bbosen - 2023-03-27

I just released version 9.03 for early Beta Testing. Here's the associated "WhatsNew" text:

Changes in Lac09p03

This version adds:

1- Redesigned cockpit Router Panel. Now the ten lights representing online players are colored red or blue according to the Team affiliation of the corresponding player. Following the same Team affiliation pattern, the ten lights representing Mumble voice transmission are also colored red or blue. Furthermore, instead of simulating a simple cockpit light bulb, each of those 20 colored indicators is now replaced with a numeric digit. The result is MUCH more intuitive and much easier to interpret during the heat of battle.

2- The Morse Code Radio now automatically displays tutorial operating instructions for new players, teaching them to use their keyboard's "CAPS LOCK" key to toggle their keystrokes between LAC's normal flight mode and Morse Code Radio mode. This tutorial information scrolls through the cockpit's 3-line, "System Message Panel" whenever a new Morse Code Radio character is received if the player has a name like "NEW321" (indicating a brand new player that has not yet established an appropriate online CommunityHandle) and if he has not already demonstrated successful use of the Caps Lock key during the prior 5 minutes.

3- The Cockpit's "Compass Band" is always displayed across the top of the screen even if the "HUD" ("Heads Up Display") is disabled. This gives a better simulation of a World War II aircraft, since pilots of that era always had access to a reliable compass.

4- LAC's offline "bot" aircraft are now much less stupid. I wish I could say that they are truly smart, but that would be a stretch. Nevertheless, they have heretofore been so profoundly stupid as to be embarrassing. Now they are far less stupid. In fact,the offline tutorial missions with automated, computer-generated "bot" opponents are now quite fun to play.

5- LAC's "TUTORIAL 3: FIGHTERS" mission has been cleaned up. Now it is easier and more consistent to target an opposing aircraft, and some of the opposition flies aircraft with tail gunners that shoot back at the player, making this mission far more fun and more interesting.

6- Rocket launching has been made more accurate, and the risk of collision with your rockets within the first 2 or 3 seconds after they have been launched is significantly reduced.

We also fixed a bug in all of the online, server-based, multi-player missions that was leaving the RADAR antenna floating in space after its airbase was destroyed. Now when an airbase is destroyed, the associated RADAR antenna falls to the ground in a heap of rubble as it should.

You can download this Beta Test version with its source code ready to compile, from the usual "Experimental Downloads" area here:

https://askmisterwizard.com/2019/LinuxAirCombat/Installers/index.htm

The filename you want is "Lac09p03.tar.gz".

 

Last edit: bbosen 2023-04-14