Minetest 5.8.0 release candidate 1

[rubenwardy]

Hi all!

The Minetest 5.8.0 feature freeze has begun, which means we'd be very grateful for help testing the prerelease version. Feature freezes are a period of time before release where we fix bugs and do not add any new features, to improve stability. If all goes well, Minetest 5.8.0 should be released in about two weeks time.

Highlights

• Minetest no longer ships with a default game - instead, users are directed to choose one from the ContentDB dialog
• Redesigned the Settings GUI to be more user-friendly
• Android: Place nodes with single tap
• Added improved antialiasing filters
• Modding: Added ability to override item images using ItemMetaData

Read the full 5.8.0 changelog

Known issues

• It's no longer possible to split stacks on Android, this will be fixed before release

Please report any issues on GitHub or the forums

Downloads

• Windows: 64-bit, 32-bit
• Android: arm64, arm32, x86, x86_64
• Linux
  • Ubuntu: daily PPA
  • Self-compile
• MacOS: todo

Commit hash: 56902

[cHyperspeed]

awesome news, keep up the good work.

the new configuration of the settings are very good.

[Linuxdirk]

Finally no default game anymore! This can just be better for mod diversity!

Are there any more details for the inventory mouse shortcut improvements? Unfortunately the changelog does not link to the PRs for the features.

Will it work like in Minecraft?

[Nicu]

Are there any more details for the inventory mouse shortcut improvements? Unfortunately the changelog does not link to the PRs for the features.

It looks like it's this one: Inventory mouse shortcut improvements.

Additions

• Left-drag to distribute items evenly
• Middle-drag to deposit 10 items in each slot
• Shift-clicking on the craft preview moves items into the inventory (limited, see note below)
• Shift-moving items by dragging (works with left, right and middle buttons)
• Left-drag-moving an item over identical items to pick them up
• Left-double-click to pickup up all of a selected item
• Shift-left-click on an item with an identical item to move all of that item

Fixes and changes

• Scrolling with an item now lets you pick the items back up
• Moving an item over another item now requires an additional click to swap
• Mouse button clicks that occur when already holding a button are now ignored

[Nininik]

rubenwardy, can you plase fix the android shader bug? on github it is called awsprite dosent work on android with shaders enabled, also if you disable shaders meshes render in fullbright

[rudzik8]

I won't comment too much on my opinion about MTG; there were tens of topics on the forums to say it. I'm glad a decision was made. now,



I don't like how inconsistent the interface now looks.

all the tabs here are the same, except for the settings. it is separated from other tabs, and it isn't even a tab, but a floating button made in a completely different style than the interface (or at least the buttons themselves).
it has a different border (which even appears to be reflective), a different background, and a different resolution.
that style issue was already apparent with the ContentDB tab, but at least it wasn't as weird-looking.

when you go into the settings themselves, ...it is worse.



let's consider the "Reset setting to default" button (near the Language setting). see all its pixelated, beautifully shaded glory? no border, transparent background? now let's take a look at a different button, in a different menu tab.



oh, would you look at that? it isn't inconsistent, AND it maintains its purpose just as well!

the info thing is fine, I guess. it more or less follows the coloring scheme, but is still using a different style.

what I'm saying is that we should either follow the already existing main menu style if we are updating it, or revamp it entirely in a pixelated way. or else it looks like a Frankenstein's monster.

I don't want Minetest to follow the "open source is ugly" way. it's a game I play, a game I mod, and most importantly a game I love. such design decisions make it harder for me (and others) to make other people like Minetest too (which was already pretty hard)

[celeron55]

The short answer is: all that is in development.

MT releases stuff as early as stability permits. Re-styling outdated things wouldn't be a good use of resources when it all is planned to change drastically.

[MCL]

or else it looks like a Frankenstein.

You mean Frankenstein's monster?

[rudzik8]

or else it looks like a Frankenstein.

You mean Frankenstein's monster?

gotcha. fixed

[Astrobe]

Note for those like me who have shortcuts to the doc: they've been converted to .md (markodown).

[Doomer]

The new settings menu is great! :D

[hlqkj]

Please, consider adding a few more lines somewhere, perhaps between the current one and the button, perhaps in italics, perhaps in a spoiler, perhaps IDK what!! But please consider adding some slight explanation of what that message means or why it appears!

Like it is now it would make zero sense to those getting their eyes on minetest for the first time (that was a nice way to say it's actually a sock in those eyes)!!

So, user downloads a game -> (waits patiently for it to download and install) -> opens it -> "You have no games installed".

But, seriously?!

[Blockhead]

So, user downloads a game -> (waits patiently for it to download and install) -> opens it -> "You have no games installed".

The home page and downloads page should all set up the expectation of the game engine not game. I also don't think more words always = more better. But the pages linked probably need a big update to say it no longer ships with Minetest Game:

Are you a new user? Have a look at our Getting Started, FAQ, and Tutorials pages on our wiki.

Is this properly lined up for the 5.8.0 release? Does the team need a hand? - I don't have a wiki account.

[rubenwardy]

Please, consider adding a few more lines somewhere, perhaps between the current one and the button, perhaps in italics, perhaps in a spoiler, perhaps IDK what!! But please consider adding some slight explanation of what that message means or why it appears!

Like it is now it would make zero sense to those getting their eyes on minetest for the first time (that was a nice way to say it's actually a sock in those eyes)!!

So, user downloads a game -> (waits patiently for it to download and install) -> opens it -> "You have no games installed".

But, seriously?!

Yeah I definitely agree, this is something I had noticed as well. It's not very helpful currently. Suggestions are welcome for improved text

[hlqkj]

If a slightly broader change could be considered, I'd suggest to change/return to the "Local Worlds" and "Online Servers" texts for the respective tab labels. As for now the word "game" refers to both to the thing that needs to be downloaded, and the thing that will be started to play into (a world). This could be confusing, to begin with.

In addition, "Start Game" and "Join Game" are actually actions, which aren't performed by pressing/tapping those GUI elements (they would fit more if those were buttons actually starting a game or joining a server, I think).

This would help decoupling the concept of "game" and "playable world", thus also easing what the additional text I suggest to add should say. Here my language knowledge gets in the way, I tend to become excessively convoluted so IDK what to suggest exactly...

Something brief and easy to understand, though. Like "You currently have no games installed. In order to create local worlds, you must first download one from the Content Store"

It may also help to have a list of the available games from the content DB below that text, rather than the button...

[hlqkj]

Sorry for double-posting, I didn't see this:

The home page and downloads page should all set up the expectation of the game engine not game.

I can't agree more. Still the starting screen (note that the "Start Game" tab appears to be the stating one - so it gives out the first impression!) should be more clear. This doesn't imply using more words, I think.

Or, in other words, everything should cleanly set up the expectation of an engine: the home page, the download page, but also the app store pages (yes, I still hope there will be for Windows and iOS too) AND the app/engine itself.

[Nininik]

me personally i like the new gui changes, it looks kinda clean and multicrap made similar gui changes.

[Astrobe]

Please, consider adding a few more lines somewhere, perhaps between the current one and the button, perhaps in italics, perhaps in a spoiler, perhaps IDK what!! But please consider adding some slight explanation of what that message means or why it appears!

Like it is now it would make zero sense to those getting their eyes on minetest for the first time (that was a nice way to say it's actually a sock in those eyes)!!

So, user downloads a game -> (waits patiently for it to download and install) -> opens it -> "You have no games installed".

But, seriously?!

Yeah I definitely agree, this is something I had noticed as well. It's not very helpful currently. Suggestions are welcome for improved text

The problem one perceives here is that the user is "welcomed" by a phrase with a negative.

Either remove the text entirely, or replace it with "Minetest is a (voxel?) game engine featuring many games (made by the community?)" or something like that.

[Wuzzy]

Choo-choo! All abord the hype train!

[Nininik]

I don't favor this.
1. allfaces drawtypes is now invisible WHEN YOU PUT LIGHT NEXT TO It
2. torchlike also has same issue
3. Firelike is invisible because of light
4.EVERYTHING is dark (the blocks)
5. MANY MAJOR VISIAL GLITCHES
6. Fullbright stuff
I have windows 8.1 Intel i5 pc. it happens when shaders are ON (even if none of them exept the checkmark)
turning off the shaders checkmark fixes this, which means shaders are broken. this dosent happen in 5.7.0
a similar issue is in android

[j8810kkw]

I am going to consider some of the updates said here being a bit well ahead, but I am still eager to try it out. May I ask if it is still the same link on the top?

[Nininik]

yes it is still there

[j8810kkw]

Just a question about the release candidate. What games do you guys suggest I install, since Minetest Game is not shipped by default?

[Nininik]

you install any game you want.

[Festus1965]

What games do you guys suggest I install, since Minetest Game is not shipped by default?

That depends on the mods you might like, as many of them are only safe on mtg,
so the questions should be reversed: What mods you wanna use and then check the mods what game they are based of or running on.
After I realize I can play minecraft without been registered at mc or mj games like mineclone are less interesting already.