June 2021 Progress Update!

Hey again everyone!

As usual, the next Pure Onyx release will occur before the end of the month!  This one won't have too much beyond what was in last week's Inner Circle release, as I've been pretty heavily involved with all of the new characters coming down the pipeline this week @_@, but I've made a tentative changelog you can check out below!  It will likely grow some more before the release. 

We have progress on three new characters to show off this month, as well as an update on localization from AltairPL!  We also have the first concepts of the Splicer Biker enemy from Limbo, and an example of our shader/material workflow I made from work on the new cop enemy. 

Topics for this Update!

• June Release Details
• Dominatrix Enemy Progress
• Bunny Girl Enemy Progress
• World Map!
• Police Male Complete!
• Material Creation Example
• Splicer Biker Concepts
• AltairPL's Localization/Translation Tools

June Release Details

With this release we take the first major steps toward implementing the actual gameplay loop!  We've implemented the core mission structure and first iteration of the world map scene, and Onyx can now travel between the test missions during the same session.  For a look at what to expect from this as we continue to flesh it out, check out the world map mock-up trailer I made a while back! We've also added the extra lives mechanic for Onyx, meaning she will now respawn as long as she has lives remaining.

Beyond that, we've added a number of fixes and some additions to the H system, such as body liquid build-up for FemCop, even more improvements to the Chain Splicer H scene animations, and genitals details for Onyx as we move closer toward adding cinematic mode.

Tentative Changelog (** indicates items added since the June 17 Inner Circle test release):

• ** Accessing The Hub no longer breaks enemy loot drops
• ** Improved performance of World Map scene (especially for users with < 4 GB VRAM)
• ** Reduced RAM/VRAM usage by optimizing unnecessarily large textures
• ** Fixed messed up weights on FemCop's hair 
• ** The Hub shop now has items / made various edits to the inner workings of shops
• ** GodMode and OnePunchMode now persist beyond leaving a stage
• Added first iteration of World Map scene
• Added barebones implementation of "The Hub" to the world map (where Onyx can shop/repair/access stash)
• Added 'End Mission' option to in-stage menu.  Returns the player to the World Map and retains character progress (only for that session)
• Added 'World Map' option to Game Over menu
• Disabled stash from in-stage menu
• New loading screen now supports 3:2 aspect ratio
• Added extra lives mechanic for Onyx.  Onyx will respawn as long as she has lives remaining.
• Player character flicker FX now indicates i-frames (invincibility).  Added effect after respawning.
• Added more improved versions of Chain Splicer H scene anims.
• Improved speed and curves of Chain Splicer H scene anims -- the scene has much more energy now.
• Improved performance during Chain Splicer H scenes (added new low poly chain rigs)
• Femcop now has liquid build-up FX
• Improved rigging for liquid on Onyx
• Improved genitals textures for Onyx
• Added a system that allows for text on characters (Chain Splicer's jacket kanji for example) to display in the correct direction even when character graphics are mirrored.
• Squishy/looping H Scene sounds from last month's update now use the proper audio mixer group
• Loading screen now shows proper location being loaded into

Dominatrix Enemy Progress

There's a lot of new progress on the dominatrix enemy!  The updated face and bigger hairstyle, as well as progress on clothes are standout features.  The sculpt is still unfinished (especially the clothing), but I did a material mock-up and a few face overpaints to figure out colors and act as concepts for the final stretch.

After doing a much brighter pink-haired look, I tried a darker palette like our sculptor used in the earlier WIP shots.  I ended up landing on this split-color look because I saw some potential for integrating this into her character / combat mechanics.  

The current idea is to call her "Domino", or "Vextress Domino" and center her fight on her ability to switch between two contrasting modes coupled with confusion abilities as if she's playing a game with Onyx (hence the checker motif :D).  Using a finger snap ability, she can change between bright and dark modes.  Dark mode causes the club's lighting to switch to UV, and transforms her bunny girl followers into their more aggressive versions.  Bright mode is highlighted by her use of seduction techniques against Onyx. 

Bunny Girl Enemy Progress

Kame's Syndicate Bunny Girl sculpt is really coming along!  He's progressed a lot faster with her than expected.  He spent a while experimenting with different hair techniques, and has landed on a winner I think.  He still has more details to add along with her weapon, and I think we're doing a second version as well, so expect more in the next update!  

P.S. dat thigh bulge ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

World Map!

If you haven't seen it yet, here's a preview I made of the world map in action! Now that the core structure is functional, we can begin adding the additional features shown in the previous mock-up trailer.

Police Male Complete!

TK finished the low poly model and rigging this month, and I banged out the materials over the last week or so.  The male cop enemy is now ready for animation!  

Limbo has already gotten to work starting on some pose concepts so we can figure out how we want him to behave in combat.  Currently my idea based on Limbo's early work is to make him very dangerous within jab range, and resistant to throws/grapple attacks (of course, we need to add those for Onyx still).  In fact, if Onyx attempts this, he will perform a counter attack that stuns Onyx.  In addition, he may be the first enemy to possess a heavy knockback skill -- one in which he can propel Onyx clear across the screen, knocking down anyone in her trajectory. 

Material Creation Example

I thought it would be neat to capture the process from start to finish as I worked on materials for the cop enemy -- at least via images -- so that you guys can see our character shader/material workflow.  Every character is kind of different, with some requiring new techniques, but this one was pretty straightforward.  Apologies for the gif's limited color -- makes him look kind of zombie-ish x_x.

Check it out in higher res at the top of the post!

Splicer Biker Concepts

Limbo has gotten started on bike designs for the Splicer Biker enemy!  

This one has evolved a been as we went, as at first I had asked him for some chopper style designs.  We realized that this would make the rider very low to the ground and not a great profile for being knocked off his bike via jump kicks (a staple for mounted enemies in beat 'em ups).  So we then looked at dirt bikes, which I think are more flexible in a lot of ways.  These will allow the rider to stand up, providing that higher profile, and will also not look strange at low speeds, enabling the biker to swing his bike around or even circle Onyx.  

In general, they will behave like a cross between a trap and an enemy -- in that we can make little positioning mini-games by having waves of bikers fly across the screen, requiring the player to position Onyx between them (or knock them off with a well placed jump kick).  We may also include a type that don't despawn after riding by Onyx, and instead must be dealt with like an enemy.

AltairPL's Localization/Translation Tools

APL worked a lot on the world map and related stuff this update, but he also made a big leap toward adding new languages to the game.  In his localization update, he added a host of backend tools that will allow us to export our database in a format that can easily be passed to and from the various translators we'll require.

He's written up a list of some of the key accomplishments he made in this area!

• Improved structure of localization strings - added DNT (Do Not Translate) flag, status flag for every translation, and few other things meant to make lives of us and translators a little bit easier
• Implemented (from scratch) import and export of all localization strings, along with extra stuff like status flags and notes, for given language from/to multiple .ods files (open document spreadsheet), which I believe will be the easiest to work with for translators
• Added a lot of helper methods and properties to GameDB category scripts using localization strings
• Created new sub-system handling most localization-related stuff, which was before small enough to be tacked on some related class
• Added in-editor window used to import/export translations, show status of all localizations, etc.
• Added some more Polish translations and changed some usage of static strings to use localization strings instead