Test Patch Y15 - AA / AF / East Asian support

[Scawen]

WARNING : THIS IS A TEST


Hello Racers.

Here is a new fully compatible test patch Y15.

It contains Chinese, Japanese and Korean Translations.
Various fixes including a South City hot lapping issue.
Full-scene antialiasing and anisotropic filtering are now supported.
Please read the list of changes below.

TRANSLATORS :

Lesson names are now translatable :
- Add the name as the first line in the lesson text
- Start that line with an @ character


Changes in TEST PATCH Y15 :

Reduced stray pixels at edges of textures
Improved the colours of various language flags
Antialiased virtual start lights and steering guage
Translatable lesson names - start text file with @Lesson Name
FIX : Code page error on List of Hosts after changing language
FIX : Sometimes incorrect message "Road tyres on rallycross track"
FIX : Unused mirrors / dashboards corrupted on changing AA setting
FIX : Host welcome text was displayed in local code page (now Latin)
FIX : Script / setup file read : high ASCII / double byte characters

Known issues :

Stray pixels at texture edges increased by AA / AF
Dedicated host does not display double byte characters
Name of active Chinese input method is not shown in Vista


Changes in TEST PATCH Y14 :

Full-scene antialiasing is now supported in Graphics Options
Graphical and audio dynamic lod reductions are now instantaneous
FIX : Fences at Blackwood used the road surface mip bias setting
FIX : NVidia cards lost mip bias settings on changing screen size
FIX : Crash on pressing SHIF+F5 to reload language in help screen


Changes in TEST PATCH Y13 :

Added support for anisotropic filtering in Graphics Options
Improved control of mip bias : 4 sliders in Graphics Options
Improved filter (16 bit / 32 bit / all) in Screen Options
Path edges in track selection screen now appear smooth
Improved lesson description blocks width and spacing
FIX : Multiplayer in-game text often appeared blurred
FIX : Unnecessary message "Could not get input context"
FIX : Double byte AI number plates in overtaking lesson


Changes from Y to Y12 :

Double byte character support :

Included Chinese, Japanese and Korean translations
Selectable fonts for these languages in Game Options
Input method editor support including candidate lists
IME automatically switched on and off in text entry dialog
Input language is shown when editing text (white if IME active)
Name of active Chinese input method is shown (but not in Vista)

Interface :

Faster text drawing system improves frame rate
Separate text entry field for AI number plates
Welcome screen now has three columns of languages
Added flags beside names of translations in Game Options
Czech / Japanese / Simplified Chinese lesson translations
Network debug messages are no longer sent in InSim packets
Text input box is now drawn above user messages so easier to type
Line breaks in help text and lesson text now depend on actual width
New game setup screen info message "X removed Y from the start grid"
FIX : Low ASCII characters can no longer be read from text files
FIX : Corrupted text in top left corner after changing language
FIX : Corrupted "finished" at top right after changing language

Multiplayer :

New command /ndebug=no/yes to switch off/on network debug
Dedicated host and network debug show connecting guest IP
FIX : Rapid /ai NAME command resulted in AI with same name
FIX : Rapid /ai command could exceed number of cars allowed
FIX : Joining a host with same name AI resulted in Join OOS
FIX : Skin name buffer overflow exploit

Fixes :

FIX : Replay could open reversed configuration in DEMO
FIX : Wall riding was possible on soft walls at South City
FIX : Could select invalid configuration and weather in cfg.txt
FIX : Admin could crash dedicated host by mistake with some commands


DOWNLOAD :

PATCH Y15 (Version Y must already be installed) :
www.liveforspeed.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_Y_TO_Y15.exe (1.6 MB)

DEDICATED HOST (for hosting only) :
www.liveforspeed.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_S2_DEDI_Y15.zip


Windows XP : East Asian Language Support / Font Installation

LFS does not support double byte characters with Windows 98 / ME. Windows XP and Vista should work well but you may need to install fonts.

If you have Windows XP and currently cannot see the East Asian translations, here's how to set up your computer so it works.
See the attachment - in Control Panel click on "Regional and Language Options" then under the "Languages" tab select "Install files for East Asian Languages".
Windows will probably ask you to get your XP CD and the fonts will be installed from it.

This is important even if you do not use Chinese, Japanese or Korean translations so you can see East Asian text and player names correctly when you are online.

[AndroidXP]

Yay!
*testing*

[Dyllaann]

also, yay! =]

[baSh0r]

yay? maybe?

[VoiD]

hmm, I noticed more texture-flickering as in Y14.
Tried AA/AF-settings inGame and via driver (AtiTrayTool).

[RacerAsh3]

Many thanks Scawen :)

[minichris502]

testing...1...2...3...testing.:)

[Tisza]

Seems nice! Good job! Will test it later:)

[detail]

Since Y15, in the hosts list, Russian "ms" string ("мс") is shown in wrong codepage.

[Edvin87]

YEAH:thumb:

[Whiskey]

Just installed hehe

[nesrulz]

Antialiased virtual start lights and steering gauge

Hm, bad quality... :scratchch

[AndroidXP]

What do you mean?

That is the glass/light texture, not jpeg artefacts, in case you were wondering...

[nesrulz]

Quality from Y14...

[AndroidXP]

...

Again, these are textures to make them look like actual glass lights instead of the single colour blobs we had before. Not "bad quality."

[Stang70Fastback]

I have to admit, I don't really agree with the new start lights. In my opinion, since it's a digital representation of the real thing, it SHOULD look like it used to - because that's what it IS - a digital representation. What a REALLY think should be done is a view of the real start lights should be used (like picture-in-picture as if a camera was pointed at them in reality.)

[nesrulz]

Exactly.

[mcgas001]

I have to admit, I don't really agree with the new start lights. In my opinion, since it's a digital representation of the real thing, it SHOULD look like it used to - because that's what it IS - a digital representation. What a REALLY think should be done is a view of the real start lights should be used (like picture-in-picture as if a camera was pointed at them in reality.)

Im not disagreing with you, i think the lights where better in Y14 too, but if its the case it should be close to real life. Shouldnt there be no lights atall? Just the lights on the main start banner.

[rediske]

Hi Scawen, grats and here's a typo...

Changes in TEST PATCH Y15 :

Reduced stray pixels at edges of textures
Improved the colours of various language flags
Antialiased virtual start lights and steering guage
Translatable lesson names - start text file with @Lesson Name
FIX : Code page error on List of Hosts after changing language

please delete post...

[shiny_red_cobra]

What happened to the drag strip? Applied Y15 patch and now it looks like this. :shrug:

Also, changing AA or AF doesn't change anything.

[AndroidXP]

I think that's something on your side. At least it looks normal for me.

[opc_daddy]

Thx you for the new patch :thumb:

hm.. all testpatch was it, I had no errors. :nod:

[dawesdust_12]

For my useless input - I actually think that the start lights look neater and more fitting this way than they did before.

[Scawen]

I agree that an inset picture would be nice and more "realistic".

However, that is not easy to do quickly - don't really have time for that right now and there needs to be a default system like this anyway for tracks that don't have start lights (example : an autocross layout at BL car park).

I prefer it smaller neater and antialiased like it is now than how it was before, but there is a question of whether to use a plain (antialiased) circle (very easy to do that) or a slightly more traffic light looking thing like it has now, or maybe a cleaner version of what it has now. Interested to hear opinions on that...

[dawesdust_12]

Scawen, as it is now, I think it's a step in the right direction. I'm trying to think though how it could be better, maybe have a bit more LED look to it, similar to traffic lights from Electrik Kar's Texture mod. I'll find a screenshot.

EDIT: Hmm, doesn't seem to be from his pack... maybe it's the default pitlights I'm thinking of. I'm not sure, and I'm not on my normal LFS that's all done up (and 10 GB small.. :p). I'll get a picture soon.

EDIT2: Yeah, it's the pitlights. I think having the lights having a look similar to that would look better.

[St4Lk3R]

I prefer it smaller neater and antialiased like it is now than how it was before, but there is a question of whether to use a plain (antialiased) circle (very easy to do that) or a slightly more traffic light looking thing like it has now, or maybe a cleaner version of what it has now. Interested to hear opinions on that...
To me, it looks great already. Opinion: I think it would look much cleaner if you could use a more modern traffic light image there, an image of a traffic light with LED lights. If you wish, I can go out and take photos of those.

Best regards

[Electrik Kar]

Eric redid the pit-lights for patch Y. I think the new (start) lights have a slight LED look to them already, and I like them more than the untextured plain fill ones.

[dawesdust_12]

Like I said, it's a step in the right directionl I'd like to see a few alternatives though by someone with skill (read: anyone but me).

EDIT: Like this, but with less suck.

[eblise]

wooo!! thanks you, i try

[okijuhans]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Led_traffic_lights.jpg

http://timesonline.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/traffic_lights.jpg

http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/background/LED/traffic_light/images/trafLED.gif

Something like that ?

EDIT :
but i mean that they must be turned to virtual lights, Dawedust was faster :P

[nesrulz]

Virtual start lights before (Y15):

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/623/27178094vy6.png

Virtual start lights (Y15):

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7334/semafor1dj2.png

Virtual start lights (dawesdust_12):

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4506/semafor2wl3.png

[dawesdust_12]

Mine were just rough, nothing serious, just a test. If anything, I'd go with less dots but larger.

... Or inverted.

[AndroidXP]

I just noticed that the original Y15 start lights are already very LED-like, but ingame they don't look like that. The reasons I've found are:

1) Too bright background. Due to being rendered additively a lot of detail/contrast is lost when it's in front of the bright sky texture.

2) It's influenced by the interface mip bias, so it can easily happen that lower detail mip levels are used where the LED style is not as apparent or completely lost. So if you're using an interface mip bias greater than -1, try setting it to -1 to see the difference.

Though I don't know if it's worth to lose too much thought about this. The start lights fulfil their role perfectly fine either way.

[KiAn]

Scawen good patch's

[nesrulz]

Yeah, better...

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/566/111zu5.png

Virtual start lights (Y15):

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/5479/sem1vh9.png

Virtual start lights (dawesdust_12):

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/1020/123sf6.png

[mcintyrej]

I agree that an inset picture would be nice and more "realistic".

However, that is not easy to do quickly - don't really have time for that right now and there needs to be a default system like this anyway for tracks that don't have start lights (example : an autocross layout at BL car park).

I prefer it smaller neater and antialiased like it is now than how it was before, but there is a question of whether to use a plain (antialiased) circle (very easy to do that) or a slightly more traffic light looking thing like it has now, or maybe a cleaner version of what it has now. Interested to hear opinions on that...

Here's an idea for that problem - If you have some set grid lights built at the standard starting grid on the Carpark + AutoX (just an overhanging steel structure with some lights glued on) then that solves it that way, for custom start points why not combine the actual start point ("S" in the editor) with some small objects? It could be a prebuilt object, consisting of a few cones, maybe a hay bale and then a small traffic light start light, similar to those on the drag strip.

[Töki (HUN)]

I don' know, I have less FPS since Y14. In Y15 I have ~20 more. This small fps loss is almost a death for notebook users

[shiny_red_cobra]

I think that's something on your side. At least it looks normal for me.

What problem might I be having though? It doesn't occur on any other track, not even other autocross tracks.

[AndroidXP]

No idea really, tried reinstalling LFS yet? The dragstrip start is supposed to have the "tyremarks1ALPHA.dds" overlay, seems like that texture is for some reason corrupted on your machine. :shrug:

[STROBE]

I love LFS and when i could be a Girl,i want to marry with u xD
:really:

Sorry to say that Scawen is taken. ;)

On topic: gave Y15 a quick test last night, and couldn't find any problems. Just looking forward to this patch going official, so that my main LFS installation looks smooth and anti-aliased. :) Regarding the virtual start lights, I don't think they're really important, and can't believe people really think it's a significant issue that they've changed slightly. You only see them once per race for a few seconds (unlike the actual start lights, which you see every lap when you go past the start line) and as long as they're clear and do the job, then it's job done imho. :thumb:

[yaper]

Talking about interface polishing.
I've found that F12 menu with polish language and asymmetric cars settings produce a little bit off mess at left/right-camber/pressure lines.
Looks like two strings are not concatenated, but displayed using some tabulation, which overlaps at left/right translations longer than original ones.
See attachment:

[shiny_red_cobra]

The dragstrip start is supposed to have the "tyremarks1ALPHA.dds" overlay, seems like that texture is for some reason corrupted on your machine. :shrug:

Wow you're completely right. I did modify that texture a while ago, strange that I haven't noticed this until now! Thanks.

[JO53PHS]

Sorry, didn't mean to bash your work AT ALL, as you are doing an absolutely amazing job, i'm just slightly dissapointed with the content part of LFS (eric's work). As i understood, he's still photographing the GTR interiors, and i kinda expected them finished back in 2006 you know.. :shrug: not to mention what would new track meant for LFS community, just can't understand why those GTR interiors are taking that long, not to mention the other cars which by the sound of it, haven't been worked at, at all.... and then you see a changed texture to the virtual start lights (which, majority of people doesn't even use ;) ) so i felt slightly dissapointed, sorry about that, i know YOU are doing the best you can.. :thumbsup:

The reason the GTR Interiors were delayed was because of the FBM. Eric had to make all the textures and so on because of that. In the dev's opinion, I think that getting the FBM done was the priority because of the V1 thingy :)

It is hard work to make good looking interior(s), and I doubt that eric wants to rush them :)

[okijuhans]

I rather wait a little longer and get perfect-fit textures.

[Hoshimodo]

I rather wait a little longer and get perfect-fit textures.

Exactly :thumb:

[_--NZ--_[HUN]]

OT:
Sorry, didn't mean to bash your work AT ALL, as you are doing an absolutely amazing job, i'm just slightly dissapointed with the content part of LFS (eric's work). As i understood, he's still photographing the GTR interiors, and i kinda expected them finished back in 2006 you know.. :shrug: not to mention what would new track meant for LFS community, just can't understand why those GTR interiors are taking that long, not to mention the other cars which by the sound of it, haven't been worked at, at all.... and then you see a changed texture to the virtual start lights (which, majority of people doesn't even use ;) ) so i felt slightly dissapointed, sorry about that, i know YOU are doing the best you can.. :thumbsup:

I suggest you read this:

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?p=623415#post623415
/OT

The test patch is working fine here. Thank you!
Scawen, you mentioned that you want to use hardware draw for subobjects. Could this be done in a compatible patch to increase frame rates (without the more advanced damage modelling)?

[needforspeeyy]

keep up yhe good work:smileypul

[Inouva]

Sorry for the late

In patch Y14 , Geforce 6200 Drivers 84.66 , All perfect , can control the AA and AF from the game without any problem

In Patch Y15 , same , all works perfect and i notices a little more of fps

Keep it up scawen for the patch =)

[XingZhiWei]

YEAH:thumb:

[The Radness]

The AA/AF incorporation is perfect. No real loss of frame rates even online.

The text on screen looks alot more crisp. New start "lights" look really good to me.:thumb:

ATi Radeon 800
2.3 Ghz
1gb ram

[kanutron]

I don't know if this was discussed, but, the attached SPR is not valid in Y14 and Y15 but is a current WR.

It's valid on Y?

[AndroidXP]

I don't know if this was discussed, but, the attached SPR is not valid in Y14 and Y15 but is a current WR.

It's valid on Y?
Changes from Y to Y12 :
FIX : Wall riding was possible on soft walls at South City
Yes, it's probably valid in Y and will become invalid on version Z - or whatever the next official release version will be called.

[Scawen]

Removed spam and posts related to the spam.

[Lotesdelere]

I'm not sure if it's related to the test patches only but this is a FPS strange behaviour report:

In windowed mode, by using Shift+F4:
Screenshot 1: The window has the focus, normal FPS.
Screenshot 2: The window does not have the focus (clicked on the desktop), normal FPS.
Screenshot 3: The window does not have the focus, but the FPS are stuck to 64.

Screenshot 3 is showing the most usual behaviour I got when the windows does not have the focus. FPS are stuck to 64.
I haven't found a way (yet) to reproduce every time the normal FPS I got in screenshot 2 (no focus, normal FPS).


Now something even more strange when there are no cars on track:

Aucune voiture en course = No cars on track
Screenshot 4: FPS suddenly drop down to about 40 FPS (focused)
Screenshot 5: 32 FPS only if the window doesn't have the focus (Hm that's half the 64 FPS we have seen before)
Screenshot 6: Everything is normal when there are cars on track (focused)
Screenshot 7: Same view with no cars on track (focused)
Screenshot 8: Same behaviour on another track and in full screen mode


Windows XP, DirectX 9.0c (March 2008), Radeon HD 3870.
Catalyst 8.2 video driver only with ATI Tray Tools (Control Center is not installed).
Vsync is OFF in both video driver and LFS. AA is OFF, AF 4x (set in-game, video driver is set to application preference).

[Scawen]

When there is no car in the race, there is a minimum sleep of 25 ms - same as in entry / game setup screens. So the frame rate won't go above 40 ms in that case. This is because LFS wants to avoid using all your CPU / GPU power when there is nothing going on.

I don't know why you have two different non-focussed frame rates (64 / 205). But it's normal for a program without focus to be given less CPU time by windows.

EDIT : So the only mystery is why your unfocussed frame rate with cars in race sometimes goes down to 64. Maybe you could check the CPU usage in the CTRL+ALT+DELETE menu in this case.

[shaun463]

For some strange reason in Y14 I get blocks for cars and blocks for text and buttons often.
And also it crashes like mad!
But Y15 doesn't crash as much and I haven't had the block problem yet.

[Lotesdelere]

So the only mystery is why your unfocussed frame rate with cars in race sometimes goes down to 64. Maybe you could check the CPU usage in the CTRL+ALT+DELETE menu in this case.
Here we go:

P... = CPU usage
Screenshot 1: LFS has the focus. CPU usage is about 30% average.
Screenshot 2: LFS doesn't have the focus. I still have normal FPS but CPU usage is about 3-5% lower average.
Screenshot 3: LFS doesn't have the focus. FPS are stuck to 64 and CPU usage is 0.

It seems that I got normal FPS with no focus when I've just started LFS but after using Shift+F4 many times, and/or opening/closing other apps, it got stuck to 64 FPS and won't go back to normal FPS again.

Still I haven't yet found a way to reproduce that every time :shrug:
Although I noticed the 'loss' of a GDI object in screenshot 2.

[Scawen]

A few updates and fixes in test patch Y16.

Not a very significant update but released now to help translators.

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=41557

Thanks again for the testing! :)