tl;dr - Script Module to store scripts as compositions - Streaming suggestions
Hey there Ylanders!
Today we’ll discuss a pretty neat feature we’re going to sneak into the Exploration 1.5 Update for Creators 🤫 It’s called the Script Module and we believe it will help out a lot of Creators in the future. In laymen’s terms, it is a kind of black box for scripts and game logics, which you can export and share with other Creators via compositions. So what will it do? Well, simply it will give a creator the ability to export any number of game logics with script as a single game logic thus saving a lot of space and helping to make the scripting more "clean" and manageable. This means the creator can then use the logics and scripts in a different map but ALSO other Creators can then pick up the composition and use it in their game, meaning you can then trade logics and scripts with fellow creators and learn from each other 😊
Player Modules WiP
Also in scripting you’ll, of course, be able to reference a module as well incorporating it into your wider creation. And if an older version of the script and logics are detected, the module should be able to update itself while keeping all the original in and out script references, meaning, that the original creator can keep the module up-to-date and share the new version without any hassle 😁
Another topic I wanted to open today is the matter of our weekly streams. We’d love to hear from you, what YOU would like to see in our future streams. What you’re interested in, what you think should be covered and what should be addressed more. That is why you can now visit a new Topic here on the forum, where I’d love to hear your suggestions and comments to the streaming 😊
And that’s it for today, so until next time, stay safe and stay classy Ylanders!
So, you might have already noticed, that we have announced our very first Ylands Creators Competition, which is now live! And let me say, we are really excited, what our Creators will come up with and what imaginative games we’ll get to play at the end of this 😁
The Competition will run till December, so if you would like to join, all you need to do is create a game in the Editor, upload it to the Workshop, start a forum thread here and then just sit back and see, if you win one of our cool prizes, be it real-world money or a bundle of Coyns 😊 Or you can start working on another game and don’t worry if you don’t finish it in time, because this is not the last competition. Far from it, it is the first from a planned series of competitions that will run throughout 2021 with the culmination of a HUGE competition at the end of it 🤩
So there’s never been a better time to try out the Editor and all its possibilities. If you would like some pointers, you can check out our tutorials and if you want some inspiration, head to Naru’s Corner to see, what can be done in the Editor.
And one more thing: tomorrow we’ll have our first ever Ylands Stream, so tune in here at 16:00 CEST if you want to chat with me about the Competition, Exploration and anything Ylands related or if you just want to chat 😅We’ll be checking out some of the cool games already out there made by some very creative Creators 😊
So a lot of exciting stuff is up ahead Ylanders but remember most importantly, stay classy Ylanders 😉
Dev Diary #147 - Goodie Pack #2
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tl,dr - New Goodie Pack - Egyptian Theme - Improved Mummy - Horus and Anubis - Weapons and Armour - Future Implementation into Exploration
Hey there Ylanders!
As you might have noticed, some new goodies have landed into Ylands a couple of days ago. The Goodie Pack #2 is here to shorten the wait for the next big update and yet again brings some pretty neat additions to the Ylands ecosystem. First of all the theme of this Goodie Pack was Ancient Egypt. Whilst last time we directed our attention to the wet Atlantean Empire, this time we ended up in the dry sandy lands of the Pharaohs.
But before we started figuring out, what new to add, we had to address our good old friend The Mummy. A staple in Egyptian mythology and modern pop-culture, we added the mummy years and years ago...and he hadn't aged well 😅 So we decided to change his bandages for some cleaner ones and give the old chap a proper makeover and the outcome is pretty good in our opinion 😁 And what's more, we have also added a Mummy Wraps Set, so you can now pretend to be a mummy too 😄
But there are plenty of new items in the game now too, like the Bronze Weapon Set featuring a cool axe, a couple of spears a staff and a knife. To complement this, we have also added a Bronze Armour set. For the Creators out there we have also added a new Sandstone door for those old dusty crypts 😁
But the stars of the show, of course, are our new monsters, the Horus Avatar and Anubis Avatar. These new enemies will be a challenge for every tomb raider or daring archaeologist. Towering over the player they radiate power and strength and their attacks are devastating.
But Explorers, do not fret! For this update is for us as much as for you, because now we can take these assets and start working on implementing them in exciting new Random Encounters and Adventures for update 1.5 so very soon you'll be able to meet Anubis and Horus in your own travels and fight the Mummy when you get a runny nose 😁
And last but not least, we also fixed some pretty annoying issues and you can find more about it in our changelog 😊
And that's it for now, but keep your eyes peeled on this space because there are rumours of a certain competition starting soon 😉
So until next time, stay classy Ylanders.
Goodie Pack #2
We continue with another themed package of assets after Atlantis, this time expanding the Egyptian theme. New enemies and mummy wraps set enable you to experience some serious tomb raiding, bronze armour and weapon set to let you arm yourself as the warrior of ancient empires and all these are also getting ready to enter the Exploration world in Update 1.5 😊
New Assets
Horus Avatar & Anubis Avatar enemies Bronze Weapons Set (axe, two spears, staff, knife) Bronze Armor Set (helmet, chest, legs, boots) Mummy Wraps Set (chest, legs) Sandstone Doors (regular, big, large) Flat seamless basic shapes
Tweaks and Improvements
Mummy reworked
Fixes
[YLD-25991] Fixed: Editor: Game Logic panel - filter dropdown missing translations [YLD-26411] Fixed: VS: "Screen shake" did not work when no sound effect was chosen [YLD-26108] Fixed: VS: Firing cannons through script did not work [YLD-26351] Fixed: VS: Removed random puzzles visible in the background of the left panel [YLD-26125] Fixed: VS: disappearing texts when renaming variables or changing literals [YLD-25735] Fixed: Editor: rotation widget did not always show the nearest octant to the camera [YLD-26304] Fixed: Editor: saving could stop to work when you tried to save a game through the menu panel. [YLD-26184] Fixed: Editor: animated objects in the animated group were not always animated in exported game.
And more...
Dev Dairy #146 - New Workshop Games
tl;dr - Finishin Update 1.4.1 and working on Exploration Update - Two Awards at the 2019 Czech Games - New Games in the Workshop
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Hey there Ylanders!
While we are finishing up work on our small 1.4.1 update and also while working on our big 1.5 Exploration update, we thought we’d share a few good news snippets with you 😊
One of them being, as you might have noticed on various Social Media, that we won a couple of prizes 😁 At the 2019 Czech Games awards, which got postponed because of the covid situation, we managed to win not one, but two categories 🙂 First one being the free-to-play category for the creative freedom we give every player interested in building and creating and second for best technology solutions, mainly for our Visual Scripting tools and overall powerful Editor. We are of course very proud of our hard-working team and humbled to receive such awards, but it is also because of your help and feedback, that we got to this stage, so thank you too 😊 But as we said in previous Dev Diaries, this in no way means, that we are done or that we are satisfied, but rather, that we want to get better and better, especially now with our big plans surrounding Exploration.
Here are the awards themselves, though unfortunately, they are only in Czech and without subtitles.
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And second good news we have is, that while normally we keep the biomes of Ylands in china and Western Ylands separate, the Creators there are creating a huge amount of some truly spectacular games and projects, so we got together with our friends in China to port some of these games to our Workshop too, so you can try them out and enjoy some really ingenious games. There are a few on the workshop now, that you can try right away, but we’ll be getting some more in down the line. But this won’t be a one way street, because down the line after some of our competitions, that we are very close to announcing, the best of the best from our Workshop will be invited to share their Creations with our chums in the East and maybe at some point we could do a competition between the two Workshops 😉 But that’s for another time.
So until next time, stay classy Ylanders 👋
P.S. You can try out the games here:
https://play.ylands.com/asset/7195
https://play.ylands.com/asset/7197
https://play.ylands.com/asset/7239
https://play.ylands.com/asset/7251
https://play.ylands.com/asset/7264
Dev Diary #145 - Sneak Peek of Update 1.4.1
Hey there, fellow ylanders!
While Adam is enjoying his well-deserved holidays I am here to provide you company and let you know what's going on. I guess - I know - you would like to know more about update 1.5 and specifically about our plans with Exploration.
Well, that will happen soon but today I will be talking about something else, something that you will experience very soon. To make sure you will get something new and shiny to play with as you wait for 1.5 we will be soon releasing a smaller, asset-based update 1.4.1.
So what will you get with 1.4.1?
Some very cool weapons from ancient Egypt, cool clothing (ever wanted to look like a mummy?), armour set, reworked mummies and two new awesome enemy types, based as well in the era of pharaohs.
This, along with a nice portion of fixes and tweaks, will surely make the wait for the update 1.5 a bit more bearable :).
That's it for now and I'll talk to you again very soon. Until then - stay safe and classy, ylanders!
- Ales
Dev Diary #144 - New Direction for Exploration
tl;dr - Big progress with Editor - Exploration not what we want it to be - Huge plans with Exploration - Changes soon
Hey there, fellow ylanders!
My name is Aleš Ulm, and even though I wasn't that visible during the last two years or so when I was Ylands Creative Director, I was still here, listening to all you had to say. For those that don't know me - I've been with Ylands right from the very first day of development, acting most of the time as the Project Lead. I helped designed the game in the very beginning when it was nothing else than a sandbox survival. For more than three years I discussed our progress and features with you, the players on a daily basis. I met with you during many conventions.
Well, guess what. Some time ago I became once again Ylands Project Lead, taking the responsibility for every aspect of the game and the direction it's heading. I would like to use the opportunity to resume our dialogue where it stopped, and, in a way, also the game.
Let me tell you how I see the current situation.
We have made huge progress with the Ylands as a platform. It's already possible to create some truly amazing games in Ylands (some are already on the way). The Editor is faster. more user friendly and more powerful and being extended all the time. And we will continue with that.
But I know that is not what so many of you are waiting for me to say. I know that you are worried about the current state of Exploration.
Right now Exploration is not what we would like it to be. There are many things that I see is wrong with it and I won't get into the details in here because in the end for me there's only one single thing that can be said. There is not much exploration in Exploration anymore. A lot of the fun that was once there is now gone.
What if your game was part of something much, much bigger? With so many new places to explore? Choose, which type of Islands you want to visit next 😊 (image WiP)
The very first thing I did when I became Project Lead again was to make sure Exploration is returned back on the path we once were on. And that's what we're working on right now and that is what you will get the first taste of in the next update 1.5. I know you've waited way too long for Exploration to become better so I feel there's no time to lose. I want to give you something as soon as possible. A clear signal that Exploration is back in big style and even if it's just the first step (even though a very significant), you will be able to tell that we hear you.
A lot has been said about making Exploration better, so now we do it. And don't worry, we won't keep you in the dark until 1.5 - quite on the contrary, we will start talking about what's going to change rather soon. 🙂 Thanks for having so much patience and staying classy, Ylanders 😁
Update 1.4: Creators Club
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Hey there Ylanders!
Update 1.4 is here and because it brings Creators Club to Ylands, it is one of the most important milestones for the game. With it, we will finally be able to offer creators the support we always wanted and that they deserve.
Creators joining this club of elite like-minded fellows, will not only enjoy numerous benefits (such as better exchange rates, cool in-game swag and more) but will have the chance to get real-life rich by applying for a Creators Commission.
With this addition, the Ylands ecosystem is finally complete as we've envisioned it; creators can monetize any aspect of their creations - players can choose between countless amazing games, and support their favourite creations - and that creativity and support can now have real-world value.
We are beyond excited for this new stage for Ylands and we will do our very best to keep supporting the creators, our players, and the platform on which they interact.
Of course, we have packed this update full of other goodies as well - so read on to find out more!
Update 1.4 - Creators Club - major features
Creators Club: exclusive in-game perks, the Creators Commission and more awaits those who join this prestigious and exclusive club of creative individuals
Workshop update: to celebrate the new Creators Club, we have completely revamped our Workshop - find the games you want to play quicker and easier than ever before or upload your newest masterpiece with absolutely no hassle.
Revised main menu: we have completely rebuilt our main menu to facilitate ease of use and most importantly: discoverability
In-game messaging system: never miss a message from your friends (or from us) with a brand new messaging system, now available within the game
Improved shooting: we have also completely rebuilt how gun handling works - you will find using guns, pistols and everything in-between is now significantly better than before
Game profiling tools: a set of tools & indicators that will help creators optimize their games
Bug fixes and improvements: We have fixed and improved many different aspects of the game with the help of our community and of course we have added some cool assets you'll be able to use in your custom games.
Visual Scripting Lightning Fast: The visual scripting interface is now faster than ever, so no more waiting and more creating
And that's not all! Keep your eyes peeled and your creativity sharp for the upcoming season of competitions - a year-long celebration of our creators, the community, and everything Ylands with fabulous and amazing prizes!
And that's it for now, so until next time, stay classy!
P.S. You can find the Changelog here: https://ylands.com/community/topic/28311-14-creators-club-changelog/
Dev Diary #143 - Real-life Major General
tl;dr - Bunch of Photos from our Creators Club video - Creators Club is coming and it's going to be really cool! - Major General should stick to polygon graphics 😁
Hey there Ylanders!
We are cooking up something huge for Update 1.4. We have mentioned it in the past, but the Creator’s Club is finally happening and it will be awesome! Unfortunately, can’t say much more about it right now, but we are also recording a fun video to go with it to explain, what Creator’s Club will mean for you. So here are a few photos from the shoot and boy, did we have a lot of fun 😅
What do you think about real-life Major General? Is he a strapping young fellow or is he missing that polygon charm?
And that's it for now, so have fun and stay classy Ylanders 👋
Dev Diary #142 - Experimental Build (and Ales)
Hey there, fellow ylanders!
Adam is enjoying his well-deserved vacation, but the Ylands machine never stops...
Firstly there is a new Project Lead on the block, which happens to be Ales Ulm. Many of you probably know him - he has a long history with Ylands after all. He was there from its very beginning and even held the position of Project Lead in the past.
Even though everyone is now probably extremely interested in finding out more about him and feel, that this information is what they have been subconsciously looking for their whole lives, we have more important things to discuss and I know that as soon as we release 1.4, Ales will time to present his visions to you fully.
Ok, so you want to know at least something? What does his return to the Project Lead position mean for Ylands?
Firstly, we immediately started fixing Exploration and making it once again about... well... exploration. And playing with friends. And sailing. And that other thing. If everything goes right, you should see the first (quite huge) change already in 1.5. and you will see that Exploration is anything but dead.
Also, we will now pay significantly more attention to testing. Not only we are taking more time with it, but this week, we plan to make the first Experimental version of the game available for all.
These Experimental Builds will be released roughly two weeks before a new update release. This time it will be PC Steam only, but with next major updates, other platforms will have this special version as well. If you are a creator dying to see the new features first and provide us with feedback (especially if you see something wrong with your existing game) you're more than welcome to give it a try! :)
To find more information about this Experimental version, please follow this link:
There is so much more we want to talk to you about. So many plans and so many cool things happening... but we now have to fully focus on delivering 1.4 in the best shape possible. I will definitely talk to you again soon. And until then... stay classy, ylanders!
