What's happening lately: making progress in garrisoning mechanics
[h2]The nearest update in the game will be garrisoning, but it's not yet ready.[/h2]
Though it's usually a very basic concept in strategy games, a few things in Invasion make it a bit more involving than they otherwise would.
In your classic rts, this would just be a "hide the unit model on the map, change the skin on a building, add more healthpoints, all good" scenario.
In Invasion Machine, it's more complicated.
* A unit wants to enter a building and take cover there. Ok, but are there enemies inside? If so, the building needs to be breached and cleared, first. Are there civilians inside? Well, then they won't be happy about it.
* An enemy AI hiding inside buildings will shoot at your men. Ok, but are they close enough? If not, maybe it's better to come out and chase them? If they are, is there a window or door in the building facing the enemy? If so, what weapon do I have in the house to shoot at the enemy with?
* What should the neighbors be doing when a firefight starts in their village? Run away? Join in? Can the houses cooperate to lure your units in and only _then_ open fire simultaneously?
* Firing at houses damages them, lowering your relations with the locals.
This is just a few issues I need to work through.
[h2]So why is it not ready yet?[/h2]
Basically, there's two separate mechanics that need to be added to the game. The first one is simply shooting from and into the houses. Before, the game couldn't even recognize buildings as valid targets for engagements (because the only actors in the game able to shoot at each other were people and the armored cars). Now I need to change this, and also take into account that a house can have multiple shooters at the same time.
The other is the garrisoning itself, and a bit of new UI that goes with it. Entering buildings. Leaving the buildings, one at a time, or all your units. The consequences in relations. How it affects combat stress.
[h2]So - when is the update?[/h2]
Not this week. Probably not the next week, either. So far I successfully completed the shooting into/ out of houses mechanic. Now I need to make the AI use it, then I need to let your men garrison in the buildings.
In other words - there's progress being made, but the whole feature is a big one and it still requires more effort on my part.
[h2]tl;dr; In the coming weeks I'll add garrisoning to the game, where both your units and the enemy AI will start actively using buildings for cover. After this is done, I'll start work on game saves.[/h2]
Though it's usually a very basic concept in strategy games, a few things in Invasion make it a bit more involving than they otherwise would.
In your classic rts, this would just be a "hide the unit model on the map, change the skin on a building, add more healthpoints, all good" scenario.
In Invasion Machine, it's more complicated.
* A unit wants to enter a building and take cover there. Ok, but are there enemies inside? If so, the building needs to be breached and cleared, first. Are there civilians inside? Well, then they won't be happy about it.
* An enemy AI hiding inside buildings will shoot at your men. Ok, but are they close enough? If not, maybe it's better to come out and chase them? If they are, is there a window or door in the building facing the enemy? If so, what weapon do I have in the house to shoot at the enemy with?
* What should the neighbors be doing when a firefight starts in their village? Run away? Join in? Can the houses cooperate to lure your units in and only _then_ open fire simultaneously?
* Firing at houses damages them, lowering your relations with the locals.
This is just a few issues I need to work through.
[h2]So why is it not ready yet?[/h2]
Basically, there's two separate mechanics that need to be added to the game. The first one is simply shooting from and into the houses. Before, the game couldn't even recognize buildings as valid targets for engagements (because the only actors in the game able to shoot at each other were people and the armored cars). Now I need to change this, and also take into account that a house can have multiple shooters at the same time.
The other is the garrisoning itself, and a bit of new UI that goes with it. Entering buildings. Leaving the buildings, one at a time, or all your units. The consequences in relations. How it affects combat stress.
[h2]So - when is the update?[/h2]
Not this week. Probably not the next week, either. So far I successfully completed the shooting into/ out of houses mechanic. Now I need to make the AI use it, then I need to let your men garrison in the buildings.
In other words - there's progress being made, but the whole feature is a big one and it still requires more effort on my part.
[h2]tl;dr; In the coming weeks I'll add garrisoning to the game, where both your units and the enemy AI will start actively using buildings for cover. After this is done, I'll start work on game saves.[/h2]