As indicated in earlier forum announcement we have submitted Stratus to several publishers who have expressed interest in the development potential of the project growth with proper development funding for Stratus.
To this end we have been working on getting together further presentation documentation and also some new assets to show the direction that the art and game will go with further development funding from publisher.
To this end the one art studio working with Storm Isle Production in conjunction has finished up the new Sun Priest player models
We now present the firs older lower detail priest model
And now the brand new player avatar priest models for the Stratus: Battle for the sky Unreal4 Build.
Stratus advanced test release nearing release
While it may have appeared that the project is dead, I am happy to say it is not!
Storm Isle Productions had to do some major adjustment on the project, and we will be rolling out an update soon that will not just be new meshes but will add some of the key following changes to finally make Stratus playable..
New Lobby: New battle lobby replacing the current buggy one.
Building construction: buildings now construct as the old netstorm fading in into being from ground up, replacing the mesh slowly rising from ground.
Workshops: Users will now be able to research and put tech into production from workshop.
Blockers: Wind blockers now only take damage from back and sides as in the old classic netstorm. Sun blockers now block incoming fire but allow your units to fire through through them the defence beam.
Unit ranges: air units now work correctly for attacking enemy units and do not freeze up after destroying first few enemy units or first few shots.
Island capture and more optimised more realistic island meshes that optimise frame-rate more.
Resource Collection: resource collectors no longer freeze
Stratus Advanced AI Start: along with the major changes steps have been taken to start implementing Single play AI although this is just early step it will pave the way for the single player campaign.
Besides the main game elements fixes we will also be rolling out the new wind faction designs to the Stratus advanced release.
Stratus first of wind faction textured and ready for implementing
The art team has sent the first of the newly finished wind faction meshes that have been textured and are now ready for implementing into Stratus,
The new units are as follows!
Winder Archer, the wind factions attack archer able to attack units in a set directional range, Shooting bolts the size of spears able to damage ground structures constructed in its range and enemy units that enter its attack field..
Wind Spirit spawner: The wind spirit spawner harnesses the power of the wind to summon a wind spirit in the form of a mini tornado that will attack any units ot structure in its combat radius.
The wind tower blocker and wind power generator are meshes are currnently being UV mapped and texture and will be added into the patch that will be released soon.
Wind Faction wind blocker tower early concept model
We are showing today the first look at the new wind blocker concept designs for Stratus, the new design tries to keep some elements of the old wind tower but upgraded to fit the new wind faction style look..
First look at new Wind faction units concepts!
We are pleased to show a first look at some of the new wind faction unit rough draft designs concept art models.
The new units concepts are as follows.
Wind Power Generators: Channels energy from the wind temple
Wind Spirit spawner: Spawn mini's tornado's that attack nearby enemy units.
Wind Archer: Directional attack unit that fires arrows.
Wind faction in development for Stratus
We are in the process of modeling the Wind faction have started modeling the wind faction now that all concepts have been done for the faction..
First up is the new Wind faction wind archer turret
We also are working with a new coder that is assisting our team and working with our current coder on getting up to speed and readying to roll out new updates.
Stability and start of new feature adding.
New Patch out!
1. Should fix some of the reported UI and video issues
2. some of the bridge placement connection island bugs should now be fixed.
3. AI: now can construct temples and workshops and altar... as first step of implementing of AI further..
4. some further server stability for in-game and lobby have been fixed..
we request that if anyone has a bug to please report it, we also ask try to replicate it several times as much as possible then let us know what or where the issue is and what was being done at time of bug happening and we will move rapidly on getting these issues ironed out.
Structure Salvage and Meltdown ability!
We are currently in the process of implementing structure salvage of structures for coming patch, we are also implementing start of power generator meltdown ability for blasting through bridges. We will be rolling this out in the coming patch and will also include the fix on game load freeze on launch of game that appeared in last lobby update.
Changes to server lobby! faster servers
We have switched how the rings are setup so that instead of being on all the time if no one is on rings will not always be running, now when a player joins the lobby its initiates the ring server starting and if the player waits a battle ring will appear. also the new servers are being run on faster systems that should further greatly improve speed once in-game.
This should also help where we had issue before of people joining the lobby but no rings were visible since the battle server was down since admin was not around and had not started the ring server but now will spawn lobby rings as needed as players enter the lobby.
We are also in the process of readying new wind faction unit models.
Stratus: Battle for the sky Patch EA 1.7
We have just rolled out a new Stratus ea patch 1.7 that adds the following adjustments.
Sounds: start of implementing faction sounds for units and buildings
New Icons: replaced construction icon for workshops construction and further art adjustments
Unit construction requirement.
Updated Ownership: ownership of islands little more clear
Tool tips: hovering mouse over unit productions bar or building construction icons now pops up information text.
Unit construction requirement feature also paves way for tech implementing and putting into production from workshop.
