Hello everyone!

Today (and in the past few days) I have been working on the chunk system! Good news: I made the chunks and the grids that store blocks! Bad news... major FPS problems.

The groundwork is completed and the chunks are also completed. However, I'm getting MAJOR lag spikes when loading a new chunk. In fact. the frames drop by about 20% given each new chunk loaded. It's weird, because chunks are removed from memory once they're out of the view. Not sure what's going on here, but I'm going to solve it!

​Until next time!

Hello everyone!

I decided to change a few things in the development cycle. Some things need more time, and some things are more important than others. One thing that takes precedence over everything is the foundation of the game, which includes chunks and block handling. Right now, I'm using a very inefficient method to handle blocks. Over the past few days, I've been working on revising that system, and I've decided that I'm going to use a chunk system as well as tile-based blocks. Machines like the pulverizer and refinery will be 'special' blocks that will not use the tile-based system, but ordinary blocks used for building and collision will be handled with more efficiency. This system will also improve the overall workflow. 

Today, I focused on laying the groundwork for this system and solving the initial quirks. Blocks will be handled in chunks, and chunks will load and draw grids filled with block data. Chunks are also easily savable allowing for the elimination of the segment 'World saving'. All blocks will be drawn through one instance rather than each block being its own instance, which significantly improves CPU usage and overall performance.

​Until next time!

Hello everyone,

This weekend, I will not be working on Crevis because it's a pretty important holiday and it's a time to gather with family... so I suggest you do the same! I'd also like to address the status of Crevis and if it doesn't get Greenlit. I've been getting questions regarding whether I'm still going to be working on the game if it doesn't get Greenlit... and the answer is yes! I'm going to be working on Crevis as scheduled, and we're still ahead of schedule.

​Until next time!

Hello everybody!

Here's the Steam Greenlight trailer for Crevis.

Until next time!

Hello everyone!

Today, I added quite alot. I added quarries, which can mine a configurable space given power.

I also redesigned and implemented rockets! They blast off into space at an exponential rate, and they can travel to any of the planets in the system given enough fuel.

I also created and finished other things, but I want some things to be a surprise for the trailer!

Until next time!

Hello everyone!

Today, I created a fully functional skeleton of the upcoming Riftus boss in Spine!

It's missing part of both arms, and can shoot lasers from its eyes. This boss will be featured in the trailer. I also took the time to build an elaborate fortress for the boss with some spicy new blocks. It's also fairly obvious that I implemented the fire that I animated weeks ago into this build. This will be the fortress that the player fights the boss in.

I also created new parallax layers! I created several tree layers, and also created clouds, which move at a fairly slow pace and also interact with the other parallax layers.

As you can see, I also created deer to give the environment more life. I also added trees alongside a swaying effect to increase the ambiance.Overall, I think it's a pretty good mountain, and it would be so much better with the addition of shaders. 

​Until next time!

Hello everyone,

Today, I learned of Steam Greenlight's predecessor, SteamDirect, and how it will cost from $100-$5000 per title. I already raised money through Kickstarter to pay off the $100 fee to get the Greenlight one-time fee, and now it's being shut down. Greenlight is projected to be replaced in Spring 2017. It's obviously already spring, so there's very little time left. I don't have near as much money as I'm going to need if I want to pay the fee to get the game onto Steam. So I've made a decision: which is to try and grind out a trailer this week. After the trailer is out, I'm going to put it on Greenlight and try to get the game Greenlit before Greenlight is replaced. This really does suck, and I hope that it all works according to plan. Right now, my primary focus has shifted to graphics and snippets of the game: I'm enhancing the game graphically to make it more appealing to Greenlight voters. I'm also creating mini boss-fights so that the trailer can have some juicy action in it. Feast your eyes on one of the new Crevis parallax backgrounds:

I used GameMaker 2's awesome brush-based sprite editor to create this background, and I think it came out okay. In the next few days I'm going to be pumping out content as fast as I can so that I can get the trailer out as soon as possible. Here's what I want in the trailer:

• Cinematic biomes
• Machines
• 2 boss fights
• Mountains
• Mining
• Building
• Fighting monsters
• Rocket lifting off
• Space HUD
• One extra-terrestrial planet

So why's SteamDirect so stupid?

Simple answer. The price tag! Steam has always been so lax with their customer support... it's terrible. It takes several days to get hold of a human to help you out when you need help, and they hardly reach out to developers. They're saying that SteamDirect and its insane price point is being put into play because there are games that are not up to par being released. The price is to reduce the flow of amateur developers. However, this problem could be solved by having a human reviewing the game before it's put onto Steam. There's so many other ways Valve could have handled this, but they're simply a money-making machine and it really defeats aspiring developers like myself. Somehow... someway... I'll get through this.

​Until next time!

Hello everyone!

Today, I finished the connected textures for the wires, and made it so that wires can connect to an array of different objects, like machines and other wires. However, I'm having trouble in the energy transferring aspect of the wires.

I also implemented fibra-batteries! They come in several tiers and store varying amounts of FW. The first tier is jade and can be seen in the gif. Here's a table with the different tiers and their corresponding holding capacities.

I'm still debating on whether to utilize servos or not -- they may not be necessary. Let's talk schedule now. I have twenty more days to complete wires, which is more than enough time... I may even be able to complete May's segment in that time. The way Crevis is looking now, the game will definitely be released onto Greenlight before the end of the year! 

​Until next time!

Hello everybody!

Today, I worked for a very long time on wires. I'm working on getting connected textures to work, and I'm also working on telling the wire what blocks to connect to. Currently, I'm having a weird bug where I'm unable to tell the wire more than one connectable block. Here's a snapshot of the wires:

I also created a new wire mechanic: servos! Servos tell the wires whether it is inputting or exporting items from a particular inventory.

I am also planning on creating a wrench to change the direction of the servo.

​Until next time!

Hello everyone!

Today, I was extremely sick and stayed at home for the entirety of today, providing me with ample time to work on Crevis. As you may know, interfaces, chests, and tools are very prominent within Crevis. To save items within interfaces and to save the durability of tools, I am utilizing metadata. Metadata is additional data that can be added to an item. Additional data can include durability, effects, etc. 

When I initially designed the inventory system, I created it in a way that was very modular and flexible, so it was quite easy to implement metadata, taking only about 30 minutes. I can use metadata to store chests' items, which makes chests retain their inventories when broken! I can use the same technique to implement backpacks. Metadata is one of the items due to be completed during May, marking that we are still one month ahead of schedule.

Tomorrow and the days following, I will be working on item/energy/fluid transportation.

​Until next time!