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History and Release Timeline

m!m edited this page Aug 26, 2016 · 12 revisions

##History##

In 2002, Dave Baranec (one of the individuals who worked on FreeSpace 2), released the FreeSpace 2 source on the now-defunct Volition Watch (http://www.volitionwatch.com).

Although the code was missing major components (such as the PXO multiplayer code and the ability to play movies), new features, such as glowpoints, were quickly added. Ship class limits were bumped.

The individual programmers who were making enhancements to the original code soon organized themselves into the FreeSpace Source Code Project and kept on working. Glow mapping, shine mapping, DirectX 8.0 and later OpenGL support, a new multiplayer network system and dozens of new SEXPs have followed over the years.

Release Timeline

This is an incomplete timeline of FSO releases, listing the "stable" version next to their notable features.

3.Major_revision.Minor_revision

Trivia: We use 3 as the leading number to denote that this is the 3rd incarnation of FreeSpace's engine. FS1 uses 1.0, FS2 uses 2.0, and FSO uses the 3.0 versions.

Version Date Major Features
3.8 unreleased Use OpenGL Core Profile for rendering
TrueType Fonts support for text rendering
CMake build system
SDL2.0 support on all platforms
Physically-Based Rendering
APNG support
3.7.4 2016/07/04 Major graphics update including deferred lighting and shadows
Enhanced sound (up to 128 channels)
3.7.2 2015/04/24 MediaVPs 2014 support
Unstretched interface screens
Automatically non stretched HUD gauges and simpler modder options for placing HUD gauges
Autospread and model point shields
WebUI based multiplayer standalone server (for non-Windows platforms)
3.7.0 2013/09/01 New Flexible Pilot Save File Code (combines single/multi pilots & allows safe switching between unfinished campaigns)
3.6.18 2013/03/01 Fix for critical damage bug in 3.6.16
3.6.16 2013/01/06 Diaspora TC support
Performance Improvements (go_even_faster)
3.6.14 2012/10/23 Major HUD gauges overhaul
3.6.12 2010/08/03
3.6.10 2009/07/20
3.6.0 2004/05/12
3.5.0 2003/02/25
3.3.0 2002/11/10
3.2.0 2002/08/12
3.1.0 2002/08/04
3.0.0 2002/06/03

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