Hey everyone! You may have noticed that I went silent for a while... I spent about a year working on a new game that I feel is my greatest work and one that I am actually very proud of. I poured my soul into this game and really wanted to create a passion fueled experience. The soundtrack is HUGE, there is a LOT of content, and of course a healthy dose of my silly Seabass humor. It would mean a lot to me if you could share with me how you feel about this new direction I've taken. https://store.steampowered.com/app/882210/Duke_of_Defense/
I'm approaching a sort of peak in my work cycle where I expect to have a pause between projects. During this time I'd like to return to Project Explore and treat it like I used to, as something I enjoyed making, a hobby project. This time however I plan to focus on bringing all the new tech back with me while I rebuild the original Project Explore. I started today off by grabbing a few higher resolution textures and replacing the ugly pixel art ones I created. [img=https://i.imgur.com/iIl9wv5.jpg][/img] Following the new textures I fixed danger zones not working correctly. This means turn-based combat is back until we (Kaller and I) get around to replacing it with the original combat (swing and run). [img=https://i.imgur.com/IGpOGQA.jpg][/img] I also grabbed the original code used to create the fake 3D effect from the original game. [img=https://i.imgur.com/CyvRYyn.jpg][/img] I'd like to implement it back in and involve the mod system in how it's used. Alongside all of this I hope to make use of some of the various improvements that have been made to Game Maker Studio 2.
I'm approaching a sort of peak in my work cycle where I expect to have a pause between projects. During this time I'd like to return to Project Explore and treat it like I used to, as something I enjoyed making, a hobby project. This time however I plan to focus on bringing all the new tech back with me while I rebuild the original Project Explore. I started today off by grabbing a few higher resolution textures and replacing the ugly pixel art ones I created. [img=https://i.imgur.com/iIl9wv5.jpg][/img] Following the new textures I fixed danger zones not working correctly. This means turn-based combat is back until we (Kaller and I) get around to replacing it with the original combat (swing and run). [img=https://i.imgur.com/IGpOGQA.jpg][/img] I also grabbed the original code used to create the fake 3D effect from the original game. [img=https://i.imgur.com/CyvRYyn.jpg][/img] I'd like to implement it back in and involve the mod system in how it's used. Alongside all of this I hope to make use of some of the various improvements that have been made to Game Maker Studio 2.
Hey everyone, Seabass here! Following Rock God Tycoon I created another game called Don't Sink. Today is an awesome day because today... it is finally available on Steam! If you are interested the game is available here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/710610/Dont_Sink/ If you liked Project Explore or any other work of mine it would mean the world to me if you could continue to support my efforts!
Hey everyone, Seabass here! Following Rock God Tycoon I created another game called Don't Sink. Today is an awesome day because today... it is finally available on Steam! If you are interested the game is available here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/710610/Dont_Sink/ If you liked Project Explore or any other work of mine it would mean the world to me if you could continue to support my efforts!
I've heard the community on this matter and I feel that the majority really wants the real-time combat to return. If this is the case I'm more than happy to rewrite the combat. The reason I've yet to do so is that the angry tend to be more vocal than the satisfied so I'm hoping to hear from more people here. Additionall it would be of much help to me if I could hear how everyone feels regarding the visuals of the world. I could improve on it by changing the textures used for the ground for example. Another aspect of the game I'm still interested in improving is creating more complicated systems for users to delve into such as pipes for items and automatic crafting systems. Maybe add weather to create a more alive and dynamic world. Let me hear your thoughts on the matter!
I've heard the community on this matter and I feel that the majority really wants the real-time combat to return. If this is the case I'm more than happy to rewrite the combat. The reason I've yet to do so is that the angry tend to be more vocal than the satisfied so I'm hoping to hear from more people here. Additionall it would be of much help to me if I could hear how everyone feels regarding the visuals of the world. I could improve on it by changing the textures used for the ground for example. Another aspect of the game I'm still interested in improving is creating more complicated systems for users to delve into such as pipes for items and automatic crafting systems. Maybe add weather to create a more alive and dynamic world. Let me hear your thoughts on the matter!
Kickstarter Page [img=https://imgur.com/Gzf7G1Z.png][/img] I am excited to finally start talking about my new game. Don't Sink! If you are interested swing by the Kickstarter page and give it a read.
Kickstarter Page [img=https://imgur.com/Gzf7G1Z.png][/img] I am excited to finally start talking about my new game. Don't Sink! If you are interested swing by the Kickstarter page and give it a read.
It has been a long journey and one that I'm hapy I endured. This game has taken me nearly three years to complete and has been through four completely different iterations. I want to thank everyone who has stuck through the process of this games development. I know not everyone is happy with the final state of the game but unfortunately you can't make everyone happy. This game is what I intended it to be so in the end I'm satisfied with what we've created as a community. This release won't be the last update and as long as players remain engaged I will continue improving this game for a long time.
Changelog 1.0
| Bug Fixes | -Wooden crate couldn't be crafted -A few biomes were causing crashes Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
It has been a long journey and one that I'm hapy I endured. This game has taken me nearly three years to complete and has been through four completely different iterations. I want to thank everyone who has stuck through the process of this games development. I know not everyone is happy with the final state of the game but unfortunately you can't make everyone happy. This game is what I intended it to be so in the end I'm satisfied with what we've created as a community. This release won't be the last update and as long as players remain engaged I will continue improving this game for a long time.
Changelog 1.0
| Bug Fixes | -Wooden crate couldn't be crafted -A few biomes were causing crashes Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
It has been a long journey and one that I'm hapy I endured. This game has taken me nearly three years to complete and has been through four completely different iterations. I want to thank everyone who has stuck through the process of this games development. I know not everyone is happy with the final state of the game but unfortunately you can't make everyone happy. This game is what I intended it to be so in the end I'm satisfied with what we've created as a community. This release won't be the last update and as long as players remain engaged I will continue improving this game for a long time.
Changelog 1.0
| Bug Fixes | -Wooden crate couldn't be crafted -A few biomes were causing crashes Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
This update brings a lot of Vanilla content to the game. That is all for now!
Changelog 1.0.10
| New Features | -Hotbar interaction with the mouse | Vanilla Gameplay | -Changed rock sprites to be more unique and easier to tell apart -Updated "Wolf Cap" item sprite -Added new items and objects +Tin +Tin (Rock) +Bronze +Bronze Sword +Bronze Leggings +Bronze Chestplate +Bronze Helmet +Ore Cooker -New biomes +Deer Fields +Tin and Iron +House 2 -New enemies +Buck +Doe | Modding | -Spawn kits included in blacklisted mods won't be loaded anymore | Bug Fixes | -Doors could not be passed through when open -Metal door would show black where there should be an opening when in the open state Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
This update brings a lot of Vanilla content to the game. That is all for now!
Changelog 1.0.10
| New Features | -Hotbar interaction with the mouse | Vanilla Gameplay | -Changed rock sprites to be more unique and easier to tell apart -Updated "Wolf Cap" item sprite -Added new items and objects +Tin +Tin (Rock) +Bronze +Bronze Sword +Bronze Leggings +Bronze Chestplate +Bronze Helmet +Ore Cooker -New biomes +Deer Fields +Tin and Iron +House 2 -New enemies +Buck +Doe | Modding | -Spawn kits included in blacklisted mods won't be loaded anymore | Bug Fixes | -Doors could not be passed through when open -Metal door would show black where there should be an opening when in the open state Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
Waypoints
WIth the addition of waypoints you can save locations, set your destination for the compass, and keep up to 50 waypoints per world. This feature works for both singleplayer and multiplayer. [img=http://i.imgur.com/uYDrSkn.png][/img]
Multiple crafting pages
This was a minor feature that should've been implemented ages ago but there were never enough items for me to see the need to add it. Now with workshop mods I've seen that there are plenty of items and that many people would benefit from this feature. [img=http://i.imgur.com/654O7MH.gif][/img]
PvP progress report
I've began the process of implementing PvP and so far I have the basics already working. With these update out of the way I'll likely spend this week focusing on finishing the PvP system to give all you awesome people what you've been asking for.
Patch Notes
| New Features | -Added a waypoint system to allow players to save up to 50 locations. When selected a compass will appear on the upper right corner of the screen and point towards the set location (This feature works for both singleplayer and multiplayer) -Crafting page arrows allow you to navigate between multiple pages of items | Networking | -Inventory is synced after crafting an item -Storage objects will check if players are close enough to interact with it and if not will close itself -Changed the way clients join the game room once they connect, takes 1 less frame -Networking buffers are now global scope meaning multiplayer performance is slightly better (minimal) | Performance | -Raised sleep margin timer from 5ms to 10ms to further avoid FPS stutter | Bug Fixes | -Ingame music would begin playing and restart the menu music if the client failed to join a server, instead it will pause the menu music and resume once the connection fails -"/biome_files_update" was causing a crash due to it attempting to write to the executable directory -Entering combat while a storage object is open works properly now -Clicking menu buttons would clear the entire keyboard/mouse state, instead it clears only the mouse state now -Unsubscribing from a workshop item properly unsubscribes now -Having more than 128 items could cause problems in the crafting screen including descriptions not being shown | Misc | -Numerous improvements to the Steam Workshop implementation since the original 1.0.8 release -The Controls/Mod menus now displays 6 buttons at a time instead of 4 -Refactored a lot of the game code to make development easier Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter Updates are every Monday!
Waypoints
WIth the addition of waypoints you can save locations, set your destination for the compass, and keep up to 50 waypoints per world. This feature works for both singleplayer and multiplayer. [img=http://i.imgur.com/uYDrSkn.png][/img]
Multiple crafting pages
This was a minor feature that should've been implemented ages ago but there were never enough items for me to see the need to add it. Now with workshop mods I've seen that there are plenty of items and that many people would benefit from this feature. [img=http://i.imgur.com/654O7MH.gif][/img]
PvP progress report
I've began the process of implementing PvP and so far I have the basics already working. With these update out of the way I'll likely spend this week focusing on finishing the PvP system to give all you awesome people what you've been asking for.
Patch Notes
| New Features | -Added a waypoint system to allow players to save up to 50 locations. When selected a compass will appear on the upper right corner of the screen and point towards the set location (This feature works for both singleplayer and multiplayer) -Crafting page arrows allow you to navigate between multiple pages of items | Networking | -Inventory is synced after crafting an item -Storage objects will check if players are close enough to interact with it and if not will close itself -Changed the way clients join the game room once they connect, takes 1 less frame -Networking buffers are now global scope meaning multiplayer performance is slightly better (minimal) | Performance | -Raised sleep margin timer from 5ms to 10ms to further avoid FPS stutter | Bug Fixes | -Ingame music would begin playing and restart the menu music if the client failed to join a server, instead it will pause the menu music and resume once the connection fails -"/biome_files_update" was causing a crash due to it attempting to write to the executable directory -Entering combat while a storage object is open works properly now -Clicking menu buttons would clear the entire keyboard/mouse state, instead it clears only the mouse state now -Unsubscribing from a workshop item properly unsubscribes now -Having more than 128 items could cause problems in the crafting screen including descriptions not being shown | Misc | -Numerous improvements to the Steam Workshop implementation since the original 1.0.8 release -The Controls/Mod menus now displays 6 buttons at a time instead of 4 -Refactored a lot of the game code to make development easier Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter Updates are every Monday!
I've spent some time recently with family that is visiting so I have been away from my work unfortunately. However short vacation has given me time to plan out some changes for Project Explore and decide on how I want to approach updates.
The Update Schedule
Public updates will be pushed every week on Monday. An experimental build will be made available at some point prior to the Monday update on the Experimental branch for mod developers who would like to keep their mods compatible with the latest release.
Would you like to see PvP in the multiplayer?
PvP (player vs player) is a planned feature but one that I haven't heavily persued yet. I would like to know how much people actually want it implemented. Let me know in the comments or discord chat. Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
I've spent some time recently with family that is visiting so I have been away from my work unfortunately. However short vacation has given me time to plan out some changes for Project Explore and decide on how I want to approach updates.
The Update Schedule
Public updates will be pushed every week on Monday. An experimental build will be made available at some point prior to the Monday update on the Experimental branch for mod developers who would like to keep their mods compatible with the latest release.
Would you like to see PvP in the multiplayer?
PvP (player vs player) is a planned feature but one that I haven't heavily persued yet. I would like to know how much people actually want it implemented. Let me know in the comments or discord chat. Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
Workshop Support for mods!
With workshop support here you can now upload and download mods with ease. Subscribe to any mod, wait for the download, and then launch the game. The new blacklisting allows you to quickly disable and enable mods on the fly so you never have to unsubscribe from mods just to join servers with different mods. I've posted the Vanilla game as an item on the workshop and Gazelle has posted her very own Delicious Produce mod! Her mod adds a ton of delicious produce to the game as well as some higher tier food items. I recommend checking it out. Adding it to your game won't cause issues with your current game world and only new chunks will be affected by the new biomes.
Linux Workshop Issues
I'm currently working to resolve some file directory issues with the Linux build of the game. Workshop doesn't seem to like Ubuntu and/or there is something wrong with the way I've written it. I am however testing in a 32-bit virtual machine and that is likely part of the problem. If any Linux users would like to help me further improve the compatibility of Workshop with Linux please let me know on the forums. Mods do still work fine with Linux but you have to manually install them which takes a few extra seconds since you have to drag them into a folder yourself.
Patch Notes
| New Features | -Steam Workshop | Bug Fixes | -The Linux build should launch correctly now *EDIT* Mods were having some issues with directories but this has been fixed! Please update your game! This patch will fix files for anyone who's files got messed up while there were issues. I accidentally left out the patch notes for Alpha 1.0.8 in the ingame patch note system. This will be fixed when the next update is released. Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
Workshop Support for mods!
With workshop support here you can now upload and download mods with ease. Subscribe to any mod, wait for the download, and then launch the game. The new blacklisting allows you to quickly disable and enable mods on the fly so you never have to unsubscribe from mods just to join servers with different mods. I've posted the Vanilla game as an item on the workshop and Gazelle has posted her very own Delicious Produce mod! Her mod adds a ton of delicious produce to the game as well as some higher tier food items. I recommend checking it out. Adding it to your game won't cause issues with your current game world and only new chunks will be affected by the new biomes.
Linux Workshop Issues
I'm currently working to resolve some file directory issues with the Linux build of the game. Workshop doesn't seem to like Ubuntu and/or there is something wrong with the way I've written it. I am however testing in a 32-bit virtual machine and that is likely part of the problem. If any Linux users would like to help me further improve the compatibility of Workshop with Linux please let me know on the forums. Mods do still work fine with Linux but you have to manually install them which takes a few extra seconds since you have to drag them into a folder yourself.
Patch Notes
| New Features | -Steam Workshop | Bug Fixes | -The Linux build should launch correctly now *EDIT* Mods were having some issues with directories but this has been fixed! Please update your game! This patch will fix files for anyone who's files got messed up while there were issues. Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
In an effort to further improve accessibility to mods we have decided to add Steam Workshop support! You'll be able to browse and download mods instantly! The new blacklisting system allows you to block mods from launching so you don't have to mess around with your mod folder when you want to change servers or mod packs. You can even disable the Vanilla pack just in case you want to experience pure user created content.
How long?
Currently we estimate it will be made available in the next update which should be public in about three days. Of course this is only an estimate and not a promise! But we are working to get workshop out to you as soon as possible.
In an effort to further improve accessibility to mods we have decided to add Steam Workshop support! You'll be able to browse and download mods instantly! The new blacklisting system allows you to block mods from launching so you don't have to mess around with your mod folder when you want to change servers or mod packs. You can even disable the Vanilla pack just in case you want to experience pure user created content.
How long?
Currently we estimate it will be made available in the next update which should be public in about three days. Of course this is only an estimate and not a promise! But we are working to get workshop out to you as soon as possible.
Balancing everything
Working on a game like this involves jumping back and forth between the Vanilla gameplay, the modding capabilities, and the multiplayer. Obviously this means not every update will bring a ton of changes to any one part of it but I'm doing my best. Yesterday I finished up where Gazelle left off and completed the Object section of the mod creation documentation.
Our first sponsored mod
Kaller's Ultimate Pack is described by the author as... "An overhaul to some of the games graphics, items and progression. Makes the game a lot harder." I've personally followed the development of this mod and can assure you it is thought through and well executed. The mod can be downloaded from our Sponsored Mods Page.
Patch Notes
| Vanilla Gameplay | -Two new "BearDen" biomes -New lootable skeletons | Modding | -Object tag "item" was pointless as of the inventory update included in pre-alpha releases and so was removed -Object tag "light_strength" was added for "construction.light" objects -Object tag "hitbox" can now be applied to "construction.decoration", "construction.light", "storage", and "plant" objects -Added object tag "crafting_return" which allows for a crafting recipe to return more than one of an item |Performance | -Chunk loading should be a lot faster now (removed some extra file checking) -Plants now load from files and process faster | Bug Fixes | -Copper would read as "Coal" in the inventory -When harvesting in multiplayer the material hit action would occur twice -You no longer lose hunger, thirst, or soft-cap health when in combat -Stone pickaxe was being identified as an "axe" (again) -Thirst was copying the value of hunger -Officially fixed plants -Dying will now reset item meta data in the players inventory | Misc | -Raised the sleep margin from 0ms to 5ms to increase CPU saturation which should stop FPS dipping (Windows OS) -The crafting recipe UI will now adjust its height to prevent itself from going off the bottom of the screen Thanks for the support! Project Explore Official Discord Project Explore Official Twitter Developer's Twitter
I'm excited to announce version 1.0.6! This update brings a lot of improvements to the game. The vanilla gameplay is now more fleshed out and includes the new crafting table system. A lot of the game has been balanced out better meaning trees give less wood and bushes give less berries. One major difference is that this build begins the transition from a debugging experience into an actual game experience. Placing items will now deduct that item from your inventory (no more infinite walls).
Mod Packs & Servers
We now have two sponsored servers available for those of you interested in playing online with friends or even just to try it out. Server List: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/sponsored-server-list.html While the mod list is empty at the time of writing I know of a few individuals working on some fairly exciting mod packs for the game. I recommend keeping an eye on the list. Mod List: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/sponsored-mods-list.html
What's planned for the next update?
I'm going to be focusing on further improving the general gameplay. Currently I plan to implement weather (in honor of the legacy build) and a map to allow for easy navigation of the world. Since the world is infinite this might prove difficult but we'll see. Naturally you can expect more items and content.
Patch Notes
| New Features | -Item descriptions can now be displayed by pressing the "Expand Item Info" key -Danger zones now have a cooldown and multiplier feature -Crafting tables have been implemented | Vanilla Gameplay | -Adjusted the resource amount for all foliage -All items now have a description -Metal construction objects added (stronger than wood) -Added new crafting table "Metal Workbench" -Added new gear "Wolf Cap" -New "Bear Den" biome -New "Bear" enemy | Networking | -You can now see and hear other players harvest/destroy objects -You can now see other players names | Modding | -AI no longer require the "resistance" tag -New object tag "crafting_type" for "storage" and "construction.decoration" types -Added new user command "/biome_files_update" which resets all foliage.tree resource amounts to the current mod value -Added new user command "/dz_ignore" which disables danger zones | Bug Fixes | -Plant growth states were not being calculated properly -Fixed UI popup spam if tool broke while harvesting -Game would crash if chromatic abberation was turned off -Deleting a save file would remove it from the list without actually deleting the file, now the list will remain unchanged unless the file is actually deleted | Misc | -Intro can now be disabled by pressing SPACEBAR during the scene -Placed items now dedcut from your inventory
Last night I pushed the Linux branch out. Anyone who previously owned the game for Linux will get the update. The game has been written to be as compatible as possible so Linux users have the freedom of hosting their own servers and playing the game with other OS users. The game is entirely capable of cross-platform multiplayer. Even mod files work across all platforms. I plan to further this by including translations and anything else that the community requests!
It has come to my attention that a lot of people did not enjoy the grid-based movement. I've changed it to free-form which means you can frolick around free as a butterfly. I also fixed a small crash with light objects being picked up. We are currently working hard to get more documentation and a sponsored server list. *Edit* A few mistakes in the mod files have been fixed.
After months of work and dedication we are proud to bring you the new, and improved Project Explore. This version includes multiplayer, modding, and months of updates to come. Unlike previous iterations your saved worlds and mods should never break. The list of changes is too long for me to go over so I recommend just hopping into the game and taking a look for yourself. I've mentioned our Discord before and would like to bring it up again. This is the best way to get into contact with us and directly contribute to the game's development.
Multiplayer
Starting a server isn't hard but if you can't figure it out just post on the forums and you'll get a timely reply. There is well written documentation on our official website as well. Webpage: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/server-documentation.html We plan to get a Sponsored Server List going at some point but are currently awaiting a few more people to begin hosting.
Modding
There is modding documentation as well but it is still being written. We are taking any help we can get with documentation! Webpage: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/modding.html
Legacy Version
If you prefer the previous version of the game (which is no longer supported) then simply opt into the Legacy branch. If you don't know how to opt into branches then read through THIS guide.
What's next?
You can expect regular updates from here until the games full release and then likely a bit after that. We are in the process of updating the store page and any other Steam assets that reflect the game. With the exception of trading cards (which will be changed when possible) all will be changed. This includes achievements (sorry everyone!) and stats.
Along with everything else going on I figured it would be awesome to get more involved with the community this time around. I recommend joining the Discord group as I will talk to you personally if you have specific suggestions or issues with the game. Discord Server Currently there are already a few members who have began modding Project Explore so you can likely expect an HD texture pack as well as an "Ultimate" mod.
The old version
I personally would like to delete the previous build of Project Explore all together and move on. I know a lot of the community here really did enjoy it and I'd hate to get a ton of people mad at me for removing it. Do you feel that it is worth keeping the game in an alternative branch so players who don't want to play the new game can still play the broken/old alternative? Make yourself heard!
The game is slowly nearing a playable state and within the next two weeks, I plan to replace the current public build with the new version. While it has far less content and less fleshed out gameplay... it is more stable and being worked on constantly. Most importantly is that it has multiplayer and that will be made available as of the day one release of this new version.
Project Explore now has its own twitter so following news updates on it should be a lot easier! Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ProjectExplore I recently posted a secret build on Steam and tested out the multiplayer with a few trusted users. It actually turned out great! This was more or less a stress test but it looks like the servers will be more than stable and even YOU can host a massive server. [img=http://i.imgur.com/UEvkU3L.png][/img] There are also some fancy new effects and video options available! [img=http://i.imgur.com/ej7T7fB.gif][/img] The game supports lots of resolutions and hardware, runs fantastic, and is coming along great. I expect very few hiccups once it is made available on Steam!
Want to be a part of the super secret closed testing?
If you would like to participate in the closed testing sessions coming up soon... go ahead and leave a comment on my profile as well as add me (Steam). I'll add you to a list and give you the super secret code once the time comes.
When will we see gameplay?
I plan to post a preview trailer in the next week or two. It really depends on how much of the art I get finalized. At the moment there is a lot of placeholder work that I don't want being thrown around as it isn't mine to be advertising with. [img=http://i.imgur.com/70YyNuE.png][/img][img=http://imgur.com/DXHad5e.png][/img] Above is evidence that I'm actually trying to get the artwork done. Of course as is everything, nothing is final!
I've avoided posting here to avoid wasting anyones time with another, "Coming Soon" post. Instead I'll summarize what has come along and when you can likely play the first build. Combat, levelling, perks, equippable items, growing plants, and consumable items are all implemented. The game has been heavily optimized and so there will be no backtracking on that front. The players base character has been finished including his walking animations. You can find more info on that HERE. Multiplayer is working for just about everything aside from combat and AI (both of which have just been implemented). The next stages of development include finalizing the multiplayer, including PvP combat, and fleshing out a ton of biomes for the game. Unfortunately I'm bottlenecked until the art becomes available to me and so the earliest experimental build likely won't be made available for at least another month, or so I estimate. When the latest build is finally made available you will be given access to both the server and the client executables meaning you can host your own servers for friends and/or massive public servers for complete strangers. Dev Blog: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/pe_blog (PLACE HOLDER ARTWORK) [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/combat_orig.gif][/img]
I will not be posting here until closer to when Project Explore's new build is ready. I will however be posting on my blog information about the development and the steps I'm taking to create the game. Website: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/pe_blog
How is the game coming along
The networking is a lot more stable now and supports players creating houses, placing plants, trees, and other things. This means multiplayer is that much closer to being publically available. Now that I've made good progress on the networking side I've began working on expanding the core gameplay. This includes things like cutting down tress, attacking objects, and combat. Here is a REALLY early prototype version of the tree cutting I mentioned. [img=http://i.imgur.com/mRTKEGW.gif][/img]
Live development streams
I've been streaming regularly as of lately and have decided to give Project Explore a minimum of 3 hours a day from now on. At the moment the artist is away so I'm doing pretty much everything myself. Once he returns you should see some lovely new art! If you would like to hang out with me and give me some input on the game while it is still in its early stages, feel free to stop by, the link is below! Stream Link [img=http://imgur.com/qh1JgUV.png][/img]
The new and improved crafting system
You are able to see all available crafting recipes for the table you are currently using now without any extra work. All the item requirements are shown for it as well simply by hovering your mouse over the item. This was just implemented yesterday and I plan to polish and revise the UI a bit more but I think this is a step in the right direction. Additionally, you'll be able to search for items via a toolbar in the near future. [img=http://i.imgur.com/m1VPxyo.png][/img]
Farming
While I don't have a whole lot to show of it yet there are now crops in the game. They allow for modding support just like everything else and so you can expect massive farming mods in the future. Those sad little yellow plants are my own art and will be replaced. [img=http://i.imgur.com/N9zmgI9.png][/img]
Dynamic Lighting
I don't have any screenshots of it available just yet but it is ready and you'll see it in game for sure. This allows for players to carry torches or possibly fires to spread with their own lighting. Who knows!
When will this version be playable and publically available?
I'm not entirely sure just yet but I do know that I want the game to be a bit more stable and polished. Ideally I'd like the multiplayer to be ready for everyone to use as well. There are a few large chunks of work left such as objects being saved to chunks, NPCs, and combat. With such large parts of the project still left to do, I can't really make a prediction. Lastly, the old version of Project Explore (the current Stable build)... I'll be leaving it available to everyone in the launcher options so that anyone who has purchased the game in hopes of keeping around the old version can.
Where I've been
As mentioned before in previous posts... I have been working on my other game to further support myself financially. Project Explore hasn't left my mind or my schedule. I want to show everyone what I've got in the works and I'm hoping to get some feedback!
View zooming
[img=http://i.imgur.com/iW6OQv8.gif][/img]
House building
[img=http://imgur.com/j0d3uVm.gif][/img]
Oh yeah, new graphics
[img=http://i.imgur.com/Ry6hM2j.png][/img] [img=http://i.imgur.com/zxPWHCj.gif][/img]
So what do you think?
The new lighting/shading system really adds a lot of depth to the game in my opinion and I think this new perspective is a nice middle ground between the original game, and a better version of itself. But I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below how you feel abou the new perspective and visuals. Keep in mind all the art assets shown here are place holder (100% PLACE HOLDER).
Rock God Tycoon (my other game) just released into full release on Steam yesterday. Just as promised, once we finish finalizing the process with that game, we will be moving back to Project Explore to close things up with this game. Store Page Here [img=http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/410840/header.jpg?t=1487003531][/img] I want to make sure everyone here knows that I intend on doing a fantastic job with Project Explore and leaving the modding open ended to be expanded on in the future. Thanks for all the support as always!
The partial functional multiplayer
I've began work on the multiplayer and so far it is coming along great! You'll see from the gif below that I've set up smooth movement already. (Left side is regular, right side is smooth) [img=http://imgur.com/mykgDL3.gif][/img] So far I've only tested up to 16 clients but it seems to be doing just fine! [img=http://imgur.com/sKYlA0B.png][/img] I had a couple friends join and we all opened up multiple clients to test. Server capped at about 1% CPU usage and 19mb of memory with 16 clients. I expect 64 player servers to be a realistic goal.
Upgrading to GMS 2
With the release of Game Maker: Studio 2 there stands little reason to not upgrade Project Explore to the latest engine and so I did. There are two major advantages to upgrading engines... 1. DirectX 11 support means that the game will run even faster! While it is not necessary at all with the current fps the game is getting (2500+) I like to always provide the best experience possible. 2. A brand new (and much better) IDE means that I can develop the game faster. There are numerous performance improvements and visual improvements that came with GM:S 2.
So when will this version be available?
I am hoping to get this build out to the public within the next two months. I can't make any promises as I of course have another game I'm working on as well. I've been putting in two or more hours pretty much every day for the past week and plan to continue doing so until I can get out this build. All of this art is placeholder by the way so don't freak out just yet!
As promised, I have been working on Project Explore during my free-time. I have made a lot of progress in a very short amount of time and I would like to share what I've been working on with all of you!
Chunks, player movement, and smooth camera movement
[img=http://i.imgur.com/RdQf4PG.gif] The new chunk system is faster than ever and allows for a much smoother experience. I also fixed numerous issues that plagued the experimental build. Player movement has been rewritten from the ground up. The camera now is smoother as well.
Brand new menus
[img=http://i.imgur.com/nddFJrM.gif] The new menus allow you to view each mod that you are running, change tons of settings, and feel spiffy while doing it. This new menu system has been designed to be as simple to use as possible.
Now let's talk about the engine!
One of the most exciting changes I've made that I just couldn't wait to annouce is a limitless world! I mean size-wise of course. Pull up a chair because we are going into this head first! Pretend this grid (below) represents a normal world, each square is a chunk. This is a 9x9 grid so we have 81 chunks. [img=http://i.imgur.com/TPjgVxv.png] Now instead of using a pre-defined size and pre-generated chunks, the engine generates chunks as you walk around (this is a feature carried over from the experimental build). The big change this iteration brings is the ability for chunks to be generated at negative coordinates and outside of the room (rooms are essentially levels in Game Maker). The engine works outside of any sort of level-based constraints which means the only limitations the world has are numbers greater than 32-bit. Since the system can use negative values, we have to use a signed 32-bit value to get an estimated limit. You can travel anywhere in the world, all the way from -2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647 (chunks). Since the game only loads the area around you, memory (RAM) will never be an issue either! Another awesome change can be found in how terrain is rendered. The most optimal rendering I ever wrote involved caching the terrain of each chunk in a 3x3 around the player and draw each cached chunk (9 total texture swaps for you geeks out there). The new system caches a 3x3 of chunks around you in a single image and draws it all at once in a single call. This means your framerate will be WAY higher than usual.
As always...
Thanks to everyone who has made themselves heard and has shown me support throughout this game's development.
Hey everyone! I have some free time today and will be getting some work done on the re-write of Project Explore! It may not interest you but I want to make sure everybody knows that I still am working on it! :) Link Here
You have all made your voices heard and I am obliged to agree with you. I will be taking the steps necessary to return to the previous art style. I will keep modding and every feature the experimental build has intact. This move to the old version will take time of course. I believe in honesty so I'd like to be open regarding the time frame of these changes. You can expect Project Explore to return to an active development cycle by Q2 of 2017 at the latest. My other game I'm collaborating on, "Rock God Tycoon" will release on the 25th of November and should be completed in just a few months. Unlike Project Explore's original release, the majority of the game is completed and it is just a matter of picking up the pieces, tweaking some numbers, adding some extra content, and listening to the community. For now just sit tight and I will return soon!
For a while now I've received mixed feedback regarding Project Explore's art style. A lot of people seem to prefer the old style over the new style and being the caring/loving developer I am, I care about how YOU feel. The artist and I are currently finishing our other project as I mentioned in previous posts, "Rock God Tycoon", it will be available on Steam on November 25th. Regardless of its financially success/failure, we will continue and finish the development of Project Explore. We've decided to go EA for Rock God Tycoon in hopes of getting the same level of feedback I've received here. Onwards to the important stuff though! In the comments below, please tell me whether or not you prefer the old/new art styles. I would like to give the positive and negatives side of each.
Old Style
[img=http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/357650/ss_765821105a31a3f757e1ab7b59ffc35773667f30.600x338.jpg?t=1427570727] -I could push updates faster and without the help of the artist -The game would run a lot smoother with a higher framerate -AI would be a lot more intelligent -Structures would consist of real 3D models rather than sprites (hopefully) -Smaller images would mean faster loading times and overall game size
New Style
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/3315847_orig.gif] -Full fledged animations for characters
Overview
I won't lie, there aren't a ton of positive reasons to stick with the newer art style other than it looks nice. Switching to the previous art style wouldn't require me to do almost anything regarding the current mod features, they would all remain intact, if anything it would make it easier for YOU to create mods since you wouldn't have to match the fancy art style. If we return to the old art style, I can begin pushing updates again soon. Making the game more playable once again. Let me know what you think in the comments below! As always, thank you for sticking with me! :)
I'm neck deep in work at the moment. I so badly want to return to working on Project Explore but I have not had enough time to add any significant changes. I promise I will come back full throttle when the time is right. I've talked in previous posts about my current financial situation and nothing has changed since then. I feel the need to keep the community informed. I dislike developers who hide away from their abandoned projects. I assure you this is not abandoned. At the moment updates are unlikely but in the next few months, I promise you the artist and myself will be returning to this game. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and stood by my side while I go through this difficult situation. I want you to know that I never wanted this game to take so long to develop. Life happens and I was a lot less experienced when Project Explore originally released. I'm very different now and if I could, I would finish this game in a matter of months.
I mentioned in my last post that I would do these things so I did them!
Improved Console
[img=https://i.gyazo.com/0ae8d58f726247c035563057a4f3702b.png][/img] The new console has a suggestion system based on what you have input. It works perfect and I think will help out a lot of people. I think it is silly to expect anyone to go back and read through this post just to see what the console commands are. [img=https://i.gyazo.com/112d879d38a6c49db220e1322c2428ec.png][/img] There is also a new logging system on the side! Using the arrow keys you can easily re-use a command that you already typed.
object_mode
This is a new console command that allows you to place any object that has been loaded into the game (that obviously includes any from mods). With this command you could easily build levels for others to play through or hand craft a world! I still need to create an object deletion system but that will come next as it is a bit more complicated. Here is a gif showing off the new object_mode: [img=https://i.gyazo.com/107377dcf990d9b276cb17a97126f05d.gif][/img]
Player Script
Now you can modify the players variables. This includes all of the following:
- Health, soft limit
- Health, hard limit
- Health falloff
- Health heartbeat trigger amount
- Health regeneration (food)
- Health regeneration (thirst)
- Health loss from starvation
- Food limit
- Health loss from dehydration
- Thirst limit
- Movement speed
Foundations Fixed
This has been an issue for quite a while. I spent months trying to figure out some convoluted math equation to properly set the depth of each foundation. I finally fixed it which is great because I can progress further along with house building now! [img=https://i.gyazo.com/006fa100faf7b9d3b8bbecaf5529fd50.gif][/img]
Change Log
- Fixed Foundation depth issues
- Console system overhaul
- object_mode
- Mod script files changed from ANSI to UTF8
- Player variables modifiable via a 'PLAYER' script
- Fixed potential crash when quitting from ingame menu
- Foliage is no longer drawn when it is underneath a foundation
Creative Mode?
A lot of the community here has asked for a creative mode and in the past modding has be requested. I have included modding this time around but I have yet to get around to a creative mode. I've decided to streamline the console commands. It lets you add items to your inventory, change the speed of the day and night cycle, and more. I didn't really consider how many of the current users here are interested in modifying Project Explore or just messing around with it.
Expanding Modifcation
Currently you can modify biomes, what spawns in them, items, tools, crafting, and pretty much everything aside from terrain textures. This all works within Multiplayer (except for books right now). THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT MULTIPLAYER IS AVAILABLE YET. Have to clarify that. I'll be adding the possibility of player modifcation. Making the player move faster, have more/less health, damage resistance, and maybe even more!
Weather
A lot of players who experienced Project Explore 0.2.1.2 and prior seemed to have enjoyed some of the weather in the game. Particularly the rain. That will be the next feature I'll be working into the experimental build. In the new beautiful world you can expect that rain to look at least as lovely as it used to.
Thanks to you
Each and every one of you have motivated me to continue my work on Project Explore. I seriously appreciate all the support I get from you wonderful people. I hope we build an amazing game together. ːCuteBearDollː
Change Log
- Crafting re-implemented
- Implemented 'Quit Game' option
- Changed app data folder to Project_Explore
- Slowed down the day/night cycle
- Quitting a world without saving will delete the worlds folder
- The stone axe can now harvest wood from trees when the user holds the Interaction Key
- Minor performance improvements
- Added item: Stick
- Added crafting recipe: Stick
- Added crafting recipe: Wood Foundation
- Added crafting recipe: Wood Wall
- Added crafting recipe: Wood Ceiling
- Added crafting recipe: Large Crate
What's up with the update?
It has taken a while to figure out exactly what the next step was in the development of the preview build. I have been wanting to add more functionality/stability for a while now but it always seems like there are more important steps to be taken else where. I have finally cleaned up enough of the project that I am starting to see a bit of the end intent. Quitting wasn't available before and that seemed like an obvious problem to address, especially considering the whole point of this build is to check out new features really quickly. It is probably quite annoying to have to exit out the window each time you start a new world. The problem with implementing quitting was that there were so many new features and backend code that I have wrote since the last time quitting was an option. A lot goes into clearing memory. There are surfaces to clear, data structures, and buffers all that need to be deleted as to avoid a memory leak.
Crafting re-implemented?
Yes, re-implemented. You see... I disabled it a while ago whilst the project was undergoing some intense reworking. That happened over 6 months ago so when I returned to fix what I had disabled, some of the code was no longer relevant and actually had to be re-written all together. It works now for the most part although it definitely is lacking polish at the moment. I also am not sure whether or not the page system is functional but I will make sure to test it when I have more crafting recipes implemented.
Performance improvements
Since the beginning of this games development optimization has been very important to me. I want this game to run on most potatos. I have cleaned up so much of the code at this point that I rarely can find ways to improve the games performance aside from doing a full compile which tends to lead to incompatibilities which is why I'm avoiding it for now. Often I see a way to speed up a section of code but at the cost of it running slower under certain circumstances. It is a constant struggle of, "will this slow it down more or less for the average user?" I can't really predict how players will play or handle the game beyond what I know of my own behaviour.
I missed these long patch notes
Many moons have passed since I wrote a long post like this. It's not because I'm lazy or don't care enough. It is because I am exhausted from my other project. I want to show you how much I passion I have for this project and it's hard to do that when I don't have enough energy to write out a few paragraphs. Hopefully this update alongside this post conveys my interest in this games development.
I really wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of the current development of Project Explore. I hope this video really helps clarify any misunderstandings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9z_ZyviLbc Thanks for all the support everyone. :)
Do not click the wiki button for Project Explore for the time being as I do not own the domain. I'll be removing the button from the new build of the game and labeling the old stable build as 'Old' as to inform people of its slow descent into... oldness?
This update brings some long awaited features to the game. For a while now the world of Project Explore has been bland and the ground lacking any sense of detail. Now there is foliage! Another big request I never got around to was making books readable. They can be read now with beautiful, almost 3D visual effects! I'd love to hear what you think and what requests for moddable items you have. I made a lot of changes behind the scenes but nothing really worth noting. Saving works again and loading but other than that, not a lot else has changed. Most of my time went into the foliage feature.
If you would like to ask any questions or just hang out, I'll be live streaming some development here on Twitch! https://www.twitch.tv/leagueofsebastian [img=https://i.gyazo.com/22ef6257c717bc749af9bce468556f59.jpg] (Caught my face at a good moment there)
There isn't a lot you will be able to see on the surface but I changed a ton of stuff and made a lot of improves.
Change Log
• Load game menu fixed/updated • Controls option menu fixed/updated • Splash screen audio now is affected by music volume options • Vast improvements to audio system, huge performance boost • Changed the way the Steam API was initiated, performance improvement • Reduced video memory usage by about 23mb • Fixed window reset issue (reported since the initial release) • Native resolution increased from 720p to 1080p (improved visual quality) • Singleplayer worlds can now be saved/loaded • Save file extension type changed from ‘.sav’ to ‘.pes’ to avoid conflicts with the stable build save files • Now launches with a splash screen • ANSI files converted to UTF-8 (Now supporting various OS languages other than English) One major difference you will notice is that the game is more clear. Additionally, I've left the grass test enabled so you can see what it looks like. I haven't fully setup a system for world details such as grass.
[img=https://i.gyazo.com/f14628977c197d38292fbe1bd2962662.jpg] The new pause menu is looking great and I've cleaned up a few of the other main menu, menus. I also made some big changes to some of the backend code that has increased the framerate dramatically. I have been kind of busy working on a YouTube channel of sorts. I have always wanted to inspire and help others reach their goals so that is kind of what that is about. I will continue work on the update and hopefully have it out to you all soon.
What's Being Changed In 0.3.0.5?
- Minor improvements to the Item Viewer
- Load game functionality returns and the menu polished
- Re-worked pause menu
- Properly scaled/centered controls option menu
- Secret wavy grass backend stuff
The Livestream
The stream will begin at approximately 01:00PM (PST), 05/17/2015. I'll be streaming for approximately two hours (maybe longer) but what is important is that you can ask me questions regarding the game. I'll unmute my mic to answer questions. My keyboard is a wee-bit obnoxious! :P (I did edit the time after posting this) I hope to see you awesome people there and to respond to any questions/feedback you might have! Link: https://www.twitch.tv/leagueofsebastian
Change Log 0.3.0.4
Content Related • New world size options • New menu system • New item viewer Gameplay • Removed pillars • Added ceilings Bugs • Dragging an empty inventory slot into another empty slot. [Crash] Misc • The vertex buffer method can now be changed (via graphics.ini) • A different method of vertical synchronization has been made available (via graphics.ini) • Reverted to default interpreter compilation for the executable file. Slower but more stable/compatible. [img=http://i.imgur.com/e6szdhg.gif] In this preview build, I put a lot of time and effort into making the item viewer more of a wiki. That way mods are less difficult to learn. As someone who has played their fair share of modded games *cough cough... MINECRAFT*, there is a huge lack of documentation in most cases. [img=http://i.imgur.com/xcdPswB.jpg] If you haven't seen it yet, you can track my progress live through this amazing website: https://realtimeboard.com/app/board/o9J_k0hFuQI=/ [img=http://i.imgur.com/bTuqfwt.png] I should add, at the moment of posting... The board just shows all the work I've finished. I have to set aside some time in a bit to lay out my next step in development. The only menu that I still have to fix is the controls menu. That has a lot of positioning I have to take care of so I will take care of it later on
Price Change
In the meantime while Project Explore is not being worked on full-time, I will be lowering the price of the game to allow more people a chance to hop on board prior to the price increase expected when we step into version 0.4 (multiplayer update).
Stable Build Update
The stable build technically just got an update, I wanted to quickly explain it. The preview build will now be packaged alongside it to make it more accessible to you. When you launch Project Explore, you'll be given two options to launch the game, Project Explore (Stable) and Project Explore (Preview). This will allow me to provide updates more easily as well. I'll be doing my best to balance my work between projects and hopefully will have more to show everyone soon!
[img=http://i.imgur.com/UllzYKu.png] Here is a link to the actual board! https://realtimeboard.com/app/board/o9J_k0hFuQI=/ You can move around it and such. Pretty cool huh? An awesome guy and friend of mine that goes by DJGamingX showed me this dandy website. I think this will be a more entertaining/organized way to show everyone what I'm working on. The least I can do for everyone is keep the information regarding the games development as public as possible. So simple that you can literally drag your mouse around the screen and see everything. Oh, and check out what I have got done with the item viewer so far! [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/1212319_orig.gif]
https://youtu.be/DAG5HAFa7HU I wanted to give everyone a final wrap up on what's going on for the next few months and why. :)
If you haven't already, read the previous news: http://steamcommunity.com/gid/103582791437742443/announcements/detail/902217793377216501 I'll do everything I can to multi-task these two projects. I can't focus 100% on Project Explore because as I said before, it isn't paying my bills. I am considering a kickstarter for it but I have a pretty bad feeling it won't raise much. I'm starting to see that people actually think I'm making money. I'd like to clarify that Steam is a great platform for reaching out to gamers but if you don't have marketing power, well than that is the end of it.
More important information regarding the development
I'll try to do everything I can that doesn't require art for now. I'm not sure what I have on my to-do list specifically but I'll keep you all updated here and my blog. Again thanks for all the support.
If you have been following my work then you may have heard of my side project Rock God Tycoon, if not then you have now. I feel that to make my career as a game developer one that is sustainable, I need to pursue a side project because Project Explore will not be paying my bills for long. And to reference back to the Steam early access guidelines for developers, "Don't launch in Early Access if you can't afford to develop with very few or no sales." Obviously I was fine for a while and now too but it is a matter of proper time management. I want Project Explore to be all that I have promised you and myself. So to clarify, Project Explore will not be recieving updates for a short time. Perhaps a month or two. I will be consistently streaming my work on my youtube https://gaming.youtube.com/c/SeaBassGazelle/live. I want you to know I'm doing this because I want to expand my available time on Project Explore. Thank you everyone has supported this project and I promise this is the best course of action available to me at this moment.
Project Explore will now be focused on a LOT more. I have put together a work schedule for it and it shouldn't be long before I have a functional preview build that includes multiplayer and all that other good stuff. I'll be back soon with more information! ^_^
Project Explore will now be focused on a LOT more. I have put together a work schedule for it and it shouldn't be long before I have a functional preview build that includes multiplayer and all that other good stuff. I'll be back soon with more information! ^_^
The live stream can be found at https://www.twitch.tv/leagueofsebastian There will be a giveaway. Probably an important detail. [img=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdwVyHsUIAQ_9jM.jpg] [img=https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/CdwY9IgUkAEC6KG.jpg]
Blog Post Is Here
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/3315847_orig.gif][/img] [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/4038459_orig.gif][/img] [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/899510_orig.gif][/img]
Recently there was a request for the current build of the game to be made available in the preview build version of Project Explore. I agree that it would be a great time to see what issues users face upon launching it. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/4161510_orig.png] The game isn't quite ready to be 'played' just yet so don't expect anything fun or anything at all really. It may as well be considered a tech demo at the moment. This is what the game currently looks likes. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/5417195_orig.png] Not that exciting huh? Anyhow I'm hoping to see more people be able to play the game at a smooth framerate and without problems.
Estimated Release Date For Preview Build
Estimated Date: March 11th, 2016 It may be much sooner but I want to give myself a reasonable amount of time to finish the mountain of work on my plate.
This will be the last big sale before the new version of Project Explore is released. Once the new build is released, the price of the game will likely increase due to the extra man power onboard the project. I recommend grabbing a copy now. If you have any concerns at all feel free to share them here in the commnets section or on the community hub.
Re-sizable Window
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/641821_orig.gif] It still needs work for the inventory screen and such but it works aside from that. I find that I get pretty upset with games that don't support window re-sizing.
Terrain is 2D now
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/502915_orig.png] Panos and I realized 3D sucks when trying to integrate 2D elements into the world. We had to choose between cutting house building (and a few other features) and going back to 2D terrain. We decided 2D terrain was the best option.
Optimizing For Days
I managed to speed things up significantly thanks to a bit of additional research. Original FPS: 200-380 New FPS: 430-890 I can't solve why the frame rate fluctuates so wildly but I am guessing it is the result of my computer having a server running in the background and close to 10 others programs. Another bonus of switching to 2D terrain is reduced memory usage. We don't need a new texture page for each terrain tile. We can have all the terrain on a single texture page. Which is awesome.
3D Structures
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/9340722_orig.jpg] [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/8795795_orig.jpg] I finished all the 3D structure stuff. The loading system for it, the models, the textures, the rotations, the placement, and everything else. I even polished the snapping and all that jazz. The perspective isn't perfect of course and overall it looks sloppy. I showed it to Panos (artist) and he felt it didn't look like all it could be.
The New Idea
We have decided that a 2D perspective (for the house building) will look better and so I am currently re-writing everything I I had previously done to accommodate the new house building. It may take a few days but it'll definitely be worth it. I hate to post-pone this update any further but I'd rather give a reasonably sized update. A pretty art show that has no content is hardly a game.
New Job
I quit my job at Target. It was a terrible experience after working there about a month. Just don't get into retail if you want a job that utilizes any of your brain. I now work at Chipotle which I love so far. You make more money, you are treated better, and you get to use your brain. On top of all that it is definitely a physically demanding job which is good because I am a twig. Original Post: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/seabass-blog/new-job-and-some-back-tracking
3D Models And Structures
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/4513619_orig.gif] [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/5737469_orig.png] [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/1882808_orig.jpg] As you can see I got the basic wall building re-implemented. This time it is a bit more fancy due to its use of real 3D models. Another awesome perk of D3D (rather than the fake 3D I previously used) is the reduced rendering time. Since it is no longer using complex math and tons of vertex batches to create the 3D image it is a whole lot faster!
Copy/Paste
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/8880912_orig.gif] While copy/paste may seem like a simple thing to add (and it was), it was slightly over-looked. Now you can copy and paste into those pesky input boxes. It'll be nice when using direct connect and copying world seeds.
Mod Editor
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/9403461_orig.gif] I realized that Game Maker: Studio is absolutely garbage when it comes to software development. It is an excellent engine for games but not Windows Dialogue oriented programs. So I downloaded Visual Studio and started learning C#, and Windows Forms. As you can imagine it's been kinda rough learning a whole new language in matter of days but I think I'm getting the hang of it. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/3265087_orig.png] Fairly soon I will start opening up closed testing for the editor as well as the new build of Project Explore. If you would like to participate please do keep an eye on this blog as I will post the proper form up when the time comes. Thanks for reading!
World Items
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/6276435_orig.gif] Dropped items are working well and can be picked back up obviously. This works between clients and all that good stuff.
Smooth Player Movement
What makes this an interesting topic is the number of approaches that can be taken. Below is a video I recorded of two clients on the same network to show the result of my current method of smoothing out movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUCst_S-nHM Anyone worth their salt will immediately shout out, "Well of course it was smooth! Both clients were on your computer or local network so there was no latency!" Well that is an excellent point but I only send packets every 50ms to reduce the network traffic and CPU usage of the server. This hopefully will allow servers to take on more players. The server tick rate can be changed so you can easily allow for less time between movement packets.
Server To Client Instance Sync
What server to client instance sync means is that the client can communicate changes made to instances to the server. For example putting wood into a camp fire. The client can tell the server they put wood in a fire but unless that server is given an ID to refer to, it could be any of the other 100,000+ objects in the world. Now clients are given the exact ID of instances on the server side. This was very difficult to set up due to the nature of programming networking. The world within the client is all fairly simple and most of it is handled by actual objects in the world. However on the server there are no actual objects. Everything is just memory that is being kept together in an organized fashion. A 2D grid that represents every chunk of the world contains within each chunk, a list of every object. The difficult portion is translating those lists into data that can be sent across the network. You can't just say, "GO MY BIRDS! FLY!" You have to write each variable as a specific data type.
Multiple Clients
[img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/932608_orig.png] As you can see multiple clients can now connect and run around a server together. This definitely is not that exciting but it is another required step to completing the multiplayer. I'm proud of it and all the other work required to get this far.
Original Post: http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/seabass-blog/moving-at-the-speed-of-a-seabass-multiplayer-progress
Thanks for reading! Real-time updates can be found here: https://twitter.com/Seabass_N
Sorry for taking so long getting around to the multiplayer but as the only programmer on this project, my hands were a bit full (still are obviously). This past week I began work on the multiplayer server and making it as user friendly as possible. Here is a list of great features it includes:
- Ridiculously efficient (means you can easily host and play the game on the same computer)
- Mod file support and verification (no cheating mods for clients)
- Cross compatible world between singleplayer and multiplayer
- World capacity is massive
- Easy to use and make changes to
What does "ridiculously efficient" really mean Seabass?
The speeds will vary based on the biome mod files used of course but they will likely never go beyond 5ms per chunk generated. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/4800827_orig.gif]
When will multiplayer be available?
I am aiming to push it by the time we finish this next stable build. Perhaps early in March or April but I can not say for sure because as with real life, nothing is set in stone sadly. I will continue posting information regarding my progress! I generally keep my posts more up to date on my website (that means click here). [img=http://i.imgur.com/z9jKkU8.png]
I don't have a lot of time and have been really busy these past few days. So this post will be a short one. Forgive me! Context menus work now! You can actually use them is what I'm saying. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/3642359_orig.gif] After a bit of cleaning up the save system is functional (like 100% stable) and I wanted to share with you this lovely bonfire I made to celebrate it. [img=http://www.seabassandgazellestudios.com/uploads/2/0/5/7/20577194/5917640_orig.png] Storage archetype objects are now implemented which means objects such as crates are possible and easy to add via mods. Alongside adding storage objects I ended up completely wiping and re-writing the inventory system for both the player and external objects. It's now faster and saves a bit of memory which will go a long way once multiplayer is up and running. Upon trying to compile to game using the YYC I discovered about 1,500+ broken lines of code that I ended up having to re-write. C++ is kinda strict compared to GML. I also made this new splash screen! It is a bit boring but still better than what we used to have in place. Fear not! It can be skipped in-game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7DD-6w8JRE Tools have been implemented as well. This means that you can collect resources properly! Hip-hip, hooray!
Project Explore
Seabass and Gazelle Studios
Seabass and Gazelle Studios
2017-08-10
Action Indie Casual Adventure Simulation Singleplayer
Game News Posts 68
🎹🖱️Keyboard + Mouse
Mixed
(126 reviews)
https://www.fernmakesgames.com/contact.html
https://store.steampowered.com/app/357650
The Game includes VR Support
Linux Version [60.63 M]
Project Explore - OST
Project Explore is a survival game. You will have to deal with tough situations, starting with starvation and rapidly increasing insanity.
You will need to manage your time and resources to survive the night. You must maintain your sanity by staying near light until you reach the day time hours again.
The world is rendered in 2D with various 3D elements, such as the trees, structures, storage items, etc...
Updates, accompanied by descriptive news posts, are made to the game about every other week and sometimes more often!
"I think every player deserves a voice and the direction of the game should be based on community feedback, and ideas. I've followed this idea since the beginning of the games development and so far it has helped the game become something I could not have ever imagined." -Seabass
- OS: Ubuntu 14 or above (32-bit Only)
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: OpenGL-capable graphics card with valid driver. 128MB graphics
- Storage: 200 MB available space
- OS: Ubuntu 14 or above (32-bit Only)
- Processor: Intel i3 550 or AMD Phenom II X2Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: OpenGL-capable graphics card with valid driver. 256MB graphics
- Storage: 250 MB available space
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