The game (no name yet, "Babylon Project" is provisional) is a RPG ambiented in the ancient mesopotamian cultures. It is a fantasy, not historical, game. Is inspired by the stories of the Anunnakis in the ancient Sumer. The scenery is a map of 100 square kilometers including water. It's a multimision single player game, made with the Epic Games engine, UDK (Unreal Development Kit). And it's being developed in Spain. More info soon.

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Missions system

Feature

I am working now on the new missions system. A long time ago I made one, but with time and changes in the code it no longer works correctly.

The old system had a fixed configuration for each step, with the necessary variables and references for each action it could take.
The new system does not have these variables, but uses an array of commands that are then interpreted as a simple scripting language. In this way it is much more flexible and it is easier to add new actions as needed.

The things you can do are the typical ones, go somewhere, look for an object, talk to someone, destroy someone, etc.
There is also a system by which you have to follow someone, who will travel a pre-established route, that NPC being able to do things like talking to the player along the way, stopping to talk to other NPCs, using objects, levers, chairs, etc. The mission can alternate between these modes (follow the NPC, the NPC follows you, etc).

A mission is typically a sequence of actions and conversations, and in this game there are no cinematics, so all those scenes are governed by code, which moves the characters, makes them speak, etc.

The result is a bit robotic and I am not very happy with it. I'm thinking of doing "jumps" that put the characters in the desired position and automate things like dialogues. It would be a kind of cinematic, but equally governed by code using the repertoire of animations available and not entire sequences of animations achieved with mocap, as in the big AAA games.

I have also done a "teleportation" to different places on the map available in each step of the mission. For example, if from one step to another you need to go to the other end of the island, you do not need to spend 20 minutes traveling to get there.

Remaining Issues: The NPC's obstacle avoidance system is still not working well. For example, when they follow a route, sometimes when they dodge another NPC that was passing by, they get into places where they cannot leave or find their way. That makes you unable to continue the mission.
When they move inside buildings it is even worse. So I have to find a solution to this.

There are also things where I don't know how to proceed. For example a typical mission, go to a fort and kill the boss.
What if before activating that mission I go to that fort and kill the boss? Shouldn't the boss appear until the mission is activated? Or if I kill him first, when the mission arrives could that step be skipped?

This is a problem that is going to happen a lot, missing NPCs that will not let the mission advance, and I do not know very well how they are solved in other games.

So here you have two images that have nothing to do with what I have written, but that are required to publish the article.

flyingbike 3

lightenviroment4

State of the game

State of the game

News 3 comments

State of the game. this is a text that I put in the youtube account of the game. I reproduce it here:I will try to answer those who are asking about the...

To do:

To do:

Feature 2 comments

Next: - Armor functionality - Camera lag - Finish clothes - Sail ship model

Post comment Comments  (40 - 50 of 405)
Cold_Heat
Cold_Heat - - 7 comments

You are doing fantastically with this. I think it could be beneficial to talk to other game developers about some of the issues you said you are facing. Im sure that different developers have different methods of getting past these kinds of roadblocks. Even other indie developers could give some good insight on this siutation. I've been following your development of this game since 2018 and I can see the hard work you've put in. No matter what you decide, keep up the good work!

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cobaltUDK Creator
cobaltUDK - - 115 comments

Thanks.

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Guest
Guest - - 690,971 comments

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Guest
Guest - - 690,971 comments

its true that you work in this game alone?
did you create all chars, enviroment animations?
those animation are perfect this is mocap right?

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cobaltUDK Creator
cobaltUDK - - 115 comments

I'm working alone now, but I've had help from 3d modelers before.
Other models were purchased from sites like Turbo Squid, and most animations are mocap's from Mixamo.

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Guest
Guest - - 690,971 comments

Will it support Steam Deck?

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cobaltUDK Creator
cobaltUDK - - 115 comments

The engine only compiles for Windows, IOs and Apple OS, and the current versions of the latter two I don't think will run it. The engine is outdated.
I don't know yet if the game can run in SteamOS.

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Guest
Guest - - 690,971 comments

do you have any predictions of when they posted a demo??

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cobaltUDK Creator
cobaltUDK - - 115 comments

I hope that before a year, but I don't dare to say it because unforeseen events always arise and in a team of only one person, an unforeseen event is to stop everything.

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johnbarleycorn
johnbarleycorn - - 86 comments

Well, for making it more accurate you should visit the Chicago's center of sumerian studies. Being a student of mesopotamian history and language myself i would surely like to go there.
A nice idea anyway, people nowadays still has no idea from where many of the concepts and words they use come from. I don't know how much something like this would help, but i surely prize yours more than that 'ascendant' or some such made sometime ago.

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cobaltUDK Creator
cobaltUDK - - 115 comments

Well, Chicago is a bit far for me (I'm in Spain), but I'll try to find something online, thanks for the tip.
In any case, the game is not about the Sumerian or Babylonian culture, the name is provisional. I think I have abused the resemblance to those cultures, when it is a fantasy game with no intention of being historically correct.

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johnbarleycorn
johnbarleycorn - - 86 comments

I don't see why. You're not so far from truth as one might think (or at least, what it could be supposed basing from what we really have).
I'm too far from Chicago as well. (i'm just one state from you.)
Anyway, I would be the first to offer help, but -alas- i've not much skills on videogame making.

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