Celestia 1.2.4 preview

[chris]

I have a preview of Celestia 1.2.4 for Windows ready . . . I want the final release of 1.2.4 to be bug free (as close as possible, at least), so any help in testing is appreciated.

Here's the link:
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/files/celestia-win32-1.2.4pre1.exe

And here's a list of of the changes in 1.2.4 so far:

* Fixed bug that caused alpha blending to always be enabled for 3DS meshes
* Fixed sign error in that caused some orbits to be retrograde
* Fixed rendering of night lights to ignore ambient color (keeps night lights
from being visible on lit side of planet.)
* Improved precision to eliminate position drifting because of rounding errors
(was apparent when orbiting within 1km of an object)
* Replaced perfectly spherical Comet Halley with an irregular model
* Added object classifications and label coloring based on them
* Created new 'phase-lock' coordinate system
* Created new 'chase' coordinate system
* Unix Gtk: removed bug in Text enter mode. (dramsey)
* Unix Gtk: Menus for new Labels. (dramsey)
* Unix Gtk: Star Browser Body Types. (dramsey)
* Unix Gtk: Correct Underlines for Menus. (dramsey)
* Guess Body Types more accurately. (dramsey)
* Support hyperbolic orbits
* Improved algorithm for calculating positions on highly eccentric orbits
* Added setambientlight scripting command
* Enabled rendering of satellite orbits
* Windows: added open script option to file menu
* Changed orbit and dolly functions so they operate with respect to the
current reference object instead of the selection.
* Made Goto command automatically switch to follow mode
* Fixed customorbit.cpp to compile on HP/UX

There will be no major features added between now and the release of 1.2.4. Minor features will be considered, and I'll make an effort to fix every bug submitted. This release still uses the .cms files that caused problems for some people with 1.2.2/1.2.3; there's a good chance that the problem is gone in this release, however.

Enjoy!

--Chris

[Rangel]

Will it compile with Mesa 4 ?

[Guest]

This is just the Win32 version . . . I'll have the UNIX preview version--which I have tested successfully with Mesa 4--ready in a few hours.

--Chris

[hank]

Will version 1.2.4 also include the MacOS X patches?

- Hank

[chris]

Will version 1.2.4 also include the MacOS X patches?

Yes, the MacOS X patches are integrated . . . I'm adding the changes to the config files now, after which I'll release a 1.2.4 preview that you should be able to compile on OS X, Linux, or any other UNIX.

--Chris

[Incognito]

1.2.4 works great so far. 2002 EM7 gets a little closer than reality on Mar 8 but its much more accurate than before. I'll check out some more neo's and let you know. You don't list the key for the new "phase lock" mode in the controls list. Is that what the : key is doing?

I do have one beef about the joystick support. When I am in track mode the up/down and left/right controls don't seem to work right, they just seem rotate the view. What I mean is I would like to be able to fly around an object while watching it in track mode. If that was fixed and you added support for rudder and maybe throttles that would be great. In a future release it would be nice to have fully configurable joystick support

[Mikeydude750]

I like the beta, but the download server is very slow.

I also love the new features very, very much!

[Mikeydude750]

Also, what do the Phase-lock and Chase thingies do?

Chris, the planets still go freaky when you go far into the future, but the orbit lines still stay the same. Is there any way you can fix it?

[chris]

1.2.4 works great so far. 2002 EM7 gets a little closer than reality on Mar 8 but its much more accurate than before. I'll check out some more neo's and let you know. You don't list the key for the new "phase lock" mode in the controls list. Is that what the : key is doing?

Yes, that's exactly what the : key does . . . I added a description of its function to the README, but forgot to change the controls list as well.

I do have one beef about the joystick support. When I am in track mode the up/down and left/right controls don't seem to work right, they just seem rotate the view. What I mean is I would like to be able to fly around an object while watching it in track mode. If that was fixed and you added support for rudder and maybe throttles that would be great. In a future release it would be nice to have fully configurable joystick support

I don't have throttle control on my joystick, which is why there's no support for it yet. If you can recommend a good joystick with throttle control, I'll order it and improve joystick support for Celestia 1.2.5.

Track mode fixes the center of the field of view on an object; phase lock mode might closer to what you want. Or perhaps I don't understand exactly what it is you're trying to do . . .

--Chris

[Rassilon]

Hey Chris...I was running 1.2.4 last night and still got the ISS crash...Is it a stack overflow? maybe...

Also the Galaxies could still be seen through the atmosphere...but then its not that important...I just turn the rendering off usually anyway...

But its really cool how you did those galactic renderings...Maybe when you have time, you could add a somewhat simple rendering of all the galaxies in the known universe...

Also the outer rim of stars...the clipping still exists...

I know your really really really busy but when you got time I guess you could look into those bugs...Thanks!

[Incognito]

What I am trying to do in essence is manually "fly" an orbit around an object but while observing it in tracking mode. This is like what a padlock view would do on a flight sim. You can still make the proper course corrections but the camera looks at the object. Right now the camera moves in a straight line while tracking the object. I want to be able to change the direction the camera is moving.

As to joysticks I am using an old MS Sidewinder 3d. Much as I dislike MS, I gotta admit they make a decent joystick

[chris]

Hey Chris...I was running 1.2.4 last night and still got the ISS crash...Is it a stack overflow? maybe...

I don't know what's happening here . . . I'm sure it's related to the absolutely ridiculously deep hierarchy in the ISS model. I've got a new ISS model with some simple textures and about half the triangles.

Also the Galaxies could still be seen through the atmosphere...but then its not that important...I just turn the rendering off usually anyway...

Oops . . . I should be able to get a fix for this into 1.2.4.

--Chris

[Vicware]

I have the same problem with the ISS. Maybe the optimized model
you say you're going to replace the current one with will solve
the problem. I still have to use this new version more before I have
a report ready.

Vic

[Laahel]

hellow everybody

juste tried te preview at wook with the g450 .... a brief try

i don't know how, but, the g450 seems to do the all the night lights stuff inverted !!!

like i said before, the lights are inverted and appears black, and the rest is bright, i need to invert the texture with photoshop....

and now the new thing : the lights, appear only on the light side !!

the g450 does't seem to work like other graphic cards :/
really weird...

[ogg]

Will there be an option to switch off planet-ring shadow effects in 1.2.4 or a later version? I notice some people with what sound like generic graphics cards complain of 'radial spikes' and other shadowing errors. I get that these and Saturn's rings seem very dim as well. I assume its a shadow effect problem because the rings get dimmer when you position them between you and the sun. Can I let my poor adapter know not to bother trying please?

[Rassilon]

Hey Chris...I was running 1.2.4 last night and still got the ISS crash...Is it a stack overflow? maybe...

I don't know what's happening here . . . I'm sure it's related to the absolutely ridiculously deep hierarchy in the ISS model. I've got a new ISS model with some simple textures and about half the triangles.

Also the Galaxies could still be seen through the atmosphere...but then its not that important...I just turn the rendering off usually anyway...

Oops . . . I should be able to get a fix for this into 1.2.4.

--Chris

Thanks Chris...

I wasnt too clear on what I meant on the clipping of stars so I will post a small video clip of what I mean...I am thinking maybe this might not be happening with everyone since I seem to be the only one whos experiencing it...

http://cybermindtraveller.freewebspace.com/files/sample.avi
TET1 Ori A^^ but this is happening to all stars outside the rim of 6000 ly...

My specs are a GeForce 3 Ti200
ASUS p4b Intel 1.5gig running under XP
384 megs ram 64 megs Video...

Maybe there is some kind of connection with this and the models causing those unknown crashes...That is if this is a form of model...your star cluster....

[chris]

I wasnt too clear on what I meant on the clipping of stars so I will post a small video clip of what I mean...I am thinking maybe this might not be happening with everyone since I seem to be the only one whos experiencing it...

This happens to me to, and I know the source of it. The fix is a simple adjustment of the root node size in the visibility octree. I just need to do some performance analysis before I change the value.

Maybe there is some kind of connection with this and the models causing those unknown crashes...That is if this is a form of model...your star cluster....

No connection at all, actually . . . the cause of the model crashes remains a mystery to me.

--Chris

[chris]

Will there be an option to switch off planet-ring shadow effects in 1.2.4 or a later version? I notice some people with what sound like generic graphics cards complain of 'radial spikes' and other shadowing errors. I get that these and Saturn's rings seem very dim as well. I assume its a shadow effect problem because the rings get dimmer when you position them between you and the sun. Can I let my poor adapter know not to bother trying please?

I'll add an option to disable ring shadows . . . The messed up rings are almost certainly due to OpenGL driver issues, though I'm uncertain whether it's a problem with texture coordinate generation or blending.

--Chris

[Mikeydude750]

1.2.4 works great so far. 2002 EM7 gets a little closer than reality on Mar 8 but its much more accurate than before. I'll check out some more neo's and let you know. You don't list the key for the new "phase lock" mode in the controls list. Is that what the : key is doing?

Yes, that's exactly what the : key does . . . I added a description of its function to the README, but forgot to change the controls list as well.

I do have one beef about the joystick support. When I am in track mode the up/down and left/right controls don't seem to work right, they just seem rotate the view. What I mean is I would like to be able to fly around an object while watching it in track mode. If that was fixed and you added support for rudder and maybe throttles that would be great. In a future release it would be nice to have fully configurable joystick support

I don't have throttle control on my joystick, which is why there's no support for it yet. If you can recommend a good joystick with throttle control, I'll order it and improve joystick support for Celestia 1.2.5.

Track mode fixes the center of the field of view on an object; phase lock mode might closer to what you want. Or perhaps I don't understand exactly what it is you're trying to do . . .

--Chris

I can't see anything about Phase-lock in the Read-me. What does it do? Also, what does Chase do?

[ogg]

Will there be an option to switch off planet-ring shadow effects in 1.2.4 or a later version? I notice some people with what sound like generic graphics cards complain of 'radial spikes' and other shadowing errors. I get that these and Saturn's rings seem very dim as well. I assume its a shadow effect problem because the rings get dimmer when you position them between you and the sun. Can I let my poor adapter know not to bother trying please?

I'll add an option to disable ring shadows . . . The messed up rings are almost certainly due to OpenGL driver issues, though I'm uncertain whether it's a problem with texture coordinate generation or blending.

--Chris

Thanks Chris! For reference, here's a screenshot URL for the wierdness in 1.2.4pr and the quoted OpenGl info.

Vendor: Trident
Renderer: Blade XP/AGP
Version: 1.2.1
Max simultaneous textures: 2
Max texture size: 1024

Supported Extensions:
GL_ARB_multitexture
GL_EXT_abgr
GL_EXT_bgra
GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array
GL_EXT_packed_pixels
GL_EXT_paletted_texture
GL_EXT_vertex_array
GL_WIN_swap_hint

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~brusse/satshot.jpg