Release Roadmap

[Krishty]

Critical bugfixes/features for the next release

Nice-to-have bugfixes/features for the next release

Current changelog (with respect to 2024.04.20)

[Krishty]

I need feedback on the installer, but keyboard navigation can be regarded okay because the last issue is the plane controls page not being scrollable, and that doesn’t break the game.

Pretty much all critical bugfixes/features have landed, so here is a release candidate: viewtopic.php?t=1556

I will test it thoroughly in the coming days, hopefully with clean machines and clean installations. I hope we can release next weekend. Then we’ll open a new chapter and we’ll hopefully get back to a shorter release cycle – like ten years ago.

[Krishty]

TFXplorer 2024.04.20 released successfully. New roadmap to come; here is a backup of the old roadmap:

The focus is making F22’s Arcade and EF2000’s levels (+ hidden levels) accessible via GUI; no more text file hacking like in 2017.

Critical bugfixes/features for the next release

• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: Installer
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Wrong Default Data Path for Extensions
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Crash on Extension Error
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: TFXplorer crashes if no audio devices are available.
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Empty Scenario Selection
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: TAW 2.0 Compatibility
  The last TFXplorer release was pretty easy to set up (extract and go). The new extension system requires registry keys and without diagnosic messages, it can become hell to set up. Most users will try to set it up with TAW 2.0 instead of vanilla F22.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Crash with Moving Maps
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Red Sea spawn points
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Crash Leaving EF2000/F22 Terrain
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Crashes in Some EF2000 Levels
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Default Range of Sight
  Literally the first thing in gameplay is an interesting place to spawn.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Crater Artifacts
  Extremely annoying once you start shooting.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Wind Too Fast
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Vibration on Cockpit Screens
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Traffic Too Dense
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Canopy Opens Automatically
  Annoying during gameplay.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: DPI Awareness
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: EF2000 Scenario Descriptions
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Useless Menu Items
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Remove Snapshot
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: Keyboard Navigation
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Explorer Mode Moving Too Fast
  The new GUI should not have obvious flaws.

Nice-to-have bugfixes/features for the next release

• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: Two Horizon Colors (ADF/TAW)
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: Remember Window Size
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Remove KC-135
  Low-hanging fruit.
   
• 💡 OPEN FEATURE: Leaving Scenarios
  Users should be able to start all ~30 scenarios from F22/EF2000 easily. Terminating the program is not easy.
   
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: Arcade Moving Map
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: EF2000 Terrain Randomization
• 💡 OPEN FEATURE: EF2000 Destroyable Buildings
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: Culling in EF2000 Levels
• 🔴 OPEN BUG:EF2000 Ground Collision Detection
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: EF2000 Collision Detection near Bergen
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: EF2000 Time of Day Glitches
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: EF2000 Day-Night Cycle
• 💡 OPEN FEATURE: Altitude Palettes
• ✔️ NEW FEATURE: EF2000 Moving Map
  I don’t think that can be done any time soon but if we make all EF2000 levels accessible, they should have no less features than Red Sea and Arcade.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: Oscillation in F-22 Flight Model
• 🔴 OPEN BUG: Leaving Terrain in Explorer Mode
  Annoying but also hard to fix.
   
• ✔️ FIXED BUG: No Wheel Control at Tile Edges

Current changelog (with respect to the latest release from 2017)

• added GUI
  • replaces configuration files for scenario selection and game settings
  • in-game menu bar at the top edge for fast access to options
• added control mapping (via Windows Registry keys)
• added head tracking via TrackIR protocol (compatible with OpenTrack, FaceTrackNoIR, etc.)
• added dynamic contrails
  • new for F-22
  • replaces old, static contrails on NPCs
• added support for more hidden levels from EF2000
• added day-night cycle for EF2000 Norway
• added sound effects to NPCs
• added wingtip vortices
• added craters for bullets and debris
• added more particle effects
• added extension API
• improved flight physics
  • pitch is no longer instantaneous
  • fixed F-22 fuel consumption
• improved gear physics
  • landing gear can now break
  • realistic rolling resistance
  • fixed tire screech errors
  • fixed plane wobbling infinitely after some landings
• added minimap to explorer mode
• added restoring of last session’s window position
• added thermometer/hygrometer (can be disabled via menu bar)
• improved sky rendering
• removed place name labels in Explorer mode
• removed night vision
• removed canopy shading