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Post news Report RSS Revealing Dawn of the Tiberium Age Version 1.15

The future is closer than you'd expect! DTA 1.15 announcement and client updates.

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We haven't posted any news for 5 months. That has lead to some fans lately asking us whether we're dead or alive. But if you're a long-time follower of DTA, you probably know that our radio silence usually means that we're working on something large - something awesome that we haven't wanted to reveal yet.

This is it. This is the official announcement for our upcoming version 1.15 of Dawn of the Tiberium Age.

Soviet Main Menu Soviet Theme Skirmish Lobby


Like in our previous major releases, a star of this release is going to be the client. In fact, I've entirely re-written the client. While the previous client worked, it wasn't as smooth to use as it could've been, and especially in online play it had this tendency to crash often. I also wasn't happy with the quality of the client's graphics.

Along with the re-write, the new client has a more advanced technological base. While the previous clients used the Win95-era Windows Forms to display their graphics, the new client uses DirectX11 (OpenGL if you're on XP or Mac/Linux). This enables us to make better graphics and also special effects, like fade effects for opening and closing windows.

Allied Theme CnCNet Game Lobby Allied Theme Statistics


These changes make the client very smooth and pleasant to use compared to the old client. All sub-windows now open in less than a millisecond without any of the flickering that the old client displayed. We've also improved the UI functionally. As examples of this, the statistics window now has an improved layout, and the map preview in the Skirmish and CnCNet/LAN game lobbies can now be interacted with.

Another focus of the re-write has been stability. The goal is that the client should never crash in use. From internal testing I can say that we're pretty close to that goal.

Classic Theme Connection Options Classic Theme Private Messaging


We've always focused heavily on the CnCNet online gaming experience, and with the new client it's also getting big improvements:

  • We've added an option that makes it possible to connect to CnCNet automatically when you launch DTA, and stay connected through your session
  • Private messages don't open a separate window anymore, but are handled by a Steam-inspired overlay that informs you of new PMs and allows you to respond quickly
  • Instead of opening separate windows for the Game Lobby and CnCNet Lobby, the client now runs in one window with a top bar that allows you to switch between the lobbies (and view private messages). This setup is much more convenient and closer to RTS gaming standards than the old one where you had to manage multiple different windows
  • Support for a friend list as well as an ignore list have been added

[6] Casey's Canyon

[7] Defunct Combat Platform

Now, the client is just an interface for accessing the game. The "game" part of DTA 1.15 will be bigger and better as well; there will be new maps (with new terrain!) for regular multiplayer, co-op, as well as singleplayer. We've only revealed two of these maps so far, but there are many more to come. Like always, we've also improved the balance between our 4 factions. More of these improvements and additions will be detailed in a later news post and other future updates.

DTA 1.15 will be released at the end of the summer. Until then, stay tuned for more updates!

Screenshot with logo

Post comment Comments
Olku_
Olku_

Awesome!

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Damfoos
Damfoos

Will the updated launcher be used for TI as well? If so, can you put the GUI strings into an INI file so the launcher could be translated if needed?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

It will be used for TI as well. However, I won't put the UI strings into an INI file, since I don't think we'd have much to gain from a translation / we at DTA don't have the staff that'd be able to translate the game to many languages.

The client will be open-source though, so maybe someone else will code in a translation string-table feature after 1.15's release.

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Dr.Octavia-Pus
Dr.Octavia-Pus

Finally!

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StefanBerthold
StefanBerthold

Windows XP is not? ****
And how the opengl? This works well?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

It is currently untested (because almost no one on our project staff uses XP anymore), but it should work.

OpenGL will bring some limitations though, but the client should still run on XP.

I advise anyone still running XP to upgrade ASAP though; while XP will still be able to run DTA 1.15, we won't support it forever.

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StefanBerthold
StefanBerthold

You have disappointed me.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

You have disappointed me by still using a 15-year-old OS =(

To be serious, XP lacks lots of features introduced in Windows Vista and above, so supporting it takes extra effort for me. In this case, I had to implement OpenGL support primarily because of XP, since XP doesn't support DirectX11.

Also, none of my own systems run XP, and we currently have only 1 staff member who uses XP anymore. If he stops using XP one day, we simply won't be able to test our client on XP easily anymore.

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StefanBerthold
StefanBerthold

It is always possible to find an alternative.
You could do and directx 9.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

I don't use DirectX/OpenGL directly. Instead I use MonoGame, which doesn't utilize DirectX9. One build of MonoGame uses DX11 (via SharpDX), while another build uses OpenGL.

Basically this means that even if I'd want to support XP properly, I'm not able to do it because other software that the client depends on doesn't support XP properly.

Now, in theory I could write my own DirectX9 rendering path for the client, but it'd be too much work for supporting less than 9% of the player base. And that 9% is constantly shrinking.

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StefanBerthold
StefanBerthold

Why do you use MonoGame?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

1) I already had a bit of experience with MonoGame (XNA) before I started re-writing the client. I wanted to see if I could actually make a whole UI system and client from scratch using it; in other words I wanted to verify and extend my own skill with it.

2) MonoGame is a suitable framework for making games. I might make games of my own with it in the future, and making the client with it was great practice for that. It also gave the opportunity to write some generic UI components that I can re-use if I make games with it in the future, saving me time in future projects.

3) It saves me time. Handling the graphics and sound APIs directly would take a lot more work; and that work wouldn't be particularly interesting.

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Guest
Guest

windows xp outdated. You are crazy.

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Damfoos
Damfoos

XP is outdated if you buy a new modern computer and install XP on it, then you are indeed crazy. But there are still a lot of older machines which simply can't run under Win7, so what, don't use them?

I use a mini laptop which has better performance with XP than with its original Win7, and I play classic games and mods for them on it. I can't afford a new one nor I want to upgrade to win7 because of said performance benefit, it is my working PC after all. XP is not as obsolete as Win98 and still used, even if "senior gamers" think everyone must upgrade their hardware ASAP like they do.

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Adolf_Krause
Adolf_Krause

I agree with Stefan. It sucks. I respect you and this mod as you did a great job. For the sake of the beautiful interface, you take away the support of XP and it's bad.
Sorry, I know German.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

Don't overreact =P DTA 1.15 will support XP, and it will look just as beautiful as on newer operating systems. It might have some limitations, but it will work and you won't be missing out on much.

I'm just saying that we won't support XP forever. For example, if we release DTA 1.16 within the next few years, there's a high chance that it won't support XP anymore.

Our client already makes you unable to play DTA on Windows 95, 98, ME and 2000. We can't support ancient operating systems forever, and I'm just saying that eventually XP will be added on that list.

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Guest
Guest

What are the limitations in opengl?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

(For clarification, this is not a limitation of OpenGL but a limitation of MonoGame's OpenGL build)

The only limitation that I know of right now is that on Windows XP the client will be unable to detect whether it's the active window. This means that the client will accept mouse clicks and such even if you'd have another program like a web browser or a chat program on top of the client window.

Otherwise I don't know of any limitations right now.

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Guest
Guest

Support opengl not up to par. Maybe better to abandon monogame and find something else? This is not a good environment for development. I once worked, and I did not like. And there is not a question of supporting the old systems. I know many people who have old computers from xp.
TD client will be monogame too?

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Adolf_Krause
Adolf_Krause

opengl for 3D.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

I've written the current client for MonoGame as a base so it can't be abandoned at this point. Unless I switch to the original XNA Framework, which would be worse for all non-XP users.

The total count of XP users isn't what matters; many XP PCs are used by old people who don't game. What matters is the number of DTA players who use XP.

Considering that we're a "retro" style game (liked by older players) but we also have lots of fans that also play modern games, I'd estimate our share of XP users to be somewhere between the XP world usage share (9%) and XP's share in the Steam hardware survey (1.28%). So I'd guess that roughly 5% of our players use XP right now.

That 5% is significant enough that DTA 1.15 will still support XP, but I'm not willing to spend a significant amount of extra time on fixing every minor issue that might pop up because the OS doesn't have all the components that a modern Windows OS has.

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Guest
Guest

XNA 4.0 is very bad?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

It has one big disadvantage: XNA requires an installation (Microsoft XNA Framework redistributable) on the system where the program is being used. MonoGame doesn't require an installation, so it's less hassle for everyone.

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Guest
Guest

"Windows XP the client will be unable to detect whether it's the active window. This means that the client will accept mouse clicks and such even if you'd have another program like a web browser or a chat program on top of the client window."

This bug for so many years is not fixed? A shame.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

I don't think it's a bug. With XNA (and MonoGame on Vista and above) it is possible to detect if the program is the active window, and if not, then disable input handling. With MonoGame on XP I haven't found a way to do that yet.

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Guest
Guest

Rampastring
It is also saved if the game in full screen mode?

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

I haven't tested fullscreen mode, yet anyway. Right now the client runs always in windowed mode. We do also have a "fake" fullscreen mode that is actually just borderless windowed.

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StefanBerthold
StefanBerthold

Adolf Krause why yesterday you did not finish the game? I just spent my time in vain.

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Adolf_Krause
Adolf_Krause

I do not understand what you're talking about.

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VoidTitan
VoidTitan

Please consider making soviet campaign mission 5 easier!

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

If you can't beat mission 5, you also can't beat missions 6, 7 and 8. And I won't make them all easier, the campaign was meant to be challenging ;)

Try lowering the game speed (ESC -> Game Controls) if it's too fast paced for you.

In mission 5 it's important in the long run that you build a Chinook and an extra MCV and expand to other islands away from your starting island by carrying your MCV with the Chinook, and then build refineries on those other islands. Your starting island doesn't have enough ore to keep your submarine production up for long.

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VoidTitan
VoidTitan

Yea I understood that you have to expand but the problem was that after the GDI base was destroyed NOD went after my expo's, but I have beaten it now :D

The thing I now realize is that I didn't know how the AI prioritized with the naval units and as soon as I figured it out it was a piece of cake.
Thanks for the tips!

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

I usually kept GDI alive for some time by sending submarines to protect them, the reinforcements they get are helpful especially early on.

But yeah, good job and have fun with the following missions :D Don't be afraid to ask for more tips if you get stuck.

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Guest
Guest

Will there be new campaign missions? Really enjoyed those.

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

Possibly, although co-op missions are getting more attention right now.

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Guest
Guest

when the version is relased its the end of the summer now!!!

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Rampastring Author
Rampastring

Due to need for some staff to finish some assets (maps) and because we also thought that we could use a bit of extra time to polish things up, the release is delayed to September. More information will follow this week.

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