Updates:

• Implemented new interaction collision system with new visual for Platform and Mecha control
  
• Implemented new cinematic camera component system when configuring a mecha
  
• Implemented mecha duality control system; different input between config vs control mode
  
• Improved several intercommunication systems (Mecha-Component-Attachment, Platform-Prototype-Factory, etc)
  
• Improved collision and physics setting of mecha when entering/exiting control/config mode
  
• Improved initial camera centering position
  
• Offloading locomotion simulation data update to dedicated MovementManager class
  
• Selection visual status is now correct and more lightweight
  
• Fixed unable to unpossess mecha if far away from the main avatar
  
• Fixed mecha body and capsule collision not reverting to the default normal after deactivating mecha simulation
  
• Fixed body cant be selected in config mode after previously in control mode
  
• Fixed dependency mecha needing a valid platform to be configured
  
• Fixed locomotion wheel detaching during possession
  
• Fixed selection visual still showing when entering different phase other than prototyping

• Improved component initialization and data synchronization
  
• Improved mouse detection behavior (click, hover etc)
  
• Enabled material modification in component level
  
• Implemented mechaless component concept; useful in internal isolated dev testing/ future improvements
  
• Fixed sometimes custom material data not saved correctly
  
• Fixed a component can be selected while rotating the view camera with RMB

• Fixed attachment removal sometimes not working correctly
  
• Fixed attachment addition sometimes updating the wrong slot UI

• Improved internal widget management system; now not caching unnecessary widgets (~8 times as few in extreme case)
  
• Newsticker now handles time-sensitive calls more efficiently
  
• Nativitized several blueprints widgets
  
• Various other minor and major improvements (notification logic, material config, production panel, clock, etc)
  
• reenabled active prototype sorting in the market overview
  
• Transaction history now showing content without delay
  
• Fixed material selection not showing the correct initial selection
  
• Fixed unlock cost was processed as income
  
• Fixed research tree item not updating the unlockable status after unlocking an item
  
• Fixed part comparison edge case crash when hovering on remove button in an uninstalled component on part selection

• Updated Save version to v0.38
  
• Updated to Unreal Engine 4.23.1
  
• Improved mechs-time stability, will now load correctly every time. Previously dependent subobjects (FactoryPlayer, Resource, PlayerController, etc) will now also init correctly
  
• Improved initial main avatar load location
  
• Improved performance by using more light-weight delegates (Multicast->Event/Delegate)version in several implementations
  
• Creation of several dozen test level and objects to aid in isolated testings
  
• Refactored several modules, several header optimization/settings, cleanup several dozen Core Redirects
  
• Implemented various logging category and verbosity level and configuration to aid in faster debugging
  
• Implementation of several static functions to help runtime input action bindings management
  
• Fixed game initialization logic
  
• Fixed crash during load in
  
• Fixed main avatar collision sometimes unable to walk over a small gap
  
• Fixed player resource widget not updating correctly during game load

Next update: 1st November 2019

Workflow improvements:

• Leveraging automated test framework(unit test, functional test)
  ->These time-consuming tasks were previously done manually and took a significant amount of time each week. Several initial tests have been written to automate this process and new ones will be written as necessary.
  
• Modularization
  ->Divided monolithic main module into different submodules (Worker, Mecha, Market etc) to better enforce encapsulation and reduce dependencies.
  ->Theoretically will result in lower bug numbers and/or in events that there are bugs, those will be in isolated cases which make it relatively easier/faster to fix
  
• Project files housekeeping
  ->Cleaned up outdated project assets/references. Total asset size reduction from 6.1GB to 3.4GB (development size not game size)
  
• Implemented editor scripting
  ->Several low-level repeating tasks have been automated; i.e: checking data table values etc

Updates:

• Fixed TestMecha spawning without locomotion
  
• Improved various worker-related UI, ready for visual update in the future
  
• Various minor improvements to build configs
  
• Currently working on updating mecha customization UI to enable test mecha configuration in locomotion room.
  

Next update: 18th October 2019

Progress Updates:

• Updated 9 leg-locomotions (non-wheel)
  
• With this; all locomotion now controllable.
  
• Inverse Kinematic for leg locomotions are partially implemented
  
• Planar movements are correct
  
• This is the counterpart of wheel-locomotion updated in U#59

• Fixed resource transaction history display bugs
  
• Focus in physics module still in mecha engine modelling
  

Next Update: 11th October 2019

Updates:

• Further Mecha Data structures optimizations. Core data management revisited and improved; reduction of redundancies across multiple contexts. After ~ 3 years of development, there are a lot of "outdated" areas/calculations (technical debt) that can be improved upon. The principle remains the same; to avoid premature optimization; only improve those that are necessary.
  
• Removal of 6 deprecated locomotions from the game (of type propeller and rocket; mentioned in U#58)
  
• Implemented a better tool to calculate a component weight. This will result in a more accurate and faster mass estimation; which currently is used in mecha engine physics modeling. (~77 component mass were updated)
  
• Numerous other minor improvements; all improvements made in this week are in support of physics module completion.
  
• Progress currently in [1] continuation of core data optimization and [2] Engine simulation
  
• This is a progress update; the next build update is targeted next week.
  

Next update: 4th October 2019

• Updated Save version to v.36
  
• General stability improvements, various refactorings, code cleanups across multiple modules (research screen, sale visual, production setting, competitor, unit test data generator, etc )
  
• These are several smaller improvements mentioned in previous update. Physics still work in progress in another branch
  

• Simulation [WIP]
  
  
  • Initial works in custom mecha engine data in new git branch
    
  • Added several new UI while controlling a mecha
    
    
    • Installed components
      
    • Summary overview
      
    • Simulation data
      
      
      • Velocity
        
      • Acceleration
        
      • Power
        
      • Fuel Consumption
    
    
  • These widgets will be tweaked further. I.e: visual will be improved; functionality is being actively worked on.
  
  
• Various refactorings/code improvements; mainly in research widget module and speed/weight unit converter/formatter
  
• Updated save version to v.35

Next update: 6th September 2019

Progress update:

• Wheel placeholder deprecation
  Out of 4 component types (Locomotion, body, arm and head); locomotion is the most complex one. As mentioned in the previous update; there are currently 2 types of locomotion: wheel and leg. Furthermore, each of those has more specializations of subtypes. In this week all of the wheel locomotion-subtypes logic is implemented.
  
• Progress priority
  Some of the more advanced implementations of wheel locomotion are postponed until other more urgent module are completed. i.e: suspension simulation will be revisited later
  
• Build update vs progress update
  New build update is on hold until after implementation of test-platforms mentioned in U58 is done. Completion estimation is under 4 weeks. Progress will still be announced weekly.
  

Next update: 2nd August 2019

Progress update:

• Flying locomotion (Jet/Propeller) is being phased out.
  An assessment has been made towards development progress speed and a conclusion has been made taking account of limited resources, that flying and other-type locomotion will be phased out in order to complete the game on time. These extra locomotion types can still be added into the game once more immediate/urgent modules are completed. This topic will be re-assessed in version 0.9.x
  
  Image2: Updated LocomotionTypes. Green is in the game; Yellow implementation will be reassessed in 0.9.x
  
  
• Movement and test
  The system is being actively worked on. Implementation of correct movement data calculation (acceleration, max speed, fuel consumption, etc). In tandem with the development of test platforms (RaceTrack to test top speed and acceleration, a mecha-Treadmill to test fuel efficiency and a pulley system to test mecha power)
  
  
• Stability improvements
  Various refactorings and data structure improvements
  

Next update: 26th July 2019

Updates:

• Improved mecha codebase-> Mecha is now configurable and controllable (the 2 mechas inside locomotion test room)
  
• Locomotion Test Room
  
  
  • Added 2 new input keys
    
    
    • Q: Randomize Material
      
    • E: Randomize Components
    
    
  • Changes at the moment are visual only. It will be activated in upcoming updates (different stats for different component/material affecting different handling variables)
    
  • Randomize components will randomize all part types except for leg. The leg is still using placeholder mesh.
    
  • Locomotion test room is still detached from the tycoon module; meaning it is only for test purposes and not yet contributing to the game session progress
    
  
  
• Fixed missing mecha in the locomotion test room (extreme edge case)
  
• Numerous refactorings and minor improvements
  
• Updated to Unreal Engine 4.22.3
  

Next Update: 19th July 2019