I just released version 7.85. It remains fully interoperable with any version since 7.70, but the "Mumble" interface is much more powerful, easier to use, and easier to configure now.
Here's the "Whats New":
===========================================
Changes in the mid-Sep2019 version (Lac07p85) include:
This version is operationally compatible with all prior versions since Lac07p70, but the Mumble interface is now a lot more powerful. Prior versions of LAC struggled to interface with Mumble. Users struggled to compensate through cumbersome, manual configuration of Mumble "shortcuts", but Mumble frequently lost those configuration steps, resulting in a frustrating need to re-do them. All of this has been fixed. Users no longer need to configure the 20 problematic "channel-changing" Mumble shortcuts. LAC now takes full advantage of interface features in any version of desktop Mumble from old V1.2.3 up to and through new V1.3.0, and the area of the keyboard used in our standard configuration has been expanded with additional functions for those that have installed Mumble in the same computer hosting LAC.
LAC's standard keyboard layout now provides even more powerful Mumble integration, placing even more Communication-oriented commands within easy reach.
LAC now uses two different sets of Mumble interface commands, depending on whether you have installed new Mumble V1.3.0 or an older version since V1.2.3. Accordingly, this version of LAC has enhanced its interpretation of the "NetworkMode" attribute that can be set in the "LacConfig.txt" configuration file to specify the appropriate Mumble interface. That variable is now "Bit Coded". Use of the least significant bit is unchanged, so a value of "0" still indicates "Peer to Peer Mode" as before, and a value of "1" still indicates "Client/Server" mode as before. However, we are no longer ignoring the other bits. As a consequence, four distinct settings of "NetworkMode" are now fundamental to LAC's operation on the network and with Mumble, as follows:
(Explanatory text within the LacConfig.txt file explains all of this and will help users set the value of NetworkMode appropriately.)
Whether LAC uses the "old style" or the "new style" for its Mumble interface, it now automatically tunes Mumble to the best channel for the mission and team as soon as the player selects it, and all of the following "Hot Keys" always work immediately during those online missions, with no need to program the corresponding Mumble Shortcuts:
Furthermore, now LAC even uses those advanced Mumble interface commands in conjunction with five types of specially formatted Morse Code Radio messages as follows:
1 of 5: "PPPPPPPP2" (Eight or more sequential "P" characters followed by one or more copies of the single digit "1", "2", "3", "4", "5","6","7", "8", "9", or "0", corresponding with one of the ten players in the mission.) This is the "PROMOTE" command, and it grants administrative privileges to the designated mission player. Although no player can promote himself, he can promote any other player on his team. The player remains "promoted" until he is killed or exits the mission. After being promoted in this manner, the promoted player can thereafter issue any of these other specially formatted Morse Radio messages:
2 of 5: "SSSSSSSS" (Eight or more sequential "S" characters). This is the "SECRECY" command, and for the next two minutes, it switches every member of the player's team onto an obscure, new, Mumble channel for private communication. Exactly two minutes later, all of those players are automatically switched back to their TeamCast channel within the active mission. Members of the other team are NOT switched, and it is cumbersome and time-consuming for them to discover which channel is being used for this secret conversation. Due to the cumbersome steps involved in an attempt to subvert the resulting privacy within the short two-minute "privacy" time window (and the ease with which any such spying attempt can be discovered), It is unlikely that members of the opposing team will hear conversations held in this manner.
3 of 5: "MMMMMMMM" (Eight or more sequential "M" characters). This is the "MISSIONCAST" command, and it switches every member of the player's team onto the "MissionCast" channel for the current realm and mission so that everybody participating in the mission will be able to hear and converse with everybody else. Even members of the opposing team, on their own TeamCast channel, will automatically hear and be able to speak in the two-way conversations.
4 of 6: "TTTTTTTT" (Eight or more sequential "T" characters). This is the "TeamCast" command, and it switches every member of the player's team onto the "TeamCast" channel for the current realm and mission. The other team also has its own TeamCast mission as a "sibling" channel, and those two sibling channels are isolated from one another so that voice communication in one is not heard in the other. Note, however, that any player that chooses to enter the mission's "MissionCast" channel WILL hear everything, so this "TeamCast" option is best viewed as a means of minimizing congestion rather than a means of ensuring secrecy.
5 of 5: "RRRRRRRR" (Eight or more sequential "R" characters). This is the "Root" command, and, for the next five minutes, it switches every member of the player's team onto the "Root" channel of our Mumble server at LinuxAirCombat.com. This is handy for recruiting new players into the mission, since it is commonplace for new players to hang out in our Root channel while waiting for mission activity elsewhere. Exactly five minutes later, all of those players are automatically switched back to their TeamCast channel within the active mission.
Note: Because the Morse Code Radio is imperfect, sometimes transmitted characters are lost. For this reason, instead of sending just eight identical, sequential characters to trigger one of the commands described above, we recommend sending at least twelve of those command-designating, repeated keysrokes, in order to ensure that at least eight of them are received by all players on your team.
As a consequence of these advanced commands, it is now much easier for entire teams to make powerful, synchronized, and orderly use of our Mumble channels, enjoying a significant advantage in combat.
So long as the appropriate configuration digit is stored in the "NetworkMode" attribute of your LacConfig.txt file, LAC implements all of these functions for anybody that has installed Mumble on the same computer hosting LAC. The only operational disadvantage for users of old Mumble (prior to V1.3.0) is an additional 1-second delay when switching channels. On average, users of Mumble V1.3.0 and later switch channels in about 5 seconds. Older versions of Mumble need about 6 seconds.
Also, while parked on the runway waiting for refueling and repairs, the player can now stop the automated review and vocalization of all of the mission targets (which normally cycles "Select Next Target" through all ten mission aircraft) by tapping the "Select Previous Target" key. This gives the player an opportunity to examine the tactical situation at his own pace and designate his own preferred target while his aircraft is being serviced.
Last edit: bbosen 2019-09-09
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I just released version 7.85. It remains fully interoperable with any version since 7.70, but the "Mumble" interface is much more powerful, easier to use, and easier to configure now.
Here's the "Whats New":
===========================================
Changes in the mid-Sep2019 version (Lac07p85) include:
This version is operationally compatible with all prior versions since Lac07p70, but the Mumble interface is now a lot more powerful. Prior versions of LAC struggled to interface with Mumble. Users struggled to compensate through cumbersome, manual configuration of Mumble "shortcuts", but Mumble frequently lost those configuration steps, resulting in a frustrating need to re-do them. All of this has been fixed. Users no longer need to configure the 20 problematic "channel-changing" Mumble shortcuts. LAC now takes full advantage of interface features in any version of desktop Mumble from old V1.2.3 up to and through new V1.3.0, and the area of the keyboard used in our standard configuration has been expanded with additional functions for those that have installed Mumble in the same computer hosting LAC.
LAC's standard keyboard layout now provides even more powerful Mumble integration, placing even more Communication-oriented commands within easy reach.
LAC now uses two different sets of Mumble interface commands, depending on whether you have installed new Mumble V1.3.0 or an older version since V1.2.3. Accordingly, this version of LAC has enhanced its interpretation of the "NetworkMode" attribute that can be set in the "LacConfig.txt" configuration file to specify the appropriate Mumble interface. That variable is now "Bit Coded". Use of the least significant bit is unchanged, so a value of "0" still indicates "Peer to Peer Mode" as before, and a value of "1" still indicates "Client/Server" mode as before. However, we are no longer ignoring the other bits. As a consequence, four distinct settings of "NetworkMode" are now fundamental to LAC's operation on the network and with Mumble, as follows:
(Explanatory text within the LacConfig.txt file explains all of this and will help users set the value of NetworkMode appropriately.)
Whether LAC uses the "old style" or the "new style" for its Mumble interface, it now automatically tunes Mumble to the best channel for the mission and team as soon as the player selects it, and all of the following "Hot Keys" always work immediately during those online missions, with no need to program the corresponding Mumble Shortcuts:
In addition, the following Mumble commands are instantly available if the associated (very simple and well-behaved) Mumble shortcuts are configured:
Furthermore, now LAC even uses those advanced Mumble interface commands in conjunction with five types of specially formatted Morse Code Radio messages as follows:
1 of 5: "PPPPPPPP2" (Eight or more sequential "P" characters followed by one or more copies of the single digit "1", "2", "3", "4", "5","6","7", "8", "9", or "0", corresponding with one of the ten players in the mission.) This is the "PROMOTE" command, and it grants administrative privileges to the designated mission player. Although no player can promote himself, he can promote any other player on his team. The player remains "promoted" until he is killed or exits the mission. After being promoted in this manner, the promoted player can thereafter issue any of these other specially formatted Morse Radio messages:
2 of 5: "SSSSSSSS" (Eight or more sequential "S" characters). This is the "SECRECY" command, and for the next two minutes, it switches every member of the player's team onto an obscure, new, Mumble channel for private communication. Exactly two minutes later, all of those players are automatically switched back to their TeamCast channel within the active mission. Members of the other team are NOT switched, and it is cumbersome and time-consuming for them to discover which channel is being used for this secret conversation. Due to the cumbersome steps involved in an attempt to subvert the resulting privacy within the short two-minute "privacy" time window (and the ease with which any such spying attempt can be discovered), It is unlikely that members of the opposing team will hear conversations held in this manner.
3 of 5: "MMMMMMMM" (Eight or more sequential "M" characters). This is the "MISSIONCAST" command, and it switches every member of the player's team onto the "MissionCast" channel for the current realm and mission so that everybody participating in the mission will be able to hear and converse with everybody else. Even members of the opposing team, on their own TeamCast channel, will automatically hear and be able to speak in the two-way conversations.
4 of 6: "TTTTTTTT" (Eight or more sequential "T" characters). This is the "TeamCast" command, and it switches every member of the player's team onto the "TeamCast" channel for the current realm and mission. The other team also has its own TeamCast mission as a "sibling" channel, and those two sibling channels are isolated from one another so that voice communication in one is not heard in the other. Note, however, that any player that chooses to enter the mission's "MissionCast" channel WILL hear everything, so this "TeamCast" option is best viewed as a means of minimizing congestion rather than a means of ensuring secrecy.
5 of 5: "RRRRRRRR" (Eight or more sequential "R" characters). This is the "Root" command, and, for the next five minutes, it switches every member of the player's team onto the "Root" channel of our Mumble server at LinuxAirCombat.com. This is handy for recruiting new players into the mission, since it is commonplace for new players to hang out in our Root channel while waiting for mission activity elsewhere. Exactly five minutes later, all of those players are automatically switched back to their TeamCast channel within the active mission.
Note: Because the Morse Code Radio is imperfect, sometimes transmitted characters are lost. For this reason, instead of sending just eight identical, sequential characters to trigger one of the commands described above, we recommend sending at least twelve of those command-designating, repeated keysrokes, in order to ensure that at least eight of them are received by all players on your team.
As a consequence of these advanced commands, it is now much easier for entire teams to make powerful, synchronized, and orderly use of our Mumble channels, enjoying a significant advantage in combat.
So long as the appropriate configuration digit is stored in the "NetworkMode" attribute of your LacConfig.txt file, LAC implements all of these functions for anybody that has installed Mumble on the same computer hosting LAC. The only operational disadvantage for users of old Mumble (prior to V1.3.0) is an additional 1-second delay when switching channels. On average, users of Mumble V1.3.0 and later switch channels in about 5 seconds. Older versions of Mumble need about 6 seconds.
Also, while parked on the runway waiting for refueling and repairs, the player can now stop the automated review and vocalization of all of the mission targets (which normally cycles "Select Next Target" through all ten mission aircraft) by tapping the "Select Previous Target" key. This gives the player an opportunity to examine the tactical situation at his own pace and designate his own preferred target while his aircraft is being serviced.
Last edit: bbosen 2019-09-09