Well, we kind of skipped the half-year update. Time has flown by, and it’s now more of a 3/4-year update! Nonetheless, with the recent release of a new GW2 expansion, we couldn’t think of a better moment to share our progress with you.
Feature Freeze
As we’ve already discussed on Discord, gw2cc will be undergoing a feature freeze starting from September 15th and continuing until October 31st. You might be wondering, what exactly does this entail?
Why the Freeze?
The decision to implement a feature freeze stems from the reality of our busy lives and schedules. During this period, many of our dedicated team members won’t have the availability to actively introduce new features to the gw2cc core. We understand that real-life commitments can take precedence, and it’s only natural that our team members need some breathing space.
Ensuring Smooth Sailing: GW2 Updates
But don’t fret! Even during this feature freeze, we remain committed to keeping gw2cc in sync with the latest GW2 updates. Much of this will ideally be handled seamlessly through the auto-updater, ensuring that you have (mostly) uninterrupted access to gw2cc.
gw2cp development not affected
While the core of gw2cc will not be receiving any new features during this period. gw2cp development will continue unaffected!
Implementation Progress – The gw2cc Odyssey
As we sail through the ever-expansive seas of gw2cc development, it’s important to acknowledge both our achievements and the path ahead. While there’s still work to be done to achieve feature parity with GW2, including the absence of major components like mounts and ongoing adjustments to physics handling, we’ve made significant strides in reverse-engineering the intricacies of the GW2 client.
Cracking the Code: Reverse-Engineering Network Messages
One of our major endeavors has been the reverse-engineering of approximately 700 out of the roughly 1700 network messages theoretically present in the client. Now, you might wonder if we’re only halfway there, are we making significant progress? The answer is a resounding yes! Many of these messages are either unused or irrelevant for gw2cc’s functionality, such as messages affecting weather and lighting effects or controlling NPC background chatter.
Out of the 35 relevant message categories, we’ve already fully implemented 22 and partially implemented another 3. Additionally, we’ve introduced a total of 52 managers into gw2cc, with 2 more nearing completion. We’re excited to inform you that there are 11 important managers on our roadmap, set to be added in the future.
Unlocking the Data Vault: GW2.dat Mastery
On the data front, we’re thrilled to announce that gw2cc is now the sole third-party application capable of fully deciphering the GW2.dat file. While we possess the essential knowledge to read and understand every file within the dat, gw2cc currently utilizes this capability for textures, strings, paged images, maps, and content chunk files (defs). Our immediate focus lies on adding support for reading animation sequences, a crucial element for obtaining precise skill timing information. The content defs we’ve already implemented provide gw2cc with a wealth of detailed information, surpassing what can be found on the wiki or through the official GW2 API.
The Big Picture: 70% Complete
Summing it all up, we gauge gw2cc’s progress at approximately 70% completion in terms of support for interaction with the official game servers. While we’re not yet at the finish line, the journey so far has been incredibly rewarding. We’re grateful for your continued support and enthusiasm as we move forward, determined to make gw2cc the ultimate companion for your GW2 adventures.
GW2 Combat Platform (gw2cp) – A Journey of Growth
Six months have passed since the initial release of GW2 Combat Platform (gw2cp), and it’s been quite a journey. We started with a few bumps in the road, but with the invaluable engagement of our community, we’ve made over 2,000 changes to enhance the platform’s stability. This is pivotal in ensuring that players have a seamless combat experience right out of the box while also providing the flexibility to tailor gw2cp’s combat behavior to their unique preferences.
Community-Driven Evolution: Scripting Combat Routines
One of the primary objectives behind gw2cp has been to facilitate combat profile sharing and delivery. Remarkably, several community members have dedicated themselves to mastering the intricacies of scripting their own combat routines, yielding impressive results. You can discover these user-generated profiles on gw2cc’s dedicated gw2cp support Discord channel. These publicly shared profiles are gaining momentum as their developers become more proficient with GDScript and gw2cp’s combat framework
Towards a Promising Future: Skill Editing and Expanded Framework
As we look ahead, the focus for gw2cp’s future will pivot towards skill editing, providing players with powerful tools to accomplish their objectives more efficiently. Simultaneously, we’re expanding the combat scripting framework to make customization quicker and easier than ever before. We’re also excited to announce that we have new built-in combat behaviors in the works, catering to professions that have long-awaited expanded weapon capabilities since the release of SotO.
A Continual Journey: Adapting to Player Needs
Our work on gw2cp will continue well into the future as we adapt to the evolving needs of our players and the ever-changing game environment. Remember, gw2cp is open source, which means anyone can contribute to its development. While there’s no charge for using gw2cp, the most valuable contribution we can receive is your active engagement on our community Discord. We extend an open invitation to all players to participate and contribute to the ongoing growth of gw2cp.