Hi everyone, this is my first post on IndieDB and it's the 15th devlog for Assembly RTS, now no longer exclusive to YouTube. Grab yourself a cup of tea and enjoy.
3D Assets
3D asset creation took a back seat the past few weeks as I focused more on coding than usual.
Even so, I finished the 3D model of the Billhook combat hovercraft
...and started adapting models of sci-fi buildings to my needs.
I bought them as part of the black Friday sale on Artstation.
I also took advantage of the black Friday sale on the Unity asset store to buy more useful tools.
The only 3D assets I bought from the asset store were the polyquest rocks and cliffs.
I hoped that I could use these models to build whole levels with a unique visual style that didn't require using a Unity terrain.
However, I discovered that these models aren't nearly as versatile as I imagined.
Realistic Terrain
I took some time to integrate the Microsplat terrain texturing system into my project.
The degree of realism I was able to achieve with the help of Microsplat modules is quite impressive.
I took this opportunity to also improve the lighting and post-processing for my game.
While I was at it I tried out the Procedural Worlds Time of Day asset which I got as part of a Humble Bundle a while back.
I thought it could help me set up realistic-looking lighting at different times of the day.
However, my custom lighting setup always looked a lot better in the context of my terrain so I ended up discarding the changes.
Real-Time Map Editor
Next, I couldn't help but start integrating a real-time map editor for my game which I had purchased as part of the black Friday sale.
The functionality this asset has out of the box is really impressive but it's also really hard to modify.
But I'm starting to understand more and more of how it works, so making modifications is getting a bit easier, though it can still be a chore.
Further Thoughts
I also completed upgrading my project from 0.51 to ECS 1.0 experimental and finished modifying the ECS physics engine once more.
I feel a bit uneasy about the fact that I still don't have a foundational gameplay loop in place for my game.
So I'm debating with myself if I should focus more on that or first get a basic map editor and Steam Workshop integration up and running.
I think it doesn't make much of a difference in the end.
Both approaches have equally strong pros and cons.
Also, my automatic testing setup no longer works ever since I upgraded to Unity 2022.2.
This is making me a bit nervous and it's something I need to fix as soon as possible.
That's it for this devlog. I always appreciate feedback.
Have a nice day and see you in the next devlog for Assembly RTS - Unleash Your Forces.
