Supreme Cmdr

Culled from PM with Shingen quote: Shingen: What do you mean by "warping"? If you mean that it is common in most mp games that have ships and objects to jump around the screen, then I don't know of any mp games that do that. In fact, speaking strictly of "space-sims", I just got through playing Terminus over the internet. Surprisingly, there were other people online (usually the Terminus servers are empty for the most part), anyway, a few of us decided to get into a battle and there wasn't any "warping" at all. Targets stayed where they were supposed to be. Now, Terminus uses "Newtonian" physics, so the flight model is a little more advanced then UC's, but still, the ships weren't jumping all over the place on the screen as they tend to do in UC MP. Just for the hell of it, I tried Freelancer over the Internet, and those ships don't jump around either. So, I log into a server4, and no one is online. So, I try to attack an AI hostile. That ship doesn't jump around at all. Combat is stable and predictable. The AI ships don't move (other than hyperjumping), but at least they didn't jump around in the screen while I was fighting them. So I guess it mainly happens when it's PvP combat. The NPCs, when engaged, have the tendency to drastically alter their flight path during combat engagements. They tend to do it when others fire on them so that the inbound shots will miss. Thats the ONLY thing that would cause them to warp along any of the X/Y/Z axis in the game. And they do this in both sp and mp game. In space, there is no altitude limitations. On a planet, they won't do this below 1000 ft AGL because they stand a chance of hitting the ground. If you played the recent patch update, you will notice that I have since disabled their ability to do this since 2.00.15 patch. Though, from looking at the code, it seems I forgot to document it in the VCF and I didn't disable it in mp. You can see this for yourself in sp by trying a scenario (e.g. an IA scenario in space e.g. IA0101 - IA0105) against hostile fighters. Then, to enable their tactical dynamics which includes jinking (what were're observing as warping around) add -J or /J to the commandline and replay the same scenario. Beyond that [jinking], I have NO idea what you're talking about; especially since mp has gotten progressively better since the first version of the game that Dreamcatcher rushed to market. And let me add that co-op play - not supported in MOST mp games - is only available in mp because of the ability to enable NPC generation. If I disabled that and also disabled the ability for stations to fire, launch threats etc etc; all you would be left with is a standard deathmatch mp game. On the other hand, there is lag; and there's nothing that I can do about it. If Terminus and Freelancer have better multiplayer (in your experience), then you should be playing them for multiplayer and UC for its single player. I'm not interested in chasing shadows, nor do I have time. The crafts in the game can move at drastic speeds and this makes prediction a nightmare to calculate. Terminus uses Newtonian physics so the speeds of crafts is not even 1/10th of what crafts in my games can fly at. Freelancer is, well, lets not go there because the crafts are even slower than in Terminus. The slower speeds make prediction HIGHLY more accurate. And it is prediction (which is not an exact science and every single flight based game has to contend with it) that determines how smooth combat in a sim is. Add lag, extremely high speeds, a massive world (all of which has to be updated in real time) to the equation and you have a serious problem. Nick Caldwell, a friend of mine at MIT (see above URL), wrote the original spline based prediction model back in late 2000 and which I ended up revising and adapting (since I needed it to work in 3D, not 2D) for the networking kernel used in both BCMG and UC. It is highly efficient and works just fine. If this was not the case, given just how complex my games are, multiplayer would never - ever - work. And again, the new networking kernel (in UCHI and beyond) completely rips out a ton of things which I am in the process of re-writing and with a new networking transport layer (RakNet) instead of the highly restrictive and slightly buggy GameCom used in BCMG and UC. I have absolutely NO intentions of making ANY drastic of major revisions in UC. At this point, all I'm interested in is fixing bugs. Nothing else. If the multiplayer experience is lagged; thats not a classed bug; its a technology issue which I have no intentions of addressing. I will see about releasing the 2.00.17 patch later today or tomorrow which has jinking disabled in mp. [ 10-31-2004, 06:48 AM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

I decided to start a new topic about this. quote: Originally posted by Sandeu: I use to only get about 30fps in space and 5fps on the planet. I was reading this thread and mucked around abit, I now get 70-80 fps in space and 15-20 fps on the planet, how did I do this, I turned off Hardware acceleration on my Audigy 2 sound card, all the way off, and put the -x1 command on the UC short cut. I'm curious, give this a try, maybe it's just an Audigy 2 thing. There is definitely something fishy going on with the Audigy cards. I have an Audigy2 ZS card in one of my machines. If you just go with the drivers that come on the CD-ROM, everything is fine. But if you make the mistake of applying ANY of the updates (e.g. the EAX4) on their site, you will lose around 20+ fps in ALL games; including UC. I actually had to uninstall the card*; clean the drivers out using Driver Cleaner (while still in Safe Mode) and re-installed from scratch using the drivers that came on the CD-ROM. I have not applied ANY updates since. * Here's how Download and install (1) Driver Cleaner (2) Startup Control Panel applet (unless you have something that does similar. Click START / RUN / Type MSCONFIG and press ENTER. Insert a check to the left of SELECTIVE STARTUP and deselect 'LOAD STARTUP ITEMS'. Select the SERVICES tab and select HIDE ALL MICROSOFT SERVICES. Uncheck all results and click OK. Click OK and reboot when prompted. Reboot your computer and enter SAFE MODE by tapping F8 a few times or by holding the SHIFT key while rebooting. Select SAFE MODE from the menu Say YES to the SAFE MODE prompt; then insert the sound card's installation CD and exit out of the installer Click START / RUN and type "X:AUDIODRIVERSCTZAPXX.EXE into the OPEN field (REPLACE X WITH THE APPLICABLE CD-ROM DRIVE LETTER). Click OK. When the CREATIVE DRIVER UPDATE UTILITY opens, select DRIVER UNINSTALLATION under UPDATE OPTION. If two out of the three options are disabled or greyed out under DRIVER TYPE, click OK. Otherwise, select one of the options and click OK. Once complete, repeat steps 9-13 again, selecting the other driver option(s). You will then be prompted to reboot. DO NOT REBOOT!! Click START / SETTINGS / CONTROL PANEL / ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS. Remove all Creative SB Audigy 2 programs. Look in list of programs beginning with the letter C to see the "Creative" entries. Then scroll the list to those beginning with the letter S to see the "SoundBlaster" entries. DO NOT REBOOT!! When done, run Driver Cleaner and select CREATIVE AUDIO from the drop-down list; then click on CLEAN. Repeat for CREATIVE AUDIO LITE and repeat. When done, close out of Driver Cleaner Go back to STEP #2 and access MSCONFIG then choose NORMAL STARTUP. Choose APPLY and then exit. DO NOT REBOOT!! Go to CONTROL PANEL and run the StartUp control panel program. Check each tab for a Creative labs entry (e.g. Audigy, Mediasource etc), then right click on each entry and delete it. They are CTHelper, CTSysVol, CTFmon.exe (if you see this one), SBDrvDet and Creative MediaSource. There may be others, depending on what your installed when you first installed the card. Now reboot as normal The Audigy 2 will be auto detected. Cancel the ADD NEW HARDWARE WIZARD when prompted. Insert your Audigy2 CD-ROM into your drive. Click START / RUN and type "X:CTRUNSTART.EXE into the OPEN field (REPLACE X WITH THE APPLICABLE CD-ROM DRIVE LETTER). Reboot as normal Calibrate your speakers etc etc. At this point, the choice is yours to go and install the latest driver updates; or not. You will now be back at the default Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, DR release 1.82.0 level as identified by Creative Software AutoUpdate which you can later run to see what they recommend that you install. If you install the 13.7MB EAX 4.0 ADVANCED HD Driver Update for Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2/Audigy 2 ZS, you're probably back at square one. You might want to profile your system (e.g. using Fraps, 3DMark 2005 or similar) with the clean driver install and after installing the EAX 4.0 update above - if you do in fact install it. When I profiled it, with the default drivers, UC would perform @ 90fps in 1024x768. With the EAX4 drivers installed, it dropped down to 64fps using the same test conditions. EDIT: There definitely is something fishy going on with that EAX4 drive update and I am currently awaiting an answer from my Creative dev support. [ 02-10-2005, 08:36 AM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

quote: Originally posted by Race Bannon IV: Back on board SC? DefinitelY!!!!

You need to register it as a new copy. And yes, you should following the instructions in the FAQ to uninstall the existing copy and start from scratch with the new copy.

Next to Rodney Dangerfield, George Carlin is my next favorite comedian. Here is a new CNN article about him.

LMAO!!! OK, this won't have been funny if she had died, but man this is funny.

Yeah, I heard its tons scarier than The Ring. Now thats scary.

quote: Originally posted by Stingy Jack: My question was, how do I get out of this crippled fighter so I can get back to the command craft and sort out it's problems. You dock with the CC. The only reason docking clearance would be refused is if (a) you are out of range ( launch control in the CC is off. Both of these will display a reason in the FC cockpit. You could also order the CC to tow the FC There a dozen ways to do this and all of them have been discussed in this forum at some point or another. Use the search function; it really works.

Nice episode last night. Now that they're separated, its going to get real interesting. Man, how about that Jin & Sun (Jin Sun? OK, kill me now) revelation!!!

'old on a minute!! Nobody saw this yet; or are you folks looking to make a guinea pig out of me again? Why can't Scriv go?

You're not running the latest patch.

*sigh* This is your last freebie Manual section 2.1 p9 paragraph 1 And most of what you wrote in the first post has ANYTHING to do with the ability to switch to a fighter. You cannot exit a fighter in space because fighter pilots, unlike the AE (as clearly stated in the manual page above) are not Space Force Marines. Thats why ALT+E does not work. In space, when you asset switch to a fighter with a dead pilot, the game allows the ability for your AE to enter the fighter craft (despite the fact that there is no space for a third person) so that you can retrieve it. It works differently on the planet; read the VCF v2.00.13 section. Docking from the CC, fighter or shuttle is identical and nothing should prevent you from docking after asset switching to a fighter.

So, how many of you brave guinea pigs has ended up taking one for the team? Some comments I found around the Net http://www.grimwell.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1052 http://www.cesspit.net/drupal/node/319

Its not a problem. Read the manual. Read the VCF. Quit creating threads for issues that are fully discussed and/or documented.

This is definitely a day one purchase for me. Though I have a GameBoy (not the Advance, as that was just a rip-off), I am going to pass on the Nintendo DS and get the PSP instead. From the press release: quote: PSP Enters Japanese Market on 12 December at 20,790 Yen Tokyo, October 27, 2004 ÔÇô Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), announced today that it would release its new handheld video game system, PSPTM (PlayStationTMPortable) (PSP-1000), on December 12, 2004, at a recommended retail price of 19,800 yen excluding tax (20,790 yen including tax) for the Japanese market. With high-quality graphics processing capability equivalent to that of PlayStation 2, in addition to rich stereo sound, PSP offers the joy of playing full-scale 3D-CG games and viewing high resolution video images anytime, anywhere. Equipped with a wireless LAN feature (IEEE802.11b), PSP enables users to connect to the Internet through access points, making it possible for users to download game characters and content and also to play games on-line with families, friends and on-line community members. For a more intimate gaming experience, a maximum of 16 PSP systems can be connected wirelessly through the ad-hoc mode allowing family and friends to create an instant yet powerful local on-line entertainment community (*1). PSP features an integrated high output lithium-ion battery that provides play time of between 4 and 6 hours for game titles and continuous 4 to 5 hours for video viewing. (SCEI actual measurement) (*2) With PSP, the world of PlayStation, people's most favorite platform, is further enhanced. A 4.3 inch wide 16:9 high resolution LCD screen, the largest in a handheld gaming device, creates a personal environment in which to enjoy games, music and video anytime, anywhere, with a dynamism that has never been possible before. To accompany the launch of the PSP system, a total of 21 game titles from SCE and third party software developers and publishers will be released by the end of this year. In addition to these titles, over 100 exciting new titles are currently in development. Innovative titles using the unique features of PSP, as well as PSP versions of hit titles that have been the drivers of the PlayStation platform will continuously be introduced. Entertainment software of an entirely new category mixing game, music and video on a single UMD┬« is expected to be released in spring 2005, further enriching the world of PSP. With PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PSP, SCEI will continue to expand the market and create a new world of computer entertainment. (*1) Complies with IEEE802.11b. Typical indoor range of approx. 30m at 11Mbps and approx. 91m at 1Mbps. Typical outdoor range of approx. 120m at 11Mbps and approx. 460m at 1Mbps. However, places with obstacles and strong electromagnetic waves, range may become narrower or transmission may be cut. (*2) Measurement conditions: display luminance set to maximum (180 cd/m2) and minimum (80 cd/m2) while volume is set to half of the maximum level, headphone in use and wireless LAN not in use. PSPTM (PlayStation┬«Portable) Basic Specifications and Features Product Name PSPTM (PlayStation┬«Portable) Color Black Product Code PSP-1000 Recommended Retail Price 19,800 yen (20,790 yen tax inclusive) Dimensions Approximately 170mm (W) x 23mm (H) x 74mm (D) Weight Approximately 280g (including battery) CPU PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz) Main Memory 32MB Embedded DRAM 4MB Display 4.3 inch, 16:9 Wide screen TFT LCD 480 x 272 pixel, 16.77 million colors Maximum luminance 180 / 130 / 80cd/m2 (when using battery pack) Maximum luminance 200 / 180 / 80cd/m2 (when using AC adaptor) Sound Built-in stereo speakers Main Input/Output IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) USB 2.0 (mini- Memory Stick PRO DuoTM IrDA IR Remote (SIRCS) Main Connectors Memory Stick DuoTM Slot USB connector DC OUT connector DC IN 5V connector Headset connector Keys/Switches Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left) Analog Stick Enter keys (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square) Left, Right buttons x 1 START button, SELECT button, HOME button x 1 POWER/HOLD switch x 1 Display button, Sound button, Volume +/- buttons x 1 Wireless LAN switch (ON/OFF) x 1 OPEN latch (UMD) x 1 Power Lithium-ion Battery AC Adaptor Disc Drive UMD Drive (Read only) Profile PSP Game UMD Audio (profile name TBD) UMD Video (profile name TBD) Codec Video: H.264 / AVC MP Level3 Audio: ATRAC3plusTM?MP3 Security (Encryption) 128bit AES (Copyright protection technology) MagicGateTM Access control Region, Parental Control Wireless communications Infrastructure mode Ad hoc mode (connection up to 16 consoles) Supplied accessories AC adaptor Battery pack Separately Sold Accessories Product Name Memory Stick DuoTM Product Code PSP-M32 Recommended Retail Price 2,800 yen (2,940 yen tax inclusive) Specifications Copyright protection technology : MagicGateTM Capacity: 32MB Dimensions: Approximately 20mm (W) x 1.6mm (H) x 31mm (D) Weight: Approximately 2g Product Name AC adaptor (for PSPTM) Product Code PSP-100 Recommended Retail Price 3,500 yen (3,675 yen tax inclusive) Specifications Rated input voltage : 100V - 240V 50/60Hz Rated voltage/electrical current output : 5V / 2.0A Dimensions: Approximately 76mm (W) x 22mm (H) x 46mm (D) Weight: Approximately 44g Product Name Battery pack (for PSPTM) Product Code PSP-110 Recommended Retail Price 4,800 yen (5,040 yen tax inclusive) Specifications Voltage/Capacity : 3.6V/1800mAh Dimensions: Approximately 52mm (W) x 12.5mm (H) x 36mm (D) Weight: Approximately 44g Product Name Headphone with remote control (for PSPTM) Product Code PSP-140(W) Recommended Retail Price 2,800 yen (2,940 yen tax inclusive) Color White Specifications Remote Control : Play/Pause, FF, FR, Volume +/-, Hold switch Headphone : In-the-ear type headphone Product Name Soft case and hand strap (for PSPTM) Product Code PSP-170( Color Soft case: Black Hand strap: White Recommended Retail Price 2,000 yen (2,100 yen tax inclusive) Specifications Soft case: Dimensions: Approximately 195mm (W) x 7.5mm (H) x 108mm (D) Hand strap: Dimensions: Approximately 189mm (W) x 3.3mm (H) x 9mm (D) Design and specifications are subject to change without notice. [ 03-25-2005, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

How much different does it need to be? Have you deployed an MIM and see him carrying a DTR4A rifle or run faster than an EFM? The only marine classes which don't do anything AI related as far as tasks are concerned, are the ECM and MCM. They were designed for (a) multiplayer in which any player could assume either role and be able to perform repair/heal tasks according to the marine type ( in single player whereby they could automatically perform their tasks (repair, heal) any other NPC that was within range and needed repairing, healing. These two tasks (repair and healing of NPCs by others or the player) were dropped features due to lack of time. They will be in the follow-up games UCHI and UCHTL. Other than that, the ECM and MCM both have weapons and will perform as regular marines while not doing any repairing or healing of others. NPCs were later taught (in a patch) how to use supply stations, making the need for ECM or MCM marines in the field, unnecessary.

I'd rather be tied to an albino gorilla soaked in honey and running through a forest of ants than watch that rubbish called Enterprise. I have been watching Andromeda again since the new season began on sci-fi; and, while cheesy, its gives me more guilty pleasure entertainment than that rubbish called Enterprise.

....for picking up chicks.

Just saw this over at AVAULT quote: Good news: Ratings for Lost are high, and ABC has decided to allow for a full season of the show to run. (They've ordered 9 more episodes, bringing the total to 22 for the first season.) Who knows where it could go from there, but it's a hit, and things are looking up for the best new show of this TV season. It's also apparently a pretty damn expensive endeavor. The pilot episode reportedly cost 14 million, while individual episodes are running 3 to 4 million.

What kind of tutorials would you like to see. Try to be realistic. And if you don't have any idea how the scenarios work, play some of the IA scenarios and ask me questions based on those. I did some tutorials for GBS-II (check that forum) and will start doing some new ones (which I will post here and in PDF files for the GBS-III distribution) here for GBS-III. btw, there is an FAQ at the end of the gbsIII_docs.pdf file.

I have added a new GBS-III build to the server. It contains a new parser that is compatible with 2.00.16 patch. The link will self-destruct tomorrow night.

The guns on the gunship work like PTA turrets. In the next UC games (UCHI, UCHTL), you will be able to switch to and use them as the "gunner". e.g. someone could be flying it, while you are using that gun. Someone else could be standing in the doorway and firing their own gun as well. Thats all new in UCHI/UCHTL for single and multiplayer. Yes, you can independently control the turret guns on the Wildcat.

quote: Originally posted by Zane Marlowe: That said, I am also curious (if the answer doesn't require a dissertation) whether the load for AI-controlled player assets (such as the aforementioned FC's) is managed on the server or the client-side. AI's fighters don't have to deal with prediction warping do they? AI is computed client side. Only the server has to update all clients as to the positions of all the clients. So if have 3 clients all launching 4 fighters, thats a lot of positions to update and is down to the server to handle it (which it can, just fine) and the connection (which may croak on low bandwidth clients) to keep it flowing constantly and consistently.

quote: Originally posted by Zane Marlowe: One question I have is that since the computer seems to manage the PTA system adequately, then is there some reason why we wouldn't use FC assets as a primary means of attack since they are also AI controlled? FC assets + PTA systems end up doing a lot of work for me in SP play, and this could give us something to build scenarios around until the other coding issues are resolved (or the next game comes out, etc.) I'm not sure what the question is since I don't know why you can't use FCs. As for turrets, they are precomputed on both client and server and don't do any prediction; thats why they are more accurate than you [player] trying to use guns. Its the same way in single player, you can't dodge turret fire like you can regular gun fire.

This one kind slipped under the radar, but you can read about the cancelation here.