========================================== NO ONE LIVES FOREVER Update to Version 1.003 April 27, 2001 ========================================== I. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS II. VERSION HISTORY III. USING ADD-ON MAPS AND MODS IV. FOR ADDITIONAL HELP AND INFORMATION This release will update all previous versions of NOLF to version 1.003. This update addresses multiplayer exploits found in earlier versions of the game as well as various minor issues. *PLEASE NOTE* Save games from version 1.0 will NOT work after this update is installed. However, it will be possible to restart the last mission completed. Saved games from version 1.001 and 1.002 should load without problems. I. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS To install the update, click on the archive and extract the files to a temporary directory of your choosing. The default path is c:\NOLFUpdate. Once the extraction is complete, explore to the directory and click on setup.exe. Finish the installation wizard to complete the update. II. VERSION HISTORY Version 1.003 * Fixed a multiplayer exploit that allowed player created add-ons with modified weapon.txt files to be used on normal, non-modified servers. Players using these add-ons will now receieve an error message when trying to join a normal server or a server that's running a different add-on. NOTE: This message will also appear if a player with an unmodified version of the game tries to join a modified server. Server operators who wish to use these mods should note the name of the add-on within the server name field. * Fixed a multiplayer bug that sometimes caused players crouching near the terrain to randomly teleport through the map and pick up any weapons or powerups that they came across. * Fixed a multiplayer bug that allowed players to activate vehicles while using the zipcord and then fly around the map. * Fixed a bug that caused the player to fly up into the air when entering a cloud of sleeping gas from below. * Fixed a bug in the multiplayer host menu that caused only 3 of the available bandwidth options to be shown when scrolling through with the right-arrow key. * Removed Stun/Sleep Recoils. * Fixed a bug in the standalone server wizard that caused certain options to be reset when any slider bar on the same page was moved. * Fixed floating ammo boxes and armor powerups in saved games. Version 1.002 * Improved object Interpolation/Extrapolation (helps remove players/rockets "jumping" around bugs) * Added server upload throttling code. The server throttling works by turning down the update rates of the clients when too much data is being sent for the connection to handle. NOTE: You MUST set this option appropriately on your hosted or dedicated server to avoid bandwidth saturation and overflow. To set this option on a hosted server go to the Host menu and select the "Bandwidth" option. The value you choose (56k,Cable,DSL,T1,T3) should match the maximum number of bytes per second that your connection can upload. If none of the available options match your connection's maximum upload bandwith, then use the "Custom" option to enter the correct value manually. For step by step instuctions for calculating your bandwidth limit and for instructions on using this feature with dedicated servers, please see the serverreadme.txt file in your main NOLF installation folder after installing the update. * Numerous bandwidth optimizations, including: * Removed guaranteed userflag updates being sent on object activation and deactivation * Removed guaranteed update of all ammo types when player respawns * Removed guaranteed userflag updates associated with ducking and swimming * Removed guaranteed update of grenade rotation * Fixed a number of join related bugs (i.e., the endless Loading screen bug and crashes when switching maps). * Added ability to set the server and client ports. The client port is controlled by the IPClientPort console command which defaults to 0 (which will cause NOLF to use the default IP range of 1024-5000). * Auto Ammo Selection option added. If this option is turned on (in the Player menu) and you pick up ammo for the weapon you currently have selected that is better than the ammo type you are currently using, the new ammo type is used. * Fixed Auto weapon selection so that a weapon is automatically selected when you are out of ammo and you pick up ammo. * Update so best ammo is auto selected instead of the "next" ammo type. * Fixed a bug that allowed you to move certain ammo types to other weapons (e.g., move explosive revolver ammo to AK-47). * Updated so that all player head/body textures are available in multi-player. * Added Elite Guard models to the model selection in multiplayer. * Added Target name display options to the Player setup screen. This allows you to display the name of the person you are currently targeting. * Fixed a bug in AmmoBox that caused them to sometimes stop giving out ammo if picked up a bunch of times. * Fixed a bug that caused progressive damage (i.e., stun, acid, sleeping) to sometimes be applied even after respawning. * Fixed a bug that caused players to not always play the swim animation when swimming. * Fixed ducking so it no longer feels lagged. * Fixed a bug that caused grenades to sometimes fly endlessly through the world. * Fixed a bug that caused projectiles (grenades and rockets) to sometimes disappear on the world. * Changed both Blizzard_AM and Beaujolis_AM so that players are now unable to illegally jump up the sides of the terrain, hide, and snipe at other players. * Launcher: Added "Customize" button under the Advance section which allows people to add Add-on .rez files more easily. * Stand Alone Server: Added "Customization options" dialogue which automatically appears if there are Add-on .rez files in the Custom folder. This allows Add-on .rez files to be used by the Stand-alone server. * Stand Alone Server: Added several command line paramaters to allow server operators to bypass the setup wizard. * Fixed a bug in the AmmoBox that caused a bunch of unnecessary messages to be sent to the client. * Fixed bug with not being able to pick up weapons when "weapon stay" is on. * Fixed a bug with PickupItems falling through world models when their MoveToFloor property was set to True. * Fixed a bug that caused the level to never end if Frag Scoring was turned off in H.A.R.M. vs UNITY games. * Fixed client bugs caused by the dimensions of crouching players. * Added a dedicated server (and in-game Host) option to limit bandwidth according to the type of connection being used. * Fixed a bug that caused the menu interface to disappear if the menu was left on for about 3 hours. * Updated the dedicated server window to display the correct version number. * Updated Internet Join and Lan Join interface screens so the F5 key will refresh the server lists. * Fixed a bug which made it so you couldn't bring up the in-game multi-player menu when dead. * Finally, based on our testing using the improved networking code, below are the recommended Player Limits for multiplayer: Connection Machine Spec # of Players ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 56K | Minimum Server (Host) | 2 (including host) | ISDN (128 kb up/down) | Fast Server (Dedicated) | 4 | DSL/Cable* | Fast Server (Dedicated) | 4-8 | T1 | Minimum Server (Dedicated) | 8-16 | T3 | Minimum Server (Dedicated) | 8-16 | T3 | Fast Server** (Host/Dedicated) | 16 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.001 * Fixed a potential crash on exit bug as well as crashes that sometimes occur when moving between Singleplayer and Multiplayer. * Fixed memory fragmentation issues which may have caused crashes and slow downs after playing for long periods of time. * Fixed a bug where the player inventory was not always saved correctly after being knocked out. This insures if you go back to play a level, that you have all available weapons/gadgets that you have collected. * Added the ability to review Intelligence items you have collected via a new Intelligence Gallery (by popular request!). * Fixed a bug in single player where shooting an unalert enemy twice, even with silenced weapons, could alert other AI in the vicinity to your presence. This bug was making stealth missions more difficult than intended. In this update, silenced shots which hit and kill an unalert AI never alert other AI in the area making stealth easier and more intuitive for many players. * Fixed a bug that allowed the coin to fall through many surfaces in the game, thereby making it impossible for the player to retrieve. This bug should be 100% fixed on flat surfaces, but the coin may still "trickle down" certain ramps and disappear. * Fixed an unreachable Intelligence item on the space station, which prevented players from getting a perfect score in every level. * The Body Remover can now be mapped to a weapon hotkey. * Changed the "Always Run" Toggle to toggle default movement (Run or Walk) and changed the "Run" key to toggle the opposite of the default. This will allow players who choose "walk" as their default movement mode to run when the button is held down, and vice-versa. The names of these controls in the options menu have also been changed for clarity. "Run" is now "Toggle run/walk", and "Run/walk toggle" has been changed to "Toggle Always Run." * Added better caching of weapon special fx to cut down on stuttering (e.g. when hit by a cyanide bullet, game pauses while loading floating goats). * Added more informative "Disconnected from Server" messages. * Fixed a bug where double clicking on the arrows to scroll through available servers in the multiplayer "join" menu would join the server that's currently highlighted. * Added the server's IP address and version number to the game option section of the multiplayer "join" menu. * Fixed a bug that allows low ping players to photograph Intelligence items multiple times. * Fixed a multiplayer bug that sometimes caused a player's armor display to not show up correctly. * Fixed a bug that allows low ping players to score multiple kills when they run over someone on the snowmobile or motorcycle. * Added a dialogue box that appears when a player attempts to join a server that's running a different version of the game. * A "View Options" command has been added to multiplayer escape menu. This will allow clients to see all of the current server's settings. * Added a dialog box to indicate that a server is no longer available. This will come up when you try to join a server that has been shut down since the last time you used the "refresh server" option. * Fixed a bug where players in a multiplayer game could use the Escape key to "Teleport" across the map after grabbing a weapon or powerup. * Attempted to fix game freezes with players using the Diamond MX300 (Aureal Vortex2 Chipset). Unfortunately, we have determined this is a DirectX and/or driver issue. We're working with Microsoft on a solution. In the meantime, players who encounter this bug can still play the game by turning off DirectMusic in the Advanced options section of the launcher. * Chat text in multiplayer now word-wraps. * Other long messages now also word wrap. * Fixed bug with Weapon Stay weapons only giving you the default ammo (not the ammo specified by the level designer). * Updated weapon powerups so you can pick up the ammo in them (if you run out of that ammo type) even if you have the weapon. III. USING ADD-ON MAPS AND MODS: In order to use a player created map, the map designer must first add it to a custom .rez file that uses NOLF's directory structure. For instance, if the map designer were to create a .rez file from a folder named c:\mymod, then all of his deathmatch maps would need to be in the following folder: c:\mymod\worlds\multi\deathmatch For more information on creating .rez files, please refer to the Nolf Tools readme file. To use the .rez file and the maps contained within, just follow these steps: 1. Create a subfolder named "Custom" in your main NOLF directory. (i.e. (install dir)\custom) 2. Copy all custom .rez files into this folder. 3. Bring up the NOLF launcher. 4. Click on "Advanced". 5. Click on "Customize". 6. Select the .rez files you wish to use. 7. Launch NOLF. Assuming the directory structure in the .rez file is correct, any multiplayer maps contained within should now show up in the list of available levels for that game type along with all of the retail NOLF maps. NOTE: Singleplayer maps will not show up unless the mod maker has modified the missions.txt file appropriately! Instructions for creating custom maps and .rez files are available in the NOLF Tools documentation. The NOLF tools are not included in this update and must be downloaded seperately. IV. FOR ADDITIONAL HELP AND INFORMATION For the latest news, technical support and information on future updates, please visit the following websites. The Official Site http://www.the-operative.com The Official Community Site http://www.nolfnews.com FOX Interactive http://www.foxinteractive.com Monolith Productions http://www.lith.com For the latest news on compatibility issues and successful workarounds, please check out the FAQs at http://www.the-operative.com and http://www.nolfnews.com. As work progresses on future updates, we'll be updating the NOLF Team Plan file at http://www.lith.com. Thanks for playing and we'll see you online!