Beta Launcher feature requests and suggestions

[ShdNx]

Hey guys,

During the past months, I've been working on Auto Updater and Beta Launcher polishing and bug-fixing - as a result, a new version (v0.9) will be released in about 2 weeks.
As soon as I've received feedback that the new application versions are stable, I'll begin working on the 1.0 versions of these programs, which will have a completely new (and fancy  ) design and will be rewritten from scratch, using more up-to-date technologies (like .NET Framework 4.0 and Windows Presentation Foundation). This process will undoubtedly take months, but we believe it will be worth it. I'd like to ask for your help in making these new versions the perfect tools for all MechWarrior: Living Legends players!

In this topic I'd like to gather any and all ideas and suggestions regarding the Beta Launcher systems. Feel free to post anything that you would like to see implemented and is related to this application.
(Co-thread: Auto Updater feature requests and suggestions)

Please keep in mind that I might or might not confirm your proposals, as the roadmap is not fixed, and there may be last-minute changes, cancellations, and so on (pretty much the same reason why we don't announce everything we're working on in the game either). Please don't let this discourage you from posting though - authors of the ideas that actually get implemented will be mentioned in the release notes.

Thank you very much for your involvement! Your insights are always greatly appreciated.
Should you have any questions that you feel inappropriate to ask in the forums, please feel free to send me a PM or e-mail, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.


Planned (confirmed) features:
(These are the features that are likely to be implemented in some form.)

• MWLL news displayed in the Launcher.
• "Clean shader cache on startup" checkbox ((TLL)Siilk)
• Option to easily switch to MWLL debug binaries and back. (Stahlseele)

Suggested features:
(These are the features that you've already recommended, but are not yet confirmed.)

• CCC-style MWLL configurator/tweaking utility ((TLL)Siilk)
• autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool, maybe even working with multiple graphics settings profiles. ((TLL)Siilk)
• Integration with the Auto Updater's proposed offline repository feature. ((TLL)Siilk)
• MWLL-specific client-side settings configuration ((TLL)Siilk)
• Built-in support for CCC ((TLL)Siilk)

[(TLL)Siilk]

 * Integration with offline repository.
 * CCC-style MWLL configurator/tweaking utility; autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool, maybe even working with multiple graphics settings profiles.
 * "Clean shader cache on startup" checkbox.

[Stahlseele]

Checkbox for debug.dll

[ShdNx]

* Integration with offline repository.

I'm not yet sure about the inter-operation between Auto Updater and the Beta Launcher - it is possible that they will be merged into a single application; or if they're not merged, how they'll play together.

* CCC-style MWLL configurator/tweaking utility; autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool, maybe even working with multiple graphics settings profiles.

The CCC-style configurator utility would be a lot of work, and I'm not certain how could it be better than CCC itself. Could you elaborate on this maybe?
As for the autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool - unlikely to be implemented in the first version(s).

* "Clean shader cache on startup" checkbox.

Good idea, confirmed.

Checkbox for debug.dll

Yes, we have already thought about this, but I never got to actually implement it. Confirmed.

Thank you both for your suggestions!

[(TLL)Siilk]

* CCC-style MWLL configurator/tweaking utility; autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool, maybe even working with multiple graphics settings profiles.

The CCC-style configurator utility would be a lot of work, and I'm not certain how could it be better than CCC itself. Could you elaborate on this maybe?
As for the autoexec.cfg backup/restore tool - unlikely to be implemented in the first version(s).

 I was thinking about a way for a player to tune MWLL-specific variables and maybe some vars that are known to require different values for MWLL rather for vanilla Crysis/Wars. BTW, can we redistribute CCC with MWLL? We can install it as a 3rd-party app and even add a "Launch CCC" button to the MWLL launcher. Actually this could be done even if CCC couldn't be redistributed, with launcher asking for the path to a CCC installation and suggesting to download CCC in the player don't have it.

[ShdNx]

I was thinking about a way for a player to tune MWLL-specific variables and maybe some vars that are known to require different values for MWLL rather for vanilla Crysis/Wars.

That could make sense, though I don't know about any such client-side settings. I'll ask around and see what we have.

BTW, can we redistribute CCC with MWLL? We can install it as a 3rd-party app and even add a "Launch CCC" button to the MWLL launcher. Actually this could be done even if CCC couldn't be redistributed, with launcher asking for the path to a CCC installation and suggesting to download CCC in the player don't have it.

Yeah, this sounds quite good. I wouldn't confirm it just yet, but it's definitely going to the suggestion list.
Thank you!

[Werewolf486}12thVR{]

Clear shaders at start up or closing of MWLL automatically?

[ShdNx]

Clear shaders at start up or closing of MWLL automatically?

Already suggested and confirmed.

[~SJ~ Blhurr]

Add a toggle that automatically opens a "Quick Start Newcomer Manual" for newbies after installation.  I used to pour over game manuals back in the day, especially, Mechwarrior ones.  I think having something like this embedded in the installation process would help a lot of new players.

[Knightcrawler]

Coffinail mentioned it in another thread, and I would agree: The ability to map the jump button for BA. Not jump jets, just jump. You can already do it with like... XML editing or something, but that's a pain.

[ShdNx]

Coffinail mentioned it in another thread, and I would agree: The ability to map the jump button for BA. Not jump jets, just jump. You can already do it with like... XML editing or something, but that's a pain.

That sounds more like a feature for the Actionmapper, so I have forwarded your request to CapperDeluxe.
Just curious: why would this be useful?

[CGB [CoffiNail]]

Coffinail mentioned it in another thread, and I would agree: The ability to map the jump button for BA. Not jump jets, just jump. You can already do it with like... XML editing or something, but that's a pain.

That sounds more like a feature for the Actionmapper, so I have forwarded your request to CapperDeluxe.
Just curious: why would this be useful?

Various rocks in y our path, the various guard rails, currently if you jj or try to 'hop' by lightly tapping the space bar, more often than not you Jump Jet 10m in the air and POW someone hits you with a PPC 600m out, and all you were doing was trying to get over a guard rail.

Also can be used to jump over a laser at your feet... mind you at 400, 500m out your hop is sometimes just as likely to get a laser hit that may have missed you had you ended on the ground. But it still gives you extra options. Sometimes it is fun to get to a ledge and jump off, get a tad further, and looks cooler than just running off the edge of a building.  If you are running and jump before JJ feathering forward (the JJ where a BA more 'flys' a few meters over the ground instead on going up and forward) this actualy gets you a bit further and straighter a bit.

Plus we can crouch, we can a BA not jump? MOSTLY I use it to get over little ledges/rails that otherwise would have been a issue to get up/over as a BA. As I said, currently you usualy fly up a few meters and are prime pickings for someone with good aim and reflexes.

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

Coffinail mentioned it in another thread, and I would agree: The ability to map the jump button for BA. Not jump jets, just jump. You can already do it with like... XML editing or something, but that's a pain.

That sounds more like a feature for the Actionmapper, so I have forwarded your request to CapperDeluxe.
Just curious: why would this be useful?

Various rocks in y our path, the various guard rails, currently if you jj or try to 'hop' by lightly tapping the space bar, more often than not you Jump Jet 10m in the air and POW someone hits you with a PPC 600m out, and all you were doing was trying to get over a guard rail.

Also can be used to jump over a laser at your feet... mind you at 400, 500m out your hop is sometimes just as likely to get a laser hit that may have missed you had you ended on the ground. But it still gives you extra options. Sometimes it is fun to get to a ledge and jump off, get a tad further, and looks cooler than just running off the edge of a building.  If you are running and jump before JJ feathering forward (the JJ where a BA more 'flys' a few meters over the ground instead on going up and forward) this actualy gets you a bit further and straighter a bit.

Plus we can crouch, we can a BA not jump? MOSTLY I use it to get over little ledges/rails that otherwise would have been a issue to get up/over as a BA. As I said, currently you usualy fly up a few meters and are prime pickings for someone with good aim and reflexes.

I'm only a little hesitant because this may confuse new users having them separated.  Maybe we could see if the behavior of the jump jets on the BA could be tweaked such that a tap of the jump+jets button (spacebar by default) doesn't launch it quite as much compared with holding down the spacebar.

[CGB [CoffiNail]]

maybe do not default key it. Have a 'advanced' portion to player or a action mapper area for it but the player must assign the key themselves. That way a new player would not be able to get confused about which one to use, as they would not have it unless they mapped it. If they mapped it and got confused then that would be more them not remembering.

Because it seems to be linked to low grav area boxes in the editor, i wish there was a button to activate a 'mode' that would allow BA the freedom of the 360 the low grav enviroments allow outside of those 360 areas.  It would be much nicer to Jump jet over a mech and slowly rotate around it and have to position yourself to land properly than the current JJing and having to look down and turn.  The 360 enviros seem much more realistic.  IF a mode like this was able, it could be put in a Advanced BA section of the auto mapper that will have a default key not assigned, but must be assigned to a player that is very much dedicated and has gone to custom his controls.

Sadly i do not think my 360 movement is possible outside the low grav environments.

But having more control over my JJs would be a huge boon as well.  Currently dedicated BA who want to jump just go edit it in the XML itself.

[(TLL)CapperDeluxe]

maybe do not default key it. Have a 'advanced' portion to player or a action mapper area for it but the player must assign the key themselves. That way a new player would not be able to get confused about which one to use, as they would not have it unless they mapped it. If they mapped it and got confused then that would be more them not remembering.

Because it seems to be linked to low grav area boxes in the editor, i wish there was a button to activate a 'mode' that would allow BA the freedom of the 360 the low grav enviroments allow outside of those 360 areas.  It would be much nicer to Jump jet over a mech and slowly rotate around it and have to position yourself to land properly than the current JJing and having to look down and turn.  The 360 enviros seem much more realistic.  IF a mode like this was able, it could be put in a Advanced BA section of the auto mapper that will have a default key not assigned, but must be assigned to a player that is very much dedicated and has gone to custom his controls.

Sadly i do not think my 360 movement is possible outside the low grav environments.

But having more control over my JJs would be a huge boon as well.  Currently dedicated BA who want to jump just go edit it in the XML itself.

I see editing the xml manually as the "advanced" mode.  Not trying to get out of doing work (considering I already don't really have anything to do until the next new action comes along) but I'd rather have someone tackle this from a gameplay standpoint for the benefit of more than just a handful of "advanced" users.