We made a lot of progress since the last update and we want to show you what we have been up to for the last couple of months:
The first thing I did was to test the androids on our development-server.I quickly found out that the way we handle these androids was not very efficient and used up a lot of resources. With only 20-30 androids on the map I was left with only 10 FPS on the server.
The main problem was that when we wanted an android to build a base - he had to be visibly on the map in order for this base to be build.
This is the result of trying to implement the android system onto our already existing creature system.
The data of each creature would only be alterd when a creature was on-screen. This meant that in order to build a base an android had to be on-screen because the system that builds this base is attached to the android‘s game object itself.
Back in 2018 when i developed the whole creature system i wanted to make it as efficient as possible and i did that by only changing the data of a creature when this creature was on-screen and near a player. Sadly this approach did not work well in combination with our androids because androids would need to build bases even when they are off-screen. So I set out to change the underlying creature system to work like this.
The new system is way more efficient and does not require an android to be on-screen to work. Our grand-strategy-system which is responsible for the actions of all androids can now build bases, mine ores, transport goods from one base to another withour needing any androids on the map.
We also switched from a role-based-action-system to a job-based-action-system which means that the grand-strategy-system creates jobs and assigns them to unemployed androids. Our androids are now capable of managing an entire base. This means that they gather resources, deposit resources into storage chests and then smelt these resources. They also repair any damaged part or replace baseparts that have been destroyed. They can resupply turrets with ammuniton and resupply mechs with charged energy cells and ammo.
The next thing I have worked on is an AI for our mechs. We want our androids to operate mechs in order to transport items from one base to another, guard monuments/bases or use them to raid player bases. So I developed a system that links our already existing mech-system with the above mentioned creature-system.
While working on the mechs I fixed bugs that existed since 2018. For example we had players who reported that their scout mech suddenly had a gun from a T2 mech attached to it.
This bug is finally fixed now.
Also we had issues where the dead bodies of creatures would not spawn when they were killed from within a mech. This is also fixed now.
Then there were a lot of cases where the 3d model of the bodies of creatures would not match the creature you killed. For example you just killed a pig and the dead body of the dead pig would turn into a forest warden or a storage chest.
This bug has been fixed aswell.
Lastly I have implemented an artillery installation for our androids.
This artillery will be used by androids to lay siege on your base. It requires energy to run and has a limited range of 750m.
You can stop this by killing the androids who are operating the artillery or destroying the base it is standing on.
We want to fix as many bugs as possible and improve the gameplay next.
I will keep posting updates on our discord, steam and here on kickstarter.
Feel free to checkout our latest devlog on Youtube too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGEeyuX1WXQ&ab_channel=Pantropy
