Vapourware Sui Generis + Exanima Early Access

[Technomancer]

3/7/23

This week we implemented the AI power and ability tactics system we discussed recently as well as general mechanics for AI using abilities in combat. This covers all sorts of situational use of different powers, different modes like sustained powers that need to start and end, or powers that need a charge up time that could be cancelled if it turns out to be a bad idea. It also works with several abilities and powers for the AI to choose from, balancing overall ability use with general combat.

The system makes it very easy for us to add more powers or abilities and describe how they should be used. There are some rare exceptions where some higher level strategy may be required, but even then what we have now will come into play. Honestly we're not, at least for the time being, looking at AI making optimal use of every single power in the game anyway.

We've also expanded our tools so we can easily assign abilities and powers to individual characters. We could have mostly used the existing thaumaturgy UI, but it doesn't really make sense to develop the in game UIs for domains the player can't use just yet, there's currently no way for creatures with innate abilities to be playable and it just makes more sense to have a more streamlined development UI.

We've been testing AI with a variety of powers and it all seems to be working quite well, though of course we'll get lots of feedback over time and will improve things and make adjustments. However, by introducing new mechanics to combat we're already noticing some general AI tactical shortcomings, like not capitalising on knockdowns properly, not using movement correctly for faster repositioning when appropriate etc. These things seem particularly important now, but they are general AI improvements that are not strictly tied to special abilities.

While this work continues it's giving the level design guys time to go over updated content that we've had a little time to review and test internally. We're also making some initial improvements to how characters negotiate stairs and obstacles and solving a few specific interaction and other issues with verticality and layering supported by the new engine features, which are being used in some of the new content.

Have a great week!
-the BM team

 

[Technomancer]

10/7/23

Last week we talked about how we got the new AI power tactics up and running, but we felt things still needed some overall improvement. A few things stood out in particular, but we've been testing and improving a bunch of things, both with the AI and the powers themselves. Some of this was just making AI generally a bit smarter in situations that we didn't see as often, but are not specific to ability use, but our goal was to make a some good challenging thaumaturge fights and it looks like we're there now. There's still a little to do on some non-combat powers, but this is relatively very simple stuff.

Moving on from AI, we've been working on another power from that third domain. We got this mostly working already, but we still want to make some improvements. This is the last power we felt was really needed to get this update feeling complete.

For now we'll be focusing on wrapping things up and adding some minor features tied to the new content. There's of course always more we can add and improve, but it's a matter of when we feel the new content is release ready and if that gives us any time to flesh out other features. We've done another pass on the updated early content, so in the meantime we should be just about ready for another big insider test that includes just about everything except the new area.

Have a great week!
-the BM team

 

[Technomancer]

17/7/23

This week we've mostly been getting lots of things release ready for the next insider test. We've been going over the last iteration of the updated levels and the many new or updated items, making sure weapons are properly proportioned, held correctly by characters and have good procedural variants, that armour is configured and fits properly with other items etc. Drop tables need to be updated, randomisation parameters defined for the individual items you find in game an so on. We've also been writing new descriptions for these items, in many cases trying to make them more specific and detailed despite the procedural elements, which required some changes and additions to that system. We've also configured the Force tree for the new powers, finalised some UI graphics and so on.

Lots and lots of little things to do and sometimes fix that collectively add up to a lot of work, still a few to do but we're pretty close to a new release build being ready for insider testing and we hope to be done some time this week. This is a big one that functionally covers just about everything that will be in the major update and basically all the new content except the brand new area.

We did also make another addition to our authoring tools which is to make our procedural materials available for offline asset development. Especially with the recent additions and improvements, we have a lot of high quality procedural materials that are very configurable, and cover most challenging cases. We already had excellent tools and a good library of workflows, but with our procedural material system tightly integrated now, many complex objects become incredibly quick and simple to make, with great results that are also consistent with other assets. With how powerful our procedural material system has become this is something we're thinking of leaning into more and more, which has a lot of implications and applications.

Have a great week!
-the BM team

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Are the updates with all force thaumaturgy generally available, or is that still being tested by "insiders".

 

[Technomancer]

Are the updates with all force thaumaturgy generally available, or is that still being tested by "insiders".

No, update testing was split in three stages. First closed testing had about 5 core beginner powers that you unlock early. Second testing will have most of them and this didn't happen yet (one or three weeks from now). And third closed testing is for new level. After these are complete, it will go public.

 

[Technomancer]

24/7/23

We released the insider test this weekend, which is going really well so far. We're working through some fixes and improvements to specific Force powers, but despite a lot of back-end changes the game seems solid and we haven't even felt the need to patch this release just yet. We'll try to work through all or most of the issues over the next few days.

This insider test includes many new and remastered items and the updated first two levels, the overall layout hasn't changed much, but there's a huge number of changes and new assets, which have been very well received by insiders. This rework has also given us an opportunity to test out some of the new level design elements we can introduce with the new features and improvements, and we can happily call it a success.

We hope to have everything we released so far in good shape within days, and then it's all hands on deck to get the new area ready for release. There's a few lower priority items we'll try to complete in the meantime, but in terms of functionality we're basically there. We already plan to follow the update up with a smaller one, so when we're happy with the state of the new content we should be ready to release.

Have a great week!
-the BM team

 

[Aemar]

Any proper documentary on the connection between autism and the video game industry should feature these devs.

 

[Lagole Gon]

So how much of a Vapourware is this in scale of 1 to 10?

 

[Lyre Mors]

10

 

[agris]

When do they test new maps, quests and dialogue?

 

[Technomancer]

When do they test new maps, quests and dialogue?

New map is next final stage of closed testing. Could be a couple of weeks, could be months. First two maps were changed just a few days ago, while calling them new is a stretch since they kept the fundamental layout, they still were altered and became more complex, immersive and fresh.

More dialogue will come on next big update I think. Since that would focus on AI "roles" system and likely will add new character to the story - the knight, removed so long ago.

 

[Elthosian]

So how much of a Vapourware is this in scale of 1 to 10?

6 Chris Roberts-brand lotions out of the whole number of playable areas in Star Citizen. I have some hope yet.

 

[Aemar]

Kickstarter page comment:

 

[Beowulf]

Heh, I supproted their kickstarter for the rpg, that I can't even remember the title of. It was more than 10 years ago, I believe.

 

[Harthwain]

Heh, I supproted their kickstarter for the rpg, that I can't even remember the title of. It was more than 10 years ago, I believe.

Sui Generis: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1473965863/sui-generis

 

[Technomancer]

Kickstarter page comment

There is no community manager. Tony is not one for more than five years and there was no replacement. Steam forums have a couple of volunteer moderators who mostly delete what they feel like. The reasoning is likely that questions like that were asked like million times, there are countless threads about it and even with weekly updates on progress, discussions like "is this abandoned?", "game dead?" happen every week anyway. Developers do not care about it (or marketing in general), I can tell you this much. When someone joins on discord and asks a question like that, it is never removed, censored or silenced.

 

[Lyre Mors]

New map is next final stage of closed testing. Could be a couple of weeks, could be months. First two maps were changed just a few days ago, while calling them new is a stretch since they kept the fundamental layout, they still were altered and became more complex, immersive and fresh.

More dialogue will come on next big update I think. Since that would focus on AI "roles" system and likely will add new character to the story - the knight, removed so long ago.

No, I think you're confused. He was asking about actual content. IE - The game.

PS - It's not coming agris. Enjoy the tech demo 8 years in the making.

 

[Technomancer]

He was asking about actual content. IE - The game.

Exanima or SG? Both are games. Sui Generis is nowhere near in sight, Exanima is nearing 1.0 release, from major features only two more levels and more AI work is needed to be done. I believe extras like ranged combat and alchemy will come post release.

And as Madoc once said its a misnomer anyway, "tech demos aren't even playable, they're just standalone things that show specific tech features".

 

[Lyre Mors]

Both are absurd things. Exanima is nowhere close to being finished after 8 years of development. Sui Generis is a pipe dream at most. I would love to be wrong, but even then the time that has gone into Exanima is insane.

Ultimately, these are not developers to be trusted with your money.

 

[Modron]

Eh pretty easy to lose tens of hours to just the arena mode alone, I'd say exanima is well worth the paltry price of admission already even if it is taking forever to finish.

 

[Technomancer]

Exanima is nowhere close to being finished after 8 years of development.

Nah I say its pretty close. At least in Bare Mettle terms haha. True, likely will take several more years until 1.0 but the game is about 80% complete (after force update).

Ultimately, these are not developers to be trusted with your money.

Pirate it lol, see if its not worth something. Pretty cheap for amount of content it offers. Doesn't matter either way, they have enough to continue and the future looks bright with people like "MandaloreGaming" promising to do a review on 1.0. And if they will ever solve multiplayer, they will be set for life.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Eh pretty easy to lose tens of hours to just the arena mode alone, I'd say exanima is well worth the paltry price of admission already even if it is taking forever to finish.

You're missing the point. It's not what was promised even after 8 years. It's not about it being okay for what it is for the price. It's about what it was supposed to be a long time ago.

 

[gurugeorge]

Whatever the fuck it is they're making, it's something quite special. I'm happy for them to do what they're doing and to partake of it now and then.

If there's a game proper, with a progression of testing encounters and a story at the end of it all, then that would just be the icing on the cake of a fascinating videogaming experiment.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Garbage early access enablers. Enjoy your barely-gamelike experience. These guys will never get another dime from me.

 

[Matador]

Perfect is enemy of the Good.

Lesson to learn. You will accomplish and complete nothing in your life if you wait for perfection and stop being realistic.

It´s much better to start small, complete, improve, iterate.

It's a shame because these are clearly highly talented people, but functionally retarded in life.