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[Pixel Noise]

Since you're working with random part generation, is it all just for cosmetics, or is there specific functionality to the parts? I'm confused as to how you'd know you are getting the part you are looking for, if you aren't 100% in control of the outcome?

[BeardLogic]

Hey Pixel Noise, good question.  It's not entirely obvious from what I have right now. The parts I'm generating will all have specific functionality.  All of the parts I have in the last video are engines. 

The blue circuit-board areas will be able to connect to one another in a similar fashion to how I was doing it in my previous videos.  Sort of a spline based mesh.  I expect to be able to connect multiple parts to one connection area (Loosely indicated by the number of pins on the circuit-board areas).

As for the parts themselves, they are differentiated by their seed.  So you could have two identical parts that are randomly generated so I can create ships that are both random and symmetrical.  I have two types of shapes now so what I meant by my last post was that I have them ready to connect, I really just need to figure out how to make it easy for the player to do so.

Ultimately the player will be able to collect and use the parts they want to generate their ship.  Ideally each ship will be as individual as the person playing the game.

Hopefully I'm making some sense?

[Pixel Noise]

Definitely! Sounds cool - I like the idea of having almost every ship (if the player cares enough) to be unique and individual.

[BeardLogic]

Build interface for the new parts is coming along, I think this sort of interface will be pretty intuitive eh? 

A little more work and full ship construction should be possible.

[BeardLogic]

This ship just got real! 

New ship parts are now functional (As in they on the ship and moving).  Lots of updates to improve the collision detection.  UI still needs some work but I think it's getting there. 

[Pixel Noise]

Ship construction looks pretty intuitive - great job with the building system.

[BeardLogic]

Thanks! I'm pleased to hear you say it looks intuitive.  It is one of the two largest concerns I have for this game so I really want to get it to feel right.  If you have any thoughts on improving it I would very much like to hear them. 

A couple I'm going to work on are:

(1) Camera movement - Moving on selection feels a bit wild or out of control (Probably hard to tell without actually using it)
(2) Connections - Should be able to select (different) connections without moving the part (I'm thinking right click on the ghost or connection area)

[BeardLogic]

Playing with some lock-on mechanics for combat in Forge On.  Trying to work out some math for proper rotations in any direction... not quite there yet.

[Pixel Noise]

Thanks! I'm pleased to hear you say it looks intuitive.  It is one of the two largest concerns I have for this game so I really want to get it to feel right.  If you have any thoughts on improving it I would very much like to hear them. 

A couple I'm going to work on are:

(1) Camera movement - Moving on selection feels a bit wild or out of control (Probably hard to tell without actually using it)
(2) Connections - Should be able to select (different) connections without moving the part (I'm thinking right click on the ghost or connection area)

The only thing I wasn't sure about was how/if moving a part from one viewpoint would impact it's connection from another side. For example, in the video, you start out with what I'll term "width" and "height" of the connections - and then you rotate to "depth". It could get frustrating to be adjusting one parameter, only to rotate back and find that what you did broke some of your earlier connections. Is it coded (or possible to be coded) in such a way that it limits you to only those adjustments you can make without breaking previous connections?

[BeardLogic]

The only thing I wasn't sure about was how/if moving a part from one viewpoint would impact it's connection from another side. For example, in the video, you start out with what I'll term "width" and "height" of the connections - and then you rotate to "depth". It could get frustrating to be adjusting one parameter, only to rotate back and find that what you did broke some of your earlier connections. Is it coded (or possible to be coded) in such a way that it limits you to only those adjustments you can make without breaking previous connections?

That's a valid concern.  If I understand you correctly I have two thoughts on the matter; neither of which have been implemented.  The first involves exactly your suggestion, preventing movement and somehow letting the player know what is stopping the parts from moving.  The second is allowing the movement and then changing the offending connection back into a ghost and highlighting it as red (or some other color).  I have been leaning towards the latter because then I don't have to worry weird situations where the parts might jump large distances (or get hung up).  I will definitely give it more thought as it's worth the effort to get that right.

Along the same vein, I would like to come up with a method of helping the player to keep the ship symmetrical (if that's what they are going for).  I assume most people would prefer that.

[BeardLogic]

A little rough yet but the lock on mechanics are coming along nicely.  I still need to sort out how to differentiate which engines should fire and how fast it should turn etc.

[Pixel Noise]

Cool!

Going back to the previous post - I would also assume most would want a symmetrical ship. Or rather...wouldn't it have to be, or else the thrust of the engines would be weird/unbalanced? Is there any precedent for asymmetrical ships, whether real or fantasy?

I guess it could be cool to build some wacky monster ship that doesn't make any physical sense. And if you're going for total freedom of creation, then I guess you'll want to allow it.

[BeardLogic]

Yeah, there could be done issues for non-symmetrical ships.  I'm trying to work out the math for movement now actually.  I think I have a solution to handle it, basically the ship would move slower in the directions that would be affected by the lack of symmetry.  As for a precedent the millennium falcon isn't perfectly symmetrical.  There are probably more apparent examples though.  But I agree, I want to try and allow for as many options as I can. 

[BeardLogic]

Finally have a system that allows the ships to move smoothly based on the way you design your ship.  This has been one of the tougher things to figure out and is purhaps one of the biggest hurdles I needed to cross.

[BeardLogic]

First look at mining in Forge On.  I'd like to get the asteroids to conform to shape a little more, but it's a solid foundation.  

The idea is for the player to mine out around the resources they would like to collect.

[Pixel Noise]

I might have missed it - but the chunks of the asteroid all looked the same, right? Will there be a visible representation of various minerals/deposits, like different colors, textures, etc? That would make mining a sort of treasure hunt, and much more fun.

Is that what you meant by

The idea is for the player to mine out around the resources they would like to collect.

.. ? Like, the resources will be in among asteroid, and so you chip away at the asteroid until you find them, and then you collect them? Will there be a separate process/skill for that? Like Mining/Harvesting or something?

[InterGalactic]

Hey, looking like it's a great start. However, in no ways it's a Topdown game! Check the perspective lol. Also I guess you're more of a programmer than artist? Since it looks really technical. Did you design the spaceships?
I do like the ship construction feature, it seems a lot like Spore, which I like because of its intuitiveness. If you want add me on skype @ wemadefoxies to discuss ideas since we are both making a space game in unity

[BeardLogic]

I might have missed it - but the chunks of the asteroid all looked the same, right? Will there be a visible representation of various minerals/deposits, like different colors, textures, etc? That would make mining a sort of treasure hunt, and much more fun.

Yeah you definitely get what I'm going for! The last video was more of a tech demo.  There will be different types of voxels for resources, hope to be able to show that at the end of the week here.

Hey, looking like it's a great start. However, in no ways it's a Topdown game! Check the perspective lol. Also I guess you're more of a programmer than artist? Since it looks really technical. Did you design the spaceships?
I do like the ship construction feature, it seems a lot like Spore, which I like because of its intuitiveness. If you want add me on skype @ wemadefoxies to discuss ideas since we are both making a space game in unity

Haha, you caught me on that.  It started as a top down game, it has evolved as I have been playing with the mechanics.  I will updated it, thanks!  The spaceships are not so much designed by me.  Just thrown together from my random generator for the purposes of demonstration.  I expect the players of the game to come up with interesting looking ships .

[BeardLogic]

.. ? Like, the resources will be in among asteroid, and so you chip away at the asteroid until you find them, and then you collect them? Will there be a separate process/skill for that? Like Mining/Harvesting or something?

Sorry, missed this... I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with the skill system at the moment, but that is a possibility.  If you have an opinion regarding this I would be open to hearing it. 

[Pixel Noise]

It's just something that crossed my mind - it could either be a cool change of pace, or an annoying diversion to the mining process, so it really depends on how it would be executed. I thought of it because it's sort of two different actions - mining away at the rock around the resource, and then actually harvesting the resource (without damaging it). So as you get better at "harvesting" or w/e, you get more resource, or better quality, etc.

Like you said, it really depends on how you build your skills system. It's definite not important right now, just a thought for later