Hmm. I'm surprised nobody is commenting this time. I guess people are kind of waiting for a more stable release before they really start playing again.
Forgive me if these questions have been answered, but how many more beta versions do you guys think will come out before 1.9.0? I heard Skyjake say something like version 2.0 being the real stable version that is planned. Does this mean 1.9.0 won't support Mp3s still?
Hmm. I'm surprised nobody is commenting this time. I guess people are kind of waiting for a more stable release before they really start playing again.
That may be, but also the forum settings for the News subforum prevented anyone but deng team members from posting or replying to anything. Now everyone can reply, but only team members can post new topics.
Forgive me if these questions have been answered, but how many more beta versions do you guys think will come out before 1.9.0? I heard Skyjake say something like version 2.0 being the real stable version that is planned.
It's anybody's guess how many beta releases there will be. Currently my thinking of the future is the following. The goal as it stands now is 2.0 (i.e., the next stable release). This will be a really major update compared to the latest non-beta version 1.8.6. In fact, it will be the biggest architectural change to the code base since the separation of Doomsday Engine from JHexen. Such a large change needs to happen in stages. In the 1.9 series we will be gradually, step-by-step, moving towards this new architecture. Beta7 will be introducing several key elements of the new architecture. While it's being worked on, we continue with the monthly Beta6.X updates with bug fixes.
I expect there will be at least Beta8 before 2.0.
I should update the future release pages in the wiki to reflect this plan... Check those later for more info.
When it comes to the "1.9.0-betaX.Y" name, that's a bit misleading. I would rather call the current release 1.9.6.4, and drop the "0-beta" in the middle. We had some discussion about this in the blog. However, changing numbering schemes in the middle of the series is even more misleading.
I assume you have problems due to the use of SDL_mixer as the sound playback API. My current view is that as soon as I get around to writing the next (and first) official audio plugin based on FMOD Ex for libdeng2 (=the new 2.0 architecture), all the audio problems are gone. This will happen at some point in the 1.9 beta series. IMO, SDL_mixer is just too poor quality for us to spend effort on any more. (Mind you, there will be a portable SDL_mixer audio plugin also for libdeng2, but it will be just as crappy as the one we have now.)
Thanks for the detailed response, Skyjake. It's been a long time since I have conversed with you.
I'm happy to hear that mp3 support is planned to be fixed sometime during the 1.9 betas. Once this support comes back, I really want to just play some Doom again. The new soundtracks are a big part of the game for me, and obviously stability is very important as well. I hope it doesn't take too long to get a somewhat decent stable version out. I'm itching to play Doom again in all its former Doomsday quality. I haven't actually seriously played doom in well over a few years now, I believe.
My current view is that as soon as I get around to writing the next (and first) official audio plugin based on FMOD Ex for libdeng2 (=the new 2.0 architecture), all the audio problems are gone.
Excellent news! I see good times coming at the horizon. :yay:
Even if SDL_mixer was fixed to work on all of our platforms satisfactorily, it still lacks 3D audio and reverb/etc. effects. Thus it is, at best, the fallback option.
Even if SDL_mixer was fixed to work on all of our platforms satisfactorily, it still lacks 3D audio and reverb/etc. effects. Thus it is, at best, the fallback option.
I've always suspected the issue with sdl_mixer on windows was due to the windows builds of sdl_mixer being built without mp3 support. Your quite right it isn't suitable for the 3d audio you want (does 3d audio make a difference ? I can't tell the difference anyway with my stereo speakers). OpenAL looks good in theory but then you need to add the vorbis and mp3 decoders yourself. I think you know my views on FMOD anyway.
Your quite right it isn't suitable for the 3d audio you want (does 3d audio make a difference ? I can't tell the difference anyway with my stereo speakers).
It makes a big difference when you've got multiple speakers, or perhaps more importantly, good headphones. Another crucial element is the reverb and obstruction effects that provide a much better feel of the space around you (echoes and reverberations depending on the surface materials in the surrounding area).
Your quite right it isn't suitable for the 3d audio you want (does 3d audio make a difference ? I can't tell the difference anyway with my stereo speakers).
It makes a big difference when you've got multiple speakers, or perhaps more importantly, good headphones. Another crucial element is the reverb and obstruction effects that provide a much better feel of the space around you (echoes and reverberations depending on the surface materials in the surrounding area).
I'll try to listen out for that - I do have a decent pair of headphones, but 3d audio isn't something I notice much in games. I'm much more of a visual guy when playing.
My gaming system outputs both Dolby Digital Live and DTS interactive via optical to a Yamaha home theatre amplifier which then spits the audio out via five (large) high quality Mission speakers.
The difference in the resulting audio quality (for me) between SDL_mixer and FMOD is like night and day.
OpenAL is the only sound engine to enable the MIDI music on my Windows 7 x64 machine I never had problems with games that used OpenAL though, but i'm only on smallish Stereo speakers too :P
Comments
Forgive me if these questions have been answered, but how many more beta versions do you guys think will come out before 1.9.0? I heard Skyjake say something like version 2.0 being the real stable version that is planned. Does this mean 1.9.0 won't support Mp3s still?
It's anybody's guess how many beta releases there will be. Currently my thinking of the future is the following. The goal as it stands now is 2.0 (i.e., the next stable release). This will be a really major update compared to the latest non-beta version 1.8.6. In fact, it will be the biggest architectural change to the code base since the separation of Doomsday Engine from JHexen. Such a large change needs to happen in stages. In the 1.9 series we will be gradually, step-by-step, moving towards this new architecture. Beta7 will be introducing several key elements of the new architecture. While it's being worked on, we continue with the monthly Beta6.X updates with bug fixes.
I expect there will be at least Beta8 before 2.0.
I should update the future release pages in the wiki to reflect this plan... Check those later for more info.
When it comes to the "1.9.0-betaX.Y" name, that's a bit misleading. I would rather call the current release 1.9.6.4, and drop the "0-beta" in the middle. We had some discussion about this in the blog. However, changing numbering schemes in the middle of the series is even more misleading.
I assume you have problems due to the use of SDL_mixer as the sound playback API. My current view is that as soon as I get around to writing the next (and first) official audio plugin based on FMOD Ex for libdeng2 (=the new 2.0 architecture), all the audio problems are gone. This will happen at some point in the 1.9 beta series. IMO, SDL_mixer is just too poor quality for us to spend effort on any more. (Mind you, there will be a portable SDL_mixer audio plugin also for libdeng2, but it will be just as crappy as the one we have now.)
I'm happy to hear that mp3 support is planned to be fixed sometime during the 1.9 betas. Once this support comes back, I really want to just play some Doom again. The new soundtracks are a big part of the game for me, and obviously stability is very important as well. I hope it doesn't take too long to get a somewhat decent stable version out. I'm itching to play Doom again in all its former Doomsday quality. I haven't actually seriously played doom in well over a few years now, I believe.
I beg your pardon, fellow marine.
I know. Build instructions will be updated when the plugin exists.
At least the last time I checked, OpenAL didn't work so great in practice. Maybe they've improved since.
Yeah.
:shock: Is that us agreeing on something ??
The difference in the resulting audio quality (for me) between SDL_mixer and FMOD is like night and day.
I like the FMOD idea though.