NEWS

10/21/10	v1.4.9rc1
		
		Compatible with the stricter permissions of Windows Vista and Windows 7
		Rewrite of the Graphics system to allow switching to full screen on modern systems
		Better integration into Mac OS X with default location for the supported games
		Smooth scrolling (disabled by default, though)
		Aspect correction is now supported
		More data from the original has been decoded and thus improved gameplay and combat
		Two mods developed by our team member Marzo
			- Keyring for BG which adds a large quest to obtain a SI-style keyring, as well as a lot of other enhancements such as meditating in the shrines and viewing the Codex
			- SIfixes for SI which corrects many mistakes in the game, for example 
			   you can now cure Cantra when you play with this mod
		In-game Notebook with support for automatic notes (notes created by usecode)
		Integrated Pentagram(tm) Audio system which means
			- Real Roland MT32 device support
			- Roland MT32 Emulation support
			- Fluidsynth support
		Removed dependency of the Audio system on SDL_Mixer
		New shapes for paperdoll
		Multi-map support for new games
		Increased limits on resource sizes (shapes, frames, etc)
		Moved hard-coded information to datafiles
		Greatly improved compiler tools to ease new game development
		Tons of work on our map editor Exult Studio and the ability to develop new games and mods
		Tons of bugfixes


06/10/04	v1.2

		Official release with all the improvements and bug fixes from
		the last two years.

02/29/04	v1.1.10rc2

		Fixed a number of crashes
		Fixed some Windows-only problems, including resurrection
		Added more Black Gate paperdoll art

01/27/04	v1.1.9rc1

		Cleaned up non-MIDI music driver support
		Cleaned up diagnostic output
		Fixed various schedule and pathfinding bugs
		Worked around Serpent Staff bug from original SI
		Lots of minor bugfixes

10/18/03	v1.1 Beta3

		Fixed item duplication
		Fixed missing NPCs
		Fixed disappearing items
		Fixed cosmetic bug in 2xSaI scaler
		Fixed resurrection
		Improved SFX handling for items
		Improved schedule support


08/08/03	v1.1 Beta2

		Fixed missing item descriptions in Windows
		Fixed missing exultmsg.txt on some platforms


07/20/03	v1.1 Beta1

		Party Formation
		Improved combat system with pausing, hit display and targeting
		Spellbook improvements
		Exult Studio improvements and porting to GTK+2
		Support for arrow/keypad walking and running
		OGG Vorbis music system
		FM Synth emulator
		Additional paperdoll art (SB-X, Oblivious)
		Scale2X scaler (Andrea Mazzoleni)
		Ported to the Zaurus (Artaxerxes)
		Experimental OpenGL scaling/rendering
		Tons of bugfixes (see ChangeLog for details)

06/05/02	v0.99 RC 2

		Support for 32 bit usecode (for large usecode functions)
		Many changes to Exult Studio (tiles, combos, freetype fonts, etc.)
		Improvements to UCC (conversations, etc.)
		SFX improvements (thanks to Simon Quinn)
		Tons of bugfixes (see ChangeLog for details)

03/12/02	v0.98 RC 1

		UCC, Exult's Usecode compiler works again
		UCXT, Exult's Usecode decompiler, is now included
		Subpackages for Linux distributions can be built (RPM, Debian)
		Exult's data files have a CRC now, so it is easier to 
		detect a mismatch between them and the main executable
		Gumps can be dragged even in target mode
		SI's intro and ending are complete
		Music looping is user-configurable
		New scaler from Kreed: BilinearPlus
		Configurable combat difficulty
		Tons of bugfixes (see ChangeLog for details)
		

11/26/01	v0.96 beta 1

		It is now possible to complete both BG and SI

		Savegames are now compressed. They are now actually zip files,
		so you can use your favourite tool to open them. This should 
		make things easier especially when submitting bugs to 
		SourceForge which has a size restriction on attachments.
	
		Gameplay Options Dialog has been implemented together with a 
		slew of extra features that can be configured

		The speed of the party may be configured
		
		Middle mouse button support

		Fast mouse in full-screen modes

		Tinted background behind text in conversations

		Wheelmouse support for slider gumps

		You can now freeze in SI

		Multiracial Avatar support in BG (requires SI)

		The currently playing music track is stored within savegames
		so that it started again on load

		Scheduled usecode is now retained between save/load

		Endgame and Quotes entries in the menus are now only visible
		when appropriate

		Allow choice of MIDI device in Win32

		Many broken animations were fixed (especially in SI)

		Show SFX icon next to BG/SI to show that support for digital
		sfx is enabled.

		Tons of bugfixes (see ChangeLog for details)

08/25/01	v0.94 alpha 5

		Colourless' amazing stats display (press "r" to toggle the 
		various modes)

		Lots of work on performance improvements (faster scalers,
		faster renderer, etc.)

		Near-perfect dungeon renderer

		Lots of work on MacOS by Fingolfin (both Classic and MacOS X),
		including MIDI support.

		Return to menu option in BG and SI game menus

		Detect incorrect/incomplete path settings in the configuration
		file and show only valid entries (BG/SI) in the main menu.
		If neither game is available, a warning is displayed.

		Video Options in-game menu (still incomplete)

		Text/speech synch in BG intro and near-perfect butterfly 
		animation

		Support for scale > 2 in Point and Interlaced scalers

		Exult now compiles with MS Visual C++

		Tons of bugfixes (see ChangeLog for details)

06/28/01	v0.93 alpha 4

		There is a new in-game menu (invoked with ESC) from which 
		various setup actions can be performed. Currently this 
		includes a nice audio configurator.

		The save gump has been improved greatly with support for a
		mini-screenshot, save-game details and infinite savegames.

		World wrapping has been implemented

		Lots of work on SI (spell scrolls, spellbook, jawbone and 
		combat gumps, keyring, general fixes)

		We now have Near Pixel Perfect Maps (tm) which are displayed
		when using the teleport cheats.

		MIDI SFX are unsupported now by default. The use of digital 
		SFX is strongly encouraged, even though there are still a few
		problems. See the FAQ for details.

		Combat has been improved: NPCs now flash red when they are
		hit, Protection mode is supported and many bugs have been 
		fixed

		Win32 SMP-safeness

		More work on ExultStudio (Linux only for now)

		Tons of bugfixes (see the ChangeLog for details)

04/11/01	v0.92 alpha 3

		Savegame names have been changed to exultXXbg.sav for the
		Black Gate, and exultXXsi.sav for the Serpent Isle.
		(The savegames themselves have not changed, so you can rename
		them to make them work again.)

		Multiple scalers can now be used. Use config/video/scale_method
		set to either "2xSaI", "bilinear", "point", "interlaced" and
		"SuperEagle". "2xSaI" is the new scaler, "bilinear" is the old
		one, "point" duplicates the pixels, "interlaced" is the same 
		as "point" except misses every other line, "SuperEagle" is
		another scaler by Derek (the author of 2xSaI).

		New cheat screen (F2) similar to the originals'.
		Currently allows for some level of NPC editing.

		Pick Pocket cheat (Ctrl-Alt-P). Forces all actors to display
		inventory.

		Grab Actor cheat (Ctrl-Alt-G). Default Enabled. When enabled
		clicking on a NPC will make it the default NPC in the cheat
		screen. The default NPC is edited by not entering a npc number.

		NPC Numbers cheat (Ctrl-N). When enabled, clicking an a NPC
		will display their number instead of their name.

		More NPC schedules (sew, lab-work, etc.) implemented.

		Many bugs (especially combat/weapons and audio) fixed.

		Black Gate paperdoll art by Adam Delman and Philip Gottschalk

02/08/01	v0.91 alpha 2

		Dynamic keybindings. Use config/disk/game/(gametitle)/keys
		to specify a keybinding-file. See data/default.key for an
		example.

		Can now use the Serpent Isle paperdolls while playing
		The Black Gate. To use, the Serpent Isle path in the 
		config file must be filled in with an absolute path.
		Paperdolls may be a little buggy.

		Massive code restructuring and cleanup (use STL wherever
		possible, pervasive use of namespaces, more portable C++
		conformance, etc.) These changes have the side effect of
		improving stability.

		Gamma correction (use + and -)

		More schedules support

		Improved, easier to use shape browser

		Serpent Isle paperdolls

		Improved weapons support

		Support for the French version of BG (Frederic Wagner)
	
		Alpha/Linux cxx support (Christoph Reichenbach)

		Allow for disabling/enabling of palette fades

		Improved BG intro (plasma screen, animations, etc)

		New cheats (Heal, Resurrect, Max Party Level)

		Sound Tester (Alt-1)

		Screen Shots (Ctrl-Alt-S)

		Reworked audio subsystem (including MIDI repeat support for 
		Timidity)

		Loads of bug fixes (Read ChangeLog for details)


11/20/00:	v0.90 alpha 1

		New scaling code contributed by Derek Liauw Kie Fa 
		(2xSaI filter)

		Exult logo & menu at startup & mouse support in menu

		Many more cheats (ArchWizard, Hack-mover, ...)
	
		Key ring for BG (same as original SI)

		Improved help
	
		About box

		GIMP plugin is functional (load & save)

		Better SI support (not playable yet)

		Midi Sound Effects (Windows & Timidity only)

		Tons and tons of fixes (magic, schedules, weights, dungeons,
		missile eggs, explosions, invisibility, protection, ...)

		More quotes & credits :-)

8/22/00:	v0.40
		Note:  ALL save games from before this update are now broken.
		Games must be restarted.

		Better introduction sequence. Can be interrupted by
		keypress.

		Main menu implemented.

		Proper instruments in MIDI music and XMI support.
		
		Cheating mode: any keys which enable additional features can
		be disabled/enabled from the config file

		'God mode' (alt-G) and teleport (ctrl-alt-t) cheat added.

		Support for barges (Flying carpet, ships, carts...)

		Teleports.

		Combat:  Monsters attack, and the music plays.

		More shortcuts:  'f', 'w', 'm', 'b'.

		Serpent Isle awareness (not useful yet)

		Better shape browser.

		The usual slew of bug-fixes.


7/6/00:		V0.35
		Scrolling works like the original.  Same for conversations.

		First attempt at combat:  You can attack/kill monsters, but
		generally (with a few exceptions), they don't fight back.

		Spellbook and magic (some spells at least) work.

		Weather:  Storms, clouds.

		Scaling:  2X scaling with antialiasing.  See README for
		details.

6/2/00:		V0.30
		Save/load implemented.

		MIDI improvements in Windows version.

		More animations:  You can see the weapons being carried.

		Better object identification and inventory management.

		View the endgame movie by hitting F10.

		NPC schedules/pathfinding improved.

		Moongates work.

		Sleeping works (but animation not done).

5/8/00:		V0.26
		MIDI in Windows version!!

		Correct Avatar/NPC animation frames (finally), and improvements
		to 'seashore' animations.

		Inventory improved:  Armor, etc. goes where it's supposed to
		(although there are still a few things to be fixed).

		You can now read signs, books, and scrolls.

		Much improved shape browser (a development aid).

		Many bug fixes.

		New pathfinding framework.

		New object access API for some data-objects

4/25/00:	V0.25
		Improved midi support using the timidity binary and patchsets
		under linux.

		Earthquakes (except in Win32 version)!

		In-game scripted introduction.

		More animated objects.

		Some NPC schedules now implemented.

		Lighting and transparency.

		Better USECODE support. You can solve the Trinsic murder, and
		then answer the mayor's copy-protection questions to get the
		password.  Also speed, compilation and debugging improvements.

		Improved inventory support.  You can buy items, and feed
		Iolo.

		Better support for building win32 targets.

		Improved rendering pipeline. Still not perfect, but definitely
		a vast improvement.

3/23/00:	V0.20
		Speech and midi support from Dancer Vesperman, as well as
		automatic configuration.

		Inventory partly working.  You can open bags and boxes, and
		drag items in/out of them.

		Mouse pointers and fonts from Ultima7 are now used.

		Animated objects (like fountains and flags) supported.

2/29/00:	V0.12
		Fixed crashes at start and after initial conversation, thanks
		to Richard Wesley.

		Added obstacle detection.  You now need to open doors to get
		through them, and you can climb up/down stairs.

		Replaced XLib and Win32 code with the SDL library.  Should make
		porting to Windows far easier.

2/20/00:	V0.11
		Loads of improvements to the USECODE interpreter, especially
		with conversations.

2/10/00:	V0.10
		Added USECODE interpreter.  
		Removed my previous conversation engine (which I'll use in
		another project).
		Exult creates the "gamedat" directory and files automatically.
		Moved web site to exult.sourceforge.com.

7/5/99:		W.J. Palenstijn's WIN32 port!

6/10/99:	First attempt at obstacle avoidance.

5/28/99:	Wrote a script compiler for NPC's.

5/24/99:	Modified conversation engine to handle the notion of a
		conversation "topic".  Also show character "portraits".

4/23/99:	From Tristan Tarrant:  Read item names from "text.flx" instead
		of trying to enumerate them in the code.

4/14/99:	V0.07
		First implementation of an NPC conversation engine.

12/21/98:	V0.06
		Startup memory requirements are reduced dramatically.
		A port to MSDOS (320x200 VGA) is added.

12/4/98:	V0.05
		Added text rendering using the FreeType package and the
		"avatar.ttf" font.  Left-clicking on many of the game items
		now causes their names to show on the screen.

11/5/98:	V0.04
		2 other characters walk around randomly.
		Double-click on doors and shutters to open/shut them.
		Program exits gracefully when window is closed.

10/14/98:	V0.03
		Avatar now walks around using the right-mouse button.

10/6/98:	V0.02
		Show moveable objects from "ireg" files.
		Read in all objects shown.  Improves display performance.
		Attempt (with partial success) to show objects in proper
		z-order.

9/25/98:	V0.01
		Try to open files first lower-case, then upper (u7open()).