GearCity News

Hello Potential Customers,

The price of GearCity will be increasing to $19.99 USD (~17.6% increase) in March. The current Lunar New Year sale and an upcoming week long deal will be your last chance to lock in GearCity at current prices for the foreseeable future.

Thank you for your time.

Released a hotfix to patch heap corruption crashing for competition charts on the Windows 64-Bit build. The fix has slightly messed up the x-axis for these charts, but it's better than crashing the game. The x-axis issue will be fixed in the next update.

Enjoy!

Hello everyone!

Over the last month and a half, I have made upgrades to our engine. The updates include 64-bit support, a more modern web browser (for reports), Cocoa API on OSX, and DirectX9Ex for Windows 7 and newer. In addition to this, there is around 8 years of bug and performance fixes to third party code.

Feedback from testing seems positive, and it seems fairly stable compared to the old build.

The SP7 release was supposed to be the last release for the v1.24 line. However, there were several major issues with the build. As such, I have decided to fix these issues and release the engine upgrades in one supplemental patch. There will probably be an additional supplemental patch in the coming weeks to finish up the missing features of the new engine.

If you are on a 64-bit OS. The new engine is used default. However, if you have problems with it, or wish to use the old engine, you can still use it by selecting "32-Bit Build" in your Steam Beta's tabs. For directions, see here: http://www.ventdev.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=2594


Windows XP64 and Vista 64-Bit users should use the 32-Bit Build, as the minimum requirements for the 64-Bit engine is unfortunately Windows 7 and newer.

We recommend Windows users to use the updated DirectX9 renderer unless you know what you're doing. We will have a warning popup message for the next couple of months for people who don't read the announcements.

With the depreciation of OpenGL in Mojave and beyond, I can't fully guarantee stability on newer versions of OSX. The 64-bit engine fixes many issues folks have had with the old engine, but there may still be issues with the game on Mojave with AMD gpus. (It all works fine on my Mac Mini...) Feedback from OSX users on the new engine is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if it works or doesn't for you!



It just works. If not, you can probably figure out how to fix it. And if you can't, feel free to post a thread, email me, whatever. :)




-Bugfix: Fixed top speeds of finished vehicles not matching top speed in ratings windows.
-Bugfix: Fixed possible negative weight modifiers if weight to hp ratio was rounded to 15 or 38 kg per hp.
-Bugfix: Fixed global demand randomization values not being tied to administration skills. Now missed demand for global shipping should be the same as shipping range demand estimations.
-Bugfix: Changed ambiguous wording in "contracts can't be bid on" memos.
-Bugfix: FIxed several issues with awards and race championships in the Showroom vehicle report.
-Bugfix: Fixed marketing funds not being cleared when spinning off or selling a marque and including branches.
-Gameplay: Now generating first turn contracts.
-Bugfix: Fixed issues with Auto-production restriction lists which was causing the lists not to refresh.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue causing discontinued parts which were being licensed to AI companies not to clear out their licensing revenues during the end turn phase. This fixed an issue with the licensing revenues report having more income than listed in other reports.
-Gameplay: Increased image growth rates dynamically if the target skill is much higher than the current skill.
-Gameplay: Linked marque's researching skills with parent companies'.
-Bugfix: Fixed possible negative loan situations.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with branch wear reports not having the correct wear amounts for every branch.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with Chassis RnD View name sort.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with holdings list not showing after taking your own company private.
-Bugfix: Fixed late game possibility to go bankrupt if playing on infinite cash mode.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with year interpolation system that caused nation and flag changes not to register if starting in a later game year.
-Engine: Merged GearCity Beardgine 1 and Beardgine 2 code bases together.
-Bugfix: Fixed contract crashes in respect to not having a component selected in the contracting lists whilst bidding or canceling a submission.
-Bugfix Fixed sliders loading crash in 64-bit build due to VS2013 code optimization system.
-Bugfix: Fixed crash related to hitting + or - while RnD is loading or doesn't have keyboard focus.
-Bugfix: Fixed crash in tutorials on Linux 32-bit build, 64-bit build, and possibly other systems.
-X64 Engine Implemented a popup warning for OpenGL players on 64-Bit windows build, letting them know that the DirectX9 system is probably better now.
-X64 Engine Implemented non-character keys for web browser Linux and Mac 64-bit builds.
-Bugfix: Fixed HR help button not having proper text.
-Bugfix: Fixed WW1 and WW2 achievements triggering a year too late.

Greetings Everyone,

I have spent the last month or so working on upgrades to our home made engine, Beardgine. Version 2 of this engine has reached parity with the old version. The original Beardgine has over 9 years of testing behind it. To make sure Beardgine v2 is as stable (if not more stable) I am using all of you on the Testing Build as beta testers. (That's what the purpose of Testing Build is.)

So if you are on a 64-bit computer and are subscribed to Testing Build, you are using the new engine. In the upper left hand corner of the Main Menu it should say "x64 BG2". If not, you do not have the new engine yet.








We have mostly upgraded various libraries to the latest version. We also replaced several discontinued libraries and APIs with alternatives. The most noticeable change for all users is the replacement of Berkelium (Chromium 12) with CEF (Chromium 70). This should give us a more stable reports system, however it is slower than the old browser in some respects, especially on Windows OpenGL2. The engine is also 64-bit for all operating systems. OpenAL has been switched from the Creative version to OpenAL-Soft on Linux and Windows. Which will hopefully fix the rare audio issues we have with usb-headphones.

For OSX users, we have done a major overhaul of the backend. We have replaced Carbon with Cocoa, and all that entails. Sadly, this has caused us to lose the "Hardware Mouse" feature, but the game is significantly more stable and faster on modern versions of OSX.

• All OSs: Ogre3D 1.7.1 and 1.8.1 (OSX) -> Ogre3D 1.10.12.
  
• All OSs: Berkelium (Chromium 12) -> CEF 3538 (Chromium 70).
  
• Linux & Windows: OpenAL 1.1 -> OpenAL-soft.
  
• All OSs: OgreOggSound 1.21 -> 1.27
  
• Windows & OSX: Ogg and Vorbis latest builds
  
• Windows & OSX: OIS latest builds
  
• All OSs: Latest Freetype.
  
• All OSs: Removed Freeimage.
  
• All OSs: Removed CG shaders system.
  
• OSX: Replaced Carbon with Cocoa API.
  
• OSX: Replaced windowing system with GLFW.
  
• Linux: SDL 2.0.2 -> SDL 2.0.9.
  
• Linux: glibc requirement increased to 2.19
  

(Probably a few more smaller things which I failed to rememober or list.)

• Attempt to implement OpenGL3 renderer. (Depends on shader hang ups and the need to replace the OpenGL2 renderer in Windows.)
  
• Attempt to implement resizeable reports/webrowser windows. (Early testing of this feature is looking good so far.)
  
• Attempt DPI scaling for people running 4k resolution on 13 inch screens....
  
• Attempt to implement DirectX9ex for Windows 7 users and newer.
  

A 32-bit build of BGv2 is possible in the future if the OpenGL3 renderer fixes performance issues in Windows. In the meantime we will maintain both versions of the engine.

• OSX: Terminal pops up when you run the game.
  
• OSX: Hardware mouse mode does not work. (May not be fixed.)
  
• OSX: Backspace does not work. (Use Delete key)
  
• All OSs: Webpage buffer is not cleared with blank pixels before loading a new page.
  
• All OSs: Showroom lighting still poor.
  
• Windows: Shaders do not work in DirectX.
  
• Windows: OpenGL performance is slow.
  
• Windows: Enabling Shadows Crashes the game in DirectX
  
  

The seventh and final supplemental patch for version 1.24 has been released. This update focused on cleaning up some minor issues with the GUI. It also fixed several reported bugs over the last month, and a couple minor gameplay tweaks and features.

I will now transition to updating the game engine. There has been some confusion in the community over this. We are not changing engines. I am merely updating some of the third party programs that make up the engine. Similar to you updating your web-browser, updating Steam, or updating the game. Many parts of GearCity's engine (Beardgine) are over 10 years old. I will be updating components of the engine, and replacing parts to allow for better long term support of the game on OSX and Linux. If all goes as planned, we'll be getting an OpenGL 3 renderer, an updated web browser, 64-bit support. Etc. The bare minimum goal is to get the OSX build up to Apple current standards. Otherwise, the OSX build will be dropped when Apple drops Carbon and 32 bit support.

My goal is not to change the minimum requirements. We should still be able to support XP and up. 32 bit OSX and up, and Linux 32bit systems.

Speaking of which. January 1st Steam will stop supporting XP, Vista, and OSX 10.10 and older. I would like to remind users of these operating systems that GearCity is DRM-free. While you may lose the ability to update the game from these operating system, you will still have the ability to play the game after Steam drops your support. I highly recommend users of these operating systems to switch to Linux if you are unable to upgrade. But either way, you'll still be able to play GearCity.

So here is the change log:
-GUI: Fixed text overlapping issues in several locations.
-GUI: Fixed resize issues in several locations.
-Artwork: Added more user made predesigns! Thanks everyone who submitted!
-GUI: If music player is open and the song changes, the new song will be selected in the list.
-Gameplay: Buying AI companies with outsourced components will now discontinue any designs with bending outsourced contracts. This will prevent orphaned designs.
-Engine: Added placeholders for SaveGames and SavedCars folders so Steam will make sure you have them if you verify files.
-GUI: Components now have a total production report located in the Showroom. In the future I may break this down into vehicles.
-GUI: Up and Down Arrow Keys will now select the next item in lists if the list was the last item clicked.
-GUI: List should no longer return to the top after doing an action on a selected item.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue that was allowing players to license in development components.
-Gameplay: Increased the frequency of a dividend stripping lawsuit.
-Gameplay: Reduced the maximum amount of dividends to prevent financing the dividend.
-GUI: Adjust dividend based on EPS is checked by default now.
-GUI: Bottom bar now refreshes after purchasing a company.
-GUI: Fixed a place or two where vehicle names were missing the year.
-Engine: Updated OpenAL in Linux. Sound should now be working on Pulse Audio distros.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue which was causing militaries to use city names.
-Bugfix: Fixed taxes being off set by a month in the Expense Reports.
-GUI: Fixed Gearbox Overall rating being miss labeled as Performance.
-Bugfix: Fixed possible crash when resizing some windows too small.
-Bugfix: Project Profits values always positive.
-Gameplay: Adjusted AI's build branch behavior for when the company is not making money, has a less than 7% of the world map in branches, and has a boat load of cash.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with the component modification system that caused the new price not to be displayed.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with several predesigned vehicles with negative aerodynamic drag calculations. Thus causing bad data in the prototyping system.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with factory upgrades that caused the player not to be charged for a month.
-Bugfix: Fixed factory workers striking during the middle of major wars when they're no longer producing anything.