Release 4.2 Blog post

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Todos:

• [x] Add header image (before after)
• [ ] Streamline text
• [ ] Highlight features nicely

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Outline

Image highlighting the performance enhancements with .NET 8.

Introduction

Stride's journey in the evolving game development landscape has been marked by significant milestones and challenges. In this release, we reflect on the industry-wide impacts, our growing community, and the strides we've made together.

Unity Licensing Model Impact

The recent changes in Unity's licensing model have prompted a notable shift in the game development community, steering developers towards alternative solutions.

Stride's Increasing Popularity

Stride has seen a remarkable increase in its user base, as evidenced by our latest user statistics, further solidifying its position in the market.

Community Growth and Contributions

Our community's dedication and contributions have been instrumental in driving Stride forward, making the release of 4.2 a collaborative achievement.

The Twitter Incident and Resolution

A recent exchange on Twitter with the Godot community led to important discussions and reflections on our approach and the broader open-source ecosystem.

Initial Discord with Godot

Addressing the initial misunderstandings and technical debates with the Godot community regarding the usage of C#.

Technical Clarification on C# in Stride

Clarifying the integral role and implementation of C# in Stride, distinguishing it from other engines.

Community's Call for Unity

The community's response to the debate, emphasizing collaboration and coexistence in the open-source space.

Acknowledging Godot's and Stride's Advantages

Recognizing the unique strengths of both Godot and Stride, and the unnecessary nature of conflict.

Resolution and Friendship

The resolution of the incident, marked by shared success stories and the establishment of a renewed sense of camaraderie.

Addressing the Pace of Updates in Stride

Stride's development pace is a reflection of our current resources and the commitment of our contributors.

Nature of the Development Team

The development of Stride is driven by a dedicated team of volunteers, contributing in their spare time.

Current Funding and Resource Constraints

Our current funding levels pose challenges to full-time development, leading to reliance on part-time and project-based contributions.

Impact on Update Frequency

These constraints impact the frequency of updates compared to other engines, though our team's commitment remains unwavering.

Call for Support and Contributions

Encouraging support through donations and inviting more open-source contributors to join our efforts, particularly in .NET for Android and iOS.

Outlook for the Future

Optimistic about the future, we look forward to more rapid development with increased funding and community involvement.

New Features in Version 4.2

Stride 4.2 is a testament to our ongoing pursuit of innovation and improvement.

Integration with .NET 8

Stride 4.2 brings full compatibility with .NET 8, harnessing its improved performance and efficiencies.

List of Key Features

An extensive list of new features, improvements, and optimizations, including:

• .NET 8 integration
• C# 12 features
• Changed Assimp binding
• NET6+ migration
• Multiple profiler consumers
• F# and VB Project Types support
• Stride Diagnostics Analyzer
• OpenVR resolution settings
• Dynamic snapping in editor
• Animation stack selection in FBX import
• Automatic asset copying to the Resources directory

Stride 4.2 Feature Overview

A closer look at the integration of F# and Visual Basic, showcasing their application in Stride through code examples.

Fixes

Highlighting key fixes and improvements made in this release, addressing a range of issues for an enhanced user experience.

Additional Updates

Noteworthy changes outside the core release, including website and documentation updates, and community meetings.

Acknowledgements

Expressing our deep gratitude to the community, donors, and supporters who have played a pivotal role in Stride's growth and development.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Stride 4.2 marks a significant milestone in our journey. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved and look forward to continued collaboration and innovation in the future.

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can we re-open this? or make a new one? for the blog post. the merge only contains the image, not the text that is outlined.

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here is the first section:

Navigating the Update Process: Ensuring a Smooth Transition to Stride 4.2

Updating to Stride 4.2 is a straightforward process, but it's important to follow the steps carefully to ensure a seamless transition. Below are the guidelines for updating both the Stride engine and your existing projects.

Updating Stride

1. Update Visual Studio 2022: Ensure that you have the latest version of Visual Studio 2022. This is crucial for compatibility with Stride 4.2. After updating Visual Studio, restart your computer to apply the changes fully.

2. Stride Launcher Instructions: Open the Stride Launcher. Follow the instructions provided to update or install the Visual Studio plugin for Stride. This step is essential to integrate Stride 4.2 with your development environment.

3. Restart Again: After completing the installation or update of the Visual Studio plugin, restart your computer once more. This helps to ensure that all components are correctly loaded and ready for use.

Updating Your Project

1. Version Control: Before proceeding with the update, confirm that your project is under version control with all current changes committed. This provides a safety net, allowing you to revert to the previous state if needed. If you're not using version control, ensure you have a backup of your project.

2. Opening the Project: When you open a project created with an older version of Stride, a dialogue will appear, prompting you to update the project. Make sure to check the option to apply the update to all projects in the solution.

Dialogue prompting for project update in Stride 4.2.

3. Saving the Project: After Stride updates the project, it's crucial to save it immediately. This step prevents the project from being in an undefined state and solidifies the changes made during the update.

4. Rebuild and Reload: Finally, rebuild the project and reload assemblies. This ensures that all components are up-to-date and properly synchronized with Stride 4.2.

By following these steps, you can smoothly transition to Stride 4.2, taking full advantage of the new features and improvements it offers. Remember, these procedures are designed to provide a hassle-free update experience and safeguard your project against potential issues.

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first or second section:

Unity Licensing Model Impact: A Catalyst for Change

Recent changes in the game development industry, particularly regarding Unity's licensing model, have led to a notable shift in the community's approach to selecting development tools. Stride 4.2 emerges in this context as a viable and compelling alternative, particularly for those seeking a C#-based engine.

Responding to Industry Needs

In light of these industry changes, we have observed a marked increase in the adoption of Stride. This is reflected in our user statistics, which show a significant uptick in new users turning to Stride for their development needs. We believe this demonstrates the engine's capacity to meet the evolving demands of game developers.

The Role of Our Community

The development of Stride 4.2 has been a community-driven effort. The contributions from our community have been invaluable in shaping the direction and features of this release. This collaborative effort underlines our commitment to developing a game engine that is not only technically sound but also aligned with the needs and aspirations of our user base.

In the following sections, we will discuss the specific features and improvements that Stride 4.2 brings, offering insights into how they contribute to enhancing the game development experience.

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Addressing the Pace of Updates in Stride

Understanding the pace at which Stride is updated is key to recognizing the unique nature of our development process and the factors that influence it.

Nature of the Development Team

Stride's evolution is primarily driven by a dedicated team of developers who contribute in their spare time. This volunteer-based approach reflects the passion and commitment of our community, but also brings certain limitations in terms of the speed at which we can deliver updates. We are grateful for the continued efforts of our contributors, whose dedication makes each version of Stride possible.

Current Funding and Resource Constraints

The current level of donations and funding directly impacts our capacity for full-time development. While we have been able to engage developers on a per-project basis, the resources available do not yet allow for a sustained full-time development workforce. This financial reality plays a significant role in determining the frequency and scope of our updates.

Impact on Update Frequency

As a result of these constraints, the pace at which Stride is updated may not match that of other engines with more substantial funding and larger development teams. However, we are committed to ensuring that each update is meaningful and enhances the overall quality and capabilities of the engine.

Call for Support and Contributions

To accelerate the pace of development and bring more frequent updates, we warmly invite more contributions, both in terms of development support and funding. Donations, big or small, make a significant difference, and we encourage those who can to contribute. Additionally, we are always looking for more contributors, especially those with skills in .NET, Android, and iOS development, to help us expand Stride's capabilities, particularly in mobile development.

Outlook for the Future

With increased support and contributions, we are optimistic about the future pace of Stride's development. Our goal is to not only maintain Stride's high standards of quality but also to increase the frequency of updates, bringing new features and improvements to our users more regularly.

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next section, need some images:

What's New in Stride 4.2

Stride 4.2 brings a host of enhancements and improvements, fully leveraging the capabilities of .NET 8 and C# 12. This release is not only about performance gains but also about enriching the developer experience with more tools and options.

.NET 8 Integration and C# 12 Features

Stride 4.2 is now fully compatible with .NET 8, bringing improved runtime performance and efficiency to your game development process. The integration of C# 12 allows developers to utilize the latest language features, enhancing coding efficiency and reducing boilerplate code. These updates collectively contribute to a more streamlined and powerful development experience.

Enhanced Asset Management

We've changed the Assimp binding to Silk.Net.Assimp, a move that simplifies the C++/CLR code used by the asset compiler. This change is a significant step towards running the asset compiler on non-windows systems, broadening the accessibility and versatility of Stride.

Profiling and Debugging Tools

The introduction of a profiler outputting data in chrome://tracing format, along with the ability to enable multiple profiler consumers, marks a substantial improvement in Stride's profiling capabilities. These tools are crucial for optimizing performance and hunting down bottlenecks in game development.

Expanded Language Support

A pivotal addition in Stride 4.2 is the support for F# and Visual Basic project types, currently available for code-only projects. This opens up new possibilities for developers who are familiar with or prefer these languages, making Stride more inclusive and flexible.

Stride Diagnostics Analyzer

The new Stride Diagnostics Analyzer is a game-changer, offering helpful warnings in your IDE and during compilation about any members or structures incompatible with the serialization system. This feature significantly enhances the reliability and stability of your projects.

OpenVR and Editor Improvements

Stride 4.2 includes notable updates to OpenVR, handling custom resolutions specified by the user, and dynamic snapping for selected objects in the editor. These enhancements improve both the VR experience and the ease of use of the Stride editor.

Asset Importing and Management

The update also includes improvements in asset importing and management. The ability to choose specific animation stacks to import from an FBX file and the new feature that allows automatic copying of imported assets to the Resources directory are examples of how we're making asset management more efficient and user-friendly.

Bug Fixes and Community Contributions

In addition to these features, Stride 4.2 includes numerous bug fixes and improvements, many of which were contributed by our community. We're incredibly grateful for the ongoing support and dedication of our contributors, who play a vital role in making each release better than the last.

Stride 4.2 stands as a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and community collaboration. With each release, we aim to provide a more robust, versatile, and user-friendly platform for game developers around the world.