1.3.2 BETA patch to address freeze and audio issues [UPDATE]

[CBJ]

Hello everyone,

This thread is a copy of the 1.3.1BETA thread updated for any additional changes. Please keep the advice below in mind.

We are continuing to work on resolving the reported freeze and codec problems but it remains a difficult task to reproduce the exact problems in some cases and we cannot be certain that our fixes are effective without the feedback from a larger audience. Because of this we are now releasing a public beta of the upcoming patch.

Please read these notes carefully and make sure you understand them, before you install this patch, it is labeled BETA for a reason!

We cannot guarantee that savegames created with this BETA patch will be compatible with the final patch or any future versions, so it is recommended that you create a backup of your savegames, before you start the game. The patch installer will offer to automatically create a backup of the autosaves (x20.sav - x22.sav).

The installer can also automatically create a backup of all the relevant game files, so it is possible to uninstall 1.3.2BETA and revert back to 1.3(note that savegames made with the BETA patch cannot be loaded with previous versions of the game!). To access the uninstall/restore options of the patch, just run it again and chose the appropriate option.

You should only install this update if you are having problems with freezes or audio/video codecs!

We would like you to report whether these issues have been resolved for you with this update (if not, please post your system specifications as well). Please do not discuss the feature changes/additions in this thread as we need it to be focused on technical issues. Posts that are not relevant to this will be removed or may even be deleted.

Also note that other features within this update may still be work in progress (such as the tug laser) and their functionality cannot be guaranteed for this release! Again, this BETA release primarily focuses on technical issues.

A preliminary changelist:

Changed in 1.3.2BETA:

New options in the Graphics Settings dialog:

• "More Dynamic Light Sources" - if this option is deactivated then the number of dynamic light sources will be reduced, which can improve performance.
• "Ship Colour Variations" - if this option is deactivated then there will be no colour variation between ships of a given type, which can improve performance.
• "Disable Vertex Size Optimisation" - if this option is activated then the "black triangles" problem that affected certain players (notably with X700/X800 graphics cards) from 1.3 onwards should be solved.

Bug-fixes:

• Cockpit positions for turrets corrected

Changed in 1.3.1BETA:

Additional functionality:

• Tug Laser allows M6/TL class ships to move stations using a tractor beam

Bug-fixes:

• Freeze caused by story mission
• Freeze caused by Trade Command Software MK3
• Usage of video and audio codecs optimized to fix various problems
• Trade Command Software MK3 energy supply
• Factory in Bala Gi's Joy is rebuilt
• Black screen when leaving a sector
• Jump drive after buying Kha'ak specifications
• Xenon ships in Teladi shipyards
• Yaki pilots without face/voice
• Motionless Kha'ak clusters
• Shockwave Generator and Mass Driver weapons have been optimized to reduce their impact on game performance
• Many other minor problems resolved

General:

• Adjusted collision avoidance of gates and small asteroids
• Number of Xenon ships roaming the universe has been reduced

You can download the 1.3 -> 1.3.2 BETA update here. (48.6 MB)
This patch requires that version 1.3 of the game is installed prior to the update!

Webmasters, please do not link to this file directly and please do not mirror it. If you wish to report about this patch, link to this topic instead, thank you.

[ynnek888]

as other people have mentioned, alot of my 1.3 save game refuse to load with the 1.3.2 patch.. Some give an unexpected crash.. some just give a dialog box saying save game corrupted.. a few worked though.

I just did a quick runthrouhg, and I'm happy to say, the most annoy crash to desktop (game crashes, unexpected erorr box pops up, and hitting do not report button it closes completely) was fixed..

In bali Joy, there's thees two Nova's flying around.. in 1.3, 5/6 times I try engaging with them, the game crashes, seemling when they fire that blue shockwave weapon.. one time, when I treid it again, the game freezes up a bit then continued.. As a work around, Ididn't engage them.. heh.. I notice this problem with that gun before too though.

With 1.3.2 patch, i had no problems.

[Stormsong]

See this post regarding savegame issues.

[Wolfehunter]

I've tried your patch 1.3.1 beta and this is so far the only odd thing I see. Look a the nemesis and see the checkered layering between armor plating.
It shows either in cockpit or chase pilot view.

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/7945 ... ug15lf.jpg

Is this normal?

Intel P4 HT 3.2GHz 800MHz
Intel D865PERL
MSI Geforce NX6600GT 128Megs loaded
1Gig Corsair Twinx CMX512-3200LLPT 400Mhz
Soundblaster Audigy Gamer
Western Digital WD200JD 200gigs SATA

Here's my settings minus the New patch 1.3.2. I Just downloaded it.

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/3539/shot22up.jpg

Latest bios and drivers. If you require more info let me know.

[CBJ]

Perhaps I'm getting old and my eyesight is going, but I can't see what is wrong in that picture.

[grbaker]

Think he mean the Criss-Cross pattern... which is normal.

[cswiger]

"Disable Vertex Size Optimisation" - if this option is activated then the "black triangles" problem that affected certain players (notably with X700/X800 graphics cards) from 1.3 onwards should be solved.

To confirm: checking this option does solve the problem with missing black triangles on my Radeon x800 card.

Thanks CBJ, Andi, others :-)....

[Wolfehunter]

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/4936/nemesis48zj.jpg

This checkered stuff is normal. You got to be kidding. Oh well.

[Excaluber]

ok i suspect im have these problems but ive tried just about everything... (im not gonna uninstall or delete my extra codecs they are however on low merit so my strong ones are up.

[KarlHemmings]

Hi - well as I do not have any v1.3 saves (only 1.3.1b) I will need to start again as a humble trader (will do it as v1.3 and then when I get into problems apply the latest patch).
Did start a game as Humble Trader in v1.3.2b and can make the following observations.
a) The asteroid moved from the docking lane to the High Yield Production Complex Alpha in Herrons Nebula is ReadText17-0
b) My Mercury has Trade Command MK1 and MK2 as default.

This may take some time as game playing time has been cut back of late.

[andi2]

@Wolfehunter


Try to use the "High" shader profile and disable "more Vertex Lights" or "Ship Color Variation" if u have speed problems. Those Artefacts come from the DXT texture compression and look better with high quality bumpmaps wich can only be used in the "high" shader profile.

[BurnIt!]

We have identified a problem that led to an incompatibility with previous savegames. As no code changes were needed we have uploaded a new version of the 1.3.2beta patch to replace the old one. (URL has changed, see first post)

[Stu Austin]

After applying the 1.3.2 beta patch and launching it, I do have some slowdown and jerky moments. I'm going to play it for a while (few hours) and see what happens while changing some settings in the options. One thing I did notice is I still have "telephone poles" (some) after shooting asteroids and breaking them up.

[ynnek888]

After applying the 1.3.2 beta patch and launching it, I do have some slowdown and jerky moments. I'm going to play it for a while (few hours) and see what happens while changing some settings in the options. One thing I did notice is I still have "telephone poles" (some) after shooting asteroids and breaking them up.

Just curious, can you take a screen shot?

Cause I know, when the GPU is overheating/on its way out, it can create these wierd artifact errors.. like for example rod like structures/smears shooting out of a model. Just wonder if its more like that or not.

[Blinki1984]

Great work keep it up

Since the game is running very smoothly now, at least for me,
I am wonderwing of one important thing.

Can you increase the explosion sequence?

For now it is a 2d effect with now beauty at all.

Since everything is so astonishing in this game why couldn't you make the explosion effects just like all the other effects, shiny and glare ??

It is a shame that most beautifull ships and stations are fading away in such simple fireballs, of a repeating kind

so PLEASE PIMP UP THE EXPLOSION EFFECTS

[CBJ]

After applying the 1.3.2 beta patch and launching it, I do have some slowdown and jerky moments. I'm going to play it for a while (few hours) and see what happens while changing some settings in the options. One thing I did notice is I still have "telephone poles" (some) after shooting asteroids and breaking them up.

Just curious, can you take a screen shot?

Cause I know, when the GPU is overheating/on its way out, it can create these wierd artifact errors.. like for example rod like structures/smears shooting out of a model. Just wonder if its more like that or not.

No, this is a known issue. The fix may well have missed the patch.

[Scoob]

I'm runing 1.3.2 beta 2 and have noticed the following...

Fighters & to a lesser degree M6 class ships appear to be having a real problem hitting larger targets. I've just been watching for about 10 minutes as 3 Nemesis, 10 or so Baracudas, 3 Busters & a load of Discovers tried to destroy a lone Split Elephant. The M3, 4 & 5 class ships would start an attack run, open fire, but they would still be just out of range so only rarely would a shot make it to the target. The M6s hardly ever used their main guns on the Elephant despite mounting B-HEPTs & having a slightly greater range, rather they just took pot-shots with their rear turret. Reckon this is a collision detection thing in part as all ships seem to be breaking off their attack before they really get a decent hit in. Another thing, and this is true of all versions so far, I notice that weapon shots appear to be targeting the turrets of larger ships, but not getting it quite right. Quite often you see the shots approaching the Elephant only to just miss hitting one of its turrets. Odd. The Elephant was eventually taken down, but after 10 minutes, I could do it in a lone Baracuda on my own in a couple of minutes.

One more thing, the F3 target view appears to have it's maximum zoom level reduced. Not a real problem for sure but I did like zooming right in on a target, especially larger ship & watch their turrets work.

Scoob.

[Wolfehunter]

Thanks for the Help. Higher shades. No problemo dudes. Will do tonight ohhhh yaaaa.

I will be back so stay tuned to wolfman. Pics are included!

Ok Back with the updates. Thanks CBJ Here are the results

After pics with this setting.

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/3908 ... ts28ve.jpg

Nemesis Cockpit improved view;

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1912 ... ge10ik.jpg

Nemesis in Ore Belt. Nice details!

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/1947/nemesis59uf.jpg

[andi2]

@Wolfehunter

Looks oki, thats how the ship should look like, the strokes are part of the design and no bug

[Alche]

At last a patch that worked!

My game was freezing less than 1 hour, impossible to play. Patch 1.3.02beta installed last night, game running for 12 hours now! System spec: Intel 3.6GHz, ATI X850.

Thanks.

Note: unbelievably complex game. I sometimes wonder how close were are to the chaos point, in that games in the future will have to be self learning, auto correcting in order to function reliably. I look at this stuff in awe, in only 20 years we’ve gone from pong to simulating whole universes. What next?