XWAU Update v5.6.2 - Updated Release

[Ace Antilles]

XWAU Mega Patch Update v5.6.2 - Available NOW!

We had a bit of a bumpy release with our latest Update 5.6. A major bug creeped in last minute but luckily we found a workaround fix for it quickly.
Sadly @Ace Antilles has found a few other minor bugs that were included in the rush to get it out to you for Star Wars Day.
Rather than just release a small patch for it we have decided to issue a new 5.6.2 version with bug fixes AND some bonuses!
Sorry for any inconvenience to people who have already installed it, but we want to ensure quality releases to everyone who uses them.

If you already have installed Update 5.6 then you can install this update over the top and it will replace the files. You don't have to reinstall.
You will need to tweak your Special Effects settings again though, sorry. So if you turned on Ray Tracing etc then run Babu Frik's Configurator to set it up again.

To make it up to you though we've crammed in a few extra small new release items to make Update 5.6 even bigger!
We want to thank all our loyal followers and are glad to still see loads of new people finding our "Project" even after all these years.

Here's the current Update notes. Take a look
For the full Update 5.6 notes see the original topic here: https://forums.xwaupgrade.com/viewtopic.php?t=14128
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Bonus Items Released

TIE Experimentals: The TIE Experimentals are now flyable again!
We disabled the option at first and knew it was going to be a split decision for people. With the extra time we have been able to make them flyable again.
The TIE Experimental M3 (TieWarheads) uses only missiles as it should, but there is an optional Laser Profile in it's INI that expert users can enable if they wish.
They all use the brand new TIE Fighter line of cockpits from @DTM. There are no Exterior Opts as they aren't required.
Maybe in the future they will get some unique cockpits but these are supposed to be test drones not full production models.


JunkBlock: This block of trash from the Scrapyard Pilot Proving Ground has had a improvement from Forceflow!
It’s textures are now larger and nice and clear, plus what started as a better texture replacement grew with modelled 3D support wraps to hold it all together.

Junk.jpg

Container Class A (Brick): JC has updated the model with a new top hatch area. Also added Damage effects, map fixes and mesh reorganization.

ConA.jpg

Crew Quarters: Apart from what came in Update 5.6, now there are 2 more new items finished from @MechDonald
Black Sun Insignia and Imperial TIE Debris are now brand new images giving them more detail and looking less flat.
There is some amazing improvements coming for this little corner of Azzameen home later this year!

Crew.jpg

Backup: If you have setup a custom Joystick Configuration then the JoystickConfig.txt file will also be backed up alongside the Pilot Files.
It will automatically get copied as a backup to your Windows (Username) Documents folder. Example Documents\X-Wing Alliance\Pilots Backup.
The backups are not incremental, so the latest files will always be the one that is backed up and overwritten when running this Update Installer.


Bug Fixes

Imperial Star Destroyer v2.1: Corrected some geometry and texture errors inside the main hangar bay.
Special Effects: The Golden DDraw was mistakenly overwritten. Fixes to Restore Default Effects.
Crew Quarters: Fixed wrong small images included with release.
TIE Experimentals: The old models have properly been removed from XWAU now as was intended.
Hooks: The latest Hook_Weapon_Rate.dll has been included with fixes.

[Talaris]

Surprising and much appreciated update. Any chance we can see a screenshot of the new TIE cockpit, for those of us who are still running 5.5 for TFTC?

[Ace Antilles]

Surprising and much appreciated update. Any chance we can see a screenshot of the new TIE cockpit, for those of us who are still running 5.5 for TFTC?

I don't think it's altered much from that one to be very noticeable? I don't fly those death buckets
I'll see what I can do sometime and post a pic on the TIE thread. The TFTC update shouldn't be too far in the distance.

[Talaris]

Very much looking forward to it

[batuta]

Thank you very mucy for this update, your work is so aprreciate.

[Michal]

Nice upgrade of the new upgrade!

[haui]

Thank you for your work.

[Ace Antilles]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. It means a lot to the whole team.
Sorry we had to release this so soon but it was better than a patch fix.

We are all working on maybe areas of the next release, and there are some amazing new things we can't wait to show you!

[haui]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. It means a lot to the whole team.
Sorry we had to release this so soon but it was better than a patch fix.

We are all working on maybe areas of the next release, and there are some amazing new things we can't wait to show you!

And we can't wait to see it

[CypressFX]

Hey guys, thank you again for this awesome Update!

My only issue with X-Wing Alliance is the moving/jumping objects like Planets (like shifting its position, its very weird).

Although I think it got way better for the most missions with the latest patches.

Any feedback would be awesome

[EliteBane]

Thanks for the quick work on fixing the bugs! You guys handle bug fixes and patches better than some AAA studios, cough *343* Thanks for the work you put in to keeping this game fun and beautiful even 25 years after its release Never thought I'd say that a junk block looked so good.

[Forceflow]

Hey guys, thank you again for this awesome Update!

My only issue with X-Wing Alliance is the moving/jumping objects like Planets (like shifting its position, its very weird).

Although I think it got way better for the most missions with the latest patches.

Any feedback would be awesome

Unfortunately that is a bug in the game that we cannot seem to narrow down. It's an issue in the original game but for some reason appears to be much more noticeable in the XWAU. So far we have had no luck in finding where it comes from.

[Kampher]

Thank you for the release!

[Luukke616]

Hello! I would like to thank you for your amazing WORK from France! . I’d like to try and play TFTC, when will it be possible with the last Patch of XWA?
Excuse my English! I do what I can

[Forceflow]

Hello! I would like to thank you for your amazing WORK from France! . I’d like to try and play TFTC, when will it be possible with the last Patch of XWA?
Excuse my English! I do what I can

I think the guys are currently testing a new release, but no estimated time as of yet for when they are done with it.

[andr3]

Thanks for the continued development. Unfortunately, I have issues with the 5.6 releases.
5.6 occasionally would not fire lasers: the reticle would show the firing animation, but the lasers are not rendered in space and no hits occur. -> That seems fixed in 5.6.2
Also, since 5.6 Babu Frick fails to actually save most of the settings to ddraw.cfg & soaa.cfg. This isn not fixed w/ 5.6.2 yet.

5.6.2 writes 10s of GBs (swap file?) on the hard disk (basically until it is full) and occasionally crashes w/ out of memory messages on a 16 GB RAM machine. There seems to be a memory leak somewhere.

[Ace Antilles]

Thanks for the continued development. Unfortunately, I have issues with the 5.6 releases.
5.6 occasionally would not fire lasers: the reticle would show the firing animation, but the lasers are not rendered in space and no hits occur. -> That seems fixed in 5.6.2
Also, since 5.6 Babu Frick fails to actually save most of the settings to ddraw.cfg & soaa.cfg. This isn not fixed w/ 5.6.2 yet.

5.6.2 writes 10s of GBs (swap file?) on the hard disk (basically until it is full) and occasionally crashes w/ out of memory messages on a 16 GB RAM machine. There seems to be a memory leak somewhere.

Can you say which settings you are using that aren't saving please?
Also are you playing in VR?
What are the specs of your PC also maybe helpful.
Thanks

[andr3]

Pretty much nothing is saving anymore: screen stretching, deactivation of the speed effect, MSAA, FSAA settings...
I am using TrackIR

[Ace Antilles]

Pretty much nothing is saving anymore: screen stretching, deactivation of the speed effect, MSAA, FSAA settings...
I am using TrackIR

I believe there's a bug with general choices I'm working on but the other areas should be ok.
I'll do some checking.

As for memory leaks and VR issues @m0rgg would know more

[Jorrel]

I have also noticed some severe memory issues with 5.6.2 that I'd never seen with 5.5 and earlier. Unmodified XWAU install.

For me, I can start any mission/skirmish and play to completion. Once I try to load another mission/skirmish immediately after, I get a popup about memory full and a crash to desktop. This has happened both outside of VR and inside VR. I've also noticed some weird behavior when trying to get XWA to pick up my X52 HOTAS profile - sometimes it makes it through okay, other times XWA doesn't seem to recognize that the profile is active. A simple program restart fixes both issues so it's not debilitating, but it is something I've noticed.

Originally I thought it was because I was only running 12GB of RAM (used some old 2GBs to bolster an 8GB I had) but I just upgraded to a brand new set of 16GB and still had the issue.

One note on VR: I gotta say it's even better than the time I experimented with it last year - so easy to toggle now! Can't even imagine how it's possible but I appreciate all the work done to make it happen!

[Ace Antilles]

Pretty much nothing is saving anymore: screen stretching, deactivation of the speed effect, MSAA, FSAA settings...
I am using TrackIR

Thanks for pointing that out. I can see a bug in speed effects which I've fixed. I've corrected some other areas.
MSAA etc I can't see a fault with? Depends if ray tracing is being used too.

I'll notify on this topic when a proper fix is released

[Legion]

Just wondering what happened to the old 2003 XWAU model of Container A, which is the same as the containers that appear attached to the Bulk Freighter and Container Transport? It's the one shown in the 02.05.2003 announcement of the Container Pack on the 2003 News archive page:



Does anyone still have a copy of this one?

[Bman]

It been replaced with JC's new version shown above.

[Vince T]

The old model has been removed and is no longer available, because the original author does not want it to be distributed.

[Legion]

OK, thanks. Shame, as it was a great original design and tied in nicely with the transports.