Alpha 29.4 has finally been deployed to the default branch after about two months of development. This update targets performance improvements above all else, and we’ve completely rebuilt the game’s way of rendering and simulating passengers, employees and assets (baggage, tools and goods such as construction material). These agent types and their associated simulation has always been, and still are, a very large part of the game’s main performance challenge but have as a result of our efforts been greatly reduced as player tests on the internal and experimental branch have shown that players have been experiencing noticeable performance improvements with Alpha 29 compared to the previous version, Alpha 28.
As a result of the very large changes in this new version, sections affected by the mentioned agents have consequently undergone noticeable changes. For example, the new rendering solution for person agents required us to develop and implement a new person model which consist of a complete 3D object as opposed to the old model that was made out of a series of different layered sprites. The new model is more in line with the rest of the game’s art style, allows for a larger variety and higher resolution animation scheme and, most importantly, is a lot more performant to render compared to the old model. Some players have been experiencing fuzzy edges around these new models and there is currently a lack in variation of hairstyles, however this will be addressed in a later version post this initial version of Alpha 29 on the default branch.
While this deployment does address a large sets of performance concerns, it does not mean that we now completely will switch away from performance optimization. While the core development now will go into feature additions such as large aircraft and stands, turnaround services such as catering and cleaning (as directed by the community Feature vote) we will continually work on future, minor, performance optimization as we’ve done before. The future of Airport CEO going into 2019 along with a few other sets of exciting news will be detailed in this year’s last development blog, dropping now on Saturday (22nd of December 2018).
We will of course monitor the deployment of Alpha 29 to the default branch and address any critical bugs that get entered into our system using the in-game bug reporting tool. As we roll out updates on the experimental branch these will almost certainly immediately go out on the default branch once we’ve verified that a bug is indeed correctly fixed. Patch notes and a news update will be posted here accordingly.
Thanks for your support,
Fredrik & Olof
The full change-log for all Alpha 29 versions can be seen below:
Release notes - Airport CEO - Version Alpha 29.4-1
Improvement
- ACEO-20] - Enable persons to detect if a certain interaction desk enabling an equal service becomes activated and switch queue
- ACEO-6811] - Person rendering and movement overhaul
- ACEO-7084] - Overhaul job task system to dispatch jobs instead of recieveing requests
- ACEO-7672] - Person coroutine performance execution overhaul
- ACEO-8128] - Individual tilt tray placement
- ACEO-8230] - Updated service truck dummy driver sprite
- ACEO-8478] - Adjusted boarding desk size to accommodate narrow terminal layouts
- ACEO-8479] - Slightly improved boarding desk sprite
- ACEO-8480] - Slightly improved information desk sprite
- ACEO-8482] - Slowed down time progression to accommodate for better simulation flow
- ACEO-8521] - Reduced number of days auto planner is allowed to plan flights to prevent spikes
Bug
- ACEO-4380] - Store contracts end when sales target is met even if there is time left
- ACEO-6770] - Persons do not respect static queue point occupancy state
- ACEO-7184] - Cannot build sidewalk under existing lightpost
- ACEO-7244] - Employees cant reach staff room if in another secure zone
- ACEO-7427] - Tree spawn on taxiway after load
- ACEO-7474] - Incorrect job completion method on turnaround process completion can cause ramp agents to be deserted on remote stands
- ACEO-7548] - No payment for small stand airplanes
- ACEO-7601] - Runway UI null reference causes panel to remain open
- ACEO-7706] - Service car too big in vehicle list UI
- ACEO-7718] - Service car preview too big in procurement menu
- ACEO-7727] - Airline satisfaction not updating after handling small flight
- ACEO-7953] - Tutorial scrolling doesn't save last position
- ACEO-8006] - Runway length information not updating when extending during a paused game
- ACEO-8041] - Rocks sway in the wind like trees
- ACEO-8103] - Fee pop-ups causes lag or freeze when constructing
- ACEO-8155] - No economy data for previous day at year change
- ACEO-8158] - Crosswalk not always set properly on stand
- ACEO-8190] - Shift + Q/ E will no longer rotate in smaller increments, replaced by Shift+O/P
- ACEO-8195] - All persons can at random instances freeze due to uncaught null reference exception when incorrectly returning a person to the agent pool
- ACEO-8202] - Passengers get stuck when attempting to complete shopping behavior
- ACEO-8215] - Passengers can get randomly stuck when interacting with a seat in a resting activity
- ACEO-8221] - Lower security checkpoint passenger search time to accommodate increased processing time due to functioning static queuing
- ACEO-8226] - In-game price tags freeze on screen during cost animation
- ACEO-8228] - Incorrect access node generation for certain items can cause passengers to walk through walls
- ACEO-8259] - Contractor badge is not displaying correct information
- ACEO-8269] - Persons leaving through a secure zone exit can revert directly back to secure zone
- ACEO-8274] - Construction material textures missing
- ACEO-8277] - Missing exception handling on multiple highlighter for aircraft can throw an obscene number of exceptions
- ACEO-8278] - Missing exception handling on world notification for placed objects can throw an obscene number of exceptions
- ACEO-8285] - Connectivity test from check in to baggage bay does not work
- ACEO-8308] - Shopping bag can get stuck on security belts
- ACEO-8375] - Arrival baggage can get stuck on baggage bay when attempting to depart towards baggage claim
- ACEO-8379] - Departure baggage stuck on stand after baggage loader leaves.
- ACEO-8384] - Baggage can get stuck at conveyor belt corners
- ACEO-8407] - Baggage stuck on the belt loader
- ACEO-8427] - Baggage bay can spawn error message(s) on load
- ACEO-8457] - Contractor retrieval through bus does not work as a null reference exception by object pooler is thrown
- ACEO-8467] - Ramp agent not unloading baggage
- ACEO-8475] - Vehicles queued for spawning become visible at Vector3.zero prior to spawn
- ACEO-8476] - Baggage unloaded for arriving flight with belt loader truck stalls unloading process
- ACEO-8477] - Deserialisation of baggage carts uses incorrect method causing null reference exception
- ACEO-8503] - Demolition of check-in desk when being constructed can throw errors
- ACEO-8518] - Busses and cars keep spawning even if stops are not constructed
- ACEO-8528] - Contractor bus not de-serializing correctly
New Feature