Author Topic: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion  (Read 18595 times)

Styg

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Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« on: March 11, 2020, 06:16:03 pm »
Hi guys,

Back in October I mentioned that we started working on a new standalone Underrail campaign. This is still true, but we've also decided that we're going to give the engine a major upgrade which will help us create a much better game, both visually and mechanically. The thing is - there are certain design and technical decisions that were made early during the development of Underrail that are very limiting to us now, but are not easy to change just due to the amount of content that would have to be redone. So instead of taking a hammer to our beloved game, we're going to improve upon all these things (that we yearned to do for years) in a fresh stand-alone game that will still be based on the same engine core and gameplay mechanics. We call this game Underrail: Infusion.

I'm not going to list all the things that we intend to change/improve upon in Infusion, but I will say that they include both the visuals, as well as mechanics and world design. I'm going to try to post more frequent dev logs, as I did back in Underrail's alpha days, as to keep you guys in the loop. All that you see in these early days you should consider to be work-in-progress. I don't expect we're going to enter full production any time soon - not this year, for sure, as for now we're just focusing on improving the engine, the toolset and optimizing the content pipelines.

First thing I want to show you are the new environment graphics. Keep in mind that Infusion will be taking place in a completely different part of Underrail, so this is not a rework of any existing tile set, but a new one.



I've done a lot of work on the rendering engine and the way the assets are organized and rendered which allows Mac to more easily produce and organize a bunch of different variations of the same object, and also to easily animate them or give them other visual properties and behaviors without having to go into the gameplay code. Inversely, gameplay stuff can now be easily implemented before the assets themselves are made as they are only loosely coupled. This is going to greatly improve our efficiency when churning out new content. Technically, we're sticking with the same tile size (96x48) but we're going to make the tile relatively smaller in regards to objects, that is, everything is going to get bigger, which will increase the graphical fidelity. This is going to affect various combat mechanics as well, but we're discuss this at a later date.

That's it for now. We have more exciting stuff that we've been working on in the meantime as well, but it's not quite ready to be shown still. Let us know how you guys like the new visuals.

Also, in a few months you can expect the new content update for Underrail. This one is probably going to be released on experimental branch first and will stay there for a while, just due to the nature of the gameplay changes I've made. I'm sure you'll all be very happy with the changes, but just in case you might want to experience psionic characters in their current form before that happens.

Cheers.

Mac Orion

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2020, 07:04:18 pm »
I make the graphics on a 2k display and styg tests it on an 4k monitor, so it will look really good on those high resolution, dont worry. It's gona be good!

Styg

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2020, 07:24:32 pm »
Are you still planning to re-implement zoom or was that dropped in favor of making everything bigger?
We're probably going to still implement it in Infusion, but I'm leaving that for further down the road.

Turbodevil

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2020, 08:12:41 pm »
Fuck yeah Underrail 2 confirmed :D

Bruno

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2020, 08:15:37 pm »
This is very cool, thanks for all the hard work you guys put in.

Tygrende

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2020, 09:04:47 pm »
Looking good.

hilf

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2020, 09:31:22 pm »
Some faction that likes red triangles and blue circles.

Varrok

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2020, 10:29:27 pm »
Looks really good. It give a more natural/organic vibe than the original game, and by that I mean it looks more like one painting than patterns of tiles placed close to one another. Really dig it.

Since more major engine overhaul is mentioned, I think it's right to ask: Is a native Linux port on the table, in any way?

destroyor

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2020, 11:34:04 pm »
Glad to hear Underrail 2 is in the prepping stages. As always, if you like something, please support the shit out of it or it'll disappear. Definitely a day 1 purchase for me.


Also, in a few months you can expect the new content update for Underrail. This one is probably going to be released on experimental branch first and will stay there for a while, just due to the nature of the gameplay changes I've made. I'm sure you'll all be very happy with the changes, but just in case you might want to experience psionic characters in their current form before that happens.

Good news, now I have a legit excuse not to update my character build section. Muhahahaha! I'm not lazy; I'm just waiting for the update. Yeah ... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Bad news, knowing Styg and based on past nerfs - I'm pretty sure he'll go too far and everything will be nerfed to the ground, again. Hope I'm mistaken on this one. I'm also hoping for some buffs for mechanical pistols and throwing only build ...

Edited: no Steam news dev log update?
« Last Edit: March 11, 2020, 11:37:32 pm by destroyor »

TheAverageGortsby

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2020, 12:42:39 am »
That looks a lot like it could have come out of Baldur's Gate 2 or Planescape: Torment, and I certainly mean that as a compliment. 

Looks great.  Keep up the good work, and thanks for continuing to support this excellent game!

Altos

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2020, 02:01:45 am »
Underrail 2: Psionic Boogaloo  8)

luckish

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2020, 07:47:46 am »
Some faction that likes red triangles and blue circles.

those are blue hexagons, we goin' to hexagon/technophile outpost baby  8)

Tayon

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2020, 11:41:03 am »
Also, in a few months you can expect the new content update for Underrail. This one is probably going to be released on experimental branch first and will stay there for a while, just due to the nature of the gameplay changes I've made. I'm sure you'll all be very happy with the changes, but just in case you might want to experience psionic characters in their current form before that happens.
May I ask, new psionic feats are planned, or is it just a rebalancing? As an all-psi character, I'm not afraid of rebalancing, some of the abilities will work anyway ... But if new feats come out, I will need to freeze the current walkthrough.

Tayon

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2020, 12:46:37 pm »
New feats are unlikely, but the way pure psi characters play might change drastically. Styg's been planning to nerf them for the longest time. See also https://underrail.com/forums/index.php?topic=5473.0
Well, I saw that topic and even handed over my save file. But my build does not have any key psi abilities. Whatever changes happen, I can still adapt to them, unless Styg makes a pure psionics completely unplayable... But he doesn't, right?

P.S. I apologize for my poor English.

TheAverageGortsby

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Re: Dev Log #65: Codename Infusion
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2020, 02:26:41 pm »
- Adding a long-term resource to psi, especially for Infusion. Insanity bar was one idea he mentioned, but he's not necessary going with that.
UnderRail 2: Vampire Masquerade: Malkavian Sockhop confirmed!  Can't wait to have a conversation with a stop sign again!