Platform Release v0.55.0

[connorjak]

This new Space Teams PRO version has been released and is available for download from Launchpad. Get Launchpad from spaceteamspro.com.

Space Teams PRO releases that start with 0. are all Beta releases, meaning we have relaxed standards for stability, performance, and backwards compatibility as we quickly introduce new features. Please contact us directly (support@SimDynamX.com) if you are interested in using Space Teams in an environment where software stability is critical.

Most notable changes since v0.54.2:

Multiuser

• Initial testing-stage multiuser functionality. Users will run into bugs.
  • Create, browse, and join simulations across the internet
  • Reworked connection and sim startup through the netbridge backend
  • Many changes to Unreal Client code which previously did not need to handle multiple users

Sim Editing

• Add / Edit / Delete Systems and FieldEffects in Sim Editor
  • Systems assigned to an entity can now be edited in the UI
  • System and FieldEffect changes are saved with the sim
• String array parameters can now be edited in the UI
• Entities which are from Included sim configs are now marked as non-editable in Hierarchy gadget
• New Sim Wizard now recenters view rotation for a new planet in a better way
• Minor fixes for Hierarchy gadget

VR, Controls, and Role Picker

• Improved grabbing and throwing objects in VR
  • Added dart throwing controls and a VR tools gadget
• Fix time dilation affecting VR and 2D spectator movement
• Fix several manual-control issues in demos
• VR pawns no longer automatically reduce graphics settings in sims
• Added role-description box to role picker
• Roles can be restricted to VR or flatscreen use

Planet Rendering

• More accurate planet surface up-close mesh geometry generation, solving Planet surface detail normal map is skewed when at the poles #176
• Improved Moon cube-side seams
• Improved performance of planet surface coordinate conversions
• Eridani
  • Can now use GMRAD color textures and clouds
  • Improved eclipse handling

Physics

• Unreal_Chaos now applies PhysEffect position, velocity, rotation, and angular velocity deltas and overrides
• Unreal_Chaos now sets the physics body's mass from the entity's Dynamics/Mass parameter
• Added DOP853 integrator
• Refactored Matrix3x3 FieldEffects to instead implement arbitrarily-sized Matrix FieldEffects
• General relativistic gravity updates, including second-order PPN gravity and additional validation sims
• Added SPS/GPS example sims for the Moon and Vesta, and custom gravity model options in SPS functions
• Added gravitational parameters for more solar system moons and asteroids
• Added Vesta spherical harmonic gravity model

Analysis Tools

• Communications Traverse
  • Added GUI and integrated Python simulation System
  • Added orbital satellite relay option
  • Fixed downrange calculation
• Thermal Traverse
  • Added body selection
  • Export runs as ZIP files
  • Added log browser with CSV preview and resizable columns
• Multi-sim run UI improvements
  • Added comparison plots, single-sim run button, and run-with-graphics toggle

Demos

• Updated Space Buggy assets, including interior lighting and jet selection visualization
• Fix ISS orientation in EVA sim
• Fix collisions and Phobos shuttle damage

Programming and Platform

• Windows C++ build toolset updated to MSVC 14.44
  • This constitutes a change to (Windows) User C++ Programming setup. Instead of MSVC 14.38, we now use 14.44.
• Python API st.timestamp objects now support subtraction to get a datetime.timedelta, and addition of a datetime.timedelta
  • Useful for subtracting two values from st.SimGlobals.SimClock.GetTimeNow()
• Improved parameter copying, initialization, and array deserialization
• Many compiler warning fixes and cross-platform build fixes
• Added unit tests and dependency binary caching to CI
  • Tests which require unavailable planet data are excluded from CI

Key Known Issues

Also look at https://github.com/SimDynamX/SpaceTeamsPRO/issues to see all publicly reported issues and their current status.

• Multiuser is at an initial testing stage; many bugs still exist
• Planet shadows disappear for single frames when leaving planet surface Planet shadows disappear for single frames when leaving planet surface #179
• Sim loading sometimes sticks in Sim State: Lobby with no Select Role screen Sim loading sometimes sticks in Sim State: Lobby with no Select Role screen #211 (possibly partially mitigated 0.54.0+)
• Planet cube-side seams are improved but not fully fixed
  • Small seam still exists on Moon
  • Spike-like artifacts can still occur along cube edges
  • Earth and Mars still have significant seam discontinuities

Automated Git Changelog:

What's Changed

• Multiuser Create/Browse/Join. Sims running pending backend changes. by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3355
• MatrixFieldEffect, General Relativity, STU4, SPS, Eridani, and other misc. changes by @AlexSein98 in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3358
• Unit Testing and Binary Caching on CI by @jc-luna in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3166
• Resolve Many Compiler Warnings by @jc-luna in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3382
• Refactor ParamKey, GenParam, and ParamMap for safety and correctness by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3390
• MODT Continued by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3345
• Unreal Engine Client for Linux by @jc-luna in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3268
• Bringing PR 3390 into core_dev by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3391
• Initial Multiuser Functionality by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3381
• Latest Comm modeling work by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3394
• Fix time dilation bugs on 2D spectator movement, Real Time Delta Seconds macro, unreal build fix for 14.44 by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3396
• VR enhanced input changes, dart throwing by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3395
• System & FieldEffect editing in Sim Editor by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3398
• Unreal chaos phys effects by @JonahCoffelt in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3399
• Stu4 manual control fixes + role picker description box by @tnweidner1216 in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3401
• Planet rendering more accurate normals and tangents, improved Moon cube-side seams, better performance by @connorjak in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3402

New Contributors

• @JonahCoffelt made their first contribution in https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/pull/3399

Full Changelog: https://github.com/SimDynamX/SC_Platform/compare/v0.54.2...v0.55.0

Do not download the "Assets" files below; they are just a copy of this repository and are not used for Space Teams PRO. Space Teams PRO can be downloaded after making an account at spaceteamspro.com.

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This discussion was created from the release Platform Release v0.55.0.