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Last Update: 21 July 2008
Ok, this is a Huge update.
Huge I say.. Honest!
Here we go, in no particular order:

- First of all, the new BoxGUI system is up, that gives the slick look and al the fancy popups. The gui takes a different color each time, but you can set one with set guicolor RGB variable.

- A first infrastructure for a hard-coded AI... Multiple AI are supported, but I have to make things easier for a wannabe AI programmer, right now it's just a pain in the ass to code. Anyway, don't expect me to work a lot on this, the priority is still VERY LOW.

- Renewed the font module and re rendered fonts: the character ? can be used for escape sequences to change colors, insert symbols, make bulleted lists or switch to greek characters, used by Likroi and (not yet) by Arovlitai. Check the screenshots.

- New minimap, with new scrolling visor and showing fog of war.

- Renewed prod menu, with a working queue!!!

- Hovering with the ouse on a city will show the City mini status.

- Spellbook!! You can now launch spells!!!!

- Two summon spells completed, at least inthe overland version: Magic Spirit and Guardian Spirit. Desperately in need to improve the two unit gfx.

- Initial spells. Each book you take gives you a preset known spell. Research bonuses and Cast bonuses also depend on the amount of books of a certain realm you have.

- Neutral objects: lairs, caves, nodes. But it's at very first stage, they do really nothing.

- Changed battle model: Players are now FORCED into battles, and only one battle is carried per time. No pause is allowed anymore. This hsould make the game simpler and faster.

- Raw magic power is now allocated between Power, Research and Skill. Also, a fixed amount of mana or gold can be transformed through alchemy each turn. If you have the Alchemist retort, transformation is 1:1 instead than 2:1.

- Having negative gold/mana/food now has real (bad) consequences.
Not definitive, but expect enchantments to vanish and units to desert.

This is a great load of stuff.
I hope it was worth the waiting.
This is a huge leap towards full playability.

15 June 2008
The problem with GL_DEPTH_TEST should now be fixed (a legacy of zFar to zNear ratio to about 1000.... o_O)
Also, SDL_mixer is now statically linked in the .run file, and works on Ubuntu Gutsy and Hardy without installing anything else.
I added some modules for the sounds, but right now it is only used when Everborn is launched with the box parameter.
The command set music {oggfile} also plays music.

14 June 2008
Almost all Life Enchantements are working and have their due effect on the game.
This is required to develop and test the SpellBook, after which I'll add all the other realms.

Since I'm starting to test music and sound, there is a new dependency: SDL_mixer and possibly libvorbis since I'll be using Ogg Vorbis for both music and sound.
I will probably use the excellent Libre music from This Guy that you can also find in Jamendo.
However a decent implementation of the sound effects will take some time.

I'm adding a Manual page to the website, hope that clears some confusion, and a direct link to the SourceForge Forum.

There's a new command line parameter that will make Everborn output on stdout a XML file with all the spells stats.
Sooner or later I'll add it to this site.

I fixed some of the unit animations and added other for the ranged attack.

The battle movement bug was fixed, along with other minor bugs.

Rendering under software Mesa3d has still some bad problems drawing units with GL_DEPTH_TEST, still no clue of what's happening.

30 May 2008
Heroes!

And starting picks, books and retorts!

Each player starts with two randomly chosen heroes and its own playermage.

A twice-cursed transport bug seems finally fixed.
Well, hopefully. Please let me know of any bugs you find with the movement.

The picks menu actually allows to choose the starting picks.
Spells can be researched and launched, and some of the retort already have some effect.
However, I'm still compiling the spellbooks, with 60+ spells it's going to take some time.

Holding the ALT key shows the other plane.
Completely new interface on the way, also the battles will be handled in a very different way, no pause will be available.
There are some bugs with the way I'm using OpenGL, specifically softwae renderer with Mesa3d is bugges, so I guess I'm not really OpenGL compliant.
Will check better.
See History.