FreeSpace 2 Open: version 26.2.0 released

FreeSpace 2 Open (FSO), the open source engine for the space sim classic FreeSpace 2, has been released in version 26.2.0.

After version 26.0.1 in September, the release brings, according to the commit history, improved gamepad support, a text-to-speech Lua API for briefing, debriefing and tech room, numerous multiplayer fixes, Vulkan fixes (deferred lighting, shadow shader logic) and improvements to FRED2/qtFRED. Official release notes have not been published yet.

Selected changes (from the commits since 26.0.1):

Improve support for gamepads

Add text-to-speech Lua API to briefing/debrief/tech room UI sections

Fix various multi bugs

Fix deferred lighting on Vulkan

Update shader logic for shadow handling and Vulkan large shader configurations

Add weapon launch curve input ‘Target Forward Speed’

New guard-range sexp

Fix crash when a ship with no primary banks is ordered to disable/disarm

Fix Campaign Editor Crash

qtfred: fix and align keyboard shortcuts with FRED2

Add a toggle to switch FRED2 between the classic and current menu layouts

Builds are available for Linux (x86_64 and arm64), Windows and macOS.

FreeSpace 2 Open

Source: GitHub