Solarus 1.6 released

Merry Christmas everyone!

Today, we are proud to announce the release of Solarus 1.6! This release is even bigger than the previous one, seriously. This has been possible thanks to many talented and devoted people who have joined the team.

Features

Here are the big features in Solarus 1.6:

• OpenGL backend and support for GLSL shaders (by Stdgregwar and Vlag)
• Support for external script editor of your choice. Zerobrane integration: autocompletion, debug breakpoints, stack inspection (by Stdgregwar)
• Multiple improvements in map editor, including the much-requested contour generator, tile replacement and support for multiple tilesets
• Multiple improvements in tileset editor, including multiple selection, custom frame count for animated tile patterns
• Multiple improvements in sprite editor
• Data import from other quests
• Beautiful new free tilesets (Zoria by DragonDePlatino, Ocean's Heart by Max Mraz)
• Free pixel fonts (by Wekhter)
• Custom hero states in Lua to allow advanced customization of the hero
• Tons of new features in the Lua API

Last but not least: Solarus 1.6 is fully compatible with Solarus 1.5 quests. You have no work to do to upgrade your project to Solarus 1.6.

Trailer

Let's discover everything in action in this trailer! And don't forget to download Solarus 1.6.

Changelog

You want to know the whole list of new features and bugfixes? I assume you have a lot of time. Ready?

Changes in Solarus 1.6

Engine changes

• Solarus 1.5 quests are still supported by Solarus 1.6.
• Add support of OpenGL shaders (#394) by stdgregwar, Vlag and Christopho.
• Improve the performance of loading images.
• Maps can now use multiple tilesets (#1174).
• Animated tile patterns can now have any frame number and delay (#683).
• Fix crash when using coroutines (#1269) by stdgregwar.
• Treasure dialogs are now optional (#1076).
• Allow entities to have a non-multiple of 8 size (#1294).
• Don't center the hero on non-blocking streams (#1063).
• Allow pickables to follow streams (#1139).
• Blocks can now be moved multiple times (#967).
• Fix enemies unable to move on non-blocking streams.
• Fix streams stopping when using the sword several times.
• Fix non-blocking stream turns after going south (#648).
• Fix stairs activating when the hero is not exactly aligned.
• Fix sol.timer.start() not detecting invalid context parameter.
• Fix timer:set_suspended_with_map() for entity timers (#1158, #1236).
• Fix random movement giving the same path for all entities on Mac (#1083).
• Fix circle_movement:get_direction4() not working (#1163).
• Fix precision issue with circle_movement angular speed (#1116).
• Fix path_movement:get_path() and pixel_movement:get_trajectory() (#1136).
• Fix straight_movement:set_max_distance() incorrect on tables (#1075).
• Fix straight_movement:set_speed() not handling errors correctly.
• Fix possible crash when reloading very old savegame files (#1064).
• Fix crash when loading a map with tiles whose pattern does not exist (#1299).
• Fix crash when a sprite PNG file is missing.
• Fix crash when calling entity:test_obstacles() on an unloaded map.
• Fix crash when opening a chest with a missing treasure dialog (#1089).
• Fix crash when scrolling to the same map (#924) by stdgregwar.
• Fix crash when scrolling to an invalid layer (#1015).
• Fix entity:get_ground_below() from map:on_started() after scrolling (#925).
• Fix crash when calling map:get_hero() after the map is finished (#1228).
• Fix hero:on_movement_changed() not called (#1095).
• Fix hero shield sprite directions in animation sword (#1185).
• Fix facing entity randomly chosen when the hero faces multiple ones (#1042).
• Fix disabling teletransporters during their on_activated() event (#1266).
• Fix blocks not falling into water or lava (#1214).
• Fix enemy:on_restarted() called twice (#1179).
• Fix removed entity still drawn during scrolling transition (#1193).
• Fix item:on_ability_used() not called for sword knowledge ability (#1171).
• Fix sprite parameters order in custom entity collision callback (#1162).
• Fix sol.file.exists() returning false for directories.
• Fix scripts failing to load if a directory exists with the same name (#1100).
• Fix mouse API not working when the mouse is outside the window (#1018).
• Fix joypad deadzone issue (#672) by strycore.
• Fix compilation error with Clang 3.9 in SNES_SPC.
• Fix possible compilation error when HAVE_UNISTD_H has no value (#1084).
• Fix loading quests in non UTF-8 filesystems.
• Add support of .otf fonts.
• Improve Lua error messages.
• CLI can accept an archive's path as argument.
• Replaced SDL renderer by a custom GL backend, by stdgregwar.

Lua API changes

This release adds new features and deprecates a few ones but does not introduce any incompatibility.

New features

• Add a shader API.
• Add a custom hero state API.
• Add an event sol.video:on_draw(screen) to draw to the scaled screen (#1216).
• Add a function sol.main.get_quest_version() (#1058) by Nate-Devv.
• Add a function sol.main.get_game() (#1212).
• Add functions to get and set the resource elements (#959, #630).
• Add methods game:simulate_key_pressed/released() by Vlag (#1034).
• Add abilities push, grab and pull to game:get/set_ability() (#788).
• Add a method item:is_being_used() by alexander-b (#879).
• Add methods entity:set_size() to all entities (#121, #528).
• Add methods entity:set_origin() to all entities.
• Add methods entity:create/remove_sprite() to all entities (#852).
• Add methods entity:is/set_drawn_in_y_order() to all entities (#1098, #1173).
• Add methods entity:get/set_weight() to all entities to lift them (#1227).
• Add methods entity:get_property() and entity:set_property() (#1094).
• Add methods entity:get_properties() and entity:set_properties() (#1144).
• Add methods entity:get_layer() and entity:set_layer().
• Add a method entity:get_controlling_stream() (#1204).
• Add optional sprite parameters to entity:overlaps() (#1159).
• Add methods entity:get/set_draw_override() (#1260).
• Add events entity:on_pre/post_draw(camera) to all entities (#1260).
• Add parameter camera to event entity:on_pre/post_draw() (#1260).
• Add events entity:on_enabled/disabled() to all entities (#898).
• Add event entity:on_suspended() to all entities (#1261).
• Add a method hero:get_carried_object().
• Add a method hero:start_grabbing() (#1303).
• Add a method hero:start_attack_loading() (#1291).
• Add an event hero:on_state_changing() (#1247).
• Add an event camera:on_state_changing().
• Add a method camera:get_surface() (#1265).
• Add an event camera:on_state_changing().
• Add methods dynamic_tile:get/set_tileset() (#1175).
• Add methods door:open(), door:close() and door:set_open() (#1007).
• Add methods stairs:get_direction() and stairs:is_inner() (#1037).
• destructible:on_lifting() now gives a carried object parameter.
• Add method carried_object:get_carrier().
• Add methods carried_object:get/set_damage_on_enemies().
• Add methods carried_object:get/set_destruction_sound().
• Add events carried_object:on_lifted/thrown/breaking() (#1233).
• Add property max_moves in map:create_block() replacing maximum_moves (#967).
• Add methods block:get/set_max_moves() replacing block:get/set_maximum_moves().
• Add optional callback parameter to enemy:set_attack_consequence() (#1062).
• Add method enemy:is_immobilized() (#1092).
• Add methods enemy:get/set_attacking_collision_mode() (#1066).
• Add methods enemy:get/set_dying_sprite_id() (#955).
• Add methods custom_entity:is/set_tiled() (#1105).
• Add methods custom_entity:get/set_follow_streams() (#1221).
• Add methods drawable:get/set_rotation() and get/set_scaling() by stdgregwar.
• Add methods get/set_opacity() to sprite and text_surface (#702) by stdgregwar.
• Add methods sprite:is_animation_started() and sprite:stop_animation() (#1264).
• Add a method sprite:get_frame_src_xy() (#1093).
• Add a method sprite:get_ignore_suspend().
• sprite:get_num_frames() can now optionally take an animation and direction.
• sprite:get_frame_delay() can now optionally take an animation.
• sprite:get_size() can now optionally take an animation and direction.
• sprite:get_origin() can now optionally take an animation and direction.
• Add a method surface:get_pixels() (#452).
• Add a method surface:set_pixels() (#466) by stdgregwar.
• Add methods surface:gl_bind_as_target/texture() by stdgregwar.
• Add method movement:is_suspended().
• Add methods movement:get/set_ignore_suspend() (#858).
• Add method get_angle() to more movement types (#1122) by stdgregwar.
• Add method circle_movement:get_center() (#1091).
• Add methods circle_movement:get/set_angle_from_center() in radians (#1116).
• Add methods circle_movement:get/set_angular_speed() in radians (#1116).
• Add methods sol.menu.bring_to_front/back() (#1107).
• Repeated timers can now change their next delay by returning a number (#983).
• Automatically set the language when there is only one in the quest (#1006).
• Add functions sol.file.is_dir() and sol.file.list_dir() (#971).
• Add finger functions to sol.input and finger events by Vlag.
• Add methods get/set_color_modulation() by stdgregwar.
• Add function sol.text_surface.get_predicted_size() by stdgregwar.

Deprecated functions

• Built-in video mode functions: use shaders instead.
• Property maximum_moves of map:create_block(): use max_moves instead.
• block:get/set_maximum_moves(): use get/set_max_moves() instead.
• Angles in degrees in circle movement: use functions with radians instead.

Data files format changes

• Maps: add support of custom properties for entities (#1094).
• Maps: add property enabled_at_start to all entities (#1101).
• Maps: add property tileset to tiles and dynamic tiles (#1174).
• Maps: add property max_moves to blocks to allow multiple limited moves (#967).
• Maps: property maximum_moves of blocks is now deprecated and optional (#967).
• Maps: add properties origin_x, origin_y to custom entities.
• Maps: add property tiled to custom entities (#1105).
• Tilesets: add support of border sets (autotiles) (#1069).
• Tilesets: add support of custom frame number and delay (#683).
• Make the tileset entities image optional (#884).

Changes in Solarus Quest Editor 1.6.0

• Allow to import files from other quests (#4).
• Quest tree: show all .png and .dat files (#260).
• Quest tree: show all language files, map files and tileset files.
• Quest tree: allow to set the author and license information of files.
• Quest tree: automatically select the currently open file (#336).
• Quest tree: allow to update sprites when renaming a .png file (#420).
• Quest tree: allow to open folders with the system explorer (#316).
• Quest tree: allow to select multiple files.
• Quest tree: allow to delete multiple files and directories (#354).
• Allow to view PNG files (#335).
• Map/tileset editor: allow to generate borders automatically (autotiles).
• Map editor: add support of custom properties for entities by Maxs (#327).
• Map editor: allow to use multiple tilesets in the same map.
• Map editor: allow to change the pattern of existing tiles (#280).
• Map editor: allow to change the pattern of all similar tiles at once (#329).
• Map editor: allow to change the origin of custom entities.
• Map editor: allow to initially enable or disable any entity.
• Map editor: allow to export the view as a PNG file (#81).
• Map editor: allow to lock layers (#94).
• Map editor: show the layer under the cursor in the status bar (#91).
• Map editor: add shortcuts to show/hide negative layers too.
• Map editor: keep the selection after adding entities with ctrl or shift.
• Map editor: add a shortcut to open the tileset by Akadream (#241).
• Map editor: don't reload the tileset if it is already open elsewhere (#350).
• Map editor: automatically reload the tileset when it has changed (#362, #375).
• Tileset editor: allow to change the frame number and delay of patterns.
• Tileset editor: allow to duplicate tile patterns (#188).
• Tileset editor: allow to move several patterns at once (#171).
• Sprite editor: allow to reorder directions by Maxs (#144).
• Sprite editor: allow to change the frame number graphically by Maxs (#147).
• Sprite editor: the default origin is now 8,13 as usual in Solarus (#307).
• Sprite editor: fix precision issues when creating or moving directions.
• Sprite editor: fix scrollbars reset when adding directions by Maxs (#277).
• Dialog editor: show the line and column number.
• Script editor: allow a replace option to the find dialog by Akadream (#3).
• Allow to select map/tileset/sprite/etc. ids to copy-paste them (#170).
• Lua console: provide variables game, map, entities and function tp (#268).
• Clear the console when a quest is started (#230).
• Fix resource declaration not updated when renaming a directory (#337).
• Fix crash when opening quest in non-UTF8 filesystems (#373).
• Fix error message when opening a read-only quest (#264).
• Fix memory not released when closing an editor (#306).
• Initial quest: add some shaders (#320).
• Text editor: allow to set an external editor to be used instead of thebuilt-in one (#398)

Changes in Solarus Launcher

• Show the path and the compatibility format of each quest (#1129).
• Lua console: provide variables game, map, entities and tp function.
• Clear the console when a quest is started.
• FileDialog now expects a file, either quest.dat or an archive (.solarus, .zip)

Changes in Zelda Mystery of Solarus DX 1.12.0

• Upgrade to Solarus 1.6.
• Add the Solarus team logo.
• Change the sound of the Solarus logo.
• Fix typos in French dialogs (thanks Renkineko).

Changes in Zelda Mystery of Solarus XD 1.12.0

• Upgrade to Solarus 1.6.
• Add the Solarus team logo.
• Change the sound of the Solarus logo.
• Slightly improve English dialogs

Changes in Zelda Return of the Hylian SE 1.2.0

• Upgrade to Solarus 1.6.
• Add Solarus Team logo.
• Change the sound of the Solarus logo.
• Dungeon 6: make medusa puzzle easier (#97).
• Fix using joypad hat in menus.
• Fix accents displaying in Spanish (#100).
• Fix fire traversing torches after they get lit (#104).
• Fix minor torch alignment errors (#103).
• Fix minor tile issues.

Changes in Zelda XD2 Mercuris Chess 1.1.0

• Upgrade to Solarus 1.6.
• Add Spanish translation by Minefran12 (#22).
• Fix English language not set by default (#129).

Final words

We hope you'll enjoy this release. Have fun playing our games or creating ones with Solarus! Merry Christmas!