HyperLobby Online System - New version 4.0.8

Hello All

Next version of HyperLobby is done. After few weeks of testing, debugging and consulting we have new major release. Its allmost bugfix release, with few goodies. Major version was changed because there was alot of changes focused to get HyperLobby to be compatible with latest Windows 7/Vista. With this effort we fixed also some long standing bugs. Informations about release dvelelopment process are saved for refence here. I want say thanks to all involved. To get new HyperLobby properly installed please read more ...

Update1: Reuploaded installation package due to installation issues in to non default path.
Update2: Uploaded next version 4.0.9 fixing application lockup issue with room menu.
Update3: Uploaded next version 4.0.10 fixing race condition in network code causing client cannot connect busy rooms.

To get new HyperLobby properly installed please read "Upgrade note" of the release notes. The upgrade mean that new HL will properli import your friendlist, pager messages and another data. Because of lots major changes there is not posible direct upgrade as you know from previous versions. So lets read release notes:

Changes in 4.0.8 (release)
------------------------
Upgrade note:

Datafiles will be automatically imported from 3.9.111 version (friends, ignores, pager messages) if you use this upgrade order:
1. Close any running instances of HyperLobby
2. Install new version 4.x (do not change default installation path !)
3. Uninstall old version 3.x
If you uninstall old 3.9.111 before before new 4.x installation you will lose your datafiles !
Vista/W7 setup will not run 3.9.111 uninstaller automatically. It is not posible when UAC is enabled. With those operating systems uninstall of old 3.9.111 version must be done manually from "Programs and features" controll panel item.

Whats new:

New major version 4 because of some major changes over previous version.
Reworked Terms of Service Agreement.
Reworked License Agreement.
Hyperlobby is now fully compatible with Windows Vista, Windows 7, both 32 and 64bit with UAC enabled. But some games itself may not work correctly with UAC enabled.
Dropped support for Windows 98/ME.
Any reference to "hyperlobby pro", "hlpro" renamed to "hyperlobby". Pro surfix was used years ago to divide separate products.
Datafiles (friends, ignores, pager messages,ini files) has been moved to local user profile folder.
Added /e chat commands to edit hyperlobby.ini, /f command to open hyperlobby datafiles folder.
Added simple settings editor. It can edit,save,reset to default hyperlobby.ini configuration file.
/std and /max chat commands will automatically restart HyperLobby.
Maximize/Minimize size of the HL window after doubleclick the titlebar.
Added soundmod by Don "Doghouse" Thursby.
Added new skin Chrome 1.0 made by Forrest "Thera" Hoffnar.
Added new skin Silver 3.0 made by Lucas 'SHARK' Lacher.
Added new skin Silver 2.0 made by Lucas 'SHARK' Lacher.
Rename forgoten battles room to IL2-Sturmovik 1946.

Bug fixes:

Fixed several runtime/installation issues with Vista/Windows 7 operating systems.
Skin images are not show (Vista/Windows 7).
Application crash after exit (Vista/Windows 7).
Unable to close applicatin (Vista/Windows 7).
Fixed several issues with games in progress sorting when using "Friends on top" option. Now the games in progress act like two sorting lists when "Friends on top" option is checked and all the sorting rules applied to both parts, friends and others.
When is the window scale set to incorrect value will be reset to default.Before it causes client failed to start.
Fixed widescreen issues when HL is maximized (/max command).
Game search dialog now accept path with quotes.
Game path locations moved from legacy registry keys to hyperlobby.ini
Corrected (hopefully) some language glitches from game search dialog.
Removed legacy rogerwilco and battlecom support.
Game info settings dialog sometime causes application stop reponding.
Removed dexec.exe component (not working in Vista/W7 without extra development effort). For dependency disabled CS1,CFS2,EAW games.
Rewrited latency calculation code (ping). External component aping.exe is not needed anymore.
Scrolling "games in progress" forgot bump latency calculation timer.
New, more accurate ping/picture table:
<=25 ms 5 green
<=50 ms 4 green
<=75 ms 3 green
<=100ms 2 green
>=100ms 1 green
>300ms or timeout 5 red
Those values can be adjusted via settings editor.
Rewrited network api and removed dependency to mswinsock.ocx library.
Mouse wheel scrolled only one line, changed default to 3 (can be configured in hyperlobby.ini).
Doubleclick at url in chat or pager containing special characters causes browser open invalid location.
URL send by the pager delimited by cr/lf was not openned correctly.
Removed anticheat menu. It was not used for years and any current games do not use it.
Fixed allmost all user interface handling inconsistences regarding stealing or losting focus to controls (chat, pager,etc).

New HyperLobby 4.0.8 you can download from download section of our website.

After years of servicing i decided to start public donation program to support future development and hosting of HyperLobby. If you like to donate, please visit our paypal donation portal. I want give lots of thanks to all donors !

For some reasons i have established so called "HyperLobby staff". HyperLobby staff is group of peoples that have major vote to direct future of HyperLobby and helping me offload from some daily basis task like moderation and choising right decision. Our group is invite based group and recruiting is only refernce based.

For next development cycle i want archieve those major features:

Get direct stastics from HL hosted server like player count, guest counts
Fix east-asian regional settings isues
Add some new games. Lets use our forum and made some requests.

For some future releases i want made a web based hyperlobby kilboard than will show some statistics per user basis :)

Jiri