I got some play time in somehow…Very busy lately.
Today my goal is to get the Medics shooting cool effects at each other with a very robust system so I can just cahnge some database variables and have many many different types of effects. I will try to get some shots up today sometime. Anyone have a Delorian and a flux capacitor handy?
Update:
Testers I had to give up on test flight app I tried uploading 14 times at home, 5 times at work, and as far as I can get is 50 % uploaded then I get a “An unexpected error has occurred.” error and have to start over (Attempted it with Safari, Chrome Mac, Chrome PC, and Internet Explorer). So I emailed out a link to you guys =).. the old fashion way will have to do for now sadly I hope testflightapp gets fixed I would love PAY for it if that would make it work as it is a huge help…really a great tool lets hope she gets back to working soon for me..anyway please check those emails as the patch is already to apple =)… Thanks again all soon hopefully we will be making levels together in cursed Realms!
I am trying to get the patches uploaded to test flight now for testing. It will take apple at least a week to get to them so we have plenty of time to test. If we find an issue while testing I can pull them anytime fix and resubmit. This way we get a jump on the submission. I will then start sending the summons again. I am REALLY pleased this time. The bug was again just a one liner in the code that caused a recursion and also a misunderstanding of how to use ObjectAL properly (which is a very good and easy interface to OpenAL). I will have more later after I get the patch uploaded to test flight app and the testing team!. I will be testing today after work and in between getting more work done on Cursed Realms as I am really getting excited about that one =)….
Update patch into apple I will try to test flight again tomorrow night… I can pull the apple build if we find an issue and it takes 3-6 days for them to get to it so plenty of time to get a build up to test flight app.. =) night night… going to be a 4 hour sleep night =(….
Except TestFlightApp will not freaking upload no matter what I try so I will get it uploading to apple so they can start the review process while I fight test flight app to get it to my testers…. argh… why alway so hard?
Update: YUP! Making build for test flight!.. 20,000 sounds played in a massive attack and all good!…
Update SWEET!. I got home from work tried one thing and I think I fixed it!… Both the chainguns effect!!!! Weee hurray! I am very happy with this patch I will be uploading it to test flight soon!!!! Very excited about this patch!
Update: DAy job just kicked me in the teeth so patch un-likley tonight as I will be over-timing it again..Boss over promised for me… 😉 weeeee!
Update: Expect a Test Flight of the patch tonight….
Update: Woa… the guys that cannot load somehow triggered an infinite recursion… nice =).. that is an easy fix…I think I fixed that one. I also moved the al_Source to an autorelease. I think something down inside openAL is making one last call to the source after I was calling release so that should fix it as it will still be able to talk to it with objc_Msg_Send call and that is where it is crashing. something I cannot debug without it happening to me and even then I have to actually DIG through memory calls =).( I HATE OBJECTIVE C 😉 )…..Expect a test flight of the new patch in the next few days testing team members… And if anyone would like to help test the patch I have a few spots open. Preferably if they are having trouble with Mission Europa… (I would also like them to test Cursed Realms later when the time comes. But I really need people that will test as I have a limited set of slots from apple) RyanMitchellGames@gmail.com =)..
Update: Looks like 95% of the crashes are in the ALSource which is openAL AGAIN.. strange as I am using a supposedly stable 3rd party object now to control that. More research is needed however and more logs. Please if you have a serious issue in Mission Europa please them to email me at RyanMitchellGames@gmail.com (zipped if possible). I really need those that cannot load after a crash… thanks!….(Apple seems to only give me the most common crash file. That would be good for 99% of the apps as they are weekend projects and small ins scope. But with over 50 hours of stuff in M.E. I wish I could get more directly from them… o well….)..
Update: I will be starting yet another Mission Europa Patch (Lesson to all devs with their own engine NEVER NEVER stray from a data driven model even if it saves time….argh..and I knew better =)…).
I am hoping I get some more crash logs from people that cannot load after a crash that is the nasty one I am really targeting… It appeared last patch so the last fix opened up a road to this one. I never saw it in testing nor did a few others that helped.
More news when I get some =)
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I am taking a break from props to get the characters back to awesome =)…
I am going to add in their weapons effects and continue building the level. =) Hopefully I get a little more time tonight.. been sick today. Forgot how being sick sucks =)…
Happy Sunday! More later time permitting…
Update: Ludicrous speed!!! Ive gone PLAID! lol 😉 Not really happy with stalagmites but they will be used very sparingly…
And the brown and stone rocks:
Keep the ideas coming I am almost finished with the ideas on the list =)….good stuff!
Break time 😉 going to throw some baseballs and footballs =)
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Update: WOW.. this pipeline is FAST =)
Here are the requested rails.. I made it all metal to reuse another texture for memory. Again colors will cme frm characters and effects ala diablo… unless you guys have better ideas =)
Check out the rails!
Update: Check this out… man is this getting good!… Here is a video of editing a level. See how amazing in game tools are! Create a level real time ON MY PHONE! or iPad! Sorry a little excited! Now off to the props finally I found a problem I had to fix and it took some time.. Pretty soon off to throw the ball with the boys.. I Hope I get at least a few props in -)
FAST now t make it look better and better =)
I have the waterfall in and 3 nasty errors in code fixed… this engine will be with me for life.. I love it!…
Check out the waterfall with some other props!…
I will be working on the below props sent in..
I tried stalagmites and just did not like the first try so I will be giving it another go as I like the shadows they will cast…
Current idea list sent in -=)
1. Finish the waterfall and its code to know when water touches an edge and add a waterfall there on sector build.
2. Rail tracks broken and abandoned.
3. Random floor patterns seeded off their X and Y.
4. Wires coming down and hitting a wall at an abandoned terminal.
5. Abandoned terminals in the level.
6. roots or veins in the walls randomly seeded x and y
7. remember to make a good joke like the doom marine in duke nukem… carefully. =)
O and bumped into this holy CRAP!!! Most epic fps kill in history?
WOW really cool 😉
Friday got BUSY.. so today I will hopefully squash a bug and get a pic of the waterfall up here then proceed with those other props… If you have any more ideas fire away I love the ones given so far -)
Update: Great ideas keep them a coming ;)…
So now the prop list is as follows as what I want to add in:
1. Finish the waterfall and its code to know when water touches an edge and add a waterfall there on sector build.
2. Rail tracks broken and abandoned.
3. Random floor patterns seeded off their X and Y.
4. Wires coming down and hitting a wall at an abandoned terminal.
5. Abandoned terminals in the level.
6. roots or veins in the walls randomly seeded x and y
7. remember to make a good joke like the doom marine in duke nukem… carefully. =)
Possibles:
1. Dripping pools. they would have to fit in one square and would take a lot of time to get right.
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If anyone reading has some good ideas for anything in game please post it in the comments =).. no idea is a bad idea. Doom has already given some really good food for thought =)… Today I am taking a half day to spend with my wifey =). Then I will get back at it tonight to hopefully get the waterfall in (just a regular one for now.) I am planning on the levels getting more intense as you progress into the game with other stuff flowing =)…more later
Update:
Had time to snag a shot of the Excavation Light Prop. Lots more to make to add the flare =)..
Update:
Check out the quick props made from destroyed arches =)..SO fast to make levels too =)..
Still a lot to do with lighting left but man this is on a phone and tablet! These things rock =)
Update:
I also noticed in the diablo 3 screen shots I am using as an artistic guide that the color is brought mainly with effects to the scene so I will have to target lots of flashy colorful effects. I think it really adds power when the effects are the source of color…
Ex.
I feel a need for more props.. I would like a water fall also going over the side of a chasm.. that would be purty. So I plan on adding some Tech Props to match the timeline along side the ruined items. Then I will create a waterfall effect =)..The props I think I need are a excavation tripod light, crates like an excavation is happening, bloody bodies on the ground. Alien Plants, Water-fall, and I would like some candles as if that is the last resort to conserve energy in areas. That should take care of tonight \=)… Then I will get back to level making. I am really close to creating then switching to test mode in game =)….
Update: I am now adding a little feature that allows me to mark a node as blocked or passable so I can insert objects and allow the AI to either pass over or not that square -).. Thus the bridges over chasms are open and the columns block squares…
Ok it is in… NEXT -)… AI and keep making level 1 =) so now I can specifically mark an area passable or nor to AI -).
Update Border rocky region first pass in… Now there are no more black edges =P… More tonight when I get some work time =)… things are really moving as you can see =)…
The Banshee has been sent out!… next week the Chained is released!… more later after I get a handle on the day job… tough work going on up in here =)…
See last post for pics of the medic on the edge of the abyss =)…
Update: Really hard to put in moonlight hours after a 12 hour day.. but I am =)…. Here are some shots as I work
Looks like a 60-80 hour week right now.. but we shall see.. I still plan on trying to get some cursed realms progress. Hopefully a few hours a night before bed. BUT we shall see I will post when I get stuff done =).
I was in west texas on a farm shooting stuff and having some fun. Of course I brought my laptop for when they wanted to play cards ;p… I had some good time to jus optimize as I could not concentrate all the greatest while their. I reduced the memory footprint by 30%. I also made crazy improvements to balancing the collision tree along with removing a few crappy things I knew I needed to fix. Tonight I hope to get the levels loading and saving right again. Make sure sectorfying is working then try to build. Level and see where I get stuck then I will fix it ;)…. More when I get time 😉
Hope yalls weekend was good! I finally sighted in another .22 target rifle I got Remington semi auto. I was hitting cans no problem at 150 – 200 yards with about an 8″ drop on one gun 😉 wind was ok. So not to much
Lateral. Good stuff 😉
And that is a good thing as it is my main source of income =)…Cursed Realms is starting to get really fun to work on. I will now be attempting to make level 1 with my new tools and all on my iPad. As I find issues I will write them down then I will correct them until I have a fully functional in game editor =).. In the future I really want to have a MMO with a player constructed world. No amusement park here. I want the players to be able to alter EVERYTHING… =).. Anywho I will be posting as I go on level one. I want to add to the script also and make it more exciting. More when time permits.
Hellz yea.. =).. I got the day job kickin me in the teeth so more tonight but I got a movie cam of a AI walking around =).. Woot.. the tools ROCK!
He looks lost =P
The new tool!
Now to get the AI burning it up again =)… woot… things are rolling!
I want to be able to move at lightning speed making levels so again I am adding to the toolset. I have a window where I can set any terrain type with 2 prsses and add any prop with 2 presses then move them. I should be done with an hours work tonight I will try to make a video to show the awesomeness later =)
And there she is…. easy to use tool to install all items into the engine beyond the level data =)…
Player made video of mission Europa really warms my heart to see it 😉
Youtube.com/watch?v=ry_VFylzyQI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I created a lantern with a glowing cloudy effect last night. I will try to get an in game shot of it soon =). I want to finish a tool today that allows me to choose the name of any item in the items database in a Rolodex then press somewhere on the screen with a press. Then use the completed rotate, scale, and transform tool I already have =). I will try to get some more stuff up here later for now the day job =)..
Have a great day….
Man did I get on a roll last night =). Cursed Realms content pipeline and management system is really awesome -=)…I will need a new name for this engine. It really deserves it.
Tonight. I need to add a glow pass. This pass will traverse the chain looking for shaders set to its channel for rendering. I would rather loose a few cycles running the graph then have objects load and split to their repective graphs for rendering. I would always give up a little performance for a huge gain ion organization and ease of use as after all it is just me =)…
I will get some screens up when I get the bad boy done =)….
If you did not see them the last post has a lot of in progress screens from last night… for now Day job =)
Ok its almost 11 time to start shutting down =).. things are REALLY starting to move!.. I am getting excited. I think I am about 95% of the way to being able to fully work on the game ON my ipad =)… that will be COOL! That will also be a huge step towards the ultimate goal of the players creating the world =)..
Night Night 😉
Update Chasm piece still working on the texture for it but it looks a lot less blocky
hmm like this texture better.. I will have to match the top color better MAYBE.. gameplay would suggest you want to see the empty squares better…
Update: Burning it up =).. here is a bridge piece ruined. Man this pipeline is FAST!
Update: just tossed in some stacked brick like large stones. More fru fru for the level. I will need to make a few more to add some fun to the level I am thinking even a dead tree type structure. An underground tree like thing…. not sure yet. I love getting to asset creation as that is the fun part to me. Making game happen! 😉
I need to turn that light back down it is to bright =)…
I will be working out more bugs tonight but finally I can create the game in game =)…the best way to work in my book. I can see EXACTLY how it will appear to players…Not in some other tool out of engine or even to the side =).. Good stuff! .. I still need to clean a few issues up but after that all is good =). Check out the video =)
More when I get time… day job currently…
Update In game =)… this content pipeline is FAST! =)
Here is a shot with the light turned up and the Collision cage around it (the black lines).. 😉
Update: Gots to have da Arches! In progress as always…..this is going to be good =)….
Mission Europa celebration presents ship in 2 hours be sure to set your name
This week they are :
Doomsday sand Reyem Neas summon 😉
NEXT WEEKEND : THE BANSHEE!!!! 😉
More later
I am extending the sale as long as sales stay good I will keep it at 2.99 pls spread the word =)..
1st presents out more next friday. ALL summons will be sent out =)
Back to work on Cursed Realms… I need to get this thing done!
Geeking out today with the worst one in 3D with the kids =).. then WORK … then Improv… going to be a good day. I hope you alls is the same.
For the game I want to add some tools beyond just the powerful command based items for speed. I hope to make the level creation process so fast for this and future games that I can pound out levels at will. I want them to be amazingly scripted and active sandboxes. Thus the tools must be incredible to go with the engine =)… Every step it is getting faster and faster. Soon it will be amazing.
Next couple of days I want some more in game tools.
Selection mode:
Select mode
Pick object
Show menu of Bottom is x right is y left is z top is scale. close menu button is top right.
sectorfy:
Pick mode
pick object
calculate the best sector for an object automatically
set collapsable or not
Color picker
Pick mode
Pick model
set selected model ID
Open color picker window rgb with light dark
Show last four used
Delete object graphically mode:
pick mode
pick object
ask yes no
more later…. getting dragged off of my Mac
I need to get some LOD items tuned. I am going to add a fog only shader also for the items that are all in fog. So now there will be up to 4 levels of detail(easily extendable but it gets crazy to manage to many levels). This will help speed things up before I continue. After that little adventure I will be back to following my editing design doc on the wiki =)..
More later… Day job for now…
The plan for cursed realms pricing seems to be coming together in my head. Free for first 3 levels (almost an hour of game-play). Then 1.99 for the first episode or 10 levels (The Users). Then 1.99 each episode after that…That feels pretty good and lets everyone try it out.
I hope by the end of Tuesday to finally be getting close to editing a level totally on the device =)… I hope to fully create levels on the iPad =)…So far it looks really good I can now edit anything in game and issue the commands I need to create the levels. =) VERY happy with this engine..
Here is where I am:
Here is where I want to be as far as lighting minus the goofy cartoon characters. I have never been a fan of blizzards cartoon characters. But I LOVE their color choices and artistic grace when it comes to a whole scene.
I am going to have to make a node that is a chasm too =).. I need way more depth.
Update: =) Loving it.. I am going to use fog as Diablo 3 does to highlight.
Here is a shot broken up a little to get the last shot.
( WIll get the final in a few hours… I need to update some shaders =) and it looks REALLY nice =) )
PLUS
PLUS
PLUS
PLUS
EQUALS
CAN I GET A HELLS YEA! man that looks good in motion… =) good stuff!..
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Tonight I plan on getting the in game editing of the entire scene graph completed =). This tool is an awesome addition for future games and they will REALLY benefit from its power =). I also worked on the fog and lighting some more last night and will try to get a shot soon. I want to nail the look before I get to much farther to prevent back tracking =). I have HDR bloom in the game and the entire graphics pipeline will be customizable via a simple controller or via your selections. Bloom for example is very expensive with the poor fill rate we see on these devices. Any-who things are only getting better and at a faster pace every day. I know it is slow going but to make a game of this caliber as an after work moonlighting job I am pretty happy with the progress. I wish I could go full time on my own but this market currently at this pricing could never support that without a doubling or tripling of sales. A possibility of course =P.
For inspiraton I have been watching old Dungeon Keeper Videos and an old poem jumped back into mind. Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy:
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
I guess from inspiration of the fully imaginary and explorable worlds that only games can bring.. that is why I love making them. =)
Happy Wens…more later
Ryan Mitchell Games - Mission Europa 2 