SimplePlanes
Small Update - Input System Fixes
Changes
- Fixed a configuration issue related to unknown joysticks that may have been affecting some users.
- Fixed an issue with the Saitek x55 throttle configuration.
- Added support for up to 4 simultaneous input devices.
New Version (v1.3.15) - Completely rewritten input system!
- Entirely rewritten input system:
- The input system we were using before has been totally removed and replaced wholesale with a new one which gives a TON more options and supports a much wider range of input devices. It is a bit more involved to set up, but it should allow older/more advanced input devices to be configured properly.
- You can now click the right mouse button to enable "Mouse as Joystick" to fly the aircraft with the mouse.
- You can now move the camera from the joystick by using a modifier button (defaults to left trigger on recognized gamepads).
- We will be adding more default mappings for joysticks. For now, any recognized "Dual Analog" gamepad should automatically be setup with reasonable default controls. Any device which is not recognized should be capable of being properly mapped, however.
- The input system we were using before has been totally removed and replaced wholesale with a new one which gives a TON more options and supports a much wider range of input devices. It is a bit more involved to set up, but it should allow older/more advanced input devices to be configured properly.
- Switched back to DirectX 11 as a default as some people were having "black screen" issues. We switched from DX11 b/c of other problems people were having, but it appeared to create more problems than it solved.
- You can force DirectX 9 if you experience issues by setting a launch option for the game of "-force-d3d9".
- Some people asked to be able to run the game on a monitor other than the primary monitor. You can now do this by setting a launch option of "-show-screen-selector" and selecting a different monitor. Note: any option other than monitor selection from this screen has not been thoroughly tested, and any other changes has undetermined behavior.
- There are additional small fixes/enhancements as well, including...
- Fixed label for range selection when in sandbox dogfight.
- Additional log information/error isolation to aid in troubleshooting problems.
- Warning when entering dogfight with a plane that has no weapons.
- Fixed label for range selection when in sandbox dogfight.
NOTE: Since the input system used now is entirely different, all custom inputs will need to be re-assigned.
We have other enhancements/additions/features in the pipeline which will be released as soon as they are finished, but we wanted to get some input improvements out asap as we've been getting a lot of feedback about the lack of device support/configuration options with the previous input system.
Dev Notes (2016-01-22)
Andrew
Wrapped up the mobile update and it is now available on iOS, Google Play, and Amazon. The update is still waiting for review for the Mac App Store. I'm going to start working on new parts now for the next big update. Today I'm prototyping a resizable wheel part.
Nathan
Wife had a baby so he's taking a few weeks off.
Philip
Finishing up the controller input overhaul that Nathan started since he's a little tied up at the moment. Improved the stability of the game and improved logging so now we are better equipped to help players troubleshoot if any new issues arise.
Kevin
Finished modeling out some new parts which should be in the next big update. Now he's working on some new places to fly.
Joey
Getting up to speed with the project and also working on some new places to fly.
Dev Notes (2016-01-08)
Philip
Working on issues with the Steam release, most notably the black screen of death. It's easy enough to fix the issue by forcing the game to run with D3D 11, but this is not obvious without checking the troubleshooting guide we have posted and it's frustrating new players.
Nathan
Many players complained about the joystick support, so we are gutting the old input control system and replacing it with a much more flexible one.
Kevin
Working on designing some new parts, mostly new gizmos. Once we figure out exactly which parts will make the next update, we will let you know.
Joey
Who's this guy? We just brought Joe onto the team to help out with design. He's going to help us with SimplePlanes for a while, and he's going to help us design and prototype our next game. We're not entirely sure what that is going to be yet, but while we're figuring that out we're going to be full steam ahead on SimplePlanes.
Andrew
Working on the mobile update. Trying to figure out exactly what will be able to run well on mobile devices. If things go well, I hope to have this done soon and start the beta next week. If you want to be a part of the mobile beta testing, here are instructions on how to signup.
Small Update - Crash Fixes
The game will now default to running in DirectX 9 rather than 11. Due to this change, we have disabled real-time plane reflections for now (sorry). For those that wish to continue running in DirectX11 (and get real-time reflections), you can use the "-force-d3d11" flag in the launch options to do so. Please let us know in the forums if you have any issues or if things are running better for you.
We also want to thank everyone for the feedback so far. We are taking a look at it all, prioritizing, and starting to address some of the major issues that have been identified. Stay tuned!
Thanks and enjoy!
Small Update - Clone Parts
Here is the comprehensive list of stuff included in the update:
Changes
- Added part cloning capability in the designer via right-clicking on a part and dragging it.
- Added designer tips when loading the designer.
- Added a master volume slider for controling the overall volume of the game.
- Holding down the control key now prevents the clicking and dragging of parts in the designer while still allowing camera control with the mouse.
- The middle mouse button can no longer click and drag parts, but it can still be used for rotating the view in the designer.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed an issue with the on-screen controls setting getting wiped out by tutorial levels.
- Fixed a bug that would replay levels with the wrong aircraft if loading an aircraft from the website while in a level that does not support the designer.
- Fixed an issue with some prop engines playing audio in the designer or while it was loading.
- Fixed an issue with default keybindings wiping out custom keys that were unbound (set to 'None') when starting the game.
After the break we are going to take a hard look at controls and joystick support. We've had a lot of feedback that it needs work and we're going to make it awesome. Just need to do this Christmas thing with our families for a bit, recharge our batteries, and we'll get it after the break.
Thanks for playing!