OpenFracas 0.6 Released

OpenFracas 0.6 "Cedric" has been released. This release marks the 1 year anniversary of OpenFracas. The most notable change in 0.6 is the new map file-format. Much of the work this release has been behind-the-scenes, making the game work with the new format.

While it may seem a trivial addition, it means that it is now possible to save and restore games in progress, as well as the maps upon which they were played. We originally inherited the map file format from Fracas 2.0, and had extended it well past what it was intended to handle in order to get it to keep up with the progress of OpenFracas. Nevertheless, it was far from an ideal solution. We didn't have support for reading and writing Fracas games-in-progress, and the file format in general wasn't suited to our goals for OpenFracas.

Additionally, a new Maps section has been added to our website at http://www.openfracas.org/maps.php where users can download maps and saved games, and can also upload their own creations to share with others.

The file format used now, .ofmap and .ofgame are based on the YAML data serialization library/format and are a much more robust file format, while still maintaining human readability.

The Map Editor has received updated code to allow it to use the new file formats, as well. The features of the Map Editor will grow in time as it matures, and the last of the code-base is brought around to using the new formats.

OpenFracas 0.6 is available on the downloads page; please feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or bugs on our forums.

Ubuntu users who have added our repository to their package manager will find the new version automatically available as an update.

MapEdit picking up some much needed features.

So now the map editor has progressed to the point where I am no longer embarrassed to call it my own. Chiefly, the map editor can now open files as well as save them - so that's a big one. The ability to name the countries has long been missing from the programme, as has support for a new feature that should be included in OpenFracas 0.5, that of unplayable land. Unplayable land, with proper support from the map editor, allows for the creation of maps like this work in progress of mine

The Provinces of the Roman Empire.

The darker grey areas represent regions which cannot be conquered, and (unlike water) cannot be traversed.

OpenFracas 0.4 Released

We are proud to announce the next version of OpenFracas, v0.4, has been released. This release is our best yet, with exciting new features and a focus on quality.

Specifically, this new version brings the following improvements

• New drawing code, making the game board
  
• Customizable. Change text sizes, and line styles
• Faster. Game feels more responsive. Redrawing rates are improved
• Resizable. Resizing the board is now possible
• Animated. The drawing is now fast enough to have simple animations
• Teams can be created when starting a new game, allowing for more challenging and exciting gameplay
• End-of-game dialogue displays statistics and a timeline, showing the game's course
  
• Map previews are faster when creating a new map
• Map previews have been added when opening an existing map
• Basic map creator. Create maps, and export them to OpenFracas
• Default maps are included
• Eurpoe
• Risk
  
• Complete use of Tango theme on Windows to improve interface aesthetic
  
• User interface refinements and improvements
  

The new version is available on the downloads page; please feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or bugs on our forums.

Ubuntu users who have added our repository to their package manager will find the new version automatically available as an update.

Mucking about with a map editor

It's something that OpenFracas has been missing. The ability to create custom maps is something that we'd love to give users, and eventually we will. We have no official plans for it yet, but once we have a map editor that is capable of creating these maps, we want to have a custom maps section on our web site.

All of this is jumping the gun a little bit, since the Map Editor is very new, and very lacking in features. For now, at least. The code for drawing maps in the map editor is actually where the code for the new faster map previews (mentioned earlier) comes from. This has been sitting around for a while, now, growing ever so slowly. It might not make it into the 0.4 release, as there are a number of other things that we want to get done, or need to polish, but eventually we'd really like to make map customization available.