Afternoon Update – Friday, August 28th, 2015

Folks,

It’s been another busy week, here at the studio. Without further ado or a don’t, let’s go to the highlights.

First, we are in the middle of a bonus round of Friday Night Fights. We have invited all of our Beta 1 Backers to join our Alpha and IT players in an additional weekend of fun and frolic. This round should last at least 24 hours, and maybe the entire weekend! If all goes very well, we are hoping that our Backers will collectively log many thousands of hours in this round. So, if you are a Beta 1, Alpha, or IT Backer, join us for part of this bonus FNF!

Secondly, we continue to make nice progress on the hiring front. More news on this as we move through September. All I will say for now is: so far, so good.

Thirdly, we have continued to cut nicely through our User Stories. Special shout-out to JB, who ended up getting the next important steps in integrating sound and music into our game, way ahead of schedule. Thanks, JB! So, our Alpha/Beta/IT folks can look forward to seeing (actually, hearing) the world sound more alive in the coming days/weeks/months. In terms of all of our User Stories, we added 4 new cards with 32 completes, and added 21 completes to 12 existing cards. In other words, a whole lot of adds!

Existing Cards:

As a Backer, I’d like Camelot Unchained to have ability-based sound effects. – Build sound library – First Pass

First Pass: Modular stat drain based sfx. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see the sun, moons, and stars in the sky, with sky color changes based on time of day and position of those celestial bodies. – Second Pass

Add the second moon – First Pass – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see visual improvements to the current Alpha map terrain.

Add new generic items such as boxes, barrels, etc. to center castle.

As a Backer, I’d like to play in a procedurally-created environment. – Second Pass.

Terrain Types: Auto placement trees, rocks, grass. – Complete

Terrain Types: Rules for subdividing into other types. – Complete

Terrain Types: Define format in DB, save and load in editor. – Complete

Terrain Types: Define binary format, provide builders. – Complete

Terrain Types: Apply type effects during subdivision. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to test the updated male Frost Giant model.

Model and rig low poly model.

Import and test model parts. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to test the updated male Fir Bog model.

Create textures. – Complete

As a developer, I’d like a way to be able to edit gameplay variables on the server, live.

Absolute minimum and maximum movement speed allowed. – Complete

Minimum preparation time for abilities. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see the sky transition from a sunny day to an overcast and rainy day.

Sound can be defined by rainy weather state. – Complete

First pass: ambient rain sound for rainy weather. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to be able to create storm abilities.

Fire storm effect. – Complete

Earth storm effect. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to see graphical and networking performance improvements, when building and destroying structures.

Research and implement LOD’ing on building structures. – Complete

As a Developer, I’d like to work more closely with members of our Community to create the best possible UI for Camelot Unchained, through the Mod Squad!

Prepare a web conference for the Mod Squad to clearly articulate CSE goals, practices, and procedures to the Mod Squad volunteers. – Complete

Prepare documentation for the Mod Squad to outline goals, practices, and procedures. – Complete

As both a Backer and developer, I’d like to have more dev commands to facilitate testing, and general interactions with the player community.

Admins can auto-cast spells repeatedly. – Complete

New cards with completes:

As a Backer, I’d like to be able to equip and use different types of melee weapon combinations. – Weapon Models

Generic polearm: high poly model. – Complete

Generic dagger: high poly model. – Complete

Generic dagger: material pass with variations for pipeline testing. – Complete

Generic dagger: Low poly model. – Complete

Generic axe: high poly model. – Complete

Generic spear: high poly model. – Complete

Generic staff: high poly model x2. – Complete

As a Backer, I’d like to know about all the smaller enhancements the MOD Squad makes to Camelot Unchained.

Design and implement a Kill Board, hooked to the control game and viewable on the website. – Complete

Add a “Tips” UI element for new users entering Extended Alpha. – Complete

As a Sound Designer, I want to customize ambient audio based on dynamic game parameters.

Ambient environment sounds triggered by time of day. – Complete

First Pass Sound Assets: Generic day and night ambient sound. – Complete

Player death at re-spawn triggers sound event. – Complete

Other players’ deaths triggers sound event. – Complete

Player spawn triggers sound event. – Complete

Other players’ spawn triggers sound event. – Complete

Basic support for audio feedback when taking damage. – Complete

Player projectile cast, flight, and impact trigger sound events. – Complete

Terrain angle triggers sound. – Complete

Ambient environment sounds triggered by changes in the weather. – Complete

First Pass Sound Assets: ambient rain sound for appropriate weather states. – Complete

Player elevation hooked to sound system. – Complete

Player race and Realm hooked to sound system. – Complete

Register additional Wwise plug-ins: McDSP ML1, FutzBox, Wwise Compressor, Stereo Delay, Matrix Reverb, Room Reverb, Parametric EQ, PitchShifter, Soundseed Air, and many more! – Complete

As a German Backer, I’d like to visit the German version of the Camelot Unchained website.

Language selection added to site header. – Complete

Find a group of awesome German-speaking Backers to assist us! – Complete

Primary artwork containing text translated and added. – Complete

Site navigation text translated. – Complete

Foundational Principles translated. – Complete

Primary game information translated – About, Realms, Races, Classes, Banes and Boons, BSC docs. – Complete

Lore translated. – Complete

Stretch Goals translated. – Complete

C.U.B.E. page translated. – Complete

Pretty good numbers, eh? New cards added and lots of completes make for another great push from us. Now for some pretty stuff, as up next we have some new concept art, in-game screenshots, and more.

Last week, we showed you a “head shot” for our male Fir Bog. Jon has continued to update that model, and here is where it’s at, today. First, the updated head shot.

And now, a new body shot.



Looking pretty good, right? Lots more coming from him in September, and I can’t wait to see his work on some of the fiendish creatures that occupy The Depths™.

Our next bit of artwork reveals some new armor concepts from Sandra. Yes, I know, you are shocked to discover that the makers of the game which, until now, has really just had a lot of nude/semi-nude models running around, actually were planning to have armor! So, pick yourself up from the floor, as here are some new concepts that show off what the well-dressed Arthurian might be wearing this fall! First, some leg armor.



Now, arms.



Helms for everybody!



How about some armor that is both stylish and functional? Heresy in some MMORPGs right? Not here.



And last, but not least, how a full suit of armor could look.



The great thing about this concept art is that it focuses on the shape of the armor, and not just a specific set of armor. After all, that’s what we have a full-time and dedicated crafter class for, right? To create all the various armor sets that will be in this game. And while I’m speaking of crafters…

And no player would dare go out into the brutal world of high RvR without the right weapons. After all, accessorize, accessorize, accessorize, right? Here are some interesting concept pieces of daggers for your enjoyment. One thing to keep in mind when you look at the daggers, is how these daggers, with their different metals, fit in with the crafting system that we are going to begin building out real soon now. 🙂



And, yes, we do expect to have the metals/materials looking this good in the game. How do I know that? Well, Andrew and I…

Well, that about wraps up today’s update. Lots of good news from our end. The bonus FNF is off to a great start, and we are prepping a build and a new video for Dragon Con. Ben is happily building a new world map, Rob continues to expand physics to handle larger and larger worldspaces, and Andrew, well, he’s making sure that the continued growth of the forests in the world doesn’t bring our engine to its knees. All is good.

Enjoy your weekend, all!

-Mark

P.S. Anybody notice anything different about these pictures? Hmm. I wonder what it could be…





After all, games, especially Kickstarter-backed games, can’t live by concept art alone, right? 🙂 FYI, right now, these armor sets are “clamped” at a lower texture resolution than we will to be able to support in the game. As always, this is a good start but there is a lot more to come over the next few weeks and beyond!