Wolfire Development Blog!

Post by **Jeff** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:35 pm

Damn it.

Post by **David** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:15 am

I updated the blog with a few screenshots of Turner running around; I just re-worked the animation system from scratch in the last couple days, and it is dramatically better now.

http://blog.wolfire.com/

Renegade_Turner · Post by **Renegade_Turner** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:07 am

Wow, Turner looks a lot more graceful with this style of physics-based running, the way he seems to be taking a huge bound that takes full effect from his anthro-rabbit physique.

Viking Zippy · Post by **Viking Zippy** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:49 am

Awesome

I can't wait to see the animations

Also, the blog seems to be saying that the speed will be controllable; did I read right?

Nuky · Post by **Nuky** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:29 pm

Viking Zippy wrote:Awesome

I can't wait to see the animations

Also, the blog seems to be saying that the speed will be controllable; did I read right?

Probably step-based such as scrolling? Or as in GTA:SA tapping spacebar repeadetly/faster makes you run faster?
I have no idea how else to change speed. Would be awesome, though.

wormguy · Post by **wormguy** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:16 pm

Wow. I really want to see this in action now.

Post by **Jeff** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:01 pm

Added phoenixUI to the blog.

SMNMX · Post by **SMNMX** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:27 pm

Waitaminnit... I haven't been viewing the forums, so I guess I missed something, but... multiplayer? Chat rooms? Rankings? Mods? Built-in map editor (if it uses Phoenix, I assume it's built-in)???? Excuse the language, but I think I just shat myself.

If Lugaru 2 has improved stealth abilities (I'm going to be harsh and say that the original Lugaru's stealth was very shallow and two-dimensional), AI, and a more complex fighting system (more combos, faster reaction time, etc.), which seem like givens, as well as a robust multiplayer mode (for such a versatile stealth/action game as Lugaru, you could come up with many modes apart from deathmatch and capture the flag... how about Rogue versus Guards? One Rogue has to stealthily complete an objective while the Guards, who must work together to outnumber the Rogue, must kill him before he completes his task). Ranged weapons would be a nice addition, too... Not overly powerful, obviously, and they'd simply be dodgeable things like arrows to complement the already long-range knives (and spears? I don't remember too well).

Also, any chance of built-in voice communications? If you have complex team-based modes like I mentioned or even just capture the flag or some kind of Battlefield-esque node capturing game, you'll need chat. However, if it's (slightly less overwhelming) just one-on-one fights, it becomes less of a requirement (and the game becomes less of a draw...).

Lugaru has a crapload of potential that can easily be realized with more complex maps (I'm sure a mapmaker will give us them, but the maps in Lugaru 1 were very flat and always just variations of "flat thing with trees and blocks"), improved gameplay mechanics, and a kickass online service. If you can really pull this off (and, seeing the talent behind Wolfire, I don't doubt that you can), this will be one shareware I will gladly lay down the dollars for.

Phoenix is very good, although it lags a tiny bit on my 1.25 ghz eMac. I'm pretty sure this is not a machine that will be able to run Lugaru 2, though, and even if it was, the performance of Phoenix is more than passable for a menu system, and the design is far greater than most. A keyboard shortcut to switch windows would be a nice addition, though.

Post by **Jeff** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:40 pm

Don't worry about performance. I haven't even begun to optimize it yet. Right now I am going for completeness instead of speed, but there are a few easy ways I can dramatically make it faster and once it is in L2, it will barely use any resources at all. I would not be surpised if it is faster than native OS X.

lpod100 · Post by **lpod100** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:11 pm

this is probably stupid, but since this is going to require a lot of power, how about a built in option to close any apps/daemons on start-up? (this is of course for the mac.)

on a side note, based on my observations of Microsoft, it appears that all processes are embedded directly into the OS (leading to more restarts, among other things). is it actually possible to focus all of the processing power of a MS computer on one process?

SMNMX · Post by **SMNMX** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:49 pm

No, if you want to close everything then you can Cmd-Q and Activity Monitor (for those non-dockable apps) yourself. I suppose as a menu option it would be fine, but many people like having things like Adium and iTunes open while gaming, even if it IS a processor hog. Besides, with the multiplayer aspects that I believe are in, people will probably want to run Teamspeak as I doubt that there will be built-in voice communication.

But seriously, if you can add a full-fledged online system (clans, anyone?), which WolfireNET sounds dangerously close to, I will love you guys forever

Amorphous Tom · Post by **Amorphous Tom** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:44 pm

SMNMX wrote:If Lugaru 2 has improved stealth abilities (I'm going to be harsh and say that the original Lugaru's stealth was very shallow and two-dimensional), AI, and a more complex fighting system (more combos, faster reaction time, etc.), which seem like givens

I disagree intensely. Sure, more fighting moves would be great so long as the control system doesn't lose its excellently elegant simplicity. Also, I love Lugaru's stealth. It requires skill, but is clear and effective, also satisfying. All of the stuff that the team's been saying about Lugaru 2 excites me immensely, with its persistent world and more complex NPC interaction, but don't overcomplicate the gameplay. More weapons and a slightly more complex health system, fine, but don't overburden the player with special moves he'll never actually use in practise. Also, it'd be a shame for the health system to require extra keypresses or a HUD. The sound of a rapid heartbeat in extreme conditions, paired with a red glare on the screen would be enough, surely.

Anyway. Just my two cents.

Zantalos · Post by **Zantalos** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:23 am

David wrote:The screenshots I took really show the motion blur than the animation, but I will set up some animations later!

Sweet, animations!

I can not wait to see this in action ,the last one was in June 5! (technically june 6, that's like 5 months!). The movement is now rigged (which means?... They won't be limp anymore? No more "stabby elbows!"), the animations have been redone FROM SCRATCH. I have to see this now, this sounds so amazing. Not only that, but this is planned to work with falling animations aswell! Holy crap people, falling animations! This ain't no basic animation before you die in ragdoll mode, this is the real, real deal. This is the completely new technology of physics based animations,
I just... I'm like... This is incredibly awesome!
I can't even focus on my finals, and this is my last week in school too!

Sectaurs · Post by **Sectaurs** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:49 am

rigged just means he's been attatched to his skeleton. the amazing stuff going on is the physics manipulating the skeleton.

zip · Post by **zip** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:49 am

Zantalos wrote:
David wrote:The screenshots I took really show the motion blur than the animation, but I will set up some animations later!
Sweet, animations!

I can not wait to see this in action ,the last one was in June 5! (technically june 6, that's like 5 months!). The movement is now rigged (which means?... They won't be limp anymore? No more "stabby elbows!"), the animations have been redone FROM SCRATCH. I have to see this now, this sounds so amazing. Not only that, but this is planned to work with falling animations aswell! Holy crap people, falling animations! This ain't no basic animation before you die in ragdoll mode, this is the real, real deal. This is the completely new technology of physics based animations,
I just... I'm like... This is incredibly awesome!
I can't even focus on my finals, and this is my last week in school too!

And so begins the first Wolfire Rehab Center.
*puts zantalos into a white van*