latest SDK - help with setting it up

[K4thos]

I'm still waiting for my account to be activated on fonline.ru. In the meantime I decided to ask the question here as well, considering it's in English. Maybe someone knows what's up. Here is a message I wanted to post in this topic:

Rather than using old TLA / 2238 SDK sources like everyone else (at least in English community) I'm interested in checking what latest SDK has to offer for Fallout like games. I think starting a new project without taking advantage of few years of FOnline development would be a mistake in the long run, especially if there is a chance that the engine will stabilize at some point in not too distant future.

TLA SDK is no longer included in the latest FOnline SDKs, but I found your example repository on Github, Tawaruuk. As far as I understand from google translate it is meant to be a very basic demo of the engine that can be used to test it / start developing actual content. Unfortunately I can't get the server and mapper to work even with FOnline-Example package. I've copied whole "SDK" directory (rev792) into FOnline-Example-master and tried to run "Run_Server.cmd", "Run_Mapper.cmd". In both cases following error shows up:

Code: [Select]

Assert failed!
Version: 792
File: Common.cpp (179)

'Modules' not found in config files

I've checked FOnline.cfg located in "FOnline-Example-master" directory and from what I see the directories are correct:

Code: [Select]

Modules = SDK/Modules/Core; Modules/Data; Modules/Client; Modules/Main;
"FOnline-Example-master/SDK/Modules/Core" contains stuff from the FOnline SDK and "FOnline-Example-master/Modules/Data" directory contains "Resources" folder.
I've also tried to copy the FOnline-Example FOnline.cfg into "FOnline-Example-master/SDK" and "FOnline-Example-master/SDK/Binaries/Server" directories - still the same error (I can't start those exces directly either)
Changing "Run_Server.cmd" exec path to "SDK\Binaries\Server\FOnlineServer32.exe" also did nothing, so both executables fails on me. Same case for mapper.

I'm using 64-bit Windows 10, core i5, GTX680.

cvet, Tawaruuk, any idea why I can't run it?

In short I can't start the server and mapper on my system even after downloading FOnline-Example from Github. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? It seems unlikely that the SDK doesn't work at all on 64-bit systems.

[K4thos]

I've managed to get it running with that FOnline-Example after using FOnline.cfg and batch files from fonline_tla repository, so it must have been a problem with pathes to files. The FOnline-Example is just a showcase, not something that can be used as a base without writting all game logic from scratch.

From what I see fonline_tla repo has received some updates recently including changes introduced in the latest SDK ('Modules' renamed to 'ProjectFiles'), so maybe there is a chance that TLA will be updated to work with latest SDK at some point (currently it hangs with error during scripts reloading - "Runtime assert: includeDeep <= 1 in Script.cpp (1065)"). TLA would be a great base for a new project, so I will wait and see if this will be the case.

edit: the TLA package in the current state is outdated. The above error is caused by #include commands in scripts which are no longer supported.

edit2: cvet's confirmed that no one is currently working on TLA and it won't be updated unless someone else will contribute the code.

[SirKenshiro]

From what I can Understand the TLA repo is for Revision 605?

Would be nice with either an update for the TLA files or having access to the SDK in version 605.

[K4thos]

From what I can Understand the TLA repo is for Revision 605?

when it comes to TLA hosted on Github than from my tests the codebase is somewhere between REV 642 and REV 646 with missing event system implementation introduced in REV 624. None of server revisions will start without errors with the current TLA code due to changes introduced some time ago in order to update the repo into newer revisions which hasn't been finished (and currently no one is working on TLA).

Would be nice with either an update for the TLA files or having access to the SDK in version 605.

You can download initial Github TLA commit (Commits -> Initial state. -> "browse the repository at this point in the history" button) since that one works with REV 605. REV 605 with TLA included is also available via TortoiseSVN. Keep in mind that GUI in TLA REV 605 wasn't finished (for example worldmap won't show up at all) so if you're novice to FOnline (like me) than it's not something that is ready to use as it is. The last stable release of TLA content was REV 412.

I agree that working TLA repo on Github would be good for novice developers.

[SirKenshiro]

Yeah, Seeing how the old scripts are obsolete and there being practically 0 documentation for the latest codebase. Trying to figure out how it works seem like a nightmare. If you have been following the progression of the SDK from the start maybe its a less daunting task.
For me who is only looking it up now though, feels hopeless.

Its not like the developers owe me anything. But if they want a wider use of their work. Atleast rudimentary explanations of how to get the SDK working might be good.

[Lexx]

Truth told, nowadays I would only use the FOnline engine if you're planning on making a Fallout related MMO. For anything else I'd pick a different engine. Since the source is pretty much closed and important issues haven't been fixed in years, I'll doubt that will change anytime soon.

[K4thos]

and important issues haven't been fixed in years

Would you care to elaborate? (other than missing documentation obviously, which is promised to be written at some point)

if you're planning on making a Fallout related MMO

Don't see why it couldn't be used on making Fallout related single player and co-op games. It offers the same functionality as vanilla engine and more (especially in later revisions). The only problem I can think of is the lack of docs and base package that would closely resemble vanilla engine (I'm currently trying to adopt TLA code for later revisions and bring all vanilla functionality to it, cutting out unnecessary mmo related junk). The engine is already highly specialized in Fallout like gameplay and can be relatively easily adjusted to your needs (I’m starting to get the AnglelScript – it’s not that bad, even if obscure). Replicating FOnline functionality and Follout game mechanics on another engine would be a work for commercial game team, not hobbyist modders.

Since the source is pretty much closed

This is a problem indeed. First thing I would do if sources were open is paying someone to replace AnglelScript with Lua as a scripting language. Than creating Fallout projects in it would be stupidly easy

[Lexx]

There is A LOT missing for it to be exactly like the singleplayer games. Don't underestimate this task. The whole environment is made for multiplayer, singleplayer is just a tacked on WIP thing. Last time I've checked, turn based combat was still buggy as hell, also simple things such as menu sfx was missing.
Honestly, if I'd want to make another Fo1/2 singleplayer game, I'd rather pick Fo2 with Sfall. It doesn't come with fancy light colors and you have to deal with some other workarounds, but that's rarely a big issue.

[K4thos]

Last time I've checked, turn based combat was still buggy as hell, also simple things such as menu sfx was missing.

I'm currently green when it comes to the engine inner workings and lack of harcoded functions/commands documentation makes it next to impossible to get proficient with more recent revisions, so can't really argue until I learn more stuff, but GUI has been unhardcoded since REV 429 (we're at REV 798 now), so simple things like playing SFX shouldn't really be a problem. Not sure about the turn-based combat but since it's controlled by combat.fos wouldn't it be more a problem with the script rather than engine? Unless some commands are broken. Author seems to be quite active on that Russian forum and fixes reported bugs, so if you know about something in particular it's worth reporting it there.