Outpost 2 1.3.6

[leeor_net]

Hey, everybody.

We're putting together an updated version of Outpost 2, v1.3.6. This is a minor update that cleans up some unnecessary files, includes NetHelper, an updated help file that runs on modern versions of Windows, an updated main program icon and the like.

I wanted to include new missions with the main download. If anybody would like something of theirs included, please post here or PM me. Vagabond and SirBomber, I know you both have released some interesting new content so if you're insterested, let me know!

[Vagabond]

What are the security guideline for including new scenarios? I'm not sure but I'm guessing someone could push some fairly malicious code within a scenario DLL. Can we say that if someone is an active member of the community they should be trusted to submit compiled DLLs, or should it be taken more seriously?

What time frame are we looking at for submitting the updated version? If it is far enough in the future, I would be very happy to make a new scenario that 'unveils' as part of the release.

I have 3 maps that I think are polished enough to include:

• Colony Game - Eden Starship, Rising Form the Ashes (http://forum.outpost2.net/index.php/topic,5803.0.html)
• Evacuation Under Fire (http://forum.outpost2.net/index.php/topic,5816.0.html)
• On The Run (http://forum.outpost2.net/index.php/topic,5818.0.html)

I would like to make the Pre-Release Eden Demo winnable. The updated tech tree attached to the following forum post would make it possible: http://forum.outpost2.net/index.php/topic,5795.msg82861.html#msg82861.

We should consider removing Punwick Junction from the official download. My understanding is this scenario is basically identical to La Corrida with the AI removed. If we want to keep it, the map file should be added in so it isn't broken.

[leeor_net]

I'd like to get the 1.3.6 update out the door within a week. The following update, 1.3.7 I'm guessing somewhere in the vicinity of six months as there are some fairly heavy modifications being provided with that one.

Security concerns are certainly something to be considered. I highly doubt active members would take the opportunity to introduce malicious code. There are two options here -- either we can trust our users and roll with it or we can require that code be submitted to the repository for inspection by other members and compiled/included in the official builds by trusted admins.

[lordpalandus]

What is 1.3.7 supposed to entail?

Also, if 1.3.6 fails to load on someone's machine, where should it be posted to get help? I have yet to get 1.3.5 to work on this 8.1 windows and hope the same isn't true for 1.3.6 cuz i'd like to play OP2 again.

[Arklon]

The main features planned for 1.3.7 at this time will be a rewritten game server and support for creating missions using Python instead of C++.

From what I have seen, most people who can't get OP2 to load have Data Execution Prevention (DEP) turned on globally for all applications. OP2 has some handwritten assembly functions in a custom section of the exe that doesn't have the execute flag set, which triggers DEP to terminate the process. I've implemented a change in 1.3.6 that should hopefully fix that and make it DEP-friendly, but until then, you can change your DEP setting to essential Windows programs/services only by going to Control Panel->System->Advanced System Settings->Performance, Settings... button->Data Execution Prevention tab.

[Vagabond]

Leeor,

I'm happy with trusting that active members will post non-malicious DLLs. I also believe it would be completely fair to force submitting source code to the repository for a trusted person(s) to review the source code and compile. I think the Outpost Universe community as a whole takes some implied responsibility for DLLs placed within the official download even though this is all unofficial fan modifications. Just wanted to bring it up.

I probably could not create a quality, polished scenario in one week, so I guess that is out.

I'm not seeing traffic about the new release before now in the forums. If there is interest in timing some new scenarios to go public with the new release, please let me know when whoever is involved is 1-2 months out from the next release. With enough notice, I would be happy to make a new scenario (ideally maybe one single player colony and one multiplayer) to try and generate some excitement for the release.

Glad to hear about the new release happening.

Other scenarios to consider in this release

I don't think Flashy visits the forum much anymore, but his scenario 5P, SRV, Danger Zone is really well polished, challenging (at least for me), and cooperative. I think it would be worth adding to the next release.

I have played through 4P, SRV, Caught In The Crossfire a couple of times with others. I think it would be good to include in the official release as well.

[BlackBox]

I'm happy with trusting that active members will post non-malicious DLLs. I also believe it would be completely fair to force submitting source code to the repository for a trusted person(s) to review the source code and compile. I think the Outpost Universe community as a whole takes some implied responsibility for DLLs placed within the official download even though this is all unofficial fan modifications. Just wanted to bring it up.

I personally agree with the stance that anything we are distributing as part of the "official" download should have source available, or at the very least we should probably inspect the compiled code in IDA to ensure that the mission isn't doing anything it shouldn't be.

Arklon and I have actually reverse engineered some missions such as Swarm back to source because we wanted to try to hack on the mission somewhat and the source code was unavailable (this is a problem with any unofficial missions, people post a compiled DLL and then disappear, source nowhere to be found). We've also talked about reverse engineering the campaign missions and colony games to source so people can see how they work, though this is a lot of work and unlikely to happen soon.

One impetus for the Python mission support I was working on was this specific reason, the Python source *is* the mission so one can trivially verify the mission isn't doing anything it shouldn't. In addition, we can sandbox the Python interpreter so that missions can't do operations such as reading/writing files, network activity, starting processes etc.

As an aside, if we are particularly worried about security, we should probably audit techtrees and map files as well (IIRC in the techtree parsing code, there are unchecked reads into fixed length buffers and I believe Hooman did a PoC showing that a malicious techtree can smash the stack and execute arbitrary code).

I don't think Flashy visits the forum much anymore, but his scenario 5P, SRV, Danger Zone is really well polished, challenging (at least for me), and cooperative. I think it would be worth adding to the next release.

I have played through 4P, SRV, Caught In The Crossfire a couple of times with others. I think it would be good to include in the official release as well.

Agreed, I think we should include as much user-created content as we can, assuming it is in a reasonably finished state and is playable.

[Highlander]

Agreed, I think we should include as much user-created content as we can, assuming it is in a reasonably finished state and is playable.

On that note, can someone make some changes to the "Plymouth Cold War" mission ?
On Hard you start with 14 Colonists and on Normal you start with 22 colonists - neither number being viable for a colony.
(You need a Command Center, Structure Factory, Common Ore Smelter, Residence, Agridome, Nursury, University = 14 Workers + 4 Scientists to have all buildings functioning)
In either case your population drops below the minimum before you get necessary buildings up and running.

[Arklon]

On that note, can someone make some changes to the "Plymouth Cold War" mission ?
On Hard you start with 14 Colonists and on Normal you start with 22 colonists - neither number being viable for a colony.
(You need a Command Center, Structure Factory, Common Ore Smelter, Residence, Agridome, Nursury, University = 14 Workers + 4 Scientists to have all buildings functioning)
In either case your population drops below the minimum before you get necessary buildings up and running.

That was because of broken use of floating-point math on integers. Aside from that issue, the AI tends to crash when you attack it. As it stands, it'd probably be easiest to just rewrite it from scratch.

[heyyahblah]

Hey all? Wonder how some people are having problems with playing this game on Windows. I believe I first had 1.32 or 1.33 on XP then when I upgraded to Windows 7 years back I copied 1.34 and then 1.35 on top.

Since then the game has always played for me, even when moving from XP 32-bit to Windows 7 64-bit. I just always extracted the files over the old ones in my OP2 directory, but made a .rar backup in case anything went wrong.

OP2 has since worked for me on Windows 8.1 and now W10 on my new Skylake computer, with the help (months back) of writing 1.35 on top of my old files and then the new video codes since INDEGO is no longer working on W10 machines. I still keep my old desktop with Windows 7 running incase of these older games and Windows 10 incompatibilities that I have on my new computer, to player older games, which frustrates me.

I have always copied over the files and seems to work fine. Wonder what the settings are that it doesn't work for some?

Also, I know I have the game backed up, but I was wondering since the new layout of this website, over a month ago ... you have only included the main files for OP2 v1.35 and the NETFIX.

May I ask why the videos and music are no longer included as add-ons as they were before OP2 changed the new layout of the website?

OP2.CLM and OP2 In game videos, 167MB and 111MB (respectively) used to be included, now they no longer are. Any reason for this removal?
Thanks.

Even the IMAGES and ART are gone as well ... ??

Thanks

[leeor_net]

I've run Outpost 2 on several of my machines and only on one does it not start (my laptop, Windows 7 64Bit and still with Windows 10 64Bit). I have a feeling a factory reset will solve that problem on that laptop.

As for the other downloads, I've been made aware of that. Didn't occurr to me that it would be an issue but I'll be updating the website at some point with the links. In the mean time the files aren't gone, you can still access them here: http://www.outpost2.net/files

[Sirbomber]

Can we branch these off into a separate thread, or maybe an existing one?

[leeor_net]

Don't see a need to as it's part of the update and addresses the mentioned issue.

[heyyahblah]

I've run Outpost 2 on several of my machines and only on one does it not start (my laptop, Windows 7 64Bit and still with Windows 10 64Bit). I have a feeling a factory reset will solve that problem on that laptop.

As for the other downloads, I've been made aware of that. Didn't occurr to me that it would be an issue but I'll be updating the website at some point with the links. In the mean time the files aren't gone, you can still access them here: http://www.outpost2.net/files

OK cool, thanks for the reply. Yea, I was surprised myself that the game ran without a hitch when I copied my OP2 folder over from my old AM2 machine with W7 to Skylake with W10. It ran just fine, except for the videos, which another member solved for me on a different thread.

That is why I'm keeping that machine. Have a problem with other/older games & software.

Thanks for the game add-ons Vagabond I added them to my collection. Fun to have 3 new scenarios to play That was great. TY.

Also, would it be good to update to 1.36? Should I create a new folder or just overwrite the old one?

THanks

[leeor_net]

When released I would recommend you install over your current version.

[Vagabond]

Thanks for the game add-ons Vagabond I added them to my collection. Fun to have 3 new scenarios to play That was great. TY.

Your welcome heyyahblah. Hopefully they are enjoyable and bug-free!

[leeor_net]

Pushed out 1.3.6 -- it didn't include as much as I wanted to get through but this one includes the NetHelper add-on among other things.

Check out: http://forum.outpost2.net/index.php/topic,5905.0.html

Also, it's come up a few times that the Outpost2 executable is being false flagged as possible malware but some free AV packages. Let me know if you're one of those that's getting the false flag.