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--- releasenotes:early [2020/02/19 22:39] – mit
+++ releasenotes:early [2025/05/28 18:58] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 The game was originally started sometime 2000ish. It was a very cloudy period.\\
-I'd been making lil games for many years, starting on the Commodore Vic20 with an elaborate masterpiece that put a letter A in the corner of the screen if you pressed space. Later attempts are documented at the gamesformay.com website.\\
+I'd been making lil games for many years, starting on the Commodore Vic20 with an elaborate masterpiece that put a letter A in the corner of the screen if you pressed space. It stretched the boundaries of the definition of 'game'.\\
 \\
 **'A tractor'** (as it was named initially) set out with the goal of allowing Fooli and I to sit on a hill in tractors having a smoke. (Dunno why exactly we wanted to do that, but this remains the official 'Design Document'). Everything else after that bit was made up as we went along.\\
 \\
+Fooli recently dug out the first set of release notes from an old harddrive:
+**(Sometime late 2000)**\\
+==== A tractor v0.001 ====
+A landscape, a mapping and object system demonstrated by trees and fireworks, a tractor,
+a reasonably reliable (but unbelievably unoptimised) collision detection system &
+very cheap collision result calculations ( fWorldSpeed *= -0.8f :] ), very wonky things goin on with
+the height and angle of the tractor, (hopefully) a working multiplayer server & billing system,
+a chat and console command system, and um, errr, the day-cycle stuff from ages ago.
+So, what Tractor be, is a small DirectX 8 prog allowing a few ppl to dodigly drive tractors about online. Maybe.
+==== v0.002 ====
+Fixed the warning message thing that crashed it when comm errors came up. Thats all.
+** 28 Dec 2000 **\\
+==== v0.003 ====
+Added multiple player textures and the comms to tell others online when u've changed.
+Optimised the static object collision detection so it only checks nearby objects.
+Added the kudos scoring system and upgraded the billing server to start storing scores. Nametags.
+Interpreting player positions using their previous speed included. Server made persistent, player locations stored.
+Server commands added. Smokin tractors.
+==== v0.004 ====
+Fixed the height problems so the tractor nows sits on the land properly, which also allows the slope to
+affect top speed and acceleration. (i.e u go slower uphill)
+Changed (and partly messed up) the landscape lighting.(Normals aint right) Added headlights (F2 to switch on n off)
+Added status change messaging to the client and server. Obelisks.
+==== v0.005 ====
+Cheap sound routines added (Horns). Stopped the edges of the landscape going freaky and added a wall all the way around the outside.
+Rain. Fixed the thing that stopped it working on the non-SDK DX8 runtime. (Whatever it was).
+Noticed that the control didnt work right at different frame rates, so fixed that. And theres a player list. And an
+FPS counter (on the F1 debug screen).
+{{ :releasenotes:screen2.gif?400 |}}
+==== v0.005b & Server v0.11 ====
+Crows & crickets and command to enable/disable sound (.sound 0 or .sound 1). Billing IDs added to messaging.
+Fixed memory leak on fonts.
+Server - Updated billing records (removed BillingID collection), added support for .resetdate.
+==== v0.006 & Server v0.12 ====
+Effects processing and generation added to server. 3d sound added to client. Thassit
+Multiple sound buffers & 2d sounds added. Rain, fireworks, mornin, obelisk and fourth horn sounds added.
+Server generates mornin sound effect. Made excellent hot n sour soup.
+** 18 Jan 2001 **\\
+==== v0.007 & Server v0.13 ====
+Added the first stages of the map downloading process to client & server.  (Has no ploss checking yet so im expecting
+a 0.007a once we've tried it over the internet). Added the generation, loading, saving & transfer of map files to server.
+Double buffered the landscape renderer and increased my avg FPS from 10/11 to 13/14. (Which means itll probably be slower
+on everyone else's machines) Added building renderer and Dan's lovely petrol station. Lowered my FPS from 13/14 to 10/11
+by expanding the viewport.
+Added the building records file generation, loading, saving & transfer to server, and the building access screen and
+functions to the client. Should have made all multiplayer tractors sit on the land at the right angles
+(not at right angles), but took out the angle smoothing to allow it to happen.
+Added the action, purchase and transaction windows, and the list & value controls to allow them to work.
+Added volume control to all sound buffers. Tidied the key repeats on the horns and headlights.
+Did loads of screen stuff, interfaces for setting focus windows & suchlike. New trees. (umm..not sure about em)
+New (most pleasing) anti-aliased font added. (Some character positioning needs tweaking). Front End added.(noice)
+Rewrote some of the overlay stuff that was obviously not written in a wrecked enuf state.
+Implemented private messaging (As per subspace standard) and server strings.
+**30 Jan 2001**\\
+//(I rearranged version numbers at this point so that client and server versions are consistent)//\\
+==== v0.008 ====
+Map editing comms added, allowing terrain and static object modifications. Lens flares on headlights. (Without detection
+to determine whether they're hidden behind somethin yet, which looks a bit shitty..) Made sent private messages
+display on your own screen. Prettyfied the fireworks a bit (but not properly).
+Changed around and added some new stuff to the way building and billing records are transmitted and stored,
+including adding the client's copy of the billing records. Dan's lovely houses and school added.
+Building modification and update added.  Added *savemap, *loadmap and various other console functions.
+Added the ServerConfig.txt that allows you to change the name of the server,its welcoming message and the name of the Owner.
+Added God & Owner authorisation levels. Encrypted passwords on server. The last accessed IP, horn and drawdistance are now stored in the client config file.
+Added a temporary initialisation screen, and reordered the initialisation so the window appears early.
+Added the line renderer and the construction screen that uses it. Fuel counting activated.
+The terrain you're driving over now affects the tractor's speed. Lots of ppl will be glad to hear that the numpad works now.
+Added a ooh-pweetty-code-did-i-write-that-sliding-packetloss-handling-map-download-system-thing.
+{{ :releasenotes:tracv0008.jpg?400 |}}
+==== v0.009 ====
+Finally found the bit of code that thought 90 degrees was PI/4 which stops stuff lookin twisted (boo hiss, trees look worse now)
+Added a sun, which only rises, never sets :), and has some real major defects at the mo, hence you might wanna turn it off with .nosun
+Wrote the string control which allows the inclusion of the "Rename Your Building" feature amongst others..
+Wrote the messaging stuff and serverside filing for handling transactions, allowing the buying and selling of products,
+(but only fuel at the mo) and the sale & purchase of buildings thru the building access menu. Also setup the stock screens to
+let you modify the price of your products for sale. Added god function *grantcash. Fixed some (but not all) problems with the camera.
+Added building construction to the construction screen menu, and the give fuel & cash functions to the player info screen menu.
+Added the bar chat screen, and the v0.001 quiz machine. (Yes, i know its silly, but it only took a day..)
+Buffered the dynamic renderer, theoretically faster (but it makes little difference), and it also fixes a major crash bug often seen at the same time as fireworks.
+Fixed a nicely hidden little bug that explains why lots of features such as deify didnt always work right online.
+(tho i couldnt tell coz it only didnt work when you weren't me.. sweet). Fixed the rain (in various ways but not every way).
+Daily production of goods & various underlying bits of the economy are now active. Jehovah's is no longer free.
+Added the "Top Ten Wealthiest Players on This Server" list to the finances screen.
+Made a pretty good Malaysian prawn curry and watched a crap episode of star trek.
+Oh n i bounced page up/dn :]
+==== v0.009a ====
+Lowered the default position update rate by 25%, added some better position interpretation, and stopped the client sending position information when stationary.
+(Which was a pointless thing to do anyway). Added full comm buffer reading to the server which fixes a load of packetloss problems.
+==== v0.009b ====
+Point 1 - Failed to keep track of things done since the last update.
+Added the guaranteed messaging system. (Needs refining to make it optimised, but it copes well enough with lag and packetloss for the moment..)
+Added textured overlays, enabling the constuction screen lay tile icon, and the chess client to the bar. Enabled thirst, hunger and health monitoring.
+Enabled the buy beer function in the bar. Added the player inventory system, which is about 50% working. Fixed the key repeat on the frontend.
+Added various owner & god functions such as *resetrec, *attach, *undeifyall. Changed some of the dynamic object functions so FPS doesnt affect things. (still does tho..)
+Implemented the ogg decoder, track listing, play functions etc. Made the horn sound play when the window doesnt have focus.
+Added fullscreen switching and proper resizing on the window, defaults to fullscreen now. Fixed the quiz machine a bit. Went around and tidied a lot of loose ends, couple of memory leaks fixed.
+Wrote Tractor Central, modified the server to register itself with TC, and completely redid the client frontend for the world server list.
+Added the jpeg library, and wrote code to display it using software alphablending.(DirectX won't let me do it it seems..)
+Shifted the building data into a downloadable file, so that different buildings can be built in different worlds.
+Grenades and explosions. Redid the dynamic object system, not as efficient now, but fixes the sun and a couple of crash bugs.
+Redid the webbie. Moved house.
+==== v0.009.3 ====
+Yup another version number system change... Partly so there can be an identifier for a common server but separate clients, partly for making automatic client updates possible, but mainly to further delay 0.01 :)
+Again, didnt keep a proper track of changes. But there was certainly,
+CrowCam and a load of work on the jukebox in the bar. Potentially theres a sortof streaming audio, tho i've yet to test
+it on anything but a loopback server (it works), and a dialup connection (it doesnt)(tho i did once manage to download 2
+minutes of Beatles in about 10 minutes..). I added the sea too.
+Oh and there was also the addition of a pleasant few bugs that fecked the worlds for a while, and I spent a fair bit of time
+doing other stuff to try and avoid having no money very shortly.
+==== v0.009.4 ====
+Tweaked control on CrowCam. Added town limits stuff. Hopefully fixed some of those bugs i put in 0.009.3.
+Fixed then broke the sound positioning. Changed the way the client keeps track of building information.
+Tidied the sun some more. Finished off the player inventory, which allows you to eat & drink things you've
+bought from stores. Rearranged the map downloading process. Added streetlights.
+{{ :releasenotes:screen5.jpg?400 |}}
+==== v0.009.5 ====
+Auto-eating from homes added, so you can actually keep you character alive for a while.
+Stock up home feature implemented. Robocrowcam ; topdown-shooter mode added, with subspace controls of course..
+Rearranged initialisation downloads and fixed some problems with the file transfer.
+Added comms so other ppl can see your crow flying about. Tractor-to-tractor collisions added.
+Jukebox near enuf finished ; others in the bar will hear your selections now.
+Fixed a very silly bug that should help lessen the amount of position messages being sent.
+Redid a major part of the file transfer system that should make downloads more reliable.
+First stage of the "While You Were Gone" message system added.
+Added energy bar for robocrow, and the air-to-air guns. Fixed bug that allowed towns to be built near others.
+Added the respawn screen for dead people, and the for sale building tags.
+==== v0.009.6 ====
+Skills & learning system. Building rental (almost working). Farms
+Destroy building and remove walls commands for Gods. Various minor serverside bug fixes.
+Wealth list only displays living characters.
+Spectator mode fixed, (F9), WhileYouWereGone messages system improved, and added message for learning a new
+skill. Some new sounds added. More recovery from file transfer errors.
+{{ :releasenotes:scoresaramw.gif?200 |}}
 ==== A tractor v0.01 ====
-The earliest reference to any kind of dated version of the game i've found so far is through the waybackmachine site for a-tractor.com, which indicates:\\
+//The next earliest reference to any kind of dated version of the game i've found so far is through the waybackmachine site for a-tractor.com, which indicates://\\
 \\
 **Latest update : 30th Nov 2001 - 0.01a**\\
@@ Line 14: / Line 161: @@
 .. and according to the associated docs & forum snapshots this had a couple of hosted worlds, various building types (including petrol stations), families of some sort and lots of trading goin on. I have no memory of any of this :]\\
 \\
-(There was definitely a 0.009.6 at somepoint, which I remember being pretty fabulous, but Im not sure when that was. Also, you'll note in subsequent records that there was at least two v0.01s, following the First Great Schism.)\\
+<note>(You'll note in subsequent records that there was at least two v0.01s, following the First Great Version Numbering Schism.)</note>
-\\
+//Then a bit of a gap in the records until..//
-Further investigations might uncover more release notes from the early period, but initially i've drawn a blank until this post in 2003 also recovered from the waybackmachine site..
 \\
 ==== Sunday September 21, 2003 ====
@@ Line 34: / Line 180: @@
 \\
-I'm not sure what that was about.. stardrive, most likely. I guess it was after this (in 2004) when space was added and the game changed to being 'The Universal' for a long while, and the next v0.01 got done..
+//I'm not sure what that was about.. stardrive, most likely. I guess it was after this (in 2004) when space was added and the game changed to being 'The Universal' for a long while, and the next v0.01 got done..//
-====Release notes by year====
+=====Release notes by year=====
   * [[ReleaseNotes:2004|2004]]
   * [[ReleaseNotes:2005|2005]]