charge attacks are allowed through obstacles, are you saying the character literally paths through the obstacle, or does it just move around it?

Re. for the interrupts, can you describe the scenario where you encountered it? (a save game would be even better)

Re. the run being limited - that's interesting because normally it's hard to get the game to allow you to path very far as it requires a straight line, and due to its wonky pathfinding this often fails short of the maximum distance possible. I could only get around this by using a Dwarf, for which I actually could go further than a normal double move. So again, can you describe the situation or post a save?

Also just for clarity what version are you using?