ManiaPlanet 4 - All we know about next update
Posted: 17 Apr 2016, 19:41
Since many players have found interesting things in TMTurbo files, I decided to put everything we know about MP4 in this topic. Please note, that this list may not be 100% correct, as some Turbo features might not come to ManiaPlanet.
New environment TrackMania 2 Lagoon (TMLagoon)
Logo leaked: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... onLogo.jpg
With most of the content from TMTurbo, probably cut fancy flashing advertisements and flying inflatables.
Featuring also these blocks being hidden in Turbo:
Stadium:
https://images-1.discordapp.net/.eJwNyU ... JMA5-E.png
Valley:
Completely new solo campaign, all runs are always official (like in TM Turbo)
"It’s at the occasion of this update that we’ll officialize the records done in the solo on Trackmania and we’ll launch a new season on the campaigns of Canyon/Valley/Stadium/Lagoon which will integrate the modifications of the tracks, also allowing to integrate some new blocks and rules changes like the switch to the “always officialâ€." - Hylis
New attributes in game mode context (CTmMode)
TrackMania game modes can attach and detach ghosts visible for all players on the server. Ghost have results with checkpoint times, so it's possible to shot actual time difference between the ghost and local player.
ShootMania
More gameplay mechanics
"We work to expand the number of actions possible for Shootmania while being careful to keep the consistency of one gameplay in depth. [...] We work to develop some types of items like, as first important examples, a turret or drone system, allowing to more easily imagine the design of solo training experiences for Shootmania." - Hylis
Vehicle items and driveable cars
Vehicle items for ShootMania, which can be found on map, entered, driven like a normal TrackMania car and left at any moment.
Video material: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ooy13yfcgan4p4u/DamienVid.mp4
"It’ll be now possible to put Trackmania vehicles and the Shootmania character on the same network game and to interact and to commute from the control from one to another." - Hylis
Walking on walls (Boolean CSmMode::WalkOnWall)
Value in the context of gamemode. Yet unknown how it might work, but probably in one of these cases:
Players can now have bots working like "pets" - bot with owner will probably follow them and shoot the same target as owner or nearby targets.
Note: Bots can be also spawned with owner, instead of normal spawn or path. That means it will be possible to summon pets near owners in custom modes.
Warlords title pack / game mode
Old prototype game mode being reworked by Nerpson in Nadeo's new "TrackMania / ShootMania maker".
"It’s a game mode which mixes a strategic and diplomatic game at a high level, in a spatial map, and Shootmania battles during the control point phases of the opponents fortress." - Hylis
Inventory and the Store systems
Siege Archetype:
https://github.com/maniaplanet/game-mod ... 0fc6b55348
New kind of landmark: Bot Spawn
Probably block that can spawn bot players instead of path.
UPDATE: It may just refer to "character" items placed on map by its creator, so mode creators could access their positions.
New kinds of mode events (CSmModeEvent)
EType { OnModuleShowRequest, OnModuleHideRequest, OnModuleStorePurchase, OnModuleInventoryDrop, OnModuleInventoryEquip }
Exact purpose is unknown, but everything points that these events will be related to inventory management and store.
Other way to change player color (CSmPlayer)
Can finally get the color HUE given to a player by game mode and force custom HUE, just like ForceColor.
ManiaPlanet
Interface redone with manialinks and ManiaScript
"The whole interfaces of the Maniaplanet project have the ambition to be replaced with the Manialink system, we regularly do improvements in order to allow the development of more beautiful interfaces more efficiently. For instance, we did set up an improved depth system, as well as an API for the realization of efficient animations." - Hylis
Perormance upgrades, 64bit architecture support and DirectX 11
"A 64-bit version made available, DirectX 11 enabled, more multitasking, improvement in the speed of lightmap calculations and several others optimizations such as game loadings or scripts. [...] We work at improving the engine on some aspects such as adding some visual effects to enhance immersion. We wish to work on the rendering of projectiles & explosions. We alse work on the general rendering of the map, with the generation of modifications on a large scale linked to the different blocks laid, or on a smaller scale to improve the light junctions in some cases, and add procedurally generated detailed elements. [...] Optimizations and new blocks for Trackmania Canyon, Valley and Lagoon. It’s an important work that is done and which require a lot of time and involve to come back on the blocks to optimize them, complete them with some missing variants and to add new collection that we’ll unveil later in the previews which will take place before the beta." - Hylis
Improvements to the Item Editor and (maybe) custom items modelling in-game
"The 3D object modelling and the creation of operation of procedural texturing. [...] We have the project to improve the map editor in connection with the use of items to improve the combinatorial edition and enjoy the possibility which will be given to the players to create their own items in Maniaplanet." - Hylis
More possibilities for players groups, chat system reworked, R.I.P. Evidence
New Clublink website: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/k1b ... t_club.png
T"o ease the communication between different groups of players, we work at integrating the concept at the scale of the Maniaplanet system. We’re revamping the buddies chat interface, which will integrate more features for the chat with several players, and some early features to help playing in groups or communities." - Hylis
Auto-generated websites for title packs, "titles in titles"
"The titles creators will have a generated website, dedicated to their title, easing the download of their experience and allowing to communicate information to an external public who will continue to have access at the titles for free in demo mode for a duration of one hour per day or for a solo content of the first maps of the campaigns. [...] There will be titles which could be dedicated to the titles creation and so enable more expert players to propose to the less expert users the possibility to use their canvas to compose others campaigns integrating others data created by others players for example." - Hylis
Voice chat (CUser)
Yet unknown if it will be implemented and how it will work. Evidence for this can be found in CUser class. Probably voice chat can be activated on servers and manage users (mute/unmute) without need for a server controller.
Script context in menu manialink has been changed and it now features TitleFlow object, containing some useful functions:
"We develop the systems which will allow us to enable official tries in solo for custom titles. Those official tries could use the rule of “always official†which will prevail with the Maniaplanet 4 update." - Hylis
Videos management (CVideoManager, CVideo, CImage)
Manager for the video files, similar to CAudioManager. Can bind video to CMlQuad and enable buffering. Can be used eg. for ingame video sharing service.
Steam exclusive: No need to restart game when changing base environment
Still to be confirmed, we have a compatible solution with external game software management solutions to allow to commute environments without needing to restart the application (for Steam versions)." - Hylis
Script debugging improvements - check time needed to accomplish code line
"To simplify the debug of the script, the callstacks in script are now visible if there is an error. For the performance part it is now possible to check the time spent in each line of the script after its execution." - Hylis
More control in editor plugins / map types
Plugins can now edit blocks skins, completely hide default editor interface and edit items.
Changes in elements positioning (CMlControl)
Absolute and relative positions are now Vec2 variables, with additional Real ZIndex variable.
It will be possible to modify fog parameters, mostly to improve minimap visibility.
TrackManiaTL;DR
TrackManiaShootMania
- TrackMania 2 Lagoon with city blocks
- New blocks for existing TM2 environments
- TrackMania will receive some creative stuff for developers.
- General optimization to all existing environments blocks.
- (Maybe) Collisions in multiplayer
- TMTurbo Bonus game mode features (car scaling, earthquake, etc.)
- Enable air control and jumps for all players
- Use turbo boost under special button
- New solo campaigns for existing TM2 environments, where all times are automatically official.
- (Maybe) Custom cars with custom physics as items
- Many new features for ingame manialinks (engine RPM, gear, drift and jump distance, etc.)
- Show custom ghosts while racing on servers
ManiaPlanet
- More gameplay mechanics for ShootMania.
- Vehicle items for ShootMania, which can be found on map, entered, driven like a normal TrackMania car and left at any moment:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ooy13yfcgan4p4u/DamienVid.mp4- ShootMania: turret items (which already exist) and (probably) drones.
- Some sort of walking on walls
- Bots can be bound to the player and work like "pets"
- Inventory manager and items Store (no, no micro-transactions, sleep well)
- New blocks/items working as bot spawners
- New strategy game mode for ShootMania - Warlords (sample of the new editors abilities).
- Siege archetype:
https://github.com/maniaplanet/game-mod ... 0fc6b55348[/b]
- (Maybe) Voice chat
- Tons of new possibilities in title packs menu manialinks
- Performance: 64 bit client, support of the DirectX 11 library, multitasking.
- Quicker load times and light maps computation.
- More visual effects for deeper experience (probably reflections and more particles).
- Improvements in the map rendering (probably not rendering not visibleblocks).
- Steam: system allowing switching environments without restarting the game.
- Title packs: auto-generated website for a title pack, where author can share news and other stuff.
- Editors: 3D items modelling, scores table editor, store, title packs dedicated to custom made edition tools.
- Script: easier find of the exceptions, displaying time taken to run a specific code line.
- Menus: most of the menus rewritten using manialinks, using efficient and smooth transitions.
- New class that contains information about gamepads (pressed buttons, axis, rumble)
- Changes in manialinks elements positioning
- Video manager, media players and video buffering
- Some more control for manialink minimaps and labels
- Global rankings of the official times available for custom title pack campaigns.
- Map editor: some improvements regarding items.
- Chat: completely redone, new design direction and features (rip Evidence).
- Editor plugins can hide editor interface and manage blocks skins
New environment TrackMania 2 Lagoon (TMLagoon)
Logo leaked: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... onLogo.jpg
With most of the content from TMTurbo, probably cut fancy flashing advertisements and flying inflatables.
Featuring also these blocks being hidden in Turbo:
New blocks for existing TM2 environments
Stadium:
https://images-1.discordapp.net/.eJwNyU ... JMA5-E.png
Valley:
Completely new solo campaign, all runs are always official (like in TM Turbo)
"It’s at the occasion of this update that we’ll officialize the records done in the solo on Trackmania and we’ll launch a new season on the campaigns of Canyon/Valley/Stadium/Lagoon which will integrate the modifications of the tracks, also allowing to integrate some new blocks and rules changes like the switch to the “always officialâ€." - Hylis
New attributes in game mode context (CTmMode)
- Boolean EnableCollisions
It enables collisions in local split screen and monoscreen modes. Yet unknown if it will work on online servers. - Boolean EnableScaleCar
Allows players cars models to be tiny or huge. - Boolean EnableCheckpointBonus
When True, passing control points will give player random bonuses. - Boolean EnableUniqueCamera
Unknown. - Boolean EnableBonusEvents
Unknown yet, but it seems like it enables random events from Bonus mode, like earthquakes, no engine phase and no steering.
- Ident ForceModelId
It will be possible to force car skin of a specific player in gamemodes. It might be even possible to create custom cars with custom physics and use them online in title packs (different cars for different players). - Boolean EnableStuntMode
Air control of the cars from Turbo Stunts modes and jump feature. - ETmJumpMode JumpMode
Enumerator telling how many jumps player can perform: can't jump, one jump, double, infinite amount of jumps. - Boolean EnableTurboButton
Enables Turbo boost on demand button. Player can use Turbo when they want, but there are no variables that can change amount of Turbo available to use. - Boolean TinyCar
If True, vehicle is scaled down. - Boolean ButtonSmashFrenzy
Enables Smash mechanic to use for acceletation - player has to frequently press gas button in order to accelerate. - Boolean ForceAerialCamera
Yet unknown, probably forces the monoscreen-like camera view for the player. - Integer ControllerId0 - ControllerId3
Ids of the controllers used to control the vehicle. Probably can enable even TripleDriver or QuadraDriver modes!
- Possible to get real values of vehicle controls, like steering and acceleration amount.
- Access to latest stunt information: time, name, points, angle and so on.
- Can check if player is in water and how long.
- Can check if player has engine turned off and for how long.
- Possible to get actual engine RPM, active gear and current Turbo block intensity.
- Get the real amount of vehicle model damage for hull and windows.
- Get the duration of drift, air time, light trails (unknown when).
- Get the distance of current drift and jump.
- Get the active bonus obtained after checkpoint in Bonus mode.
TrackMania game modes can attach and detach ghosts visible for all players on the server. Ghost have results with checkpoint times, so it's possible to shot actual time difference between the ghost and local player.
ShootMania
More gameplay mechanics
"We work to expand the number of actions possible for Shootmania while being careful to keep the consistency of one gameplay in depth. [...] We work to develop some types of items like, as first important examples, a turret or drone system, allowing to more easily imagine the design of solo training experiences for Shootmania." - Hylis
Vehicle items and driveable cars
Vehicle items for ShootMania, which can be found on map, entered, driven like a normal TrackMania car and left at any moment.
Video material: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ooy13yfcgan4p4u/DamienVid.mp4
"It’ll be now possible to put Trackmania vehicles and the Shootmania character on the same network game and to interact and to commute from the control from one to another." - Hylis
Walking on walls (Boolean CSmMode::WalkOnWall)
Value in the context of gamemode. Yet unknown how it might work, but probably in one of these cases:
- Players could walk on all kind of walls present on the map, or just castle blocks.
- There might be new kind of power path, that allows walking staight to sky and upside down - most probable!
- For now player stands straight vetically. This value might just allow players to be rotated.
Players can now have bots working like "pets" - bot with owner will probably follow them and shoot the same target as owner or nearby targets.
Note: Bots can be also spawned with owner, instead of normal spawn or path. That means it will be possible to summon pets near owners in custom modes.
Warlords title pack / game mode
Old prototype game mode being reworked by Nerpson in Nadeo's new "TrackMania / ShootMania maker".
"It’s a game mode which mixes a strategic and diplomatic game at a high level, in a spatial map, and Shootmania battles during the control point phases of the opponents fortress." - Hylis
Inventory and the Store systems
- CGamePlaygroundModuleServer
- CGamePlaygroundModuleServerHud
- CGamePlaygroundModuleServerInventory
- CGamePlaygroundModuleServerScoresTable
- CGamePlaygroundModuleServerStore
Siege Archetype:
https://github.com/maniaplanet/game-mod ... 0fc6b55348
New kind of landmark: Bot Spawn
Probably block that can spawn bot players instead of path.
UPDATE: It may just refer to "character" items placed on map by its creator, so mode creators could access their positions.
New kinds of mode events (CSmModeEvent)
EType { OnModuleShowRequest, OnModuleHideRequest, OnModuleStorePurchase, OnModuleInventoryDrop, OnModuleInventoryEquip }
Exact purpose is unknown, but everything points that these events will be related to inventory management and store.
Other way to change player color (CSmPlayer)
Can finally get the color HUE given to a player by game mode and force custom HUE, just like ForceColor.
ManiaPlanet
Interface redone with manialinks and ManiaScript
"The whole interfaces of the Maniaplanet project have the ambition to be replaced with the Manialink system, we regularly do improvements in order to allow the development of more beautiful interfaces more efficiently. For instance, we did set up an improved depth system, as well as an API for the realization of efficient animations." - Hylis
Perormance upgrades, 64bit architecture support and DirectX 11
"A 64-bit version made available, DirectX 11 enabled, more multitasking, improvement in the speed of lightmap calculations and several others optimizations such as game loadings or scripts. [...] We work at improving the engine on some aspects such as adding some visual effects to enhance immersion. We wish to work on the rendering of projectiles & explosions. We alse work on the general rendering of the map, with the generation of modifications on a large scale linked to the different blocks laid, or on a smaller scale to improve the light junctions in some cases, and add procedurally generated detailed elements. [...] Optimizations and new blocks for Trackmania Canyon, Valley and Lagoon. It’s an important work that is done and which require a lot of time and involve to come back on the blocks to optimize them, complete them with some missing variants and to add new collection that we’ll unveil later in the previews which will take place before the beta." - Hylis
Improvements to the Item Editor and (maybe) custom items modelling in-game
"The 3D object modelling and the creation of operation of procedural texturing. [...] We have the project to improve the map editor in connection with the use of items to improve the combinatorial edition and enjoy the possibility which will be given to the players to create their own items in Maniaplanet." - Hylis
More possibilities for players groups, chat system reworked, R.I.P. Evidence
New Clublink website: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/k1b ... t_club.png
T"o ease the communication between different groups of players, we work at integrating the concept at the scale of the Maniaplanet system. We’re revamping the buddies chat interface, which will integrate more features for the chat with several players, and some early features to help playing in groups or communities." - Hylis
Auto-generated websites for title packs, "titles in titles"
"The titles creators will have a generated website, dedicated to their title, easing the download of their experience and allowing to communicate information to an external public who will continue to have access at the titles for free in demo mode for a duration of one hour per day or for a solo content of the first maps of the campaigns. [...] There will be titles which could be dedicated to the titles creation and so enable more expert players to propose to the less expert users the possibility to use their canvas to compose others campaigns integrating others data created by others players for example." - Hylis
Voice chat (CUser)
Yet unknown if it will be implemented and how it will work. Evidence for this can be found in CUser class. Probably voice chat can be activated on servers and manage users (mute/unmute) without need for a server controller.
- Boolean VoiceChat_IsSupported
- Boolean VoiceChat_IsSpeaking
- Boolean VoiceChat_IsMuted
- EMuteSetting VoiceChat_MuteSetting
Script context in menu manialink has been changed and it now features TitleFlow object, containing some useful functions:
- PlayMap, PlayMapList, PlayPlaylist
Will launch solo maps (outside of campaign), with specific mode and probably ability to change script settings as XML document in function attribute. - PlaySplitScreen
Same as above, but it starts split screen mode. It's possible to set how screen is split (horizontal, vertical, grid). - PlayMultiOnSameScreen
Unknown, but looks very interesting. In attributes there is enumerator telling how screen is split, so it might somehow allow to play multiplayer with 2 or more players on same computer. It can be also just monoscreen fearure. So far it's unknown for now. - ViewReplay
As it sounds, it will open replay context menu, where you can edit replay or watch it. - EditMap
It will open map editor with specific map, forced editor plugin and it's settings XML file. - EditNewMap
Will run editor with empty map. Can select environment, decoration, player model name, texture pack, map type, force editor plugin and its settings. - EditBadges
Probably opens skin editor like in TMTurbo. - JoinServer_GetInfo
Will download information of the server, which login has been specified in function attribute, and set this information in CServerInfo class.
- CInputManager
Class with list of connected input devices and their events (CInputEvent, atm only button press). Can get name of the action that is bound to a gamepad button. Has variables containing mouse pointer position and its buttons states, like in manialinks. - CInputPad
Object representing connected input device. Detects type of the device (keyboard, DirectInput pad, XInput pad, DualShock). Can get press state of the buttons and real values fkr the axes. Control rumble (if supported) and set DualShock light color.
"We develop the systems which will allow us to enable official tries in solo for custom titles. Those official tries could use the rule of “always official†which will prevail with the Maniaplanet 4 update." - Hylis
Videos management (CVideoManager, CVideo, CImage)
Manager for the video files, similar to CAudioManager. Can bind video to CMlQuad and enable buffering. Can be used eg. for ingame video sharing service.
Steam exclusive: No need to restart game when changing base environment
Still to be confirmed, we have a compatible solution with external game software management solutions to allow to commute environments without needing to restart the application (for Steam versions)." - Hylis
Script debugging improvements - check time needed to accomplish code line
"To simplify the debug of the script, the callstacks in script are now visible if there is an error. For the performance part it is now possible to check the time spent in each line of the script after its execution." - Hylis
More control in editor plugins / map types
Plugins can now edit blocks skins, completely hide default editor interface and edit items.
Changes in elements positioning (CMlControl)
Absolute and relative positions are now Vec2 variables, with additional Real ZIndex variable.
- Vec2 RelativePosition_V3
- Vec2 AbsolutePosition_V3
- Real ZIndex
It will be possible to modify fog parameters, mostly to improve minimap visibility.
- Fixed width computing on translated labels (CMlLabel)
Can now properly compute text width on translated strings. TextSize is now a Real value.
