Wurm client release notes 2009

This is a shameless, unofficial copy of the Wurm client release notes from the forum's City hall section.

The section headings are the date the client was updated; YYMMDD. Please note that this page was not created by Code Club AB, so it is not an official document.

Release notes by year:

2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006

2.6.8 (2009-12-25)

There's a new main client release. It contains the accumulated changes from the preceding test clients.

This update also brings winter and Christmas in the form of new pack contents.

While this update should give a small performance boost (in particular with trees) to most people, it seems to trigger really bad performance in certain cases. If this affects you, please reduce your settings and bear with it. Further performance improvements are expected in the first half of January (Valve Standard Time). But if it makes the game simply unplayable, let us know.

(The release system decayed during my absence in spring, which lead to various complications, and that's why this update is very late and very big. We'll soon be resuming the regular small-and-frequent regime of yesteryear. So don't panic at the change list this time.)

Changes in 2.6.8.1472

• Console command 'bind' can now be used with one parameter (e.g. 'bind k') to show the current bind.

• Console command 'setoption' can be just with one parameter (e.g. 'setoption chat') to search for similar option names, and showing their values.

• New keybinds: DRAG, STOP_DRAGGING, PUSH, REPAIR, TURN_CLOCKWISE, TURN_COUNTERCLOCKWISE, PULL, IMPROVE, DIG, FLATTEN, PACK, HARVEST, FARM, CULTIVATE,

MINE_FORWARD, MINE_UP, MINE_DOWN, MINE_SURFACE, MINE_TUNNEL, PROSPECT, PICK_SPROUT, PRUNE, CUT_DOWN, CHOP_UP

Bind names are not final until they're part of a main client release. If you think any of the bind names are bad, explain why and suggest an improvement.

• Client will now retry connection failures, e.g. if the server is down or restarting. Known issue: It will also retry when it shouldn't, e.g. wrong password.

• Removed some options with limited or no effect.

• Changed reflection handling. Reflections now require FBO and GLSL support, but will use less memory and have better quality than before.

• Bugfix: Workaround for mipmap crash on ATI cards. This should remove the need for disabling FBO.

• Changes to hover text here and there. If you see something, say something.

• Now using LWJGL 2.1.0. Native win64 is now supported. In theory. No other interesting changes come to mind.

• LWJGL windows can now be moved during startup. Window can now be closed during startup.

• Changes to pack updater. Now has a separate file transfer bar for people who don't trust it. Optional graphics and sound packs can now be toggled separately.

• Client will now reconnect (or at least try) when disconnected.

• Bugfix: Workaround for the "This seems to be your first time playing" quirk, a.k.a "Press tab, then enter".

• Bugfix: Client would crash if it crashed before pressing play.

• New option no_terrain_render for people who have trouble playing. This option skips terrain rendering and just paints everything green instead.

Not intended for use except as a last resort if the client won't run normally.

• IRC connections now attach to the chat window

• There's a new crash window for expected bugs. You will know it by its cheeriness. Please report all crashes.

... and potential other changes from while I wasn't around. Apparently there's a wiki search or something.

Changes in 2.6.8.1477

• Fixed non-square window reflections.

• The reflection quality can now be controlled again.

• Changed debug output some.

Changes in 2.6.8.1482

• Bugfix: Memory leak when sound was disabled

Changes in 2.6.8.1485

• Bugfix: Memory leak with cloud shadows enabled

• Bugfix: Debug timers would sometimes get confused and show wrong values.

Changes in 2.6.8.1488

• Bugfix: Crash on reconnecting

Changes in 2.6.8.1493

• Minor debug changes

• Bugfix: If the keybindings file is corrupted or empty, load the default keybinds instead.

• Bugfix: Experimental packs weren't loaded properly.

Changes in 2.6.8.1506

• Improved disconnection handling.

• Don't lock up the client when opening an IRC connection.

• Remove keyboard focus from console when closing it.

Changes in 2.6.8.1520

Large changes in model and texture loading. If you see anything weird, let us know.

• Change how models are initialized.

• Unload unused models fully.

• Unload unused textures.

Changes in 2.6.8.1526

• Change how textures are loaded and initialized. This shouldn't cause any visible changes, but if you see something weird, let us know.

• The lag when you turn around just after logging in should be gone (but the general lag from terrain being loaded is still there)

Changes in 2.6.8.1531

• Bugfix: Make sure reflections can't be enabled when not supported.

• Bugfix: Compass was sometimes displayed when it shouldn't be.

• Make compass fade out when you start moving, and fade in when you stop.

• Bugfix: Crash when logging on while embarked.

Changes in 2.6.8.1533

• Bugfix: Another check for unloaded ship models.

Changes in 2.6.8.1535

• Bugfix: 2.6.8.1526 made bloom crash the client, fix that.

Changes in 2.6.8.1545

• Bugfix: Memory leak in the new texture handling

• Bugfix: Double-clicking an item group would sometimes activate the wrong item (or none at all)

• Bugfix: Use the normal screenshots/dumps/logs folders when a test client goes to the main server

• Bugfix: Really fix the glow crash this time.

• Improved feature detection. If you've ever had to change FBO, VBO, Multidraw or similar in the compatability tab because the java would crash, please try the following:

- Go to the compatability tab, set everything to "core". - Run the test client. - If it crashes, post console.log and HS_ERR_PID. - If it doesn't crash, post console.log and say that it didn't crash.

Changes in 2.6.8.1548

• Improve the tab bars. Only show close button on active tab bar, only color the active tab bar.

• Bugfix: Rightmost tab in tab bar was cut off.

• Extra error checking for FBO.

Changes in 2.6.8.1556

• Basic support for making MrB happy

Changes in 2.6.8.1562

• Small speed optimization in texture loading.

• Bugfix: Closed tabs will now remember their contents when reopened.

• Bugfix: Compatability is now spelled correctly.

• Bugfix: Non-power-or-two textures were used even if not supported.

Changes in 2.6.8-1587

• Bug detection for weird picking crash.

• Bugfix: Client crash if splash image was missing.

• More debug overhauls...

• Bugfix: Wiki search now remembers its position.

• Bugfix: Client crash on goblin 'ready' animation.

• Bugfix: Make ircsay work with the new irc windows.

• More general support for compressed textures.

• Move/rename some options to make the settings more understandable.

• Removed old browser launch code.

• Some fixes to boat movement

• Scrollbar fixes. Let us know if this breaks something else.

• Various changes behind the scenes.

Changes in 2.6.8-1591

• Bugfix: Scrollbar crash

• Bugfix: Fight window crash

Changes in 2.6.8-1596

• Improve wiki search window a tiny bit

• Bugfix: Make scroll panels sticky again.

• Bugfix: Display disconnect reason from the server when available.

Changes in 2.6.8-1598

• Bugfix: Make scroll panels less sticky.

Changes in 2.6.8-1608

• Improve tile selection in caves

• Improve keyboard focus handling

• Bugfix: Window would sometimes not respond to input until clicked

• Improve wiki search some

Changes in 2.6.8-1612

• Bugfix: Various popup bugs

Changes in 2.6.8-1619

Please enable color picking (now in the compat tab) and try it out. It will become the default soon.

• Bugfix: Some windows were invisible in an empty profile.

• Bugfix: Healthbar and target window would sometimes reset positions

• Improve color picking. Make color picking with FBO work.

Known issue: Popup windows will sometimes disappear or duplicate themselves.

Changes in 2.6.8-1629

• Preserve unknown keybinds (won't help until this becomes the main client, though)

• Support holding stuff in hands (but it's all backwards, so not enabling it yet)

• Bugfix: Trade windows were invisible on new profiles

• Improve keyboard focus some more, e.g. rename windows now autofocus the text field.

• Improve inventory prefetch. It now prefetches nested containers as well.

• Some changes to console command processing. If you use weird binds or commands and notice something, speak up.

• Don't do tile transitioning between tiles of the same type.

• Bugfix: Spell compatibility even more properly (when will it end?)

• Bugfix: All the known popup issues are fixed. Let us know if there are any remaining.

Changes in 2.6.8-1658

• Make crash handling a bit more robust.

• Bugfix: Bug with houses made lots of stuff render when it shouldn't.

• Attempted bugfix(es) for time warp issues after disconnection.

• Bugfix: Clean up HUD state properly after reconnection

• Bugfix: Another timekeeping issue, should solve wobbly action timers.

Changes in 2.6.8-1735

• Internal changes of various sorts. Make the minimum feature support checker more specific.

• Bugfix: Some text was cut off

• Bugfix: Flat tiles would sometimes be bumpy if adjacent to bumpy tiles.

• Bugfix: Crash if IRC window wasn't active.

• Internal changes to sky, terrain and water.

• Improve the light algorithm, for real this time. The switchlight command is gone now.

• Make icons look different.

• Bugfix: Do not wait several weeks to retry connection if the server is restarting

• New keybinds ACTIVATE, TAME, LEAD, STOP_LEADING, TRACK, FEED, TARGET, ABSORB, BREED, GROOM, DREDGE, FORAGE, BOTANIZE, PICK_FLOWERS

• Another feature for making MrB happy

Changes in 2.6.8-1755

• Bugfix: Waves should not stalk the player

• Bugfix: Water should not be opaque

• Bugfix: Mouse and keyboard was not released on disconnection

• Bugfix: Remove a Java 1.6 call

• Same procedure as last year, Mr. B?

• Compass now shows some slightly useful text on hover

• Bugfix: Chat panel input field cursor didn't blink

• Bugfix: Clicking outside input field should stop typing

• Enabled equipment attachment, with all the backwardsness that follows

• Bugfix: Crash related to broken models

• Bugfix: Crash with negative clock drift

Changes in 2.6.8-1762

• Handle broken models better.

Changes in 2.6.8-1772

• Bugfix: Tile hover text wasn't showing for the right tiles.

Changes in 2.6.8-1780

• Automatically reuse old packs when possible.

Changes in 2.6.8-1784

• Ugly trees are now less bright.

• Ugly trees should no longer hover in the air.

• Ugly trees should now be the same height as pretty trees.

Changes in 2.6.8-1792

• Improve the pack updater GUI

• Make distant trees be properly lit by sunlight.

• Make ugly trees be properly lit by sunlight.

Changes in 2.6.8-1793

• Bugfix: Reflections only appeared near the center of the server

Changes in 2.6.8-1799

If you have enabled the java console popup window, the game will not start until you close it.

• Bugfix: Reflections only appeared on the upper left parts of the server.

• Change how list windows are colored. Color wounds by damage.

• Change client thread stuff.

Changes in 2.6.8-1800

• Actually, cascade the wound color upwards so it's used on the closest visible node. Now back to work on other stuff.

Changes in 2.6.8-1805

• Bugfix: Prevent popup menus from going outside the screen.

• Bugfix: Malformed property files crashed the client.

• Bugfix: Hardware sound broke.

Changes in 2.6.8-1831

• Bugfix: Compass would crash client if you moved without stopping for too long

• Dragging now drags entire stacks of items. Holding shift when dragging lets you choose the amount.

• Bugfix: Workaround for a Vista/Win7 bug in the installer.

• Bugfix: Input fields in popup windows should now respond to the enter key.

• Bugfix: Reflections were not always disabled when they should.

• Bugfix: Color picker crashed client when alt-tabbing.

• Changes to tree rendering. Should run faster than before.

• Changes to texture handling. This should remove the general slowness seen since September.

• Known issues: Wound coloring is broken on test. Client is not updated for latest test features overall.

Changes in 2.6.8-1835

• Bugfix: Crash with VBO disabled if there were treeless regions nearby.

• Bugfix: Loading screen was not displayed.

Changes in 2.6.8-1843

• Bugfix: Distant gates and doors used random textures.

• Change the shift-drag window some.

• Change BML/XML handling. If you see any broken dialogs, let us know.

Changes in 2.6.8-1851

• Bugfix: House wall naming was inverted

• Workaround for buggy BML in writ management window.

Changes in 2.6.8-1879

• Bugfix: Don't display skill updates for favor

• Bugfix: Avoid flashing water with reflections disabled.

• Disable equipment attachment for now until we can fix it properly.

• Don't wait forever for AWT to shut down before starting.

• Bugfix: Crash when interacting with "Loading..." entries in inventory.

• Compass change (again). Compass is back to fully reliable, quality determines how fast the compass fades out, and how soon it reappears when you stop.

• Bugfix: Don't display skill updates if the value doesn't actually change.

• Bugfix: Skill decrease amount should be a positive number.

• Skill window now displays affinities gained and lost.

• Unify fight windows, make icons bigger and better, move stuff around, expand the coloring and display of stance changes, display current stance, etc. This is a work in progress.

• Force a disconnection before closing the client. This might help people who can't make the game shut down.

Changes in 2.6.8-1890

• Support for christmas theme. Support for non-darkened terrain.

• Added a new level to skillgain notif which enables favor updates.

Changes in 2.6.8-1897

• Farming tooltip now includes the crop name (starting at 15, age is still at 30)

• Gardening now enables flower name tooltips for those who can't tell them apart. Smiley

• Non-slope tooltips will now appear with all tools, except shovels. Shovel still gives slope tooltips.

• Improve crop rendering.

Changes in 2.6.8-1906

• Add a context menu to the fight window. This enables resizing and inverting.

• Add FISH keybind.

• Add BUILD_HOUSE_WALL, BUILD_HOUSE_WINDOW, BUILD_HOUSE_DOOR keybinds. These both start the wall and continue building it. The type of wall depends on whether you have a hammer/mallet or a trowel activated. These keybinds are high risk, as they might introduce issues with transforming wall types and accidental destruction of finished walls. If they don't work out, we'll remove them until a better solution is available.

• Bugfix: Client would crash if the maximum texture size was too small.

• Add farming tooltip for untended fields.

Changes in 2.6.8-1908

• Add BUILD_STONE_WALL, BUILD_TALL_STONE_WALL, BUILD_PALISADE, BUILD_FENCE, BUILD_PALISADE_GATE, BUILD_FENCE_GATE keybinds. See notes about house walls.

• Add FINISH keybind for unfinished items. Add CONTINUE keybind for complex items.

Changes in 2.6.8-1914

• Add keybind CONTINUE_BUILDING for building walls, was left out in previous version.

• Add a 'force reconnect' button to the connection screen.

• Ugly hack to make christmas trees work.

Changes in 2.6.8-1921

• Improve the spell effect window, in particular the duration display.

• Disable wall and house building keybinds while underlying issues are worked out.

Changes in 2.6.8-1927

• Bugfix: Can't stop, can't stop the disco (water)

• Bugfix: Roofs should now be where they should (be)

2.6.7c (2009-11-03)

Stable client is now 2.6.7c.

This is a maintenance release to backport LWJGL 2.1.0. Main effects: support for win64 native and mac hardware sound(?).

There are no new features. No other bug fixes either.

That is all.

Edit: Mac hardware sound might not be working fully yet.

2.6.7b (2009-09-15)

Stable client is now 2.6.7b.

This is a maintenance release to enable some boat/cart fixes on the server.

There are no new features. No other bug fixes either.

That is all.

2.6.7

• Better support for meta keys. Keybinds can now use shift, alt and control, as well as combinations of those.

• Button row now includes the escape key (default mapping STOP)

• Default binds now have tab/shift-tab for tab nav and ctrl-tab/ctrl-shift-tab for window nav.

• As usual, more mount fixes.

• Better GL capability checking. This should solve the Intel VBO and glMultiDrawArrays crashes, as well as other benefits.

• Button row now changes to match meta keys, giving you a whole lot of different bars to choose between.

• Bugfix: Packs directory was never created.

• Bugfix: Don't attempt to select things while mouselooking. Should help performance a tiny bit.

• New and better crash handling. But in the short term, this means new crashes to iron out.

• As usual, more mount fixes.

• Bugfix: Water shader crashed with certain drivers.

• Update non-model tree sizes. Maple in particular way really small when seen from afar.

• Non-pretty trees should now be faster than pretty trees.

• Options GUI has been regrouped and renamed to be more user friendly.

• Client now checks for FBO support. Doesn't actually use it much, but let us know if it crashes.

• Bugfix: Make the startup music play every time instead of just sometimes.

• Players will now be able to see their own shadow.

• Various mount and sound improvements.

• Bugfix: Don't draw surface effects while inside a locked cave.

• Make IRC client use UTF-8 always instead of relying on system default.

• New compass code. Instead of unreliability, you now get damping.

• Unused models should no longer hang around forever.

• Bugfix: Client crash with music disabled.

Updated to 2.5.5.1241 on 2009-03-05:

• Bugfix: Music attempted playing even if music was disabled

• As usual, more mount fixes.

• Force use of debug mode in test client.

• Replace static keyboard hints with a dynamic button menu.

• GUI color changes

Bugfix: Make the update view scroll when too many packs are present.

Bugfix: Use correct font names.

Bugfix: Overaged stage is now ripe stage #2, update hover text.

Show tree age and sprout state when hatchet or sickle is activated. Known issue: The skill check is missing.

Bugfix: Walls were not properly adding collision lines outside mine entrances.

Bugfix: Wall plans and incomplete walls were blocking movement.

Bugfix: Reinforced cave walls should be a little less bumpy now.

Bugfix: Make water blue again.

Bugfix: Make the cursor not go to the center of the screen after dragging in LWJGL.

Bugfix: Hide all shadows and hide them at night, instead of hiding some shadows during the day.

When Rolf updated the test client to 2.5.5.1182, the following changes were included:

Bugfix: Forestry is now required to see tree age

Bugfix: Reinforced walls should now align with regular cave walls

Extreme cave wall detail is now extremely extreme. This to give meaning to the two lowest settings, the extreme one may change.

Bugfix: Animals weren't painted as they should, and structures were painted instead.

Skill tab now has four different levels. Off, integer changes, 0.1 changes and "as much as possible".

• GLANCE_LEFT and GLANCE_RIGHT keybinds for glancing.

• Launcher improvements. Stretch properly when resized. Added game news panel. More informative pack update messages. More robust and effective pack updater.

• Flower fields are now less dense, and random flowers will appear more randomly.

• NO_TARGET keybind for removing your target.

• Field age will now be displayed when a rake or scythe is active, and your farming skill is high enough. This is similar to the change for shovel.

• Unsaved game settings are now saved when you press play. The launcher also asks to save unsaved changes if you switch character before starting.

• Bugfix: Wall plans will no longer be inside out.

• Bugfix: Client crashed on new install.

• Bugfix: It is no longer possible to pick things through tile corners.

• Maximized window mode now covers the entire screen.

• Maximized window mode now works in LWJGL.

• Keybinds for switching which tab group is active for selection, NEXT_WINDOW and PREVIOUS_WINDOW. These change between tabbed windows only, in other words chat, event and IRC windows.

• Active tab group now has different color.

• Bugfix: Toolbelt was not populated when you equipped one while playing.

• Crash windows should be more informative (and less confusing). But only a little.

• Bugfix: Update item pile model when the pile type changes. Known issue: most of the time things become bags. This is a server issue.

• Bugfix: Use birches instead of black screen when no splash image exists. Replace the birches with a new and pimping welcome splash. (Delete your startup_splash.jpg to see it.)

• Bugfix: Don't crash if splash image is corrupted or unsupported.

• Bugfix: The price column in trade windows will now sort properly.

• The price column in trade windows now has more useful hover text.

• WoM removed from the client. Can be played on the website still.

• Bugfix: Client should no longer crash on null tiles.

• Experimental options for frame limiting.

• Highlight active item in inventory and toolbelt.

• Bugfix: Selection now changes when you right-click. Purely cosmetic.

• New option for "high-res" spyglass. Only affects trees and fences at the moment. Huge performance cost.

• Bugfix: Was possible to get stuck in walls exiting a mine entrance near another mine entrance.

• Bugfix: Don't render terrain inside a closed cave.

• Bugfix: Render mine doors inside caves. They even have the right orientation.

• Bugfix: Make high detail caves higher detail.

• New installer window. Should be a bit more user friendly than the current flurry of dialogs.

• Experimental option to show notification in event window for skillgain.

• House walls are now a little thicker than the paper width they had before.

• More specific naming of house walls and plans.

• Bugfix: Prevent loading the same model more than once with different names. Should reduce memory usage.

• Bugfix: Mine doors now have the right orientation.

• Bugfix: Yet another bug that broke word wrapping.

• Bugfix: Crops, grass, etc is now visible through spirit guards.

• Bugfix: Don't render sky, sun, glare, rocks etc when inside a closed cave.

• More helpful error message when the launcher can't load the news page.

• Use pretty shadows for pretty trees.

• Bugfix: Don't render shadows when the sun is down.

• Bugfix: Memory leak when butterflies were disabled.

• Experimental new window for showing spell effects and details. Use 'toggle spelleffect'.

• New dump command 'dump debug'. Use this and post the results if you have performance problems.

• Bugfix: Skillgain less than 0.01 looked like skill loss.

• New friends tab, will show when your friends log on and off, as well as list which friends are currently online.

• Clicking on a name in a name list will now put "/tell <name>" in the input field.

When Rolf updated the test client to go to the main servers (2.5.5.1151), the following changes were included:

• New sound code and the actual sounds

• Footsteps sounds

• Bugfix: Spirit guards were rendered outside creature rendering range.

• Bugfix: Parts of hud turned invisible while dead

• Active queue change. Instant actions now have no limit, while non-instant are limited to 8.

• Make the client automatically fall back to Coral updates when needed. Remove Coral option.

• More detailed console output for debugging.

• New launcher. Aside from all the visual changes, this includes a new pack updater. It should be more reliable than the old one, but as always there's no knowing what bugs lie undiscovered. The launcher also gives different welcome pages to new players, but none of you will get that!

• New chatfilter. The default filter covers the same words as before, but is now created as a profile file. This allows people to customize the filter to their heart's extent. As usual, if you want to return to the default filter, just delete the file and it will be recreated.

• If the chat censor option is enabled, outgoing messages will also be censored.

• Text fields now support some ctrl combinations: ctrl-left, ctrl-right, ctrl-delete and ctrl-backspace.

• Support for the STOP keybind. This is the same stop as in the menu, it cancels the current action. Mapping this to the escape key can save you many clicks!

• Bugfix: The wiki viewer now supports spaces in redirects.

• Bugfix: The invisible doors after destroying a house will now disappear properly. In its place, you will get "x is not a house" errors if you have chosen to enable the obscure error message logging option.

• Bugfix: Splash image now ignores the maximum texture size setting. This fixes the "birch crash" for people who used maximum size 256 combined with missing support for non-power-of-two textures.

• Secret new feature! Being secret, we aren't going to tell you what it is. But it's new, and fairly obvious when it occurs, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem. It was originally supposed to be a secret new bug, but then Kilean fixed it and ruined all my plans. So you get a feature instead.

• New compass handling

Compasses used to get a random offset based on their QL and nothing else, so if you just measured the offset once the compass was 100% reliable. This has changed, and low QL compasses will now be more unreliable.

• New open-in-browser handling

The code for opening links in a browser (edit link in wiki viewer, things on login screen) has changed. Please try and make sure it works for you. (There is an option to use the old code for now, but it will probably be removed unless we get problem reports with the new code.)

• New timer handling

The code for time measurement has changed. Please try and make sure you don't get any weird time stops or jumps. (There is an option to use a different timer, this is a just-in-case measure and should not be used unless you're told to.)

• Debug code for people who always get birches on the login screen.

You know who you are. Try starting the game and see if anything new pops up in the console.