Massive Logic and Advanced Usability Improvements
Logic parts arrived just a few days ago with version 0.170, but version 0.171 and 0.172 have both done wonders to make them more user-friendly and enjoyable to use. And version 0.172 brings major improvements to a lot more than just logic parts.
Before we get to all the changes in version 0.172, here's a video that takes a quick look at a few ways you can use logic parts on your vehicles:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Here's the full 0.172 changelist:
The big focus for 0.172 was on making advanced vehicle/part editing easier and more enjoyable. This means being able to see the exact range of motion for pieces that move and rotate, being able to see how distance/direction sensors work, and having logic gate processing fully functional while in build mode. And while version 0.171 introduced 3D visualization of logic controls, 0.172 improves the consistency and functionality of the visualizations significantly.
It should be a lot easier to create and tune complex vehicles than it was last week, not only because of the logic parts, but because it's a lot easier to adjust part settings and see exactly what those settings are doing. In the near term, I'll be adding some new parts, mostly based on recent requests, but I'm definitely heading in the direction of getting more flying parts into the game soon.
EXPANDING THE HORIZON
I added a new test map for Sandbox mode, one that has no water but instead has a very large ground plane. The purpose of this map, very much a work-in-progress, is to see how large a map can be without breaking the game. I made a couple editor improvements so these types of maps are a bit easier to work on, and I'll likely be tweaking some other settings to make large, water-free maps easier to create.
The water plane's fixed size in Instruments feels like kind of a limiting factor for flight and fast vehicle testing in general. I'm not interested in redoing the water currently or messing with it in general, but I do intend to replace it at some point. I just don't know when, so rather than apply a bunch of temporary hacks/fixes/etc, I'm going to make sure that giant water-free landscapes work well instead.
A similar problem/issue to water is also lurking with grass and rocks, but it's one that's a little easier to ignore for the moment, and that system is far less likely to get replaced. I'll think about the bigger issues and makes tweaks as necessary, with any potential LOD system being limited to straight-forward techniques like distance scaling/culling/etc rather than anything fancy.
Anyway, it's been a very busy past week. Aside from some new parts, the only thing I plan to work on this week is adding optional outputs to things like pivots and pistons. I'll be on the lookout for any other bugs or issues with logic parts/etc, though I think the majority of the problems are handled for the moment.
Before we get to all the changes in version 0.172, here's a video that takes a quick look at a few ways you can use logic parts on your vehicles:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Here's the full 0.172 changelist:
- Improved input/output drawing, particularly when hovering over a control
- Added visualization of distance/direction sensors (toggle on Debug Draw in Advanced Mode)
- Added visualization of laser range
- Added visualization of angle ranges for pivots and swivels with limits
- Added visualization of position ranges for pistons/suspension
- Made Logic Testing process/store in the actual gates during build mode (easier to debug complex logic)
- Added adjustable starting angle to Suspension Socket
- Added adjustable rotation limits to Suspension Swivel, Suspension Arm, Suspension Socket, and Pivot Spring
- Made angle limits on powered pivots/swivels automatically update based on the starting angle
- Made starting position restrict min/max position instead of the other way around (prevents breaking things better)
- Added a new sandbox island: Desert Test (it's an early work-in-progress)
- Made it easier to work with giant planes and loops in the island editor
- Made it possible to fade the grass/rocks over a longer distance (per ground loop)
- Removed default inputs from Logic Gates
- Fixed (I think) toggle controls so they work with logic at very low/high frame rates
- Fixed the input lights on logic gate updating at the wrong time
- Fixed showing the popup for outputs when mousing over a physical control
- Fixed lights not working with Always On
- Fixed input/output drawing to highlight in double-mode correctly
- Fixed being able to accidentally assign inputs/outputs to things that should have none (Logical Control buttons)
- Fixed Suspension S having controls shown
- Fixed some new first-time tool-tips being wrong
- Fixed rotation of large piston (and others)
The big focus for 0.172 was on making advanced vehicle/part editing easier and more enjoyable. This means being able to see the exact range of motion for pieces that move and rotate, being able to see how distance/direction sensors work, and having logic gate processing fully functional while in build mode. And while version 0.171 introduced 3D visualization of logic controls, 0.172 improves the consistency and functionality of the visualizations significantly.
It should be a lot easier to create and tune complex vehicles than it was last week, not only because of the logic parts, but because it's a lot easier to adjust part settings and see exactly what those settings are doing. In the near term, I'll be adding some new parts, mostly based on recent requests, but I'm definitely heading in the direction of getting more flying parts into the game soon.
EXPANDING THE HORIZON
I added a new test map for Sandbox mode, one that has no water but instead has a very large ground plane. The purpose of this map, very much a work-in-progress, is to see how large a map can be without breaking the game. I made a couple editor improvements so these types of maps are a bit easier to work on, and I'll likely be tweaking some other settings to make large, water-free maps easier to create.
The water plane's fixed size in Instruments feels like kind of a limiting factor for flight and fast vehicle testing in general. I'm not interested in redoing the water currently or messing with it in general, but I do intend to replace it at some point. I just don't know when, so rather than apply a bunch of temporary hacks/fixes/etc, I'm going to make sure that giant water-free landscapes work well instead.
A similar problem/issue to water is also lurking with grass and rocks, but it's one that's a little easier to ignore for the moment, and that system is far less likely to get replaced. I'll think about the bigger issues and makes tweaks as necessary, with any potential LOD system being limited to straight-forward techniques like distance scaling/culling/etc rather than anything fancy.
Anyway, it's been a very busy past week. Aside from some new parts, the only thing I plan to work on this week is adding optional outputs to things like pivots and pistons. I'll be on the lookout for any other bugs or issues with logic parts/etc, though I think the majority of the problems are handled for the moment.