0.4.9 release procedure

[Vezzra]

I think it's time to start the release process for the next release, otherwise this release cycle is going to last forever.

The upcoming release will be 0.4.9, and it won't be much about what we had orginally planned. Well, that's open source project life. Instead of introducing Influence and Colony Upkeep mechanics as new core game mechanics, it seems (to me) the work done in the last months since 0.4.8 has been more about polishing and balancing than about new features. The biggest advancement, as far as I followed it, have been further improvements and additions to multiplayer and the standalone server.

I propose to wrap these things up, and postpone everything else for later releases.

As I've been mostly absent for months I don't have the view of the big picture about all that has been and is going on that I probably should have, so I need the help of everyone actively involved and partaking currently. Please post here in this thread what you think/know is being worked on that has proceeded sufficiently far so it can be wrapped up within the next few weeks, or which need to be finished properly to get the game into a release-ready state, so we can compile some kind of todo list.

This should only be things that are already in master, feature branches that have not been merged yet should be postponed for later releases.

[Vezzra]

Ophiuchus wrote in another thread:

So, judging by the replies so far, I'd propose the following intial list (which, as noted, is of course subject to change):

• As nobody objected to the basic Influence and colony upkeep mechanics, I'd stick with these as the top item on the list, the primary feature of the next release. Although it will depend very much on if somebody will actually pick that up and start working on it, especially the implementation (as the guy who promoted it most in the past, TheSilentOne, is currently on hiatus, which might throw a wrench in those plans).
• Combat Target Priorities (I think that's a better name for the "Combat Preferred Targetting" feature) apparently is a popular feature, is already worked on, so yeah.
• As support for Python 2.7 is going to end 2020, getting our Python code at least fully Python 3 compatible/compliant in preparation for the full switch is probably something we can't/shouldn't put off any longer, so needs to be done this release cycle.

Vezzra on another thread:

I hope to get around to open a 0.4.9 release thread before the end of the month. If all involved with dev work could start to wrap up and finalize their projects, that would help tremendously with getting the release out faster than usual.

Targeting is IMHO finished(?). I think there were no changes to AI, so it does not know how to take advantage of targeting. Maybe some UI support missing?

Geoff is actively developing on the Government branch - I can not comment on the state of it. I think you can choose policies for three kinds of policy slots, there is some influence generation, policy changing cost and maybe influence upkeep cost and some policy content. Definitely AI does not know about influence at all. So I doubt this can be release-ready in two months.

There was some work on python, not sure if we are completely python3-ready.

What kind of release this gonna be? Only polished, balanced stuff or rather new features for collecting feedback?

I have following features high on my list:

• make supply lines and fuel parts more important by differentiating fuel for different hull types (small, medium, large, huge); implementation is done - needs one more pass so AI gets ship design completely right
• introducing basic facilities for range targeting - with very few content changes (mostly monsters i guess); maybe adding a fourth bout; realistic if it is easy to pass the number of the current combat bout to condition evaluation
• simple stealth rework as suggested by oberlus ; should be easy and in order to fix visibility we need anyway to touch the code there
• And I really want to remove invincibility from stealth bombers! So probably make ships unhidden on fighter launch.

There are some issues with combat and blockades which should probably fixed for the release.

I'm quoting that here because discussion on these points should continue here in this thread.

[Vezzra]

Targeting is IMHO finished(?). I think there were no changes to AI, so it does not know how to take advantage of targeting. Maybe some UI support missing?

I've been absent too much to be able to properly judge if this feature is sufficiently developed to be included into the release, for that I need the feedback from others.

I don't recall, has this feature already been merged into master, or is development of this feature still going on in an unmerged branch? In the latter case, see above, my proposal is not to merge feature branches at this point anymore.

Geoff is actively developing on the Government branch - I can not comment on the state of it. I think you can choose policies for three kinds of policy slots, there is some influence generation, policy changing cost and maybe influence upkeep cost and some policy content. Definitely AI does not know about influence at all. So I doubt this can be release-ready in two months.

I agree. Again, see above, it's an unmerged feature branch, so I propose not to include this into 0.4.9.

There was some work on python, not sure if we are completely python3-ready.

As long as nothing is broken if that transition is unfinished, I wouldn't necessarlily wait for that project to be finished. Sounds like something that will take a long time yet anyway.

What kind of release this gonna be? Only polished, balanced stuff or rather new features for collecting feedback?

The former, with the occasional already merged new feature (do we have any of these?). There has been done a lot for multiplayer and standalone servers AFAIK, so that would probably the most noticeable feature of 0.4.9.

I have following features high on my list:

...

Unless any of these are already in master and need to be finished so the game isn't broken, please postpone.

There are some issues with combat and blockades which should probably fixed for the release.

Bugs need to be fixed of course. Can anyone provide more details on these issues? Or are there already proper issues open on github?

[o01eg]

There was some work on python, not sure if we are completely python3-ready.

As long as nothing is broken if that transition is unfinished, I wouldn't necessarlily wait for that project to be finished. Sounds like something that will take a long time yet anyway.

At least we need to fix boost 1.70 support which is a prerequisite to get python3 support in SDKs and which will appears in Linux distributives soon.

[Vezzra]

At least we need to fix boost 1.70 support which is a prerequisite to get python3 support in SDKs and which will appears in Linux distributives soon.

Ok, so if I understand correctly, fixing boost 1.70 support is something that needs to be done for 0.4.9, and needs to go on our list. Has there already been an issue opened for that on github? If not, can someone who knows better than me what the issue is open one?

[o01eg]

At least we need to fix boost 1.70 support which is a prerequisite to get python3 support in SDKs and which will appears in Linux distributives soon.

Ok, so if I understand correctly, fixing boost 1.70 support is something that needs to be done for 0.4.9, and needs to go on our list. Has there already been an issue opened for that on github? If not, can someone who knows better than be what the issue is open one?

There issue for boost 1.70 compatibility: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion/issues/2468

There pull request to update SDK: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion-sdk/pull/49

At least 1.66 -> 1.69 could be merged. I didn't find any remaining issues with 1.69.

[Ophiuchus]

Targeting

has this feature already been merged into master

Yes, it is basic targetting and fighter rock-paper-scissors merged. Got no real feedback though.

We still lack combat targetting parts to make direct damage weapons to target enemy ships first, right?
I think that is mandatory to make fighters not OP.

Oberlus wants to have some ships-should-usually-not-shoot-at-fighters-first capability. That does not exist yet, but a minimal implementation would be possible to implement and test in the next week.

What kind of release this gonna be? Only polished, balanced stuff or rather new features for collecting feedback?

The former, with the occasional already merged new feature (do we have any of these?). There has been done a lot for multiplayer and standalone servers AFAIK, so that would probably the most noticeable feature of 0.4.9.

Ok.

There are some issues with combat and blockades which should probably fixed for the release.

Bugs need to be fixed of course. Can anyone provide more details on these issues? Or are there already proper issues open on github?

Some are on github.

[Ophiuchus]

At least we need to fix boost 1.70 support which is a prerequisite to get python3 support in SDKs and which will appears in Linux distributives soon.

Ok, so if I understand correctly, fixing boost 1.70 support is something that needs to be done for 0.4.9, and needs to go on our list. Has there already been an issue opened for that on github? If not, can someone who knows better than be what the issue is open one?

There issue for boost 1.70 compatibility: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion/issues/2468

There pull request to update SDK: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion-sdk/pull/49

At least 1.66 -> 1.69 could be merged. I didn't find any remaining issues with 1.69.

I know this is about upwards compatibility. I do not know what the downwards compatibility policy is.
The newest Ubuntu long term support edition 18.04LTS uses boost 1.65 so that should still work/be tested against. Also since last week my snap builds are based on 18.04.

[o01eg]

I know this is about upwards compatibility. I do not know what the downwards compatibility policy is.
The newest Ubuntu long term support edition 18.04LTS uses boost 1.65 so that should still work/be tested against. Also since last week my snap builds are based on 18.04.

18.04LTS ships with two boost version 1.62 and 1.65. Travis tests freeorion with 1.62. Also we didn't break compatibility with 1.58.

[Morlic]

Targeting is IMHO finished(?). I think there were no changes to AI, so it does not know how to take advantage of targeting.

Is there a short summary of the most relevant changes and/or discussion of the actual impacts on gameplay?

[Ophiuchus]

Targeting is IMHO finished(?). I think there were no changes to AI, so it does not know how to take advantage of targeting.

Is there a short summary of the most relevant changes and/or discussion of the actual impacts on gameplay?

Gameplay changes:

• Flak only shoots at enemy fighters (no ships, no planets)
• Bombers target ships first. Bombers target fighters if there are no ships
• Interceptors target Bombers first. Interceptors target ships if there are no fighters.

Relevant pulls are PR-2330 (Flak) and PR-2384 (Bombers, Interceptors)

The default number of combat rounds should be increased from 3 to 4: Currently there are three combat rounds, with the first round being used to launch space boats leaving only two rounds for boat combat. If we increase this to four combat rounds, there is more time for flak and ships to resolve boat combat. Also currently adding extra hangars makes little sense (because those boats will only fight for a single round), with four combat rounds those will fight two for rounds.

If nobody objects and AI can use it, I would like to increase the number of bouts already for 0.4.9

[Morlic]

Thanks for the summary and your PM. Will look into how to get the AI to care about fleet composition.

[labgnome]

I don't recall, has this feature already been merged into master, or is development of this feature still going on in an unmerged branch? In the latter case, see above, my proposal is not to merge feature branches at this point anymore.

Geoff is actively developing on the Government branch - I can not comment on the state of it. I think you can choose policies for three kinds of policy slots, there is some influence generation, policy changing cost and maybe influence upkeep cost and some policy content. Definitely AI does not know about influence at all. So I doubt this can be release-ready in two months.

I agree. Again, see above, it's an unmerged feature branch, so I propose not to include this into 0.4.9.

As someone too inept to compile, this makes me just a little sad. I was hoping to get to actually get to see what Free Orion government would be like in the near future

[o01eg]

There issue for boost 1.70 compatibility: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion/issues/2468

There pull request to update SDK: https://github.com/freeorion/freeorion-sdk/pull/49

At least 1.66 -> 1.69 could be merged. I didn't find any remaining issues with 1.69.

I've rearranged my PRs so update to boost 1.69 is ready to merge.

[Geoff the Medio]

I don't recall, has this feature already been merged into master, or is development of this feature still going on in an unmerged branch? In the latter case, see above, my proposal is not to merge feature branches at this point anymore.

Geoff is actively developing on the Government branch - I can not comment on the state of it. I think you can choose policies for three kinds of policy slots, there is some influence generation, policy changing cost and maybe influence upkeep cost and some policy content. Definitely AI does not know about influence at all. So I doubt this can be release-ready in two months.

I agree. Again, see above, it's an unmerged feature branch, so I propose not to include this into 0.4.9.

As someone too inept to compile, this makes me just a little sad. I was hoping to get to actually get to see what Free Orion government would be like in the near future

The basic government policies functionality seems to be working; empires accumulate influence points (IP), and can spend them to adopt policies, which have various effects associated with them, and they can be cancelled at no cost. But there aren't enough policies implemented, particularly after the early game, nor enough ways to get slots to put the policies in, and nothing is balanced beyond my vague guesses for testing purposes, and the AI doesn't know anything about the system yet. I'd like to merge the Government branch into master as soon as a release branch is created, so that it can get some attention beyond me.

There were some Government branch builds put out for a while, but they apparently stopped when dev work stopped for a while: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11173