Dev talk #1

Hi!

Today, I want you tell you about dev progress, but not like in changelog or new feature announcement. I want, well, just talk about what I'm doing. 

So, let's start with present day. This morning, I started to migrating a whole lot of functions from one of the core scripts - Game Controller to other scripts. But everything started with player controls. I have created brand new script - Player Input that holds every player control (manual or AI). This script sends data to old player controler.

This way, I can have one prefab with two scripts (later, I needed separate prefab for single, coop and versus player models) that can be quickly changed and upgraded, and because reworked Game Controller is responsible for telling a player object, which player (single, coop, versus and in future - online) it is, I don't need to remember to change settings in every player every time I apply changes to player prefab.

Because of changes I mentioned above, I needed to clean-up game controller and make new controller-like objects: GUI controller and audio controller. GUI controller still needs some tweaks to boost its efficiency and audio controller will be developed in future, when I will be implementing new music and reworking sound.

But for now, I will focus on those damn textures. I also need to implement local co-op to the end. I need GUI panel for co-op player to display his stats. I am also going to create friendly AI to play with.

What about multiplayer? Not very soon. First thing I need to add is account management and stats and options saving. Then, I will be thinking about some kind of a multiplayer.

ps. I just have started messing with sql databases ;-)

Surprise update!

Breaking news! New The Tanks version is ready to play! But remember, it's still development build so it's going to be bugged as hell. You can test the game here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/q1dt0c2sf8nds8g/0.61a.html

Versus game mode is fully playable. For now, you can challenge an AI opponent, but soon you will be able to play with your friend locally (and hopefully online). A lot of new features has been added to new build. You can customize your tank and fight in overhauled desert environment.

You can play one campaign mission. Campaign is rather a placeholder, than a complete game mode, but it's not my priority now. Saving statistics has been reworked. It now saves stats correctly and saving depends on active game mode.

A lot of smaller changes has also been implemented. I will be focusing on textures and bugfixing the following week. I need to do a lot of small fixes in code. Player management, GUI and a lot of smaller scripts has been rewritten. Now, the game (almost) fully support multiplayer, I just need to add co-op player GUI, menu options and some minor tweaks.

Player weapon code rework and texturing

Hi!

I have been working on improved player weapons system lately. Now weapon controls is handled by turret element not by player controler script. What does it mean? Flexibility. I can easily make animated weapon structures (such as minigun) and add them as player weapons. I have also added recoil that affects accuracy - see the screenshot bellow.

I have also finished UV for laser turret and applied some simple textures. In a next copule of days I will focus on bugfixing, some minor tweaks and I will spend some time on polishing the textures. I need also to make some gameplay videos, good screenshots etc.

Stay in touch, because new update will be released very soon!

New game mode!

Hi!

Today, I want to show you new game mode - Versus. From now on, you can battle AI driven tank in a 1 vs. 1 battle. Yesterday and today, I worked at enemy AI and, well it's quite good. Of course it needs more polishing and I want to teach AI some nice tricks.

I have also reworked GUI a little. Now it displays enemy health and armor. I have also added scoring system to versus mode - every damage dealt is counted as 100 points. I want to add some more victory conditions, because for now there is only one - beat the opponent to death. 

Game mode has it's own menu. You can adjust environment (like in random game, I am going to add some arenas soon), choose your tank and weapon as well as enemy. Now I need to fix some issues, and make textures a little better and... I am ready for new update! So stay sharp and focused, because new release is almost there!

Last but not least - Happy Easter! I hope, those days will be warm, full of love and joy and spend with your family and friend!

Boss texturing and some code rework

Hi!
Today, I started to paint boss texture. But more important, I reworked some parts of the code.

Why? Because, I have to change how game mode is selected. Before that change, there was only one statement randomGame that could be true or false. Now I can add as many game modes as I want. For example... multiplayer! Yes, I am going to add new multiplayer mode - Versus - where two tanks will be fighting on a small arena!

You will be able to play agains AI, or your friend locally on one PC or via internet (this is a little difficult to do - it will take me more time, but it's possible). Stay focused, because lots of new things are comming!

Working on new chassis

Hi!

Today, I was working on new chassis. I have spent a lot of time on unwrapping model. It still need better texture and painting, but at least UV wrap is quite good. I have also added new wheels to chassis, they are of course animated.

I need to finish 2 old meshes - turtle destroyer boss and laser turret. But as you know, Easter is comming and I have a lot to do at home.

New armor system and GUI rework

Hi!

Today, I am focusing on player. I have finished new player chassis and added a possibility to change chassis and turret in game (for example, as a reward from picked up bonus). It works quite well. You can also change a color of your tank! Now I am going to add an option to customize a tank in game menu.

I have also added new armor system. Before, every hit that player has taken removed some of player health. Now health is something like lifes (chances you have before you die for good) and if you get hit, you will lose some of your armor. If you lose all of your armor, your health will be reduced by one (and armor will be set full). You can change your armor, by choosing turret and chassis.

 

Some turrets gives you a bonus to armor and some chassis are lighter (so you move faster) but are more fragile and has less armor. Basic chassis has armor value of 4 - that means you should survive about 4 standard hits and basic turret gives one bonus armor point.

Because of new armor system, I was forced to rebuild GUI. Now its fully scalable to monitor resolution and looks better. I still need to change some texts - like game over and messages.

Modular player tank system

Hi!

I am currently working at modular player tank system. What does it mean? It's simple - you can quickly select player chassis and turret (in future you will be able to select camouflage and color as well). Different turrets shoots different ammunition and some chassis are lighter but faster, where other are heavier (and offer more basic health - in future, basic resistance). Let's look at the turrets now:

 

A) Basic turret - all of you know it well. This turret shoots standard tank bullet with intermediate damage at medium rate of fire.

B) Heavy turret - this turret is heavily armed. It will give a bonus to health (and armor in future) and shoots highly explosive bullets that do a lot of damage at low rate of fire.

C) Laser turret - this turret is light (so it will give you a boost to speed) and shoots new kind (actually old - because laser bullets were made by me at first) of weapon - laser! It's fast, but because of dense atmosphere of earth, it do a little damage.

So choose your turret and roll into the battlefield!

Dev update

Hi!

I have been making some web materials today. I have created buttons and I am still working at new webpage background. I have also signed for a polish indie promotion campaing.

New boss - turtle destroyer - await to be painted. I should finish it tomorrow. Easter is comming and I have a lot to do at home. Thats why my work slowed down a little. I focused on fixing bugs and rewriting the code to be more flexible for me and allows me to add (usually) more features in future.

For example, I started to work at system that allows me to quickly change player turret or chassis. You will be able to customize your tank soon!

I have also added a bunch of new screenshots to ModDB.com. You can watch them here: http://www.moddb.com/games/the-tanks

Space Tactics - awesome indie strategy game by 13branniy

Hi!

Today, I want to tell you a word about upcoming indie game by 13branniy - Space Tactics. This game reminds me hours spend on playing Starsector and I must to say - it looks better! In ST player takes a role of a fleet commander or fighter pilot and fight fiercy space battles!

 

Graphics is minimalistic. Ship models and patricles looks like objects seen on radar screen in command center or in some kind of a tactics simulation. Great idea! I would like to see The Tanks looks at least half as good as Space Tactics one day.

 

But the most important thing is the gameplay - and Space Tactics is designed to give you a lot of fun while fighting enemy fleet! Whether are you a fleet commander or fighter pilot, it's very demanding, but it gives you a lot of satisfaction. Ships can use special abilities and rest assured, you will use them a lot.

The game will be released on mobile platforms and Steam. Check https://twitter.com/13branniy, if you want to stay in touch. You can also check 13branniy devblog on: http://spacetactics.blogspot.com/

 I can't wait to play this game on my PC!

Original concept of War - Original War review

Hi!
This time, I would like to remind you of the classic RTS genre, a genre that it's glorious years has sadly passed. This game is - Original War, the game of Czech studio Altar Interactive, now Altar Games - yes, the creator of the very popular game UFO: Aftershock. Original War is a wonderful mix of strategy and RPG game, where we lead a group of American or Russian soldiers, who are trying to take control of the mysterious mineral (Series C & C bows), where? Exactly!

 

 

Welcome to Siberia!
The game story takes player only 2 million years BC somewhere in the endless wastes of Siberia. Despite the passage of years, graphics has barely grown old. Hand-drawn backgrounds and complex object models, neat special effects (and a great burst of "nuclear" weapon) even today delight the eye of player.

Build my tank
Original War has an incredible feature. Because of a mix of strategy and RPG, you have only limited amount people. Your soldiers are not produced in the barracks here, so you need to take care of every of them. On the other hand, we can construct a whole lot of types of vehicles, because we have the opportunity to choose the individual components of our new tanks, such as chassis, engine, weapons and the driver type. In later stages of camapign we can invent a technology that allows us to replace people with computers, making the game a little easier, because we do not have to worry about the loss of our peole lifes. But still we need to fuel our tanks in time, otherwise they will be only a dead piece of junk.

It was a long, long time ago
In my opinion, Original War is one of the best-routed in the history of gaming ever. You can feel the depth of the story and you can easily identify with the characters of the game. The stories are very complex, the main characters have a rich background. The dialogues are written lightly and with flair. Interestingly, some of the decisions taken at the beginning of the game have an impact on the further course of the game, eg. If you kill your prisoner, he won't be able to free one of our comrades from enemy hands (because he's dead) and at the very end of the game, our comrade does not come to our rescue at a crucial moment of the battle.

Game in the hands of players
After a few years since the release of the game, Altar Interactive has decided to give away the source code and tools in the hands of players (precisely in 2005). And it was a very good decision. Community took care of the patching the errors and fix multiplayer issues. That allowed every willing to create their own missions, and even his own campaign. The programs gives you so much possibilities, that you can even alter the mechanics of the game and, for example, add new graphics of vehicles or buildings, or entire new factions. There was a time, I worked as modder in the Original War coding team and it was the time when almost every multiplayer clan made its own mini-campaigns with teammates as characters to memorise their glory and great victories in Original War contests (this is just a sensation! does players in CS do machinimas about their teams?) I tried to create a good history - a spin-off for American campaign. Community in game is still active and interestingly, despite the 15 years since game release, the latest patch was published on 6 December 2015 and introduced - among other things - support for Steam Workshop!

It's boring to play alone 
So why won't we play a round in Owar? I do not know how it looks like today, but a few years ago, servers were crowded by players. Creating a thousands of game modes, most of which were based solely on honor of the players and were extremely engaging.

So old that no one had heard about it 
Unfortunatelly, the game has not obtained great popularity in the west. But today, in the era of electronic distribution of this reheated pork, but rather a delicious stew tasted anyone who likes really good RTSy. I highly recommend to any fan of good RTS games and the players who appreciate the story.

If you want to play it: http://store.steampowered.com/app/235320/

Turtle Destroyer is rolling

Hi!

Today, I want to announce new boss! It's big, it's bad, it's ugly and it's going to kick your ass, unless you'll learn how to avoid his big gun, two miniguns and missile launchers. But don't worry, he has some weak spots too.

Of course it still need some polishing. I think about its chassis, because I am not sure, if I add wheels or tracks.

I am also working at minigun - weapon model, that will be used, not only by the boss, but also as an turret armament. I want to make it rotate when firing (and I partialy finished it).

Friday update #3

Hi! Today, I have been working mostly at home, but I spent my free time at improving the game. I started to paint land driller and drill crane is ready - the part im most proud of.

I have also textured track wheels.

The boss is starting to look quite good.

 Now, I am going to paint boss turrets and add missing guns and mine throwers.

Environment and models work

Hi!
Today, I have added new environment to spawner generator. I have also started to polishing models textures. For now, I still need to add textures to warcart, boss and laser turret. I think, I will at least do some basic paint today.

 

Player tank turret got new normalmap. Looks quite good for me.

 

That's all for now. Stay in touch, because I have a little surprise for you! If you want more informations, check my blog. You can also look at my other sites:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPIEPYhUxdSyPWgwjAeU3sw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mambagamesstudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MambaGamesS
ModDB: http://www.moddb.com/games/the-tanks
IndieDB: http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-tanks

Game box and other stuff

Hi!

I am currently working on some promotional materials such as game cover, artbook etc. It took me a while, because at first I tried to do everything by myself. After a copule of hours of struggling with blender and gimp, I started to searching the web and I found this webpage: http://boxshot.com/.

It helped me a lot.

 

Yesterday, I have also created two new versions of palm tree and I am going to add them to environment generator today. If everything will go as I planned, I should have small surprise for you tomorrow.

 I am preparing materials for https://www.indiegogo.com/ premiere and polish crowdfunding website: https://wspieram.to/ Why I need your help? I need to get the greenlight licence and pay for some other stuff. It's not much, but every help will be appreciated. And it will be a possibility to get all my future games for almost free, if you decide to give me a chance and support my cause.

Work continues

Hi!

The work continues. I have tweaked a glitch with aiming system that caused error every time player object was destroyed. I have done a lot of things in environment and environment scripts. I have reworked environment generator. It is simpler, faster and less buggy now. I have also normalmapped palm tree and created some presets that are randomly picked up by the generator.

 

I am working at the new truck model to replace the old one. New model is modular and I am now able to quickly create new variations like truck with AA gun, truck with cargo crates etc. I have also added more detailed texture and animated wheels!But new truck still needs normalmapping (I need to paint lights, doors and dome minor details like, mirrors).

New and old truck compare

Unfortunatelly, there was small accident. That's why this post is publiced now, not yesterday. I have removed crazy chemics camper by mistake. And it happend just after I have unwrapped everything :-/ Two days of work vanished in one second.

Player model rework

Hi!

Yesterday, I finally decided to reshape player object a little. I have cut tank turret I have placed it in new mesh. This operation allows me now to quickly change tank turret when player collects a new weapon. It also allows to make turret that actually rotates, but I think it will be only an option, because rotatable turret makes game a lot more easier. Player tank also got new texture (and is not normalmapped yet).

I have also finished palm tree and added some palm variations. Both buildings are also finished, but they missing normal map, because I want to add some details like racks or boxes.

 

I have also added armature to tree stem. It should theoretically allow me to bend stem as I want, but Unity 3d doesn't import Blender's "auto Inversed Kinetics" options and I need to find a way around.

This week plans

Hi!

I want to tell you, what I am actually going to do this week. As I said a copule of days ago, I need to do a lot of painting the following week.

I have created new model of the tree - well palmtree:

I am going to texture it today, because there are two new models of the house:

 

And after adding a palmtree I can start to compose some new environment sceneries. I have also a boss and two turret heads to paint. So stay in touch!

New environment!

Hi!
I have something new for you! I started to work at the environment today and I have made two new house models for the desert scenery!

One of them is already in game. I am fan of Star Wars, that's why I decided to make one of the houses based on Tatooine house style!

Of course I will add some variations of the houses and other stuff like fences and trees. It's time to make desert a little less deserted.

Friday dev update #2

Hi!

I am still a little sick but every day I'm going better. Unfortunatelly sitting in front of a computer make my head ache twice as hard as normal, so I had to limit my time spent at work this week.

What is planned for today? I am going to unwrap and paint the turrets. Well, I need to do a whole lot of painting in the following week. I have added time limit for missile guiding. Smart missiles try to target player only as long as I order them (I started with 1.2 seconds and it looks quite good). Land driller is almost unwrapped, but I need to add mine launchers (models ready) and two guns (blasters) under main deck, because now it shoots blaster shots from nothing.

 

New turret base is textured and needs only a little more polishing. A lot to do in my checklist is about environment. I have some ideas to make levels look better.

New turret and bugfixes

Hi! I have made new turret. It needs texturing, but it's implemented already.

 

I have also fixed some turret-related issues. Turrets should no longer sink into base elements. Moreover, I have rewritten turret script, it is now more flexible and allows me for example add as many shots as I want and choose delay between every shot.

Dev report and Unity 3D rotation script

Hi!
I have to tell you two things. Firstly,  I am texturing the land driller boss. It's unwrapped and now is going to get some fresh paint. Secondly, I have got brand new script for you:

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class AnimationRotator : MonoBehaviour
{

public bool useRigidbody; // chech this if you want to apply rotation force to a rigidbody
public Rigidbody rig; // attach rigidbody you want to constantly rotate

public Vector3 rotationSpeed; // set rotation speed for individual axes
public float rotConst = 50f; // speed multipler for non rigidbody rotation


void Start()
{
if (useRigidbody)
{
rig = GetComponent<Rigidbody> ();
rig.angularVelocity = rotationSpeed;
}
} // this part is designed to apply rotation force to a rigidbody (if rigidbody has some angular drag, it will stop after some time)

void Update()
{

if (!useRigidbody)
{
transform.Rotate (rotationSpeed.x * Time.deltaTime * rotConst, rotationSpeed.y * Time.deltaTime * rotConst, rotationSpeed.z * Time.deltaTime * rotConst);
}
// this rotation is non-rigidbody, it constantly rotates object around designed axes

}
}

Rimworld - space Dwarf Fortress

Hi!

I want to tell you about great indie game developed by Ludeon Studios - Rimworld. The game is a kind of science - fiction colony simulator, but for me it is one of the most brilliant production that appeared in recent years. Why? Because it is the spiritual heir of Dwarf Fortress - I would even venture to say that this is his worthy successor.

In the game of Tynan Sylvester, we are given control of a small group of cosmic survivors who are trying to survive in a very hostile world. We build structures, we plan to land at the farm, we develop extraction of valuable minerals and cutting of trees - in a word, we take care of every aspect of our colony.

The game has a world generator that is heavily inspired by Dwarf Fortress. Our survivors can land on an inhospitable area of ​​the Arctic, where just keeping them alive is a challenge, a welcoming tropical areas, where the only threat is posed by the bandits and tropical diseases, or inaccessible desert, where we will fight to the ubiquitous heat.

Rimworld has a very sophisticated system of fighting and injury. Virtually every part of the body can be injured or damaged, which could lead to a situation where some of our men become crippled and will be worse while performing their duties. The bad beared wounds may intervene infection, and our people can suffer hypothermia and frostbite due to cold. In order to save the lives of our people (and sometimes out of pure greed) we can transplant body parts and bionic enhancements (well, at the beginning just ordinary peg legs in place of shattered limbs).

Colonists can also produce a number of weapons and items, which can then be sold to ocassionally arriving traders. It's highly recommended to equip our people with good weaponn, as the bandits attacking us from the beginning may not be too strong, but their attacks rapidly increasing in intensity and strength.

Colonists must have something to eat. For this, we grow many kinds of plants and hunt animals. It is even possible to use meat from fallen enemies or colonists, however, colonists forced to cannibalism loose morale quickly and leave our village. In order to store food, we should build cold storage, as well as air conditioning, which cools down our buildings on hot days.

The game gives us a lot of opportunities and solutions to the problems in front of us. I love when game gives me complete freedom of action, and the Rim World is perhaps the most sandbox game of all the strategies I know. Games like World Rim and Kenshi are also an inspiration for me - for what? This you will find out soon ...

 In case you want to play yourself: http://rimworldgame.com/index.php?lang=en

Hej!

Chciałbym wam opowiedzieć o grze indie rozwijanej przez Ludeon Studios - Rimworld. Gra ta jest rodzajem symulatora kosmicznej kolonii, ale dla mnie to jedna z najgenialniejszych produkcji jakie ukazały się na przestrzeni ostatnich lat. Dlaczego? Gdyż to duchowy spadkobierca Dwarf Fortress - mógłbym nawet zaryzykować stwierdzenie, że to jego godny następca.

W grze Tynana Sylvestra kontrolujemy małą grupkę kosmicznych rozbitków, którzy próbują przeżyć w dość niegościnnym świecie. Budujemy konstrukcje, planujemy tereny pod gospodarstwa, zlecamy wydobycie cennych minerałów i wycinkę drzew - słowem, dbamy o każdy aspekt naszej kolonii.

Gra wyposażona jest w generator światów wzorowany na tym z Dwarf Fortress. Nasi rozbitkowie mogą wylądować na niegościnnym terenie podbiegunowym, gdzie samo utrzymanie ich przy życiu jest nie lada wyzwaniem, w gościnnej strefie tropikalnej, gdzie jedyne zagrożenie stanowią bandyci i choroby tropikalne i na niedostępnej pustyni, gdzie będziemy walczyć z wszechobecnym upałem.

Rimworld posiada bardzo zaawansowany system walki i obrażeń. Praktycznie każda część ciała może zostać zraniona lub zniszczona, co może doprowadzić do sytuacji w której część naszych podopiecznych stanie się kalekami i będzie gorzej wykonywać swoje obowiązki. W źle opatrzone rany może wdać się zakażenie, a nasi ludzie mogą doznać hipotermii i odmrożeń w wyniku zimna. W celu ratowania życia naszych podopiecznych (a czasem z czystej chciwości) możemy przesczepiać organy, a także wczepiać bioniczne ulepszenia (no dobrze, na początku to zwykłe drewniane nogi w miejsce urwanych kończyn).

Koloniści potrafią też wytwarzać szereg broni i przedmiotów, które potem możemy sprzedać przybywającym okazyjnie handlarzom. Warto się zaopatrzyć w dobrą broń, gdyż atakujący nas bandyci może z początku nie są zbyt mocni, ale ich ataki bardzo szybko przybierają na sile.

Koloniści muszą coś jeść. W tym celu możemy hodować wiele rodzajów roślin i polować na zwierzęta. Możliwe jest nawet przerobienie na mięso poległych wrogów lub kolonistów, jednak zmuszeni do kanibalizmu podwładni szybko się zbuntują i opuszczą naszą osadę. W celu przechowywania żywności warto zbudować chłodnię, a także zbudować klimatyzację, która ochłodzi nasze budynki w upalne dni.

Gra daje nam mnóstwo możliwości i rozwiązań dla piętrzących się przed nami problemów. Uwielbiam gry dające mi pełną swobodę działania, a Rim World jest chyba najbardziej sandboxową ze wszystkich strategii jakie znam. Gry takie jak Rim World i Kenshi są też dla mnie inspiracją - do czego? Tego dowiecie się wkrótce...

W razie gdybyście chcieli zagrać sami: http://rimworldgame.com/index.php?lang=pl