It took eight hours but we covered all the bases and the plan is now in place. We will be adding some new Multiplayer Start Markers to the IDE and the ability to load in 'bolt-on' entities for the Uber Character that we will need to represent the mutliplayer characters, which will need the ability to wield all weapons and be created dynamically when the game is initialized.
I was set to integrate the new explosion into the engine but the chat has thrown up three key tasks that I need to implement so that Raveys multiplayer engine can hit the ground running. Hopefully it will not take the whole day which means there is a good chance of explosions before 4PM on Friday!
Simon continues a pace with the ConKit and integration has already begun, which should result in the buildings being consolidated on the spot, meaning a building that takes thousands of objects to represent turns into one object comprising just a few meshes and possibly a single texture set.
Also Rick did a critique of the latest Escape Demo level, and could only find two things to wine about so progress steady on that score! Apparently the enemies are not aggressive enough so hopefully will find some time to turn up the volume on their hate-o-meter. If the enemy AI does not present a great battle experience, we will suffer for it when the product gets released and we have the time to get it right, so we should make it a priority.
The enemy passive aggressive behavior has been the only complaint so far that I have gotten back from some of the people who played the test level for Colosso Crystal Skulls. I agree they need to be more assertive when attacking. I can't wait to see all the new stuff in play.
ReplyDeleteIf you are concentrating on the Escape Demo Level as a Reloaded Showpiece for promoting Reloaded I would think that what is shown in the screen shot here needs some help.
ReplyDeleteAt least to me personally.
Some of the entities look OK but overall the scene looks very amateurish.
The colours, terrain and lack of any real terrain content, detail and terrain features - the rolling humps all look something like a cartoon to me and divorced from things like the realistic and quality weapon which look out pf place in a landscape they don't belong in.
Te scene environment (largely terrain and sky) needs some or a lot more realistic looking detail, plus veg, trees and so on, the colours looking not at all from a real world scene to me. But then it is a game so anything goes I guess. Just not looking like anything like a professional game engine scene to me.
I understand its not finished yet though so sorry if that's a harsh opinion.
Never been able to understand the rolling hills and sparse seen, particularly myself when Reloaded is capable of much better looking terrain creations than that. Must be just me.
Given that Reloaded has apparently now been improved performance wise somewhat perhaps you could add a bit more detailed content to fill up the whole visual scene to view when the player moves around so it looks like a real world scene. Unless of course any improvement is being gobbled up elsewhere which does not leave anything to show this off as a better product example due to the performance limitations.
:-)
'Some of the entities look OK but overall the scene looks very amateurish.' Are you comparing this to idk Assassins Creed Unity Which is going to need a 780 or higher to play? Or Pre-renders? The Graphics right now both challenge Madden, FIFA, Rust is slightly better, Life is Feudal is the same, etc [Yes believe it or not, but Tripple A games are not what this engine is trying to say it can do](The sand bags look bad and so does the canopy, but I don't see an issue with the crates, baskets, etc)
DeleteNot to mention the fact that there are no normal maps running in any screen shot....or specular....or illumination, etc
Saying all this though the humps do piss me off and the terrain generation is quite weak. BUT they have not being focusing on terrain generation and as such features are quite limited.(This is really the last major thing they need to work out)
Woah woah Jack! Peter does have a valid point (to an extent). It's not really about the graphical quality but more about the level design aesthetics. The current "design" of the Escape Demo level isn't exactly enthraulling. It's basically, shoot that guy and then run to that gate but find the key first then shoot another guy.
DeleteI think FPSCR will look amazing once things get finalised. I think it'll be on par with Rust (if not better), CS:GO etc.
If TGC has the ability to: They should hire a professional level designer, perhaps a level designer that worked on Crysis 1, and say "Here are your tools and these are your assests. Please go wild" This is going to be the showcase level after all isn't it? TGC wants those steam users to be throwing their money at the screen. Splash some cash on a pro level designer and you'll reap the rewards in the end.
Does anyone know a top level designer and artist who is not currently contracted for their next big game. Finding one who wants to work freelance and is available is pretty tough!!
Deletei agree with Peter. The escape level is great for you guys to test with; but it shouldnt be a promotional level.
DeleteLee, I would gladly quit my day job and work solely on the promotional level for you guys, while creating media and assets for it and the engine. But, in return, I demand a pack of Post-It notes and two paper clips. But seriously, you have some great talent in the forums; you held a competition for level design. Why not ask one of those guys. (I came 3rd in that comp) hint hint))
DeleteYou make a good point, and it comes up often in the meetings that the community is the best place to find our level designers and demo creators. When V1.009 public beta is released, you are very welcome to take Escape demo level and give it a major make-over. Making it less bleak, more stuff in there, perhaps more challenging and interesting, a better sense of level direction without needing huge arrows and objective markers, e.t.c. P.S. I can do the paper clips but the post-it notes are a deal breaker ;)
DeleteAs soon as V1.009 is released, I will take a look at the Escape demo and see what can be done. However, I do feel that a whole new level would be best. How about making a community effort. I know that would be tough to organise, but, getting a select few to work on the level and make it as good as it can be. One person to work solely on terrain, one person on basic level design, one person on 'story' and scripting, another on 'level dressing' (placing the non essential assets that make it look pretty). You could even get a few guys to work on some new models.
DeleteIf this is going to be 'the' main focal point to get people putting their hands in their pockets, then, it needs to be properly done. No offence to the guys that made the Escape, but, I can imagine it has been made by the people that are making the engine, so, at best, you could call this programmer art, which is always known as place-holder, not, final product. I don't mean any offence to anyone, but, I believe in the product and want it to be a success, so, I will be as honest as I can.
PS. I knew I had gone too far with the post-it notes! damn! Me and my greed!
Hopefully, the hill issue will be helped with the promised extra tools for terrains that has been mentioned. So this should be addressed when they are added, but I agree the hills are very unrealistic and the scene is overall way to bright, the grass looks a bit too green. This of course may be easy to alter, and may just be intentional. Rick likes bright screenshots ;)
ReplyDeleteIt certainly could do with a few more trees to spruce it up at least. More assets would improve it's overall appearance also, but I understand it is a demo to show the current progress of Reloaded and will be updated as and when. Also, at the minute I am happier for TGC to concentrate on Reloaded rather than a demo to show it off. That can come later when Reloaded is ready.
All I can say is I am looking forward to 1.9 as it sounds as if performance has improved drastically. Not to mention some of the new Lua commands that are also due to be added. It can't come along fast enough for me ;)
I am hopeful that performance won't be affected too greatly when the normal and specular maps are re-enabled, as these can really make the visuals pop I think! All of the screenshots and work recently has been done on lowest quality settings with these and real-time shadows disabled, so I'm interested how performance will be with a little higher quality level.
ReplyDeleteNot sure you need a Top Level Designer at all nor spend too much time on a Demo as some have said - forget that. Time and money spent better elsewhere I am sure.
ReplyDeleteI am on my own here so ignore me.
In any case Users will make some great Demos so make good use of them.
:-)
I would throw it to the community
ReplyDeleteAnd have them make a lvl as a competitive event like last time...
(BioDragonlord)
This is the best idea I've seen yet. Come on Rick, you KNOW that this is a good idea.
DeleteI believe all AI should be held within scripts accessible to the level designers. Spending time making the AI 'better' outside of this concept is wasted time.
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with that, although as far as I know most of the AI IS already in scripts.
DeleteUh... well, ok. My first thought is that it's far too soon for multiplayer, but... well, maybe it'll be ok. I mean, we all know Ravey's a very good programmer, so... hopefully this will be better than X9's very old-fashioned and extremely limited multiplayer.
ReplyDeleteThe multiplayer in Reloaded doesn't need to be revolutionary. It just needs to work i.e. people can host / join games without reading a bunch of network configuration tutorials and it needs to have a decent UI so people can actually find games in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAs long as Ravey can get dynamic entities working in Reloaded multiplayer that will open tons of opportunities and allow for bots etc if people want to include them. If I had 1 request for Reloaded multiplayer it would be an online co-op mode as that would compliment things like bots so you can have any type of online game.
Yeah, lack of dynamic entities was one of the severe limitations of X9's multiplayer.
DeleteI think the Graphics are looking great!
ReplyDeleteAI needs to be way better before a public realese. Enimies do not use cover properly. They should never come running after the player unless the player is right ontop of them.
Soldiers always use cover, or go cover to cover. Or the unit leapfrogs, or implements marching fire, or flanking tactics. As it is the AI is almost unusable. Much more control and animations are needed.
Agree agree agree!
Delete