Hey Maximum Action fans! I'm super excited to announce the release of MAXIMUM Action v0.90!
This update is packed with a completely overhauled Rooftop level, new AI, optimization and performance fixes, and much more!
Reworked and extended the Rooftop level
I'm happy to announce I've brought on the extremely talented Andrew Niehaus, aka optionalspace to help create levels for the main campaign of Maximum Action!
You may recognize his work from the workshop with his extremely well-crafted levels like Close The Club, Night Streets, and others!
"The Rooftop" has been polished and completed with
lots of destruction, and more detailed environments
new props and glass
enemy helicopters
and a few other surprises ;)
Andy and I put tons of love and care into designing and finishing this level, Andy's attention to detail is awesome and really shows in this completely overhauled level! We hope you all enjoy!
Complete AI overhaul
I finally decided to go back to square one with Maximum Action AI. I have rewritten their behavior from scratch to function as a Finite State Machine (FSM). Taking inspiration from my favorite AI in games, Goldeneye and Half Life, which also have FSM based AI.
You'll see AI dynamically take cover, dodge out of your line of sight, coordinate attacks with one another, roll, dive, lean out of cover, and much more!
My goal was to make Maximum Action feel like arcade classics Time Crisis / Virtua Cop but totally off the rails, and I think I got pretty close!
Other AI Changes/ Performance Improvements
I added pooling to the enemy AI as well, this means that there will be much less stutter when AI spawn in the main campaign as well as the endless mode. The game should run much more consistently and load quicker! Especially for levels like Jungle
Custom levels
All of these new AI features also work in custom levels! You may notice some issues / different behavior with your custom levels. But take this opportunity to remaster/touch up your levels with all of the new props and features! There are still some bugs I am ironing out, so please report if you have any issues or problems!
Detailed Glass Destruction
I developed an entirely new glass destruction system inspired by games like Red Faction and the Duke Nukem Forever 2001 Build!
In levels that feature this new glass, you'll see dynamic bullet holes, shattering, environmental interaction, and even the sounds of glass crunching under your feet when you walk over shattered panes!
And of course, it has been added to the editor! As well as lots of other props and features from this update!
Some bugs
With all of the new changes to the game and new AI systems, there are going to be some minor bugs and glitches with this new update! Please report any you find either on the Maximum Action Discord or here on the steam forums!
Thank you all so much for your continued support, and I really hope you enjoy this new update! I had so much fun developing it, and am so happy to have brought on Andy to help out! -George Mandell
Hey Action Stars! Wanted to share progress on the next update for Maximum Action! Some big things are coming!
Finishing "The Rooftop" Level
The Rooftop is getting a total overhaul with lots of new props and destructibles. Having a lot of fun finishing up this level and there are more surprises coming along with it!
Filing cabinets, computer monitors, fax machines and water coolers, all the necessary items for an action-packed office shootout!
New Glass Effects
Spent a lot of time and got inspired by the glass in the leaked Duke Nukem Forever build so I decided to recreate a similar effect! Now the glass is very reactive and dynamic and can be shot multiple times before shattering!
New AI Behaviours / Reworked AI
Another huge change coming with this update is that I completely reworked the AI from scratch. I am now using a Finite State Machine system similar to games like Goldeneye and Half Life. This allows for complex AI behavior sequences meaning that Maximum Action can become much more cinematic and epic!
AI can dynamically coordinate with one another, take cover, roll, and peek. To create an authentic action movie experience!
Hope you've all been having a great summer and stay tuned for this next Maximum Action update! -George Mandell
All current levels in Maximum Action now have their own unique music thanks to the excellent work of Daniel J. Stimac!
I want to thank Danny for all his hard work and urge you all to go support him! It's been a dream working with him and his music has brought Maximum Action to a whole other level.
From Danny : "I wanted to share with you all my latest video game soundtrack, and dedicate this album to my parents: Sharon Stimac (November 17, 1943 - August 12, 2020) Ray Stimac (August 14, 1943 - January 27, 2022)"
You can buy it on iTunes or check it out on Apple Music:
"Arctic Agony (feat. Çağdaş Oruç on Tenor Saxophone & Jordan Smallwood on Drums)"
Arctic Agony is an absolute chiller track that fans of Goldeneye will love!
Jungle Judgement
"Jungle Judgement (feat. Çağdaş Oruç)"
Jungle Judgement is a groovy track in homage to classics like Commando and Predator. With lots of smooth 80's saxophone!
Icy Justice
"Icy Justice (feat. Çağdaş Oruç)"
Icy Justice is another track for colder climates, coming soon for an Arctic Endless level!
Over Easy
"Over Easy (feat. Çağdaş Oruç)"
Over Easy, one of my personal favorites, is an excellent homage to Hard Boiled and the work of Michael Gibbs. With a unique Maximum Action flair! Playing the hospital level (Boiled Action) will feel more immersive than ever before!
Endless
"Maximum Action Endless (feat. Çağdaş Oruç & Jordan Smallwood)"
Endless Levels now have their own theme, a great medley of all the tracks in the game with the awesome Mega Mean bass line to drive it all! Check it out in the updated Lobby Endless level!
Updated Lobby Endless
Lobby Endless has been improved and redone with complete destruction and a more accurate and detailed environment.
Destructible pillars, walls, and guns, lots of guns! I tried to keep a layout similar to the original endless level but also more accurate to the scene this level is based on. "Holy Sh*t!"
I worked hard to make as much of the level destructible as possible! I hope you all enjoy.
Editor Improvements
Trigger System You can now use trigger objects in the Editor to hide, reveal and destroy objects.
New Objects added More objects from the main levels of Maximum Action have been added! Primarily lights and physics props so you can bring more mayhem to your custom levels!
Other trigger objects, out of bounds trigger, navigation obstacle Further, other gameplay tools have been added, such as an Out Of Bounds trigger, and AI navigation obstacle. This way you can put limits on where the player and enemies can go!
New levels will also be coming soon! So excited for this new year and all the new content I have planned! Thanks so much for all of your support and hope you all had a happy new year!
You may have noticed that with the release of the 0.79 update, the Maximum Uploader stopped working.
YOU CAN NOW ACCESS THE UPLOADER IN-GAME.
I will eventually remove the Maximum Uploader from the game startup. All future workshop uploading and updating will be done from within Maximum Action.
I just released a patch that adds the weapon uploader functionality into the new editor, so now you can upload both weapons and levels from within Maximum Action! No more separate applications for uploading to the Steam Workshop!
Simply click the upload or update on Steam Workshop buttons in the scene creator to access the uploader.
Also, this patch fixes and adds some other small changes: *Fixed bug with Jungle Tank Boss being stuck *Adjustments made to AI attack animations so they are more consistent *Changed the endless mode music to the new track "Mega Mean"
You'll notice a spooky surprise waiting for you in the main menu!
NEW EDITOR
The 0.79 Update brings an entirely overhauled level editor with lots of new features, even importing your own 3d models and music! Also new tracks from the one and only Daniel J. Stimac! All just in time for Halloween! :)
New User Interface and Gizmos
The editor has been improved with simple and easy to use UI as well as fully functional translation, rotation and scale gizmos.
Full Lighting Controls
Adjust full lighting settings in your custom scenes, from skyboxes and shadows, to directional, point, and spot lights
Group Object Selection And Deletion
Simply hold shift + click to select multiple objects or press Delete to delete them, or Ctrl + D to duplicate!
Import 3D Models and Music
You can now import 3D model files of type .FBX and use them in your custom levels!
You can also import music files of .wav into your levels!
Workshop Support
All this with full Steam Workshop Support! Upload and share your levels easily!
NEW MUSIC
Awesome new tracks have been added to the Maximum Action Soundtrack by the great Daniel J. Stimac
Mega Mean
New Music for Mean Streets
Tea Time
New Music for The Teahouse
Rooftop Ruffians
New music for Rooftop
Temple Trauma
New music for the dojo endless level
Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoy this update and have a happy Halloween! Can't wait to see what you all create with the new editor!
0.78.1 Gun and Blood Update brings a lot of much needed fixes and polish to the core gameplay of Maximum Action!
Aiming Down Sights
Aiming Down Sights on all weapons has been fixed to correctly line up with the center of your screen.
This affects mod weapons as well, (some mod weapons may now be slightly misaligned).
The good news is mod weapons now support custom Aim Down Sights positioning, simply create an empty object in your custom gun model named "adsCameraPosition" and this will be the place the camera goes when you aim down sights on your custom weapon. No more manually adjusting the offset in the XML file!
You can also now set the position of the barrel, where muzzle flash effects will be emitted from, by creating an empty object named "barrel"
New Gun Effects
Gun smoke effects when firing have gotten a total overhaul. With effect detail set to MAXIMUM, guns will overheat when firing rapidly and expel smoke from the barrel and chamber when your gun runs empty.
Some mod weapons may need barrel realignment, either create an empty object in your FBX file named "barrel" which will update the gun barrel smoke position to be aligned with your custom weapon, or simply disable the overheat smoke particles in your custom weapon's XML file by setting <disableOverheatSmoke> to true.
Further multiple other small gun bugs have been fixed, such as the lasers on the silenced mp5 and 1911, and the left hand blocking your view when you aim down sights with the single action revolver.
Improved Blood
The blood effects in the game have also seen quite some improvement, with blood detail set to MAXIMUM the game will use much more accurate projectors for the blood and wound decals on enemies.
Further the particle effects have recieved some added detail with smoke and sparks.
Ragdolls
The active ragdoll animations and physics have been overhauled with unique death animations for where you shot a character and lots of fixes/polish to their joint physics for more smooth and weighty reactions.
There are still some bugs but overall they feel much more alive and will attempt to keep their balance while you're shooting them!
Lighting and Optimization
A few levels have had some adjustments made to their lighting, mainly the Hospital in Boiled Action, Mean Streets, and The Teahouse.
Further, Jungle has recieved some further optimization which should increase the framerate in most parts of the level, and hopefully lower the long load times and crashing. Also, the tank turret now automatically follows your mouse rather than having to be turned manually using 'A' and 'D'.
- Can now enter vehicles using the use key 'F' - Optimizations made to the new jungle level, should run/load faster - Re-added missing cheat statues to Restaurant and Shooting range - Rigidbody props will be frozen while in the level editor