Hi guys,
here comes the newest update with massive changes to internal code regarding physics, game AI, menu controls and new driving AI. Here is the changelog:
DRIVING AI / HELPER SYSTEM:
- number of internal physics tweaks and improvements for terrain self-driving vehicle AI.
- added traffic
- traffic prefers main asphalt roads.
- different traffic vehicles (not farming machines)
- many different colors for vehicles
- different drivers for different vehicles, with proper driving animations
- traffic can drive both ways
- traffic drivers properly detect and avoid collisions between each other
- traffic drivers detect player collisions with larger margin, though there may be possibility where collision will occur (with far end of large plow, for instance). This leads for no bad effects nor penalties however.
- If player leaves a lot of vehicles on the road, he may block the traffic temporarily. However this should unload after a while (though not when the player is very close). They will quietly teleport out further to the road to avoid large jams.
- Traffic vehicles properly use lights at night.
- added AI hired workers
- IMPORTANT: player has to have at least 50,000 social points to hire workers. SP is not decreased when hiring workers at all, but a threshold is needed to not spoil initial gameplay.
- There has to be at least 6 second gap between hiring another workers (map pad menu does not count).
- player can hire the AI worker for player fields anytime if he can afford it.
- worker hiring price is temporary, needs to be played for a while to balance out (it's probably too low now)
- workers are hired from map pad by selecting and clicking his field to work on. If the field is not already worked on, proper worker hire menu will appear.
- all new worker terrain drive AI, not dependent on roads. They try to properly move through terrain, selecting speeds, turns and wheel work to adjust to terrain. They avoid driving on fields as well.
- if worker AI cannot move through difficult terrain for some reason (stuck), it will skip ahead a few meters to move forward.
- worker AI currently does not detect collision with other vehicles (it will soon, though). However if blocked, it will skip forward anyway.
- hired worker has to drive to the field before he starts working using his terrain AI, he does not teleport to the field directly.
- map shows if the field is being worked on by worker (and work has been assigned).
- it is not possible to hire 2 different workers for the same field.
- workers are seen on a map as (differently colored) vehicles.
- workers can be canceled by clicking them on the map. No money refunds.
- workers use proper header for maize.
- proper field work updates from worker machines including 3d ground changes (but for that player has to be close - optimisation).
- proper engine sounds for worker vehicles
- worker vehicles get dirty properly while working
- workers properly saved and loaded from save, both when driving to a field and when working a field.
VISUAL:
- for two higher grass display settings, grass distance increased.
- for highest grass display settings, trees&bushes LoD distance increased.
- a bit better and bigger front lights FX for player vehicles
- increased disappear range of vehicle wheels
- increased range of vehicle colors visible
ADDITIONAL:
- new loading backgrounds
- background changes properly synchronized with hint changes (1:2)
- fixed fish dropping off the hook randomly sometimes, even when player was holding them with a correct pull.
- vehicle currently driven by player was marked gray on a map - fixed
- old player combine with narrow header drops less hay in one run than the new combine with wider harvester.
- material sources (crates) were multiplying after loading a saved game - fixed.
- restored proper functionality of greenhouse watering control.
- removed random map zoom changes when turning on map pad. Zoom is properly remembered between map usage.