State of GameSalad on 4-10-2014

CodeWizardCodeWizard Inactive, Chef Emeritus Posts: 1,143
in GameSalad Kitchen

Really short update this week.

We're still head's down fixing bugs in 0.11. We feel as though we should have a stable build ready for release on Monday. We could push it live tomorrow, but Friday releases are a terrible idea.

We're aware of the load time issues being reported and are looking into them. More news soon!

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Comments

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited April 2014

    Take as long as you need ! Better to stretch it out for a little longer if it means a more stable build. Remember, sleep is for the weak. :)

  • Braydon_SFXBraydon_SFX Member, Sous Chef, Bowlboy Sidekick Posts: 9,273

    Nice stuff. Looking forward to Monday!

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  • NimbleBugNimbleBug Member Posts: 483

    @CodeWizard We're aware of the load time issues being reported and are looking into them. More news soon!

    +1 :smile:

  • hybridhybrid Member Posts: 183

    great news! i agree with better wait with for a more stable build. thanks man

  • CaptFinnCaptFinn Member Posts: 1,828

    Yep... if youre that close......... push on. We can wait.

  • colandercolander Member Posts: 1,610
    edited April 2014

    @CodeWizard I agree with Socks take the time to get it right including the load time issue. I would much rather have a solid usable and reliable 11 than a problem child with long load times. Good work GS.

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  • kinzuakinzua Member Posts: 554

    Glad to hear that its going to be out and will be stable. Good work guys. I believe the road from here on will be as smooth as silk. It's been a big hurdle to encounter and i believe the most remarkable GS update. Congrats on such an achievement.

  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949

    Exciting stuff. It's been great to see the quick progress on the Release Candidates, too. Thanks for all the hard work!

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  • DaveinpublicDaveinpublic Member Posts: 37

    This will probably be the most bug free/stable release in GS history!

  • jigglybeanjigglybean Member Posts: 1,584

    Any update for Windows users PLEASE?!

    This last update was back in January
    Windows Creator Improvements

    We've been making good progress fixing bugs in Windows Creator. Most recently are some issues related to saving projects and potentially losing data. Release of those fixes is on the way!

    UPDATE: We've actually got Windows Creator ready to go into coming nightly builds. We've also updated to the latest Qt to improve preview performance. Keep your eye on the nightly build forum posts to see when this is available.

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  • stevejstevej Member, PRO, Chef Emeritus Posts: 435

    @jigglybean said:
    Any update for Windows users PLEASE?!

    This last update was back in January
    Windows Creator Improvements

    We've been making good progress fixing bugs in Windows Creator. Most recently are some issues related to saving projects and potentially losing data. Release of those fixes is on the way!

    UPDATE: We've actually got Windows Creator ready to go into coming nightly builds. We've also updated to the latest Qt to improve preview performance. Keep your eye on the nightly build forum posts to see when this is available.

    There should be a Windows update soon after Mac 0.11 is out. Today I'm starting work on bringing Windows Creator in line with Mac Creator 0.11. Look for nightly builds of Windows Creator with new features soon!

  • jigglybeanjigglybean Member Posts: 1,584

    Cool stuff! Looking forward to it. I've tried using the mac version in Macincloud but yuk! lol

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  • gyroscopegyroscope I am here.Member, Sous Chef, PRO Posts: 6,598

    @‌CodeWizard

    drums fingers Are we there yet?...... Is it Monday yet?...... Are we there yet? :wink:

    Excellent news. :)

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  • CodeWizardCodeWizard Inactive, Chef Emeritus Posts: 1,143

    I'm not opposed to holding the build for final release until we've sorted the loading performance issues. We have a plan to address them and I think it's fairly easy to implement.

    First, some background:

    We've been "leaning up" our platform layers in the engine. This included implementing a cross-platform image loading library instead of relying on the various OS-specific ones on each platform.

    Well, as part of this work the way we load images has changed a bit. We currently do quite a bit of processing on each image when they're loaded. This processing includes premultiplying alpha, swizzling RGB values, etc. This is where the extra loading time is coming from. Well that and the fact that the cross-platform loader may not be as fast as the platform-specific ones.

    The solution is pretty easy:

    On publishing we'll start preprocessing your images into a custom format that is compact and super fast to load. The amount of work to load an image will be much reduced.

    I'll tackle this straight away and we'll get another RC out to you when it's ready.

  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,365

    On a random note the text manipulation functions you guys added recently are awesome. Huge quality of life difference! Making a custom keyboard went from a pain in the rear end to a couple of change attributes. Love it!

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  • Braydon_SFXBraydon_SFX Member, Sous Chef, Bowlboy Sidekick Posts: 9,273

    @CodeWizard‌ said: I'll tackle this straight away and we'll get another RC out to you when it's ready.

    Thats what I like to hear. ;)

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  • clee2005clee2005 http://Donkeysoft.caMember, PRO Posts: 194
    edited April 2014

    @CodeWizard said:
    The solution is pretty easy:

    On publishing we'll start preprocessing your images into a custom format that is compact and super fast to load. The amount of work to load an image will be much reduced.

    I'll tackle this straight away and we'll get another RC out to you when it's ready.

    Wahoo!!!! GS ... GS... GS...

    Really great to hear that. Super excited to see the result of that optimization.

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  • gamestudentgamestudent Member Posts: 504

    haleluiah!

  • DaveinpublicDaveinpublic Member Posts: 37

    "Leaning up" is always good.

  • Ij10281Ij10281 Member Posts: 35
    edited April 2014

    Im a Windows users, not sure ill get in trouble for saying this but... Windows users if you really want to release a game or be ahead of Windows users look up Virtual Machine took me a day to set up I can now run the Mac creator on my PC!!!

    *Correction it may be virtual box...

  • PhilipCCPhilipCC Encounter Bay, South AustraliaMember Posts: 1,390
    edited April 2014

    @CodeWizard‌ When 0.11 is released will it become GameSalad 1.0, da daa! (Fireworks and cheering FX goes here.)

  • quantumsheepquantumsheep Member Posts: 8,188
    edited April 2014

    @CodeWizard said:
    I'm not opposed to holding the build for final release until we've sorted the loading performance issues.

    @codewizard Please hold off until you have fixed the PAUSE issue too.

    I've reported it myself (bug number CS-278 in your database) and @brenton222 has reported it in this thread: http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/67051/release-candidate-0-11-0-6-is-available#latest

    Honestly, I'd rather wait until these issues (load times and pause) are fixed as they are show-stoppers for me.

    Getting a new release is a moot point if it means finishing/releasing a game is pointless! I'd rather have a working version and not a half-baked one with a nebulous future fix date!

    Thanks!

    QS =D

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  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @CodeWizard said:
    I'm not opposed to holding the build for final release until we've sorted the loading performance issues.

    +1

    Better a little later and sorted !

    @CodeWizard said:
    On publishing we'll start preprocessing your images into a custom format that is compact and super fast to load. The amount of work to load an image will be much reduced.

    Will this mean our work in Creator and preview on our iPads (etc) will still exhibit the slow loading times (as this all happens prior to publishing) ?

  • DaveinpublicDaveinpublic Member Posts: 37

    Really appreciate how much the gamesalad team is listening to the community! Making a lot of happy users - this is the first time I've seen the community appear calm. If u get the loading time fixed, it could be out of beta! 1.0.... But whatever.

  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854

    Been away from here for a while and come back to ancient bugs not resolved and the same stories coming out. I am 'All for' stability and trust in GS. But the roadmap has not changed since 22 Jan ~ over three weeks ago - is that where we are at in regards to progress? Just getting it perfect? Will these ancient persistent bugs get sorted? They don't even seem to get mentioned?

    I am slower than most to upgrade anything based on my own stability and safety concerns with GameSalad - I would love a good solid build to come out that wows us all ~ pretty please :) If it takes a bit longer that's fine.

  • joshuanewton@live.co.ukjoshuanewton@live.co.uk Member, PRO Posts: 17

    Hey guys,

    Has anyone noticed the GS logos (Iterations of app icon sizes) being added to the build of apps published from a nightly/candidate build?

    when you install your adhoc app on your phone, the GS logo displays WHILST the app is downloading because of a 'image.xassets' folder full of GS app icons being added to the build, then once the app is downloaded, it reverts to YOUR app icon.

    This is a pressing issue for me, i don't want customers to see the GS logo... am i being stupid and it'll be removed on the stable build or will users not see this once it's downloaded from the appstore?

    Many thanks!

    Josh

  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408

    @Joshua Newton said:
    Hey guys,

    Has anyone noticed the GS logos (Iterations of app icon sizes) being added to the build of apps published from a nightly/candidate build?

    when you install your adhoc app on your phone, the GS logo displays WHILST the app is downloading because of a 'image.xassets' folder full of GS app icons being added to the build, then once the app is downloaded, it reverts to YOUR app icon.

    This is a pressing issue for me, i don't want customers to see the GS logo... am i being stupid and it'll be removed on the stable build or will users not see this once it's downloaded from the appstore?

    Many thanks!

    Josh

    I noticed this, but it only seems to affect adhoc builds, when my latest games download they show the real icon.
    but I'd submit a bug report if you haven't just to make sure it's fixed.

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  • joshuanewton@live.co.ukjoshuanewton@live.co.uk Member, PRO Posts: 17

    @jonmulcahy said:
    but I'd submit a bug report if you haven't just to make sure it's fixed.

    Great thank you for your feedback! I admire your bravery haha :smile: I'll be sure to submit a bug report!

  • mactds10mactds10 Member Posts: 63

    @CodeWizard New RC today with faster load times? That would be amazing, my games are dying on the vine if you know what I mean ;)

  • CodeWizardCodeWizard Inactive, Chef Emeritus Posts: 1,143

    I spent many hours this weekend getting our new image format together ".gsimage" It's ready for implementation on the publishing side. I'm getting it into the engine today. It's my hope to send it over to QA for verification today.

    This new image format will only be applied during adhoc / release publishing. Image loading in the viewer and preview will be remain the same. We have some other optimization ideas for those tools but they seem less critical at this point than the final builds of your games.

    More news soon!

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