Nov 17, 2016

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

As promised, the last few days has seen a flurry of incremental updates bringing predominantly fixes and visual tweaks.

Feedback on the forums (both Official and Steam) regarding the stuff we should prioritise has yielded a potential change of tactics when we resume the adding of features next week. For more information on that - checkout the 'Player Polls' category over on the Official forums and while you're there, cast your vote!

Update 5.1.1 Change Log

- Updated movement lines and height lines so they are more visible
- Updated lens glare so it's less prominent
- Fixes to Carrier abilities
- Fixes to abilities causing crash

Update 5.1.2 Change Log

- Further stability fixes
- Fixed issue updating group tactical icons
- Fixes to wreckage spawning/despawning

Update 5.1.3 Change Log

- Further tweaks to line visibility
- Fixes to duplicate spawning issue
- Fixes to repeated hull critical warning
- Fixes further to tactical icon refreshing
- Fixes to creating hard group process
- Fixes to ships wiggling about when switching zones

Nov 17, 2016

Overhaul Incremental Updates (to 5.1.3)

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Update 5.1.1 Change Log

- Updated movement lines and height lines so they are more visible
- Updated lens glare so it's less prominent
- Fixes to Carrier abilities
- Fixes to abilities causing crash

Update 5.1.2 Change Log

- Further stability fixes
- Fixed issue updating group tactical icons
- Fixes to wreckage spawning/despawning

Update 5.1.3 Change Log

Nov 12, 2016

Overhaul Update 5.1

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Good news, Update 5.1 is now available.

More massive changes under the hood, the game looks more vibrant as a result

We learnt a few lessons in the transition to 5.1. To address issues with the Linux build we needed to upgrade the core game engine to Unity 5.4.2 - this sadly broke a lot of the shaders and it took over a week to tweak and adjust, and get things back on track.

During that time, Update 5 had introduced some issues but by that point we were too busy with the upgrade to issue hotfixes. In future we're going to do more in-house testing before updates are released slowing things down a little but we'll also put online a 'bleeding edge' BETA branch for those happier to dive into the unknown.

As a result of the Unity upgrade there's another host of performance improvements, particularly on lower spec hardware and we've used the opportunity to brighten the game and give it more contrast so details such as hull customisation aren't lost to overpowering colour grading and darkness.

We've also fixed the bugs reported in Update 5.

As you can likely see, we're not quite done with that yet and will likely spend the next few days tweaking the visuals and bug hunting before continuing to add new features.

Cheers especially for your patience and for all the support and feedback!

Update 5.1 Change Log

- Update: Upgraded to Unity 5.4.2f
- Update: Replaced explosion VFX
- Added: Verbose loading
- Fixed crash switching between zones
- Fixed crash loading turret fire FX
- Fixed medium turrets always on fire
- Fixed large fleet icon onClick action

Nov 12, 2016

Overhaul Update 5.1

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Good news, Update 5.1 is now available.

Update 5.1 Change Log

Nov 3, 2016

Overhaul Update 5 - Tactical Package

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Good news, Update 5 has arrived!

This update focuses on adding the more intricate mechanics that will compliment both the singleplayer and multiplayer experiences.

In particular this update adds Shield Rebalancing, Subsystem Attack Mode, Engine Attack Mode and the Subsystem Targeting Ability. We've also added 20+ audio clips of an AI voice to compliment the UI.

http://shallow.space/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Update-5.jpg
Combat is due to become far more gritty and intense during Update 5.

1. Subsystem Attack Mode
2. Engine Attack Mode
3. Subsystem Targeting Ability
4. Subsystem Targeting Window
5. Shield Widget

Shield Rebalancing

As we hinted before, Update 5 now gives you the ability to 'rebalance' any of the ships shields. You can do this by selecting your ship and clicking on any of the four shield segments of the shield widget (5) to the bottom right of the abilities panel.

This opens up a host of new tactical considerations as simply right-clicking on the enemy to attack them might not be the best option.

Normally, the enemy will come to you if they spot you and let them. Try and position your forces to absorb the assault from a single direction and the power of shield rebalancing will become immediately pronounced. You can then pincer the enemy forces more effectively causing further disruption to their offensive using engine and subsystem attack modes.

Note that you cannot rebalance the shields past their initial maximum.

Engine Targeting

In three dimensional warfare, denying the enemy the ability to move is absolutely critical. You can now target the assailants engines using 'Engine Attack Mode' causing them to vent plasma slowing them down to a crawl.

Engine Attack Mode is only possible when it's shields are down. If the shields are up while this targeting function is active, it will count as a normal attack. If the shields are down, there will be a chance to disable the targets engines and reduced damage will be applied (damage counter shown in yellow.)

Toggle the Engine Attack Mode button to return to Free Attack Mode.

Subsystem Targeting

Any ship can opt to target an assailants external subsystems which presently includes turrets using 'Subsystem Attack Mode.'

If you wish to specify the targeting parameters, that is, the order in which the turrets should be disabled; you should select a Capital ship and use the 'Subsystem Targeting' ability.

Using the ability will bring up a window similar to the Inventory window in which you can click on the turrets to queue them for destruction. In doing so a number will appear indicating their position in the queue. As the turrets are disabled they will automatically be removed from the queue.

Subsystem Attack Mode is only possible when a ships shields are down. It is however possible to assign targeting parameters for your fleet using the Subsystem Targeting Ability when the targets shield are up.

As with all Abilities, the Capital vessel does not need to be in the same Zone (or even orbiting the same planet) to call out target subsystems for the fleet. You must select a context target to use the Subsystem Targeting Ability (click on a AI unit with Capital ship selected.)

If the shields are up while Subsystem Attack Mode is active, it will count as a normal attack. If the shields are down reduced damage (shown as yellow damage counter) will be done to the targets subsystems unless using Precise weapons, in which full damage is done.

Toggle the Subsystem Attack Mode button to return to Free Attack Mode.

BETA Update 5.0 Changelog

- Added shield rebalancing via shield widget (bottom right of ability bar)
- Added attack mode: Free
- Added attack mode: Subsystems
- Added attack mode: Engines
- Added subsystem target window
- Added additional UI and tooltips to support attack types
- Added 20 AI voices
- Added voices to Abilities
- Added engine fire FX
- Added turret fire FX

- Fixed Status' given via Ability don't time out
- Fixes further to stats adjustment calculations
- Fixes to context windows closing on ship destruction
- Fixes to hang if using next/previous buttons in ship config if only one ship present in Zone
- Fixes to position and scale of Turrets on PLC Sadalbari Carrier
- Fixes to petty trade only giving first traded item
- Fixes to rare crash generating Battlecruiser

- Update - removed trading between zones restrictions temporarily to help with testing
- Update - added delay to ability buttons mouse over action
- Update - omidirectional/directional webifier abilities now affect rotation rather than speed

Nov 3, 2016

Overhaul Update 5 - Tactical Package

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Shield Rebalancing

Engine Targeting

Subsystem Targeting

BETA Update 5.0 Changelog

Nov 1, 2016

Dev Ramble #4: Measure of Success

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel

Time to settle back into the proverbial leather couch and let out some more. It’s actually incredibly therapeutic, last time it literally felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders practically from the moment I hit post.

So we concluded that fear is a big motivator to progress this thing.

Seems a little extreme, but everybody is motivated by fear – if we don’t find the means to provide for ourselves or those who depend on us then we perish. So really fear as a motivator is part of the process of being alive.

But then, it’s not the only motivator.

When anyone decides to leave the comfort of their jobs to go at it alone either consciously or subconsciously they decide what it is that ultimately drives them and I think it basically boils down to power, money or success.

I wouldn’t say I was motivated by power.

I’m a Beta male, quite happy to lead but just as happy to follow. I’m also a techy and I find that power gets in the way of the pursuit of knowledge because ultimately, by virtue of the man or his surroundings, power changes people and the way people deal with you and I’m weary of that.

Money is nice, but if I were motivated by cold hard cash I’d have stuck with my day job. No, the more you have the more you spend – it’s relative, I just want to be comfortable.

Then we settle on success.

Some might argue that power and money equals success; life has taught me to be very weary of those people. But, I’m interested in success in its purest form, which is simply to build a quality game.

So how do we define success or quality?

Well we can strive to make the game look and feel the best it can be. Use the potential AAA status as a golden carrot to drive it to making something that is directly comparable to other high budget ventures.

That’s a pretty standard objective and dare-I-say, a bit of a cheap shot.

So what else can we do? Well we can take the subject matter, in this case the RTS as a genre, slice it open from tip to stern, scope out the insides and place them to one side. We can then climb inside the skin and dance around in it, have fun with it, pretend to be it then toss it to one side. Then we look to the pile of innards and we start arranging them in their new form.

You see, it might be enough for most developers to simply pick up a famous RTS and clone it; I have the say the idea of that bores me to tears.

If I look at the list of strategy games I loved, not enjoyed, actually loved; the list is pretty short: World in Conflict, Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, X-Com (originals too) Starfleet Command, Transport Tycoon (really you have to try out that last one, it’s free too search ‘OpenTTD.’)

They are all pretty unique.

They don’t feature the immersion breaking mechanics of somehow building units in 15 seconds and the mindless selection box combat. They don’t adhere strictly to the template and simply sprinkle in something extra over the top.

They are grassroots different, from the base code to the external presentation.

Sadly we don’t really live in those sort of times anymore.

If a game doesn’t play like every other it’s normally damned by critics and Player alike as being ‘unintuitive’ (if it even gets a look in at all.)

So now we find ourselves cherry picking the best parts from the classics; the fluid controls of Homeworld, the concurrent activity of Sins, the consideration of tactics like Starfleet Command, taking all these things and tastefully merging them together.

Originality doesn’t pay in this industry, so we have to be sparing with it.

If I’d farted out another RTS I’d be bathing in cash right now and likely would have finished this a long time ago and looking back, it probably would have been the best option.

But I’m not happy with that, so instead we’re going to be intrepid but have to mimic the classics, because that’s what people recognise and consciously or subconsciously that’s what majority of people want.

Apparently if people are putting ‘looks like Homeworld’ or ‘looks like Nexus’ all over your stuff then you’re doing well.

I suppose like me, you too are inspired by classics and how they changed your lives. Perhaps you were in a bad place and that game was your escape, perhaps you remember being a teen sitting on the bus on the way to school daydreaming of playing, dying to get the day out of the way to get home.

This is how a game should make you feel.

So the measure of success isn’t how many copies we’ve sold (money) or how many people are following us (power,) leave that to the big-boys.

My measure of success is to make something that is visually beautiful, something that endears and reminds us of how games used to be and why we play them, build upon the reasons for such with a degree of originality and unifies it all into a quality product.

Because in the end, no mater how twisted the path travelled, quality always prevails and is therefore the only real tangible measurement of success.

James

Nov 1, 2016

Dev Ramble #4: Measure of Success

Shallow Space - Mawhrin-Skel