To the creators of EDGE

People can't take it anymore. They are experiencing a LOT of problems, mostly due in part to the open GL.

We want software mode back.

The biggest problem I have is that occasionally when loading EDGE, I get the "initializing" and then my computer COMPLETELY locks up. Extremely annoying.

Post your complaints at the EDGE forums; the creators would be more likely to see it.

Edge has a forum? Oh, that little forum no one views, I see.

Making snide little complaints against them isn't going to turn the whole project around. Honestly, the problems don't lie in the GL rendering, but the fact that the whole engine is a mess in general.

Chrono Teeth is in no position to make demands.

Isn't that all he does?

Look, i'm just saying, as a whole and for many people, that this port could really benefit with the return of software mode.

Some problems with 1.29RC2 have already been fixed, and hopefully the full 1.29 release will be stable. But software mode is as dead as the Dodo.

Software mode Dead? Nonsense!

The only problem I have with the new version is the OpenAL sound library. It doesn't seem to be very compatible with a lot of the onboard sound cards.

Other than that the engine also appears to run a lot faster.

Once there's 1.29 release with that damn IDCLEV bug removed, I'll be happy.

I don't like the whole level change system at all in EDGE. They should make it so you only have to put in the two numbers for the map, not MAP itself. :(

Hey, at least it accounts for non-standard map names.

Bashe said:

I don't like the whole level change system at all in EDGE. They should make it so you only have to put in the two numbers for the map, not MAP itself. :(

Given that EDGE supports any map name format - its doesn't have to follow exmx or mapxx - you have to cater for that. I liked it at least you could see what you were typing.

Chrono_T said:

Look, i'm just saying, as a whole and for many people, that this port could really benefit with the return of software mode.

Please explain?

By people he means himself.

Actually I can ruin it quite well in GLedge.

If it helps, I can get a screen grab to show you.

If the screen grab can help you explain to me why you think that software mode appears to be the root of all Evil. Is it that you don't like the OpenGL mode and if so, why do you not like OpenGL Mode. (Please use a 1000 words of less when completing your answer).

Apparently there's some kind of minor portion of the community that needs software mode - I just posted news about RC3's release at the Armory and I've already recieved a complaint that it still doesn't have software.

I honestly believe it was in your best interests to ditch the software mode, because it means the code is easier to maintain (and no year-long waits for any form of progress).

WildWeasel said:

Apparently there's some kind of minor portion of the community that needs software mode - I just posted news about RC3's release at the Armory and I've already recieved a complaint that it still doesn't have software.

Thats why I code for 1.28a

Derrick said:

Thats why I code for 1.28a

The question was 'why?'. I still don't understand what is so wrong with OpenGL mode?

WildWeasel said:

...I just posted news about RC3's release at the Armory...

The Armory? Where is this website?

WW said that they need it, meaning that some people's cards won't work in open GL

Chrono_T said:

WW said that they need it, meaning that some people's cards won't work in open GL

When WW said 'need' I thought he meant "emotional need" as opposed to "technical need". Even the most basic card has some kind of 3d capability this days, even in windozes. I'm using an on-board Intel card which does the GL quiet well.

DarkknightXC said:

The Armory? Where is this website?

http://armory.drdteam.org/

And I just realized that the homepage link in my profile is out of date...must fix.

Thats the thing, quite a bit of people don't have cards that are up to date with it, nor are compatible with open GL.

Chrono_T said:

Thats the thing, quite a bit of people don't have cards that are up to date with it, nor are compatible with open GL.

Myself and Andrew unfortunately do not have a infinite amount of time to commit to EDGE, in fact our available time is quite sparse. Maintaining software mode was potentially very time consuming and the majority of people didn't use it, so it was something of a no-brainer to ditch the software renderer.

This may sound harsh, but its late 2005 and even your most cheap/primitive 3D card can run EDGE. Therefore it seems not an unreasonable ask. I have an old laptop running linux on an ATI Mach64 and it does the job (although I don't think basic windozes drivers support OpenGL). A 16mb TNT2 is also sufficent.

Chrono_T said:

Thats the thing, quite a bit of people don't have cards that are up to date with it, nor are compatible with open GL.

Quite a number of people? Who? It's not like we're talking about a cutting-edge new technology here.


I'd say with total confidence that out of 100 Game players at most 2 do *not* have OpenGL: should the other 98% pay the price for the 2% who don't have openGL *at the moment*?

Sprite based games look like shit rendered in openGL, unless for visual consistancy you also have 3d models for monsters/items/decorations.