Latest nightly build

This is the latest nightly build compiled from the latest commit.

December 2021 RC1

This is a preview of the planned update.

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

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This is a release-candidate for December 2021 release.

The full changelog will be available once the full update is ready.

All configurations built by AppVeyor.

December 2020 Preview

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

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After more than a year of silence, we are finally ready to publish new pre-release with new features, improvements and fixes!

This version also contains fixes for stabilization on Linux and in Clear Sky.
A part of the work was devoted to compatibility with the original game and mods: now the engine can run on pure vanilla game! Compatibility with mods has been improved, thanks to this and some other changes. Previously, the engine required some modifications (a little, but still) to the gamedata, without which it worked incorrectly.
A huge work under the hood was done to support Shadow of Chernobyl, but it is still in progress, it's still not ready yet.

EDIT: after about 6+ months of this pre-release being available, it became clear for sure, that it is more stable than the previous release. This release is marked as stable now.

Here's a list of the most important changes since release No. 558:

Architecture

• DX10 renderer is fully integrated into DX11 renderer.
  • Doesn't affect players, you can still select DX10 renderer in the game options, but makes it easier for us to make changes to the renderer.

Features

• Engine can now work with either both installed or missing Shoker's HQ geometry fix. Before, it was hardly required by the engine. (#473)
• Returned old mighty infoportions system from Clear Sky! (83417ce)
  • If you ever modded Clear Sky or Shadow of Chernobyl you know what it is, though, it doesn't support Shadow of Chernobyl features at the moment.
• Console command to enable bloody splashes (bloodmarks) on bodies, disabled by default. Before, the future was enabled with no ability to disable it. (f5f09db, 47f8863)
  • You can enable it back with r__wallmarks_on_skeleton console command.
• Support for clouds rotation independent from skybox rotation. (1a351d5)
  • Just add clouds_rotation variable to your weather configs.
• Ability to use more GPU memory to reduce redundant CPU usage. (#585)
  • To use it, enable r__no_ram_textures console command and restart the game.
• Added SSR reflections on water by LVutner. (#641)
  • Unfortunately, currently only works on OpenGL-renderer!
  • Can be tweaked with r3_water_refl console commands.
• Left-handed HUD (#680)
  • To try it, just enable hud_left_handed console command.
• Added CFORM-cache as a test feature. (#698)
  • Significantly increases game loading speed.
  • To test, launch the game with -cdb_cache command line key.
• Added g_spawn console command for spawning items and entities.
  • It's a cheat, so it's available only in Mixed configuration. (special configuration for developers and modmakers)

Fixes

• Fixed original game bug when some scriptable objects are not being registered on dedicated server. (b3f45e1)
• Fixed original game bug with rendering transparent objects on static lighting. (efea463)
• Fixed original engine bug with DirectX resources leak. (57d3186)
• Restored filesystem case insensitivity on Windows. (1bfcb2f)
• Fixed bug in filesystem with file path searching. (384a5d5)
• Fixed crash with autosave screenshot on Linux. (abee263)
• Fixed random crashes in multiplayer. (fdd46f3)
• Fixed wrong camera position in cut-scenes. (17ab70e, 3007c9e, e053147)
• Fixed OpenGL sky rendering when vertex texture fetch is enabled. (#537)
• Fixed smashed raindrops on Linux. (a7d0292)
• Fixed "How to use PDA" tutorial in Clear Sky. (c36d59e, c7693a6)
• Fixed crash on save-load when zooming with binoculars. (2c7f678)
  • To reproduce, take binoculars -> zoom -> save -> load -> crash on load
  • Mods based on Call of Chernobyl – check it!
• Fixed crash at exit on Linux. (2d95ed8, 32cb37a)
• Fixed crash on load-save with dead psy-dog. (5537924)
• Fixed missing actor weapon shadow on static lighting. (db22585)
• Fixed broken reload DOF when ammo count > 0. (491c714)
• Fixed crash in CStalkerAnimationManager::update(). (1579d1f)
• Fixed shaders compilation on integrated Intel GPUs. (#681)
• Fixed crashes when loading some saves on Linux. (edbaac6)

Misc

• Removed FXAA. (4e160bf)
  • Maybe will be restored in the future.
• Removed the ability to disable wet surfaces optimization.
  • Maybe will be restored in the future.
• Changed LuaJIT optimization level to 3. This may improve performance, but also may increase loading a bit. (07d6759)
• Changed Lua garbage collector step. Improves performance. (63c0f9b)
• Shaders cache now stored in shaders_cache_oxr folder, so that it won't mess with original game shaders cache. (e4b3ed6)
• Implemented simple distance culling for particles for OpenGL-renderer. Workarounds bad performance on OpenGL-renderer. (5b421e6)
• Actor shadow improvements. (#596)
• Shaders are now compiled in the highest optimization level for Release builds. May increase loading times, but also will improve performance. (1f4b23b, ae0a9db, 0395b55)

All configurations built by AppVeyor.

December Preview (RC1)

This is a preview of the planned update.

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

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This is a release-candidate for December Preview.
Please, navigate to the final December Preview version: https://github.com/OpenXRay/xray-16/releases/tag/822-december-preview

All configurations built by GitHub Actions.

October 2020 Preview

This is a preview of the planned update.

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

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This preview fixes some bugs found in the previous July 2020 Preview.

The full changelog will be available once the full update is ready.

July 2020 Preview

This is a preview of the planned update.

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

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This preview contains a huge number of changes since build 558:

• The most noticeable change is removed gamedata. (except shaders for OpenGL renderer, which are mandatory for this renderer to work)
  This is done to maximize mod compatibility. Gamedata will be available again with the full update as an optional supplement.

The full changelog will be available once the full update is ready.

OpenXRay (build 558)

All configurations built via AppVeyor.

For instructions on how to install and play click here.

This release contains general stabilization and Clear Sky compatibility fixes mostly, which brings the engine to the acceptable level of quality. Also, it contains many more misc changes that won't be mentioned here.

The most important things: Top 4 bugs of the previous release are fixed and Clear Sky support has moved from Beta to Release Candidate stage.

For instructions on how to launch Clear Sky click here.

Here's a brief list of the most noticeable changes since release No. 510:

General fixes:

• Fixed items falling through terrain after spawn on Windows x64. (443b674)
• Fixed FPS drop when looking at certain areas like Skadovsk. (3560f04)
• Fixed engine hang on R1 and R2 in many situations. (eb3b489)
• Fixed display blinking after Alt+Tab when starting new or loading a saved game. (f063266)

Clear Sky:

Support for this game is now in Release Candidate stage!

• Fixed bloodsucker "drag body and jump away" cutscene on Agroprom. (610cac6, 04b114f)
• Fixed crash in options. (2bcb219)
• Fixed map spots being zoomed wrong. (3e55c07)
• Fixed low damage to stalkers and mutants. (37b0ceb)
• Fixed "height > 0" crash. (2131085)
• Fixed animation (non-combat) smart-covers wrong behaviour. (52ce001)
• Fixed elite detector doesn't show artefacts. (e1a4a46)

Misc changes:

• Application in Clear Sky and Shadow of Chernobyl mode will now have corresponding window title and icon. (da222d4, 5fba21b)
• OpenGL renderer will not be shown in the options if GLSL shaders are missing. (9cd129f)
• Workaround for compatibility with LuaJIT 1.1.x scripts that use coroutine.cstacksize script function. (ea6a44d)
• Reduced engine binaries size as a consequence of build system refactor. (5f55995)

Gameplay:

• Option for autounload weapon after picking up. (d19a71b)

OpenXRay (build 510)

All configurations built via AppVeyor.

For instructions on how to install and play click here

A brief list of the most noticeable changes since build 421:

Fixes:

• Fixed critical bug with registering files in filesystem on x64 architecture
• Fixed filesystem bug with EOF check
• Fixed crash in xr_input (#424)
• Volumetric lights fixes (b34a209, 876d155)
• Fixed renderers crashes on unsupported shadow map dimensions
• Various fixes for OpenGL renderer by SkyLoader (3f97e8c, 9dd67fa, b0a2a64)
• xrRender_R1: correct wallmarks fogging
• Fixed buggy Actor crouch
• Fixed camera glitch at end of "switch on" animation

Features:

• Multithreading improvements: game materials, some stalkers logic, HOM and Details (grass) are parallel now
• OpenGL renderer now supports shader cache
• VSync support for OpenGL renderer
• xrRender_R4: allowed creation in DX10 mode
• xrRender_R1: Improved dynamic shadows quality (2f17feb, 7364876)
• Ability to change window title
• Ability to unload all weapons in inventory via context menu.
• Support for doubles in shaders and SAD4 shader instruction
  • Please, navigate to our Discord if you want to know more about it

Changes

• Default FOV is 67.5 now (as in CS and SOC)
• FPS now is locked to about ~1000 (de9362d, 8d5fbf9)
• Moved device creation into primary thread
• Disabled new LuaJIT escape sequences by default (0454168, 83cf15a)
• Enabled nil conversion by default for luabind

Localization:

• Added German translation (thanks to Maddin)

Other:

• More work on compatibility with Clear Sky and Shadow of Chernobyl

OpenXRay (build 421)

LONG-AWAITED UPDATE PRE-RELEASE!

For instructions on how to install and play click here

Short changelog since build 221:

• Input system speed up. Game will be more controllable even with low FPS now.
• Refactored main game cycle to use two thread which makes the game even more controllable and responsible
• Less freezes on NPC spawn thanks to simple pre-caching.
• LuaJIT was updated to version 2.1 which has better 64-bit systems and performance improvements.
• Improved support for systems with multiple monitors, which, although already was in the previous release, but was unfinished.
• Numerous improvements of the renderer. Most of the changes were made in the OpenGL-render, bugs that plagued users in the 221st release were fixed. Work has also been done to prepare for the consolidation of DX10 and DX11 renderers.
• Support Clear Sky in test mode. Now the engine can run not only the Call of Pripyat, but also the Clear Sky! Of course, there are small flaws with the interface. In addition, so far, only static and OpenGL-render work in this mode. Well, fans of dynamic lighting will be able to estimate the corrected OpenGL-render and help us to find the remaining bugs =) Instructions for the launch will be published in our wiki.
• Preparations to launch Shadow of Chernobyl. Our engine will be able not only run Clear Sky, but also Shadow of Chernobyl. To do this, numerous works were carried out on the engine. We even managed to run the game and hear a familiar voice of a local trader... But it's not yet available for players, it's just not yet ready, please wait. Or, if you're a programmer, then join us on our Discord, you may be able to help us.

OpenXRay (build 221)

All configurations built via AppVeyor.

For instructions on how to install and play click here

A brief list of the most noticeable changes since build 21:

Fixes

• Fixed the occasion where the visibility indicator on the HUD was stuck, due to an enemy changing relations
• Fixed crash with the volumetric fog on R4
  • There's still no volumetric fog on R4, but it doesn't crash the engine at least.
• R3, R4: Fix for dynamic wet surfaces with enabled msaa
• Fixed potential crash in occRasterizer on x64
• Correct water fogging for R2
• Fix crash on trying to get new patches info
• Fixed pause after changing game settings
• Fixed crash in CPHCommander
• Fixed game prehistory doesn't play

New options, commands and keys:

• Added new console commands
  • set_weather – allows you to set weather
  • r__sunshafts_intensity – allows you to tweak sunshafts intensity
• Added command line keys:
  • -force_flushlog – engine will write to the log file immediately (e5d87a1)
  • -nointro – allows you to skip application start intros (3d7a172)
• New ingame option:
  • FOV

Features and feature changes:

• Game objects testing functions replaced with game object casting (e.g. 'bool is_car' -> 'CCar* cast_Car')
• Support for Nvidia Ansel
• Engine now can read ShoC style (script) texture descriptions
• Multithreaded THM loading
  • Application should start at least two times faster!
• CUITrackBar - Added support for value output via CUIStatic (":output_wnd" in xml)
  • Check how to use here: 85ee549
• need_osoznanie_mode feature support is restored
  • You need to modify talk.xml file: it must have frame_top and frame_bottom tags

Configurable tweaks:

• Now the engine uses its own configuration file which allows you configure it
  • Check the openxray.ltx
• Support for config-defined sun-movement
• Ability to set sun direction azimuth
• Allow modders to configure Actor death camera
  • Allowed values: firsteye, freelook, fixedlook
  • Note, that the player can turn on firsteye himself if you set freelook or fixedlook

Localization:

• Now the engine uses openxray.xml file to get only required translations
  • No need to change original Call of Pripyat resources.
  • You can remove it and sort the localization as you did before.
• Polish localization (with the help of Monol337 and https://stalkerteam.pl)
• Ingame language switch

Other changes:

• Base UI code moved to new xrUICore library