ancient_history.htp

<h3 id="changes428">CHANGES IN 4.28</h3>
<PRE>
+ Prefab system!

+ Quake lighting!
+ Quake visibility!
+ Quake II works!

+ Hexen works!
+ much improved Hexen themes, thanks to blackjar
+ proper Hub system for Hexen

- support FreeDoom 0.7
- support for Absolution, the Doom64 TC
- support for HacX 1.2 and Harmony
- support for Chex Quest 3
- preliminary work on Hexen II and Half-Life [not usable yet]

- DOOM themes for Episodes 2 and 4, courtesy Chris
- monsters are progressive over a full game in DOOM 2
- more naming goodies, thanks to Chris

- improved progress bar and status messages
- output file is deleted if an error occurs
- backup files now use the .OLD extension
- qsavetex detects and handles Hexen II
- cmdline option to load a config file (for Batch mode)

+ support for "shaped" rooms (L, T, plus, etc)
+ support for teleporters
- secret exits are created again

- fixed Quake collision issues
- new more reliable CSG code
- monster control modules for Heretic, Quake, Quake II
- support for liquids in Quake and Quake II
- support reading and writing PK3 files (not used yet)
- an exporter to .MAP format

+ ability to make multiple paths between rooms
- preliminary work on truely 3D room layouts
- improved infighting logic in the Fight Simulator

- new 'Jumbled Up' theme setting
- new 'Tiny' and 'Extreme' settings for level size
- new 'Alternative Look' option
- moved the Seed setting, and increased to 6 digits
- Seed is automatically bumped after a successful build

+ customised Lua language:
  - commas are optional at end of line in data tables
  - simpler table traversal with new 'each' syntax
  - ternary operator of the form: (X ? Y ; Z)
  - continue statement
  - alternative inequality operator: !=
</pre>

<p> &nbsp;

<hr>


<h3 id="changes357">CHANGES IN 3.57</h3>
<PRE>
+ new lighting system
+ early Heretic and Quake support
+ FreeDOOM is supported again

- faster node building (especially on large maps)
- faster / more robust CSG code
- faster cave generation logic

- maps are more efficient (less vertices and linedefs)
- better texture alignment (especially in caves)
- write all relevant settings in the LOGS.txt file

- Enhas improved his Gotcha-style arena maps
- Chris fixed a Boom-only linetype in his E1M8 map
- Chris contributed a brand new E1M8 boss map

- preliminary code to create Duke Nukem 3D maps
- support for 'Outdoor Shadows' (via a new module)
- separate 'Doom 1' and 'Ultimate Doom' game choices
- the DOOM CSG code supports rail and lighting brushes
- amount of natural/cavey areas is now varied

- buildings can have different outer and inner textures
- improved DOOM's Wolf theme: SS Nazis, silver doors
- more varied themes when making "a few" maps
- variation in number of keys and switches per level

- changed shortcut key to toggle module panel --> F5
- new shortcut keys: F1 = About, F2 = Build, F4 = Options
- more armor and ammo in the starting room
- improved fences at the edge of the map

- fixed the Level Control module
- fixed a bug where an outdoor area was too low to fit in
- fixed ugliness when outdoor rooms had differing sky heights
- fixed failure when engine was set to Legacy or Eternity
- fixed a rare assertion failure in the layout code

- fixed never using switched doors in small maps
- fixed rare bug of lowering pedestals stuck in ceiling
- fixed lowering bars, prevent running over them
- fixed bug where caves could become disconnected
- fixed weapon probabilities in the start room
</pre>


<h3 id="changes351">CHANGES IN 3.51</h3>
<PRE>
+  new code for building Caves and Landscapes!
+  SEED value works differently, less prone to duplicates
+  Unixy type of system-wide installation (Makefile.unixy)
+  batch mode : run Oblige without any GUI at all
+  new system for adding pre-built levels

!  monster and item placement has several problems
!  no small exit buildings (due to smaller grid size)

-  new "As Original" choice for Theme button
-  fixed ROCKRED1 material (DOOM 1)
-  sky generator supports DOOM 1 (courtesy Enhas)
-  new Options window
-  can toggle the Modules Panel on/off
-  can disable making backups

-  new (more random) way of setting monster skill bits
-  fixed E2M8 / E3M8 maps to work on E4M6 / E4M8
-  fixed Save dialog (MS Windows) to go back to last place
-  output directory is checked to be valid
-  fixed some issues with status bar messages
</PRE>


<h3 id="changes347">CHANGES IN 3.47</h3>
<PRE>
-  new GUI layout, more room for modules
-  GUI uses larger fonts in higher resolutions
-  new 'Strength' button (for monsters)
-  new 'Progressive' choice for monster numbers
-  more choices for the 'Outdoors' button
-  levels are somewhat smaller
-  reinstated Co-op mode

-  worked on a new theme system
-  new URBAN and HELL themes for DOOM games
-  preliminary work on Strife and HacX
-  preliminary work on Chex Quest 3 (courtesy Enhas)
-  further work on Quake (better BSP algorithms etc)
-  fixed some texture glitches and sky gaps

+  new modules:
   - Monster Control for DOOM
   - Weapon Control for DOOM
   - Stealth Monsters : Fine Control (thanks Enhas)
   - ZDoom Marines : Fine Control (Enhas)
   - Skulltag : Fine Control (Enhas)
   - Level Control (Enhas)
   - ZDoom Beastiary (Mr Chris)
</PRE>


<h3 id="changes343">CHANGES IN 3.43</h3>
<PRE>
+ fixed too much chaingun/plasma ammo (fight sim bug)
- fixed non-working lifts and pedestals
- fixed bug: levels reduced to 2 rooms

+ better name generator (thanks to JohnnyRancid)
- new just-for-kicks theme 'Psychedelic'
- new choice for Monsters: 'Crazy' 
- support for huge monsters in maps

+ new Material system
- reorganised DOOM code : doom.lua &amp; dm_tex.lua
- added 'density' field to MONSTER tables
- cleaner brush/entity transformations

+ boss arenas for E1M8 and E2M8 (thanks Mr. Chris)
- more color schemes for skies (JohnnyRancid)
- improved support for DOOM I

- worked on the module system
- new program for extracting Quake textures
- a bit of progress with Tiled games (Wolf3d)
- added 'replaces' field for monsters
- support monster/weapon preferences again

+ various new modules:
  - Immoral Conduct - Special Edition
  - Skulltag Monsters (by Mr. Chris)
  - ZDoom Marines (thanks Enhas)
  - Stealth Monsters (by Enhas)
</PRE>


<h3 id="changes339">CHANGES IN 3.39</h3>

<PRE>
Version 3.39 was the huge rewrite, with over 1500 SVN commits
since the 0.97 release.  The most significant changes were:

* The map representation changed to a completely different system.
  The old method had 64x64 squares (which could be sub-divided into
  16x16 "fragments"), with very limited support for angled walls.
  The new method uses "brushes" like in Quake mapping, which are
  solid regions of space, and can support arbitrary shapes on the
  2D map (and will allow more freedom in the Z dimension).

* Nearly all of the level building logic (Lua code) was rewritten
  from scratch.  A key concept in the rewrite is "seeds", which
  are a grid of 256x256 blocks on the 2D map, and each seed is
  responsible for building itself (floor, ceiling, any walls,
  and anything special in it like a staircase or pillar).

* All the game definitions were moved to a 'games' folder, and
  each Lua file in that folder is loaded when OBLIGE starts up,
  hence new games defs can simply be dropped in without having
  to change anything.  The same system is used for engine defs
  and module defs too.

+ The new planning code supports really big rooms, and also
  "parent" rooms which can contain other rooms.  Often the parent
  rooms are outdoor and the child rooms are buildings, leading to
  areas similar to DOOM II's MAP13.

+ The room layout code supports symmetrical rooms, and uses a
  "room fab" system which selects a usable shape for the room
  (which major elements like stairs, different height areas,
  solid and diagonal blocks).  These room fabs can also be used
  recursively, which can lead to some very interesting rooms.

+ The user interface was improved, with distinct panels for
  Game Settings, Level Architecture and Playing Style, and a
  scrollable area for custom modules.

+ Preliminary support for Quake and Quake II.

With all this work going on, a lot of features which were
available before have not been re-implemented yet:

-  only supports DOOM 1 and DOOM 2
-  only one available theme: TECH
-  no traps, no cages
-  no secrets, no powerups
-  very limited scenery
</PRE>

<p> &nbsp;

<hr>


<h3 id="changes097">CHANGES IN 0.97</h3>
<PRE>
+  greatly improved Heretic themes (Sam Trenholme)
+  fixed the stair-building error (Sam)
+  add some Cyberdemons into DOOM maps

-  don't put monsters or things on crates
-  don't put blaze doors in Heretic maps (Sam)
-  add a few armor helmets in DOOM maps (Enhas)
-  removed the Archvile from FreeDoom maps (Enhas)
-  prevent cross windows being passable (Enhas)
-  don't use shiny Wolf-3d door in Nature theme
</PRE>


<h3 id="changes094">CHANGES IN 0.94</h3>

<PRE>
+  new prefab system, lots of cool prefabs.
+  new theme system for more consistent levels.
+  different sized rooms.
+  greatly improved Hexen support.

-  new adjustments for level size and puzzles.
-  adjustments for deathmatch games.
-  secret areas and levels.
-  balconies.

-  experimental Wolfenstein-3D support.
-  later levels get progressively harder.
-  slightly better Heretic maps.
-  more DOOM themes.

Note: some things also broke in this release, e.g. traps :-(
</PRE>


<h3 id="changes085">CHANGES IN 0.85</h3>
<PRE>
+  Hallways!  Crates!  New Exits!
+  better algorithm for choosing floor/ceiling heights.
+  user adjustments for health/ammo/monsters/traps.
+  current settings are remembered when you quit.

-  support for FreeDOOM, TNT Evilution and Plutonia.
-  levels are watermarked with some Oblige logos.
-  delete temporary wad when build has finished.
-  collect all log messages into a file (LOGS.txt).
-  removed the unnecessary menu bar.

-  fixed the (rare) non-working switches and lifts.
-  surprise traps: improved placement, fairer monsters.
-  tweaked battle simulation to provide more ammo.
-  neater placement for health and ammo items.
</pre>


<h3 id="changes081">VERSION 0.81</h3>

<PRE>
This was the first public release of OBLIGE.
</PRE>