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TECHREP #00025

reported by Julien Vida on December 1, 2015

FROM: Tools Commissar
TO: Arma 3 Modders
MATERIEL CATEGORY: Tools
CIRCUMSTANCES: Update 0.96 (Addon Builder, Game Updater, Samples, Licensed Data Packages)
SIZE: ~20 MB / ~4 MB

STATUS

It's been two months and 11 development updates since the last release on the main branch of the tools; time to change this! Despite of many tools having been updated, the following summary covers the key elements.

First up is Addon Builder. It now has an option to Binarize all textures present in the source directory. And prior to this update, it was only able to use the default exclusion file present in the install directory of FileBank. From now on, you can define your own from the options dialog. Along with these two new features, the dependencies (shared with Publisher and Arma 3 Launcher) have received some improvements.

Another important change is the removal of the Licensed Data Packages from Steam. This was the last step of the reorganization of the samples. If you were using this branch, you will be automatically switched back to the main branch. Obviously, the data packages themselves are still available via our website.

We've also added a few new samples. Starting with programming: the SDK of Terrain Processor has been released and new examples of Extensions (written in C#) have been included. The latter are part of the same solution (including the C++ samples), so you will need to install both Visual C++ and Visual C#.

Continuing with the samples, the recent Headgear Randomization (for the record, this system was rebuilt last august) has been documented for both use cases, from an addon and from a scenario. Finally, Nexus Update features a new stamina system which seeks to better communicate the effects of prolonged movement and encumbrance. However, we're aware that some players may want to stick with the old approach for now. This is why we've added a little example 'mod' which, using the new and better moddable stamina system, simulates the previous fatigue behavior. You can also find an unofficial functional version of this mod directly on the Workshop, courtesy of Senior Designer Josef Zemánek.

Last but not least, Game Updater: it now supports the Two-Factor code Steam Guard. When needed, a dialog asking for the code will be displayed. This took more time than expected because in its first iteration, this security mode was not supported for CLI connections. Its update process also received some visual updates; the impact of the different steps on the progress bar have been revised. The initialization and the validation steps will count for 10%, the download step counts for 80% (which reflects the current state of the download), and the final step which consists of a few adjustments for the game and the launcher is 10% of the entire process.

We invite the most curious of you to have a look at the full change log. As per usual, issues and suggestions are very welcome on our official channels: Feedback Tracker and the forums.

CHANGELOG

TOOLS:

  • Addon Builder
    • Added: String capitalization converters (to upper/lower/title case)
    • Added: Option to Binarize all non-referenced textures ("Binarize all textures")
    • Added: Support for custom exclusion file (exclude.lst). It contains a list of file patterns which will be excluded from the packed PBO.
    • Fixed: Potential exception when saving a window position
    • Fixed: Temporary config files where not deleted in certain cases
    • Fixed: Trailing slashes in source and destination paths
    • Fixed: CTD on empty source or destination directories
  • Binarize
    • Changed: The parameter -always now forces Binarize to rebuild the textures included in the texture list (textures.lst)
    • Changed: Using Binarize with -skeleton="" (empty string) now equals -skeleton="OFP2_ManSkeleton" (default value)
  • Game Updater
    • Added: Support for Two-factor code Steam Guard (the form can be validated by pressing [ENTER])
    • Changed: Steps and values of the progress bar
    • Changed: The download step updates the progress bar according to the percentage of downloaded data (count for 80% of the entire process)
    • Changed: Data and Log folders are no longer needed for the installation process
    • Changed: Reduced dependencies on install
    • Tweaked: Exit method of the authentication form
    • Tweaked: State of the validation button on initialization of the authentication form
    • Fixed: Incorrect title of some forms
  • Samples
    • Removed: Samples have been moved to the new Steam application Arma 3 Samples
  • Licensed data packages
  • Arma 3 Tools launcher
  • FSM Editor
    • Changed: Updated SQF language definition for Arma 3 1.56
    • Fixed: The button "Case sensitive" was missing from the search tool-bar (deserter!)
  • Object Builder
    • Added: New Fresnel setup with a null vector K (no reflection, fresnel(1,0)) in the predefined source names of the stages of the Material Editor
    • Changed: The default value of the procedural SMDI texture is now plain "white" in the Material Editor (color(1,1,1,1,SMDI))
    • Changed: Small cleanup of the documentation of O2Scripts (ObjectBuilder\O2Scripts\ComRef)
  • Publisher
    • Added: Reserved file name "meta.cpp" in the root of the mod directory (for future use)
    • Added: A metadata file "meta.cpp" is now added to published Workshop items
    • Added: String capitalization converters (to upper/lower/title case)
    • Fixed: Potential exception when saving a window position
    • Fixed: The author name displayed was, in some cases, incorrect
  • FuturaToP
    • Added: Support for the PBOs from Marksmen DLC
    • Changed: Detection of the Windows version
    • Fixed: An error 6 was returned in case of a non-existing A3 directory
    • Fixed: Support for custom destination directory
    • Fixed: Path to third-party tools
    • Fixed: Usage of full length paths (non-8dot3 convention doesn't work with some Windows installations)
  • Terrain Processor
    • Added: New task "Line: Segments Objects"
    • Changed: The task "Line: Regular" now supports two new parameters RANDROT and ROTATION
    • Fixed: Issue when no data was streamed from the height-map
  • MapFolders
    • Added: If the samples are installed, the folder Addons will mapped to p:\Samples_F\
  • Diagnostics script
    • Added: Collecting data specific to Arma 3 installs maintained by Game Updater
    • Fixed: It now retrieves the correct file type entries
    • Removed: References to Windows 10 technical preview
  • DSSignFile
    • Added: Version info
  • DSCreateKey
    • Added: Version info
  • DSCheckSignatures
    • Added: Version info
  • FontToTGA
    • Fixed: Potential crash when a non TrueType font was selected
  • Steam configuration
    • Changed: Incremented version to reflect the current stage (0.96)

SAMPLES:

  • Addons
    • Added: Legacy fatigue mod sample (Test_LegacyFatigue)
    • Added: Some properties for the functions (Test_Functions_01)
    • Added: Examples of headgear and face wear randomization (Test_Character_01)
    • Changed: Usage of param instead of BIS_fnc_param (Test_Functions_01)
    • Fixed: Gunnerview memory point should be dependent on otocHlaven bone, not on otocVez (thanks to this ticket for noting it) (Test_Tank_01)
    • Fixed: The convexComponent for class "Hitzone_1_hitpoint" was wrong (FT ticket) (Test_House_01)
    • Fixed: CfgPatches had an incorrect unit list (Test_House_01)
  • Programming
    • Added: SDK project for Terrain Processor. A basic startup documentation is available on Community Wiki.
    • Added: Two examples of C# extensions
    • Added: Readme file for each sample of extensions
    • Added: Post-build events for the extension samples, which copy and rename the readme files into the output directory
    • Added: Assembly information (version, copyright, etc.) in the extension projects
    • Changed: Updated solution configuration to reflect the recent changes
  • Scenario design
    • Added: Samples of usage of the headgear and face wear randomization
  • Tools
    • Changed: Renamed the Terrain Processor directory

NOTES

  • In case of any issue, please, let us know on our usual channels: Feedback Tracker or the forums.
  • You can subscribe (for free) to the Tools and Samples packages from the Steam store. Once done, you will find these application in your Steam library (switch the filter to "Tools").
  • You will need to start the primary tool once to add all needed registry entries for the rest of tools.

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