As the first month of the year gets into full swing, the team are getting settled into the busy year ahead. The 3D modelling team take another look at hairstyles to streamline the process with new techniques. Meanwhile, the set piece design team has implemented some lighting for the vendors we saw throughout the last month. Additionally, the wizards of programming have been working on attuning players joining combat and bug fixing. Finally, the environment team tackle their biggest update to the landscape yet, with new rock formations and flatter plains. As always, join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit for daily updates on Depths of Erendorn. Alternatively, join our Discord for all the latest! - now let’s get into it!
3D Modelling
After a small break, the 3D modelling team are back to working with the hairstyles. To optimise their technique, the team have started to experiment with the way the meshes are placed on the model to create the hair. In the example below, the different coloured meshes correspond to the different types of hair strands that will be placed on the model. The colour grey that is used in this example indicates where smaller hairs will be placed, most notably, within the sideburns and at the top of the forehead. Longer hairs placed on the top of the head, shown in the examples with the blue mesh, will also give the impression that the hair has grown naturally. Examples of the work-in-progress hairstyle can be seen below.
Set Piece Design
After some time away, the Set Design team have taken the time to update the lighting for the vendors we saw throughout last month. These lights come in the form of standing torches that will be placed around the vendors as they appear in the world. With the new lights in place, the vendors can now show off their wares with ease! Now, these lights have been added, the team will implement these merchants into the engine where they will be used within settlements and world events. An example of the vendors with their new lighting can be seen below.
Programming
This last week and over the holidays the focus has been on players joining ongoing Combats and handling changes to the turn order as well as cracking several bugs impacting core gameplay. Additional work from both the client and server team can be seen below.
- Implemented Combat focusing when transitioning in and out of Combats relevant to the player.
- Updated how individual Combat's Turn Managers handle the active turn order to properly facilitate players joining Combat at different times.
- Updated Turn Start UI animation to only play when a Combat is focused.
- Fixed a bug where players that join a Combat after it started aren't able to cast abilities.
- Fixed a bug where players that join a Combat after it started don't appear in the turn display as having an active turn.
- Updated the Center Panel Widget to clear the lobby UI when switching Sessions.
- Updated Combat Grids to only appear for the actively focused Combat.
- Updated the execution order of entity placement when entering Combat to prevent Combat Coordinates being interpreted as World Coordinates.
- Fixed a bug causing party portrait members to remain visible after a party is left by the local player.
- Added simplified static functions for dealing with multiple potential Turn Managers.
- Fixed camera Lerp Speed calculation.
- Updated guardhouse interior.
- Refactored Nav data to include the data for the nearest tile with non-perfect movement.
- Added Debugging display for new nav data info.
- Fixed server crash when failing to spawn enemies.
- Adjusted combat engagement range.
- Increased distance between enemies and events/dungeon entrances.
- Fixed entities not checking distance to events when being placed.
- Fixed entities spawned by events not spawning on their intended event.
Environment Art
The environment team has been working on updating a large area within the initial area of Erendorn. A few goals had been set by the team to achieve in this area as they enhance the territory. The first of these was to level off some of the ground creating more defined 'zones' which will aid the procedural placement of world events and enemies. Additionally to the ease of implementation of these features, this flat ground will make it easier for players to navigate the vast landscape. Secondly, additional rock formations have been implemented to complement the slopes that fall towards the ocean. The team will continue to work on updating the initial area as the team works towards the next build. Examples of the new updates can be seen below.
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That’s it for this week’s devlog, but have you seen our monthly roundup of December yet?!
