v1.25 Progress Thread

[Eric.B]

Dragging my butt back here to write one of these. (Really should get around to automating this post from my ticketing system... One of these days.)

I have been working on what will become version 1.25 Release Candidate 1 for testing build users. Most of the tickets for this build have been completed. So I switched to text based content. Currently, I am going through the text/localization file and removing duplicate entries due to formatting. For example, each one of these is currently an entry: "Sales", "Sales:", and "Sales: ". So to reduce the work load for translators, they now only have to translate "Sales" and the formatting is hardcoded into the game. In additional to that, I am looking into reducing the amount of help button text that needs to be translated by making some entries more generic, and merging entries with only a couple noun differences. I have also pulled out Random Newspaper clips and Magazine Reviews from the main localization files and put them in their own files (existing translations were kept).

So what's all the fuss with this stuff? Well, once I finish reducing the text in the game, I will implement several new text/speech tutorials, similar to the main tutorial. The goal is to come out ahead with a smaller word count but more text content.

As mentioned previously, this will be a long release window. As I am planning on v1.25 to be the last save game update. As such, there is still probably 1-2 months remaining before RC1 is released to testing build.

Here is what has been done so far:
-GUI: Fixed several window and text cuttoff issues.
-GUI: Added build date to factory construction estimated production information.
-Bugfix: Fixed Wall Street Raider Achievement triggers.
-Bugfix: Fixed Auto Production not producing contracted designs first.
-Bugfix: Fixed Auto Production not producing enough vehicles in limited conflict cities.
-Bugfix: Fixed Auto Production producing in cities that are producing munitions.
-Bugfix: Fixed possible reaching of Advanced Designer without a selection of all three components. Also changed the error message.
-GUI: Increased Web Browser Reports window size to avoid texture skewing on some machines.
-Gameplay: Auto design for engine contract moved to RnD contract window.
-Bugfix: Fixed Auto design for engine contract system. (Should produce working engines now.)
-Gameplay: Implemented an advance game setting which limits the amount of acquitiions or merging you can do, based on the size of the companies you acquire. The larger the company, the longer you will have to wait before you can buy another company.
-GUI: You can now preview game information in the Load Game window.
-Community: Webchat re-enabled for 64-bit builds. IRC channel has been moved back to Esper.net.
-GUI: IRC window is now persistent in every part of the game, sound notifications play when someone writes. (You can disable this in the webchat settings.)
-Bugfix: AI dividends are now automatically set to a locked rate. To reduce the amount of lawsuits.
-Gameplay: You can now exit out of a Stock Takeover Approval action memo to view the companies before making your choice.
-Gameplay: Removed chassis weight's effect chassis length sliders.
-Bugfix: Fixed several instances where the RnD/Showroom floor does not reposition it self inline with the vehicle.
-GUI: Fixed several issues with the assign contracts window lists. Including vehicles with enough reserves but no production causing the window to popup.
-GUI: Newly funded racing teams will now turn green immediately in the series list.
-Bugfix: Fixed several issues with the racing results charts and reports.
-Bugfix: Fixed delayed issue with factory costs in the reports.
-Bugfix: Fixed percentage issues with Quarterly and Annual Operations reports.

And probably a few things reported to me on the forums that I forgot to record.