(Edited on 20/04/19)

I've stopped maintaining this changelog, but many elements are mentioned in the changelog here : https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md

There is more details about most of the important changes in some of my blog posts over at http://blog.supertuxkart.net/

(Edited on 15/10/18)

The next version won't be 0.9.4 ; though I can't edit the thread title to reflect it.

It won't be 1.0 either, because some things (like a new overworld) won't be in the next release.

So it will be 0.10

0.10's release is currently blocked by the online multiplayer code. There are other stuff like updating tracks, standard replays, important bugfixes... which are not yet done, but they aren't what make the release take time. They wait because they are not the current focus.

I expect an official networking beta to begin by end of october/beginning of november ; and a release in early 2019 - while a december release would be possible, the project's lead will most likely not manage to do his part fast enough.

The big change of 0.10 will be a first version of networking, and the release date depends of this. This won't affect speedrunning itself, but it may be fun to play and attract new players, so that's good.

(The following list is NOT complete)

On gameplay/UI changes affecting single player :

• The new mansion track will replace the old (good riddance)
• The story mode bug when sometimes the points of a challenge were not counted if skipped too fast (which is very annoying when in a run) has been fixed
• Better menu UI scaling (there should be no more tiny icons in difficulty/race mode selection screen)
• Rescue has been improved : the kart won't appear out of nowhere on the road, there will be an animation before (useful to not collide with a rescued kart)
• The bubble shield will flash quickly when it's about to end
• For shortcuts fans, this will be more disappointing, as they are mostly patched out with new checklines. Some small are still here though (math's class shortcut between the chairs, Hacienda's sand shortcut, minigolf's shortcut)
• Ranking computation improved (kart won't be displayed first if it goes backwards after crossing the lapline)
• AI improvements in item/nitro handling (by me). The main AI weaknesses are in the way it chooses its path and skids, but this still make an important difference, as it previously used nitro in the worst way possible and had some glaring weaknesses in item usage (didn't know to use a shield/swatter to remove a bomb/parachute, for example).
• The new speedometer and nitro gauge presented in this thread have been integrated.
• The slipstreaming changes presented in this thread have been integrated
• Significant improvements to splitscreen multiplayer (possibility to have 5 or more players ; better scaling and placement of several UI elements).
• Fix handicap (several values fixes update, including diminishing the actual base speed and acceleration)
• The ghost mode improvements presented in this thread have been integrated. There could be further refinements (comparing more than two ghosts, the ability to switch from one ghost to the other), but it's already a huge step forward.
• The sound in nitro challenges has been fixed (will be triggered even if you used some nitro) and a sound has also been added for when you go from over the target to under it.
• Bigger minimap (+80%) for easier quick lookup, also displayed during the initial countdown phase.
• New visuals for skidding particles.

Other will certainly happen, I'll update this list from time to time.

Something speedrunners will probably like : a new speedometer and nitro bar have been merged in the main STK code.

The speedometer can display a speed up to 400 against 305 previously (the numbers are not directly displayed, the quoted number are those from the old numerical speedometer) ; the nitro bar is segmented in 5 to easily know how much there is ; and both are much more accurate than previously.

You can look at my demo here :

The look may yet change before release, but the main improvements will stay.

Ever lost in the FTL race in STK enterprise ? Ever tried to continue as fast as possible by mashing buttons, only to be sent in the single player race selection screen ?

That bug is now fixed in the current developpement version.

The nitro bug mentioned in my guide about how to use nitro in 0.9.3 (if you press the key less than minimum time, the nitro is spent for minimum time but you get the bonus only for the time the key was really pressed) is also fixed.

There is a new which will make all those who have speedrunned STK very, very happy.

https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code/commit/40372319f62e522ae8d6aaaca40f81029d66ef58

"At general request, remove follow-the-lreader from story mode"

My slipstreaming changes have been integrated.

Slipstreaming is going faster because of reduced air friction when going behind another moving object. In STK, it doesn't work exactly like that, it's only a simplified version where you collect credits with time and when you have enough you get a bonus if you stop following a kart.

Speaking generally, the visual effects now give a much more reliable feedback about the bonus accumulation/usage state ; while the bonus is easier to get due to several tweaks (before, if the kart followed changed its orientation slightly, that could be enough to move you out of the slipstream zone, this is not the case anymore), but not trivial in a normal race.

You can see the detailed changelogs here (there are some technical points but it's mostly understandable for someone who knows STK) : https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code/pull/3186 https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code/pull/3202

A video showing the (nearly final) effects (in a normal race on a normal track, there is much less slipstreaming, this is an extreme case) :

Precompiled STK (Linux x64) Git+SVN Build as of 20/04/18 https://github.com/psypherium/SpeedrunnerSuperTuxKart/releases/download/0.9.4-pre_alpha/stk-git.tar.gz

It's official : there will be a SuperTux difficulty in Story Mode in 0.9.4 ; the changes for this have been merged tonight. See : https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code/pull/3207

The main changes in short :

• SuperTux difficulty added to all the challenges. A lot of them still use timer limits as the AI is not yet good enough to replace it.
• More karts in challenges, will go from 4 to 10 instead of 3 to 5.
• Some changes in what races are in which GP (candela city is now part of the 3rd GP ; volcano Island of the 2nd GP, and Northern Resort of the 4th, which is at 5 races now)
• GP challenges are worth 3 times as much points as normal 1-race challenges
• Easy/medium/hard challenges are now worth 6/7/8 points instead of 8/9/10 (the supertux one are worth 10).
• SuperTux difficulty unlocked at 250 points, rather than after the boss race against Nolok. (Planned : an alternative unlock route, harder but faster).
• Awards a GP cup of an inferior level if the player has a good enough position. For example in an expert challenge GP, finishing 2nd doesn't mean getting nothing, but getting a silver cup. (From a speedrunning pov, this offers some interesting skip possibilities for an any% ; though not for a SuperTux%).

Gate skip still works. The gate is closed until 250, but the bubble for Fort Magma opens at 180 points.

@UbuntuJackson I'm confused lol. More details please? If the gate was open then it would the gate skip would be unnecessary. "Muh skill cap!"

Sorry, I just needed more details because i wasn't quite understanding you, I could have phrased that better, it was a little too "immediate". I think the intended design is for the game to only be completable after all story challenges are complete. Maybe you could convince them that your idea is better?

Maybe the bubble should only open at 250? but no-one but us will be skipping the gate anyway so I don't think they will bother to change it.

When you say "real" any%, you mean one that is inbuilt into the game? It makes the game faster but does it grant a better casual experience? Maybe, it is usually better to have more options than less. Considering that supertux mode is in the story now, 250 could be the second game complete phase, with the credits appearing again.

Any% definition is just "beat the game as fast as possible" whilst the other categories are "complete the entire game as fast as possible (all story challenges)" The definition would be the same without these changes, but gate skip would still be required.

Actually now that I have typed all of this, I understand you. Opening the gate on 180 makes sense. The way I was thinking about it was I thought it would only be good for us, which wouldn't be worth changing the game. But it's probably good for casuals too, so it's probably good.

Your idea is solid.

I've been overthinking this but I think it's important, many people play this game and we don't want to meddle too much unless we are sure. I've already meddled too much when it was inappropriate and it's only been a distraction to the devs.

Sorry I always post walls of text lol.

The gate opens not according to points but according to challenges : when all challenges (except the last) have been completed, it opens.

The bubble of the last challenge unlocks under the minimum number of points you have when finishing all challenges in easy.

Official new : there won't be a possibility to do a gate skip anymore in 0.9.4.

Why ?

SuperTuxKart will have a new overworld. No much detail yet about how it will be ; we can only guess it'll look nicer than the current one, hard to tell if overworld navigation will change.

Announcing a change you will love : ghost mode improvements.

Demonstration here :

And yet more ghost mode improvements :

It would be fun having videos comparing 0.9.3 skillful ILs

@Alistair_Findlay, as you seem to have the better computer performance to record in higher graphics quality, if you are interested I can send you a few ghosts (tell me which tracks). You'll just have to check on GitHub to find my version with the ghost improvements. You'll also be able to switch from one ghost to the other with ctrl+F5.

I'll build your version again tomorrow and check it out. Just send me whatever ghosts you like, I'll be happy with anything.

You can find several replays here : https://github.com/Alayan-stk-2/stk-code/blob/Replays/data/replay/Replays.zip

Hacienda, XR591, Scotland, Cocoa Temple, Abyss, Green Valley, Shifting Sands, and 2 Zen Garden ghosts with a <0,15s delta.

I'd love to see you be able to switch between different ghosts while watching, and maybe play with more than two ghosts