3.00.20 INBOUND. AND IT'S MAJOR!
This is a very extensive update which wasn't scheduled to be released until later this year due to the sheer scope.
On the content side, as there will be new scenes mixed in with the legacy ones yet to be removed, it means that any/all scenarios which take place on the planet, will likely not work as expected due to referenced units not being present where they were scripted to be. Particularly since the new scenes are very large. They are 8km x 8km compared to the approx 1.5km x 1.5km sizes of the legacy ones.
The All Aspects engine (used in AAW/AOA games) suite being ported over, also has a vast number of built-in features which have to be ported over or things will either break, or just cause more work to be done. e.g. the character animation system is completely different in AAW as it is skeleton based. Which means that all the characters in UCCE have to support it. Which means that the animation engine can't be ported over until the character models are ready. Similarly, due to the advanced lighting and visuals in AAW not only do the UCCE shaders have to be upgraded or completed deprecated in favor of improved versions of the AAW ones, but the better models being ported over from AAW won't look the same or as good in UCCE until those tweaks are completed.
The AAW engine also has lots of built in features, most of which aren't going to be ported over as that's a different type of game. However, I plan to pick and chose the ones I believe would benefit UCCE. e.g. weapon fire deviation, ability for characters to lean, disabled craft falling to the ground under gravity and being destroyed on ground impact etc. These will be documented in the changelog as always. Remember, these are just features already in the AAW game engine and just being ported over as-needed.
This update - which is due out hopefully within the next 7 -10 days - also has a vast number of AAW assets (the Trello dev board has been extensively updated today) which have been ported over, implemented and tested. Those assets, in combination with on-going improvements to the terrain engine itself, are going to add a whole new visual dimension to the planetary portion of the game. If you already own AAW or AOA, then you should already know what to expect.
This is going to be awesome!
On the content side, as there will be new scenes mixed in with the legacy ones yet to be removed, it means that any/all scenarios which take place on the planet, will likely not work as expected due to referenced units not being present where they were scripted to be. Particularly since the new scenes are very large. They are 8km x 8km compared to the approx 1.5km x 1.5km sizes of the legacy ones.
The All Aspects engine (used in AAW/AOA games) suite being ported over, also has a vast number of built-in features which have to be ported over or things will either break, or just cause more work to be done. e.g. the character animation system is completely different in AAW as it is skeleton based. Which means that all the characters in UCCE have to support it. Which means that the animation engine can't be ported over until the character models are ready. Similarly, due to the advanced lighting and visuals in AAW not only do the UCCE shaders have to be upgraded or completed deprecated in favor of improved versions of the AAW ones, but the better models being ported over from AAW won't look the same or as good in UCCE until those tweaks are completed.
The AAW engine also has lots of built in features, most of which aren't going to be ported over as that's a different type of game. However, I plan to pick and chose the ones I believe would benefit UCCE. e.g. weapon fire deviation, ability for characters to lean, disabled craft falling to the ground under gravity and being destroyed on ground impact etc. These will be documented in the changelog as always. Remember, these are just features already in the AAW game engine and just being ported over as-needed.
This update - which is due out hopefully within the next 7 -10 days - also has a vast number of AAW assets (the Trello dev board has been extensively updated today) which have been ported over, implemented and tested. Those assets, in combination with on-going improvements to the terrain engine itself, are going to add a whole new visual dimension to the planetary portion of the game. If you already own AAW or AOA, then you should already know what to expect.
This is going to be awesome!