Video update Terrain Prototypes

I didn't see this posted already.

The guys did their first video update on twitch today. Pretty much focused on terrain prototypes.

http://www.twitch.tv/uberchannel/b/334446805

Terrain is looking really nice.

Nice terrains. Good work uber.

Keep in mind we aren't even close to final with this stuff.

We've made a few videos of stuff on my screen for the documentary. Hopefully we'll have a lot of that over time which should make for some interesting time lapse viewing.

Thanks for all the updates!
It would be great if more companies followed your example.
I hope you continue with this method for producing games.

I assume that there are plans for map types other than ramps 'n' canyons and this is just whatever happened to be in a presentable condition first. I do like ramps and canyons, but rolling hills are nice too.

Still not sure about the swirly canyons. They look nice, but they create a lot of problems for certain units. If you've tried to hit a submerged commander with torpedo bombers on Over Crude Water, you'll know why they're hilariously easy to defend. If they're actually going to be a common feature, I don't want to see a lot of players going "Ahaha, all my eco is in the ends of swirlies, your air power and artillery is worthless!"

Although it might be fun to set the map generator to "whole map is swirlies" and play stupid canyon battle games once in a while.

Try not to read too much into this stuff. Remember, you are seeing early conceptual stuff here before any of the rough edges have been rounded off from any perspective, including gameplay. You are simply seeing raw creativity before any tempering has been done.

I agree with the sharper cliff edges looks a lot more awesome. Not to mention it should reduce polycount at least some.

So about the "cartooney graphics" I think the simplistic look will definitely help people tell what's going on at a glance. And the hard edges rand darker cliff sides really let people know what they can walk and build on. However I do wish the swirls would go away, that's the one thing that looks cartooney, and I imagine it'd be a path-finding mess.

Looking good Uber! I agree with the decision to use harder edged cliffs, looks much cleaner.

It's awesome that you are sharing stuff like this so early in development. Even though this is just conceptual stuff, and subject to changes it is fun seeing the progression. Looking forward to seeing more of it as it develops

To be honest, the swirls aren't too bad at all in this video. They look a lot more natural, and, assuming their size is fairly large, they shouldn't have a detrimental effect on gameplay. I also like how easy the terrain is on the eyes, even the whiteness of the ice terrain. The hard edges also have the added effect of making it easier to differentiate larger differences in terrain height, which should make it easier to determine heights without having to change from a topdown perspective, or enable contour maps.

I'm liking what I'm seeing! Keep it up!

We should make a poll about whether we like the terrain!! Yeah!


...



heh. In all seriousness, looks great. Love the fact you guys are keeping unit visibility and identification as a high priority, AND managing a style that gives a lot of personality and detail without sacrificing the ability to 'read' the terrain elevations.

Now I want to see it in the engine, on an experimental ring-world.

Also, there was a little SMNC stuff on that feed. You know, nothing major, a new character release is all :roll:

love it! Thanks for the update

looking forward to seeing more variation and exploration. Especially for mountains, terrain blending and how the metal planets shape up. Sand dunes would be fantastic too.

I'd really like to see massive clockwork metal planets explored. If they are from a long dead civilization, maybe they used massive gears and mechanical parts to get huge weaponry into place. Imagine mountain ranges of cogs that, when the planet is activated, slowly turn. Or mile-high pistons pumping away.

The terrain looks pretty good already! The swirls are noticable but this looks really good.

I think it's a good call to keep the cliffs really edgy, provides a nice contrast.

Maybe this is a little bit too early to ask, but are the different terrain types just there to provide a visial difference? Or will there be some sort of gameplay implication too? For instance movement speed decreased on icy parts of a planet and such?

Think I'm going to sleep soon. Coded for ~14 hours today. Ate lunch and dinner in front of the computer.

Terrain progressing

Thanks for the update.

Love the swirls, colors, edges... Great stuff.

Would love to see dramatic impassable areas like those in SupCom2, where a canyon would sometimes drop 1000's of feet. Perhaps metal planets could have missing areas on their surface revealing internal machinery (it would be innaccesible to the player, displayed under the play area)--units would cross over land bridges that drop away underneath to massive machinery.

Rolling hills sound fun to battle on as someone else mentioned.

P.S. I'm excited for your unfettered creative vision, hope the naysayers don't dull the sharp blade of your idea. Uncomfortable reactions show your forcing people to step out of their comfort zone, pushing past the Status Quo and business as usual, which is great! (talking about swirls here, love em', keep the originality flowin').

Looks really beautiful .

Now I don't want to be "that guy" but..
That greenscreen.

...was perfect. Bacon all over the place, as well as a healthy dose of Awesome. What more could you want? ;-)