State of the Nebula
FROM: Rear Admiral Tolwyn, CINCWEAPONSDIVISION
DATE: 2009.01.05
Welcome to the latest news update! This week, we'll cover a few different topics, including space environments, our work flow process, and feature creep.
Last week we got all nebula backgrounds done, and they came out very well. The in-game visual experience is now amazing. Each star system has it's own backdrop, giving each one an individual flair. Take a look at our latest screenshots for a few examples. These are from multiple environments, and you'll be seeing more as we continue pushing out media. So, basically, you can consider those shots an appetizer.
Regarding our work flow process, there's a multi-disciplined group that meets (usually twice a week) to review where we currently are and to make plans for where they are going. Any of you aspiring modders out there, be prepared; design is all about meetings, it seems. In this case, the meetings are well worth the time, though. Everyone is all on the same page, and we find that running our creative process this way is both more effective and more efficient.
We are also working hard together to avoid "feature creep." Feature creep, for the readers out there who are unfamiliar with the term, is a software development term that basically means that a project keeps getting delayed because features keep getting added to the product. Now, given that definition, it may sound like avoiding feature creep would be a relatively easy task. The problem is, feature creep can be both subtle and seductive - especially when you're working on your own project. There's an intense desire to keep adding elements to your product. Some of these elements are small, but they add up - that's the subtly. Also, many of the features we want to add are really great ideas, so it's hard to let those great ideas go. Honestly, sometimes you don't let an idea go because it is just too cool - that's the seduction.
At any rate, it's always better to go for depth rather than breadth, meaning you should pick your core gameplay features and polish, polish, polish until you die of exhaustion. It ends up being much more fun for the game player, and that's the audience we need to please.
-Tolwyn
Not to mention, that new skyboxes result in a performance boost, especially on older systems. ;)Quote
What I really like, is that you were able to give ships more than 3 missile hardpoints. Don\'t know if its you or the new FS build, but such small details add up to the expierience being as close to Wing Commander as you can get.I wonder though if you would be able to make HS missiles work like they did in WCQuote
Sorry for the doubl;e post but I forgot to Say it\'s me :DQuote
Yup, we do use up to four missile hardpoints.Heatseekers are now fully implemented in the engine.Quote
hey just askin but for some time now i have not seen any progress in the status bar in information, it would help a lot of people if you could update it, as you guys continue the work.Quote
i agree with derka264, that would be niceQuote
To tell the truth: I don\'t see any reason to. It is nearly impossible to estimate current status in numeric values and I do not want to create any false hopes. For instance: it is true that we have all assets ingame, nearly half of them will undergo changes before the release.So unless you have a suggestion for a better way to display current progress you will have to leave with the approx., \"not really up to date\" numeric values. ;)Quote
maybe you should leave numeric values and replace them with descriptions like \"not even started\", \"something done\", \"lots of things done\" \"almost completed\" and \"completed\ ", something simmilar to Standoffs color coded status bar...Quote
I have actually considered that, but it sounds like an awful lot of work. It might become an option at a later point though.Quote
Take the 80/20-method. 80% Sucess/20% Worktime. If you try to came near 100% perfection, you\'ll need infinite time. ;)Quote
We do ;) We\'ve already thrown a lot over board which would simply have taken too long. The re-texturing of our ships is pretty much the last huge effort we\'re undertaking, but we think that one together with our new shaders was really worth it. :) Otherwise we\'re just working on completing things and getting stuff in the sourcecode that we still need and get some bugs fixed. No further large features additions are planned. We use what we have now and we\'ll polish it and complete it to get to a release as soon as we can :)Quote
kk then tolwyn i guess it might be btter not to update the stats dar, i think your weekly updates are enough to keep us up to date.Quote
Quote : We do ;) We\'ve already thrown a lot over board which would simply have taken too long.
Arrgh... I hope you don\'t mean the CGI scenes. I can imagine that this is a hard work, but in the end, i think it is worth the time to wait for that. I hope you see it that way and you try to make us a present by giving us this \"good old WC III+IV experience\" by watching the cut scenes.Quote
To some extent. We have reduced the total number of cutscenes, there will be enough though to make you happy. ;)Quote
congrats.. amazing SS. It reminds a little of freelancer wich had some really beatifull systems aswell.. but its even better. keep up the news updates, i never miss them! lolQuote
Another idea, guys: would you like to receive email notifications when new content (e.g. news updates) is released?Quote
I hope the missions include some idle time to gaze at these backgrounds as they become somehow irrelevant as soon as the shit hits the fan and the missiles begin to fly.
Keep up the excellent work, guys!Quote