April 2011 Update progress news

Let's get started.

- We say farewell to loyal team member:
Xaklse has stood down as ADR's programmer and is moving on to more challenging new horizons.

It wasn't so much of a shock when he mentioned his departure, as for a long time he has been in search of something more challenging than coding videogames in Unrealscript.

Myself and team, appreciate all his hard work through the years and his dedication.
Xaklse originally joined the project just to create the monitor gameplay objects, but as myself and team found it hard to finder another programmer to join the ranks he single handly started to pull ADR out from the design document with his god-like coding skills and giving the team and Sonic fans everywhere a framework in which to create their own Sonic fangames on the current videogame technology. Xak is and always shall be a valued loyal member of the team.
Its been an honor working with him. And we 'the team' wish him all the best in the future.

As Xaks departure now leaves ADR without a dedicated coder, the good news is, there is only a handful of tasks left to do in the coding department in regards to Sonic and the gameplay mechanics.
For now Xak will continue to supply the team with regular updates from his SonicGDK framework which is also soon coming to a close and a possible release.

Though Xak has left the team he has offered to carry on giving myself continued advice on coding elements for ADR that will not be featured in the SonicGDK.

- The future of ADR:
As the main mechanics of the game are now finally winding to a close.
The next big step is the level design work. Creating these levels is somewhat of a nightmarish challenge. Especially when being the only level design, modeller and animator on the team.

ADR is in need of an environment concept artist with the ability of creating 3D models, to speed up the process.

And I will say this now, once the first proper completed act is made, and the main menu system is completed. Demo!

- Here's whats been done since the March update:
* Tails now jumps when player jumps.
* Added Jump ball to Tails jump ability.
* Super Sonic now coded.
* Super Sonic transformation effect timing has been tweaked.
* Heads up display updated.
* Ring energy coded.
* Ring energy HUD meter created.
* Boost ability coded, linked to ring energy, and with visual effect.
* Updated Bubble grab animation for underwater usage.
* Several new animations have been added to the Sonic AnimSet ready for being coded into the gameplay.
* New Homing Attack animation added to the animset, bringing the Homing attack poses to 3 animations.
* Homing Attack visual effect created.
* Recreated the Sonic Unleashed 'Ready, Go!' heads up display, and camera animation level entrance sequence (this will not be used all the time).

For more information regarding current job opening on the team, do check out our recruitment forum on our board. ;)