It’s been a little while since anyone updated here, but SymbioSys is powering onwards.

Virtually all bugs have been eliminated, new random events have been added, powerful combinations of previous events that are sure to cause more chaos, and I’ve been outlining a new campaign mode that takes advantage of these improvements, as well as the new victory conditions been added.  New particle fountains now show players which tree creatures are attracted to as well.

Adam has been working to update the game editor into a Windows app that is far more user friendly, which will expedite level construction and make for a viable editor to ship with the game.

Dean was involved in assisting with campaign story ideas, and he’ll be working on some of the new levels when he can … he’s currently holidaying in Europe, but he should have time to work on things whilst he’s there. Before he left, he also gave me the latest tree models … plus the highly anticipated Lunarscape environment.

Alex gave me some new UI art, and more is expected soon to facilitate more user friendly features and the new game victory condition.

Jai has been working on normal maps, and is creating a new, improved Leafy model!

And I am currently working on implementing shaders … no lean task that one, shaders are not straight forward to implement, but they can be extremely powerful assets in a game, whilst reducing the computational burdens on the CPU.  I am making headway there, and whilst it is slow going, it is important that we improve the ‘look’ of the models in game.  I am hoping to get Phong shading happening within the next day or so.  I also plan to use shader effects to enhance the appearance and effects of ‘were species’ by having them take on a ghostly corporeal glow during their violent phase.

Other features I must prioritise is the upgrading of the Creature Objectives codes to simplify the editor and allow for better level design options whilst removing redundant Critter Rules … modifying target species stats, for example, is something that we never allow in missions, hence the option to have target species that can be modified is redundant (otherwise, it becomes very cheap to drop all target creature stats for quick kills).

Another priority is user feedback when the game ends … we want to show a ‘game over’ sort of message that reiterates the achieved goals (or reason for failure) … and adds an aftermath that drives the story.  Something similar is required to introduce the story too.

With these objectives under the belt, hopefully the game will be ready for release

 

-Colin

 

Now that university is over, I am thoroughly enjoying having the opportunity to focus on developing SymbioSys without having to focus on other subjects.

Since last update a few days ago, the mouse over GUI has been incorporated (no small task), making it easier for new players to grasp how their controls function.  As well as encompassing existing buttons, when adding this interface, I also added more buttons based upon feedback from several sources – players can now click on the hunger/population icons and immediately camera jump to a member of that species and make that race the focus.  This is very handy in emergencies when the player must locate the last one or 2 surviving members of a species in a hurry.

Additionally, Daniel’s brilliant Title track has been included in the Main Menu, getting players into the mood for the fun that lies ahead.  I have to say that many elements contribute to the overall atmosphere of this game, and Daniel’s music is one of the more influential … it is beautiful!   I have also improved some of the main menu code, and added an Easter Egg to that … just quirkly little things that add a little something memorable.

2 new random events have been added, Random Species Attract and Random Species Repel, which will cause some unexpected behaviour patterns on occasion, some of which the player may easily deal with, some of which may prove rather detrimental and beyond player control!  I have also updated the level editor to accommodate these changes.

On Tuesday, Alex, Jai and I discussed future plans for SymbioSys, and the things that we really wanted to put into this game … among the immediate plans that I will mention is the addition of quite a few more levels!!!  However, as the bulk of the work that lies ahead is programming, perhaps the biggest news is that we have decided to bring Adam, another programmer from our course, into the fold.  Adam will help me implement the highly desirable Multiplayer code, the necessary Shading code, and help with some threading and bug fixing.

If we keep pushing with the momentum of the last few days, we will hopefully move the mountains required to officially launch SymbioSys and build a community that will allow us to keep building this magnificent world!

- Colin

Work on SymbioSys is picking up momentum again now that our final exams and assignments are out of the way …

We’re aiming to distribute SymbioSys on Steam … and to get it up to standard, we’ve discussed the kinds of additioal features and changes required to make SymbioSys a success!!

Frontlining development this last week is the slight modification of some of the missions to make them more challenging or better balanced.  Additionally, I overhauled some of the navigational code to improve consistency and root out a significant bug that affected how critters Wandered around the game in loaded missions (there was no problem with the Freeform mode, however).  Some other superficial changes have been applied, and there are some small bugs I am still chasing down.  I now preload more of the seasonal and were textures to reduce the burden whilst the game is in play … I’ll try and do the same with audio as well … this removes or limits the jitters when new textures are loaded in game to add smoothness to game play.  Other updates include the addition of a couple more roaming creatures in some environments … the simple little things that make the player stop and think for a moment.  I’ve also added the latest versions of some tree and landscape seasonal textures from Dean … you can certainly feel the difference a lot more!

As for new features, we’re aiming, partly upon the advise of an industry professional:

New Tutorial Levels

Enhanced Model Appearance – I am still having issues with Gouraud shading .b3d models in Irrlicht …

Proper post level feedback instead of the jarring loss of control

Simple AI opponents (at this stage, just allow the computer some intelligent control over non-player controlled critters).  Opponent could build brances to reach creatures, and employ (assault) tactics when their predators are in high numbers, and (withdrawal) tactics when their numbers drop … should be relatively simple to implement.

Improved navigation – I am currently working on the minimal spanning tree code that will allow critters to know when to backtrack to find their destinations.  It will also allow AI opponents to know where to build bridges.

A couple more random events – Blizzards are tempting, Disease would also be a treat, and occasional random species migration would certainly be interesting!

Critter Icon click to camera jump to Cluster 0 … another interfacing improvement letting players select difficult to locate creatures.

Mouse hover options – if on, mouse hover will identify the interface icon being highlighted for better beginner in-game control.

Audio control – modify sound volumes

Beyond that list, there are other plans as well … enhanced AI with multiple difficulty settings, and the jewel in the crown, Co-op and Head to Head multiplayer mode … but these options will be assessed once the game is prepped with the other mentioned features.

Still a lot of work to do on SymbioSys, programming particularly, though some interfacing and art assets are required … but I hope to accomplish a lot in the next few weeks!  We are considering bolstering the programming team … but I’d rather try and work things out myself at this stage … a specialist focusing on networking may be invaluable, however, as multiplayer is strongly desired.

- Colin

Been a bit late uploading it since I think we’ve all pretty much collapsed after the exhibition (and caught up on all our other subjects), but the trailer we displayed there can now be downloaded here:

http://sharebee.com/5854ecdb

Filesize: 26mb

Length: 2:38

Resolution: 768 x 480

Codec: .mov (H.264) – requires Quicktime

- Alex

Yesterday was a special day for the Collective Unconscious Team, and a true trial by fire for SymbioSys …

At Queensland University of Technology’s IT exhibition, SymbioSys was experienced, not just by fellow students, and the education team that has overseen the last for years of our studies, but by some of the most respected names in Brisbane’s Games Industry, and the wider community with a vested interest in IT and games … and the response?

The SymbioSys team were humbled by the overwhelming show of support from all quarters for SymbioSys.  To each of you who took an interest in, and supported the project, and the development team, on behalf of the team, I offer sincere thanks.

In light of the support shown, we reaffirmed our intention to push forward with the development of SymbioSys.  We are very grateful the offers of advise for seeing SymbioSys flourish into a marketable reality …

I will make further updates soon, outlining the most recent progress and project intentions … but before I go,  I’d just like to thank Alex, Jai, Bart and Dean, a team who worked very hard this year to being SymbioSys to life at such a high standard.   And Daniel, whose ongoing musical support provided the game with some very high quality tracks that add layers of atmosphere to the game.  Our supervisors, Ruth Christie and Peta Wyeth, for their ongoing support, as well as Ross Brown, Michael Docherty and the other respected QUT lecturers who have imparted the valuable skills that the team now brings to the table.

- Colin

With things coming to the end here it’s a good feeling… It’s great to see what our group has achieved in the time we have been developing this game. It is also fantastic to see the game in a state that resembles the final product and that it has become something that is enjoyable to play. Even though it was a lot of hard work it has also been enjoyable to work on this project. I could restate what the others have said about everyone’s contributions but I think I’ll keep it short
Thanks to all the team who were all dedicated and very organised and probably the reason I had so much fun doing work this semester and the who were the reason that we produced a great game.
In something that is rather strange for me I also find myself looking forward to a presentation rather then dreading it. I am genuinely interested to know what the industry guys will think of SymbioSys as well as the general public’s opinion of the game.
- Jai

The end approaches, of the semester at least. Last Friday we presented our game formally to Ruth and Peta. As Colin mentioned in the last post it went extremely well. I’m very optimistic to its reception at the industry presentation this Thursday. I think because it is such a unique style of game, not really falling into any solid genres, that people will be curious to what it is about and how it is played. The addition of the extra environments thanks to Colin and the new objective/scenario levels thanks to Dean and Jai take it a step further than what it started out as. Combined with Alex’s absolutely brilliant presentation and trailer I think it is going to be a great show drawing a lot of good attention.

The game has come far from just being a lot of scrolling code at the start of the semester. Jai has built a great range of creatures from just the few concept art sketches we started out with. He has rigged them up brilliantly to allow for my animating them. He has textured them, changed their formats and made it possible to import them into the game, making a living creature. Deans work in creating the trees has been excellent, building them to specific dimensions and making sure they all worked together well. His work in structuring the game scenarios and campaigns has made SymbioSys much more than a single free-play game. Alex has done an immense amount of  designing in SymbioSys, resulting in a very enjoyable and easy to use game. His work on the interfaces have made them free-flow and simple to understand. He has been responsible for the creation of the graphical style and has succeeded, in my opinion, in making a very good looking game. His work on the presentations and assessment pieces have been great too, making it impossible for us to get anywhere near a low grade for the subject. And finally Colin has been the one to bring each and every bit together into what we now know as SymbioSys. He has built the code, implemented the interfaces, structured the world, an moved the creatures. In short he is the one that took all of our individual bits of game and along with his work put it all together. 

All this being said though this is not the end of SymbioSys. The team have all agreed to continue working on the game after the final presentation in order to make a great finished product, and hopefully something that can be marketed in the future.

I’d just like to thank everyone on the Collective Unconscious Team for all of their unparalleled work in making the brilliant game SymbioSys. It has been, and will continue to be, a pleasure.

- Bart

The feeling is somewhat surreal … if this is the conclusion, it certainly doesn’t feel like it …

After a momentous effort by the team this week, SymbioSys was packaged for submission … and presented to our supervisors and was very well received!  Alex’s excellent trailer looked awesome, offering a beautiful, yet instructive insight into how the game is played.  But this is not the end of the road, however, before I digress …

As of last post, I listed a plethora of tasks that lay ahead of me in order to complete this thing in time for yesterday’s deadline!  At this stage, I can’t even recall off the top of my head exactly what was listed … but I do know that we were very satisfied with what was submitted.

The upgrade to Irrlicht 1.6 was validated, game speed improved across the board, and it incorporates a couple of features that would have made earlier development easier.  The Irrlicht team deserve a good plug for FREELY providing a solid and well supported game rendering engine … I would highly recommend considering it as a development option.

Even more environments were added to SymbioSys, and existing ones improved, all the niggling interfaces were included, except one relatively trivial one I will incorporate soon.  Death animations were an issue, for some reason the sequencing failed to reset for different meshes, but that’s something I will look into further and seek advice about if I can’t work it out.

I constructed a couple of game levels, and Dean did an excellent job playing with the level editor.  Once he worked it out, he created some well though out scenarios.  Jai tested a few of them, and I was up all the night before the assignment was due, largely making sure they all worked properly, but once they were all ironed out, the concepts were well thought out and made for interesting game play!  Dean is also to be praised for his dedication these last few weeks to crafting some excellent environments (using Blender).  His efforts there opened the door for excellent diversification of environmental settings.

Bugs, bugs, bugs … after the fall of the dreaded camera bug that had plagued the game all semester, a large number of issues, from niggly glitches that detracted from aesthetics, subtle rarities that occasionally tripped the game up, to frustrating menu errors, were detected … and, aside from a handful, were duly eliminated.

Game messages were implemented, improving feedback!  Long planned features were incorporated, including seasonal chimes to indicate a new season was commencing!  Spur of the moment features were added, including the vocal growling of “SymbioSys” to inform the player of the production of SymbioPods … and I am sure there are other things I could add that have blurred into the back of my mind since last week.

So, the question begs, where to from here?

Thursday is the final SymbioSys assessment piece … we present SymbioSys, not just to our peers and QUT academic staff, but to honoured industry guests, both games and otherwise, potential QUT students, and a multitude of other guests.  And whilest the game was but a humble console app when last presented to the industry, the full and final product is now ready, all the careful planning has become reality, the original vision and scope, barring a few small changes, is now realised … and the game we’ve spent the better part of the year developing is pretty much ready!!!

Alex has poured great effort into preparing presentation materials, and ensuring the deliverables look exceptionally well polished with great interface graphic designs, and production materials.  Dean’s art and models have added great visual appeal to the game world.  Bart’s animations have brought Jai’s models to life … giving them added personality to draw the player into the world.  Jai has done an exceptional job with the creature models, and his consistent efforts with managing the technical issues that have arisen have made my job that much easier.  And I have poured over this project meticulously to infuse all of that well crafted content into the beautiful, enjoyable game that is SymbioSys!!!

Outstanding job, team
The end ???

- Colin

3 days until SymbioSys is submitted, and 8 days until the exhibition!

Now that I’ve finished all the interface assets (and several updates of some), my main job has been getting all the menu bits and pieces and handling the graphic design of our promo materials (posters, flyers, DVD boxart), organising the presentations and creating our game trailer.

The latter is more difficult than it seems, as it needs to clearly explain what the game is and how it works in about 2 minutes without stuffing the screen with text – not an easy job when we’re using such an original concept. There is little prior knowledge the player or viewer can recall to understand its purpose. For example, for any shooter game no matter how innovative the mechanics there are several things that can be counted upon – you will move, you will shoot, there will be opponents, etc. However, since our game is very experimental the trailer needs to introduce the viewer to a concept that that may not immediately understand the appeal of. It has the job of creating interest in the viewer and communicating what makes our game fun, and all within 2 minutes.

Some other great news I received today from Colin (programmer and other designer) is that he’s got the just-released version 1.6 of the Irrlicht game engine working with SymbioSys! This is fantastic since usually there can be a truckload of new issues when updating the technology but most have been ironed out quickly and painlessly, as well as helping with one of the key issues we’ve been having: performance. Under Irrlicht 1.5 and 1.5.1, due to the amount of stuff we’re throwing at the engine to be checked and recalculated 30 times per second it was really struggling to maintain stable framerates of a medium-powered PC. Irrlicht 1.6 thankfully has much better memory management so Colin has passed on the great news that it runs much more smoothly, so I can’t wait to see it tomorrow in our next meeting.

I finished our Project Changes Document literally 5 minute ago which details all the modifications to SymbioSys from the original game document. While a lot of them can be read right here in the blog as we tackled each, the document provides a nice condensed version including references to the individual section in the game document where content has been altered.

I’m confident we’ll have an amazing unique game to submit and present on Friday, but as most who know us will already be aware of, we’re not stopping there. It’s not over until the fat lady sings, and we’re keeping her mouth duct-taped until we’re satisfied.

- Alex

Who knew making some art for the menu would be so difficult… Each of the art pieces took me longer then I expected but the worst part was that my computer refused to boot up when I wanted to finish them off. The computer is Repaired now so. On to the images. I have been creating five images to accompany the campaign. So far I have made four of them before I was interrupted.

here are some of the images

We are approaching the submission date for the game and there is still a lot to do however at this stage I am feeling confident that we will be able to present a fun and playable game by the deadline.

- Jai