Stratus: Air mobile resource collectors nearly finished.
Our coder took a short pause from the C++ implementing for the multiplayer coding implementing to generate flight control for air mobile resource collecting units. This was important since Rain, Wind and Sun faction have such units and with the newly done wind faction concept airship we wanted to start getting the resource collectors done for the other faction.
here is a quick test video of new air mobile resource unit for wind faction demonstrating collecting from resources and dropping off at nearest drop off point..
There is minor bug on first time resource collector raises up to move it raises slowly but then after all other time it raises at correct speed this will be tweaked. [previewyoutube="fNoOlBNwQIo;full"]
Also we adjusted the texturing on the wind workshop to give a little more detailing and texture correction..
Stratus Wind faction wind skate mesh
This week has been very busy for the team as we have been pushing to get together content and finish prepping content so we can upload the new development build prior to the networking build.
We recently completed modeling a low poly version of the wind skate and over the past few days we got a temp skin applied so that it will be usable in-game while we work on more polished texturing for it.
To answer question on our steam community forum
What units will be working in coming build.
Rain faction rain golem, ice cannon will be fully working..
Sun faction Sun cannon, orb thrower, Gig base spawner and sun barricade fully working.
Wind faction Wind archer, Wind blocker tower, Air spirit spawner, Wind skate will be fully working. new developer stand in asset for wind workshop also will be in.
Resource collectors now drop off at nearest drop off location be it Shrine or temple.
World map now includes the new prefab islands with their ]rock undersides
The coming release will include testing targets placed on nearby islands so player can try out the different combat units.
construction off bridge ends for all the units should be fully implemented.
Wind faction being implemented and world update
This week has been a busy week for the team we have been moving rapidly forward on implementing further faction into Stratus with bringing the wind faction into play-ability.
We have implemented wind faction wind bow, Wind Spirit spawner and Wind power generator.
[previewyoutube="l5h2sE7jNTU;leftthumb"]
We also have been creating new deco meshes for home islands including windows on side of islands for the below ground homes.
Also working from concept are done by Morgan Ogburn artist that worked on the old netstorm we have modeled Morgan's take on an air a combination of Manta and Whale.. these beasts will occasionally swim under the playing area and their calls can be heard echoing out.
[previewyoutube="d0v2bUxbHXQ;full"]
Coder is making very good progress on implementing the C++ elements as we are moving forwards with readying the MP build.
I am in final process of tweaking of the wind faction as it is currently to make sure everything is working as it should and then we will roll out the new development build..
Stratus Moving Forward on networking + first look at windworkshop concept
We are very please to show first look at the concept of the wind workshop building mesh.
we will be including this in the coming dev build, Coder finished recently last of the mechanic elements and is now in process of tieing in the C++ elements and networking so we are nearing the network build. I am in process of packing up the current developer play build and will be posting it for everyone to play test that bought the older version of the game..
Status: Island capture control implement
We are very pleased to announce that the core element of island capture and control has been implement. This now allows for capturing and control of island under player and assigning island edge color for islands per player...
Also we have further re-implemented resource system the following now work.
1. Resource collectors will now gather resources correctly from mana pools 2. Resource collectors will now drop resources off at nearest drop off point be it Temple or Shrine. 3. Mana Pool resource amount bar over mana pool now shows reduction of resource and amount left.
SunBarricade Sun barricade for the sun faction now work..
1. Sun Barricade will now generate a beam between two barricades when placed. 2. Friendly units placed under the beam of the sun barricade are now immune from incoming fire.
We have further fixed air units so that air units no longer continue to attack platforms once enemy on floating platform is destroyed and it now also removes the old platform.
Video highlighting some of the new adjustments. [previewyoutube="qlTkzVxFrqc;full"]
This now means the following Core mechanics are implemented
1.Bridging and placement 2. Temple and power system for power requirements for units. 3. Units combat mechanics for the different type of units. 4. Resource System for collection and drop off 5. Island control and capture mechanics
With these systems now re-implemented in the unreal4 engine our coder is turning attention to implementing the Multiplayer element and player join hosting..
Our current aim is to release a MP build this November. prior to the MP build I will be updating the mechanic demo build on steam with new build that will have all the current features implemented along with the new islands packs..
Stratus: Sun faction coding of barricades
Our coder has been working overtime over the past week and has gotten the Sun faction barricades just about fully implemented for placement and spawning of projectile blocking beams between generators.
We put together a short test video showing the barricade in action blocking incoming Sun cannon fire.
[previewyoutube="JThM9KC5444;leftthumb"]
Coder is making final tweaks on the barricade and will be moving forwards with Island control system for capturing with temple and shrines as the next feature a long with the ground work on host and joining.
We are very excited that things are moving forward on coding and once the latest game mechanics features are implemented in stable form we will be uploading new tech build to early access.
Over the past few days our coder has further implemented and made adjustment on combat code for air units..
Air units will now only attack enemy units that are not currently being attacked by max number of air units, so player will no longer have ten sun gigs stacking on a single enemy cannon, also implemented is air unit offset so the units that can attack are not stacked on the same location but are offset over the target.
[previewyoutube="bwgqOfnoh50;full"]
Air units further finished
Gigs attacking completed..
Over the past few days our coder has further implemented and made adjustments on combat code for air units..
These changes are as follows
1. Air units will now only attack enemy units that are not currently being attacked by max number of air units. 2. air units now offset so the units that can attack are not stacked on the same location but are offset over the target.
3. Health bar for units now are hidden until unit is selected.
4. Range indicator now shows when gig base selected.
5. Priest no longer needs to be at special side of structure to constructed but will start constructing temple or workshop from any side he reaches.
Moving forward we will be starting work on island capture and control system that we have started laying the initial ground work on. also our coder has started reviewing the implementing of the hosting and joining so that we can start testing multiplayer connection.
[previewyoutube="bwgqOfnoh50;leftthumb"]
Stratus Unreal4 engine build development update
Its been a few months since we posted last update in that time we have brought up to speed our full time unreal4 coder who has gone over our code and adjusted and fixed element in preparation for networking replication and implementing AI.
We have fully implement basic combat for players structures targeting and enemy attacking for testing and moving forwards.
Over the past week our coder has implement the last of element of the sun cannons so they now will turn and change direction to face enemy.
Also implemented is initial start of AI enemy turrets that will attack players structures or units.
Its taken this long since we had to update our initial unreal4 code we initially implemented so that it could handle networking and also preparation for further AI development for single player testing.
Our coder is currently in process of finishing tweaking last elements of air spawner units code and then will be moving forwards on island capture with temple and shrines and networking implementation for hosting and joining games.
once these current fixes on air spawners are implement we will be uploading a new unreal4 stratus build that will have the new islands and enemy testing turrets in so players can try it out...
For now here is quick development testing video showing sun cannons in action.. [previewyoutube="IUrC5ArEyiY;full"]
Storm Isle Production Team Grows and Stratus development continue's
We have recently brought on more to the Storm Isle team to move the unreal4 build of Stratus forward at a faster development pace, the new coding team has taken our tech build we put together in unreal4 and have redone the bridging system to more closely follow the original NS games mechanics.. The coding team is making rapid progress on finalizing the bridging system and will be turning attention to the island capture and linking up of bridges to islands..
Once the bridging update is completed the following will be worked on.
Combat and further unit implementation of ranges and attacks.
Mulitplayer join and host.
We are also laying the ground work for adding in basic AI
If all all goes well we will be updating the unreal4 build of Stratus on steam with the latest build that has all currently implemented features.
We look forwards to getting the new build out to testers and players.
