DevelopmentPlans/2.3

BZFlag 2.3 will be a development version intended to sidestep the abandonment of BZFlag 3.0 development.

Goal

The goal is to release a new version of BZFlag that is incompatible with 2.0.x for a good reason, and has at least one new feature that will make many players want to upgrade.

The hope is that this process will renew developer motivation and attract new developers.

Note: the game version number that 2.3 would be released as has not been chosen yet.

Ideas

• Facilitate moving global services (e.g., my.bzflag.org) to new hardware.
• Add one or two non-trivial client features so the players will be motivated to upgrade

 - graphics quality?
 - server list backport?
 - Cloaked Shot flag (hoping for better than this)

• anti-cheating?
• Fix the protocol bug that version 2.0.16 was a bandaid for.
• Remove the /identify command.
• BZBB rank promotions! ;-)

Schedule

• Immediately open 2.0.17 up for whitespace, Subversion properties, copyright notices, and other easy changes that don't break protocol.
• Solicit specific change proposals that can be completed within one month. Each proposal must be sponsored by an individual developer who will lead its implementation.
• When proposals are in and accepted by consensus, start the 1-month countdown clock.
• Copy v2_0branch to v2_3branch and commit a change that requires a new protocol number.
• Implement accepted proposals and test.
• After 1 month, revert any changes that have caused unfixed regressions.
• Choose a version number for the release.
• Rename v2_3branch to vN_Nbranch and release.

Backports

• Connection Header Change
• Server Side Scoring
• Sim loop breakup ( to prevent F5)
• Server Side Flag ID and pickup
• New Shot Graphics
• Hud Markers
• Removal of low, promotion of experimental to high.
• Server List from SOC
• API rework
• Remove Identify
• Windows Project Cleanup
• New Make system
• New source docs ( authors etc..)
• Server side handicap
• Gm shot checks
• Stealth fixes for rabbit
• Screenshot fixes
• Update Notification
• WIngs Velocity Change

Backport evals

• Map changes.
• HTTP plugins
• Lua
• New API events
• Network buffering
• New Translations
• BZFChron
• Server Side Players

Things NOT to backport

• Lag Comp
• Acceleration Changes
• Font System