MapTool 1.2 Development Release Build 5

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:22 am

Lots of tweaking. I consider the fog and vision stuff to be in "experimental" mode, so play with this new set and see how it fits

Also lots of bug fixes, and several new features contributed by Tylere Couture "galneweinhaw", super thanks !

Of particular note is an optimization to the vision calculations. There's still more to come, but wanted to get this out for people to start playing with. Be sure to let me know how it's working out for you

Build 5 (1/21/2007)
* Add Chat Font Size to Accessibility preference panel
* Hollow rectangle topology tool
* Expose Last Path token menu item
* Optimizations for Light Blocking Layer
* Remove Export Application View on the Export Dialog
* Enable Export Player View on the Export Dialog
* Update wordage on some items on the Tool menu
* Improve fog rendering
* Improve vision rendering
* "Player visible area only/Visible area only" fog expose option
* Add tooltips to the tool group icons
* Fix Bug: don't let player see hidden maps when GM deletes a map
* Use official maptool logo for taskbar icon
* Draw oval draw and fog tools from the center point
* Add polyline topology tool
* Multiline Macros (contributed by galneweinhaw)
* F-key quick key assignments for macro buttons, see HotKey assignment in macro dialog (contributed by galneweinhaw)
* /think macro that sends text to you and only you (contributed by galneweinhaw)
* Macro label inclusion (include the button label as macro prefix) (contributed by galneweinhaw)
* Fix Bug: where new messages wouldn't scroll the field to the bottom

NOTES:
- The "include label" feature currently writes the button label on the row above the actual action. This might possibly allow simultaneous messages to interweave. This will be changed to be a prefix in future builds
- Vision is now rendered differently depending on if the map has fog or not. No fog=>old style, fog=>new style
- The "Chat not scrolling to latest content" bug should be fixed now, let me know if you have any problems with it.

SDShannonS · Post by **SDShannonS** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:33 am

Right off the bat, I'm noticing a MASSIVE improvement in performance. I'll be sure to note my comments on the other features, but that one was very important to me so I just wanted to say THANK YOU as soon as possible.

Shannon

SDShannonS · Post by **SDShannonS** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:58 am

I can definately see that the amount of vision being generated makes a huge difference.

For example, if I have one token that generates vision out to 60 feet or so, performance is speedy and responsive. If I change that token to 120 feet or if I add a second token with 60 feet of vision, performance takes a significant hit. Adding vision to each of the six PC tokens makes the client effectively unusable again.

Shannon

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:20 am

SDShannonS wrote:I can definately see that the amount of vision being generated makes a huge difference.

For example, if I have one token that generates vision out to 60 feet or so, performance is speedy and responsive. If I change that token to 120 feet or if I add a second token with 60 feet of vision, performance takes a significant hit. Adding vision to each of the six PC tokens makes the client effectively unusable again.

Shannon

This is good info. I'll put in a couple more optimizations for b6 and will release it in a week or so

SDShannonS · Post by **SDShannonS** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:26 am

Quickkeys for (or the ability to macro) the Expose options would be great as I can see players using that function frequently in tight spaces. With the new functionality of being able to bind macros to the F-keys, that would be a great solution if we knew what command to macro for Expose > Visible Area and Expose > Last Path.

[edit: And if the macro could be initiated during a move so the player doesn't have to release the token (setting movement back to zero), that would be optimal.]

Shannon

Post by **dorpond** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:19 am

Great update Trevor! *claps*

Very cool stuff - I do like the new vision stuff!

I also found that the GM needs a keystoke to do the "reveal" stuff. It just takes too many steps. I can see myself having to do that 3 or 4 times during my players movements (the are super paranoid) and having it as a key stroke will speed things up dramatically.

I do like it a lot! That reveal last movement is really nice!

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:24 am

dorpond wrote:my players movements (the are super paranoid)

As well they should be !

I've added a tracker to put in shortcut keys for those

Phergus · Post by **Phergus** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:20 am

I'm seeing 25% CPU (1.7GHz Pentium M) sitting idle after a fresh start and doing a Quick Map/Grass with FoW turned on. Turning FoW off drops it down to 9% or so.

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:33 am

Phergus wrote:I'm seeing 25% CPU (1.7GHz Pentium M) sitting idle after a fresh start and doing a Quick Map/Grass with FoW turned on. Turning FoW off drops it down to 9% or so.

Good info. Tells me where some tuning needs to take place.

-Trev

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:34 am

My guess is that it is the translucent paint. Could you switch between Show Player View and the GM view (which should switch between solid and translucent fog) and tell if me it makes a difference ?

Phergus · Post by **Phergus** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:05 am

Player view makes a huge difference.

There seems to be a random factor to it. I've been going back and forth between B5 and B3 comparing the load. This last run of B5 was back to like B3.

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:07 am

The relation is probably coicidental.

I restructured the fog code in b5 to be cleaner and more accurate (anti alias the edge for example). The performance killer in this case is the translucent paint. As another test, do Edit->Preferences and turn off translucent fog on the performance tab. I imagine the slowness will go back down.

Phergus · Post by **Phergus** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:19 pm

I already had Translucent Fog turned off on the laptop. Actually only makes a few percent difference but I leave it off anyway.

About 1/2 the time if I startup MT b5 and open a empty quick map with FoW the CPU is over 20% and the rest of the time it is right around 10%.

MT 1.1 b35 is down in the noise at 2-3%.

Post by **trevor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:21 pm

Thanks for the additional testing !

Post by **dorpond** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:48 pm

Trevor, you mentioned translucent paint.

Could I be killing my campaign performance by drawing in translucent shadows using the paint tool and a 45% shadow setting?

I have been shadowing the walls in that large campaign file but before I continue, I want to make sure I am not opening myself for a performance can of hurt.

Am I better not using it?