A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by Draconisaurus »

I want to stress here that I have whitnessed Trespasser crashing due to combo-errors. That is, minor errors that don't crash a level on their own, may crash a level when compounded together. Like Tres has an inner tolerance for certain things that eventually breaks, especially with highly-developed levels.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by TheIdiot »

Draconisaurus wrote:I want to stress here that I have whitnessed Trespasser crashing due to combo-errors. That is, minor errors that don't crash a level on their own, may crash a level when compounded together. Like Tres has an inner tolerance for certain things that eventually breaks, especially with highly-developed levels.
I know what you mean, yeah. The key is trying to find what's causing the error and finding out if there's a way to circumvent it.

One other thing to note is that Trespasser is more or less stable depending on your hardware. In my experience, a computer which initially has difficulty running a particular map is far more likely to crash than one which runs it at 60+ FPS (Tres Legacy comes to mind). That being said, my computer can run all Trespasser maps I've encountered at 40+ FPS, and this level is still crashing for me, so it must be something else.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by tatu »

TheIdiot wrote:
Draconisaurus wrote:I want to stress here that I have whitnessed Trespasser crashing due to combo-errors. That is, minor errors that don't crash a level on their own, may crash a level when compounded together. Like Tres has an inner tolerance for certain things that eventually breaks, especially with highly-developed levels.
I know what you mean, yeah. The key is trying to find what's causing the error and finding out if there's a way to circumvent it.

One other thing to note is that Trespasser is more or less stable depending on your hardware. In my experience, a computer which initially has difficulty running a particular map is far more likely to crash than one which runs it at 60+ FPS (Tres Legacy comes to mind). That being said, my computer can run all Trespasser maps I've encountered at 40+ FPS, and this level is still crashing for me, so it must be something else.
From my experience the issues can be different only between reinstallation of the OS on the same computer. Tho CE adds Directx 9 function the original one had different settings for different graphic cards so that could've explained issues for the vanilla game.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by Draconisaurus »

Lee, an error issue has been detected. I have noticed in the past that at least one of your mods to the engine has caused scripted-event functionality to change. Am thinking it's part of the complexity of intra-engine interaction, such as that which the devs would have to tackle each time they made a change. My own error involved the CAnimal trigger script modification, though I forget the details now. The following two quotes are from a member who just discovered a new one:
LCountach wrote:I just found a very interesting bug. I have started working on Pine Valley again for a few more little touches. It seems that "Trespasser CE" doesn't allow you to complete the main puzzle. However ATX does. Whats missing is the initial green lights in the control room for the complete puzzle to finish. You can do all the normal steps in CE. Its just the lights that usually start out green start red and stay red when playing the level in CE.
LCountach wrote:I found another strange... bug? In the turbine room where there are three levers and three dials/gauges. I can remember in the past having to mess with the three levers to make the light come on in the control room. I dont seem to have to do that anymore. I did a fresh install of build 96 on another PC and it is the same. The turbine room dials are active and the green light comes for the turbine after turning the 2 big red valve/wheels outside. I dont remember it being like that. How about anyone else?

Note: I am running ATX2.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by TheIdiot »

The Geo Plant seems to function differently every time you try it, so that doesn't surprise me. It needs a total re-write in order to work properly, I think.

I can't remember specifically, but I have had problems like this as well in the past, though it was nothing that couldn't be circumvented. However, while working on a project with Draco, another issue came up where a simple LocationTrigger that played an .asa animation straight-up stopped working after testing it for a while (Drac - for reference, it's the one thing when you go up the stairs in that one building in "S.C."...you know the one :P ). I've checked the T-script and the .asa several times and there is no reason it shouldn't be working. I've had this occur with other triggers in the past as well and have had to delete them and re-do them, at which point it starts working again. This one simply will not work, though. Very strange, although I wonder if it's CE causing the issue or something else about the engine.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by Lee Arbuco »

tatu wrote:Whenever you get back here and can have a look. During TheIdiot's and my project we have combined BE, JR, PH, IJ and IT into one big level.
...
I will attach the crash.dmp and hope it tells you something.
Unfortunately I see that the crash dump is from running an old outdated build, tpassp6.exe v1.0.132 instead of 1.0.135. Aside from that I couldn't see what I needed from the crash dump, running an older version is not good for several reasons. Maybe it's a bug that was already fixed, or secondly, in case you're using squirrel scripts, they might be using features that were added in newer CE versions and that is causing crashing or other issues with the old version.
When loading in GUIApp, this is the end of the DebugLog where it crashes:
For future reference. The <exename>.log file (int this case guiapp.log) is probably the more important log file. When posting crash dumps, it never hurts to also include the associated log file (in above case it would've been tpassp6.log).
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by tatu »

Woops, didn't notice I was running an earlier build. However, TheIdiot who clearly have the latest still had the same issue.

I've done some more testing after I posted that and it is possible I have just pushed the engine to some limit, but I haven't been in the mood to do more testing, but thanks for pointing out that I have an old CE version!

Also, roger that :)
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by Lee Arbuco »

TheIdiot wrote:is there any way to either implement into the code or create a .NUT script for a trigger which fires when you push a customizable button on the keyboard? I assume it would work similarily to your implementation of the Sprint system (with the addition of the key to the Controls menu and such), except instead of increasing player speed, it activates a trigger.

I can see a lot of good use for such a function, and already have a few ideas of my own. I remember that you said something about this being doable with scripts, and if that is the case, it would be wonderful if you could write up a template script for this with the functions listed above as configurable modifiers.
A script trigger can't track keyboard input itself, but it should be possible with a script combo. It wouldn't be able to track explicit keys though, but key commands/binds like uCMD_USER1. A GameScript that checks a key bind and then signals (for example through a global variable) the state to a custom script trigger that reacts to changes in the signaled state.
would it be possible to write a triggered script which fades in an overlay image, and then fades it back out either after a set period of time or if another script/trigger removes it? I imagine this should be doable using the same scripting as the HUDs you've made for CE, except this element would be static instead and its size and position would be the key modifiers. This would mostly be used as a replacement for the broken retail ActionType which permanently displays a .BMP image on-screen, which presumably uses .tga files as your other scripts do, allowing for much greater flexibility
That would be possible yes, at least as long as the game is not running in software render mode.


Though for both above cases, depending on what use cases you had in mind, it's entirely possible it could be solved (by scripting) in a simpler way, i.e. a bunch of less script code. Triggers and ActionTypes was all the original game had available to "script" with, but that's no longer the case, so depending on case it can be helpful to not think about it in the old way.

As an example, take the key trigger. You'd have to make a trigger script, the game script, with all the code to signal and param definable key. Then using it in a level there also needs to be the ActionType "script" to do something when triggered. Let's just as an example say to print a message text on the screen.

Now in contrast, say I'd just code that specific setup in a script right away. It would end up just a few lines, especially if there already is a GameScript for other stuff, then it would be just adding 2 lines or so, compared to substantially more code doing it the old way.

Code: Select all

class MyScript extends GameScript
{
	function OnHandleInput()
	{
		if ( bKeyHit(uCMD_USER1) )
			TP_Engine.u4DisplayFormattedString("Hello", 2.0, 0, 0, TP_Engine.rgb(255,255,255), 0, ETextType.ettUNKNOWN);
	}
}
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by Lee Arbuco »

Draconisaurus wrote:
LCountach wrote:I just found a very interesting bug. I have started working on Pine Valley again for a few more little touches. It seems that "Trespasser CE" doesn't allow you to complete the main puzzle. However ATX does. Whats missing is the initial green lights in the control room for the complete puzzle to finish. You can do all the normal steps in CE. Its just the lights that usually start out green start red and stay red when playing the level in CE.
There are so many PV levels in the download section, I don't know what I'm supposed to look at.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by tatu »

Lee Arbuco wrote:
Draconisaurus wrote:
LCountach wrote:I just found a very interesting bug. I have started working on Pine Valley again for a few more little touches. It seems that "Trespasser CE" doesn't allow you to complete the main puzzle. However ATX does. Whats missing is the initial green lights in the control room for the complete puzzle to finish. You can do all the normal steps in CE. Its just the lights that usually start out green start red and stay red when playing the level in CE.
There are so many PV levels in the download section, I don't know what I'm supposed to look at.
It would be the one from Build 97 found here: viewtopic.php?f=120&t=10959
Active project: Trespasser: Isla Sorna
Status:
BE-PH1: Released
PH2-IT: Pre-released
PL-SUM: In production

"...there used to be more benches, but InGen's workers removed them during the evacuation in the name of framerate."
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by machf »

I think he means the original PV level found in builds 96 and 97... you'd need to get one of those instead. There was a link to some Dropbox folder or something...
EDIT: I see tatu just answered.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by machf »

Hey, Lee, I'll just jump at the chance and mention an idea someone else had, whether it would be possible to make an "über-CE" executable capable of loading also the earlier versions of the .TPA/.PID/.GRF/.SCN files. We've been discussing the evolution of those file formats over time and writing small tools to update old-format files to retail-compliant ones... this idea would be an alternative to that.
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by machf »

Hey, Lee, something I was forgetting: could you next time compile GroffBuild as a .dll file instead of an .exe file? I think it's meant as a plug-in for 3DS MAX... or was that another file? GroffExp, I think... let me check.
Yes, that's GroffExp, different from GroffBuild. Could you compile that one as a .dll for the next release?
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by machf »

Lee Arbuco wrote:
tatu wrote:I believe they might have used that GroffBuild to create GRF files. However, it looks for .MDF (MultiIndex), and so far I have not found any Max Script exporting into that.
I've only very briefly looked at GroffBuild, and built a quick test groff. I don't know if it was used, at all, prior to the Max exporter being ready, or in combination with the Max exporter. I don't think it was used for level groffs, but for other data. You can build groffs without MDF files. Simply drag and drop files, like for example image files, into the list. Set a groff filename by pressing "Groff Name", then press "Generate Groff!" in the menu and it will create a GRF containing the files.
From what I can tell, GroffBuild may have been used to create small GROFF files used to import objects into a level using GUIapp. As explained in the File Formats document, GROFF files are container files for multiple purposes, with the .SCN and .GRF files being two particular cases...

BTW, .MDF is an old database format; .MDX is defined as "Multi-inDeX", a related format (from dBase IV). I wonder if that's why TSOrd's old tools used database files, too...
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Re: A new Trespasser patch/update (Trespasser CE)

Post by BZPlasma »

I wanted to ask, is there any chance of implementing an option in the settings menu/config to allow "jumping" dinosaurs and dinos that can enter buildings like the ATX mod does? I originally played this with those options on and it makes the game much more enjoyable and tense. When I played through the game with the CE patch, I was bored that the dinos just made a straight B-line to you and it wasn't fun or challenging at all. Also, one great thing about the CE patch is the ability to stow away 2 items! Both CE and ATX each have functions that are great that the other does not have. It would be great to have the best of both worlds at the same time.

Thanks
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