I've been very quiet lately so I wanted to let everybody in on what's going on. The side project I took on in the spring is running quite a bit longer than I had expected, so I'm still working on that for the time being, and I will be returning to Townseed development as soon as it is finished. I am very much looking forward to getting back into it.
In regards to the development of Townseed itself, I've made the decision to do another revision. As some of you may be aware, Townseed has been developed thus far in XNA. XNA has, however, moved into the realm of an unsupported platform. That is, microsoft will no longer be updating it, there will be no new versions, and no active support. My plan was initially to keep pushing ahead with XNA development regardless, but the side project I'm doing now has given me very thorough training in Unity development, which is active, updated, robust, and generally a nicer platform to work with, and I've decided to port Townseed's development to Unity.
This promises to make both multiplayer and multiplatform support HEAPS easier to deal with, which is exciting for me, and generally, Unity development is friendlier, more visual and less abstract. I will also be focusing on the multiplayer aspect at a very low level of development, so we're going to start having multiplayer test builds once that gets rolling.
So, I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting so long and sorry for keeping you in the dark. That's where things sit at the moment!
-G
Build, Rally, and against all odds, Survive.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
October 1st News
Just a quick note to let you all know what's going on. Took a side contract to cover some unexpected vehicle expenses, so I'm presently working on that in addition to my part time job. It's short-term, five weeks or so, and I may still get stretches of free time depending on how the chips fall. That's all, hang in there!
-G
-G
Thursday, September 12, 2013
September 12th Update
So despite a harrowing few weeks, I've managed to finish the design work on our lovely Bride of War. Isn't she just a -jewel-. Now to get her slimy blue self into the game somehow.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
August 30th Update
Still working on the Bride of War! Got her rough animations done, and beginning cleanup work now. It's not much but here's what she looks like so far at her actual in-game size.
Friday, August 23, 2013
August 23rd Update
No build update, as I am doing design and animation work this week. The subject is the "Bride of War", Townseed's first actual dangerous monster.
The Bride of War needs to stay moist, so it stays underwater when the sun is up, and it tends to stick to coastal regions. Through a combination of its sinewy tail and its buoyant air-sac, the Bride of War is able to maneuver on land, albeit slowly and carefully. Its gossamer train gives off a soft, sparkling light. Underwater, this attracts creatures looking for schools of fish, but on land the glittering light attracts curious humans and valkain alike.
The dangerous part of the Bride of War is its 'bouquet' - actually a mass of tightly-coiled poisonous barbed tentacles. When it senses movement nearby, it lashes out, inflicting painful lacerations. While not directly lethal, their poison is quite adequate to stun small fish, and to cause larger creatures a good amount of pain.
Luckily for hapless survivors, the Bride of War is quite fragile. Any wound to the air sac will cause the Bride-of-War to be immobilized, and once it is on the ground, it is helpless. Parts of its body may prove useful to discerning craftsmen.
The dangerous part of the Bride of War is its 'bouquet' - actually a mass of tightly-coiled poisonous barbed tentacles. When it senses movement nearby, it lashes out, inflicting painful lacerations. While not directly lethal, their poison is quite adequate to stun small fish, and to cause larger creatures a good amount of pain.
Luckily for hapless survivors, the Bride of War is quite fragile. Any wound to the air sac will cause the Bride-of-War to be immobilized, and once it is on the ground, it is helpless. Parts of its body may prove useful to discerning craftsmen.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
August 15th Update
New Build available!
Fight mode has been added, and the training dummy is now available. Now you can build a wooden man and beat the crap out of him!
Use the 'E' or the right trigger to enter fight mode and club the crap out of your poor wooden friend. Use Q to go back into work mode!
Fight mode has been added, and the training dummy is now available. Now you can build a wooden man and beat the crap out of him!
Use the 'E' or the right trigger to enter fight mode and club the crap out of your poor wooden friend. Use Q to go back into work mode!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
August 08 Update
Greetings survivors! No build update, but I am working on fleshing out the combat portion of the engine at the moment, and wanted to show you how it's going so far.
I've added the training dummy, a constructable "combatant", who will be a nice easy target for the clubbing, as well as improvised weaponry. For humans this weapon is a simple club, and for Valkain it's a fire lash. Screenshots attached!
I've added the training dummy, a constructable "combatant", who will be a nice easy target for the clubbing, as well as improvised weaponry. For humans this weapon is a simple club, and for Valkain it's a fire lash. Screenshots attached!
When the fight engine is finally finished, I'll definitely be updating the build!
See you next update.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
August 1st Update
You know what's more fun than staircases? Monsters.
For the time being (and maybe even forever) I'm going to put aside multi-storey construction and focus on something a little more meat and potatoes. We're going to add Townseed's first monster next, as well as your survivor's first weapon. That's probably going to be a crappy constructable training dummy and a wooden club, but after THAT we're going to add the Bride of War.
Still working it out but I wanted you guys to know what I'm focusing on!
-G
For the time being (and maybe even forever) I'm going to put aside multi-storey construction and focus on something a little more meat and potatoes. We're going to add Townseed's first monster next, as well as your survivor's first weapon. That's probably going to be a crappy constructable training dummy and a wooden club, but after THAT we're going to add the Bride of War.
Still working it out but I wanted you guys to know what I'm focusing on!
-G
Thursday, July 25, 2013
July 25th Update!
Hey there survivors! Remember me?
Not a big update, but I wanted to let you all know that the side project I was working on is now finished, and I am just tying up some loose ends with it. This means that I'll be able to start actively working on Townseed again! Itching to get back to it!
-G
Not a big update, but I wanted to let you all know that the side project I was working on is now finished, and I am just tying up some loose ends with it. This means that I'll be able to start actively working on Townseed again! Itching to get back to it!
-G
Sunday, May 12, 2013
May 12th Update
Heppy Mother's Day!
Just a quick update to let you know what's going on. I'm still working on the staircase code, and thinking that part of the solution will involve me changing how the roofing code works. Fiddling with that a lot today.
Also as you may know, I work part-time at an educational institution. With the coming of summer is the coming of seasonal unemployment, so I am also splitting focus on some things to try to maintain an income during the summer months.
It adds up to slow progress basically.
In other news however, look what I've got!
For those of you who are confused, these are the controllers that will be sent out to the contest winners and people who got them as a preorder bonus! I just have to work out the vinyl-wrapping (which I've experimented with some already and shouldn't be too bad)
Anyway, see you next update!
Just a quick update to let you know what's going on. I'm still working on the staircase code, and thinking that part of the solution will involve me changing how the roofing code works. Fiddling with that a lot today.
Also as you may know, I work part-time at an educational institution. With the coming of summer is the coming of seasonal unemployment, so I am also splitting focus on some things to try to maintain an income during the summer months.
It adds up to slow progress basically.
In other news however, look what I've got!
Anyway, see you next update!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
April 28th Update
I think everybody can understand the frustration of having to start something over. Today I've been wrestling with implementing staircases, and I've ultimately come to the conclusion that my approach is not a good one.
On the one hand, I feel like a putz for not making any progress and wasting time, but as they say "I haven't failed, I just succeeded in finding a way that doesn't work", heh. I'm going to take a step back from the staircases (No pun intended) and attack them from a different angle conceptually.
For those of you desiring a more technical explanation -
My initial plan was that building a staircase indoors would cause all roof pieces for that particular room to disappear and be replaced instead with floor pieces. Thus, adding a staircase would essentially convert a section of roofing into a second floor. Where this falls apart is when considering things like.. for example a catwalk that isn't indoors at all. Without a roof to convert to a floor, the staircase is suddenly ineffectual.
It was also my intention that stairs and floors be built realistically - no giant platforms hovering in the sky without proper supports for example. Seeing as this seems to be the order of the day in most other construction-based games, I am re-evaluating the merit of this approach.
Anyway, I just wanted to keep you all updated. I'll let you know how it goes.
-G
On the one hand, I feel like a putz for not making any progress and wasting time, but as they say "I haven't failed, I just succeeded in finding a way that doesn't work", heh. I'm going to take a step back from the staircases (No pun intended) and attack them from a different angle conceptually.
For those of you desiring a more technical explanation -
My initial plan was that building a staircase indoors would cause all roof pieces for that particular room to disappear and be replaced instead with floor pieces. Thus, adding a staircase would essentially convert a section of roofing into a second floor. Where this falls apart is when considering things like.. for example a catwalk that isn't indoors at all. Without a roof to convert to a floor, the staircase is suddenly ineffectual.
It was also my intention that stairs and floors be built realistically - no giant platforms hovering in the sky without proper supports for example. Seeing as this seems to be the order of the day in most other construction-based games, I am re-evaluating the merit of this approach.
Anyway, I just wanted to keep you all updated. I'll let you know how it goes.
-G
Friday, April 26, 2013
Little bit late!
Hey there survivors, little bit busy this week so the update is gonna be late. Will update over the weekend! Hang tight!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
April 19th update
Still working on getting the staircases properly implemented. They're designed, and can be constructed, but they don't actually WORK yet, as in you can't climb them. Still working that out.
I won't update the build for this, but here's a picture of how the staircases look in game.
Will update again next week, hopefully with fully functional staircases!
I won't update the build for this, but here's a picture of how the staircases look in game.
Will update again next week, hopefully with fully functional staircases!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
April 11th Update
A new build is available on Townseed.ca!
Constructing buildings now generates roofs for those buildings. Roofs that disappear when you enter them! It's all very snazzy. Try it out at the site!
Constructing buildings now generates roofs for those buildings. Roofs that disappear when you enter them! It's all very snazzy. Try it out at the site!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
April 4th Update
Hey survivors. Sorry for no real update this week, I've been preoccupied with an emotionally-draining side project this week (For those of you who follow my art accounts, you know what I'm talking about) and also preparing for a seminar I'm giving this weekend.
Can you imagine? Someone wants to pay me to be a guest speaker at a post-secondary institution and talk to some students.
Anyway, next up is going to be getting roof generation working correctly. I am still leaning toward automatic roofing for buildings, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks for your patience folks.
-G
Can you imagine? Someone wants to pay me to be a guest speaker at a post-secondary institution and talk to some students.
Anyway, next up is going to be getting roof generation working correctly. I am still leaning toward automatic roofing for buildings, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks for your patience folks.
-G
Friday, March 29, 2013
March 29th Update
A new Build is available at
Townseed.ca
Room logic is now in place, so the game knows when you've built an enclosed room, and (mostly) appropriately culls light sources and blocked terrain.
Notably, if you build a campfire directly in front of a door things seem to mess up, but I'm working on that.
Anyway, full details for what's changed in the update notes at the site!
-G
Room logic is now in place, so the game knows when you've built an enclosed room, and (mostly) appropriately culls light sources and blocked terrain.
Notably, if you build a campfire directly in front of a door things seem to mess up, but I'm working on that.
Anyway, full details for what's changed in the update notes at the site!
-G
Thursday, March 21, 2013
March 21st
No updated build this week, as I'm mostly working on logic at the moment. My current task is getting the game to recognize when you've built an actual building, and not just a few walls. I think that I'm going to have the roofing applied to said buildings automatically as well.
Anyway, just wanted to keep you in the loop!
Anyway, just wanted to keep you in the loop!
Friday, March 15, 2013
March 15th Update
A new version of the Townseed test build is available at Townseed.ca
Loghouse building is now available in-game with the exception of roofing. See the update notes for full details!
Loghouse building is now available in-game with the exception of roofing. See the update notes for full details!
Friday, March 8, 2013
March 7th Update
A new build is available on Townseed.ca
Floors can be built in game, and the beginnings of drafting mode are now in place. This is what will eventually become a standalone (as well as in-game) utility allowing you to design full buildings for easy building in-game.
To access what little of it there is, you may build the new drafting table object and then work on it. Press ESCAPE or ENTER to leave drafting mode, and please note that you can't do much right now except move the cursor around and get an idea of how large a building you'll be able to make.
See you next week!
Floors can be built in game, and the beginnings of drafting mode are now in place. This is what will eventually become a standalone (as well as in-game) utility allowing you to design full buildings for easy building in-game.
To access what little of it there is, you may build the new drafting table object and then work on it. Press ESCAPE or ENTER to leave drafting mode, and please note that you can't do much right now except move the cursor around and get an idea of how large a building you'll be able to make.
See you next week!
Friday, March 1, 2013
February 28th Update
Hey survivors!
Still working on the multi-storey and advanced construction items. Sorting out a lot of stuff, working out how things are going to fit together. The log style is finally all designed, and I've got a lovely example image to show you. No update to the build yet, and it'll probably be a bit before I get all this stuff sorted out, so please hang tight! I'll let you know how things are going again next week!
Still working on the multi-storey and advanced construction items. Sorting out a lot of stuff, working out how things are going to fit together. The log style is finally all designed, and I've got a lovely example image to show you. No update to the build yet, and it'll probably be a bit before I get all this stuff sorted out, so please hang tight! I'll let you know how things are going again next week!
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