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[Kornel]

A new day, a new...

Update 028 - Selection Overlay

• [added] Fist version of an overlay for selected objects.

And as always any and all constructive feedback is highly welcomed

Play current build online here!

[Kornel]

Today is a make-a-fix day

Update 028 - Selection Overlay

• [fixed] To make it more compatible "H" instead of "F1" shows help (thanks all who reported it!).
• [fixed] Now, UI does not react to clicks while the help is shown.

As always any and all constructive feedback is highly welcomed

Play current build online here!

[Kornel]

Starting work on enemies, drones and AI.

Update 029 - Additional Ship

• [added] A new ship, will be used for testing AI.
• [change] [internal] Reorganized the main scene.

And as always any and all constructive feedback is highly welcomed

Play current build online here!

[helscar]

really like all your updates.
it's always small changes but i'm going back twice a week to see the evolution of your project.
can't wait to use the drone

[Kornel]

really like all your updates.
it's always small changes but i'm going back twice a week to see the evolution of your project.
can't wait to use the drone

Thanks, helscar

it's always small changes

That's true - the consequence of only working 30 min. a day

[Kornel]

Update 030 - Starting work on AI

Today I did a little bit of research on how AI movement is done in full 3D space, as in with no ground planes (unlike in shooters or 3d platformers). In fact how any game AI is done, since this is a new discipline for me.

There seem to be at least 4 "stages" to any game AI that the whole process can be split in to:

• World information acquisition - where is the enemy, how much HP I have and so on
• Making decisions - like should I attack or flee
• Pathfinding
• Controlling the NPC

For the first 2 I will use simplified versions: AIs can know everything if they so choose and can only do what is hardcoded for them (like always attack or move to a point of my choosing) - this is only for the purpose of making it easier to write and test the next 2 things: Pathfinding and Controlling the NPC.

As far as I see there are 2 general ways for "Controlling the NPC": give commands (the Ai is controlled the same way a player character is, but instead of button presses the AI sends the same commands) and direct control (AI controls it's position directly). Note sure which one to use. Giving commands seems more universal and could work better with ships that can be constructed and have different parameters. On the other hand direct control seems more straightforward.

For Pathfinding in space: collision avoidance - in the form of sending raycasts and detecting stuff - seems to be an OK solution.

Does anyone have experience with this and can add to what I found?

[Kornel]

Update 031 - AI research

Work behind the scenes continues! Today, based on my yesterday's googling, I've been looking at ways how make obstacle avoidance work in my game. If all goes well I'll be able to start coding again tomorrow and have something to show in the next couple of days

[Kornel]

Update 032 - Done with basic AI research

I think I know what I need to start implementing some basic AI movement and collision avoidance. Although it was 3 days if you count the minutes it's about only 2-3 hours.

There are bound to be questions and need for more googling once I start coding but at least I have a general idea how it could be done.

Starting to implement tomorrow - wish me luck

[Kornel]

Update 033 - Input code separation

• [change] [internal] Input code has been separated from the ship control code.

I will try to make the AI use the same ship control code as normal players does (via sending commands). Hope it will give better results then direct ship position manipulation. If it fails I can always re-do it the other way

[SamLouix]

This is awesome. I've always wanted to work on a space game making some music literally 'out of this world'.

Do you have a mailing list or something I can cling on to? Thanks!

Sam Louix

[Kornel]

This is awesome. I've always wanted to work on a space game making some music literally 'out of this world'.

Do you have a mailing list or something I can cling on to? Thanks!

Thanks I was thinking about one, but since this the only place I'm active with this project I've opted to delay it. You think it would be something that would allow you to better follow this game?

[Kornel]

Update 034 - Input code error fixing

• [fixed][internal] Input code errors have been fixed.

Starting next week: AI movement!

[SamLouix]

This is awesome. I've always wanted to work on a space game making some music literally 'out of this world'.

Do you have a mailing list or something I can cling on to? Thanks!

Thanks I was thinking about one, but since this the only place I'm active with this project I've opted to delay it. You think it would be something that would allow you to better follow this game?

Yes for sure, please set one up!

[Kornel]

Update 035 - First AI code

• [added] The AI can move forward towards it's target.

Not much, I know. But one has to start somewhere

As always you can test the current build here.

[Kornel]

Update 36 - E-mail list is a go

Few people, including SamLouix here, asked me about a newsletter / mailing list. I thought about creating one much later, but since there is demand I've created one today.

You can sign up here

Not yet sure how often e-mails will be send, and it will depend on how much changes are made to the game, but I guess once every few weeks or so - a sort of summary of the changes. I'd like to make it a weekly thing in the future but there is to few changes right now and you can get (almost) daily updates here, anyway!

[Kornel]

Update 036 - New AI code and model

• [added] The AI ship has a new model.
• [changed] The AI now uses Steering Behaviors instead of commands.
• [changed] WebGL screen export size has been updated.
• [fixed] Itch.io screen size has been fixed and now is in line with Unity's.

The drone ship was to large and to bulky for my taste so...

Some thoughts about AI:

AI based on relaying commands wasn't working as I wanted it to and it would require a lot more work to make it work how I would like it to. More work than the benefits it would provide.

If this was a multiplayer game with bots then it would probably be the best solution.

In this game, however, NPC ships (ours and enemy's) don't even have to move the same way as the player! As long as the player movement is enjoyable and balanced, of course.

Working on the AI also reminded me of an old series of articles about Steering Behaviors in Flash - this can a give very nice and interesting movement for the AI. Most Unity tutorials are based on a sort of manual setting of all the rotations and directions. In contrast Steering Behaviors should give more of a Flocking Behavior feel, especially as the number of ships during battles would grow.

Interesting things are ahead!

And as always any and all constructive feedback is highly welcomed! You can also...

Play current build online here!

[Kornel]

Update 037 - Basic AI movement

• [added] Basic movement of the AI based on vectors (Steering Behaviors).
• [added] You can click on the ships to change the camera view between them.
• [changed] Again, WebGL screen export size has been updated.
• [fixed] Again, Itch.io screen size has been fixed and now is in line with Unity's.

It looks weird for now, because the drone does not rotate, but it works Also, please click on the drone to make the camera follow it!

And as always any and all constructive feedback is highly welcomed

Play current build online here!

[Kornel]

Update 038 - Doing arcs

• [added] The AI does not make abrupt turns but follows a nice curve.
• [changed] For now the camera's default target is the AI ship.

Now all I have to do, to make basic movement look good is to add ship turning. Only (as I suspect it will take a bit of trial and error)

In other news: No update on Saturday or Monday as I will be taking part in Ludum Dare 41 with a great team of friends I've been lucky enough to assemble. Wish me luck!

And as always any and all constructive feedback is highly appreciated

Play current build online here!

[Kornel]

Ludum Dare 41 is finally over!

You can play Trishoot - a game made a lovely team I had the honor to lead.

Business as usual resumes tomorrow

[Kornel]

Update 039 - Getting back in to the swing of things and a bit of devblog updates

• [changed] [internal] Source code cleaning.
• [changed] Updated the main devlog post (fist post of this thread) with up-to date gifs, images and description.