Soul Saga - Dev Diary 1 to 31 news

This is a dump of the Dev Diary I have been hoarding for the past 31 days. This diary does not contain the thousands of hours I've previously spent learning how to create Soul Saga ( both art and programming related), the human resource management I've had to do with the various people I've outsourced from, the previous version I was working on, or basically any of the other crazy stuff I have to do to get this game done.

This only measures my time spent from the first day I began coding the build that will lead to the final Soul Saga product. I also didn't log human resource time (labeled Project Management in the diary) until a few weeks in. Since it sucks up so much time to test and give revision feedback, I eventually found it necessary to include it in the diary. I plan to include a screenshot in every Dev Diary.

I will not use last names of contractors I work with for the benefit of their own security.

The formatting is (from left to right):
Total days into the project.
The date.
The Day of the week.
How many hours was spent working on Soul Saga this day.
The total hours spent on the project so far.

This month I have averaged

71.5 hours a week

working on Soul Saga.

Day 1 (2013/01/29 Tu) 8 hrs. (8)

• Implemented basic camera following of focused character.
• Implemented prototype movement.

Day 2 (2013/01/30 W) 10 hrs. (18)

• Implemented basic actor movement.
• Implemented basic animation state machine.
  • Switches between Out of Combat running and Idle.

Day 3 (2013/01/31 Th) 12 hrs. (30)

• Implemented prototype ally and enemy system.
• Implemented highlighting system that swaps shaders on actors who are hovered over.
  • Ally, neutral, and enemy actors have different color highlights.


• Implemented basic moving and rotating towards an enemy is they are clicked on.
  • Preparation for tomorrow’s implementation of basic auto attacking.

Day 4 (2013/02/01 F) 5 hrs. (35)

• Implemented auto attacking that scales with attack speed stat.
• Extended the animation state machine to include in combat animations.
  • One Handed Sword Attacking and Idle.

Day 5 (2013/02/02 Sa) 9 hrs. (44)

• Implemented prototype auto attacking damaging and death system.
• Implemented asset pooling system.
  • Added combat text to pooling system.


• Implemented prototype GUI Manager system.
• Implemented Floating Combat Text.

Day 6 (2013/02/03 Su) 5 hrs. (49)

• Implemented AI prototype for combat.
  • Auto attacks nearby enemies.
  • Allies help other allies fight neutrals.
  • If an actor takes damage from any source, and they are not currently targeting anything else, then they will fight back.

Day 7 (2013/02/04 M) 8 hrs. (57)

• Added human actors to pooling system.
  • Extended Pooling System to allow instantiating of more models if out of pooled objects.


• Started working on outfitting implementation.

Day 8 (2013/02/05 Tu) 12.5 hrs. (69.5)

• Created new capes and rigged them.
  • Sent to animator so animations could continue.
  • Old capes were having clipping issues and bottlenecking animations.


• Finished basic outfitting implementation.
• Changed art asset names to match new naming convention.
• Created more meshes for Hair and Hat combinations and skinned them.
• Fixed skinning issues with several meshes.
• Started adding clothing combinations to database.
  • Started with hair and hat combinations.

Day 9 (2013/02/06 W) 8 hrs. (77)

• Continued adding more human clothing combinations to database.
  • Finished hair and hat combinations and started on gloves variations.


• Edited the outfit database code.
• Created helper classes to aid when reusing and changing art asset file names
  • Makes the code more manageable.

Day 10 (2013/02/07 Th) 9 hrs. (86.5)

• Exchanged emails with animator (Carl) regarding his request to change the project deadline plan.
  • He wants to continue working on them ,but leave the hard stuff for later.
  • I refused the proposal because piling up hard work is not a good idea.


• Seeked consultation on animations and rigging.
• Prepared files for new texture artist to start working.
• Continued adding more human clothing combinations to database.
  • Finished gloves, feet, and legs variations.

Day 11 (2013/02/08 F) 5 hrs. (91.5)

• Exchanged several emails with animator (Carl)
  • It’s starting to look like he won’t have time to work on project, and is becoming demotivated due to hair and cape bones not working how he wants.


• Had meeting with texture artist.
• Finished adding human clothing to outfit database.
  • Finished Torso variations.
  • There will be more clothing of all types to add later as more content is created.

Day 12 (2013/02/09 Sa) 13 hrs. (104.5)

• Got in touch with animators.
• Skinned all glasses and facial hair.
• Created lens tint materials for glasses.
  • Normal, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Purple
  • Had to alter code to deal with a bug in Unity where if two shaders with alpha enabled eclipse each other, the shader on top “randomly” affects the transparency of the object beneath it even though they use different values for the alpha, causing the object beneath to randomly disappear at certain angles.


• Added database check for lens color.
• Created database checks for mustache, beard, and sideburns.
  • Player can customize the combination of each.


• Added Eye colors, Facial Hair, and Glasses to outfit database.
• Researched how to use color swatches for character customization rather than pre-made textures of every color.
• Created a new shader that allowed for RGB masking.
  • Certain parts of outfit piece can have colors altered.
  • Too cool not to implement RGB Masking!

Day 13 (2013/02/10 Su) 9.5 hrs. (114)

• Interviewed for a new animator.
  • Have not heard from current one in about 3 days, and have not received any new animations updates in over 2 weeks.
  • Decided on Fernando for this great portfolio video and flexible pricing.


• Trained texture artist on how to prepare the art files for RGB masking.
• Revamped character customization code to use the new RGB Masking system.
• Started updating art assets to work with RGB Masking system.
  • This is going to take a while...

Day 14 (2013/02/11 M) 5 hrs. (119)

• Started implementing Main Menu.
• Updated a few art assets for the RGB Masking system.
• Researched how to make a color picker with NGUI.

Day 15 (2013/02/12 Tu) 6 hrs. (125)

• Exchanged several emails with animator (Fernando).
  • Sent assets for his review.
  • Fernando approved of the rig.


• Continued researching color picker.
  • Got frustrated and put up a help wanted ad for programmers.
    • The ad covers both issues I foresee in the future and this darn color picker problem.


• Found a programmer to create color picker (Andrew).
  • Gave him WIP code and informed him of known information.


• Got new animator setup to start working.
• Tested and integrated the finished Color Picker Class delivered from outsourced Programmer (Andrew).
  • Completion time took ~3.5 hours.

Day 16 (2013/02/13 W) 12 hrs. (137)

• Came to a tentative milestone agreement with animator (Fernando).
• Integrated the color picker into the Character Customization.
• Continued working on Character Customization interface.
  • Implemented basic Skin Color, Eye Color, Hair Style and Colors, Hats and Colors.


• Prepared some more art assets for the RGB Masking.
• Talked with programmer (Andrew) regarding the specifications for the Random Maze Generator.

Day 17 (2013/02/14 Th) 7 hrs. (144)

• Communicated additional specifications with new animator (Fernando) and finished setting him up with art assets.
  • Fernando should officially be starting the first milestone of animations now.
  • Previous animator (Carl) officially quit project.


• Received four new textures for the Army Hat With Goggles model from texture artist (Aiken).
  • Gave feedback for revisions and implemented current versions.


• Finished implementing Facial Hair, Hair, and Hat character customization windows.
  • Can now change sideburns, beard, mustache, hair, and hat.
  • Prepared all of the facial hair, hat, and hair style textures for the RGB Masking
  • Skin and eye color customization prototype menu ported to new code.


• Updated website
  • Release date changed from March 2013 to Q4 2013.
  • Updated Soul Saga information page to remove obsolete information and add information regarding procedurally generated content.
  • Came across a scary issue where Disastercake.com’s Wordpress database looked like it got corrupted, but it fixed itself in time.

Day 18 (2013/02/15 F) 5.5 hrs. (149.5)

• Went over additional programmer resumes.
• Started writing draft for blog post.
  • Not planning to post until a half decent gameplay video is ready.


• Communicated with texture artist (Aiken).
  • Cleared up miscommunication on milestone pricing and paid him.


• Backed up Disastercake.com website.
  • Due to yesterday’s scare.


• Cleaned up some backend stuff on the website.
• Updated the Working Man’s Hard Hat texture with revised version.
• Implemented gender changing into character customization.
  • Updated female texture to be compliant with RGB Color Masking.


• Implemented Clothing Customization UI.
  • Shirt, gloves, pants, and shoes can now be customized.

Day 19 (2013/02/16 Sa) 13 hrs. (162.5)

• Received refund from previous animator (Carl) for unfinished work.
• Communicated with texture artist (Aiken) on importance of only using Unity to test and not 3D modeling software.
• Programmer (Andrew) reported research progress on random maze generator.
  • Also came to pricing agreement.
  • Set delivery date of next weekend (approximately 7 days from now)


• Cleaned up texture filenames.
• Updated ALL clothing textures to be compliant with the RGB Masking system.
  • Textures will need to be polished later.


• Added a character name input field, back button, and done button to character creation menu.
• Done button will spawn the character into the world, and give player control.

Milestone 1 Complete!
Character Customization Prototype

Day 20 (2013/02/17 Su) 9 hrs. (171.5)

• Gave milestone prototype build to texture artist (Aiken) and animator (Fernando).
  • Helps give them a better idea of how the game will flow.


• Received animation drafts from animator (Fernando).
  • Consisted of Unarmed Out Of Combat Idle, Unarmed Out Of Combat Walk, Unarmed Out Of Combat Run
  • Gave feedback.


• Added input validation to character name.
  • Only letters and spaces can be used. Maximum 13 characters.


• Designed spec concept for skill system.
• Imported stock particle effects into project for use in the skill system.
• Implemented prototype skill system.
  • Single projectile fireball skill.
    • Skill can be created, used, and kills any enemies on contact.
    • Customization variables in but not working.

Day 21 (2013/02/18 M) 10 hrs. (181.5)

• Project Management
  • Communicated additional information with animator (Fernando).
    • Received new drafts for Idle, Run, and Walk Unarmed OOC.
      • Did not have time to test today.
  
  
  • Received 3 witch hat variations from texture artist (Aiken).
    • Did not have time to test them today.
  
  
  • Had short update meeting with programmer (Andrew) regarding procedurally generated maze code.
    • Progress reported as good and to be completed by this upcoming weekend (5-7 days from now).
    • Received Email that programmer (Andrew) has already finished and thoroughly tested the maze generator, and will send the build tonight. (6 days ahead of schedule, ended up being a 10 hour project)
      • Tested the build, gave critiques, found bugs.
      • Received altered build within the hour.
  
  
  • Kickstarter planning and drafting.


• Asset Pooling System.
  • Extended the code to allow for skill effect pooling.
  • Fixed a major bug in the Human Actor pooling system.


• Skills
  • Implemented cooldowns.
  • Implemented dealing actual HP based damage based on the caster’s power and the skill’s modifier.
  • Fireball
    • Explosion effect is spawned on impact.
    • Disabled projectile if range is reached.
    • Can determine it’s special effect particle type.
      • Currently have ice and fire implemented.


• AI
  • Determines if a skill can be cast at a target and will cast if so.
    • Only implemented skill shot skill types so far.
  
  
  • Added dynamically assigned aggro ranges for actors.
    • Allows different actors to have different aggro ranges.


• Menu
  • Implemented escape key to open up in-game menu.

Day 22 (2013/02/19 Tu) 8 hrs. (189.5)

• Project Management
  • Gave revision feedback to texture artist (Aiken) regarding Starstruck hat (received yesterday), and Melody hat (received today).
  • Gave revision feedback to animator (Fernando) regarding yesterday’s animation submission and today’s.


• GUI
  • The game will no longer interpret gameplay input from the player when the menu is active.
    • This was to fix issues where the buttons used in the menu, like clicking, were causing the player’s character to take in game actions, like moving.
  
  
  • Implemented a “silent” breadcrumb system where the menu manager is able to keep track of the order menus were opened, and reopen them based on that when pressing back buttons. *Keeps code cleaner so menus can open/close dynamically
    • Implement escape to also act as a back button.
    • Ported and cleaned up existed code to new system.
  
  
  • Fixed a bug with color picking where switching outfit pieces would require you to click a color button again.
  • Implemented the dressing room in-game. It can be accessed via the main menu.
    • Changing the character’s outfit will update it in real time.


• Outfits
  • Added the 3 witch hat variations (received yesterday) and the 1 picture hat variation (received today) from texture artist (Aiken) into outfit database.


• Environments
  • Added a skybox to the main camera.

Day 23 (2013/02/20 W) 15 hrs. (204.5)

• Project Management
  • Gave feedback on Maze Generator to programmer (Andrew).
    • Considering using multiple algorithms for each in different map types, like indoors or deserts.
  
  
  • Invested in some stock art assets.
    • Current realistic environment looks very bad with the character designs, so purchased new cartoon styled environmental assets from the Unity Asset store.


• Skills
  • Added a flat (base) damage modifier for skills, so they are not only based on a % of power.
    • Should allow for skills to scale well with level, encouraging players to keep looking for new skills as they progress.
  
  
  • Added levels to skills.


• Dungeon
  • Implemented the maze generator code (created by Andrew).
    • Made appropriate edits to work with main codebase.
  
  
  • Created Prototype maze pieces for two different potential systems.
    • One with smaller pieces for each major section.
    • One with a single piece for every major section.
  
  
  • Extensively stressed tested both systems.
    • Found that unity seems to support the single object for each maze section MUCH better.


• GUI
  • Pressing done at start menu will now load the character into a randomly generated maze.


• Debugging
  • Created a benchmarking class to help measure the time it takes certain code to run.

Day 24 (2013/02/21 Th) 13.5 hrs. (218)

• Project Management
  • Received several hat variations from texture artist (Aiken)
    • Not enough time to test today.
  
  
  • Received animation revisions from animator (Fernando).
    • Not enough time to test today.


• Stress Testing
  • Got a few people to stress test the current prototype build.
    • Seems to run fine, but it was tested on all Windows machines that were average to high end gaming machines.


• Actors
  • Created Preset character outfits for use in spawning NPCs in dungeons.
  • If an actors max health is reduced below the current health, the current health will lower to the same amount as the max health.
  • Implemented the stat allocation system.
    • Each level a character has gained is a point. These points are divided among the three base stats of health, power, and haste based on a percentage to each one (allocation). The point allocations can be no less than 1% per stat, and must total 100%. Example: Health 60%, Power 25%, Haste 15%.
      • Health is multiplied again by 10 to get the total maximum health.
  
  
  • Implemented a stat allocation randomization for use with NPCs.
    • Randomly allocates the 100 percentage points among the 3 stats, making sure to be no less than 1, and not to sum greater than 100.
  
  
  • Basic attack cooldowns now take the Haste stat into consideration.
    • Effectiveness of each point of haste scales down with level.
  
  
  • Implemented a publicly available diminishing returns algorithm.
    • Slightly edited the base code.
    • Retrieved from: Lostsouls.org.
  
  
  • Skill cooldowns now take Haste into considerations. Skill cooldown reduction utilizes diminishing returns, and caps at 100%.
    • Effectiveness of each point of haste scales down with level.
    • To reach 100% requires the user to equip pure Haste items and set their allocation to 90% haste.
      • This would result in a player becoming both ridiculously weak, and fragile, encouraging a balance of stats.
  
  
  • Implemented a global .5 second cooldown on all equipped skills after a skill has been cast.
    • Commonly used in games to prevent instant stacking of skills by pressing 2 or more buttons at the same time.


• UI
  • The character customization actor now starts with preset hair and clothing with coloring, instead of just being bald and naked.


• Dungeons
  • Implemented enemy spawning
    • When starting the game, the dungeon will populate enemies onto all enemy spawn points.
  
  
  • Updated 2 out of 15 total forest maze pieces with new textures and enemy spawn points.

Day 25 (2013/02/22 F) 9.25 hrs. (227.25)

• Project Management
  • Gave revision feedback to animator (Fernando) on 3 spell cast animations submitted today.


• Actors
  • Extended the randomized stat allocation formula to accept a minimum value to allow for more balanced NPCs.
    • Especially useful for things like bosses, which shouldn’t have 1 HP, and even basic enemies so they are not silly weak in certain stats.
  
  
  • Basic attacks now show a small impact particle effect.
  • Actors will now level up if they slay an enemy who is their level or higher.
    • Upon leveling up, a particle effect and sound will play.
  
  
  • Reduced the health modifier to 10 (from 5).


• Dungeons
  • Updated 10 of the 13 remaining forest maze pieces with new textures and enemy spawn points.
  • Fixed a bug in the enemy spawning that wasn’t using the correct method for creating new actors.


• Stress Testing
  • Came to conclusion that objects that are off screen must be manually culled, even though camera shouldn’t be attempting to render them, or the animation engine calculating the skinning.
    • Will need to write a system that turns off meshes of enemies that are off screen.
  
  
  • 9x9 maps appear to be the best option for performance to fun ratio.

Day 26 (2013/02/23 Sa) 7 hrs. (234.25)

• Project Management
  • Gave feedback revisions on animations received 2 days ago from animator (Fernando).
  • Cancelled project with texture artist (Aiken)
    • Most of the work was just not in the correct style for Soul Saga, the textures are an extra feature and not critical to Soul Saga, and the testing and implementing of these incorrect and unnecessary assets was taking too much time away from developing critical features.
    • Spent a couple hours testing the assets received the other day before making this decision.


• GUI
  • Implemented the skill HUD.
    • Made it so that when you click on a skill, the click doesn’t register as a move command to the location under the button.
    • A black mask rises and falls over the icon to represent cooldown.
    • Text denoting remaining cooldown displays over the skill’s icon when on cooldown.

Day 27 (2013/02/24 Su) 5.5 hrs. (239.75)

• UI
  • Skills now have their own unique icons. These icons are displayed in the skill HUD.
    • Have a fireball, iceball, and question mark (for default debugging) implemented.
  
  
  • Implemented skill tooltips and string generator.
    • Invoked simply by moving cursor over skill icons.
    • Dynamically generates a tooltip based on the skill’s name, it’s base power, it’s variable power (percentage of actor’s power), and it’s particle type (ice, fire ,etc).


• Dungeon
  • Dimensions of dungeon are now randomized on dungeon load, unless specified through the parameters.

Day 28 (2013/02/25 M) 8.25 hrs. (248)

• UI
  • Skill icon cooldown mask no longer scales with remaining duration.
    • There is a bug with the NGUI slider that is basically not giving a correct estimate on the remainder visually. The number countdown is good enough.


• Environment
  • Made the grass texture darker so that characters stood out better.


• Items
  • Implemented items into the game.
    • Prototype item generator implemented.
    • Prototype item tooltip generator implemented.


• GUI
  • Implemented Inventory.
    • Can move items around inventory.
      • Clicking an item, then clicking a slot places it in that slot, if there is already an item in that slot, then it will move the item in the selected slot to where the original item came from.
      • Right clicking after clicking an item will deselect it and place it back in the inventory.
  
  
  • Implemented Equipment.
    • Can equip items from inventory.
    • The skill inside the equipment piece enables on equip.
      • The location a player equips the item determines where the skill will display on their skill bar.
    
    
    • Implemented a “cheat guard” that prevents the player from swapping out an equipment piece whose skill is on cooldown.


• Game Design
  • Skills
    • Skills are now contained inside items.
      • Decided on this because I have not seen this type of system before. I feel that if it is properly executed it could be an interesting detour from the generic and simple “Does this item have bigger numbers?” mechanic found in every other game’s equipment systems, and also encourage the player to use new skills.
      • Equipping an item will add the contained skill to the toolbar. Un-equipping the item will remove it from the toolbar.

Day 29 (2013/02/26 Tu) 12.5 hrs. (260.5)

• Project Management
  • Gave revision feedback to animator (Fernando) for animations received today.
    • Animations were 3 spell casts: Normal, channel, and instant cast..


• UI
  • Added weapon customization to the Dressing Room.
    • Can equip any combination of one handed weapons.
    • Choosing a two handed weapon in the main hand will result in the offhand weapon not displaying.
  
  
  • Inventory
    • Right clicking will automatically equip or unequip an item if there is room in the appropriate slot.


• Actors
  • Fixed a bug that caused all actors to share the same materials when instantiated.
  • Added the Imp Enemy to the game.
    • Integrated with the existing code after some alterations to how actor spawning and animations worked.
    • Can Idle, run, and attack. Current AI is working.
  
  
  • Added Instant cast animation to humans.
    • When a skill has no cast time, the instant cast animation is played.
    • The actor will turn in the direction they are casting.


• Backend
  • Altered all code that used default values in method parameters to use overridden methods instead.
    • Attempted to run Monodevelop step-through debugger, and it would not let me debug when any method had default parameters because Unity does not support .NET 4.0. ….Seriously?
  
  
  • Implemented an animation management system.
    • Determines the correct animation names based on the actor’s race and the weapons equipped.

Day 30 (2013/02/27 W) 12.5 hrs. (273)

• Project Management
  • Received animation revisions from animator.
    • No time to check today.


• Actors
  • Added an action cooldown to help give a more realistic pause between the actions.
    • Helps prevent things like the attacking and running at the same time, or instant casting a skill behind you and still continuously running forward.
  
  
  • If you now cast a skill with no cast time in the middle of a run command, the actor will stop movement, turn to the location, cast the spell, and then continue running to their original destination. This all occurs within a 0.3 second time frame.
    • Last night’s implementation had the actor cancel all movement commands on skill cast. This was annoying.
  
  
  • Actor’s now have an equipment and inventory size.
    • This is to allow the player to update their pouches and bags later.
  
  
  • Imp
    • Now uses the attack animation for spells with no cast time.
  
  
  • Gargoyle added to the game.
    • Integrated smoothly into existing code.
  
  
  • Behemoth added to the game.
  • Death Knight added to the game.
    • Sword and cape optional equipment pieces.
  
  
  • When calculating distance for attacking, actors now consider the collider sizes of both themselves and their target.
  • Fixed a bug where actors would sometimes flip on their side when trying to rotate to positions that were above or below them.
  • Enemies now drop a random item from their equipment.


• AI
  • AI actors will now equip items from their inventory if there is any free equipment slots.


• UI
  • Inventory will only display available equipment slots and inventory slots.
  • Made a quick ghetto fix to a bug where enemies would attack the dressing room character whenever the window was open.
  • Can now drop items from inventory onto the ground by clicking anywhere that is not an equipment or inventory slot.
    • This also means clicking the phone base will drop the item. Might change this later.
  
  
  • Changed the default character shown when starting a new game.


• Items
  • Implemented lootable items.
    • Items on the ground can be clicked on.
      • The actor runs up to the item, and when in range, attempts to pick it up. If the inventory is full, nothing will happen.

Day 31 (2013/02/28 Th) 13.25 hrs. (286.25)

• Project Management
  • Gave revision feedback to animator (Fernando) for animations received today.


• Actors
  • Added an “Effective Level” calculation that combines the actor’s base level and the sum of all their item levels into one final “level”.
  • Actors will now only level when they kill someone whose effective level is the same or higher than their own.
    • Previously calculated base level only.
  
  
  • Fixed a bug where the player would turn north after killing an enemy.
    • Turn vector was coming back as zero.


• UI
  • Renamed the “Exit” button in the main menu to “Exit Game” to be more descriptive between closing the menu and exiting the game.
  • Added a “Close Phone” button to the main menu.
    • Previously had to press the Esc key to exit the menu.
  
  
  • Moved the “Done” button in the Start Menu’s Dressing Room to the top right hand corner of page.
    • I felt this fit better with a “Back and Next” style since the back button already rests at the top left.
  
  
  • The done button no longer appears when in the Main Menu’s Dressing Room.
    • Considered also removing mid-game gender and name changing, but decided to leave it in.
  
  
  • Implemented death prompt.
    • When the player’s character dies, a message pops up stating that they have been defeated, and shows a single button stating “revive”.
      • Pressing this button causes the player to revive and load into a new map.
  
  
  • Added Accessories room to the Dressing Room
    • Added Glasses customization option to Accessories room.
    • Added Capes customization option to Accessories room.
  
  
  • Fixed a bug in the Character Customization where changin only colors wouldn’t update the player’s character after the game has been launched.


• Dungeons
  • Implemented an “end point” to each dungeon floor.
    • Each maze generates a Crystal at a random room. When clicked, this crystal loads a new random maze. Continues endlessly at the moment.


• Backend
  • Bits of code cleanup in random places.
  • Unified the way items on the ground work to be compliant with the way all interactable objects will work.


• Website
  • Wrote my first blog post in 4 months!
  • Posted this diary.