Cinematic Mod 2013 Final news

Here is the last version of the Cinematic Mod created by Fakefactory. It will be the last one.

History:

CM 2013 Final

- Map fixes
- Fixed bad hands model on most characters
- Added new HD Alyx (close to original VALVE face shape)
- Updated SweetFX preset
- Fixed incomplete crossbow model when using ultra wide aspect ratio (21:9) or eyefinity
- Fixed ep1_c17_02 missing water
- Added (optional) nighttime coast sequence after numerous requests. Use the configurator tool for enabling the new maps
(Warning: You cannot use old coast savegames after switching)
- Added headlights for the buggy (hl2 EP0 only)

CM 2013 beta 5

- Fixed ep2_outland_09 (it was impossible to get past the laser cannons without cheating)
- Small map fixes
- Translation fixes for the configurator tool
- Enabled and tweaked Real-Time Approximation to Subsurface Scattering for all human models

CM 2013 beta 4

- Small map fixes
- Fixed old VALVE bug with wrong r_farz settings on mapload. This should increase performance on most outdoor maps
- Changed the SweetFX injector to boulotaur's for better engine integration. The new injector allows the engine antialiasing remaining active.

CM 2013 beta 3

- Fixed wrong international scenes files in all episodes
- Fixed wrong audio for german users in some scenes
- Updated DOF shader
- Updated some maps
- Fixed possible crash when dying while driving a vehicle
- Added ENB based fantasy bloom effect
- Reworked the Valve-style HD Alyx model (still wip)
- Reworked the "Kendra" model

CM 2013 beta 2

- Fixed d1_canals_01a (map was compiled with active gordon bounds / incomplete)

CM 2013 beta 1

- Mod entering beta state
- HD model "Kendra" finalized
- Fixed missing radio buttons in the skill config dialog
- Reverted to older engine, because of some errors
- Sunrays working again (but still not fully compatible with multicore rendering)
- Some map fixes
- Reworked some scenes for compatibility to ultra wide aspect ratio (21:9) and surround gaming
- Small codefix: Crosshair is hidden til the player is equipped with the HEV suit.
- Re-Enabled Parallax Occlusion materials in some maps
- Added Depth of field with bokeh blur and autofocus. Two variants available: with and without chromatic aberration
- Added Filmgrain
- Fine-Tuned ironsighted weapons offset for compatibility with DOF-shader
- Added Ambient Occlusion (HBAO) -> NVIDIA ONLY! Doesn't work with ATI hardware. *** Warning, this is very expensive ***
- Added Real-Time Approximation to Subsurface Scattering to the KENDRA HD model and most main characters
- Added swaying grass
- Updated SweetFX integration to the latest version 1.5.1
- For GERMAN users only: Überarbeitete deutsch Audio-Lokalisierung bei den Citizen.

CM 2013 alpha 17

- New HD model
- Map fixes (a lot)
- Fixed Plotstopper in EP1
- Worked around a crash bug with activated SweetFX on map transitions
- Updated SweetFX integration with v 1.5 and new presets.
Please de-select SweetFX and re-select SweetFX in the configurator to avoid crashes
- Added nightvision (default "n" - key -> can be reassigned in the options menu)

CM 2013 alpha 16

- New (reworked) Sampaio model -> almost final
- New Mossman model -> almost final
- New (reworked) Lima model -> very work in process
- Updated Sirena model. If you use this model, please select the new V3000 variants in the character pimper.
- Reworked human rebels. If you use the HD humans, please re-select them in the character pimper
- Fixed a huge amount of map errors (valve bugs and CM bugs)
- Fixed crash bug when shooting at crane in map d2_coast_04
- New configurator setting "Large VRAM mode":
Try this setting if your GPUs has more than 2.5 GB vram.
It will force managed textures into GPU memory and allow DirectX to upload texture infos on level load,
eliminating most stuttering. DO NOT USE WITH LESS THAN 2.5 GB VRAM.

CM 2013 alpha 15

- Fixed small errors in d1_canals_08 - d1_canals_12
- Fixed plotstopper in ep2_outland_10 (never ending combine attack waves)
- Fixed tonemap settings in ep2_outland_07
- Reduced memory usage for rendertargets

CM 2013 alpha 14

- Fixed vortigaunt intro effect in episode 1
- Fixed faulty sequence in ep1_c17_01
- Fixed wrong particle impact effects
- Fixed heavy map errors in d1_town_02
- Fixed navigation problems in ep1_c17_01
- Fixed jittering boxes in d1_trainstation_05
- Fixed narrow area in d1_canals_02
- Fixed bugs in d1_canals_07
- Small fixes in d1_canals_01, d1_canals_06
- Small fixes in ep2_outland_09
- Added postprocess effect gausian blur
This is mainly for screenshots, but some testers liked it as a permament effect during normal gameplay.
I recommend to use the "horizontal only" option

CM 2013 alpha 13

- Fixed wrong skill settings when activating original VALVE difficulty level (Please reselect CM skill settings in the configurator. After that you can select VALVE settings, if you want them)
- Fixed plotstopper in d2_prison_01 (blocked gunship)
- Removed the HQ version of HEV suit reflections effect (shader is not compatible with actual game engine)
- Updated environment lighting in ep2_outland_06 and ep2_outland_06b
- Fixed navigation bug in d2_town_02 (Monk not proceeding)
- Fixed navigation bug in d2_coast_09 (dropship pingpong or never arriving)
- Fixed terrain problem in ep2_outland_10a (jeep stuck under water)
- Fixed world hole in d1_canals_05
- Fixed wrong collision hull under a train car in d2_coast_01 (it was impossible to avoid a sniper)
- Fixed invisible wall (elevator entry) in ep2_outland_11
- Fixed performace problem in d2_coast_07 (near and inside farm house)
- Fixed blocked strider navigation in ep2_outland_12
- Fixed floating house parts (after exploding) in ep2_outland_12
- Fixed combine soldiers spawning subground in d2_coast_12

CM 2013 alpha 12

- Updated Sourcecode for better VR support
- Rework of all maps after numerous internal playtest releases
- Re-Inplementation of postprocessing effects
- Updated textures and sounds
- bugfixes (tons of it)

CM 2013 alpha 02 - 11

- Internal playtest releases

CM 2013 alpha 01

- Migrating to Source engine 2009
- Rework of every single map in the game
- Improved lighting in all maps
- Improved landscapes and foliage. Most outdoor maps are completely re-sculped with new displacements
- Changed the old smoke explosions (moving alpha-texture planes, simple and ugly) to particle effects
- Dropped Parallax mapping because of crashes (duh!), but improved normal mapping in the game
- Tweaked self-shadowing effects
- Added Bumpmapping to most old (flat) textures
- Many new HD textures
- Reworked the dynamic soundtrack system
- Reworked Client-Code, fixing all known crash errors
- Fixed all known plot-stoppers (like faulting npc scripts and event-triggers)
- Changed directory structure to keep the mod independent from future gamefile updates (Steam *loves* to break things)

Known bugs:

- After changing the ingame-language: Steam is asking you to restart hl2. Doing so will restart to the original unmodded hl2.
Therefore you should exit and start CM2013 manually.

- Poor performance on outdoor maps with HBAO enabled: HBAO is a fps killer and needs a really fast gpu.

- Sunrays are flickering: The sunrays shader is not fully compatible with multicore rendering. Either disable multicore
rendering in the advanced video options or disable the sunrays with the configurator.

- High VRAM mode gives me trouble (crashes or fps drops): The high vram mode is experimental. Disable it.

- My FOV is weird: CM2013 has enhanced FOV range (50-90 - Original hl2 has 75-90). Please check the fov setting in the video config panel.

- "Procedure entry point Direct3DCreate9Ex could not be located in DLL - nvspcap.dll" error with SweetFX enabled. Some nvidia drivers broke SweetFX.
Only workaround is to deinstall Geforce Experience or disable SweetFX. This bug may be corrected with an updated nvidia driver.

Hardware requirements

• DX9 capable graphics hardware with minimum 512 MB VRAM. (1 GB recommended)
• 3 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)

Software requirements

• Fully installed Steam client. You can't start the mod without Steam running.
• Fully installed and unlocked HL2 / EP1 / EP2. Make sure, you have started those games in the past.
• Source SDK (SDK, Base, Base 2007) installed (you can get them in Steam | Tools).