Blog

Lots of progress!

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since the last update but that’s because work on the game is moving forward at a brisk pace. So here are just a few improvements since the previous update, in no particular order:

• Started testing DX11 global illumination asset (called “Dynamic GI”) for potential future integration (thanks Chris!)
• Integrated new camera with auto-corrective behavior (more on this at the end of this post)
• Deepened the lore and background story elements for characters, locations and quests (thanks Paul!)
• Implemented modular Actor AI with shared behaviors and waypoint system
• The crystal crab is now functional (and quite scary)
• Implemented traps game mechanics
• Footsteps sounds now match the ground material under the actors
• Implemented hiding spots game mechanics (really fun to use)
• Implemented faction system for NPCs (player is no longer the de-facto target)
• Stealth behavior is integrated
• Implemented ladder climbing system (yay for verticality!)
• Created new animation assets (player, skeletal rats, crab, etc…)
• Created additional foley sounds
• Implemented new props attachment and equipment system (great way to customize the character’s look)
• Started testing a new DX 11 Unity asset (called “Fluidity”) in hopes of integrating it in the game (for cool pyrotechnics)

And since I know text-only updates can be a bit dry, here’s a picture of just a few temporary assets lying around in a corner of my test level:

Finally I just want to take a moment here to thank Cyrille Paulhiac (“Cosmogonies” on the forums). He’s a real programmer who helps me with complicated things! And he has done a tremendous job with the game’s camera up to the point where you can literally run around the test level without even needing to manually correct the view.

Of course you’re still free to orient the camera and look around any way you like but it’s one of those invisible things that truly contribute to a much more pleasant player experience.

The camera obstacle avoidance system itself is heavily based on an article by Eric Undersander published in Game Developer Magazine (Sept 2011). So thank you Eric for sharing the knowledge in the first place!

Talk to you all later!