Hello everyone.
I haven't decided for or against a demo yet. I have asked around and the general consensus seems to be you have to release everything at once. I want to go old school with G String. If I can turn it into a game it will be all in one. No DLC, no hidden cost or early release or whatever is the trend these days.
I also want to really make sure it works when it's released. As much as possible I don't want to have to release quick fixes and patches after shipping... Of course there will be updates maybe 6 months later or something like that but those would just be updates to improve things not vital fixes hopefully.
I want to deliver a good game in one go, you know like the old days, remember those? You bought a game and you played it.
What's going on now is a final detail pass. Notice these images (minus the first one) have no fancy post processing on them- that is because I have to make sure it looks good without those enabled. I don't want to use the post effects as a crutch to make things look fine. Those effects are just a bonus, icing on the cake but it has to look good without those as well.
So here are some images, a bigger package this time to show that even though it takes time a lot is being done every day.
This is from the beta sewer area, revamped of course, it was right before you got on the wood plank and got carried by the water to the area with the huge pipe:
This is new, dirty Tokyo/china type area:
Vista time! Source Engine pain trying to make vast areas look good:
This is new as well, very polluted Chinatown sector:
When every area looks acceptable without effects turned on I can archive the first two acts which is the bulk of the game. Most of it is already fine but some places a re tad under detailed without the eye-candy enabled in my opinion so I am fixing that. Just doing finishing touches really but on a huge project like this even those can take weeks.
When the first two acts are saved I can focus on the ending which is another 10 maps but none of those have to be built from scratch so it won't take as long as it would normally take. I have prefabs galore and the visuals are nailed down. It's more a matter of assembling different elements and not building new maps from scratch.
So there you have it working hard... What can I say. Hopefully it will be good. :)
In the meantime, since I am still doing it for free, if anyone wants to donate it's appreciated. Special thanks to those who already did. Link on my YouTube channel:
For everyone: thank you for your patience.
Eyaura
Every month, this still blows my mind on how good everything looks artisitcally. On the note of post processing, will that have a serious effect on post processing? I won't pretend to understand the science behind it, but it seems like Source has a harder time (less optimized?) way of handling extra effects, primarily from my time on GMOD and mods like Entropy Zero that have a minor-at-best, major-at-worst hit on performance depending on what's being used.
"...serious effect on post processing?"
Right, I meant FPS.
Yes! finally you back with update!
This is so cool. Glad you have the will to take the project to it's end and release it all at once. And I can't support enough your decision to give the players an option to turn off the post processing! The version I've played had the noise effect, cinematic bars and and no way of turning them off.
Good luck with everything you are currently doing!
Good God. A media release! From G-String! This day may just not be that bad after all.
As much as I want to play it now, I'm going to resist this urge and say that yes, it is a fair point about "old school way of doing things" when you do it till it's done and then put out the finished thing. We kinda stopped having those with all early access projects everywhere. My house is made out of very delicate, fragile glass here, because I am very guilty of early-accessing as well.
There is a sort of compromise/middle ground which is: you'd avoid cutting the game into early-acc'ed pieces but maybe compose a tech demo of sorts? Style, tech, environment showcase... just an idea.
With post processing being icying on cake I, again, completely agree. A level designer must first figure out proper lighting and colour schemes on a level before using colour correction and such. Otherwise it's... well, "fake" is a mean word kinda, but. It's not as "right".
The shown maps here are very exciting in their terribly depressive and dirty look. This is very proper for cyberpunk. Even if it's a vista, the world around you compresses and dominates you with its massive, merciless shapes and efficency, leaving human factor abandoned and miserable. Well, at least that's the vibe I get from what I see.
I enjoy this post in its entirety so much!
Just wondering, which industry can it be that lets such flames out of chimneys?
Thanks Eyaura, for this new, big update. Am always looking for more information about your mod, love the screens. Am glad that you decided for a full release, instead of first a demo of some sort, as i already said in previous comments of mine.
I am interested though about how you are testing your mod before release, do you have people for that? With my first few mods i never wanted them to be tested, outside the testing that i did myself. But over the years i started to get convinced about the need of testing. It really is necessary, otherwise it can ruin your release in a small or even big way. I would love to test your mod, but you just pick who you think is best for that job. Although we both know i assume, that testing is much more as just playing it ones and then comment with; loved it! A lot of people think that they can test, when they actually only are playing the mod one time.
Whatever you do, i appreciate all your effort and time you put in to this major game/mod. Not much people realize how much it takes to do something like this. Much success Eyaura! And thanks again in advance, for all your effort!
Leon
Nice sneak peek as always.
How do you go about making those prefabs, if you don't mind me asking? Do you have them sorted by chapter + some that can be used anywhere in the mod?
All this news sounds really epic. And thank you too for your hard work and a great mod! :)
I can't wait for it to be on Steam!
Such endurance cannot not be admired.
This is some good **** right there. ;^)
Hey legendary Shigeru Miyamoto made a quote that fit with today's gaming climate.
"A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad,"
Please take your time we will be ready.
Hey man, your work is amazing keep it up.
As always, your work on G-String is nothing short of amazing, keep up the good work as I am always looking forward to it, I really am...! <3
Amazing!
Finally. I'm glad you decided to finish it completely before any releases. Doing a demo version is a tricky thing, it can slow down development of the full game. And tbh demos are necessary only in commercial or indie game development.
Keep on your great work. Looks fantastic.
GG-string
I find your thoughts here to be pretty admirable.
Take all the time you want, the two things that come with being a Half Lifer is persistence and patience.
yea more than one picture! :P
Consistently impressed by your work ethic, determination, and the quality of the stuff you're doing!
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