====== L3DT release 2.5b ======

Released on the 7th of November, 2007 ([[bundynews>l3dt:ann:v2.5b|see announcement]])

===== Major changes =====

==== Complete Sapphire to replace L3DTVi2 ====

  * Added mosaic mip-mapped texture support to Sapphire, with LOD management (for [[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:megatextures|megatextures]])
  * Added [[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:hf_edit:bulldozer|bulldozer]], [[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:hf_edit:perlin|perlin]] and [[bundywiki>plugins:sapphire:userguide:hf_edit:smooth|smooth]] tools to Sapphire.
  * Removed L3DTVi2 from installation package.

==== Compressed heightfield files =====

  * Change default file format to new extensible compressed heightfield file ([[l3dt:formats:specs:hf2|hfz]]).

==== Spring import/export plugin(s) =====

  * Created plugin to import/export SMT and SMF formats for [[http://spring.clan-sy.com/|Spring]].

==== Parallel multithreading ====

  * Added multi-core support to normals, light map and texture map calculations.

==== Backup and restore points ====

  * Added 'backup active map' and 'restore to last backup' options to L3DT and Sapphire menus/toolbars (via [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_Backup|L3DTio_Backup]] plugin.)

==== New climates ====

  * Tropical, Demo-grass-rock-sand --- By Aaron.
  * Spring-Greenworld, Spring-Desertworld, Spring-Mars --- By [[user>Forboding Angel|Forboding Angel]].

===== Minor features =====

==== File I/O ====

  * Added 'File->Import->Custom map layer...' ([[l3dt:userguide:io:import:custom|see userguide]]).
  * Updated RUN batch processing to use new '.def.xml' map definition files.
  * Allowed heightfield mosaic import in import wizard.
  * Added greyscale->RGB, RGBA->RGB and RGB->RGBA conversion support for loading images in [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_FI|L3DTio_FI]]. 
  * Added InvertY  option and RGB support to [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_PCX|L3DTio_PCX]]. 
  * Add mosaic support for [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_DDS|L3DTio_DDS]], and include with installer.
  * Added gzip support to [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_AMF|L3DTio_AMF]], and set AMF.GZ to default AM format (it's smaller than PNG).
  * Dynamically generate format list in import wizard dialog from the actual format list for the heightfield (was using hard-coded format list before).
  * Added Wavefront OBJ support with [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_OBJ|L3DTio_OBJ]].
  * Added support for import of super-large single TER/BT/HF2/HFZ files, which are too large to fit in memory (auto-split to mosaic).


==== User interface =====

  * Revised the [[l3dt:userguide:climates:ltedit:pane2|parameters pane]] of the land type editor.
  * Updated to the Windows XP UI theme.
  * Updated the status bar info to include BYTE/WORD/24-bit/DWORD maps.
  * Rebuilt 1/2/3/4/etc hotkeys for viewing maps in main window.
  * Allow re-binding of keys in Sapphire.
  * Add indexed palettes to byte map rendering ('view->indexed palette...').
  * Created modeless and auto-updating dialog box for map selection ([[l3dt:userguide:view:selmap|see userguide]]).
  * Added 'RGBA alpha means opacity' flag in view ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=4339#4339|see here]]).
  * Revised [[l3dt:userguide:wizards:alpha_options|alpha map settings wizard]] somewhat, and added a presets bar (as with most other wizards).

==== New plugins ====

  * [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atRoads|atRoads]] (provides bulldozer tool in Sapphire.)
  * [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atRoads|atRotate]], for rotating/mirroring maps.
  * [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:zeoImage|ZeoImage]], for compositing images, etc. ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=3425#3425|see request]])
  * [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:ZeoWrap|ZeoWrap]]
  * [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_Atlas2|L3DTio_Atlas2]] --- Beta only.
  * [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atRainMaker|atRainMaker]] --- Alpha only.


==== Other ====

  * Improved speed of texture generation by adding skip size to anti-aliasing.
  * Added support for [[l3dt:userguide:extensions:manager#make_global_private|global/shared plugins]].
  * Added MinAltFlag & MaxAltFlag to climates, so that we don't have to use crazy values like 1E10 to indicate no alt range.
  * Now defaults to 2x mipmaps (was 4x) --- //needed for Sapphire megatextures.//
  * Disable shadow multi-casting for far off-axial light directions (10deg threshold)
  * Converted all AM calc functions to use ushort arguments instead of shorts (affected [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_FI|L3DTio_FI]] and [[bundywiki>plugins:calc:atFilterAM|atFilterAM]] plugins).
  * Allowed plugins to be disabled without throwing message on load (use CrashFlag instead of EnableFlag for crash monitoring).
  * Store alpha maps in project map list.


===== Plugin API =====

  * Added more functions:
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_LinInterp]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_GenMipmaps2]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_ClearMipmaps]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_GetMipmapResStep]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_GetMipmapMaxLevel]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:map_GetMipmapLevel]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:project_CreateMap]]
    * [[zeolite:functions:project_GetOrCreateMap]]
  * Upgraded to [[zeolite:changes#v2.5.2|Zeolite v2.5.2]]


===== Bug fixes =====

  * Now check map types when saving PROJ (if un-loaded, use default type)
  * Fixed squares in high-res attributes map ([[http://www.bundysoft.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=677|see forum thread]]).
  * Fixed auto-update of mipmaps in SetPixel.
  * Fixed CPU throttle on mipmap generation.
  * Fixed shadow-casting for axial light orientations.
  * Disabled some more menu options when calculations are in progress.
  * Fixed 'blank heightfield' option for mosaic maps.
  * Fixed tile max altitude bug in [[:libhfz|libHFZ]] and [[bundywiki>plugins:fileio:L3DTio_HFZ|L3DTio_HFZ]].
  * Remove non-existent projects from file list.
  * Fixed exception in water map rendering (with water table).
  * Changed reg usage to allow non-admin usage after activation (this is a fix for MS Vista).
  * Fix time estimate for light map calculation.