Tag Archives: assets

Talking Testing Twirling Turrets

Hello Everybody,

In the past couple of weeks we have been busy with the creation of the first buildable robotic structure in Eden Star – the turret. This is neither a reveal nor news. What I want to tell you about is the journey of its implementation. It might seem that, since we already have the building system in place, all that’s left is to equip them with ammo and send them on their merry murderous way, right? Well, wrong. I SAID WRONG, SIR!

eden star ue3 turrets

It just so happens that the prototyping of the turret’s functionality in UE4 alongside the tech demo implementation was up to me and so other developers and I have stumbled upon some challenges along the way.

The biggest challenge with AI, as expected, is preventing it from turning against its creator. Turrets tend to be simple-minded and the concept of friends and enemies can be quite daunting for them at times. Yes, we experienced surprise gunfire, not only against the player, Eden Kit, and other turrets, but we also had some turrets targeting their own bullets… yeah…stoooopid turret.

eden star ue4 turrets

Another conundrum that needed solving was the construction on less-than-optimal terrain. Turrets built on destructible rocks would hover in mid-air if the rock got destroyed and for a time the MATA-Tool had no problem materialising them high up above the ground as long as they touched a wall with at least 1 pixel.

Nothing, however, beats fun with vector maths when your rotators go wrong. The turret is a naturally spinny creature, which is required for all-around protection of the Eden Kit. That is bound to cause problems and we have indeed encountered turrets spinning uncontrollably in place for no reason, firing out their… back panels, and some even being capable of rotating to lock on their target faster than light. You can imagine it was essential for us to make sure turrets give you a fighting chance, if they, despite our best efforts, rebel against you. To keep this from happening ensure plenty of power supply and fresh minerals, but just in case, the emergency button is placed conveniently by the gun barrel. Good luck!

Yours truly,
Marcin

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New Pre-alpha feature: Turrets!

Welcome back!

Tonight we’ve got something special to share with you. Many of you that have played the Pre-alpha Combat Tech Demo have commented that you feel it’s missing something… Something that allows you to turn your back on your Eden Kit for a few seconds without fear that it will be destroyed. Something like… turrets.

Well… here you go!

As always, bear in mind that there are still some bugs, and the video shown has debug lines enabled. The version we distribute to you will be a whole lot nicer.

eden star turret

Thanks for reading, and remember to check back here regularly for more updates!

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Kickstarter Update #7: The Ika Drone

Hi everyone,
Today we’re releasing a section of lore surrounding the Drones in the Pre-Alpha Combat Tech Demo.

Designed to assist Pioneer candidates in training for the Pharus 7 mission, once on the planet, these drones will able to be deployed as robotic support, assisting players in a variety of situations.

Designed to mimic the aggressive behaviour of the Ika, instances of the Synthetic Ika (SI) Drone will be integrated into training simulations to ensure that Pioneer Candidates gain the necessary experience for deployment to Pharus 7. In these simulations, the drone is designed to target both the Eden Kit and attack candidates directly, destroying any structures that obstruct its line of fire. This behaviour has been observed as the primary tactics of the Ika, a creature thought to be drawn to the energy of the Eden Kit and is capable of de-materialising its surroundings.

Individually susceptible to the MATA-Tool abilities, the SI Drone is designed to attack in groups of three or more, mimicking the swarming behaviour of the Ikas. Agile in flight, the drones can quickly relocate to dodge attacks and maneuver around obstacles. Reinforced panels and Teslinium-assisted engines allow the drone to perform aerial attacks, bursting forward to ram moving targets with a powerful force. It will attempt to navigate around its target’s line of sight and attack from behind or above, favouring surprise attacks.

eden star ika robot

 

Designed for a similar environment to Pharus 7, the drone’s claw-tipped limbs provide a tripod of support on rocky terrain and allow it to maintain stability when aiming and firing. Armed with Tesudo Corporation rail-tech weaponry, the drone is capable of causing great damage to, and ultimately destroying materialised structures and the Eden Kit itself. The drone will also target Pioneer Candidates with this weaponry. Such aggressive behaviour is intended to equip Pioneers with the necessary skills for the mission ahead, adequate Eden Kit defence is crucial to its success.

Due to its suitability for the environment of Pharus 7, the SI Drone model is a prime candidate for program adjustment and deployment as Support Drones to assist Pioneers on the planet once training is complete. Other drone models are being evaluated for their suitability to the mission. A suitable ally command interface module for MATA-Tool is being designed to allow Pioneers to have greater control over all types of robotic allies without additional training.

Stay tuned for more updates, we’re working on a few gems!

What drones would you like to have in your arsenal? Let us know on the forums.

Thank you for your support!

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