SuperTuxKart 0.9 Release Candidate

[samuncle]

@Vermilion, I have no idea how to do that and the core team doesn't really have the time to do it . We prefer to focus on Linux, Windows and Mac version.

However if someone is motivated to do it why not. I'm not sure if the new version is still as easy to port compared to previous version, because now we use an advanced 3D engine, and good drivers are mandatory.

Don't forget the older versions are still available and you could try to port newer track to the older engine.

[Wuzzy]

To be honest, I am a bit disappointed in 0.9.

Graphics-wise, this was even a downgrade from 0.8.2 for me, because I am now forced to use the lowest possible graphics setting, otherwise STK is too slow for my machine. It is acceptable on most tracks, but not on Cocoa Temple and Gran Paradiso Island, which a nearly unplayable unless I play with graphics level 1. Sadly, not even shadows work in this graphics level for me. I am surprised to see that not even the most primitive kind of shading is now possible, every surface has the same level of brightness for me in graphics level 1. I also noticed that the “stars” animation which plays when a kart has been recently bombed away is gone completely. This is very annoying for me, now I don't know anymore when it is okay for a second hit etc.

I wish STK has some compability improvements for future versions, so at least some basic kind of shading works in a low graphics setting.

I am also not very happy with the new HUD. I like the new font, but that's about it.
Now the speed is not shown as a number anymore and the total number of karts has also been hidden—very annoying for hectic Follow The Leader races but also annoying in general. I will probably write more about the HUD somewhere else.

Also, 0.9 has a couple of annoying bugs, some of them are track-breaking, see what I have filed on GitHub recently (user name “Wuzzy2”).

I am personally hoping for a quick release of 0.9.1 where only the bugs and issues of 0.9 are fixed.

I am very glad to see Gavroche as main new character in SuperTuxKart. Sadly, Gavroche looks like shit on graphics level 1 (probably because of the missing shading), so I can't really enjoy it.
I dislike Xue's new kart because the iconical “X” has be replaced by a boring 08/15 turbine thing. This was a bad idea, because that X really fits, as it is also the XFCE logo and it also made the kart stand out.

I am sad to see the track “The Island” removed and with it, its iconical background music.
I guess that Grand Paradiso Island was intended as its successor somehow, but I don't really think this can really replace The Island because Grand Paradiso Island has a WAY broader road, so it is quite different in gameplay. I like The Island for its relatively narrow road and sharp turns. I would love to see a reboot of The Island.

But I personally think the two new tracks have been well-made, but they look like shit for me thanks to my graphics settings. I appreciate the work which has been put into detail, also into other tracks which have been updated.

I am not really sad about the removal of that Amazonas track.

The Grand Prix Editor is actually pretty nice, but I would have liked it more if the game had included some (sane) grand prix races by default. Whatever, it's not that important. Good work on the editor, thanks!
Maybe I'll create and share some grand prix with this editor. Maybe.


Comment on the blog post entry:

All work in the gift package is released under CC-BY-SA-NC 4.0.

I just want to point out that the NonCommercial clause makes this a highly toxic license. And I say that as someone who is, well, not exactly pro capitalism. Here is a good text about the problems with this license: http://freedomdefined.org/Licenses/NC
I hope this doesn't mean 0.9.1 will be released (in parts) under CC-BY-SA-NC. If this happens, SuperTuxKart has to be removed from a couple of Linux distributions repositories … :-(
So I hope this is only temporary.

[samuncle]

To be honest, I am a bit disappointed in 0.9.
Graphics-wise, this was even a downgrade from 0.8.2 for me, because I am now forced to use the lowest possible graphics setting, otherwise STK is too slow for my machine. It is acceptable on most tracks, but not on Cocoa Temple and Gran Paradiso Island, which a nearly unplayable unless I play with graphics level 1.

It's sad but I'm not sure what we can do for you . We won't support OpenGL 2.0 anymore that's a fact. One option could be to backport new tracks like Cocoa Temple to 0.8.1. If someone is interested in doing that, well that could help. However the old addon website is read only so if it's done the track will have to be distributed via another channel.

Sadly, not even shadows work in this graphics level for me. I am surprised to see that not even the most primitive kind of shading is now possible, every surface has the same level of brightness for me in graphics level 1.

Well shadows are one of the performance hog in real time rendering so it's one of the first thing we disable. Now yes I was in favor of a kind of very basic shading (like phong with only the sun) but the engine author decided to not do it so. If someone investigate about this I would be glad to know more

Another option would be to disable all details that aren't important for the race. Like flowers, parots, signs, etc. That would be a flag in the library so the engine can load a track only with essential objects for the race. During my tests That gives generally an increase about 10 FPS. I would be happy if we had such thing.

the “stars” animation which plays when a kart has been recently bombed away is gone

Not sure what you are talking about but this seems like a bug. I can't remember us removing something like that. Maybe someone can bring some precision on that one.

I wish STK has some compability improvements for future versions, so at least some basic kind of shading works in a low graphics setting.

Sorry as I said that won't gonna happen . We don't have enough people to maintain basically: Two completely different engines + all issues related and even with that old hardware won't be able to run newer tracks. So that would mean basically to do two different games. A solution would be as I said backporting.

I am also not very happy with the new HUD. I like the new font, but that's about it.
Now the speed is not shown as a number anymore and the total number of karts has also been hidden—very annoying for hectic Follow The Leader races but also annoying in general. I will probably write more about the HUD somewhere else.

I agree . We should indicate a bit more clearly the position of the player with something like 1/3.

Also, 0.9 has a couple of annoying bugs, some of them are track-breaking, see what I have filed on GitHub recently (user name “Wuzzy2”).

Yes, but to be honest Cocoa, Gran Paradiso have perhaps the most visible and the biggest start line ever made for a supertuxkart track. While it's not precisely on the starting position it perfectly does the job.

I am personally hoping for a quick release of 0.9.1 where only the bugs and issues of 0.9 are fixed.

We are planning to do maybe not a 0.9.1 but at least a 0.9.1.a or something similar.

I dislike Xue's new kart because the iconical “X” has be replaced by a boring 08/15 turbine thing. This was a bad idea, because that X really fits, as it is also the XFCE logo and it also made the kart stand out.

The name of Xue was chosen after the kart was made. So the X of the turbine isn't related. Personally I feel it looks better now and more interesting. You can always take the old propeller and simply do an addon. The great thing with STK is if you don't like something you can very easily do an addon and share it with the world. This isn't only possible this is promoted.

I am sad to see the track “The Island” removed and with it, its iconical background music.
I guess that Grand Paradiso Island was intended as its successor somehow, but I don't really think this can really replace The Island because Grand Paradiso Island has a WAY broader road, so it is quite different in gameplay. I like The Island for its relatively narrow road and sharp turns. I would love to see a reboot of The Island.

Well yes it's the "successor". Gran Paradiso is very similar to the island actually only the beach part is a bit broader, and we felt it was cool to go offroad a bit.
Again the great thing is you can easily download the old island it's one of the only addon available for the moment.

But I personally think the two new tracks have been well-made, but they look like shit for me thanks to my graphics settings. I appreciate the work which has been put into detail, also into other tracks which have been updated.

Thanks . I feel a bit bad since you can't enjoy the track the way they were designed. I recommend to buy a new GPU or a new computer. It's a bit sad but we can't stick always into the past. Sometime changes have to be made. Also OpenGL 3 is almost 6 years old which is okay I guess.

I just want to point out that the NonCommercial clause makes this a highly toxic license.

It's not a "toxic" license it's only a different license from what we use for the game assets.

And I say that as someone who is, well, not exactly pro capitalism

Well I don't see how it's related. Open source/free software isn't exactly against capitalism. Also we aren't a political movement and we don't promote any political movement.

I hope this doesn't mean 0.9.1 will be released (in parts) under CC-BY-SA-NC. If this happens, SuperTuxKart has to be removed from a couple of Linux distributions repositories … :-(

We will probably change the license of the track. But for the moment we stick to CC-BY-SA-NC.

I hope I answered at your questions.

Sam

[GunChleoc]

Creative Commons licenses with NC mean that things can't be used by Wikipedia, for example. So, I think this is something that bears thinking about.

[onpon4]

Well I don't see how it's related. Open source/free software isn't exactly against capitalism. Also we aren't a political movement and we don't promote any political movement.

Non-commercial licenses are quite blatantly anti-capitalist, and they are not free/libre or open source. So this statement makes absolutely no sense as a defense of CC BY-NC-SA.

See also:

http://freedomdefined.org/Licenses/NC

[XGhost]

Non-commercial licenses are quite blatantly anti-capitalist, and they are not free/libre or open source. So this statement makes absolutely no sense as a defense of CC BY-NC-SA.

See also:

http://freedomdefined.org/Licenses/NC

Wuzzy and onpon are totally right. BTW I don't see any reason to use a NonCommercial license anyway.

They make your work incompatible with a growing body of free content, even if you do want to allow derivative works or combinations.

They may rule out other basic and beneficial uses which you want to allow.

They support current, near-infinite copyright terms.

Free Cultural Work: http://creativecommons.org/freeworks

[samuncle]

Honestly the whole game is 100% free and you are 100% allowed to sell it as long as you respect the GPL/creative common license.

But for some reason we decided to use a non commercial license only for a gift, optional that benefit to people who made a donation + we will change the license of abyss once it's included in the main game . So it's a win win win.

[tux_peng]

Everyone is well aware that the game cant be under an NC license- the developers have already stated that it would cause problems. I see no problem adding NC to a donation perk though