such a cool idea!
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Could use some feedback from everyone as far as multiplayer goes. As it stands there is only one player model with set stats and only one ability. With a lot of arena style games offering multiple classes with different stats and abilities these days, should I consider doing the same for Genobyte?
I could see there being different player models with different physical behavior and stat curves. At the same time games like Halo are fun because it's all about the skill of the player and control of power weapons.
I was even thinking about a siege/capture the flag game type that would play somewhat like a modern MOBA with defensive structures and AI enemies on both sides.
Right now the goal is a multiplayer alpha with one player model and maybe 2 weapons and a simple map. The design of the engine makes adding in new things really easy though.
Just let me know what you guys think about these ideas.
That is a huge plus... Even playing field for everyone. Nobody will have an advantage in the beginning.
Consider upgrade paths. For example I may upgrade my weapons to deal more damage, while you upgrade your engines and avoid most of my shots.
Different modules for the ship may be useful in that situation. Add extra weapon or extra engine, or shields or something... Quake style.
Think about this:
Multiple stage objective... For example, you gather battery modules to power a weapon. Once you gather enough you need to move said weapon to a certain location and protect it from the enemy team. Once at the location you need to enter enemy base and tag it, so the weapon will target the tagged location.
Multiple stage objective. If the enemy destroys your weapon, you will have to rebuild it, while the enemy can take your batteries...
Stuff like that.
You can try something like Rocket League and use intricate level design to make teams score goals in different locations on the map... Making weird levels will force the player to think about using it's movement skills and ramps and stuff in their advantage, especially if you give them only one engine upgrade pickup spawn in the entire map...
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Yeah that's where I was honestly leaning. A big problem I see in a lot of games is that one class will often prove superior in some way. Balancing can help but can also be very time consuming and annoying.
I definitely like this idea. Especially if these upgrades are heavily contested and/or rare on the map.
Yeah the levels are likely to be large anyway due to the mobility of the players. I used to make crazy complex and fun maps in Halo Forge so hopefully some of that skill remains haha. Good news is I do fully intend to have some kind of map editor built in for those wishing to customize the default stuff.
Thanks for the suggestions!
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You are very welcome.
Once the multi-player is up, consider me a tester.
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New player model made about an hour ago and another HUD change. The shield indicator is now top-center and much larger. The ability energy indicator will probably be combined with the minimap.
Kind of on the fence about the player model. I just threw it together in Blender following some random spark of creativity. Let me know your guy's thoughts. I can always revert to the older one.
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Could have both no? Just add a selection screen?
I know you seem to be set on sound for the time being but I'd to contribute if you're in need and would be receptive to some original design.
There will probably be a handful of different player models to choose from for purely aesthetic purposes. So yeah I suppose the older model will be present in some form.
Audio is one of my major weak points when it comes to development. So far I've been making sound effects using VSTs and Audacity for the final touches. I have a collection of royalty free stuff for music but it's far from perfect and I'm definitely open to something original.
Only problem is that I am the only one working on this project with no financial backing of any kind. I do want to set up a Patreon or something to help fund later development but I'm waiting for a moderator response on whether that is acceptable on these forums.
The game is still pretty early in development but if you are interested in contributing feel free to PM me.
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That is common issue. This is why most indie games hire a professional composer.
I would say, treat this as a stepping stone. Use this one to fund the next project you make. Patreon, kickstarter etc are no guarantee of any funding. Just do the best you can without funding. Unless you treat this as a professional career path...
If I set up some kind of funding thing it'd mainly be to just cover small things like a website and a few assets from the store that would improve the quality of the game. There's also the Greenlight fee and stuff. All of this would just be for the final polishing before the game is actually released.
I'll probably end up releasing some of the systems from Genobyte on the asset store as well to bring in some money if Patreon doesn't work or something.
The game is going to be published whether I get funding or not and I definitely don't plan on some crazy 5-6 figure fundraising campaign either. I'll just see how things go over the next few months.
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Yeah... I kinda forgot about those...
Forgot about that too...
I wonder what else I have forgotten...
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Honestly a lot of these things I can cover myself. I've already put a bit of money into some assets like ProBuilder and Sonic Ether's Bloom shader. Having some kind of funding would just be nice but isn't absolutely necessary.
Anyway I'm testing out some low-poly terrain. I feel like it could make things a bit more interesting and detailed. That way maps aren't 100% artificial constructs seemingly floating in a void. This test is just using basic shaded materials for now. I'll probably add some slight surface detail through normal mapping and textures later.
Updated example with normal maps, albedo textures, and some more props.
As always let me know what you guys think.
I really like the low-poly style. Gives it a nice feel. The more time I spend in this thread, the more I'm liking the game!
I'm getting excited to give it a whirl when the alpha comes out.
Sorry if you'd already mentioned this, but do you have any plans for supported platforms? I'm not sure what additional difficulties there would be to make a Linux build, but if it's possible, I, along with a few others (I imagine) on this forum, would be grateful.
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The target platforms will be Windows, Linux, and Mac OS via Steam. I'm probably going to get rid of Nvidia GameWorks and replace it with some other effect to maximize compatibility.
Suppose it's about time I update the main post with some more information haha.
Awesome! Glad to hear it.
Eh, more info is always nice, but if you're anything like me, you're way too busy to do it.
Good decision on gameworks. Not a big fan of it, but I'm not about to boycott a game because it's used.
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I just used it initially out of curiosity but I'm not a fan of Nvidia as a company lately. I might try and incorporate GPUOpen or just rewrite the built in SSAO in C++ to speed it up a bit.
I just wish they were more open. They're not what I would call an "apple level" company, but they're pretty close.
rewrite the built in SSAO in C++
what's it currently written in? Python?
It's written in C# while the Nvidia solution calls back to a native DLL. On average the built in runs about 20-30 FPS slower on my GTX 1070. I'll have to take a better look at it to see what I can do as far as optimization.
Is that big? I haven't spent much time looking at C# performance metrics. 20-30 FPS difference isn't much if you're getting 250 FPS. If you're getting 80, it's a much bigger difference.
Are you using DX12 or Vulkan? I'm not sure about the implications of building Vulkan into the game, but it may be an interesting option if you're that concerned about performance.