UnrealCrash patreon

Development update - October 8, 2024

🕑 Added 2024-10-08 16:05:25 +0000 UTC

Comments

O

By offloading server logic to community-hosted servers, do you mean moving ad display code to a custom server? How do custom servers and integrated servers differ in logic? I have to agree with you on that sustainability point. You don't have to always create new purchasable content for the player base, but rather create an initial selection that you think is adequate for how long PB3 multiplayer/co-op will be popular and leave it at that, or relinquish the task to personally-selected artists. A lot of the sustainability problems can be solved by simply expanding your development team rather doing it all yourself. Although, subscriptions have proven themselves time and time again, working for PB2's maintenance and PB3's development. I can see why you might just stick with that for the long term.

UnrealCrash

These are kinds of things I've been thinking of for years actually, so it is fine. Ads do seem a bit way too unreliable, so I'd like to give a try to offloading some of server logic to community-hosted server, at least when it is not related to ranked modes. Servers can be basically hosted by players. One-time purchases of the game and cosmetics could work in theory but feels like they would limit for how long game might be self-sustainable. Smallest yet optional subscriptions could probably be the best approach.

O

Loving the customizability of the skin editor! Its very intricate, and it gives me some ideas of how you could monetize your game without compromising its 'free to play' and 'non-pay-to-win' aspects. Since you are already familiar with adverts, you could possibly find newer sponsors which could assist you in the development process; similar to investors, taking a stake in profits. Of course, if that isn't appealing, other methods of ads which are non-intrusive & non-distracting could be native or rewarded ads, which tend to be on the more passive side. Native ads are incorporating small features like a company name or something a company may offer to patrons; like PB2 did with the Coolbuddy logo on their crates. Rewarded ads would require an in-game monetary system which may take some time to implement. It would also need to have some non-advantageous purpose, like cosmetics, which are popular features players tend to buy in to. If you are considering putting this game up on Steam, you could also consider adding in-game events for the new player base, which could prove rewarding in terms of exposure and potential highlighting by Steam themselves if popular enough. Admins and moderators could regulate these types of things. I realize I just threw a bunch of ideas at you, and this might be a bit overwhelming. But for now, it can be food for thought while we approach a release for this game.

UnrealCrash

> Glad to see another post. 15 minutes was more than I expected but nice to get to see. > The Corvette fight was pretty cool. My only worry is how they can engage and fight the player even after leaving the screen. It is not much of a problem just a worry as enemies with powerful weaponry or very skilled in combat could become a nuisance for players to deal with if they attack them outside their visibility range. Currently, they have attack range of 1500 units, player's horizontal vision is 1200 units (less in case of vertical vision). So far these are supposed to be bosses and player probably should not really try to run away from them. They do emit hum sound which can help identify where they are. I think them as well as boss version of S-entity could have an additional mode where they would not be as much of a nuisance and won't have as many hitpoints. Corvettes as well as S-entities do attack their targets from any range for about 3 seconds after they been hit, so they will try to punish off-screen shooting players. Corvettes do also have quite low precision and alternate attack mode does give some time to hide. Speaking of player hitpoints - it is quite possible that singleplayer modes might give more hitpoints to player versus cooperative campaign case where amount of hitpoints is probably better to divide by number of players +/- some bonuses. But this is a balance topic, it is a pre-release type of discussion. > But that entirely depends on how it is set up. I think would be fair that enemies outside your screen would in a way lose sight of you and then fire blindly to where they think you are. AI characters can do that (configurable on per-AI basis), but Corvettes actually have somewhat different behavior logic. I think it can be kind of interesting to make different entities behave differently. > Cryo Grenades now as well? At some point, you gotta show all the different types of barrels and grenades because at this rate every new enemy could be carrying a new gadget to throw at me. But in a way that makes it even more fun to discover new enemy tactics later in the game. I think this one was obvious an one so perhaps it doesn't count as spoiler :P These can freeze teleport grenades and delay teleport sequence. > Being able to reduce the damage taken to certain characters' limbs is actually pretty nice. Would love to use it to create armored opponents that require the player to have good aim and maybe even outflank them to kill them effectively. > Quite excited to see what I could do with that. So far there is no front/back damage scaling but could be added later. > That's all I got for you this time Eric. Excited to see what you have in store next month! Thank you ^^

Patty

Hey Eric! Glad to see another post. 15 minutes was more than I expected but nice to get to see. The Corvette fight was pretty cool. My only worry is how they can engage and fight the player even after leaving the screen. It is not much of a problem just a worry as enemies with powerful weaponry or very skilled in combat could become a nuisance for players to deal with if they attack them outside their visibility range. But that entirely depends on how it is set up. I think would be fair that enemies outside your screen would in a way lose sight of you and then fire blindly to where they think you are. Cryo Grenades now as well? At some point, you gotta show all the different types of barrels and grenades because at this rate every new enemy could be carrying a new gadget to throw at me. But in a way that makes it even more fun to discover new enemy tactics later in the game. Being able to reduce the damage taken to certain characters' limbs is actually pretty nice. Would love to use it to create armored opponents that require the player to have good aim and maybe even outflank them to kill them effectively. Quite excited to see what I could do with that. That's all I got for you this time Eric. Excited to see what you have in store next month!

Ocean Weep

Seeing that explosion at 13:07 and not see a dot of lag gave me so much euphoria…that was so nice to see, my childhood self would go ballistic xD

UnrealCrash

In PB3 I'll focus on both. In PB2 port I'll focus on at least campaign first. Though multiplayer is still very possible.

Nucl3ar

Regardless of whether or not you're focused on making the multiplayer first or the campaign first, please make the campaign eventually. It's so fun fighting in slow motion in Plazma Burst

UnrealCrash

PB2.5 porting to another language was done in under a month, so I think it could be done even faster. Would be nice to save some audience by the time PB3 is out too.