Windows 9x question
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Re: Windows 9x question
That is a very cautious, "yes"Curudan wrote:Is it possible to run any version of any client on windows 98?
As I understand it, the DirectX client can or will run on Win98 and similar versions. However, so much has changed on the server that the client is no longer compatible with the server.
So, DirectX client on Win98 would (could? should??) work with a server version of November-13-2002 or earlier.
Followup question - what about the Java client (jcrossclient) and "older" versions of Windows?
Once upon a time, I used a very early version of the Java client on Windows 95.

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jcrossclient is a client written entirely in java, which was abandoned in 2000 and picked up again a little under 3 months ago by me. It has a sourceforge project page which has more information https://sourceforge.net/projects/jcrossclient
It should work correctly with any operating system running java 1.4 or later. (if it doesn't, that is a bug, and I'd appriciate details of your setup/error messages). It also supports (in principle) all modern crossfire servers (there are a couple of dated bits of protocol code still, but I'm gradually fixing them)
the binary version of the latest jcrossclient release (1.0 alpha3) can be downloaded from http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/jcro ... r?download
if you have a suitable java vm installed*, you should just be able to double click on it and have it work.
once you have it running, enter a server to connect to (note the version - alpha - I haven't added metaserver support yet....) I recommend crossfire.metalforge.net for newbies, although you may also want to try cat2.dynu.ca if you like PKing
(http://crossfire.real-time.com/metaserver/ is a complete list of all known publically accessible servers)
*some old versions of windows shipped with a very old and broken java implementation, you will need 1.4 or later, if you don't have it, you can get one from http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp
It should work correctly with any operating system running java 1.4 or later. (if it doesn't, that is a bug, and I'd appriciate details of your setup/error messages). It also supports (in principle) all modern crossfire servers (there are a couple of dated bits of protocol code still, but I'm gradually fixing them)
the binary version of the latest jcrossclient release (1.0 alpha3) can be downloaded from http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/jcro ... r?download
if you have a suitable java vm installed*, you should just be able to double click on it and have it work.
once you have it running, enter a server to connect to (note the version - alpha - I haven't added metaserver support yet....) I recommend crossfire.metalforge.net for newbies, although you may also want to try cat2.dynu.ca if you like PKing
(http://crossfire.real-time.com/metaserver/ is a complete list of all known publically accessible servers)
*some old versions of windows shipped with a very old and broken java implementation, you will need 1.4 or later, if you don't have it, you can get one from http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp
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oh, on a related note, Leaf, could you update http://crossfire.real-time.com/clients/ ... lient.html ?
in particular the screenshot you currently have (http://crossfire.real-time.com/screensh ... lient.html) is rather outdated, if you were to link to https://sourceforge.net/project/screens ... _id=152431 it will show modern ones, which I can keep updated (and you don't need to host an image file either)...
If you want some copy to fill in space on the page, let me know.
in particular the screenshot you currently have (http://crossfire.real-time.com/screensh ... lient.html) is rather outdated, if you were to link to https://sourceforge.net/project/screens ... _id=152431 it will show modern ones, which I can keep updated (and you don't need to host an image file either)...
If you want some copy to fill in space on the page, let me know.
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what, both of you?
(1)
Seriously though, I can't take all (or even most) of the credit, the original jcrossclient (http://bolthole.com/jcrossclient/) still provides most of the framework for the newer client (even as it has been extended, fixed, tweaked and hacked to pieces) - the only way I have managed to make the progress that I (and the other jcrossclient developer) have is because of Phil Brown's original design. Also of course, the client on its own would be worthless without all the work on the server and the game content that runs on it.
As it is, jcrossclient shouldn't be /that/ slow, it is written using AWT, which is normally quite fast (at least compared to swing) - and was started in the last century, when speed optimisations were more important; much of this still persists, in things such as the server and map thread delay options - if you set these high enough, then the client should still be usable, even if it does appear to be on a laggy connection.
In any event, in the last fortnight, we had some new map rendering code written by james jackson (the aforementioned other developer), which improves performance noticably on slower systems (although there are a few more things that need help before I will announce a beta 1 release, mostly protocol side stuff)
However I will soon be reaching the point where I would be very interested in performance reports on slower machines,
Hopefully I should have a 1.0 final release sometime in march or april, and after that focus on trying to turn it into a web applet (I've already made some vague attempts in that direction), to make the game accessible to those who are in environments where running stand-alone applications isn't possible (internet cafes, airports, schools, offices - not that I would condone the last two of course
)
(1) this from the guy who runs amiga OS 3.1 under UAE, GNU Hurd and AROS on various systems.

Seriously though, I can't take all (or even most) of the credit, the original jcrossclient (http://bolthole.com/jcrossclient/) still provides most of the framework for the newer client (even as it has been extended, fixed, tweaked and hacked to pieces) - the only way I have managed to make the progress that I (and the other jcrossclient developer) have is because of Phil Brown's original design. Also of course, the client on its own would be worthless without all the work on the server and the game content that runs on it.
As it is, jcrossclient shouldn't be /that/ slow, it is written using AWT, which is normally quite fast (at least compared to swing) - and was started in the last century, when speed optimisations were more important; much of this still persists, in things such as the server and map thread delay options - if you set these high enough, then the client should still be usable, even if it does appear to be on a laggy connection.
In any event, in the last fortnight, we had some new map rendering code written by james jackson (the aforementioned other developer), which improves performance noticably on slower systems (although there are a few more things that need help before I will announce a beta 1 release, mostly protocol side stuff)
However I will soon be reaching the point where I would be very interested in performance reports on slower machines,
Hopefully I should have a 1.0 final release sometime in march or april, and after that focus on trying to turn it into a web applet (I've already made some vague attempts in that direction), to make the game accessible to those who are in environments where running stand-alone applications isn't possible (internet cafes, airports, schools, offices - not that I would condone the last two of course

(1) this from the guy who runs amiga OS 3.1 under UAE, GNU Hurd and AROS on various systems.
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Yes, and done.cavesomething wrote:oh, on a related note, Leaf, could you update http://crossfire.real-time.com/clients/ ... lient.html ?

"Put another, more succinct way: don't complain, contribute. It's more satisfying in the long run, and it's more constructive."
Eric Meyer
Eric Meyer