Update 1.2 (AI), development plans, roadmap
V 0.1.2:
- New file type: .udceai - AI file created in the editor of visual scripting.
- A new tab has been added to the character menu: AI
- A button has been added to the AI tab to launch the AI editor.
- Added program for creating AI through visual scripting.
- Added part of the functional AI (alpha).
You can see an example of AI in a new AI tab in the character window (the sample.udceai file contains most of the current functions)
AI and visual scripting
After more than a month of development, a prototype of AI and visual scripting is ready in alpha version.
Visual scripting will allow users and developers to create many different AI, without spending a lot of time creating them in the UDCE application itself.
Keep in mind that AI is in alpha mode: there may be more bugs that are gradually being fixed. You can create your own AI now. When upgrading to a new one, you will be able to upgrade the AI of old versions to the AI of a new version, even if some functions have been changed.
Since there are a lot of functions, and all of them need to be tested with existing functionality, bug fixes, new functions for AI, and documentation will be added gradually, over the course of version 0.1.2.x. Available features will also be improved (for example, a smoother transition of animations) and supplemented.
In connection with the upcoming rework of UI, the interface of the editor of visual scripts, as well as new dialog boxes, was made with minimal costs, and will soon be redesigned for a new general interface style.
Due to the fact that in some countries access to documentation and YouTube may be limited, documentation for visual scripting will be built into the editor itself.
Documentation will be added gradually, starting from the next update of the AI editor.
Video tutorials and demos will be added gradually.
The ability to load AI into the workshop will be added later, when all the functionality is added, as well as documentation and trailers.
It was originally planned to focus on the development of visual scripting, after which the program was to be released, but...
Development plans
Over the course of three and a half months, many new features have been added. All that was planned before the release, and even more. Initially, the release was planned in 2-4 months. And the functional UDCE application is almost ready to get out of early access status. However, thanks to the feedback from users on the forum, the direction of UDCE development before the release has been changed, since not only the application with more functionality should be released, but also an application that is convenient and intuitive for all users:
- The original interface, created for less functionality, has become too cumbersome, and has ceased to be intuitive.
- Many Chinese users complained about poor localization (machine translation). Due to the fact that the site with documentation and video tutorials (YouTube) is not accessible to most of them, this problem becomes really serious for Chinese users.
- Some users have requested offline mode. Unfortunately, this was not possible for two reasons: a workshop and DRM protection.
- Some users would like to have the program running all the time (autorun)
In this regard, now the emphasis will be placed entirely on the above functions (and refinement of AI). Once they are implemented, the application will be ready to exit early access.
The finalization of the AI ( documentation and video) will be conducted in parallel with the addition of features that users have requested.
Adding a new large functionality (2d, non-humanoid characters) is not planned until release.
Roadmap:
- Visual scripting (v0.0.1): this update
- Automatic loading animations
- Automatic loading of animations downloaded from the workshop.
- Offline mode (+ DRM change)
- Visual scripting (v0.0.2)
- Ability to download downloaded characters from the workshop in offline mode.
- Autorun
- Visual scripting (v0.0.3): functionality, the ability to write to the dialogues in any language.
- Ragdoll
- Rework interface
- Visual scripting (v0.1): updated interface and partial documentation.
- Visual scripting (v0.1p2): workshop
- Professional translation of the interface and the page in the store into Chinese
- Creating documentation in a text file
- Record some videos with new interface
- Adding video on vimeo service (for Chinese audience)
- Content update (add content to the workshop)
- Change the page in the store, video, etc.
- Release
- Not humanoid characters
- ...
This is a sample list of scheduled updates. The order of the release of updates may be different. Some updates may not be released in early access.
UDCE goes to the finish line. The approximate time for which these functions will be implemented is very difficult to plan, since the reworking of the interface can take a long time, since future functions will need to be taken into account in order not to repeat the mistake.
And the next update with automatic loading of animations will be released within a week.
If you have problems with the new version, you can upgrade to the latest stable version:
- Find the app in the Steam client
- Click LMB
- Select Properties
- Go to the “Betas” tab (usually the last one)
- Change "default" to "stable"
- Save the changes and wait for the update.
Stable version changed to 0.1.1.2f2