SuperTuxKart 0.7 alpha 1 released

[Auria]

After some long work porting SuperTuxKart to a new graphics engine, irrLicht, as a replacement for the old and outdated plib, we are proud to announce the first alpha release of the SuperTuxKart 0.7 development branch.

Important
This version of SuperTuxKart is an Alpha release, and as such is not stable
nor complete, and is meant solely for artists to port tracks over to the new
format. This binary can be used by the curious to take a look at where STK
is headed, but is not meant to be used to play.

Bugs
Before reporting any bug, make sure to check the list of known TODOs at
the following wiki page : http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/ToD ... e-complete

At the time of writing this, the list is :

• Some karts, or parts of karts, are overly shiny (appears to be a irrLicht bug)
• The GUI skin is only meant to be a placeholder, we will use a nicer one if someone makes one
• Character voices are bad quality and play too often. This needs to be fixed by the final release
• The smoke effect when skidding was not added back
• The "rescue butterfly" is currently an... anchor
• The "parachute" weapon is graphically broken
• The orange font is blocky when scaled down (which will happen on all resolutions unless your screen is HUGE), still have to figure out why
• The orange font does not have many non-ASCII characters
• Most translations haven't been updated
• Translations are currently technically limited to characters that can fit within a single UTF-16 character
• Not all tracks are properly setup for lap counting
• Player identity selection in kart selection track could use with improvements
• Multiplayer menus are not polished so expect a few bugs and glitches if you try multiplayer
• 3 Strikes Mode is not playable (mostly because no arena was converted yet)
• Grands Prix are not implemented
• Locking is only partially implemented; playing challenges is not implemented; what happens when you manage to unlock a feature is unknown
• End of race dialog : scores for AI players are broken
• Resolution changing is buggy
• The mouse will remain hidden in in-game menus
• Some icon grids in the GUI might contain "?"
• The "select random track" button does not work
• Gamepads of the same model currently all have the same config; i.e. one player can't choose to use his gamepad differently from other players using a similar gamepad
• The kart selection screen will be very slow where the graphic card or the driver isn't good at RTT (render-to-texture)
• In the kart selection screen, large karts might get clipped on sides
• Tracks group support is not implemented
• Some kart groups (e.g. add-ons) might be shown even if empty - they will even contain a "random kart" button, which is not a good idea to click on when the group is empty.
• Track animation support not quite complete
• On OS X, may crash on exit. (not sure if it's a irrLicht bug, or us not freeing it up properly)
• Hopefully more visual goodies! Also note that this status assumes irrlicht 1.7. 1.6 users will have a couple more glitches.

Downloads
Available binaries can be downloaded from https://sourceforge.net/projects/supertuxkart/files/, under the SuperTuxKart-alpha file group.
The source code package should be uploaded soon (Hiker?), but the code can be downloaded from SVN trunk; the alpha is revision 4463 (but of course newer revisions are only better!)

EDIT: It was reported to us that, on Windows, installing over a previous installation causes STK to fail. So make sure not to install over previous STK files

Making material for 0.7
In addition to the current docs that describe modelling, the parts about exporting the models has changed for 0.7. The documentation accessible from the "Get Involved" sectiopn of our website should progressively be converted to the new methods; meanwhile, look at the following articles :
http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Track_exporter
http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/New_drivelines
EDIT 3 : http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Irrlicht

Translations
While strings are not officially frozen, it is expected that they remain 95% the same. Translations are therefore welcome. Look at the following article for more information :
http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Translating_STK

The latest supertuxkart.pot file can be obtained in our source code package when it becomes available, and is also in the data files of the new binaries. You can also obtain the latest version without getting SuperTuxKart as a whole at sourceforge

EDIT 2 : another bug was reported to us : when you translate STK, do not translate the strings "bottom" and "all", which have the comment "IGNORE". I will try to find a way to make these strings not appear in the .pot file for future versions

[bd4e]

Congratulations to the whole supertuxkart team !

I will try it out to test all the strings.
I believe this will be the best supertuxkart ever !

[xapantu]

Hi,
This version of unusable is great.
I made a linux 64 bits binary (I compiled it on my computer (ubuntu 9.10 64 bits) with irrlicht 1.6 but it's revision 4472 ). I join it to this message but it must be unusable (because you use irrlischt 1.7 ? ).
It works on my computer but I didn't test it on an other computer.

I tried to use irrlicht 1.7 :

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

checking irrlicht.h usability... yes
checking irrlicht.h presence... yes
checking for irrlicht.h... yes
checking for irrlicht libraries.
configure: error: Can't build test irrLicht program, chech config.log to see the errors


I join config.log to this message too.

edit: it isn't a stk bug : I can't build irrlicht example.

[Auria]

Hi Xapantu,

the important bit in the config.log seems to be :

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

configure:5842: g++ -o conftest  -Wall -DNDEBUG -O2  -I /home/xapantu/Documents/supertuxkart/irrlicht-1.7-beta//include  conftest.cpp  -L//home/xapantu/Documents/supertuxkart/irrlicht-1.7-beta//lib/Linux -lIrrlicht -lGL  >&5
//home/xapantu/Documents/supertuxkart/irrlicht-1.7-beta//lib/Linux/libIrrlicht.a(Irrlicht.o): In function `irr::core::vector3d<int>::operator/(int) const':
/home/xapantu/Documents/supertuxkart/irrlicht-1.7-beta/source/Irrlicht/../../include/vector3d.h:382: multiple definition of `irr::core::vector3d<int>::operator/(int) const'
...
...


I believe we saw this issue on IRC, but sadly I don't remember how it was fixed. I think it has to do with compiler version; IIRC irrLicht added to variants of the same thing for optimization purposes. Some compilers will be able to just pick to the variant that is most appropriate, but others - and yours - just complain that the same thing is there twice.

I'm not sure atm how to fix this, but you can probably get help from irrlicht folks

EDIT: check https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.p ... tid=540676

[xapantu]

It works now.
I join the new binary (but it is still based on revision 4472, so it must be unusable) .

[Arthur]

Congratulations Hiker, Auria, and the rest of the people making this possible!
I look forward to more cooperation and awesome changes from you.

[Varivar]

Great work all developers! I was looking forward to this news. I'm going to update my tracks for the new engine.

[rudy85]

I am happy to have tested this new version ,

I had a doubt about interface design in screenshot's blog facts , but's It's good at all
(If Icould make a suggestion for future version , It's just a litlt ,litle bit serious )

I like the camera's work
I hope it is as so dynamic when kart is going up and down

I like Irrlich rendering (especially in smooth effect)

And Please , forget beach track ( It's so basic , so Commonplace ... )

[Toren1994]

It doesn't work on my Mac OS X Leopard


My Mac:

[3dwarehouse]

Hey Auria,


What kind of buttons are you looking for the navigation in STK?
I could design buttons for the placeholders.

[Auria]

Toren1994 : when it crashes, can you open the crash report (not sure which button, I can't read german) and paste its contents here?

3dwarehouse : actually, I don't think we have a clear idea of what we want. The main goal is that it looks good I guess artists should be free to experiment to make something that looks nice. Of course it should fit with the general cartoonish look, and the color theme of the icons (right now that part isn't too good)

[acme_pjz]

On OS X, may crash on exit. (not sure if it's a irrLicht bug, or us not freeing it up properly)

On Windows it will freezes and can't get closed on exit (tested on Windows Vista Home Basic) ... and I'm afraid thar there are some bugs or mistakes in physics system, the kart looks like too light to drive ...

[Toren1994]

Toren1994 : when it crashes, can you open the crash report (not sure which button, I can't read german) and paste its contents here?

Sure, here:

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

Process:         supertuxkart [1268]
Path:            /Applications/Supertuxkart 0.7 Alpha/SuperTuxKart.app/Contents/MacOS/supertuxkart
Identifier:      supertuxkart
Version:         ??? (???)
Code Type:       PPC (Native)
Parent Process:  launchd [66]

Interval Since Last Report:          8340 sec
Crashes Since Last Report:           5
Per-App Interval Since Last Report:  0 sec
Per-App Crashes Since Last Report:   5

Date/Time:       2010-01-19 19:59:35.210 +0100
OS Version:      Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L31a)
Report Version:  6
Anonymous UUID:  958B87DC-9A4F-4CB9-9B4F-D24BB8776582

Exception Type:  EXC_BREAKPOINT (SIGTRAP)
Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000001, 0x000000008fe0105c
Crashed Thread:  0

Dyld Error Message:
  Library not loaded: /opt/gettext_ppc//lib/libintl.8.dylib
  Referenced from: /Applications/Supertuxkart 0.7 Alpha/SuperTuxKart.app/Contents/MacOS/supertuxkart
  Reason: image not found

[Auria]

arg, seems like i screwed up the PPC binary
What's weirdest is that I tried it on a PPC computer before the release, and it worked :S aren't things that work when they shouldn't the scariest of all? Let me fix the binary...

[Toren1994]

That means, there will be a second alpha-version that works?
hopefully...

[Auria]

That means, there will be a second alpha-version that works?
hopefully...

Rehi,

I think it should be fixed now. Just let a bit of time for sourceforge mirrors to get the new file (a couple hours maybe) then try again please

[hiker]

On OS X, may crash on exit. (not sure if it's a irrLicht bug, or us not freeing it up properly)

On Windows it will freezes and can't get closed on exit (tested on Windows Vista Home Basic) ...

There might be still some problems shutting down stk - which we will address before the release obviously. When does the game freeze - only when exiting, or during the game, too? If so, is anything printed on the terminal?

and I'm afraid thar there are some bugs or mistakes in physics system, the kart looks like too light to drive ...

We haven't changed anything with the physics. And while I am most not happy about the physics at this stage, they should drive more or less the same as 0.6* - do you notice any differences? Any particular karts or tracks?

Cheers,
Joerg

[acme_pjz]

There might be still some problems shutting down stk - which we will address before the release obviously. When does the game freeze - only when exiting, or during the game, too? If so, is anything printed on the terminal?

Only when exiting. When exiting the game, the terminal will show a few lines of messages such as "... exiting ..." (not sure, I forgot ) then the game window and the console window freezes, can't exit, and press Ctrl+C in the console window doesn't work. Maybe it's not a loop, but a dead lock (Or Windows' bug )...

[acme_pjz]

do you notice any differences? Any particular karts or tracks?

Yes, at least in my opinion there're some differences. I feel that STK0.6.1's kart is a little heavier than STK0.6.2's,and STK0.6.2's is heavier than STK0.7's. I choose Tux, but when I playing STK0.6.x I use Elephpant normally. (Obviously Elephpant is heavier than Tux )

[acme_pjz]

There might be still some problems shutting down stk

In Windows XP, if I don't enter the kart select screen, STK can exit normally, buf if | entered the kart select screen then exit, it will take long time to shut down STK

[claymore]

Crashes here on Windows 7 x64 as I mentioned on IRC. *Always* crashes at the end of a race, and occasionally freezes during one. How do I go about getting a backtrace?

Also, will there be a second alpha?

[hiker]

Hi,

I tried to reproduce the crash at the end, but it works for me

Crashes here on Windows 7 x64 as I mentioned on IRC. *Always* crashes at the end of a race, and occasionally freezes during one. How do I go about getting a backtrace?

Also, will there be a second alpha?

I'll try to put a dependency package and better Visual Studio documentation online in a few days. Unfortunately I don't know how to distribute a debug version (I tried that first, but many people had problems running it, since apparently the VS redistributable does not come with debug version, and I am not sure if I can just include the dll, or if it needs to be installed). We might make a 2nd alpha if we get some serious bugs fixed (or additional support for tracks).

Cheers,
Joerg

[Pixel]

I hate to ask, but would someone please fix up a binary and libs only package for me? The telecoms don't seem to be interested in widely-accessible rural broadband around here, but that's another story.

I'm interested in helping with track conversion, but I'd have to see if my pitiful 3D hardware will even run the game first, much less getting Blender's cooperation.

[Auria]

I hate to ask, but would someone please fix up a binary and libs only package for me? The telecoms don't seem to be interested in widely-accessible rural broadband around here, but that's another story.

Hi,

start by stating which platform this is Windows, Mac OS X, Linux?

[Pixel]

Hello, Auria.

Oops, I forgot to mention the platform. I'm running Windows.