changelog for 1.8.53

- Experimental new fog in Dau K-10 and Verasi I-5.
- Lua version has been updated to 5.1.4.
- Fixed crashing bug in Windows when trying to take a screenshot in window-mode if the window is hanging off any edge of the desktop.
- No screenshot file is generated in Windows when in window-mode and the window is bigger than the desktop.
- Voice Chat sound ducking now properly turns off if you are talking while you leave a group.
- Voice Chat now prints connection status in chat window and prints errors in console.
- Visual Quality settings are now correctly set and recognized under all circumstances.
- DirectX driver now properly detects amount of video memory available in Vista.
- Windows client no longer crashes on FLOAT_INEXACT_RESULT fpu exception.
- Fixed popping of storm entry fog effect in some slower framerate cases.

Frankly, I think the fog in Verasi I-5 looks pretty cool. Maybe a little hokey in Dau K-10 for the moment. Yes, we are going to reduce default radar range for fogged areas. Plus possibilities like adding "tracks" for people left in fog. Other fog-specific ideas welcome on Suggestions.

pics or it didn't happen :P

Log on and take them yourself ;).

Nice, too saturated with color and needs a few more tones, maybe a it less density as well other than that it looks great. :)

Lawl at the wireframe.
I agree with spidey. It needs more shades/tints of green. I think its too bland/annoying atm.

The texture fade in/fade out = awesome.

http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/www_plasma/visitors/green_arc.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_qLkO94uSSdk/RfngUke8W9I/AAAAAAAABOg/WLg_P4FPGq0/377061227_e45cc274dd_o.jpg

Displacement behind a ship would be excellente.

If you make it look more like these things, I will loooove you.

Very Nice! :)

I like it!

nice, so is this replacing storms, so fog sectors have jump points to leave, or will any sector randomly get foggy, and there be no storms?

We'll probably keep a few storms around, for a little bit of "randomness", but I would expect them to become a lot more rare, and the "fogged sector" thing to be the more common case. Fogged sectors will be more permanent, so you'll have to "navigate around them" to get to certain locations, or fly through them, etc, but they'll probably be listed on the nav map. And yes, everyone getting the same jump in/out points and such (things we need to fix and improve).

My initial response as I entered Verasi I-5 was EUGH!

I think the fog's density should vary. I mean even inside a sector. It would be very nice to fly through varying fog clouds, hide in a dense one or just see the dense clouds from a less fogged distance. All in all, I like it.

I definitely do not like the wireframe; everything is on your hud anyway.
i dont like the density/saturation of it.
i agree with infinitis, the fog should vary in density/saturation.

but seriously, first and foremost: PLEASE REMOVE THE WIREFRAME :)

I think it's great.

I like the overall effect.

I think there are significant MMO performance issues that make variable fog density very difficult.

I don't like the wireframe as it is, but I see what the devs are going for. I suggest significantly lowering the range at which objects can be seen, and decreasing the brightness of the wireframe. There's a point just before an object is visible where the wireframe display looks just right to me. In fact, I would suggest the wireframe only appear at that very near range. I think the effect is best, and it would help in last-minute avoidance maneuvers.

Now that I've seen both sectors. I think the one in k10 looks better. The cloud effect there makes the wireframe stuff stick out less.

I also like the idea behind the effect, but yeah, it needs some fine tuning. There really isnt enough different shades of green in the effect, making it look (at first) like a big green back ground. You actually have to look real damn close to see that its actually fog, and not just pea soup ;)

I like it as is! Laserguns and all that spacy stuff but no computer to draw me a wireframe into my hud? - naaaah :)

I agree that some sort of HUD wireframe is a natural for the foggy sectors. As it is it seems a bit too Asteroids retro. That's why I suggested wireframes only for nearer objects, and toned down a bit. I feel like the bright wireframes detract from the ambience of the fog. There's no mystery in the gloom.

For some reason, I can't see the picture. :(

I made a video of the new fog!
http://tinyurl.com/87vobv