MMF2 HWA Beta 1e

Hi,

A new build is available:

Standard Version
Developer Version

It addresses a few issues reported for 3 days :

- Flip actions not working in the Active Picture object
- Vertical alignment not working correctly in string objects
- Crashes with Layer object
- Particle Spray object not working with the HWA version
- Mouse is over object condition not working with rotated / scaled objects
- Add Backdrop function not working
- Effects not working with string objects
- VSync option not working correctly in the first beta

Also I cannot reproduce some issues :

- someone said string objects are not correctly displayed in the frame editor when they are below other objects, I couldn't reproduce it, could you confirm if it still happens in this version?
- someone also said there are crashes when the Invert ink effect is used, but I don't see any crash (this effect is disabled in HWA mode).

The other issues will be addressed in the next versions.

Thanks!

Yves.

Well, I tested again on my game. Now I can attack (particle spray is working!) but
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8992/scrhhoc2.jpg
Strings aren't on their places, skills aren't grey scaled and a light strike on right is 'bugged'. Furthermore it's great!! :)

Btw. It should be like this (without HWA)
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/5833/sshhprga7.jpg

For the invert ink effect, you can use mine Yves if you want (pixel shader called "CS - Invert and Contract" alias "CS_InvertContrast.xml") with a fixed coefficient to 1. :)

hmm... effects on strings still don't work for me

also paste/add backdrop still don't take scale and rotation into account, though i'm sure you already knew that

Still crashes for unknown reason - I can only say its related to Center Window (scrolling), but cant reproduce it in reliable way.

Blizna: I kept getting crashes and then updated the drivers for my graphics card and all is fine now.

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hmm... effects on strings still don't work for me

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They work fine apparently, could you send me an example?

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also paste/add backdrop still don't take scale and rotation into account, though i'm sure you already knew that

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Yes, I know that.

Grim, could you send me your application? or just the main frame that shows the problems you mention. Thanks!

Nice to see some bugs are getting fixed quite quickly, but I can't seem to get the 'add backdrop' function to work for active picture objects.

Ah, you are right, I've fixed only the active object, sorry...

Do you want project or exe?

MFA file please, thanks :)

One weird thing I noticed is that I can't place a string over a backdrop, no matter what I do. I've tried turning off the display as backdrop, placed string in an upper layer.. tried always set order, but nothing works with this build.. anyone can reproduce this?

You are right, I forgot some debugging code while I was making some tests with the effects, sorry. I'll fix it.

I sent you by a PM my game's project. I hope it will be helpful :)

Thanks :)

The layer object does not work in HWA mode. I haven't tested all of the functions of the layer object, but the condition that tests if an object is on top didn't work. Also, making layers invisible or visible (by name if that makes a difference) caused a crash. Those were the only 2 things I used the object for, so there may be other bugs as well.

Also, I didn't test if the condition (testing if an object is on top) worked in normal mode (I have version 244 MMF2), but making layers visible or invisible did.

Thanks for the fast update!! The string object still doesn't work properly if it's displayed above any backdrop though. You can see the string if there are no backdrops or active pictures in the background, but when it's above other objects, the string isn't displayed at all, with or without ink effects. I also tried it with "display as a background" on and off, but still couldn't see the string.

BTW, the layer object works great now with this version, so thanks again for all the hard work!!

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Originally Posted by kamiya

Thanks for the fast update!! The string object still doesn't work properly if it's displayed above any backdrop though. You can see the string if there are no backdrops or active pictures in the background, but when it's above other objects, the string isn't displayed at all, with or without ink effects. I also tried it with "display as a background" on and off, but still couldn't see the string.

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I already reported that.

Fact still remains that I can point to when I use an Invert ink effect when the game crashes.

If I create a new application in HWA and choose invert from the events nothing happens, though.

I thought the old effects would at least remain in the HWA version, or be replaced by the fact that HWA has invert effects so that if you used the old invert it would use the new automatically in HWA mode.

Is there a reason this can't be linked? Because it seems the only obstacle to having my game move over to HWA.

Could you send me your game konjak? I cannot reproduce this problem at all. Thanks !

Arnax, could you send me an example too? Thanks!

Making a counter, unchecking "Display as background", moving it to front and checking "display as background" keeps it still infront of active objects.

Going to fullscreen mode using the "fullscreen mode" action during runtime doesn't work either.

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Originally Posted by Arnax

The layer object does not work in HWA mode. I haven't tested all of the functions of the layer object, but the condition that tests if an object is on top didn't work. Also, making layers invisible or visible (by name if that makes a difference) caused a crash. Those were the only 2 things I used the object for, so there may be other bugs as well.

Also, I didn't test if the condition (testing if an object is on top) worked in normal mode (I have version 244 MMF2), but making layers visible or invisible did.

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False. I made a game from scratch using HWA and the newest build, and the layer object works perfectly with all conditions.

Wow, it works great for my game :) But I noticed some bugs:

-Speech Bubble Object is not working
-Flame Object is not working

EDIT: I tested another game and notice new bugs:

-Text type Counters are not visible
-Particle Spray object works fine only with 1st sprayer preset. Next causes a bug the same as before.
-MMF crashes, when I try to enter one of the frames from Storyboard editor.

To Bruto_Memo:

Sorry, I failed to read all the posts before reporting the bug about the string object.

- Speech bubble : I'll try to convert it, it shouldn't be complicated to do (however it might be slower in HWA mode).
- Flame object : more difficult, might have to do it via a pixel shader.
- Text counters : fixed in the next patch.
- Particle Spray object : could you send me an example please?
- Crash : cannot reproduce it, I'll try on other machines.

Has anybody tried Active Picture? I am assuming that it needs work yet because resizing acts odd now in HWA.

Bugs found:
- Bitmap buttons don't render properly
- Grab desktop at start option does not work
- When using the window control object to make a resizeable app (like in the tutorial on the website), the frame renders too large on startup and when the window is shrunk it renders too small
- MMF2 crashes when I select a frame in storyboard editor (sometimes)
- After the crash, MMF2 causes my taskbar to disappear & appear on restart
- Some .mfa files saved in build R247 cause MMF2 to crash when I attempt to change their display mode to Direct3D 9

These occured under Windows Vista, still have to test under XP.

Once the active picture supports rotations and the 'create backdrop object' action, my new game should work with HWA, which means that I can do a whole lot of tests :)

By the way, the active picture transparency bug still remains.

I'm working on the APO. Create Backdrop will work in the next version (although it could be slow, I haven't tested the performances yet - if so, I might have to add some options). Rotations and scale are complicated to do given the way the object is handled, I don't know if they will work in the next update.

Thanks FonDev. I knew about the first 2 problems, I forgot to mention them.

Please, Yves, couldn't there be a way to redirect using old ink effects to the new ones since there are the same effect in the new ones? Because that seems like it could be the one obstacle for me right now and every single thing that can somehow be attacked uses Invert in my game and if in the end all HWA does with old effects is ignore them I'd have to go through every single object over every single frame.

Is there no way to just have the old corresponding effects switch to the new? Like it reads the old input and redirects it to the new Invert through the program?

Not only should that fix the error I mentioned before, but as you said somewhere old effects just shouldn't render AT ALL right now, this would save many converting people I'd wager.

No problem. Its EonDev btw :P
Any idea how often the beta will be updated?

Edit:
Fast Function Object & Popup Message Object cause MMF2 to crash.

I guess the beta will be updated once or twice a week until the release.

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Its EonDev btw :P

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Oops... :)

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Fast Function Object & Popup Message Object cause MMF2 to crash.

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Cannot reproduce, could you send me an example?

konjak, the Invert ink effect will be automatically converted to use pixel shaders in a future version.

You said previously that this effect was causing crashes in old applications loaded in the HWA version, could you send me an example? As I cannot reproduce this problem at all.

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Originally Posted by Yves

- Speech bubble : I'll try to convert it, it shouldn't be complicated to do (however it might be slower in HWA mode).
- Flame object : more difficult, might have to do it via a pixel shader.
- Text counters : fixed in the next patch.
- Particle Spray object : could you send me an example please?
- Crash : cannot reproduce it, I'll try on other machines.

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I had this bug with Particle Spray object on Windows Vista. On Windows XP everything seems to be ok.
The Crash while opening the frame through Storyboard is also only on Windows Vista.

I use Vista and have no problem with the Particle Spray object. Could you send me an example if you can reproduce this issue?

I have found another issue.
I had this map loader, what happens is that it loads a map at the start of a frame.
In HWA, the alpha channels of upperlaying actives (on another layer) cause the Added-to-backdrop tiles on the lower layer to turn black at the edges where it is supposed to blend, within the boundingbox of the overlapping alpha-channeled active object. As soon as i scroll this is fixed and all works fine. I think it has todo in relation with the start on frame.

I tried to, but now I'm on XP and I can't reproduce it. I will try it in the Monday.

Guys, a thumb-rule should be to always have a mfa ready with your bug or crash. Doing so from the start will get these bugs away faster!

The Fast Function Object & Popup Objects cause MMF to crash after I select them. I started a new app, selected them in the add object window, placed them in the frame and it just crashed. Will I still make a file? There's nothing I can really send coz it happens in a new app XD