Quzar wrote:I think the biggest improvement that could be made easily (relatively) to it would be removing sdl in the sound code.
Disabling the sound altogether makes it only 1 FPS faster. I know there are a few issues with SDL, like the memory leaks, but so far I haven't had problems with it. Plus, I know nothing about audio programming (this is actually the main reason why I didn't do it).
Frikfile being saved on the VMU, even if it's just 1 file at a time. So if you're playing Prydon with Frikfile, it'd save it, then loading another mod using it would overwrite it since it can only use 1 Frikfile at a time (It'd be cool for a way around this ofcoure).
This is on my "to do" list since the version 1.0. Saving files in the VMU is easy, but I still haven't figured out how to integrate it in a simple and easy way for both the modders and the end users.
So far my plans are to save the files on the VMU, using the same name of the other VMU files for the game, but with the extension F##. What I haven't figured out yet is when is the best time to save and to load the files, how to associate each FrikFile with a specific VMU file, and some other stuff. I want to find a way for this to be done automatically with no need to change the QC code.
But I will probably find an adequate way to do it, as this is a feature I may need in the future.
DaMadFiddler wrote:a menu option for moving the HUD to the VMU
Actually, there's a good chance of this happening, because I'm planning to use this feature in my current project.
DaMadFiddler wrote:a wireframe overhead map like in DOOM
This is impossible because of the complexity of the Quake maps. Displaying a kind of pre-made map would be possible, but would be kinda hard to implement and would require extra content.
DaMadFiddler wrote:integrating Dreamcast control configuration into the main menu
I'm not sure what you mean, could you elaborate more? The controller's commands can be changed in the Customize Controls menu, and the sensitivity and deadzone of each analog input can be customized in the Controller Options menu.
If a mod/TC uses a command not available in the Customize Controls menu, you can add it by adding the line "menu_keys_addcommand
newcommand" to the file autoexec.cfg.
DaMadFiddler wrote:support for the DC modem
That's beyond my skills.
DaMadFiddler wrote:Support for as many of the common engine cusomizations and advanced effects as are practical.
Many extensions implemented in Makaqu were taken from other engines. I usually implement something when it is easy to do, or when I think that it is very necessary. Also sometimes I don't add a feature because I don't remember to do it.
DaMadFiddler wrote:An option for widescreen output.
I'm not sure about this because I don't have a widescreen TV. But if all that's needed is a certain resolution and aspect ratio, it's doable.
DaMadFiddler wrote:One thing that may actually be possible: a more polished mod selector.
Hmm... any ideas? What I can think of are a screenshot display, a background image, and support for longer descriptions.
DaMadFiddler wrote:Perhaps even rework this in terms of a startup menu (like the Inducer menus), so that when you hit "Quit" in Quake you're dropped directly back to the modlist.
This is complicated. The Quake engine wasn't designed to be restarted "on the fly", so there's no way to go directly back to the modlist. I only see two ways to make the modlist appear again:
- Rebooting the Dreamcast. This will be useless if the disc you're using is not selfboot.
- Loading the engine's binary from the CD, as the bootdiscs does. This only works if you have a binary of the engine in the disc you're playing, which may not happen if you swapped discs.
Anyway, this is a feature that would be cool to add.