Unreal Texture UT site and S3TC releases

[IronMonkey]

OK.

Clean UA install plus S3TC install without fix on Linux = happiness

S3TC install + std S3 fix on well-established Windows install (i.e. much crud) = skating bots

S3TC install without S3 fix on well-established Windows install = skating bots

In the latter cases, the server install is fairly clean (well, compared to the server that I joined last night and was able to go away, cook the pizza, serve it, have a relaxing cup of coffee and I still had to wait for it to finish downloading all the addons), bonus packs, MapVoteLA, MH, ons, JB plus a load of maps (iirc).

I suppose the next step is to blow away the Windows install and try from a clean install.

There was talk of some server-side setting that could help - what is it?

[Diehard]

Sorry about that Diehard. What about the UT.utx package. Have you thought about maybe giving that one a going over?

Here's to hoping that it's fixed quick.

Just for the record, i cannot fix the procedural problem, on my side there is nothing that can be done to fix a package, if such an error is sitting in it. For the moment its either you use the package and take the error for granted, or dont use the package at all. For this to fix i need diehard programmers/coders for that. And the ones that can do it are too buzy to be able to work on it.

Un fortunatelly in this case its a very important package....


The problem can only be solved if someone would go work on the Mergertool i have to create the packages. Its there where it goes wrong. Somehow the prodecural textures in a package can get corrupted, even while they are not processed.

There was talk of some server-side setting that could help - what is it?

The discussions about that can be found on the Unreal Texture forums:

Bugreports and glitches
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[brdempsey69]

Worry not, Diehard. Tonight I'm going to test all the maps that I have installed and any that crash, I'll post them here.

So far the only one is DOM-MetalDream.

[Raynor.Z]

Originally Posted by brdempsey69

I'll tell you what, I'm going to download the XbpFX pack and whatever map crashes, I'll fix the son of a b1tch and give it different name.

EDIT: And I did, the map was DOM-MetalDream and it was part of the sky box. Changed it to a ShaneSky texture, scaled it down, rebuilt it, saved it as DOM-MetalDream][ and all is well.

Care to share your modified map?

[IronMonkey]

Originally Posted by Diehard

The discussions about that can be found on the Unreal Texture forums:

Bugreports and glitches
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In summary,

Originally Posted by http://wiki.unrealadmin.org/Using_S3TC_Textures

How do I properly set up a server to use these ?

Servers should have the CD1 Textures installed, if they have CD2 or the reduced 'Server only' textures it will cause problems. The server should also run smoother for clients with the CD1 textures installed.

My local (work) server is a Linux dedicated server install. I presume that has the "server only" texture set. I'll try copying the retail textures (CD1) over to that tomorrow and see how it goes.

[brdempsey69]

Originally Posted by Raynor.Z

Care to share your modified map?

I'll upload it later tonight and post the link.

[Diehard]

Theres an update for the XbpFX package.

The tiling problem that DigitalPixie mentioned in the mars textures is fixed. If correct the anoying cross that goes across the entire planet is gone or at least minimized to almost invisible.

The Earth textures are upgraded to true S3TC (thanks to NASA who provided the High res photo ) which means the total planet is now 4096 x 4096 pixels and tons more detail.(previous versions were recycled from 2nd CD and only 1024 x 1024 pixels in total)

But again, use is at your own risk !

XbpFX NonGroup

All downloads are at the bottom of that page.
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[brdempsey69]

Thanks Diehard, I will grab it and continue testing to see which maps are biting the dust other than DOM-MetalDream.

[Dark Pulse]

Would it be possible to make a version of that package that has the original Blueplasma texture in it? Will that run? Or is that what this already is?

[Diehard]

To make S3TC packages i need to do follow:

I have to create the textures in higher resolution, than i have to save those files as dds file.

The dds files are stored in a folder stucture that resembles the packages. If a texture is sitting in the Wall group i have to add that texture(dds file) to the folder named Wall. This goes for the entire package.

Outside that folder sturcture there is the original low resolution texture package(UT 1st CD). Next to that theres the Mergertool that does the trick.

If i now run the Mergertool it will start to read the original package, if it encounters a BMP or PCX file in the package it than will compare if there is a similar named dds file in the folder stucture. If it finds one it will switch out the files without changing anything in the package (this ensures the package maintains net compatibillity)

If it cant find a dds counterpart it simply will skip to the next texture leaving that texture unharmed and unchanged. It does process all textures in the package one by oné and writes the result in a temp folder.

In this case the Blueplasma is not upgraded, and the Mergertool should simply skip that texture since it wont be able to find a dds counterpart. Effectivelly nothing should have been changed,......... But apearently it does sometimes with a procedural texture. Like in this case...

And running the tool again wont change anything, nor adding or leaving out textures. All together we were already lucky, almost all packages i upgraded for this release did contain procedural textures. And all of them went fine, just this last one it didnt work

The only way to fix this is making a better Mergertool, but for that i need awsome good programmers. And Kerilk who made the tool didnt have any time anymore to fix it, or add more functions to it. The only one i know left able to do it (Smirftch from old unreal) has his hands full on the 227 patch.

So for the moment we have to live with it i am afraid. Hope this answers it
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[IronMonkey]

Originally Posted by Diehard

The only way to fix this is making a better Mergertool, but for that i need awsome good programmers.

Which language, OS and development environment?

[brdempsey69]

Originally Posted by Raynor.Z

Care to share your modified map?

Sorry man, I've tried to update DOM-MetalDream and I did make it work for Practice sessions, but server mode is essentially f*cked because the player skating problem is massive ( doesn't happen in CTF-Face ) when using the UTRP XbpFX.utx package. Unless it gets fixed, there's nothing I can do. And the same thing happens in DM-Phobos.

[iSenSe]

..isnt it just fantastic that ppl are still bussy to make this game more graphical and better.
once again, thanks.. for this wonderfull job.

i did some tests, i run ut trough opengl 3.4 and downloaded the high end textures
and had the s3tc from cd2 installed, so i just moved them all to the textures map.

i went into a server with UTDC2.0 didnt get kicked out or what so ever.
also tried a server with pure anticheat, unfortunatly i dont know the version or how to see which version of Pure it is. but i didnt get caught for cheating

also, everybody is talkin about the skatingplayer glitch..
well i also seen it a few times only the S3TC textures solves this problem already doesnt it ? cause its a long time ago when i saw that glitch.

.. UT is reborn
wonderfull job
it amazes me every time now when i get into a game haha :P

[IronMonkey]

I am very pleased to report that copying the CD1 textures over the dedicated (Linux) install seems to have cured the skating bot problem. This client was a Windows install with unmodified S3TC textures that previously exhibited the problem.

[Protos]

Good to have more confirmation. I think we can put the skating issue and the anti cheat issues to rest and now work on map compatibilities.

Very Very pumped about this project and am eager to further the life of UT99. Truly it has really increased my pleasure in playing again.

By The Way,

For those who want absolutely max settings use Detail Max 3 and the UT99 Extension Pack.

AWESOME !!

[Diehard]

Yeah, to summorize this:

- The skating glitch is not present if the server is loaded with the 1st CD textures.
- Packages should pass all anti cheat around.

Means it depends on the serveradmin to solve the problem really, and they need to be notified somehow. And indeed maybe have it in the servername like "UTRP ready" or "UTRP compatible"
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[brdempsey69]

Yes, gotta say thanks Diehard for breathing new life into UT.

[GreatEmerald]

Hmm, what with playing over LAN then? I don't want any of those two to have the normal textures. And that will call the skating glitch?

[brdempsey69]

Originally Posted by GreatEmerald

Hmm, what with playing over LAN then? I don't want any of those two to have the normal textures. And that will call the skating glitch?

A good question, indeed. I'll have to test in Listen Server mode.

[Diehard]

In such a case if you want to maintain everything thats on your current LAN server.

Just create a new folder like C:\UTLANServer

And copy the content of your server to that folder and replace all textures with the 1st CD textures.

That way you can migrate everything and leaving the original LAN server intact. And use the new one as a glitch free LAN server.
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