EXE header size: 56320 / 35328 bytes
Install code: (348557 bytes)
Install data: (597955679 bytes)
Uninstall code+data: (119266 bytes)
Compressed data: 168500307 / 598423502 bytes
CRC (0xC14D9180): 4 / 4 bytes

Total size: 168556631 / 598458834 bytes (28.2%)[/size][/font]

- numbers, numbers telling us that 160 MB are the current dimensions for todays build of Fleet Operations v3 pre release version.

With them i'd like to announce a new sub category here on the Fleet Operations forum called Developers Diary (sorry i didn't came up with an idea for a better name ). This category is for you. For you to see what we are doing every day in Fleet Operations Development. Yes, we put these nice articles from time to time on our main news page, but these are not to be compared to these we intend to post here. If we feel to get direct feedback by you for something we are just working on (remember we had a design vote for a vessel in a thread long time ago) or feel just like to inform you about something that isn't as important to be put on the main news page but deserves a place somewhere.
Oh, and if you don't like the name of our new category, have suggestions etc. please post them to the Site quality forum, thanks guys


The shiny new installer with exactly 6828 instructions - again based on Nullsoft's Install System

Now, back to the numbers. The installer, the first thing you will see before you can play Fleet Operations. You remember you downloaded beta 2 with like 94 MB. The v3 installer will have around 160 MB. That doesn't sound much (atleast for those on broadband connections) but you have to consider, comparing the final installed directories after installation of both versions we have around 200 MB more data uncompressed in our package - not to forget we do copy about 32mb less from the armada II cd iself and providing a basic animated intro for the first time with Fleet Operations. That means we do have much more content in Fleet Operations v3 than before, much more than the difference between beta 1.x and beta 2 was.

New also is a requirement checker. It compares your system specs with the ones minimum and recommended for Fleet Operations (these two data may not be up to date with the thread discussing this issue) selecting optimal settings for your system with 6 different system preset files from low res to high res (currently named "FleetOps Marks" - more or less a temporary description )


The more or less temporary Hardware requirements screen

The first thing you may notice after starting the Fleet Operations setup is that this time we abandoned the nice wallpaper sized backgrounds which were thought as some entertainment during the very long installation process we all know from beta 2 - "Decoding audio". Ripping out the Wallpapers doesn't only save space but also they are not needed anymore. We do not depend on a 3rd party solution taking like forever decoding some audio files but now using an in-house solution made for the Fleet Operations installer using much more faster dll calls and is based on the BASS audio system by un4seen developments making decoding now like 3-5 times faster than it was with beta 2.


"Decoding Audio" - Now as fast 'home made' solution with progress bar

I like the idea of having the minimal requirements screen, very wise.  Maybe I'm looking to deeply into this but on the first pic of the installer, those blue streaks, are they supposed to show anything or just there t look nice?

Nice, I agree about the audi files thing-the thing took like forever :S

Thanks for the installer upgrade. Looks very nice!

G.

Yes but you know the armada engine 2 critical updates just means once they fix those five more will sprout

Is the A2 engine that annoying and hard to work with?

that's just what i was going to ask. but, i would think yes.

why?