so I will comment on all of these issues and where they stand at the current moment. I do want to apologize for nt playing lastnight as my computer died... I should have it fixed in the next day or so which will allow me to fix some of these bugs.
#1 the mini map ---- We understand that the mini-map has some issues/limitations at the current moment. A lot of these issues you talk about in regards to it are things that we plan to fix but we do not plan to fix them in the patch release, except the zoom in issue where it zooms you into the map. Outside that the fixes will come in the next major release as we will re-write most of the mini-map code to be a little bit more informational.
#2 Shock turrent on the fighters issue will be fixed in the patch release.
#3 bridges not being solid...I will have to look into this. I do not see how the bridges could not be solid if they are just static meshes unless we somehow do something to them. I will have to talk to our mappers about that and see WTF is going on. if its anything in code I will more then certainly make sure it gets fixed in the patch release.
#4 rocket issue, this issue is part of a much bigger issue in regards to units in general upon death. I will fix this issue on the general unit level that when stuff dies.. IT DIES and it will get into the patch release but I think in the next Major release we are going to move to a more detailed unit model. One thing that is nice in UT in general is the fact that i can just extend the base and go from there, but what ends up happening a lot is we extend and then just add very little. The plan here is to make the units more specific and remove the less generic code from the general unit and make that more generic.... this will allow for a much better upgrade path as well as better management on the code front and we will see this in the next major release.
#5 the units getting blocked and running into things etc... this issue is a big one and sadly its something that will have to be fixed on a larger scale then we are willing to put into the patch release. The pathing system is a work in progress and while krash did a great job we need to keep improving on it and that is the plan. We are hoping to have this issue fixed in the next major release as well as just overall better unit responce.
#6 Fog of war is going to be re-written 100% I do not like its current implamentation and I think it needs something better. This could get into the Patch release I will have to see how much code it will take to get a better system in place. if it does not, for sure will be in the next major release, with that said the units firing from the fog of war... what I will do is make it so if a unit is attacking another unit it will show up on the mini-map if its not in sight of the unit. So if you were moving towards a base and a unit attacked another unit it would show up... now there is a bug in the auto-attack code in regards to line of sight on the units. as you know the units will only do there autocommand function. if autocommand is turned off units will not attack. this will be changed in the long run so that units will be more dynamic but for now it works.
#7 the next couple issues in regards to the minimap; again this will be re-written in the next major release. so a lot of these requests will be in there.
#8 seeing who is connected to the server. This part of a much bigger issue in regards to the whole way Uskaarj network model works and we are going to make some major changes to this in the next major release. Some things planned for that are mouse overs of enemy units to show the units type and who's unit it is. Also we plan on having a whole new game creation interface, similar to that of other RTS games, where you can go in and "create" games much like you would in c&c generals or starcraft and then have players join the game and then when all the settings etc... are done you will join a server out on the net like you would join a game now. This will also remove some of the player ready crap thats there now as players will all join at the sametime and if a player disconnects or whatever it will just continue on like most RTS games do.
#9 builder bot heal orgy.... I will fix this for the patch release.
#10 this whole water thing... I will have to look at how we currently are doing this there is no reaso why we should not be to block the pawns from going into the water. i will also look into the planes taking a dive when they go over the water. This should be fixed in the patch release as well.
#11 the sparks showing up is also something that will be fixed in the patch release.
#12 the units will get a full look over once we get both sides in, this could happen in the next major release or could not.
#13 upgrades are coming
I hope this gives you guys some insight as to whats the plans are and keep the info coming... if you run into these issues again keep reporting them as we need to know they are still there. I will look at getting a bugzilla site up which will allow me to track these issues better and allow you guys to put in bug reports that are more detailed... keep up the good work and keep the testing going on.
Just a heads up for the next test build... this build will have an exe to run instead of loading the mod up via the mod menu in ut2k4 or the batch file in the system folder in the Uskaarj folder. This exe will also have auto-update support, so when we push new builds you guys should get them instantly pulled down to your box and installed. it will backup one version back to allow for rollbacks . At the current moment this will only be for .u files(very small in size) and not the whole content of the mod.
Also I will be adding something in the next test build that when a game is completed it will min the game and make you go out to a website and post feedback, this is for testing only and the reason its there is because I really want all the feedback and as much of it as possible. We can only make a better game when people tell us whats wrong with the current one. This is a client side option and you can disable it from the options menu but I would really like the feedback .
Other then that expect a new test build with some of these issues fixed this week barring i get my computer working
