NOTE: this info can also be accessed within the program under the Help menu
Version 2.84 - Mar 14, 2026 Added Moorings option (when next to a dock). You still dock with Ctrl-D - use Shift-F5/F6 to tighten/loosening Alt-F5/F6 for adjusting Added Challenges to Situations - use Ctrl-Alt-Shift-C to create - Added Challenges examples to APExamples.situ & added to Setup Added Jib Covers - added to Bochica & BlueNoseII Changed control panel GUI color scheme to more pleasant dark background Other minor improvementsVersion 2.83 - Jan 7, 2026 Added (optional) sun/camera glare effects Added new City.obj under Structures folder; can navigate city channels. Improved water mesh and boat physics and dynamic weather Sunset/Sunrise is now brighter with nice wispy clouds at horizon Big code refactoring/optimization helps with low end GPU frame-rates Fixed shadow problem that would affect very high res screens Minor bugs fixed (reported and NOT reported)Version 2.82 - Oct 2, 2025 Added Rounding the Mark to the autopilot when following a course; - pertinent messages about how to round the mark were added AI sailboat self-recover from a stalled orientation "backing the sails" Improved collision avoidance and tacking against the wind Added low-poly Catamaran OBJ model (4 colors) - no engine! When following a Route you can now change the target marker at any time - use Tab "Map" and "Chg target" button Added Ctrl-H to change heading to any value any time when Autopilot is ON Added G ("Go" or "Game" mode) to select boats and release all at the same time - this helps to get a race started (racing rules apply thereafter): - - sailboats that miss or hit a mark have to do a 360 (tack and gybe) - - also if you hit another boat who has right-of-way - - faster tacking ("zigzagging" against the wind) - - boats can get closer (more aggressive) increasing chance of crash - - annoying warnings and horns are off - - you get "points" if you finish a race. They are cumulative. - - press "G" again to end race - Added new Cat Race case to APExamples.situ (examples situation) Added Shift-L for difficulty level (1=easy, 2=medium, 3=hard) default is 2 - EASY(1): your AutoPilot (if on) will do the tacking and gybing - - also will do the 360 for you if penalty (missed mark) - - opponent (AI) sailboats will not do wing-on-wing for your advantage - HARD(3): autopilot and autosail are NOT available: everything manual Upgraded internal jogamp library to version 2.5Version 2.81 - Aug 12, 2025 Added more cool structures / models Added engine smoke Added Seagulls flock - follow school of fish but occasionally follows boat Fixed scope to be able to show details on far parts User can now exit the program by hitting ESC (also menu File/Exit) User can now enter comments of the current Situation under menu Edit (Alt-C) Added Remember choice when startup message asks to "Continue where you left?" Fixed a bug & added message when user finish rotating/translating model Fixed a "reduced-window" bug when Windows Display scale is not 100% Fixed other reported (and not reported) less important bugs Upgraded project from Java 11 to 17 runtime ... just trying to keep up!Version 2.72 - June 21, 2025---------------------------- Sails can now be partially hoisted using the usual J,M,Ctrl-M to lower sails; - use Shift with J,M, Ctrl-M to hoist (raise) Added "backing the sails" using Alt-B (to push) and Ctrl-Alt-B (to pull) Added optional sail covers - some sail boats have them added to the objx file Sailboat stays now 'creak' when stressed Added optional wind direction indicator at bottom left corner of the screen Added effect: when using wind shadows, your sails can "self shadow" when downwind unless wing-on-wing (automatic when boom near 90 deg) Current situation status is now automatically saved in a temp file at program exit which can be restored next time you run the program. Added checkbox to include/exclude fish and dolphins Minor changes choppy water rendering and wakes Reflection/refractions will now include all models, not just boats. Improved boat collisions but still no damage The models selector (using the button) allows you to choose multiple models using Ctrl or Shift click and hit 'Delete' Minor improvements dynamic weather Minor improvements Bochica and Vagabond sailboats v2.6 Bug fixed: black screen if you restarted the program after turning OFF SHADOWS Fixed lightnings plus other minor but important improvementsVersion 2.6 - Oct 15 2024 Added REFRACTION. Turn on with same checkbox as REFLECTION under "Other" Added WIND SHADOWS - wind is reduced downwind of terrain or sailboats - Terrain wind shadows affect waves (height)- you can hide from the wind. Added RANDOM & DYNAMIC WEATHER options (by user request) under "Other" Added BUBBLES & ALGAE underwater and propeller SPRAY effects - improved spray Added occasional FISH school and DOLPHINS that you may see in random sectors Dolphins may occasionally escort your sailboat when in high seas Improved collision avoidance for AI boats (non-selected boats) - added horns Improved grounding avoidance and zigzagging for AI boats You can accelerate the effect of mouse wheel using SHIFT Reduced water mesh resolution which was unnecessarily high - optimized Fixed several minor bugsVersion 2.5 - June 22 2024---------------------------- Added new sailboats OliveOyl and SailboatIII (many thanks to CGTrader Team for this beautiful boat) Also added other simple but beautiful structures from CGTrader.com (also freeware) Added lightCones - which can be rotating(i.e: for lightHouse etc...) Added caustics to bottom of the sea Expanded use of "Q" key to help Select models - added "AutoLock" checkbox and highlight model (see Help/Key Shortcuts in program's menu for details on use of the "Q" key) Easily move models or cone buoys in a route by SELECTING, point where to move and press Alt-M Toggle rotating or translate selected model by pressing Ctrl-R or Ctrl_T then use arrow keys Use Alt-D to duplicate currently select model at cursor 'O' position (window center) See new Keyboard Shortcuts in the Help menu that greatly enhance user friendliness Added wind direction indicator to Bochica and BluenoseII at top of mast Added telescope effect using mouse-wheel with Alt key down Now you can use the INSERT and DELETE Keys to add models/delete selected model Terrain is flattened automatically in Structures locations (except for 'docks') Improved adding structures to terrain by simply using the center pointer (no "+" pointer needed) Added more user-friendly on-screen messages Fixed handshake_failure error when checking for latest archipelago's version from the https website Fixed some flash messages at bottom of screen that were not being displayed Fixed minor bug in rain/thunder sounds; also reduce volume relative to other ambient sounds Fixed glitch with boat's anchor point resetting to zero on some situations. No effect on docking. Fixed minor bug on buoys that were not matching wave heights properly Improved Editor for ropes (Bezier control points) - ropes on luff when no-boom-sail not hoisted Improved handling of camera rotations (orbit) around a selected model (with mouse wheel/keyboard) Improved pulley/ropes modeling when included in the model's XOBJ files Improved Fog Effects User can now control water transparency (besides just color); Improved coral effects and fake diffraction and water effects in general The "Apply" button is no longer needed for weather changes and was removed All other noticed bugs were squashedVersion 2.42 - November 27, 2023---------------------------- AI boats will now avoid getting grounded - but your selected boat will Added MIDI files music Player; user can choose any directory in his drive Fixed weird shallows foam color when not using default water color Better water reflections and other water simulation improvements including Choppy and Kelvin Wakes options and improved several minor issues with lighting and overcast; also better white caps effects in high wind Fixed shadow effects problems at sunset/sunrise Fixed anchor glitch when switching boats long distanceVersion 2.3 - June 4th, 2023:---------------------------- Added coral effect at shallows Added diffraction effect for sea bottom including shadows Fixed problem with 'disappearing' marker cones when using routes Improved hull-water sound effects, and added balance. Obliterated some minor bugsVersion 2.2 - May 1st, 2023:---------------------------- Updated project to Java 11 and customized JRE for distribution(smaller) Added new "Turbulent Clouds" under "Other" tab (dynamic clouds...GPU heavy) - default is off and choice is saved in Preferences Added new "OverCast" slider (0..100%) under the "Weather" tab which also darkens the scenery - saved in Situation - default=0 ; Also Overcast reduces the intensity of shadows proportionally User can now change Sky Color in the "Other" tab, to better match chosen water color - user can always press Reset (to default colors) This color will be saved in user Preferences. Added Rain effects under the "Weather" tab and a way to increase gradually from none to drizzle to a down-pour (this will tax the GPU). Also added Thunder and Lightning controlled by rain qty and overcast. Thunder only happens at max rain. Added new "Show ID's" option to allow user to turn off far away boats IDs and cone ID's for when added realism is wanted. Saved in Preferences. Any bugs detected were squashed.Version 2.1 - Jan 20, 2023:---------------------------- Bug fix that affects new installations (2.0 throws null error) - upgrades from previous versions were OK. Also... fixed shaders integer constants to floating point conversion problem that affects some GPUsVersion 2.0 - Oct 4, 2022:---------------------------- Updated Keys.txt list with new Keyboard shortcut's and mouse Improvements in CPU and GPU memory management (textures and polygons) User can increase the maximum # of trees/terrain if GPU can handle it When user adds a structure to the terrain, trees are removed as expected Added option for xobj Ropes/Pulleys - user can turn on/off in "Other" tab Added way to edit ropes to Model Editor under menu Options under "Other" Added option Water/Object Reflection - user can turn on/off in "Other" tab Reflections on/off checkbox is using the older "fake reflections" option Added Bochica ropes/pulleys/reflectors in xobj Added BlueNose ropes/pulleys/reflectors in xobj Added static cubemap reflectors to Marlow.xobj Reflector parts can use static sky cubemap or dynamic capture (heavy) Added anchor ropes effect and "hanging" parts option to xobj's Fixed far-from Origin z-fighting weird effects - improved near clipping User is reminded once a month the option to send feedback to developer When in "fly mode" pilot can rotate head independent of fly direction Removed 'straightening effect' when in "fly mode" - was somewhat annoying using Ctrl-Alt- and arrow keys or joystick - reset view using Ctrl-Alt-S Improved Bochica obj surfaces that were causing z-fighting flicker Fixed Vagabond materials Improved water "choppy" effects Prevents wild sails switching when running (wind behind) User can now more easily move model when runs aground using "Other" tab User can delete a model while in the Select Model list by hitting DEL key User can now adjust Water Color preference under the "Options" tab Added viewing this "Changes.log" to Help menu Added "Reset Archipelago" to Options menu Added a few new Structures All noticed bugs were squashed Version 1.8 - Feb 2, 2022:--------------------------- Fixed camera problems when "onBoard" and far away Added capability for additional sails beyond main,jib and mizzen Improved AutoPilot/AutoSail Improved collision avoidance and zig-zagging when autopilot is on Added Waves crest/spray effect - user can turn on/off in "Other" tab Added LightHouse obj Added rotating parts to Marlow and Bochica (radat and propeller) Added "orbital rotation" to camera when onBoard at a distance Improved Kelvin Wakes and foam wakes and water in general Support square sails Added BlueNose II sailboat model Support parts that rotate with sails and booms Better water depth effects and transparency Added new nodes Tree list for model selection when user press button Added support for xobj file that contain Archipelago Parameters UI improvements Improved Engine Sounds All noticed bugs were squashed Version 1.74 - Mar 29, 2021:---------------------------- Added Choppy water option - user can turn on/off in "Other" tab Added Kelvin Wakes option - user can turn on/off in "Other" tab Improved Wakes Improved shallow water effects and water waves in general All noticed bugs were squashedVersion 1.73 - Feb 22, 2021:----------------------------- 1st Release of Archipelago Sailor Simulator
Archipelago - a Sailor Simulator 