Late Night Update – Friday, March 4th, 2016

Folks,

Here is a very late night update for us, but hey, we’re in crunch, and there are still some folks like myself left in the office! Another week done as we march in March on our way to Beta 1. March, in March! Ah, I’ve got a million of these! 🙂 It was a good week in the studio, as progress on our User Story updates continues unabated. We’re still trying to track down a memory leak in our latest build, so it doesn’t look like we’ll have Friday Night Fights this week. OTOH, we have found the problems that caused most of the leakage, so we should be good to go for a test early next week.

Speaking of next week, as crunch continues, we’ll also be upping our livestreaming sessions. We’ll post a schedule on our Forums, but look for more of our folks to get involved in the fun and frolic. Speaking of fun, I want to thank KrakenMeister and the good folks of the guild CITADEL, for buying us a delicious Thai lunch! It was awesome, thanks so much!

It has been a busy week, as usual, here. A lot of stuff got done, as you can see from the latest (big!) update to our User Stories. A summary of all the changes: Old Cards: 23 with 88 completes, and in terms of New Cards, we added 4 cards with 59 completes. There were some really big adds to the game, including a first pass working with weapons, Realm distinct Arthurian medium and heavy armor, plot ownership, access permissions, and change of ownership.

Old Cards:

As a Backer, I’d like to have abilities associated with stances.
Stance Editor:
Make a new, well-defined animation stance assetlib class. – Complete
Update build server if necessary. – Complete
Update client if necessary. – Complete
Test and review stance editor. – Complete
Add documentation. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to play in a procedurally-created environment. – Part Three.
Thread terrain update change to greatly improve performance. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to play in new biomes that change according to Realm ownership. – Biome 01
Biome 1 Neutral – Optimization pass. – Complete
Biome 1 Arthurian – Create ground texture sets. – Complete
Biome 1 Arthurian – Create grass and ground cover assets. – Complete
Biome 1 Viking – Create ground texture sets. – Complete
Biome 1 Viking – Create grass and ground cover assets. – Complete
Biome 1 TDD – Create ground texture sets. – Complete
Biome 1 TDD – Create grass and ground cover assets. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to find unique environment props, or unique locations, that add flavor to the environment while I’m exploring the Biomes.
Create unique environment prop – 003 – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see player stats have real meaning in the game.
Agility affect encumbrance. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see the world begin to be propped out with generic fantasy items. – Set #6.
Ballista model for siege weapon testing. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to know about smaller changes that don’t have their own user story.
Assets placed in world now correctly display attached vfx and lights from model 2.0. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see the world of Camelot Unchained continue to develop through its lore.
The Great Depths Raid Part 1 – Final Draft – Complete

As a Backer, I want to be able to own a plot of land and build within it. – First Pass
Create UI that allows players to control their plot’s permissions. – Complete
Create and attach VFX for neutral plus each Realm’s plot markers. – Complete
Plot ownership persists after logging out, or server restart. – Complete
Plot performance on server improved. – Server checks control based on player location. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to know about all the smaller enhancements the MOD Squad makes to Camelot Unchained.
Refactor inventory UI. – Complete
Refactor equipped gear. – Complete

As a Developer, I would like easily searchable server logs that are the front line of finding problems.
Move all logging to Kibana for easier searching of logs. – Complete

As a Backer I’d like a patcher to not only update my game, but also give me the most important news and updates, get support, chat with the community and look awesome while doing it!
CSS audit to current layout. – Complete
First Pass new splash screen v1. – Complete

As a Backer and Developer, I’d like some temporary vfx for testing new combat mechanics and tech.
VFX: Electrical effects on swords. – Complete
VFX: Electrical effects for mace. – Complete
VFX: Generic Mist. – Complete

As a Developer, I’d like to see improvements in the editor to facilitate my work.
Builder and editor messages now display at bottom of editor. – Complete

As a Developer, I’d like to improve some of our fundamental tech to improve client performance.
Audit Patcher update and fix minor existing bugs. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to have a sampling of Arthurian light, medium, and heavy armor to wear in game.
Medium Armor:
Medium Armor – B1 version of mats created. – Complete
Medium Armor – Adjust armor to fit female humanoid form. – Complete
Heavy Armor:
Heavy Armor – B1 version of mats created. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to have a sampling of Viking light, medium, and heavy armor to wear in game.
Medium Armor – Material references provided. – Complete
Heavy Armor – Material references provided. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to have a sampling of TDD light, medium, and heavy armor to wear in game.
Medium Armor:
Medium Armor – Weight and integrate assets into editor. – Complete
Medium Armor – B1 version of mats created. – Complete
Medium Armor – Adjust armor to fit female humanoid form. – Complete
Medium Armor – Adjust armor to fit male and female Luchorpán models. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to play as a Crafter with basic gathering and crafting mechanics for testing.
First Design Pass: Purifying (Refining) process. – Complete
Second Design Pass: Purifying (Refining) process. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to play in a Party, or Guild.
Party REST Endpoints:

Create Party – Complete
Name Party – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to have a selection of character emotes to use.
Non gender/race specific – Charge – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to be able to pick an item up off the ground, put it in my enventory, and if applicable, equip it.
Items and Equipment:
Determine and implement division between Item and GearPiece. – Complete
Equipment stats based on weapon. – Complete
Retrofit existing items to utilize component model. – Complete
Items can be placed on ground. – Complete
Items placed in world persist. – Complete
Items can be dropped on the ground and picked up. – Complete
Torch is an item that is equipped by the character and exists in hand. – Complete
New torch model, vfx, and light. – Complete
Weapons:
Sub in temporary data as specified by Ben for pre-Beta testing. – Complete
Armor:
Sub in temporary data as specified by Ben for pre-Beta testing. – Complete
Encumbrance:
Add EncumbranceReduction player stat. – Complete
Get measure of weight being carried. – Complete
Get encumbrance based on max carry. – Complete
Mitigate encumbrance based on Dexterity stat. – Complete
Add effects of encumbrance: movement and ability speeds reduced. – Complete
Add DBVars to allow value adjustment. – Complete

As a Developer, I’d like a better instrument library to build interactive music.
Small Ensemble – Shaker – Complete
Small Horns long with swell – Complete
Albion III – Horns Long Nasty – Complete
Small Horns long nasty – Complete
Albion III – Strings Short – Complete
Small strings short – Complete
Albion III – Strings Long – Complete
Small strings long – Complete
Albion III – Strings Long – Complete
Albion Spiccato – Complete
Lute – Complete
Solo ERA Short – Complete
Low plucked bass – Complete
Voice – War Chants – Complete
Voice – VIK Voice Phrases – Complete
Voice – VIK Voice Sustains – Complete
Voice – TDD Voice Phrases – Complete
Voice – TDD Voice Sustains – Complete
Voice – ARTH Voice Phrases – Complete
FX – Symphobian – Complete
FX – Ether Mood – Complete
FX – Moody String – Complete
FX – Moody String 2 – Complete
FX – Moody Flute – Complete
FX – Bowed Mood – Complete
Optimization pass on all assets. – Complete

New Cards:

As a Developer, I’d like the tools necessary to audit and isolate any memory-related issues in the Unchained Engine or server code.
Track all allocations that occur. – Complete
Generate callstacks for all allocations. – Complete
Send information to server, which can display all changes that have occurred over time. – Complete
Performance pass. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to be able to play from a selection of classes for each Realm.
Design:
Audit class design based on Beta 1 tech scope. – Complete
Finalize data import format for ability component stats. – Complete
Ability import:
Make ability components use ability effect trees instead of custom trees. – Complete
Update all ability components to use trees. – Complete
Create fallback/rollback for system for botched imports. – Complete
Create ability component import structures for Excel. – Complete
Compare to existing ability components and update where different. – Complete
Add console system to editor. – Complete

Triggers: Perform an ability when a specific event happens.

Define structure to listen for specified conditions. – Complete
Create classes in editor to allow abilities to register listeners. – Complete
Add ability to add and remove listeners from Combatants. – Complete
Send AbilityUse trigger when ability used. – Complete
Send AbilityHit trigger when affected by an ability. – Complete
Have projectiles and physics colliders send AbilityHit trigger. – Complete
Send Damage trigger when damaged. – Complete
Send Wound trigger when wounded. – Complete
Send Death trigger when dead. – Complete
Send Collision trigger when colliding. – Complete
Expose tags through IAbility. – Complete
Have ability system return status messages if caster, enemy, friend were affected. – Complete

Class Component Icons – Art

Black Knight – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Fianna – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Mjölnir – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Blackguard – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Forest Stalker – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Winter’s Shadow – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Physician – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Empath – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Stonehealer – Create art for ability component icons. – Complete
Body part component icons. – Complete
Body part targeting:
Create additional body part component types beyond torso. – Complete
Integrate body part targeting into ability builder UI. – Complete

Outside effects can adjust the power of an ability. – Complete

As a Backer in Beta 1, I’d like to be able to build with stability, as well as destroy the buildings of other Realms.
Mesh buildings – Pass 01: More buildings on server!
Turn buildings into PhysX meshes. – Complete
Make work on server. – Complete
Mesh buildings – Pass 01: Even more buildings on server!
Share code with renderable better – Complete
Look into different params on PhysX cooking to determine whether to have 2 cookers. – Complete
Determine whether to pull out and use our mesh optimization. – Complete
Determine whether to use a shape per disconnected section. – Complete
Break buildings into sectors on server to improve update speed. – Complete
Spatial State – Subentity queries Pass 01:
Make spatial state work with bounding boxes. – Complete
New interface for subentity queries. – Complete
Subentity queries – return out subparts. – Complete
Make subentity queries for buildings. – Complete
Plots can now have their own size and block counts. – Complete
Plots persist after log out or server shutdown. – Complete
Improve building admin tools – Pass 01 – Complete

Buildings – Building heightmap – pass 1
Generate height map from terrain based on plot position and cache data to reduce physics overhead. – Complete
Improve heightmap generation performance. – Complete
Push a new heightmap to managed land. – Complete
Use a new heightmap for stability. – Complete
Building platforms no longer necessary. – Complete

Rough first pass vfx when blocks are destroyed. – Complete
Rough first pass sfx when blocks are destroyed. – Complete
Blocks visually represent health/damage – First pass. – Complete

Not too shabby! In this update of our User Stories, please note that we’ve entered two new cards about Buildings and Abilities. In keeping with our word, we’re tackling the hardest and riskiest systems early, to make sure we have plenty of time to work through them. Also note the sheer amount of work we’ve already completed this two-week sprint!

For our usual arty goodness, we have a lot of things to share tonight. Let’s start with some pretty pictures. Since we know how much the Tuatha Dé Danann love pretty flowers (especially when doused in the blood of their enemies), here is some of the very basic and not Veil-touched flora of their area.

Here’s some more flora environment art, but separated into Realm types.

But all flowers need something to be put into, don’t they? Here are some new terrain texture cards for the different Realms of the game. Of course, these are works in progress, and Tyler wants me to tell you that once we get the new lighting and materials, these will improve. You get to watch as we put all these pieces together!

Of course, the TDD will defend their forests at all costs. And to help them do that, they will need the best armor that their crafters can provide. Here is one example of TDD heavy armor that Jon has been working on to help them do just that! This is the armor that Jon livestreamed some work on, which is recorded here: (https://youtu.be/4Bo2l6eLmUg).

Not to be outdone, here’s an example of Viking medium armor.

Ah, but how will things look in the game? Here’s a look at a Luchorpán wearing some basic armor in the current game build. As always, we’re still working up to things looking just right in the game; this isn’t too shabby, but it’s going to keep getting better and better!

All good (or great) things must come to an end, and here’s some new promotional concept art that you will see soon in a….

This is the piece that Michelle was working on in today’s livestream, which is recorded here: (http://www.twitch.tv/citystategames/v/52338981).

As it is getting late here; I’ll end this update with a tidbit from me on crafting. I finished the first pass on the formulas and calculations for the refining system today, so it’s all nicely set up for programming to begin to take my beautifully color-coded spreadsheet and begin to implement it next week (okay, maybe not that beautiful, but quite functional!). As we’ve said before, it is of course not the final system. However, it means that our players will be able to play around with the refining system in Beta 1. And the beauty of this is, at this stage, you won’t have to spend tons of time gathering the raw materials to feed them into the system. You will be able to experiment to your heart’s content…well, at least for a little while in Beta 1, before the full system goes in later on. 🙂

Before we sign off for the weekend, I’ll share one screenshot that shows how the first pass of the Physically Based Rendering system (PBR) will improve the look of our world. Now, our art team hasn’t yet had the chance to redo the textures used in this screenshot, and it will get even better after they have had the chance. But for now, here’s a look at how even the first pass, with no art retouch, can improve the look of an area.

Once the full lighting and PBR system goes in, the world will look very different, and our artists will have to do a complete retouch on all of the world’s textures. So, don’t expect that when these new systems hit that everything will instantly be better! However, once the systems do hit and are working well, our artists will redo the textures. And when that happens? Our world will look a heck of a lot better than it does now, even in the above screenshot.

And with that, I want to thank all of our Backers for their ongoing support, good will, and patience. You have been, and will be, rewarded by our continued efforts to make a great game. You deserve nothing less.

-Mark