ioq3v6-unfreeze-client v19.2 testing

[adminless]

hey hello guys

well finally following this report here as I worked again on some client code I finally made it to that long awaited UnFreeZe client version 1.1 for real this time so now I need your help to test the thing out. note this is still a version in development however I think that it should work so far, I've been testing it out on three different systems so far (the actual up-to December 2018 linux dev box, a mid range 2017 office/entry-gaming Windows 10 1807 up-to-date 64 bit laptop and a legacy 2007 mid range office Windows Vista SP1 64 bit up-to April 2017 laptop which should be about the very lowest you can find now-a-days even surprisingly with positive results, around 100 fps and decent connectivity) without issues so I think that it should make it at least to start with. you have all the files here so please go check that out and grab what you need (typically a updated ioq3v6 binary for your system and the new pk3, unfreeze1-client.pk3) and test it out a bit. I will package it once complete as usual so far I prefer to leave it like this to avoid yet even more confusion. so far it's still missing some parts however the core (which at the end is the most important part) is actually complete so it's a good point to test the thing out before "it's too late" (and ti gets too ugly, the work I mean). I'll go posting the updates on this as usual. to install it I believe that you're familiar by now with the procedure, just download and replace, however this time there's one special particular note, various defaults have changed so please reset your cfg (you can either move it away/rename it or simply execute a restore defaults at the in-game options menu and that should also do the job) and also for this finally new unfreeze-client release I'm in the process of sorting out the pk3 file (which is largely what's missing, beside your testing of the core) so the old files (unfreeze0-client.pk3 and unfreeze0-dev-client.pk3) should be removed to properly install this new version.

as for the changes, lot of stuff have been changed so honestly I prefer you to simply test it out and let me know if you have some questions or encounter problems, overall I think it should work pretty much "out-of-the-box" without much issues. as usual I'll go posting more details and will look forward document this the best I can when I finish with the usual (and "final" this time) package but probably the most notable things should be about this:

• several Linux fixes (broken keyboard, added openal sound support, turned off v-sync on the code among others probably) following this
• patched mouse to support up-to a two directions mouse wheel (vertical/horizontal scroll) and eight buttons now (although the horizontal scroll does not always work on any system/device as it's not really a "standard")
• patched r_displayrefresh following this, now setting your monitor frequency in-game should work (requires vid_restart after obviously)
• build with a smp (multi-thread, 2 threads this time) render that actually work this time and it actually provides better performance
• re-worked/tested the user interface a bit so it should be fully functional (and therefor disabled what it wasn't). in addition added virtually any resolution to chose at the graphics settings
• added and defaulted to a new "high definition" (regular 720p not every laptop is FullHD capable or provide substantial performance at 1080p) graphic profile (then simply go to the graphics menu and change the res to yours there and you're done)
• unlocked to start with all the single player mode and the cinnematics so now you can train from the menu your favorites maps on any order you want/skip those you don't like and so
• updated various parts of the code so now they should be more robust and perform some better
• changed various defaults so now it just comes with the "standard" settings pre-configured/pre-built (plus execing a restore defaults on the in-game options menu should therefore restore this well-known proven "standard" settings)

and probably I feel like I'm still missing more stuff, so yeah, that's it just go test it out and let me know.

NOTE: remember that as usual with these releases they will trigger a security notice on your system before running them, needless to say that they are safe to run. in addition as they are testing versions only intended for the short term they aren't intended to be added to the server clean list by now which means that when you join you'll eventually receive a proper (in this time, they aren't tested yet) warning about that.

[tar]

Is this update for laptops only or are they also better for usual PCs?

• patched r_displayrefresh following this, now setting your monitor frequency in-game should work (requires vid_restart after obviously)
• build with a smp (multi-thread, 2 threads this time) render that actually work this time and it actually provides better performance

According to my guide, r_displayrefresh has no effect.
Now, this should be considered with com_maxfps and cl_maxpackets, I guess?
If VSYNC is enabled (by driver only as long as r_swapinterval has no effect) r_displayrefresh should be equal to com_maxfps settings, correct?

Are there any changes for r_smp?

[adminless]

no, the fact that I tested it mostly on laptops (as they are pretty much the "standard" now-a-days) and that they are probably the ones that are going to benefit the most (as virtually any "actual", +2015, standard desktop with a dedicated gpu will give probably above 500 fps thus I don't think that giving 550/600 instead is that much of a deal, however going from 100/150 to 150/200 is imo) doesn't change that they are obviously going to benefit from this newer code too (let alone the rest of the features). yes, I know as well as with r_swapinterval (vsync off/on, 0/1) and r_smp (multithread, 2 threads, disabled/enabled, 0/1) that were partially or totally broken, I think that now I got them fixed and they should be functional, so yeah I would appreciate if you could play along those things and see if they also work on your setup. chose the let application control vsync (or related) on your drivers and try switching it on/off (r_swapinterval), try setting your resolution from the in-game settings (r_mode 25 now will directly give your res btw), try a couple of different refresh rates (r_displayrefresh, if I'm not wrong your monitor at that res support 50, 60 and 100 if using a hdmi 2.0 cable apparently this last or a displayport connection, needless to say 100 is the proper one but check at least if they worked) and see if they worked (check console or preferably turn vsync on, it will match your fps) and try r_smp 0/1 and see if they first worked and then if it provides any benefit/stability (like I said probably not your case as your setup will give you about a thousand fps in a game like q3 already). also all or most of this options require a vid_restart to take effect. so that's it, let me know how it does, I'm still not done with the game update itself (nothing dramatic btw, just sort the things out and probably add a couple of things) but I think that it's a important update. also try your mouse buttons at the controls menu and check if they recognize them and so.

[adminless]

ok, basically I just finished this new version now. the package is this one, ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip, so I would really appreciate that you download it now and test the whole thing (single player, menus, settings etc etc) not just the server before I proceed any further with announcements and that kind of things.

this time that package it's pretty much the full UnFreeZe client finished (ioQ3v6 1.33a + UnFreeZe Client v1.1), I know that there's still a couple of things missing and probably still a bunch of issues left but that's it. it has been like a year that I was supposed to release this proper package, it's time to put it there if not it's obvious that this will keep going forever (and let's remark that although it's clearly not perfect, which btw it never will no matter what, it's definitively a great improvement over the old original files). all that is missing this time is the documentation that I hope that I add it within this week (or so) but anyways I think that's some "minor" thing, the rest of the files, unless some huge issue these are the finished ones, so check it out, they have been added to the clean list now (will take effect tomorrow).

basically this time I fixed every issue I had knowledge of and re-worked a bit the quick picmip fixes I had added in the middle by some better ones then let me know how you see it. as usual the recommended is start with a clean cfg and then exec hardcore settings (exec standard does not really make much sense anymore as basically the game start with the standard settings de-facto. the standard cfg is still provided as a way to go back to it nothing more). the new picmip fixes will only work with the provided ioQ3v6 (it was moved there and removed from the gamemod which is a cleaner and more general approach) so keep that in mind.

well, for any issue/question just drop me a message here and I'll explain what needed/check it.

[tar]

Alright, with ioquake3_v1.33a_intel.exe (2.032.536 Bytes) I had:

1) some sound crackling/stuttering issues which correlated with a strange mini new net lag (or fps lag). I guess, they correspond with each other.

2) Furthermore, I was not able to see the "pillars" in the centre room in q3tourney4.

3) Sometimes Quake seemed to took too long to start and therefore lost my video connection to my monitor. My monitor automatically switched to another input port in order to find a signal again and then switched itself off but I heard that I am connected to the server. After I switched my monitor back on, I was able to play. After a second start of Quake, it worked fine. After a complete system restart the first start of Quake also worked fine. Strange...

However, as the audio issue was annoying as hell, I switched back to ioquake3_v1.33_intel.exe (1.979.392 Bytes) which still works best for me.

The new unfreeze1-client.pk3 also seems to work. I see a new welcome message. Whats else is new, so far?
What purpose fulfills "cer" and fpsclasico.cer?
Why are there no "unfreeze0-client.pk3" and "unfreeze0-dev-client.pk3" in the package (still use them - can I delete those?)?

[adminless]

1) that's likely the result of reusing some fancy s_mixahead and s_mixprestep values. try resetting them or setting them to known "sane" values like 0.1 and 0.02 respectively.

2) that's the result of the picmip code actually taking effect there. probably before that texture was excluded from picmip settings which is absolutely unacceptable. if you set your picmip then every single texture of every single map should be picmiped at every single moment and under any circumstance, no matter what, and that's how it should work now. the picmip code basically takes a texture an reduces it to a single color corresponding with that of the predominant on the original then it's a well know artifact that happens with some textures that have a predominant transparency that they become all transparent when picmiped. it's nothing "new", it's something that was already happening with various other textures, only that now it also happens there. so, basically just two things can be done, one would be to immediately drop altogether pro-q3tourney4 as it doesn't fulfill the criteria for a quality picmip game (have a unpicmiped map texture is unacceptable anyways) or replace it with another non transparent texture (which would basically mess up the whole map). by now I think the best approach is just to let it be, I don't think it's limiting issue.

3) yes right I also noticed that issue the past Tuesday when testing out the whole thing. it seems that there was some sort of textures uploading issue and basically that's what stopped me from proceeding any further with the package on the last days. anyways I think I just got that patched now so please I would appreciate if you could redownload and replace again as usual the current package (ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip) and let me know if now that finally solve your issues.

4) not so much just sorted out the things and basically put everything together ensuring that everything works as expected (which plenty of things didn't) then it contains several patches and updates as well as some security fixes, I mean, it's nothing really "new", it's just that the whole thing finished basically.

5) one of the security additions is that now the Windows binaries (the executable as well as the dynamic libraries) are signed (as can be seen on the attached screens). unfortunately unless I would spend like yet another hundred euros a year on some sort of quality code signing certificate by some well known third party company (which basically just for this it's obvious that it's not worth) the only other alternative is simply to self sign them, then in order to be able to verify the signature you first need to trust me. that's for what the fpsclasico.cer (certificate) file is there (to provide a trust chain for the signature). probably by now that's not a issue but who knows, perhaps on a future Windows version/update they restrict by default the use of unsigned software (as they did by default with the drivers for example), I can't tell, I'm not endorsed with Microsoft and it's been some years since code signing has become pretty much standard then that's a way to work around that issue perhaps for the future. you can add that certificate to the store with the provided intall.cmd batch file ("Certutil -addStore TrustedPeople fpsclasico.cer" is the shell command which must be executed from a elevated, aka administrator, prompt), later you can just remove it with the "Certutil -delStore TrustedPeople certID" shell command where the certID can be obtained from the "Certutil -store TrustedPeople" command when you want. anyways like I've just explained this is just some fancy unnecessary thing provided just in the event of some issue then please don't get mess up by all this.

6) yes and no. yes, you should delete them if you're going to stick to the new version but no, you shouldn't delete them if you're still planing to continue using the previous release. bottom line, preferably let's get working the new installment and let's forget about the old files.

[tar]

Thanks for clarifying all this. I will test it later when I have time again... atm I am a bit busy creating a VM with SAP, VPN, etc.

[tar]

Forget my comment - used v1.33 instead of 1.33a. Testing again.

I removed s_mixahead and s_mixprestep from my config. Not sure, if this solved it finally.

Without the 0er.pk3s the models are darker and seem to be thinner. The overall gameplay feeling is different. Need to test more...

[adminless]

btw guys letting you know about this that I've just pushed now a new optimized version of the previous (virtually finished) package ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip so it would be cool if you would go downloading it and testing it just in case something broke before I finish with this and make it official.

this time is mostly just an updated and optimized version of the previous package as I wasn't entirely satisfied with it and there was still things missing so basically when it comes to the client itself I believe that now it should be more than finished. all that is left from this build is still some optional features that I'm still working on them and that I'll go look into finish with them probably within 1 or 2 weeks more and that would be it for real this time I hope then it's a very good version to go testing and to get started with the new version.

btw as consequence of this new optimizations and updates the client will now require at least some new (2008) core2 (the 45 nm penryn iteration) or equivalent cpu and consequently a Windows Vista at least de-facto. if someone doesn't meet these requirements can still opt for some of the older builds but unfortunately this architecture introduced some data manipulation instructions that definitively make a difference (probably of around a 10% gain) in the code performance and by 2020 (almost) I believe this to be a reasonable requirement. in practice I believe that virtually everybody here should pass the requirement (if not largely exceeded it). as far as I know to my knowledge the only "recent" (around year 2010) computers missing such instructions were the virtually already extinct lowest of the tier netbooks that I would hardly see anyone seriously gaming on one of them anyways.

so that's it, check it out and let me know if something is wrong/broken or anything else.

ps: also notice that due the delay in the release from the expected January 2019 the v19.1 version was uped into v19.2 anyways on a positive note about the delay at least some of these optimizations once established will make it for the server too, so check it out, ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip.

[adminless]

ok guys re-uploaded again the current testing package ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip this time with a couple of more fixes and some new lowend builds targeted at bring back support for regular core2/first generation atoms/lowend computers/netbooks/early Windows Vista computers and equivalent cpus/systems that were initially unsupported after the previous penryn update as in some way I still feel like they can be of interest so I spent the weekend working around it. after testing it in one old glitched/partially broken such netbook it even surprisingly did the job for a casual game at around 100 fps more or less which is comparable to a average full size early Windows Vista era laptop. in addition these builds aren't all that slower (perhaps just minimally slower) compared to the full ones as initially thought so they are definitively worth as back-up/fail-safe alternative to the good ones.

as I added the "-lowend" builds I also removed from now onward the "-openal" suffix from the main linux build that denoted the use of openal as merging two suffixed looked quite ugly and simply unnecessary, we all already know that since the last months openal support for the linux build was added and it's pretty much "standard".

so that's it for now I basically just have to finish with a couple of minor features, properly update and document to some extent the Download post (unfortunately I don't plan to make a documentation, sorry but enough is enough, that would be the "documentation" ) and that would be it so as usual please re-download and re-place the usual ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip package and let me know if someone got some issue.

[adminless]

ok guys finally job complete here. finally this week I finished what was left of this release so please redownload and replace the current package (ioq3v6-unfreeze-client-v19.2.zip) and as usual make sure to refresh (i.e. start from a new) cfg in case you haven't already to ensure that you don't miss any change and/or issues with leftovers from previous releases/versions. for the most part this is basically the same finished version posted on the previous post but with patched video recording for unlimited (more than two consecutive years of lenght and up to several exabytes of filesize) recording no longer limited to just 2gb chunks as well as with various other video recording standard options.

now on the next days I'll write a bit more around here about this but when it comes to the file itself, that's it, grab it and unless some sort of last minute issue that's what will stick as the final (for now, i.e. the long run) inside UnFreeZe client mod. in addition another package containing a bunch of extras (a mature model pack, a community hd textures pack as well as ffmpeg for further processing of videos recordings basically) has also been pushed here. finally for reference I'll drop here a sample video showing off this new version capabilities so you can get an idea of how it should look like. in my opinion I think it turned out pretty solid (and notice that that's just streamed within this forum not from YouTube).

[adminless]

ok also for reference here you have how it looks like with lowend (a.k.a. the hardcore) settings from a actual real such lowend computer (a 2010 era already glitched/partially broken mid-range netbook) which (such settings) are the recommended ones for (probably a 10% gain compared to the standard ones for lowend computers but in my opinion not really that relevant elsewhere).

[KlarDerAbsahner]

I wanted to try v19.2
Unfortunatelly text is not rendered correctly and when trying to join server, I get an message that i could not read.

quake3_no_text_screen.png

[adminless]

you didn't put your pak0.pk3 file inside the baseq3 folder of the package (right where there's a file named "put_your_pak0.pk3_file_here"), did you?

[KlarDerAbsahner]

yes you are correct. I put the wrong file there. (only a mod) now it works, thanks!