Update
pump_it_up!!!

new option in modders script, if true starts to update the offline alife tables every 10 game minutes and will spawn alife in the level you are in. It follows the new open levels concept and ramps up as you complete the main quests. This operates along with the normal alife, not replacing it and can be turned on/off anytime without effecting saves. This will give those who want more mayhem and even causes hoards of creatures like dogpacks and enemy npc group attacks. After you have turned off the scortcher it gets pretty hectic, you don't want to stay in one place too long as you may get surounded...

I have finally finished testing the new scripts and also have the 'new look' from Aleks1970 that will give you a taste of what STALKERSOUP's final image will be.
Improved/optimized ambient sounds (footsteps on cement for one), english voices also optimized and in the right places.
Even fewer crashes and now running the 1.0006ww engine on any platform with 4 to 6gig allocating for the game!!!!
D3D10 style shaders supporting the most advanced lighting model and super ssa. Optional automatic vision/lighting distance adjustment per level to compensate for bad occlusion maps (.HOM files) that cause run-away rendering and CTDs on spawn.

OH man, TOO much, you are just going to have to see for yourself as I just can't put it all here!

Will be posting 10992 in patch form and in 1.0008ww .db form by Thursday the 15th, this is an absolute!!!
I hope that many of you start fresh as there are so many improvements but saves so far have been ok from submissions. Just one user seems to have a bad item in inventory as Collector but I am still trying to replicate it myself.

This is a monumental step toward the final release and SUPER important in establishing the NEAR future on-line STALKERSOUP universe, adding several new levels and a HUGE change in the 'LIFE IN THE ZONE' as you know it...
TB

Update almost done uploading the new db format, much slower than my website but still not able to afford the fast ones yet. patch has become a bit more complicated as several sections are effected, trying to verify a full patch before posting. glad I started uploading last night Friends of STALKERSOUP: be sure to visit the FSS page this weekend as I am going to post information you need to know, others are welcome to visit it too and maybe become members as well. Release of the 10992 database version is a big deal! Why? It's foundation is based on all pertinent improvements to the mod up to and including v1.0008ww. Why is this important? Some of you have already noticed that your SHoC is running in v1.0006 if using the SS bin folder. Also at my fingertips is the fastest and most stable multiplayer platform for the next stage and last beta test phase before release. After I have created the new mp scripts to support my concept of an on-line universe then updates will become automated. I will be updating the website with alot of information now that I have a very stable base, not perfect yet but I have discovered enough to say that it will... it will.... TB

Blood Splatter There are two kinds of blood, victim which fades away and actor which stays until full health returns... the dmx actor health blood is what seems to cause the issue, I am removing them from the modders script and: victim splatter will be part of hud choices i.e. off,on,on+blood,on+blood+breath (including breath sound) actor health blood will be removed permanantly breath sounds will become pda signal sounds 'vanilla' or 'new' I also found another character descr file with \0 in the groups lastly there is a call to mapspots in the monster binder that is not protected so it can crash on some respawns will get this patch together for Monday sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, thaught I had it working right but obviously actor blood by dmx is somehow not playing well with others so it's getting the boot...

SOLVED Problem was simple but you may not like the answer... The save module was not checking to see if the database version of the actor was still in 'alive' status when saving which meant that it would continue to save an empty database for the actor. This causes a corruption based on when the death actually occurs which is why it would sometimes carry to the next save. FIXED, will post a patch tomorrow for that and a couple other things. I have verified that this will work right and will send you to the main menu without the option to 'return to the zone'

Update
FIXES:
- elevated scope of level_info for hellhour to prevent failed hellhour CTD.
- added 'actor alive' check in save function to prevent corrupt saves
- removed actor blood feature and moved victim blood to the ingame options menu as part of hud options
- moved breath sound option to hud option
- fixed bad groups in character description of military
- minor tweak to pda textures
- protection against missing sids in monster binder from respawner

EXTRAS:
- added pda sounds to ingame options menu
- added a third option in god mode folder: now there are two versions of NORMAL mode; 'game' 150 carry weight and improved immunities, 'hardcore' 100 carry weight and realistic immunities.
This way those who find it hard to get past shock anomalies and die fast in combat can try the 'game' version. The difficulty level you choose determines the level of your immunities so novice will be able to take a bit of punishment.

- I have also upped the firepower needed for a kill shot based on distance, you can change it in the modders script. The default value was 1400 but when looking at the weapons I noticed most of them exceeded this and were way too accurate, 1800 seems to me to be more realistic, hope it doesn't effect the weapon packs too much.

NOTE: The new look is WIP, Aleks1970 has been working hard to help me get it together. At this time any graphics feedback/input/submissions should go to Aleks1970 so that I stay on-track with the 1.1.0.0 release. You are starting to see what the final version will look like, presently only a few are done. The PDA menu on main menu, the ingame pda and the new intro pics.

The shortcut keys can be displayed in place of intro pics by changing the option in modders script, the keys will be changing once ddof has moved to the ingame options menu.

will post the mini-patch later today
TB

Update
Two major fixes are in the patch tonight:
-game corruption from actor death during save process, this would often show up when hit by amk hit along with any other hit

--game corruption from new dmx medicines, if use a medkit while being hit causes a floating hud element.

Several tweaks added as we continue toward 1.1.0

Weapons and ammo will act differently as I try to balance the weapon packs to my ballistics and characteristics which before SS never existed. Those of you impatient for the weapon tweaks might want to set FP back to 1400 in the modders script

There are going to be issues with saves before 10992, the older it was started the bigger the issues. Some I might be able to help with if sent the save but the combinations make it unworthwhile for me to spend the effort on, sure you understand.

Since both the major fixes above effect the actor database and not the save itself, it can manifest into a crash as you keep playing. This may also explain some of the other odd issues so I will focus on submissions after 109921 tonight.

Not sure what time it will post so don't stay up too late, also...

modders, unpacker is in the db folder of the repository.

..... Entering the ZONE .....
* phase time: 19 ms
* phase cmem: 408487 K
* [win32]: free[846576 K], reserved[56152 K], committed[2242936 K]
* [ D3D ]: textures[1173366 K]
* [x-ray]: crt heap[408467 K], process heap[6955 K], game lua[48929 K], engine lua[154 K], render[686 K]
* [x-ray]: economy: strings[16738 K], smem[9246 K]
stack trace:

001B:00000000 XR_3DA.exe
001B:04EA552C xrGame.dll
001B:04C24D10 xrGame.dll

[error][ 87] : The parameter is incorrect.

Update
There will be one more patch before the holidays...

Small but important:
PURISTS SKIP THIS...
New option 'cave_no_big_electros', this means the 4 biggest ones are removed. I think that this is a better solution as everybody can make it to the entrance of the minors but get frustrated right there.

Made two accidental deletions in TB3D_Teleports.ltx, just delete it for now, just effects the cave and labrynth.

Several of you continue to use saves from an eon ago, ok, I have added the monster binder object check for the missing rats.

As soon as the new TORRENT of the db version gets seeded enough then I can post it in ModDB in place of the now antiquated 109.

Soon I will start posting updates in patch and .db form, db0 thru dbg will not change again until 1.1.0.0 if at all.
.dbh and .dbi will be used for all updates and additions.

I will try to get the patch up early tomorrow night for the holiday.

Update
the rat crash is the monster binder, it expects a sid for all objects and of course that is not possible with 72,000+ objects as the index stops at 65k. I have elevated the check to resolve it.

The SS BIN folder is an optimized v1.0006, this even runs in Steam and gives you the COP level engine and D3D10 shader support. It has been updated to 1.0007/1.0008 unoficial releases and is pretty much as optimized as possible.

The _r1/_r2 dlls are also optimized including reduced grass rendering.

Sido dissapearing from his hole in the ground: Caused by the rats... when monster binder fails it stops registering trader spots and that keeps him from spawning.

This patch will fix the binder, fix the two bad teleports, tweaked the ingame modders options and added ddof/mblur.

Added option to remove the 4 big electros in cave, unblocking the Minor's entrance for those who just get stuck there.

I have one more space in the ingame modders options, suggestions to which option to put there are welcome.

Update
I will be posting 109922 soon and it contains the options folder with verified files and a new option in god mode folder.

There are now two normal modes: hardcore (was default) and now game mode (new default).

The new default gives you a better immunity against shock hits and reduces headshot probabilities to the actor (less 1-shot kills) by enemies. It also gives you 150 carry weight instead of 100.

Those who like more realism/difficulty can just use the 'hardcore' option. They can be changed anytime but you may have weight issues if you go from game/god to hardcore mode.

Also fix for container weights.

Healing
Did you know that npc will help each other, this is one of the reasons that alife switch distance is set at 160. When you cross the tracks and are told to help fox then you have to be out of switch distance of fox or the scenario starts early and Doc arrives and heals him before you do.

Monster binder is causing many issues that seem unrelated to it, there is a reason for this. When you spawn many things spawn with you. If an error happens (mapspot for trader in cordon for ex.) all spawn actions after that are confused and even cause crashes (rats). When this has happened you will get things like: no sid in cordon, npc going berserk or laying on the ground (often fake death, waiting to ambush you) or the infamous statue, when a scheme gets disconnected.

I have fixed it but if sid is gone then you will need to back up to the cave and retransition in cordon.

If you have to do the cave again then you can set cave_no_big_electros to true so you can get in the minors easier.

Update
109922 is up in patch and .dbi (in repository)

make sure to redo your ingame modders options as they have changed

you don't have to use the tb3d_modders.script unless you want to remove the electros in the cave

this will be it for a little while... holiday weekend...

also I posted a link to OCedMyToaster's installation video for you