InkyBlackness news: v0.2.0 - harnessing the power of OpenGL

[674237c2079a9dertseha]

° InkyBlackness

Following up on the concerns raised from v0.1.0, I present a reimplementation of the client interface! The power of graphics acceleration via OpenGL - combined with.. a text interface?

First of all, here's the full release note, with screenshot:
https://github.com/inkyblackness/deck/releases/tag/v0.2.0
For the binaries, please refer to a later release - e.g. v0.2.1 due to a funny bug...

Again, please limit the excitement - there are no new features compared to the previous version (to be exact, there are even less now).
I wanted to handle the issues, primarily the one about performance.

There's also an alternative to the browser client: A native client, which too connects to the server (that you still need in the background).
On the positive side, the tile map is now rendered using OpenGL (or WebGL in the browser) and levels load very fast. As an added bonus: zooming with the mousewheel is supported - and the palette animation (looped indices) was easily done with shaders.

On the negative side, the control interface, which was already minimalist in the previous version, has become even clumsier. The native client even uses text and ASCII art - quite a culture clash, right next to an OpenGL window. Initially I thought this would work out well, though, having worked with it now during development... As a hint for usage: Think of a "section" like a tab-control; Perhaps this helps.

Refer to the release note for a full list of the issues handled.

So, what's up next:
* Must: Get back to resource hacking, with focus on level objects. Now that the interface can handle more graphic objects more easily.
* Should: Redesign the editor interface. I am thinking about a fully OpenGL-integrated variant though I want to avoid re-creating a UI library in OpenGL (I have some initial ideas, not fleshed out though). This requires better knowledge of what properties are supported by the level objects (-> previous point).
* Could: Merging the server/client into one standalone application. If the server/client design continues to be received with scepticism.

By the way, does anyone need MacOS binaries as well in the releases? Since all is written in Go, a compilation for this target should be easy.

[674237c207bcaGawain]

Very inspiring work! Can you post some screenshots, please?
I have some of the levels objects mostly figured out. I'll try to find some time to write them up to your ss-specs project..

[674237c207d3fdertseha]

While working on the screenshots I came across a nasty bug that wouldn't display the textures of tile maps. v0.2.1 is in the works...

Fixed, v0.2.1 is out and here's a screenshot (1920x1178)

[674237c208dd7Gawain]

Sweet!

[674237c209064icemann]

I'd say to get in the level making features you want first, THEN worry about the UI.

[674237c2091ffdertseha]

Progress! I just managed to successfully add a lead pipe to the level and the engine wouldn't trip up with an "Objsys error!"

Image: http://drive.google.com/uc?id=0B74wu_2eEeTxNGFFcVBhWUt1ZTg
(also, embedding images from google drive doesn't work as it used to anymore...)

[674237c2093d7Kolya]

It works if you use a https address. Not sure if google drive allows that, imgur does. The disadvantages of security.
Also:
[InkyBlackness.gif expired]

[674237c2094e6Gawain]

  This is wonderful!

[674237c20adfeRocketMan]

I think Otherside should just abort right now and make their SS1 Remake using this thing instead.  Who's with me?

[674237c20af0achickenhead]

Let's just agree to disagree.

[674237c20b38fLearonys]

I think Otherside should just abort right now and make their SS1 Remake using this thing instead.  Who's with me?

Otherside? I didn't know they were working on a SS1 remake aswell!   

But i'm loving the work so far! Makes me think about how Revert3d engine was still in development back in the day. I really hoped that project would've finished some day Has anyone heard of Robert since?

Downloaded and will maybe someday use it for when I am extremely bored