Release v1.1.0

This release of Sonic: Lock & Load Launcher includes massive quality-of-life improvements, such as being able to detect GZDoom in places other than PATH, even inside of the Flatpak version or macOS .app packages. The config directory is now implied to be next to the launcher executable (on macOS, it's instead inside Application Support). This launcher is mature enough to be used by anyone to launch the game, so that's good, right?

Note

This is the last version of Sonic: Lock & Load Launcher to be built using Electron. The next version, v2.0.0, will be built using Tauri.

Versions

• The Setup.exe and win32.zip packages are for Windows - the former being an installer and the latter being portable.
• The AppImage is for Linux. This is portable and can be run anywhere.
• The DMG is for both Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
• Source code is for if you have your own copy of Node.js and npm and want to bring the launcher up on your own system.

Features

• Play Sonic: Lock & Load without the hassle of setting up DOOM II
• See your Git, GZDoom, DOOM II IWAD and Sonic: Lock & Load status
• GZDoom can be detected even if you're using the Flatpak on Linux or the .app package on macOS
• Download Freedoom: Phase 2 using the standard browser download dialog
• Download Sonic: Lock & Load directly, either through GitHub Releases (latest) or git clone (unstable).
• Cross-platform support (Windows, Intel macOS, M-series macOS, Linux)

Limitations/Areas for Improvement

• Freedoom could be downloaded in the same way Sonic: Lock & Load is, but user intervention is required at present
• The GZDoom config is in the default config file - setting it to a file within the SLL_Launcher folder itself would be helpful

Release v1.0.1

This release of Sonic: Lock & Load Launcher fixes a fatal bug with Windows systems which prevents Git and GZDoom from being found.

Versions

• The Setup.exe and win32.zip packages are for Windows - the former being an installer and the latter being portable.
• The AppImage is for Linux. This is portable and can be run anywhere.
• The DMG is for Apple silicon Macs. There is currently no build for older Intel Macs because that's all the GitHub Action gave me and I don't know how to work that big box of doom (no pun intended).
• Source code is for if you have your own copy of Node.js and npm and want to bring the launcher up on your own system. (Maybe make your own Intel Mac build so I don't have to do it.)

Features

• Play Sonic: Lock & Load without the hassle of setting up DOOM II
• See your Git, GZDoom, DOOM II IWAD and Sonic: Lock & Load status
• Download Freedoom: Phase 2 using the standard browser download dialog
• Download Sonic: Lock & Load directly, either through GitHub Releases (latest) or git clone (unstable).
• Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Limitations/Areas for Improvement

• This launcher was mostly intended for people who use Linux, and isn't very well suited for Windows users at present
• The data directory is inflexible and always set to ~/SLL_Launcher
• The GZDoom executable search still requires it to be on the PATH environment variable, which can be a hassle for a lot of people
• macOS version is built, but it's the arm64 version, idk how to get the amd64 version
• Freedoom could be downloaded in the same way Sonic: Lock & Load is, but user intervention is required at present
• The GZDoom config is in the default config file - setting it to a file within the SLL_Launcher folder itself would be helpful

Release v1.0.0

This release is the first ever release of Sonic: Lock & Load Launcher.

While it's still early days for this launcher, from my testing, it works pretty well for what it is.

Versions

Caution

The Windows release of v1.0.0 has been pulled due to a fatal bug involving the PATH environment variable. It will be patched in v1.0.1.

• The Sonic-LockandLoad-Launcher-1.0.0-Setup.exe and Sonic-LockandLoad-Launcher-1.0.0-win32.zip packages are for Windows - the former being an installer and the latter being portable.
• Sonic-LockandLoad-Launcher-1.0.0.AppImage is for Linux. This is portable and can be run anywhere.
• Sonic-LockandLoad-Launcher-1.0.0-arm64.dmg is for Apple silicon Macs. There is currently no build for older Intel Macs because that's all the GitHub Action gave me and I don't know how to work that big box of doom (no pun intended).
• Source code is for if you have your own copy of Node.js and npm and want to bring the launcher up on your own system. (Maybe make your own Intel Mac build so I don't have to do it.)

Features

• Play Sonic: Lock & Load without the hassle of setting up DOOM II
• See your Git, GZDoom, DOOM II IWAD and Sonic: Lock & Load status
• Download Freedoom: Phase 2 using the standard browser download dialog
• Download Sonic: Lock & Load directly, either through GitHub Releases (latest) or git clone (unstable).
• Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Limitations/Areas for Improvement

• The data directory is inflexible and always set to ~/SLL_Launcher
• Testing on Windows and macOS is difficult and/or entirely impossible
• macOS version is built, but it's the arm64 version, idk how to get the amd64 version
• Freedoom could be downloaded in the same way Sonic: Lock & Load is, but user intervention is required at present
• The GZDoom config is in the default config file - setting it to a file within the SLL_Launcher folder itself would be helpful