GearCity 1.18 Progress

[Eric.B]

The SDL window wrapper code is finished for linux builds. Everything is working much better as far as I can tell. The only bug I have noticed is the keyboard still does not work if you have hardware accelerated mouse enabled. I'll look to resolve this issue tomorrow.

After I do a test in Ubuntu, I may push this fix to Linux users as another hotpatch.


For 1.18, I've added three new induction systems into the game. (Twincharger, Hybrid Turbochargers, and Variable Geometry Turbochargers.) I've also split up normal turbochargers into two catagory, fuel focused and power focused. Furthermore I broke them down into 5 "stages" of different power/costs.

I then balanced induction systems out some more.

I've also added E85(Ethonal) to the fuel types. This fuel type was actually popular in the 1900s, although it did die out with US prohibition it has started to make a comeback in the 2000s. (Although low gas prices may end up killing it, much like in the 1900s)

Fuel stats have also been balanced out. In particular Diesel engines are no longer overpowered and are more inline with their specific use. (Smoothness rating does help out quite a bit in this case.)

I've got 2 or 3 new engine types and one more fuel type to add. I'll then fix cylinderless engines/fuels, and then move on to cleaning up some of the issues with the engine stats.

1.18 is showing 26% finished. So I may not hit my Mid-Feb date, but worst case scenario if I'm running too late, I'll make a 1.17.5 Beta build for those who want to try the new stuff!

-SDL window mode (LINUX)
-Fuel and Induction system balancing
-Three new induction types, Turbos broken down into 10 "levels."

[Eric.B]

I got a little extra work into today that I normally don't get to do on Mondays.
I was able to finish adding the missing engine layouts, an additional two cylinder types, three more fuel types, and reenable the sub components for electrics and wankle engines.

I also did more xml balancing to the layouts/cylinders.

I believe this covers all the serious requests for sub-components that I have gotten over the years. As such it's probably safe to say that the sub-components for chassis and engines are now locked and finished. (Of course it's not much work to add new ones, as long as they have cylinders. It's the balancing of the stats that were the real pain...)


I'm now moving on to fixing display information for Electric engines as they do not have "Displacement" I'll also have to hide the bore/stroke sliders for electric engines.

After that I start fixing the hardcoded stats produced by the engines. Then I'll probably move into the issues with the gearboxes, gearbox stats, car stats, then all the really new GUI goodies for RnD we have planned!

-6 Engine Types

• Radial
  
• Rotary
  
• X
  
• Steam
  
• Wankle
  
• Electric
  

-3 New Fuel Types (5 Generations of Electric power)

• E85 (Ethanol)
  
• Water (For Steam engines)
  
• Electric (5 Different versions)
  

- Two Additional Cylinder type (18, for W engines, 7 for Radials and Rotaries)

[Frankschtaldt]

[*]Water (For Steam engines)

Maybe "wood", "coal" and "gas" would be better fuel options for steam?

[Eric.B]

[*]Water (For Steam engines)

Maybe "wood", "coal" and "gas" would be better fuel options for steam?

Those would be fuel for the burner, I'm pretty sure the engine it self used water in most steam engines. Also the burner' fuel would probably be replaced with electric in later years.

[Tridon]

Steam engines, and if I read correctly in the suggestion forum, windows that don't stack by default
Along with some of the other stuff you've done so far, this update sounds freakin' great!

Gieb update nao, lel!

[Eric.B]

I spent the entire day on Bore and Stroke and everything that uses it.
I've removed the displacement slider from altering any specs or ratings directly. In doing so I replaced its usage with direct use of the bore and stroke values.

This allowed me to create more realistic results and now bore and stroke are handled properly. Remember, there is no replacement for displacement. And a bigger bore will give you more! ^,~

Anyhoo, these changes effect Bore/Stroke (obviously), torque, rpm's, horsepower, length, and width.

So why was this even an issue? Well back in the old days of GearCity (versions 0.3 - 1.03 ish) we did not have bore and stroke directly in the game. Everything used the displacement sliders. This was a very simplistic system and the users at the time wanted a little more depth, so we gave it to them. Sadly the game had been balanced for the displacement sliders and not the bore/stroke. My implementation of their effects were subpar due to the pairing with the displacement sliders.


I also fixed an issue design/manufacturing requirement's stars. Red stars now mean a higher requirement.

Anyhoo, I still have a few more things to "fix" in the engine specs/ratings. I should be able to finish it up tomorrow and move on to the gearbox stuff. After that I move to all car stats, and then redoing the RnD's GUI! (I'm excited about that one!)

-Modification to Bore/Stroke system
-Inversed design/manufacturing requirement stars

[Frankschtaldt]

Curious question, how many decimal places is the game going to let us go down to when entering bore and stroke?

[Eric.B]

Curious question, how many decimal places is the game going to let us go down to when entering bore and stroke?

I haven't touched anything for decimal points, it still works off whole mm numbers.

[Frankschtaldt]

Curious question, how many decimal places is the game going to let us go down to when entering bore and stroke?

I haven't touched anything for decimal points, it still works off whole mm numbers.

Is it too late to allow one or two?
An overwhelming majority of rl engines have at lease one measurement with at least one decimal place and I think a lot of people are going to want to try and copy them.
Probably not a huge deal if you can't. It would just be nice.

[Eric.B]

Curious question, how many decimal places is the game going to let us go down to when entering bore and stroke?

I haven't touched anything for decimal points, it still works off whole mm numbers.

Is it too late to allow one or two?
An overwhelming majority of rl engines have at lease one measurement with at least one decimal place and I think a lot of people are going to want to try and copy them.
Probably not a huge deal if you can't. It would just be nice.

It may be possible at a later date, however dealing with floats can be a bit of a pain in the rear. So I would prefer to get them as integers. But as always, if there is enough demand for it, it can change.