Aleph One 1.10

Along with support for Classic Marathon Infinity on Steam and an uploader for the Steam Workshop, this release also includes a new scenario chooser.

To use the scenario chooser, place the Aleph One executable in a folder containing scenario folders, or add a "Scenarios" folder to one of the original trilogy folders. The scenario chooser is not included with all-in-one Mac apps; use the standalone Aleph One app instead.

Aleph One 1.9

This is a major release featuring support for Classic Marathon 2 on Steam, dedicated servers, ping times for metaserver net games, a pregame network loading screen, automatic demos, and more authentic gameplay options. Aleph One 1.9 is not backwards compatible with Aleph One 1.8 net games.

Changes:

• Classic Marathon 2 with achievements on Steam

• Dedicated servers

  It is now possible to gather multiplayer or co-op games without any router configuration. The netgame setup process is the same, but selecting the Use Dedicated Server checkbox will cause Aleph One to coordinate with the lhowon.org metaserver to find the nearest available dedicated server to do the actual gathering using the settings you've chosen. Dedicated servers are also a good option to ensure smooth gameplay for joiners when you are gathering on WiFi or a congested connection.

• Adds an invert vertical aim preference for controllers

• It is now possible to implement Classic Marathon music plugins

• Restores the automatic demo playback feature to Classic Marathon 2 and Classic Marathon Infinity. You will need to update your data files to get the new demos.

• Allows selecting original Marathon 2 or Marathon Infinity film profiles for solo games

  Choosing the film profiles under Solo Gameplay setting allows you to begin a game with the strict original gameplay from Marathon 2 or Marathon Infinity, without Aleph One's fixes. Films will technically be compatible with the originals (if you don't use hotkeys), with a few modifications using a hex editor.

• Adds support for sphere-mapped landscapes (OpenGL only)

• Adds a new preference for disabling filtering on the HUD / Terminals (thanks to Celeste)

• Shows ping to the game gatherers (or their dedicated servers) in the find internet game lobby

• Shows a pregame network loading screen

Other fixes:

• Fixes issue gathering some old Classic Marathon net maps that have the same checksum as the main map
• Other fixes for old Classic Marathon net maps
• Uses search path in Music.valid; fixes #485
• Returns the key name for w_key labels, instead of the scancode; fixes #491
• Uses OpenGL routines to measure text width for DisplayTextCursor when OpenGL is active; fixes #473
• Returns Lua HUD FOV in degrees rather than internal units; fixes #496
• Initializes player_terminal.state to _no_terminal_state; fixes #498
• Fallback to default game files if the ones in preferences can't be located (fixes #477)
• Adds item and scenery visibility accessors and teleport functions; fixes #454
• Adds Triggers.calculate_level_completion_state
• Adds Triggers.monster_kamikazed; fixes #493
• M2 theme buttons now resemble the main menu (thanks to Blastfrog)
• Fixes to the M2 main menu rects

Aleph One 1.8.1

This is mostly a Steam bug fix release, but it does have a couple useful updates for Classic Marathon:

• Fix a crash with some older Marathon net maps like Villa Banzai and Rancid Cafe
• Fix an issue with the default and basic HUDs displaying error messages in net games with a kill limit

Aleph One 1.8

The major new feature of this release is support for Steam and achievements:

Standalone builds see a few changes and bug fixes:

• Various sound and music fixes
• Some fixes to sprite visibility
• Add an option for weapon bob without camera bob
• Classic Marathon indexes levels starting at 0 now in the level select dialog
• Various controller navigation fixes
• Fix an issue with multiple level specific plugins
• Lua: fix Players.print and player.overlays in Triggers.init()
• Basic M1 HUD and Basic HUD are now included with the data files. You can change which HUD Aleph One uses in graphics preferences
• Add more minimum range to the mouse/joystick sliders
• Fix plugins re-enabling/re-disabling when Aleph One location changes

Aleph One 1.7.1

Changes

• The name of the application has been changed to Classic Marathon, to differentiate it from the upcoming Bungie game
• Added support for quad, 5.1, 7.1 surround sound
• Numerous bug fixes

See also the Aleph One 1.7 Release notes.

Aleph One 1.7

This version of Aleph One is incompatible with previous versions in net games. All net game players should update to 1.7.

New features:

• Optional 3D positional audio and HRTF headphone support using OpenAL soft
• Support for map-specific resources plugins. See https://simplici7y.com/items/m2se-music-plugin/ for an example
• HUD plugins are now selectable from graphics preferences as well as plugins, for more discoverability
• Adds a Vidmaster-Oath-incompatible setting for making the run/swim key a toggle
• Updated SDL library to 2.28.2 for better controller support

For mappers:

• New music API for Lua which allows multiple tracks and crossfades
• New transfer modes for reverse horizontal / vertical slide
• New transfer modes for 2x / 4x tile transfer
• New MML for larger tiling for replacement textures
• Additional fog options in MML/Lua

Bug fixes:

• Improved M1 authenticity
• Sprite visibility and texture Z-fighting fixes
• Fixes to built-in HUD in Linux

Aleph One 1.7b1

This is a beta release to help test a few new features for end users coming in 1.7:

• Optional 3D positional audio using OpenAL soft, including HRTF
• Support for map-specific resources plugins. See https://simplici7y.com/items/m2se-music-plugin/ for an example
• HUD plugins are now selectable from graphics preferences as well as plugins, for more discoverability

As well as these features for mappers:

• New music API for Lua which allows multiple tracks and crossfades
• New transfer modes for reverse horizontal / vertical slide
• New transfer modes for 2x / 4x tile transfer
• New MML for larger tiling for replacement textures
• Additional fog options in MML/Lua

Aleph One 1.6.2

This is a bug fix release, with a change to theme and plugins button location to help new players switch HUDs.

Changes:

• Uses the system 7 theme for Marathon rather than the old theme with nonobvious buttons
• Moves the Plugins button up to the main Preferences menu
• Makes transparent liquids a disabled plugin by default, to match classic Marathon 2 and Infinity experience

Bug Fixes:

• Fixes a crash in software mode
• Fixes tostring for some Lua enums
• Only plays breathing sounds and O2 warnings for the current player
• Partial fix for destroyable scenery showing the wrong frame

See the 1.6 release notes

Aleph One 1.6.1

This is a bugfix release:

• Be less aggressive with mega honk fix
• Fixes Linux builds without ffmpeg
• Fixes a crash when a Lua script adds a side and interpolation is enabled (#321)
• Fixes the classic aim limits checkbox
• Adds support for FLAC playback (MML music only)
• Fix cinematic fade in when the transition period is low
• Works around a change in the latest SDL behavior on Macs (#398)
• Changes the flatpak identifier to match the existing macOS bundle identifier

See the 1.6 release notes

Aleph One 1.6

This is a maintenance release, with mostly bug fixes and library and build system updates. We have also added Linux Flatpaks to make installing the games easier in Linux.

Deprecations:

• <shader> debug MML is deprecated and will be removed in a future release
• The network microphone is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. The net mic key will be repurposed as a Lua trigger.

Changes:

• Updated to SDL 2.24 for improved controller support
• Aleph One now requires a C++17 compiler
• (Lua) Allow passing nil to Monster:attack (#331)
• (Lua) Add Platform.tag accessor (#373)
• Remove classic aim limits from modern mouse feel; add a checkbox for classic aim limits
• Lower default mouse sensitivity
• Disable 3D perspective by default
• Rename "Interface Button Sounds" checkbox to "In Game F-Key Sounds" (#255)
• Disable transparent liquids by default in Marathon 2 and Marathon Infinity; they can be enabled by going to Environment -> Plugins and enabling the Transparent Liquids plugin
• (Lua) added Game.replay for detecting whether a game is film replay

Fixes:

• Fix teleporting in weapon effect on 60fps + (#308)
• Fix the enhanced HUD with software renderer (#334)
• Fix HUD not resizing when changing resolution `(#309)
• Fix blank frame on map overlay transition in OpenGL mode (#265)
• Restore screen flash for Marathon 1 when teleporting in (#336)
• Fix UPnP checkbox not working in resume net game dialog (#337)
• Fix platform textures when exporting a level
• Fix assert thrown on network game when teleporting to another level with disconnected player (#66)
• Fix controller feel analog/d-pad when saving prefs (#160)
• Fix intro video not rendering when no audio stream; fixes EVIL's opening movie (#346)
• Fix missing initialization in Lua damage_player (#348)
• Fix the MegaHonk. RIP MegaHonk. (#339)
• Add suport for ffmpeg 5 (#349)
• Fix a Linux segfault at shutdown (#340)
• Allow binding mouse buttons to forward/backward/sidestep (#333)
• Remove the Vidmaster Oath from Marathon 1 (#355)
• Fix MML plugin replacement font erased on first level load (#364)
• Use GL_MIRRORED_REPEAT instead of GL_MIRRORED_REPEAT_ARB; fixes solid colored landscape on some OpenGL drivers
• Implement transparency in the static shader; compilers now fade out as in software
• Fix use of caps lock as run key (#294)
• Suppress weapon flare when Lua cameras are in use (#316)
• Fix default preference plugins disabling in Windows
• Fix animated 3D models
• Fix reloading physics model if not loaded from embedded map (#317)