The open source Zircon engine ("DarkPlaces Mark V Project") is a modification DarkPlaces engine with a mouse driven menu everywhere, ALT-ENTER fullscreen/windowed switching and 88 other enhancements to support user/mapper/mod coder ease-of-use and optional conveniences for those interested in a "1996 Quake" experience. "csqc_full_width_height 1" in console when running Arcane Dimensions at this time It is hoped that some/many/all of these enhancements will eventually make it into official DarkPlaces. The Zircon engine seeks to keep full compatibility with DarkPlaces so either engine can be used interchangeably.
Description
Quake rerelease support (English only at this time). Tested mostly on the Episode 1 levels both on Windows and Linux and some light testing on Dimension of The Machine. Needs more testing. This implementation differs from the Quakespasm rerelease implementation, this implementation performs localization on the client side only and communicates qEX progs state over network (stored in demos as well). The previous Zircon Quake Remaster attempt had a wrong number typed into the network protocol code and this version loads the localization data kpf as a standard gamedir pk3.
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Hi, I get no sound from Rivarez Edition using above Zircon r40, but I do using the sdl64 version?
Interesting, I'll have to look. Is that the only mod/situation where that .exe does not get sound?
I ask because the size of mod download is 5.4 gb, could take some time to download/test and I imagine it uses a lot of memory which the 64-bit doesn't care about if your machine has it available.
I download every new build of Zircon, and love it. It only does this 'no sound' with Rizarez Edition, r40 and below are sweet, I've tried a few troubleshooting basics and can't figure it out. Current versions I use that run beautifully on Zircon Engine are HD, HD Remix, Epsilon, Definitive, Enhanced and Plexura. Cheers.
I'll check into it, thank you for the information. I will investigate this.
Could be a few days.
There were sound modifications in recent ones, so I imagine after I look at it and find out the scenario with Rivarez Edition, I should be able to address the issue.
I also encountered the same nosound bug with the most recent versions. Strange is that it happens only with some mods. Base quake was ok, AD was ok, Alkaline was mute. There were other mods too - almost 50/50. In the end I would delete config and autoexec files in these mods and replaced them with AD config files. And it worked. I did not have time to go line by line to test what was a cause here.
I have a different findings - some mods feature extra demo files. Zircon fails to even launch these mods. Not always, sometimes.. for example smej2 fails to start with these *.dem files inside smej's Pak file. Zircon an Dp just refuse to start. It is not new bug. DP always had this problem. There are different versions of demo files I guess. Another way is starting specific map directly from command line to completely skip playing demo in the menu background.
Remaster compatibility is not 100%. Some levels of Dimension of the machine can't be loaded. Floating island previously fixed are bugged again. Remaster version of terra works fine with exception of the last level. Zircon crashes to console while loading terra8.
The nosound does not affect the Zircon 64 SDL, correct? If so I can narrow what I look for.
> Floating island previously fixed are bugged again
You had said it was fixed in 43, and now it is bugged. I'll see what is different. I know of 1 thing for sure, but I'm not sure how it factors in but I'll find out.
> smej2 .dem Zircon/DarkPlaces fail to load
I'll take a look at that and see what is up.
> terra8 noload ...
Will check that out.
> In the end I would delete config and autoexec files in these mods and
>replaced them with AD config files. And it worked.
I'll look through those.
These are some interesting weird little things. I suspect I can probably address/fix all of them. The floating island one is a bit weird because 51 is very close to 43 in a lot of ways, but I'll see what is going on there.
Thanks for the detail, like always.
I am on bussines trip till the end of the week so no quaking till next week. I can't confirm whether 64bit version is fine soundwise.
Terra8 is weird. The level itself can be loaded if you delete progs.dat from terra directory. Of cource, level is missing entities like lift in the starting area. Also all the monsters are spawned at start-up. So the level is broken. However, it proves that zircon can handle that level and the problem is a progs.dat incompatibility. I tested terra remastered version from slipseer webpage.
Yeah, floating island in msg1 level were fine and now are broken as before. At least for me. Cant tell you exactly what level it is, one of the later ones if you sort them alphabetically by filenames. Iam writing it from memory on the train. It is just around the corner in the starting area.
Smej2 - there is one more thing broken in smej2. Smej2 features one huge winter castle level... second or third level.. not sure. You start underground and then you have to take a looong lift to the surface. It is an very open level so the FPS is quite bad, but that is not the problem. There are waterfalls it that level and even though you can walk through the water brush blocks weapon projectiles. Rocket explodes on impact, grenades bounce off.
> Terra8
To avoid any confusion, can you post a link to the download of terra8 that I should test against when you have the opportunity.
> smej2 .. waterfalls .. Rocket explodes on impact, grenades bounce off.
There are multiple versions of this as well.
If you get the chance, could you direct link me the correct one for testing.
This bug sounds interesting to check out. This reminds me of the bug I was unable to reproduce a few months ago and I'd love to see this one.
Link to terra is here
Slipseer.com
As for smej2 - I tested this version of the mod:
Quaddicted.com
Thanks!
Hi Baker, another random findings. 64bit version of zircon re-introduced bugged shadows on some surfaces. DP had that problem for a long time in the past and I posted several screens inside zircon thread over quaddicted in Febuary 2023. You fixed that few months later and zircon was fine. I tested several levels I remembered had that problem. Everything was fine. However, 64bit version features these bugged shadows again. This bug is quite random though...
you can find these original screens in the 4th post here:
Quaddicted.com
first two screens are from ad_crucial and distorted shadow is not present in the last 64bit version of zircon. On the other hand, there are some other similar bugs in the that level.
second set of comparison screens is from one of the brutalist jam level - qbj_annihilator. Dam wall is fine with 32bit version but 64bit zircon light/shadow rendering is bugged again and the dam wall looks now exactly like on the screenshot from February before the fix.
It is possible that this might be a helpful clue to solve that issue in the current DP beta.
I had been thinking of that issue while comparing Zircon to current DP beta, and with it existing in the 64 bit Zircon that would mean the issue is likely some sort of type precision issue somewhere (somewhat like the 64-bit lightmap issue that I imagine DP current beta has).
Laying that issue to rest would be a good one to unravel.
Great find!
Shadow/lighting bug like this is quite rare and hard to find or test. I will try to compile a list of test levels with similar issues. I still remember how these bugged scenes look like, but remembering names of these levels... that is completely different question :-)
Big levels perform better in 64bit version as far as I can tell. So the question is whether the 32bit version is even necessary. DP abandoned 32bit long time ago.
The 32-bit Windows build is a baseline to detect 64/32 bit issues, to detect SDL2 issues (input, video, sound), it uses a different compiler.
So it is useful in verifying the origin of any issues that arise in the 64-bit version, like the pic of qbj_annihilator issue you found.
The next version the need for sdl2.dll goes away (-static compilation using mingw compiler, the sdl2 functions become part of the .exe an the need for a sdl2.dll goes away).
@ Guest
> no sound from Rivarez Edition using above Zircon r40
I tried the Rivarez Edition and I get nosound with zircon.exe, so this should be fixed as soon as I can determine what to include/not include in the next version.
I had not tried that mod before, it is very different. Some of the stuff like the firey logo is very cool.
It is quite nice. I liked the scorpions and some of the other monsters.
Cheers for your dedication Baker55