So what's been going on? - Development Progress?

WaaMatt · Post by **WaaMatt** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:11 pm

So, out of curiosity, what's been going on with Myth II: Soul Blighter development? Are we going to stay at the current version for a while (I don't see too much of a need to update beyond trying to squeeze more out of the game, like unit and projectile limits)?

I'm just curious. And what ever happened to those fabled special builds with stuff like, I dunno, AltiVec optimization, or 64-bit optimization, or multi-processor/threading optimization. I'd gladly beta test an OS X one like that where you guys just went into Xcode (assuming you've moved the OS X development to Xcode) and turned on those auto-optimization features. I'm sure that if it created a bug, I'd do something to exploit it like try to walk somewhere weird or make a map with a million chickens...

Anyway, you guys have done a fantastic job and I'm looking forward to that Greek map/unit plugin I saw a little further down on the forum's threads... Keep up the good work, etc, etc.

The Elfoid · Post by **The Elfoid** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:29 pm

Myth II: Windowed Version was the only special build I think. It's actually a superior patch to 1.5.1 anyway.

Myth's staying where it is for a good while. Myth II 1.5.1, Fear 1.5.1 and Loathing 1.5.1 for PC. MII 1.5.1, Fear 1.2 and Loathing 1.5.1 for Mac. I'd be surprised if the much-wanted Fear complete-recode-from-scratch gets made.

Magma's at a general wind down.

WaaMatt · Post by **WaaMatt** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:38 pm

Any chance the Fear remake would be passed on to another team?

The Elfoid · Post by **The Elfoid** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 3:51 pm

WaaMatt wrote:Any chance the Fear remake would be passed on to another team?

Who would be up to it? All that's left is really Flying Flip (Myth III only and seemingly now-dead/afk forever), Magma and Onyx Warlords (aka Team TFV for those who don't know their name).

I can't see Horus taking on a job of this magnitude, or any of his team - TFV is a huge undertaking and Tomb Kings is simillarly so. I know he has other projects too.

William Wallet · Post by **William Wallet** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:01 am

Not to nitpick, but I thought Horus and his crowd were mapmakers? I wasn't aware any of them had the programming clout to take on a patch of Fear... but hey, I love being proved wrong!

And hey Elfoid, I know it looks like things are on the way out, but you might let Magma speak for themselves. (And if they fail to speak, your point has been made!

)

The Elfoid · Post by **The Elfoid** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:54 am

Not to nitpick, but I thought Horus and his crowd were mapmakers? I wasn't aware any of them had the programming clout to take on a patch of Fear... but hey, I love being proved wrong!

I don't know if they have. I'm talking about the fact that map-makers are the only groups really with decent amounts of comp skill who are used to teamworking.

And hey Elfoid, I know it looks like things are on the way out, but you might let Magma speak for themselves. (And if they fail to speak, your point has been made! )

I speak what I know :p

WaaMatt · Post by **WaaMatt** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:39 pm

My only concern is that if this all gets left in the dust, Mac users such as myself will be worse off because our version of Fear doesn't have all the new tags from Myth II 1.5.x.

If I knew enough about programming I'd ask to help, but I'm still very much a newbie. (C, ObjC, Cocoa... All in Xcode.)

Post by **Doobie** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:54 pm

While I appreciate your concerns WaaMatt, how exactly would mac users be worse off than they were before?

It's not like we've crippled the existing tools, just added new functionality that you might not be able to make use of.

WaaMatt · Post by **WaaMatt** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 2:15 pm

OK, so my words were a bit harsh.

But, hey, I shouldn't have to buy a PC just to make use of the new tags in Fear when I want to make a map!

Archer · Post by **Archer** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 3:56 pm

There are various things I and some people would be willing to do or try (for our personal benefit, though we'd release them to anyone who wanted 'em), but access to the source code is not an unrestricted commodity, sadly.

~J

William Wallet · Post by **William Wallet** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:58 pm

Take it from me, Mac puritans - just use both Mac and PC. I used to be a hardlining Mac person who wouldn't touch anything with Microsoft written on it, and I still hate PCs with a passion, but I've had to accept that using both is just better. Once I'm done prettying up Freedom 2, I'm going to put it on my PC and add a bunch of 1.5 features to it. (That is, if I can be buggered 'fixing' what I don't know is wrong with it).

ChrisP · Post by **ChrisP** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:14 am

From my understanding, Fear's source code doesn't lend itself to being "patched" for OS X. An entirely new tool would have to be created, which is a far greater undertaking.

Elfoid, you're free to post what you know, but it might be better, on these forums at least, when you address a question directed towards Project Magma programmers, that you at least indicate the authority on which you answer. Just in the interest of not spreading incorrect information that someone will consider official, if you know what I mean.

CIK · Post by **CIK** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:51 am

The Mac version of Fear was written using Metrowerks PowerPlant. Needless to say Powerplant has seen a good number of changes and updates over the last 7 years. None of us have any knowledge of PowerPlant so it would be a long and painful experience to try to upgrade the 7 yearold code. Now I'm all ears if someone out there knows PowerPlant and wants to take a crack at it.

And yes things are winding down. We can only work for free for so long. If someone would like to sponsor a Mac version of Fear I'm sure something could happen fairly quickly. The TFL 1.5 update and a minor bug fix update for M2 will ship by Christmas and that will be it.

Archer · Post by **Archer** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:29 am

William Wallet wrote:Take it from me, Mac puritans - just use both Mac and PC.

Bad advice. I did thisâ€”indeed, am still forced toâ€”and it really gets you very little of value.

Hoi, ChrisP/CIK, what are the terms of your arrangement to use the source like? Is there any meaningful way that the reins could be turned over to a second generation, or would that involve petitioning Take Two all over again?

~J

CIK · Post by **CIK** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:55 am

If there is someone with programming skills and wants to help out then please drop me a line. The issue is having someone skilled to work on the code base, not how Take2 feels about it. It's been a while since I've had anyone skilled show up on my door step. Myth isn't something for week end warriors to fork around with either, the Myth code base is over 350,000 lines of poorly commented C code. The good news it is much better organized then it was when Bungie turned it over, in fact it is probably 50,000 line lighter also.

The Tain

So what's been going on? - Development Progress?