Testing 29 release
This week we’ve released the latest version of Boundless into a Steam Beta called “Testing”. The release is accessible to all players and reporting issues you discover is super helpful.
Testing 29 contains as many features from the PSX Demo that we feel are stable enough to be included in the game. It also represents the build we used to create the latest Boundless trailer. There are many large and small changes that will be listed in the release notes when the build is promoted to Live.
Live 129 release - pending
Our plan for the coming week is:
- Promote Testing to Live on Tuesday 20th December.
- Take the Testing worlds offline.
The team is already winding down for a break between Christmas and New Year. Hopefully we will have enough devs left to get the release out the door. There are no updates planned until the 2017.
PlayStation re-announcement
We also made a couple of posts reintroducing Boundless to the NA and EU PlayStation blogs. Please take a look at them and let us know how well you think we introduced Boundless in less than 500 words.
Did we miss something important?
How would you introduce Boundless to someone new?
Code
Introduced a new flow for players starting the game, re-entering the game and respawning after dying via the Sanctum. Whilst this may seem outside the Boundless world it gives the player:
- Control over when and where they respawn into the world after dying. You can pick your moment before jumping through the warp.
- If you don’t want to return into the world in the same location you have another Warp ready to take you home or any other saved location.
- You can even bump the Warp to a safer location if you died in an extremely tricky place, for example in lava. (Press ‘E’ to access the bump option.)
- If you start the game and your previous world is offline or full you have control over selected an alternative entry point.
- More features will be coming to the Sanctum in the future.
We’ve been working down a list of bugs attempting to get more quality into the game client and servers.
We’ve also spent time attempting to track down a loading failure hitting a few players (including me - @james!!) We’re gradually getting there, but the issue seems to be triggered when the client is making too many connections and some of them fail. When this happens the client doesn’t get sufficient chunk data from the world, and the client refuses to start whilst some of it is outstanding. If you get stuck in the Sanctum with the Warp never completing the loading process then you’re also hitting the same issue. (Previously you’d simply be stuck on a grey loading screen - but now you’re stuck in the Sanctum - a tiny step forward.) If so, please send us your log files and details about your networking hardward + OS.
We’re attempting to squeeze a few last minute SFX into the game so that the Creatures and mêlée attacks with the tools are no longer silent. The SFX have all been made - we’ve just not spent enough time to hook them up to the events in the game. We’ll make a big push for the next next update to include all the outstanding SFX.
Design
This week has been about getting all the work we’ve done for the trailer in a state so that we can release it.
Ollie has been balancing damage and health for the new creatures, and setting up on which worlds they should spawn. Also expanding the healing, with the addition of fruit, and the healing brew with new recipes. It’s now worthwhile stocking up with supplies before venturing to further flung worlds which have the more powerful creatures. He’s also integrated the gem level of weapons and tools.
Luke has been looking after the release process in Yota’s absence, as well continuing to improve the tutorial and initial objectives.
Rob has been working with Mark on more update and polish on the HUD, as well as firming up the final design and polish for the inventory system.
Art
This week the art team have been busy preparing the Steam release.
We’re also hunting for a talented 3D artist to join the team making creatures, characters and props to populate the Boundless universe!
We’ve also been working on the follow areas for future releases:
Elemental versions of the Wildstock
Final spanner models
Tier 2 Roadrunner tinted and ready in game
Concepting of the worms continues. Here’s a sketch of the large worm progression:
Monday is the new last Friday.
That would have been a great name for me.