Since last update I have been quiet and busy in equal doses. I've already updated you on the upcoming character art, customisation and equipment changes, here's what else is going on:
Since last update, I am now working in a real office in Bristol and I've been doing lots of recruiting and businessey stuff. The Lo-Fi Games team is currently:
-Myself, game developer extraordinaire.
-Sam Gynn, full-time programmer with a beard.
-3D Masala, freelance art studio, something like 8-10 artists I think. I don't know.
-Kole Hicks, freelance sound designer. Beard status unknown.
-Chris Roberts, part-time freelance technical artist. No beard, but he used to work for David Braben, which is badass.
-Vurt, famous foliage modder. He will hopefully be joining sometime after next update, working on world design. Beard status unknown.
So I have been caught up with a lot of organisational boss stuff and things. But Sam has already finished implementation of the audio system, which is now ready for Kole to start work. So no sound in the next update, but work starts now and Kole estimates around 3 months until completion. This will be released in small parts, so you'll see sound trickling in during that time.
I've also been heavily into design, you see implementing all the new clothing and armour has the effect that it makes me think carefully about the factions, cultures and game world. I'm now fleshing out the biomes and final worldmap design, which is not just cosmetic. The different map zones will not only look different, they will have different resources, technology to unlock, danger levels, food and water availability, weather, storms, wildlife, some may even need special equipment or knowledge to survive. It will also keep you busy with further goals once you've built a solid stronghold.
Moving into new map zones will be a vital way of unlocking new tech research. Eventually there will also be alternative means of achieving these unlocks, such as diplomacy, or stealing from or conquering another faction.
Smaller stuff will be worked on too, walls and bugs etc. Player shops are now functional.
Next update is scheduled for the start of July!