Hi, and welcome to the 6th Dev Diary of 2019.

 

Today's topics are;

- Asset optimization; what I have done so far and what needs to be done.

- Making a Project Taival intro clip.

- Donations have been enabled.

 

One of my aims is to have as much of as generic assets as possible, without the game feeling bland. Granted, it is a common practice in the game industry to have as many identical models, that can be re-used, so that RAM and CPU usage stays in check. It will also make the game smaller in size on your hard drive, so it does have many benefits.

I have come across some research on texturing techniques that can be used to make the assets look quite different from the base model. One of those techniques is bump mapping, which can be used to deform objects to look completely different from a base model. This also saves system resources and is lighter to process than complex 3D models, which is one reason why texturing is in a key role when optimizing performance - and the reason, why I have left all my models with sharp edges. If I have understood anything wrong along the way or you have some pro tips, please feel free to educate me I'm here to learn.

 

I have tried to find information on what is the best way to put together a window with a functioning, animated handle. If I have understood correctly, you can - and should - make the whole asset in one piece, even if that is not the only way you can do it. It makes the asset placement simpler, if you don't have to place several small pieces to have a fully functional object. This would be a waste of time and resources.

In the texturing phase, an asset can have several different materials and textures associated with it. I had previously no idea that this is one technique that can save significant amount of system resources. If you have more resources for learning how this is done in Unreal Engine and/or Unity 3D, please let me know

 

I'm aiming at making all the glass objects and windows breakable. Some will be harder than others though. For example, Balconies will have a bit stronger security glass, which is not indestructible, but more durable than regular window glass. The thickness of the glass pane will play a part in the physical properties.

Weather will have a role in the game mechanics. Also, broken glass can be used as a weapon. Different glass types have different specs even as weapons.

 

Work on the short Intro Video is taking it's sweet while, but it is coming together nicely. here is an early preview, that is still missing effects and practically all fine adjustments.