The on-going space voxel project by the six sibling studio, ZanMgt! A labor of love, Blockade Runner is an ever-evolving development that's currently undergoing a major engine overhaul to provide a solid foundation for the game's bi-weekly builds. We've found the bi-weekly builds to be an enjoyable and healthy development cycle and are anxiously preparing the game for their return!

Post news Report RSS Todays Progress! Humanoid movement, Multiplayer tests and more!

After much deliberation, we've decided that both humanoid movement and multiplayer should be the focus of the next week (and beyond)! This is a very exciting time for us, where months of pre-planning (well planned is half done after all) are finally put to action!

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TODAY'S PROGRESS REPORT!

After much deliberation, we've decided that both humanoid movement and multiplayer should be the focus of the next week (and beyond)!

This is a very exciting time for us, where months of pre-planning (well planned is half done after all) are finally put to action!

Zack

Worked with Gabriel on passing the data of large .BRD's. It was Super Effective!

Aaron

Discussed with an old modding colleague some mathematics regarding collision stress for Blockade Runner's ships.

I'd also like to thank MushroomDynamo, Komrade, Cy83r, McNeil, and Yolan for helping us test rapid builds and diagnose the crash-on-start-up issue! For anyone with the "-loading models" crash in their log.txt, keep an eye out for the next update for a possible fixed version!

PRIORITY VOTE

The last priority vote for supporters was regarding major features, this time we'd like for everyone to order minor issues by their importance to improving Blockade Runner!

- You do not have to fill out all of them, top 5-10 will do!
- Only supporters are counted in our priority sorting app!

A - Make Plating/Interiors appear around prefabs
B - Editor easier to use
C - Editor menus cleaner
D - More editor hotkeys (i.e. tools like symmetry etc)
E - Editor tool belt (assign blocks / tools to 1-9 keys)
F - Prefabs made less irritating to place
G - Externalize text ( game's in-game text made editable from .xml files [ allows for translation ] )
H - Fix Alt+Tab causing crashes
I - Remove Symmetry glitches (specify)
J - Remove plating glitches (specify)
K - Improve framerate with larger ships
L - Add mipmaps (no more grainy ships from far away)
M - Add shadowmap (directional light casts shadows across the outside of the ship!)
N - Add more frame angles ( 22.5 degrees, 11.25 degrees, and more!)
O - Add glass ( plates of glass in numerous angles )
P - Overall Presentation (spit & polish)
Q - Sound Effects (improved 3d sound effects)
R - Patch Updater (you no longer have to download new copies)
S - Simpler to use Interior Editor (point and click easy)
T - Interior tiles working on angles better
U - Control over which interior tiles are placed
V - Add tool to take screenshots in-game
W - Ship previews in the loading screen centered properly
X - Bug fixes (specify)

If you'd like to vote, go ahead and post in this thread your activated Blockade Runner username, followed by your comma-seperated order of importance to improving Blockade Runner:
Example: Aaron, A , D, C

If we're missing some minor items, you think should be on the list, let us know!

- Aaron

Nathan

Worked with the Jitter Physics library to introduce humanoid movement into Blockade Runner's complex geometry voxel environment! So far, so good; A standalone test performed very well (exceeding expectations), the next step is implementation the tested mechanics into Blockade Runner!

Micah

Started modeling some basic furniture for BR, things like chairs, tables, and doors. After doing some of the more weird objects it was nice to model basic things.

Cantina style.

Also been playing some GoldenEye 64 to get some low poly furniture inspiration!

- Micah

Gabe

Worked with Zack on multiplayer netcode! All systems are go for an initial test of two ships flying around each other tomorrow!

... however Gabriel was instructed once again to suspend the new and improved Interior Editor.

Terah

So, I had worked on the monitor and table yesterday and got totally stumped on the new table prefab. Imagine my frustration when I've made WAY more complex textures. >:[ One of the reasons why I got stuck was because Micah had been using a different modeling process to reduce the amount of polygons and, in doing so, the UV's were a lot different then what I am used to.

As you can see above, Micah made some bad choices for UV's ;). At the time he was busy with making other “brilliant” things so I decided to just deal with it.

Another reason why I got stuck was BECAUSE I had been dealing with a lot more complicated styles and designs (compared to a table, anyways). So whenever I'd try something more with this, it just wouldn't come out right so finally, Micah told me to just keep it simple and stay with it and, lo and behold, it worked!

I still don't like it but it was closest I got to a 'thumbs up' from my art critic upstairs. *points at head* :P

The monitor, now that was fun. After I messed around with the table for a bit, I went on to the monitor and finally found something I could flow with.

The little scribbles was fun to do and trying to get the right positions for everything was nice and challenging compared to the table. Afterward, I had gone back to the table to finish the sucker and got done with it in about 15 minutes. AFTER I had spent about 3 hours on it before.

Believe me when I say I am ashamed by that. x)

- Terah

Post comment Comments
ChromeWing
ChromeWing - - 3 comments

Multiplayer in development!!! :D

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Cod_Fish
Cod_Fish - - 103 comments

Once the whole player character/multiplayer is finished you can consider this purchased.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
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