Drakan Community Patch

Discuss Drakan: Order of the Flame with fellow players and post any technical problems here where an 'unofficial' support team will try and help you. Gameplay help questions can go here too.
DragonsLover
Hatchling
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Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by DragonsLover »

Hello and thanks for your reply!

The game and 445 patch should be available there ("Patch 445b" (which I assume is a typo) and "Version CD-ROM"): https://www.abandonware-france.org/ltf_ ... &fic=liens

For the text to translate, here we go (not sure if I had to change english to french, but it's easy to do anyway):
english.WhereToBuyLinkText=Vous pouvez cliquer ici pour savoir où vous pouvez trouver une copie de Drakan
english.SearchQuestionTitle=Recherche des fichiers requise
english.SearchQuestionCaption=Le programme d'installation a besoin de trouver les fichiers d'installation de Drakan sur votre ordinateur.
english.SearchQuestionText=Le programme d'installation a été incapable de localiser rapidement une installation existante de Drakan sur votre ordinateur.%nVoulez-vous que le programme d'installation effectue une recherche plus poussée?%n%nVeuillez cliquer sur "Suivant" pour procéder à la recherche des fichiers.%n%nNOTE : il est possible que la recherche prenne plus de 10 minutes à s'effectuer, selon la puissance de votre ordinateur.%n%nToutefois, la recherche ne sera effectuée qu'une seule fois; aucune autre recherche ne sera requise lors d'installations subséquentes des mises à jour du patch communautaire.%n%nVeuillez prendre note que le patch communautaire de Drakan ne peut être installé uniquement que par-dessus une copie existante du jeu complet.
english.ProgressTitle=Recherche en cours
english.ProgressCaption=Recherche d'une installation existante de Drakan.
english.ProgressText=Recherche en cours... (cela peut prendre quelques minutes)
english.CurrSrchDrv=Recherche sur le lecteur :
english.FailureMessageTitle=Erreur critique !
english.FailureMessageCaption=Le programme d'installation ne peut pas continuer l'installation.
english.FailureMessageText=Aucune copie de la version complète de Drakan n'a été trouvée sur votre ordinateur.%nL'installation du patch communautaire ne peut donc pas continuer.%n%nVeuillez d'abord installer la version complète de Drakan, puis relancez de nouveau cet installateur.%n%n%n
english.InputOptionsTitle=Résultats de la recherche
english.InputOptionsCaption=Le programme d'installation a trouvé les copies suivantes du jeu Drakan sur votre ordinateur.
english.InputOptionsText=Veuillez sélectionner l'emplacement où l'installation du patch communautaire doit être effectuée parmi les options présentées ci-dessous.

english.FulldgVInst=Installation complète, incluant le wrapper dgVoodoo2 optionnel (recommandé)
english.FullInst=Installation complète, mais sans le wrapper dgVoodoo2 optionnel
english.MinimalInst=Installation compacte, contenant uniquement les fichiers requis pour jouer à Drakan
english.ComponentsDescMain=Fichiers principaux du jeu (requis)
english.ComponentsDescExtras=Contenu additionnel optionnel
english.ComponentsDescdgVoodoo2=Wrapper dgVoodoo2 DirectX
english.OtherTasks=Autres tâches :
english.dgV2DefSettings=Réinitialiser les paramètres dgVoodoo2 à leurs valeurs recommandées par défaut
english.dgV2forEditor=Faire utiliser dgVoodoo2 à l'éditeur de niveaux pour la vue en 3D (aide à prévenir les plantages en lien à la vue en 3D)
english.dgV2forEditorResetSettings=Réinitialiser les paramètres dgVoodoo2 de l'éditeur de niveaux à leurs valeurs recommandées par défaut
english.GPackCleanup=Exclure les maps réalisées par des fans du Drakan Gold Pack qui sont de mauvaises qualités
english.SetRecommRegSettings=Ne changer aucuns paramètres de Drakan existants (NOTE : si aucuns paramètres existants ne sont trouvés, cela va charger les valeurs prédéfinies recommandées)
english.ResetRecommRegSettings=Réinitialiser les paramètres de Drakan dans le registre à leurs valeurs recommandées par défaut (!)
english.ClearRegSettings=Remettre *TOUS* les paramètres de Drakan dans le registre à leurs valeurs *par défaut* (!)

englishDrakanEngineOptions=Options du moteur de Drakan
englishDrakandgV2Settings=Paramètres dgVoodoo2 de Drakan
englishDrakanManual=Manuel de Drakan
englishDrakanQSTG=Guide de démarrage rapide et de dépannage de Drakan
englishDrakanCPReadme=Lisez-moi du patch communautaire de Drakan

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Mechanist
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Posts: 303
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:27 pm
Location: Poland

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by Mechanist »

Thanks :D

Ok, I've uploaded an experimental release of the patch that supports the French version.
Download link is in the first post.

I've run the basic tests on it, and it seems to be working OK.
Please let me know if anything goes wrong :)

Drakon Rider-16
Hatchling
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:00 pm

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by Drakon Rider-16 »

Well - I see the number of good hackers are make fixes to Drakan:OOTF executables in last 10..15 years.

Unfortunately still some bugs in very valuable features exists and required to be fixed. It is bugs in player control code around blocking control and blocking player state.

Currently still experiensing player control and player state bugs (in latest community patch at september 2019):

1. 'Non-deep' stuck_in_block bug. Sometime player stucks in blocking state while sitting even if block control key is released.
At time of 445SP1 patch I think the 'deep' stuck_in_block bug was mostly fixed. It was done by fixing 1 bit in some player-state variable at some part of player control code. Do not remember exaclty where ofcourse now. That 'deep' stuck_in_block bug was released only by entering and closing inventory mode. Now we still have 'non-deep' stuck_in_block bug which can be released by many control keys like re-down Down control key and may be many more. Anyway any unexpected player state in fast melee combat causes disappointing fail and must be fixed if possible.

2. Faulty primary attack animation if trying to block in time of special attack state.
Example for reproduce: Start 3-hit special combo (Backward_Forward_Primary_Attack) and taps secondary attack key (many times) during playing attack animation. Better start to tap Secondary attack key at last 3-rd or 4 part of special attack animation. After attack animation ends Rynn plays right to left weapon hit (looks like simple Primary Attack animation) instead of long waiting blocking state. If you continue to taps Secondary Attack animation key you can sometime get 2 Primary Attack animation before finally block state starts. And ends in idle state if player stops to taps or press_and_hold Secondary Attack control key.

3. Block state failes near Down command.
Very frequently Blocking state is not started or ends if even tryes to start if control keys for Down command and Secondary Attack pressed in close time. Close time means about +-500 milliseconds or less, or virtually immediately. The end state if bug appear is Rynn in sitting state but not sitting and blocking. To start blocking state player need to release and press again Secondary Attack key (while holding Down key pressed). So it looks like player control code has significant difference in processing Secondary Attack key signalling. Or it may be connected with different HID ? I use Right Mouse key for Secondary Attack command and Right Ctrl Key on keyboard for Crouch/Down command.

4. Block state failes after rolling on ground.
Very frequently Blocking failes after end ground roll movement. Reproduce: press Down key and hold, press Fowrard or Left or Right key, release both keys and wait till 80..90+% of stand after groung roll animation completes and press Secondary Attack key (start tapping Secondary Attack key). Rynn and camera stucks in vertical movement up and down (untill you keeping tapping Secondary Attack key). Sometime ends with Primary Attack once or even many times.

Blocking state is very important for melee fighting in single and multiplayer so failing of blocking state at time required due to still non-fixed engine player control bugs is very disappointing.

Also may be not exact bug but control un-eveninness: player can cancel attack in any time by down_following_by_block control combination but can not cancel attack in standing position by pressing just block control key. This can be source of more bugs in block control and player's key-pressing faults at gameplay time because instead of just block control key player MUST now use 2 control keys in exact sequencing for canceling attack and switching to block state: Down key folloing by Block (Secondary Attack) key.

So it can be done as test for community: Allow player to switch to block state at any time of attack (as now it work with down_following_by_block control combination). Or may be a switch in .ini file.

Also may be make optional 90 degree camera rotation for left and right special attacks. It makes harder to aim attack forward, especially right special attack. Player now need to correct attack direction with mouse. Yes I see the animation of left and right special attack causes Rynn to 90 degree rotation too, but I do not think it is very good to correct your typical forward attack or attack into forward half-sphere with mouse most of time. May be even made additional auto-correction to Rynn's Z-rotation after full special attack animation. So player will not required to do it manually by mouse all the times.

Drakan:OOTF engine has complex enough player control code but unfortunately not very clean in many very important control paths. Especially control paths around secondary attack signal at different player states. The player control for melee ground is very good designed but still suffers of some bugs and I hope new todays hackers can pay attention to this bugs and helps to online players. The long requests for fixing player control and network-code was wroten in 200x years by online players community but no good hackers exists in that years who can made deep fixes to code and official code support by Surreal was stopped very soon after Drakan:OOTF release.

belies
Hatchling
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:52 am

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by belies »

i only use Standard Patch, Devs Mode, 144Hz and 32XSGSSAA.


Iam now out of Alwarren.


All Ok

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Arokhs Twin
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Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by Arokhs Twin »

Glad you got it sorted in the end. :D
By fire and by blood I join with thee in the Order of the Flame!
Webmaster of Arokh's Lair

belies
Hatchling
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:52 am

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by belies »

Everything was ok so far. I dare not continue the game. Only out of concern.

I am now in The Goblin Base.

DR_20
Hatchling
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:26 pm

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by DR_20 »

A bit more bugs still existing in current version CP (build 153.01): Thrown Weapon classtype is significally buggy if set property 'Ricochet or Roll' to Ricochet state. If trying to use this weapon to throw (secondary attack) it starts to double - one item thrown as expected and second instance thrown to the lower-left direction. Also if switch weapon using hotkey the engine frequently crashes with exception error. Or the instance of the weapon model spawned to 3d space and left at the point where weapon switch or weapon attack was performed. It looks like the code of this classtype is not very clean from Surreal in 1999 because this classtype looks like not used in retail Drakan:OOTF. Also the weapon of this classtype is capable for all standard melee attacks but do not perform damage to enemy (only if thrown by secondary attack commend). Though in Basic Weapon group it have typical weapon property of Damage.

Also looks like partial bug - the AI of watroks (and possibly other non-player classypes) do not detect player attack with classtype Thrown Weapon. So they do not attempt to sheld itself and got damage every time if player's throwable do not miss target.

Axl
Hatchling
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2023 2:05 pm

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by Axl »

Hi everyone!

Long time since last post, sorry,
Just to know, it's possible to re-upload the patch EXPERIMENTAL build 153.01a with French language support?

Thanks in advance!

Axl

UCyborg
Dragon
Posts: 433
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:24 pm
Location: Slovenia

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by UCyborg »

Regarding stuck in block bug mentioned 4 years ago, back when I was working on my patch, thinking back now, not even sure I entirely understood that bit correctly about 445SP1 back then, maybe have thought it deals with some spot in NoWhere multiplayer map, that player might get stuck or something, I mustn't have realized it means Rynn gets stuck in blocking pose to defend herself from enemy attacks sometimes even after releasing the key. I think I would have included unconditionally if I was aware of the fact.

At least parts of 445SP1 it are activated by default when loading NoWhere, I'm positive about disablement of one of the attack animations, unsure about that block bug, but looking at it now, I suspect I have this fix conditionally enabled as well.

Heh, the modified code calling the suspected relevant function, which wrong parameters may cause the stuck in blocking pose, this must be the one I deliberately put as the last thing in Dragon.rfl's code section (detour to it activated from other place), to make it easy to find in the future for me as I suspected it might deserve some attention on my part.

I just can't figure out what odd keypress combo one must use to cause the bug, which the may fix, but only when NoWhere map is loaded, as already said. If someone has a hint, I'm all ears.

Onto another thing, funny thing the main site says to use community patch instead of AiO Patch, though it would make more sense to install community patch to gets the extra maps then put in AiO Patch's binaries on top (Drakan.exe, Dragon.rfl, dinput.dll for the game alone without editing tools) as I fixed some issues after Community Patch was updated last time.

Edit: Hm, that code is dealing with something else, it's consistently called during level loading. :shock: Looks like it just changes how attack works when pressing move left + move forward + attack. OK, guess I'd have to dig deeper to find the one dealing with blocking bug.
"When a human being takes his life in depression, this is a natural death of spiritual causes. The modern barbarity of 'saving' the suicidal is based on a hair-raising misapprehension of the nature of existence." - Peter Wessel Zapffe

UCyborg
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Location: Slovenia

Re: Drakan Community Patch

Post by UCyborg »

Since I forgot most things about it, I made a hex comparison of the old Dragon.rfl and the 445SP1 patched one (Drakan_445SP1.exe with CRC32: 87943F6F), the supposed "stuck in block bug" patch is included in recent unofficial patches. Activated unconditionally, if it doesn't work, then it mustn't have worked back then either.

If you hold block key, hold crouch key, release block key, then Rynn still blocks. She stops blocking when releasing crouch key. Happens regardless if that 1 bit change is in the code or not. While it's related to Rynn's state in some way, there must be other relevant parts of code.
"When a human being takes his life in depression, this is a natural death of spiritual causes. The modern barbarity of 'saving' the suicidal is based on a hair-raising misapprehension of the nature of existence." - Peter Wessel Zapffe

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