VASSAL Engine Files

The VASSAL Team is happy to announce the release of VASSAL 3.2.0-beta2.

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Download
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For Linux:

  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vassalengine/VASSAL-3.2.0-beta2-linux.tar.bz2

For Mac OS X:

  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vassalengine/VASSAL-3.2.0-beta2-macosx.dmg

For Windows:

  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vassalengine/VASSAL-3.2.0-beta2-windows.exe

For other operating systems:

  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vassalengine/VASSAL-3.2.0-beta2-other.zip

Source code:

  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vassalengine/VASSAL-3.2.0-beta2-src.zip

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Compatibility Notes
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* VASSAL 3.2 is backwards compatible. VASSAL 3.1 is NOT forwards
  compatible. This means that modules, logs, and saves from VASSAL 3.1
  should work in 3.2, but there is no guarantee that modules, logs, and
  saves from 3.2 will work in 3.1. Therefore, if you write a module,
  log, or save file in 3.2 DO NOT expect to be able to load it in 3.1.

* Current versions of VASL and VSQL are not compatible with VASSAL
  3.2.0-beta2. Work to update VASL for 3.2 is ongoing.

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New Features in 3.2
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* Levels within a Layer can be moved up or down the level list using
  buttons. [RFE 1919]
 
* Mass Piece Loader activated by 'Add Multiple Pieces' and 'Add Multiple
  Cards' options in right-click menu in Editor. Specify a folder of
  images, specify a counter template and Vassal will automatically load
  the images and generate units. [RFE 1927]
   
* Description field added to Toolbar Menu and Multi-Action button
  components. [RFE 1885]
   
* Specify Keystrokes by name - Key Commands can be entered as single Key
  Strokes as in earlier versions of Vassal, or can be given a 2 or more
  character names. Named Key Strokes are essentially 'invisible' to
  users. Vassal guarantees that a unique real keyStroke will be
  allocated to each uniquely named Keystroke. [RFE 1928]

* Decks can specify by Property Expression which pieces are allowed to
  be dropped onto them. Pieces which may not be added are returned to
  where the drag started. [RFE 1935]
 
* Decks can now specify a Hotkey for the Reverse and FaceUp/Down command
  and can customize the Reverse and Re-shuffle menu command names.
  [RFE 1938]
  
* Counters now support the DeckPosition property. If a piece is not in a
  Deck, 0 is returned. If a piece is in a Deck, then the position of the
  piece relative to the top of the Deck is returned. The top piece
  returns 1, the next piece down returns 2 etc. [RFE 1937]
    
* Support for MP3 sound files. [RFE 1934]

* Fix Display/Color handling for Grids and Numberings. Allow Numbering
  to be visible when grid not visible in Zones. [RFE 1917]

* Implementation of BeanShell allowing arbitrarily complex Java
  expressions to be used in Property Match Expressions, In-line Java
  expressions and new Calculated Property trait. [RFE 1801]
  
* Display the Log File Comments in the Chat Window when a log file is
  opened or continued. [RFE 1939]

* Global Key Commands created on a Map now have an option to affect
  counters on all Maps, not just the Map they are created on.
  [RFE 1902]
  
* Traits that move a counter (Send To Location, Return to Deck, Moved
  Fixed Distance, Pivot) now update the same location Oldxxxxxx
  properties that Drag and Drop movement does. [RFE 1792]
  
* Added repeat (loop) option to Trigger Action and Multi-action button.
  [RFE 1876]

* Ensure all commands generated by a single user action are undone by a
  single click of the undo action. [RFE 2816016]
  
* Option to allow non-owning players to move Restricted Access pieces.
  [RFE 1789]

* Add 'Snap to Grid?' option to HexGrid and SquareGrid, defaulting to
  Yes. Allows Grid Snapping to be turned off for the whole grid.
  [RFE 2842811]

* Streamlined room creation: automatic synchronization on room entry
  [RFE 1784]

* New scenario updater [RFE 1899]

* Allow Dynamic Property Select Value list to be dynamic [RFE 1926]

* All scaling is now high-quality. Low-quality scaling (in hardware)
  caused too many graphics glitches on Windows.

* The Invisible trait now supports adjustable transparency.

* Map images are tiled the first time modules are loaded, to create an
  image cache. This should dramatically reduce the amount of memory
  needed to run modules.

* Improved display of properties in the Editor [RFE 4323]:

  - Display all available properties from all components structured in the
    same way as the components of the module are built instead of all the
    global properties being dumped in one menu.
  - Available Global properties now appear without having to start a game.
    Previously, globals like Deck and Zone properties where not available
    unless you had started a game.
  - Property and component names are sorted, except for the Piece Property
    menu where the traits are displayed in the same order they exist in the
    counter.
  - If a menu has too many options to fit on the screen, it is now
    scrollable, instead of stretching off the screen and leaving some
    properties inaccessible.

* Improvements to Layer trait [RFE 4717]:
  - Follow Property name may be a BeanShell expression.
  - Improved layout for Layer dialog in Editor.


The following bugs in 3.2.0-beta1 are fixed in 3.2.0-beta2:

* Check for resource paths missing initial slash. This fixes the problem
  with resources like moved.gif not being found.

* Include "images/" in tile names when running TilingHandler. This helps
  us handle directories nested under images, and archives which have no
  images directory at all (such as VASL map archives).

* Property filter built incorrectly in MassKeyCommand.

The following bugs in 3.1 are fixed in 3.2.0-beta2:

* 4763: Symbolic Dice button window results do not open correctly
* 4690: Hide Pieces Toolbar button causes Toolbar button icons to move
* 4547: Ensure that image data is integer type before casting to DataBufferInt
* 4402: StackOverflowError from recursively generating counter name with Label
* 4302: Global Hotkey cannot preserve execution order across server
* 3040: ClassCastException in CommandServer.run()
* 2694: Warn (Windows) users to reboot after Java upgrade
* 2671: BMPs are incompatible with memory-mapped images
* 2556: ImageOp does not support paths

For changes prior to 3.2.0-beta1, see the change log.

Please report all bugs in 3.2.0-beta2, even if they are bugs which
you've already reported against other betas. We take your bug reports
seriously---they're the reason we've been able to fix so many bugs.

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Minimum Requirements
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VASSAL 3.2 requires the Java Runtime Envrionment to run.

Linux: Java 6 is required for using VASSAL on Linux.

MacOS X: The recommended minimum Java version for using VASSAL on MacOS
X is 1.5.0_08 (a.k.a. Java 5 Update 8) for Macs where Java 6 is
unavailable, and Java 6 for Macs where Java 6 is available.

Windows: The recommended minimum Java version for Windows is 1.6.0_21
(a.k.a. Java 6 Update 21). Windows users installing VASSAL with the
Windows installer will be prompted to update Java if what they have is
older than 1.6.0_35. After upgrading Java on Windows, you must restart
your computer in order for Java programs to work properly.


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Help us test
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This is a beta release, so may still contain some rough edges. Should
you find any problems/oddities/bugs, please tell us so that we can fix
them before VASSAL 3.2.0 is released. Also, if you've had problems with
3.1.x or a previous 3.2.0 beta, please check and let us know if those
problems are resolved in 3.2.0-beta2.

Report bugs here in the Technical Support & Bugs category at the VASSAL
forums:

http://www.vassalengine.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=3

or by email to uckelman@nomic.net.


Cheers,

The VASSAL Team