CSRD Update: 18 April 2017

Update summary! Spring break's over and I barely did anything significant to the server.

Map changes

• Switched Various Artists (KOTH) out to use the current non-Workshop release (RC4). Unfortunately, the Workshop version doesn't do audio playback for whatever reason, so we were missing out on a lot of the AESTHIC.
• Hotfixed trigger_add_tf_player_condition entities out of Quack Quack (KOTH), as they were preventing the point from being captured (due to an update change which prevents capturing with the Vaccinator ubercharge condition).
• Hotfixed the zombie spawning relay functionality out of Octothorpe (Halloween KOTH), as the map's custom zombie models were causing major framerate issues (plus model checksum problems).
• Fixed bots getting stuck under an inaccessible health pack on Hybro (Attack / Defend) and synchronized the release to b10.
• Trial run for bot support for Wub³ (KOTH). No harm it letting it be played with at least an hour and a half of other maps in between, right?
• Added Concrete Fort (CTF). Shoutout to the map author for the mention.

Post-Round Music additions

• Added Nice Weather for Ducks by Lemon Jelly to the default rotation.

External-facing site tweaks

• Made some improvements to the map gallery.
  • Rewrote the gallery to use template elements instead of generating the entire element within JavaScript.
  • You can now fade out maps that don't support bots. For easy visibility, I guess.
  • For supported browsers, the map list options element has sticky positioning; the element will remain fixed at the top of the screen once you scroll past it.

Server-side and backend tweaks

• Changed the unassigned handler to include players that aren't on a playing team. Not sure how this works in Arena. Will have to test.
• Added a ton of map images and navigation meshes. You can now see most of the April Fools day maps in the server's main web page. If you didn't see them this year, there's always the next one!

Ooh, shiny (Python backend port work)

• Moved all of the map names to the map database.
• Rewrote server event plugin to use the new event backend service. No other notable external-facing feature changes, though the event validation process is significantly cleaner.
• Rewrote the Bot Map Runner plugin.
  • It now uses the new map database, so maps with the embedded standardized navigation meshes (root/maps/embed.nav) should be properly supported.
  • It also fully disables bots on maps without support, overriding the bot support detection on Doctor McKay's Bot Manager (which just checks for navigation meshes).
  • Some extra functionality was added to ensure faster convergence to event map rotations; the server should now immediately switch to a bot-supported map in the appropriate map cycle on a server restart instead of switching after a map or two.

April Fools' ideas that were scrapped

• An April Fools chat filter that makes speech act more like /r/RarePuppers.
• Applying randomized bonemerged class models that were consistent on a map, but different between map changes.

As a friendly reminder, I do check in on feedback posted in the Steam group discussions! While I might not be able to respond to every inquiry for whatever reason, I'll be keeping an eye out.