Descent 3 Patch 1.4.0b January 25, 2000 This patch for Descent 3 for Linux contains the following improvements upon version 1.4.0a of the game: - Removed frames-per-second check that was in version 1.4.0a; if your game runs too slow, you're now on your own to figure it out. :) - Added --glinfo (-I) option to dump the glString() calls' text to stdout. - Glide users no longer use --gllibrary (or -g) to specify non-default libGlide.so files. They now use --glidelibrary (or -l). - Pressing ALT-Enter (or Alt-Return) will cause the game to flip between windowed and fullscreen mode. Only tries to flip if using the OpenGL renderer. Don't try this on a Voodoo or Voodoo2, even in OpenGL mode. - Fixed multiplayer ship logo configuration. It would try to write the logos to the game's installed directory, where the user likely doesn't have write permission. Now it tries to write them to $HOME/.loki/descent3/custom/graphics, where they belong. - File dialogs now lists "hidden" files and dirs, that is, ones that start with a period, including the "." and ".." directories. - Added --nogamma commandline option for buggy Voodoo drivers in Xfree4. - Added -P as a shortcut for --tempdir (running out of letters, here!) - Statically linked against newer SDL, etc. - Dynamically-linked binary also released. - Fixed some single-char command line arguments to work correctly. - When checking for files on CD, the game's base path is first checked. Now, the preference path is also checked before the CD. So if Descent3 is looking for the intro movie, it will check these before prompting for a CD: /where/i/installed/d3/movies/intro.mve $HOME/.loki/descent3/movies/intro.mve /where/cd/is/mounted/movies/intro.mve - MPEG support. When playing a .MVE file, Descent3 will check for an MPEG version. For example, if playing intro.mve, Descent3 will look for intro.mpg first. If it exists, Descent3 will play that instead. This will help with systems that cannot play the higher quality movies at full speed. (The MPEG versions are available as a seperate, free, and large download.) These fixes from 1.4.0a against the original retail version still apply: - If the default libGL or user-specified libGL fails to load, 1.4.0a will try libGL.so.1 as a last resort... - Other minor GL tweaks. - The tech support number listed with --help has changed. - Added Jeff Slutter (Outrage) and Mark Bainter (beta tester) to the in-game credits. - Fix to allow Mercenary movies to play. - Multitexture fix: Whether the user requested multitexture extensions or not, and whether the game expected to find them or not, Descent 3 would try to load them, and would abort when it couldn't. Now Descent 3 only attempts to find the extension's symbols if needed. - Support for the COBRA chair. (--cobra on the command line). - Support for foreign keyboards. There are some 90+ keys (the SDL "world" keys) that are now available for use in Descent3. - The game now makes idle calls while waiting for a new CD to be inserted, so it won't eat up all available processor time. - Added "--timetest" and "--fastdemo" options for benchmarking. - Added "--tempdir" option for a few odd cases. - Newer SDL used, which fixes some various issues. - DRI-based systems no longer automatically crash. - Gamma support. Systems with xgamma support can change the game's brightness in the video options section off the main menu. - Added option to play at 1152x864 resolution. (You're welcome, Metz.) - Startup menu checks the rendering speed, and if it's too slow, the game aborts with a polite message explaining what's up. - Missions can now be placed in $HOME/.loki/descent3/missions/, and they will be detected with the other missions, and can be loaded. - Some people had problems with CD-ROM drives and strange directories being created. This is fixed. - Other minor fixes and tweaks. IMPORTANT NOTES This version should NOT break compatibility with the Windows clients and servers more than it already is broken. The "Levels don't match" problem that is seen on a few maps when connecting to Windows-based players will be addresses in a future patch, as Outrage needs to update their Win32 clients and servers, which is beyond Loki's control. Save game, demo, and other file formats have not changed. INSTALLING THIS PATCH Either use the Loki Update Tool, or manually install the patch by typing "sh " at the command line: $ sh descent3-1.4.0b-x86.run CONTACTING LOKI SOFTWARE, INC. For information about this and other products, visit our website at: http://www.lokigames.com/ Technical support is available from Loki Software, Inc. at: FAQ: http://faqs.lokigames.com/ Website: http://fenris.lokigames.com/ Email: support@lokigames.com Phone: 1-714-508-2140 Telephone support is available between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. PST You can also communicate with other Descent 3 enthusiasts at: Usenet: news://news.lokigames.com/loki.games.descent3 SPECIAL THANKS - andrew henderson for the asm hacking. - bernd kreimeier for knocking me down and ... - chunky kibbles for being a devoted mysterious isle junkie. - sebastian chaumat for testing the broken asm code. - matt matthews for all the benchmarking (and the resulting fixes). - mark starrett at saitek industries for the free hardware and friendly help. - the geforce/voodoo3/xfree4 users that waited patiently for this patch. - andy mecham for taking my quake3 abuse. - mike phillips for designing maps so i could whoop up on andy. // end of README-1.4.0b ...