Bit overdue for one of those log update thingies - my SVN changelog is getting crowded.

It's amazing how much work it takes at this stage to do stuff, and how little the game seems to progress after doing a big hack session. I have to tread the fine line between rapidly chucking in more features and keeping the build working on all fronts (especially save game functionality - that's paramount to testing stuff efficiently). ...which is the reason for seeking help recently, before this thing turns into Duke Nukem Forever type neverware.

Still hoping to get some form of release at the end of this year (to a smaller group first), though that is approaching rapidly!!


Anyway, main things of note:

• Integrated the new (beta) version of Newton Physics SDK - still a few problems left, but it's much faster & nicer & smootherer all round :)


• Lots more basic structures added - hopefully got a few modellers on the case now to improve and texture em. Islands looks a lot more busy and varied, even without detail & skins.


• Rehashed the terrain shader, which also now takes params for visual 'look & feel' - e.g. rockiness, rock type, vegetation etc - see recent screenies. Lots of variations of terrain look now possible.


• Worked on balancing collisions, damage & effects to go with them.


• Refactored quite a few code parts - onwards & upwards :o


• Had to rewrite my object construction code to handle child object physics bodies & joints correctly. That was fun :(


• Moved loads more stuff out to Lua for flexibility.


• The Walrus finally has proper wheels and looks rather nice now :)


• More work on the new island cells - still more to go though.

[ed] hmm interesting formatting there. Ah well.