Devblog#31 Build7 is released. A Job for Beginners is available.
A Job for Beginners
The Small Town is growing slowly. There are always packages to deliver. This job is open to everyone. You can go to the back of the Government Building and get a package from the truck. Then you can deliver the package to a storage hut [Press LeftMouse]. You will receive 10 Katta and 1 LUC per package. These rewards will go directly to your Local Bank Account.
Your Energy
As you might expect, you can't do this job forever without tired. If your energy is 0, you can't pick a delivery package anymore. [Press Tab to open PlayerMenu]
You can wait for 2-5 minutes for your energy to be refilled. If can't wait, there is a food vendor located in front of the Government Building. Buy something to eat to refill your energy.
You Money
Now you have 2 bank accounts, the Global Account and the Local Account. The Global Account is accessible across all servers. The Local Account exists in the server you're playing only. You can see your account balance on the mobile app [Press T].
You should export your currencies from your Local Account to your Global Account as soon as possible. When the server is wiped, all money in your Local Account will be gone.
Next Update, Build8, VoiceChat(Probably)
I think I will try to implement VoiceChat once again. The next build will be dedicated to Voice/Text Chat. The voice though might has low quality, we have to use it until I have a better implementation.
As always, thanks to my sponsor ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
See you next time.ːemofdrː
Devblog #30 Context-Based Interaction (Build5)
You hate complex menus, I'm lazy to create them. Here's the deal
The idea is very basic. The game menus should relate to the object you are interacting with (as much as possible). Some of you maybe remember those confusing menus back in the days. I can promise you that the new approach will be better. Like, you reach a cat to pet it or you reach an ATM to do the money things.
Now you can walk, in your apartment room.
I was trying to create the new locomotion system. The result does not look good as I expected but I will continue to improve this system. In the next update(Build6), I will try harder to improve the character movement. And maybe in the Build7 I can introduce you to the "SmallTown".
As always, thanks to my sponsor ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
See you next time.ːemofdrː
Devblog #29 A Small Job
We have a small temporary job
It seems the industry wants the workers to have advanced skills. There is a "Job Training" room that lets you practice a mechanical arm controlling.
In every session, there are 10 spots you need to control correctly. If you get above 7 points corrected you will receive 1,500 Kattas. Otherwise, you will receive only 500 Kattas.
This job is temporary and will be removed at some point in the future. You can repeat this job every 30 minutes.
Changelog
Build2 -Fixed: The game stay appear on the Steam after quit the game Build3 -Improved: Slightly reduce loading time
As always, thanks to my sponsor ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
See you next time.ːemofdrː
Devblog #28 Clean Slate, The New Beginning
Story so far
After the pandemic started, The LittleArctic Government cannot risk sending any more personnel to the border. So you are recalled since there will be no life support send to the border. Now you have to stay at "Hailkamp Medical Center" temporarily. Here in this place, the government can supply you easily. It will be boring but there will be more things to do in the future.
Real story though
I successfully researched new systems for the "Phase2". But these new systems are very different from the old internally. So I have to reboot everything and make it from the start. We start will count from build number 1.
You cannot walk and do things as you used to (yet)
I decided to create a new character movement system. It's not done yet. Also, many functionalities are missing. But I promise they will come back for more.
I really need to test the fundamental
The key research for Phase2 was the advanced asset loading system. It will make the game and the server load the assets efficiently. However, it isn't battle-tested yet. I should observe and investigate if any bug occurs. If this system stable, I can push new updates faster than ever.
Now you can receive "The Welcome Box" after entering the server. The box will go to the cargo but you will not see it yet because the Cargo menu isn't ready. Don't worry and trust what the officer says.
This is in the "Social Welfare Officer" menu.
As always, thanks to my sponsor ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
See you next build for sure.ːemofdrː
Devblog#27 Entering Phase 2 of Development
This is a risky experiment
Since the last update, I have played games a lot. I start to see some patterns. I think I must re-design the game system. This time it will involve modifying the code at the engine level. If this experiment succeeds, I will able to implement something amazing like what I see from the other games I play. Especially the networking part, it's another paradigm shift. I can't wait to try this so I delay the next update. This maybe fail or succeed, I wish the latter.
In the meantime, don't forget that "The Weapon Smugglers" have more than 40 weapons. It should take a lot of time until you catch them all.
The Takeover
I was writing service-level codes and shared it with my friend. His name is "MeangSun". He is the developer of the game called "Loop Craft". After we work for some time, I found that the hardest part is when to teach him how to use my code. So I offer him that I will take over all the programming things and he has to do all the designing things. The deal is simply "I get half of what he gets". (He happily acceptedːlunar2019grinningpigː) This means his game will use every technology Villages™ uses. I suggest that he must also re-design his game from the ground up. It could take at least 5 months. If you are following his game, don't worry about your items. I will carefully transfer them to the new database if needed(and maybe set a X2 event).
As always, thanks to my sponsor ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
I hope I can see you soon.ːemofdrː
Devblog#26 V0.2.4.6a The Banker and The Smugglers
We have a temporary local bank and a reason to use it.
At the local bank, you can import your currency items(Steam Items) to your local bank account. Please aware that importing any item will consume that item and it's gone, it's a normal operation.
The scout officer reported that there are "Illegal Weapon Smugglers" are camping in the forest. They are selling weapons that aren't allowed for civilians and of course pay no tax.
Only one smuggler will open his business at a time. You can see which one is open by looking at the campfire. If it's burning, he will have some offer for you. The smugglers will reveal their newly random stock every hour.
The weapon's price varies from 50,000 to 5,000,000 Kattas from our investigation. When the government's Police Department arrives the illegal activity like this will be punished.ːdh3_PoliceOfficerː
These are known locations of the Smuggler Camps
If you somehow bought these items, you can see them in the "Export Cargo" menu. Then you can export them into Steam Items from this menu.
New Update Scheme and Schedule
I change the version numbering into the shorter form. V[W.E.R aa] Where W is a Release version (0 is beta, 1 is early access, 2 is post-early access). E is Major version, R is Minor version and aa-zz is for bug fixes and very small updates.
I've revised the update schedule to match the current line of development. I'll try to release every update in a small complete piece. I'll try harder, I don't want to fix 10 things at the same time.ːlunar2020gigglemonkeyː
New planned versions:
V0.2.5 Rework on chat and VOIP V0.2.6 New character movement and a drone(as a part of vehicle testing) V0.2.7 Add new banking functionality, transfer currency from and into the Global Bank
That's for now. I don't want to over-planning anymore. I will get it done one update at a time.
As always, thanks to my sponsor Zap-Hosting.com You can visit their website for more services.
See you next update.ːemofdrː
Devblog #25 Just a Transition Update V0.2.4.6.1
This is not the update everyone expects, not yet.
As I have mentioned earlier, I switch the underlying code plugin to my own version. Everything may not change much visually but it took a lot of time to recover its functionality. Today I just make up those functionality to meet the previous version. I decide to push this update because I think it can lead to a smoother transition to V0.2.4.6a in the future.
In the meantime you can explore new menus.
It may have a lot of bugs or even crash.
If you have a problem, you can enter our Steam group chat from this button. There is the "Bug Report" section, it's likely I can see your message. Also, feel free to talk to our friends there. Just talk politely is enough, I'm too lazy to enforce so many rules.ːdh3_PoliceOfficerː
See you next update. Hopefully, it's the V0.2.4.6a.ːemofdrː
Happy New Year, Everyone. V0.2.4.6a is coming late.
Happy New Year! I wish you all happy.ːsteamhappyː
It's been so long. Everyone feels it, me too.
What I was doing since the last update?
1. Write a new Steamworks integration (almost) from scratch
The code used in the current version is from the plugin I bought. It works very well. All the Steamworks features like Authentication, Inventory Service and Chat System are implemented by that plugin. However, all the plugins from the marketplace have to follow Steamworks SDK version 1.39 and will lack of new functionalities Steam offers. So I have to make my own new plugin. This new plugin is completed at some level and is extendable because I wrote it from scratch and know how to fix and extend it further. This is the most time-consuming part of the work but I don't have to do it again, ever.
2. New Vehicle System
Villages™ will not consider completed or even decent without vehicles. When it comes to open-world games, transportation is very important. The game used to have drivable cars but both of them are not performing well. I decide to go back to try to make the new vehicle system again. It's also a time-consuming one but the result is "OK". I don't finish the networking part yet but I'm sure it will work.ːsummer2019vehicletortoiseː Here are some of the development footage (actually animated Gif files)
3. I was playing games.
Yes. I was playing games, I'm playing games and I will always play games. I feel guilty 50% of the time but I never regret it. I have to do it. Playing games fulfill my spirit. I hope you understand me, my friends.ːcleansealː
Reminder about the Government Support (Lootbox Things)
I have to mention again here. First, 70%-90% of all items are Consumable. Basically, if you want to use it you must consume it. The item then went from your inventory and transferred to the server you're playing.
Second, The Government Support is the option content of "The Welcome Box". Its content can be changed without prior notice. I will try to update the documentation to match the current content(sometimes I didn't). This is the documentation I updated yesterday. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1597657710 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1550785151
1. The Special Monetary Items will stop dropping at the end of this year.
These items will stop dropping from "The Government Support"
2. New 4 Tool Items added to "The Government Support" permanently.
They're currently obtainable now but it will not display in the game yet.
3. New 4 Special Military items will drop for a limited time.
These items will be obtainable from 1 January to 31 January 2020.(One Month Only) After that date, these items will only obtainable from a Military Box I, II or III. You have one month.
Thank you, everyone.
The Villages™ universe cannot be completed without you. I will push the next update as soon as possible. See you next year.ːemofdrː
As always, thanks to my sponsor, ZAP-Hosting who provide development servers for me. You can visit their website for more services. https://zap-hosting.com/en/
Devblog #24 V0.2.4.6 Free Supplies
Now, this is as far as we can go. We decided to establish our settlement here in "LittleArctic Border", it is located between The Dome and us.
The LittleArctic government didn't send out the construction caravans yet. We as the pioneers need to live on our own for now. At least the government handout necessary supplies for us on a weekly basis.
Free Supplies
Weekly Welfare It is basically the Classic Welcome Box. It is available weekly. Make sure you come back every week.
Expedition's Supply You'll need a lot of supply to survive and create your own settlement(besides the government projects). The LittleArctic government planned to handout these supplies to people in 2 phases. The first phase: You can get the supply every 3 days this year. The second phase: You can get the supply every 14 days in the next year and so on.
You can check the next available date of your items in the Organizer Menu.
As always, Thanks to our sponsor
Development Servers are sponsored by ZAP-Hosting You can visit their website for more services.
See you next update(V0.2.4.6a) ːemofdrː
Devblog #23 V0.2.4.5g Online Banking
Secure your Financial Arsenal
Now you have a "LittleArctic Government Bank"(LAGB) account. You can use it to manage your investments.
Features: -Claim your bond interest up to 5 bonds per week(only 1 type per week).
-Redeem "Business Trip" to your global account.
-Redeem Labour Union Credit Kard(LUCK) into LUC.
-Redeem Silver and Gold.
-Redeem Guerillar's Gold into Guerrilla-Point.
-Buy items from points or directly from the item store.
-The "Pack Your Inventory" button
Its usage is to be revealed, soon.
In the later updates, you will have to spend money and credit. I can't explain them all now. Let it reveal itself.
