see the original here: https://cityoftitans.com/content/unreal-engine-5-4-3-2-1-ignition
as always, comments welcome below.
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[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Wed, 10/26/2022 - 23:17
#1
Discuss: Unreal Engine: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1. Ignition!
+1 for switching to UE5.
Had a feeling that UE4 was going to wind up being an orphaned asset at some point in an all too predictable future.
Please proceed!
[center][img=44x100]https://i.imgur.com/sMUQ928.gif[/img]
[i]Verbogeny is one of many pleasurettes afforded a creatific thinkerizer.[/i][/center]
The writeup doesn't give credit to Penitent Rebel who helped me make the icons for the weather control panel. And that screen with the list of maps? Instead of just clicking on any and pressing "Play" just do Shift-Alt-F7... and watch for a while. Do the same hotkey sequence again to continue on. I hope to use that same hotkey sequence elsewhere too in the future for other things (or something like it).
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[color=#FF0000]Senior Developer/Project Manager/Co-Founder... and then some.[/color]
Switching to UE5 was probably the best decision to make and worth the many months of no updates on what's been going on, at least in my opinion. Even with no release date set in stone yet, had the game launched with UE4 still as its chosen engine, it likely would've served as a main source of critique by reviewers (outdated engine/graphics/visuals/etc.) who would've likely been spoiled by that point by other games that have used UE5 and were blown away by the impressive visuals and so on. Heres to hoping we can stick with UE5 and not go through another engine switch, if I remember correctly, City of Titans was initially being built in Unity then switched to UE4 before it even launched, and now here we are with UE5. All-in-all, loving the update and looking forward to seeing what else is in store!
"If I am to die in battle, Remember me for who I was and not what I've become..."
Thanks for the update!
Can't wait to play with it.
I'll also add my support for switching to UE5, really anything that makes development more efficient. Good stuff, keep on keepin' on.
I'd also been worried about the possibility of UE4 being abandoned by Unreal. This is great news overall.
Re Benefit #3: Does this mean that (just picking an example completely at random ^_^) a transparent geodesic dome covering a resort hotel in the NRD might be rendered with polygons much closer in size to the roughly one meter triangles that the mesh would have displayed? If so, cool side benefit. ^_^
And many of my characters welcome the many new costume options!
Foradain, Mage of Phoenix Rising.
[url=https://cityoftitans.com/forum/foradains-character-conclave]Foradain's Character Conclave[/url]
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Avatar courtesy of [s]Satellite9[/s] [url=https://www.instagram.com/irezoomie/]Irezoomie[/url]
Seeing as games were still being released on the Unreal 3 engine in 2021 / 2022, that is an engine life of *roughly* 13 years if not longer (Going from First game released to "last game that I can find that used it". The most notable recent games being "Lost Ark" and "Mass Effect Legendary Edition")
Unreal 4 was *announced* back in 2012 (Although the licensing model was *not* announced until 19th March 2014), and City of Titans announced that they were going to be using the unreal 4 engine 20th March 2014. So given the same time frame, I would still expect games to be released on the Unreal 4 engine to at least 2024/ 2025.
So, whilst it *doesn't* surprise me that City of Titans is moving to the Unreal 5 engine (I mean they swapped from Unreal 3 to Unreal 4 pretty quickly), it really does make me wonder as to *how fast* this is going to speed up the delivery of the game, especially as *at the moment* they have 10 years of work, and lord knows how much technical debt / workflow paths that they may have accrued over time.
The UE5 Retargeting Animations that can help fix the female skeleton...please also note down to use it on the male skeleton, specifically the tricep/shoulder area and the hands.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
Hey, some good news. It's an amazing illustration of how long the game's been in development that one of the first major purchases with the Kickstarter money was a license for UE4, which released a few months after the project started, and here we are migrating to UE5 in the pre-alpha stage; but I digress.
It's the right move to make, I'm glad to hear it, I hope to see more development towards a real alpha-state game.
The very nice thing is, when Unreal 5 was announced, I asked a question of our account manager at Epic in regards to how it impacts our license - we were told that making the switch would be no issue, as that was the nature of how UE5 was designed.
It is only when we stand up, with all our failings and sufferings, and try to support others rather than withdraw into ourselves, that we can fully live the life of community.
[color=#ff0000]Business Director[/color]
I hate to say this, but this sounds like a VERY familiar story...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_of_Duke_Nukem_Forever
Not quite. We aren't downsizing or anything else of that kind of problem. Taking 14 years? I certainly hope not! The engine upgrade (and we've been doing it behind the scenes quite often actually) was considered only after testing quite a bit. The reason for any upgrades is it solved a significant problem and also allowed us to gain desired features at a lower cost. Additionally our team and methods have matured as we've gained more experience as a studio and acquired more tools and skills. The technology has improved considerably since we started. Remember this is a PASSION project. Every member of the team is doing this out of personal desire to make this game a reality (admitedly that was what DNF was down to at one point - about the only real point of comparison). We get just as frustrated as every other potential player on the delays (remember we are also hoping to be players too!).
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[color=#FF0000]Senior Developer/Project Manager/Co-Founder... and then some.[/color]
It's been a decade already. Are we going to get from pre-alpha to full release in less than half the time it took to get to pre-alpha?
I certainly hope so!
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[color=#FF0000]Senior Developer/Project Manager/Co-Founder... and then some.[/color]
Irony!
Not trying to be a turd, honest. Just a bit cynical having been waiting this long already. And still kinda ticked off that Homecoming COMPLETELY CHANGED how my favorite set Force Fields works, thus shutting the door on me ever coming back THERE ever again. I has a sad, and am kinda grumpy right now. So, apologies.
Have you downloaded the latest update? It's got some fun new features like the new weather control tool that are worth checking out. Also, we have another update that we expect coming in a matter of days/weeks that will add more new features to try... And we do anticipate in the coming months many bigger releases with material we have worked on, so while it's understandable to think this might take many more years, we are not anticipating a long wait like that. Stay tuned for things that are coming!
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Just a reminder that we don't want to be linking to illegal servers here. The last thing we want is to be associated with them and have to face any legal issues.
[color=red]PR Team, Forum Moderator, Live Response Team[/color]
To be brutally honest, how does the *weather control* tool affect gameplay? As far as I can tell, it *doesn't*. It is purely a tool to show off some weather effects, and how your costume can look in different lighting conditions.
Now, admittedly, I do see the benefit of this, and wish that more character creators did *similar* (showing how your character looks in different lighting conditions), and whilst there *are* some.that do this to a degree, being able to run around an environment *before* you "finalise" how your character looks is a good thing (Maybe make this specific zone something for all characters to run around in whilst you make / adjust the height of the character etc. It would help give a sense of scale as to how tall your character is *compared* to the general population (or at least up against common NPC's shapes and sizes).
(I will admit that it is sometimes quite fun zoning into a raid in FFXIV, and discovering that *everyone* is taller than you. The players, the NPC's (the non combat ones that sometimes appear in them, like the Nier NPC's), and whilst you are not playing the *shortest race* (those are walking potats.. only good for making packed lunch out of), everyone else is dwarfing you.
It's just one of those things that *if I had known earlier in the game life* I would have maybe added a few inches to her frame (yes, I still have one free race / appearance change potion left that I can use.. but I am saving that.. just in case).
In terms of the time frame estimation that you give for other stuff? I will not be holding my breath. There are so many "Just around the corner", "You should be seeing the Character creator soon" etc etc posts that you just blew right past, I am *exceedingly* sceptical about *timely* delivery / predictions, not just of *this* product, but of pretty much *any* game out there who have said similar and not delivered.
Yes, this is also a slight dig at Star Citizen.
And going to a game that I play currently: Final Fantasy XIV: I know that some people are not happy about how some classes in FFXIV are being treated at the moment (MCH players cry themselves to sleep each time other classes get a buff), the game *in general* tends to deliver *what they say they will* when they say they will. I guess this is also because they have a pretty good release schedule which they at least aim to stick to (or if they are going to be late, they at least *announce it* ahead of time that it will be late)[1]. They also tend to *not say* what is going to be coming in a patch *until* it is ready to be released. There have been a few cases of things slipping from a major patch release to minor patch (ie: 6.2 release to a 6.25 release), but those are exceptions rather than their normal delivery schedule.
So yes, I am sceptical of any time frames for this product longer than a couple of weeks, and even for those, I will tend to go "It will be here when it's here, they missed everything else".
[1] And whilst criticism can be laid to the late launch of Endwalker by a couple of weeks, the Producer (Yoshi-P) admitted that it was for *selfish* reasons and that whilst it was *good* at that point in time, there were a couple of things that could have been done better. So they went back for a few weeks to do that. I mean, when you have 10 years of story arcs to wrap up... you do have to nail the landing. As to how well that landing was nailed is up for discussion, but the playerbase *in general* liked it. and were more than willing to go "Yep, even if it was delayed for whatever reason, it was worth it" because they liked what they got in the end (Again though, MCH players cried themselves to sleep due to balance changes for their class)
I think this is a great comment. Since we KNOW some people will spend hours on their costumes, I agree that anything the Avatar Builder can do to represent how those characters will look in the game is a good thing. Best yet, it doesn't seem to require any additional effort from MWM than they've already invested.
[hr]I like to take your ideas and supersize them. This isn't criticism, it is flattery. I come with nothing but good will and a spirit of team-building. If you take what I write any other way, that is probably just because I wasn't very clear.
I mean, the FFXIV character creator does *something* that shows the scale (it does tell you how tall a character will be in foot / inches), but without actual ingame *knowledge* of how this is translated is missing.
It does also let you see your choices of character in various different lighting conditions as well, before you finalise them. It isn't perfect (you have no idea of *how* tall / short you compare to NPC's in zones, but the lighting thing *does* help a load.
Now, saying that... sometimes you end up in circumstances *in game* where the environmental lighting *doesn't exactly put you into a good light* but that is more thematic for the zone than anything else... (There are also some events / zones / raids, where they do something "special" with your camera... All I can say is "Damn you Yoko Taro")
so glad this was the reason and not that the project had stalled.
Is there any plans in the future to give weather based/control powers, and would they affect the actual weather (atleast very locally)?
We have no current plans to give weather based control powers because in an MMO where the players share an environment, someone has to choose the weather, and so we will set it in various locations/times. That said, if there is enough interest, theoretically in the future we could consider maybe allowing it for individual missions where the player with the mission could set the weather. This would take some time to develop within the missions coding, so it would add work to our missions development, but may be something to consider later down the line...
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Alternately, characters within a certain distance or who are within an AoE effect can have their game-clients depict the weather associated with an event, a power, or anything associated with a mission, location, NPC or character.
For example,[list=1]
[*]as soon as you enter the grounds of the haunted house, the sky becomes a cloudy night.
[*]A character with an AoE spell chooses a storm aesthetic for it and everyone within the spell effect will see the sky is storming with rain and lightning or sleet and snow, etc. This would be even more appropriate for people who claim their powers are based on illusion or mind control. I can imagine a rainbows and unicorns weather effect, a massive flock of blackbirds or just their feathers, and any number of other "weather" effects.
[*]A mission revolves around some severe weather effect, but since only the people on the mission need to experience it, only show the weather effect for the people running that particular mission.
[/list]
[hr]I like to take your ideas and supersize them. This isn't criticism, it is flattery. I come with nothing but good will and a spirit of team-building. If you take what I write any other way, that is probably just because I wasn't very clear.
Hell a very simple version of this is in FFXIV (as an example).
It starts to rain. You character gets wet (yes, the appearance of your clothing changes when it gets wet). You go inside / under an umbrella (fashion item). Your characters clothes dry after a short period of time.
There are other effects as well that they use to change / adjust lighting for specific *sub area's* of zones... and then there is *everything* that they have tied to weather... Some FATES (public open world events) only spawn in *specific* weather conditions (generally X period of time (24->72 hours have to have passed since the last spawning). And there is a cycle. The players have cracked it to predict it with perfect accuracy a month (or so) in advance... But it isn't something that *you would know* unless you went for it. But at least there are websites that can tell you when X / Y / Z weather condition will happen.
And then there is "Big Fishing".
You (as a player) do not want to take up fishing. Its relaxing. It's kind of enjoyable. Big Fishing takes everything to do with *normal* fishing (needing specific bait / weather / time of day) and turns it up to 11 (And yes. I know that some fish may only spawn for 15 minutes (real world) once a month, because it may require "Cloudy, followed by thunder followed by fog" weather conditions for a fishing window to open *for that specific fish* but hey, this is mainly just for the *ACHIEVEMENT* of doing it. Just like how in City of Heroes I *never* got the "Knights Errant" badge in the entire games life.
I know i tried for it. Just never seemed to be in the *correct* place at the *correct* time for it.
So there are plently of examples from *another game* that use the ingame weather for various effects / content already.
City of Heroes/Villains did this kind of thing on a very simplistic level and scale in zones.
Day = Spawn Map 1
Night = Spawn Map 2
That's why some mobs only appeared during the day and some only at night (think Ghosts in Croatoa only spawning in at night).
With a more ... involved ... weather system in place, you can expand that range of possibilities (albeit with more dev work).
Clear (1) / Cloudy (2) / Foggy (3) / Rainy (4)
Calm (A) / Breezy (B) / Windy (C) / Gale (D)
That then gives you multiple axes of possibility for dictating spawn maps in districts.
For example, the streets could be "cleared" by fog, rain and high winds (windy or gale). Less civilians walking on open sidewalks and Foe mobs sticking to alleyways and shelter.
Likewise on clear days that are calm or breezy there could be more civilians in public areas, such as parks and the like.
On clear or cloudy days that have calm winds, there could be civilians throwing frisbees around in the park and so on.
The proverbial "dark and stormy night" is simply that ... Night + Rainy + Gale ... as a combination of factors.
As a developer, what I would do with this would be to start with the day/night spawn maps for a district and then decide what gets added or deleted from that spawn map depending on the weather conditions. You would then have a 4x4 matrix of spawn maps for Day and and 4x4 matrix of spawn maps for Night, but the variations in those matrix maps are based on the Main Day and the Main Night spawn maps for that district (so you don't have to reinvent the wheel 16 times per day and night). The variations don't even need to be anything particularly "major" ... since subtle differences will have a more psychological impact on a Player immersed in the world environment.
If you can achieve something as relatively straightforward as that, those day/night and weather condition combinations can then become resources for triggering world events (as Gangrel points out).
Ghost Ship 1 is only seen at Night when it is Foggy and the winds are Calm.
Ghost Ship 2 is only seen at Night when it is Rainy and the winds are at Gale force.
Giant Robot 1 only attacks during the Day when it is Clear or Cloudy and the winds are Calm or Breezy.
Kaiju Monster 1 only attacks at Night when it is either Foggy or Raining and it is either Windy or Gale force for wind.
Airship 1 only docks at a tower in Downtown during the Day when it is Clear or Cloudy and the winds are Calm or Breezy.
Airship 2 only docks at [b][i]a different tower[/i][/b] in Downtown during the Night when it is Clear or Cloudy and the winds are Calm or Breezy.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/9bd6Imb.jpg[/img]
Once you have the RESOURCE available of different weather condition combinations for Day and Night, I'm sure that there will be all kinds of uses the dev team can put that resource to work using for a whole host of things beyond modifying spawn maps and enabling world events ... because it helps prevent the world from being Same Ol' Same Old every time you log in. That variety of experience both feeds the sense of immersion while also fueling the delight of being/living in the City of Titans.
Remember, familiarity breeds complacency.
The best way to combat that trend is through subtle variations on a theme (Day/Night) such that the world we pay attention to becomes more complex than just a single boolean binary like that.
Environmental conditions would have NO EFFECT ON POWERS or power usage, so the game mechanics of powers would not change. No penalties for using Fire powers in the Rain (for example).
[center][img=44x100]https://i.imgur.com/sMUQ928.gif[/img]
[i]Verbogeny is one of many pleasurettes afforded a creatific thinkerizer.[/i][/center]
Yeah, it would be awesome to see NPC wearing rainslicks and rubbers or carrying umbrellas when it rains. Extra bonus points if the NPCs have an animatoion in which they pull an umbrella from hammerspace and pop it open when it transitions from no rain to rain and the reverse for vice versa.
[hr]I like to take your ideas and supersize them. This isn't criticism, it is flattery. I come with nothing but good will and a spirit of team-building. If you take what I write any other way, that is probably just because I wasn't very clear.
I loved playing CoH going back to 2006. I pop in and out of Forums to check on progress and don't really leave comments. I'm damn dear 70 years old now.....and am just hoping to see a launch and play this damn game before I die.
Haven't been here in a while and it looks like the Changeover from UE4 to UE5 is working wonders for you guys. Will definitely check out the island again soon
I accidently ate a bowl of radioactive soup....ok I guess that makes me a Soup-er Hero
I'm not sure if testing is done or not. Seems like it's not.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
While it has been ~6 weeks since the announcement, there have been holiday weeks (Turkey Day and everything surrounding that in the USA) which undoubtedly have impinged upon schedules. And there's another such holiday week coming up at the end of the year in the next 2 weeks.
The passage of time at the end of the year isn't the same as the passage of time through other parts of the year (as far as "getting work done" is concerned). There's a reason why it is often times known as the "holiday season" after all...
[center][img=44x100]https://i.imgur.com/sMUQ928.gif[/img]
[i]Verbogeny is one of many pleasurettes afforded a creatific thinkerizer.[/i][/center]
Is this directed at me? I'm so confused. I didn't ask them about the schedule or next update...I reread the update and found contradicting statements - that they are and aren't done with testing the conversion to UE5.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
I think I understand your confusion. When they said
They meant that the what they'd already completed in UE4 has been upgraded and tested in UE5.
This is the confusing part, because it could be read as
"We need to finish testing these areas, and then we're also going to make some new improvements, and then we'll release them"
But what I believe they mean is
"we've got some new UE5-based improvements to said content (the content itself already having been tested, as stated above) that we're working on, and as soon as we've finished testing those improvements and then applying them, we'll be releasing Alexandria, Old Bradford, Downtown, Victory Beach, and all of the built neighborhood areas.
Everything that was working in UE4 is working in UE5.
The other things mentioned are things that weren't at that phase yet, but thanks to UE5 got a huge boost in ETA and will need to be finished and tested before released into the available client.
[color=red]PR Team, Forum Moderator, Live Response Team[/color]
So, when we wrote that update we had a version of UE5 working, but we hadn't used some of the tools to do the work we set out to do. We had tested the tools out to see how they actually work, but we hadn't, for instance, done the actual nanite enablement on a large set of our assets and seen how well it works or doesn't work for bigger sections of our project. We have done a lot of that work now and found that it really works amazingly well, but the current version of UE5 still hasn't resolved some things with nanite that we are going to need to go in and fix. For instance, nanite doesn't work on moving meshes like trees. Many of our roads were used with a feature that includes trees. Those roads we are going back and replacing without trees so that we can apply nanite. That's just one efficiency measure we are working on and there are several more. But all working towards making the full environment we have built working and accessible for players in the short term.
Progress is moving along very well for building all the efficiencies of UE5 into the project. There is work to do, but the project works very well in UE5 and when we work through all of the remaining hurdles to get the project into players hands, we look forward to making it available soon.
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
That was Nov 4th. I know I shouldn't be but I'm still just so surprised when you guys make it sound like things are so close when they aren't, and then don't communicate expectations you yourselves set with your own replies and comments. I think the move to UE5 has a much steeper learning curve and delay than you guys want to admit becuase its just another setback in a long line.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
Yep, this recent update on powers has taken longer than what we expected. What has taken more time, as I understand it, is that there were some coordination with UI and some refining of animations that took longer than what they expected. I understand we are very close to the release, but yes, it's been longer than what we thought.
Regarding UE5, it's not so much getting our arms around a learning curve, as we have lots of work to do to utilize the UE5 improvements. For instance, we have a ton of streets that used trees as an option. We cannot use nanite with those roads with trees, and so I'm in the process of replacing all of those streets, removing trees and enabling nanite. That takes some time (not as long as making the streets from scratch, because there is a modeled street with curves etc. I can just replace along the curved lines, but still takes some time). It's worth the change because streets have proven to be one of the biggest hogs of polygons in our project right now. We have been using a very effective splines tool for roads that offers great options (like the trees, but also streetlights and other great bells and whistles), but the roads were very high polygon. With nanite, we get the benefit of very fine, flexible, solid looking streets, but they become very low poly with nanite. So, it's taking some time to get that done (I am about halfway through Downtown and we have streets in Old Bradford and DT left to do).
All of that to say, you are right, it's taking time, but not really for us to learn UE5 and get our arms around it, but rather to apply all of the functions UE5 makes available.
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
So going forward should we only expect updates when there are additions added to the AB/offline map?
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
There are several things that our team is working on right now.
[b]Powers/AI update for the island:[/b] That we plan to have out in a matter of weeks. The powers/AI stuff are ready to go but our volunteer who will be uploading it to the server has been offline because of power outages in his neighborhood. He is also working on a fix so that Mac users can access the update. He should be working on those mac changes and uploading that update as soon as he's back online.
[b] Titan City Neighborhoods:[/b] We have the project running in UE5 and I'm working on nanite efficiencies, replacing a ton of roads that are one of our biggest issues for making the nanite transition. There are more pieces to UE5 efficiencies that we need to implement. Getting that all done and ready for players I think is a couple months out.
[b]MMO Prep[/b] There is also a bunch of work happening to get us to the place where players can get into the game together. Part of this involves server requirements, and I'm less familiar with all of the work being done here, but I know this work is happening. And there is more than those three being worked on, but those are some of the big items.
We understand the frustration people have had with the wait. I personally would feel more comfortable sending out more regular updates after we get the powers update out. We could do things like an update on moguls right now, since I've finished almost all of them now. However, I think an update right now on moguls would bring a bunch of rage from some corners because they want to see more of the game dynamics in-place than talk about other work we have done that they can't physically see in the game. But if people are able to play on the island with powers and AI, I think they would receive an update on moguls more positively. After this powers update, people will be able to see and experience aspects of the game that will help them envision the game we are making.
So, I envision us doing more regular updates after the powers update. I'm just one volunteer on our team and we need to figure out our PR plan together, but that's what I think.
In the meantime, anyone who is interested in MUCH more frequent material being shared, our Discord usually has material shared almost every week. We feel more comfortable sharing regular material there because the audience is much more our enthusiastic fans who we feel like we can share unpolished work with.
Hope that answers your question and I understand the frustration with all the waiting. We very much want to get this game to life too.
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Thanks for that. I know I've said it before but I'll say it again, I'm not bothered with the time it takes you guys to make the game. I have no idea how to make a game or how long it takes, especially a volunteer effort. I just like clear communication, especially when comments are made about things being so close it might be days away then we go months without hearing anything. But you've explained that and what to expect going forward so that's what I'll look for.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
One would think that clear communication would be quite straightforward, but when I consider how often I've been irritated by the lack of clear communication or boilerplate responses from developers / publishers who really ought to be able to perform better...
I've also been on the side where I'm thinking, "I really ought to contact the customer, but all I could tell them is, 'We don't have an update yet.'" So, yeah, it's irritating for everyone involved.
But at least we know the most important thing: MWM is keeping on keeping on.
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[font=Pristina][size=18][b]Hail Beard![/b][/size][/font]
Support [url=http://cityoftitans.com/comment/52149#comment-52149]trap clowns[/url] for CoT!
We are keeping on for sure. And I have to admit that a big part of the challenge we face isn't just communication, but the lack of certainty in any undertaking with volunteers. We have several of us who are committed workers who get the job done regularly. But even our most committed, prolific workers sometimes run into life challenges and can drop off in the middle of work. So, predicting time for us to accomplish work involves an x factor that can always throw our timetable into a brand new timetable. It doesn't mean the work won't get done, because we all have shown after these many years that we keep coming back to finish the job. But our plans get thrown a lot because none of us is working to keep a paycheck going... BUT, we will keep on keeping on, and it may be a frustrating pace at times, but what matters is we are committed to bringing the game to life.
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
So since we are still months out from the neighborhoods update, how about an update on " already built powers"? Surely there is something you guys can share even if you can't push it to us in the AB.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
Combat is functioning at a basic level. I have created all of the launch powers, but they are still not finished. I have also created some test powers to fight the AI (which is done for the most part. May add more later, but already fun to fight). These test powers are just there until I get all the backend combat code done, and we are ready to release the actual powers.
[color=Red]Senior Gameplay Engineer.[/color]
Thanks for the response. However, I was only referring to what this update said:
I'm hoping maybe we can get that powers/combat update that was developed and ready back a year ago maybe as a stand-alone update instead of the new zone update since that's still months out. Again, not asking for the update to push anything to the AB for us to test.
I'm curious what the difference is between the already developed and built powers from the update that was ready last year and your comment?
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
First there was a lot of work done behind the scenes for all animations something I am very proud of. There really is no difference from what was done before and now just more has been done. The test abilities I am talking about were made for you guys to play around with until the actual combat code on the backend has been added ( I am currently working on this). This way you can get a feel for how combat will be, and we don't have you wondering why a power doesn't act like it did at first. As soon as we get a few bugs squashed, and we can push it to the AB you guys will get it.
[color=Red]Senior Gameplay Engineer.[/color]
I can’t wait to try out the default animations for every power set. Yeah, we don’t need the combat engine engaged if we just want to show off our sick moves.
[hr]I like to take your ideas and supersize them. This isn't criticism, it is flattery. I come with nothing but good will and a spirit of team-building. If you take what I write any other way, that is probably just because I wasn't very clear.
no update?
Nothing new? No prediction?
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/erishk/zuera/ca_logo/ca_coh_logomenor.jpg[/img]
Just above Dark Cleric asked about the status of our update being worked on right now. AmiEvil, our powers developer, gave some responses about where things are at. He says the ai and testing powers are ready, but there remains some final work needed on the user interface and maybe another small bug or two that are being ironed out. The update with some initial testing on the island is coming (we think) in a matter of weeks... We would have to run into some unforeseen issues for it to get pushed back a month (which always could happen, but fingers crossed it's coming sooner than that...).
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Just a thought; if this next update is going to have combat, hopefully among other things, please, in the written update, make it very clear what things you want feedback on and what things you don't. Make it clear where things are at, to set expectations appropriately, to guide feedback where it needs to go. For example, if we are getting combat but its only test powers, not the actual powers we'll be using when the game comes out, then make that clear...it will help at least some of us not be overly critical of them if they are only stand-in. It's going to be difficult for a lot of testers to not be critical in certain areas if that is not made clear, up front...and I can see combat being front and center of the feedback. Also, keep in mind the flip-side of this thought; it will also be hard to give honest feedback on the feel of combat knowing we are only using test powers and I have to think test powers haven't gotten and won't get the same tender love and care as the actual game's combat powers are getting/will get. So, at least for combat, I'm not really sure any feedback is valid actually one way or the other.
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
Great input - good timing.
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Don't tease
Compulsively clicking the refresh button until the next update.
Everything is ready for the update... but we are working on a cape fix too that pushed it back another week... Looks good for this coming Thursday... everything seems to be in line and I'm writing the update... (so, your message literally is delivered in good timing as I'm going to be thinking about what you said here as I write it...). Will let you know if things get pushed back another week... but right now things look on target...
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]
Does that mean a kickstarter update, a game update, or both on Thursday?
We are preparing a game update for Thursday which looks like it's on target. Kickstarter sometimes follows the next day, but it will follow shortly after. If any hiccups happen that slow us down for another week, I'll let you know. But right now, looks good for this Thursday...
[color=#ff0000]Environmental Artist, PR Editor[/color]