Hello, and welcome to Developer Update #3, our last update before release on April 12th. In the coming weeks.
For the month of March, we massively accelerated development to a point that I have not been a single day without a ping from the USI development server, and we finally have some UI and basic gameplay features to showcase.
Map Design
Ballads completed the interiors and exteriors of the grocery store, alongside an alleyway set piece. He has now been tasked on the Nexus Interior, one of our last interior builds before release.
PngNoRe has developed a lovely multi-layered underground Combine structure, connecting to an animated Razor Train visible from the surface. This is, coincidentally, the structure I teased a while back in community chat. Surely no bodies would mysteriously disappear in this pit? Right? Surely the proximity to the slums isn't an indicator of the intended purpose of this structure...
wyosun has designed and developed an absolutely beautiful hotel interior, with all sorts of unique set pieces and custom artwork. While incomplete, their work is absolutely fantastic.
Programming / UI
Chris Comstock integrated Civan's Combine morphs to R15, created a rank-based unit selection screen, and initiated development of the Combine Deployment system, which will allow the Combine to deploy at various 'Hardpoints' or outposts throughout the City. Resistance members will be able to capture these hardpoints, preventing the Combine from spawning in the region, and eventually gaining resources from holding these locations. This system will tie into the upcoming Resistance and Sociostability system as a whole.
Nya0 has been working heavily on our UI design, working heavily on unifying the styles of our various designers for the various main menus and developing a consistent theme for us. Largely, they've been responsible for our entire UI theme after developing the initial concepts, which we couldn't be more happy with, and we hope you'll love, too, and we'd love to hear some notes!
Dam1a2 has developed the character customization screen, allowing players to, you guessed it, customize your character independently of your ROBLOX avatar! On release, we are hoping to have clothing, face, skin tone, facial hair, scars, natural hair, and premium hair options available for players to customize themselves however they see fit. *Bear in mind, that customization options deemed unacceptable by the Combine are still punishable, even if you have purchased them as a gamepass. This will be noted on any transactions.
Going they've developed a basic grammar corrector, which attempts to capitalize and punctuate sentences appropriately, automatically, to prevent capslock spam or all lowercase chat. We're hoping this makes all conversations and dialogue feel a bit more serious, but recognize that this also limits the expressiveness of chat. We're open to some suggestions on adding shouting, whispering, or other chat options here to expand this system in the future.
Citizens will also be able to get voiced chat commands, alongside a UI helper so players know what the chat commands are without having to memorize every single voiceline in the game. You can click a voiceline in the menu to activate it, or type it out normally, as one would in our older iteration of City 17. This system is also available for Combine players, allowing them to avoid having an entire handbook open on their second monitor! Ha! Fat chance. I'm going to make you keep that handbook up, and you'll like it.
Currently, Dam1a2 (sorry for the second ping, you did too much, blame yourself), is working on a downed player system that will prevent players from instantly dying after taking sufficient damage, allowing them to crawl to cover and be revived, bleed out, or be captured by the Combine.
Likewise, the Combine will be capturable, and even revivable. This will, hopefully, be expanded into a massive medical system in the future!
Surgence has implemented core in-game stats, such as energy (hunger), hydration (water), health, armor, sprint, currency, a loyalty tracker, and an in-game time system complete with day and night cycles, alongside synced watches/clocks. This UI is still WIP, but we're still happy to show what we have!
Hrvz11 has designed the UI elements for the Combine Unit Selection screen, Citizen Character Customization Screen, Voice Command Window, and main Citizen Player UI. These UI elements are not hooked up in-game yet, however are currently planned for implementation by release.
FROM THIS UPDATE
In pictures.
About this edition
Republished from the original announcement and its continuations. Discord ping syntax, thread-opening notices and unrelated personal asides have been removed; contributor names and links have been made readable. Historical plans retain their original context.