Into the Woods

[loboLoco]

[youtube]YLykOqBlIGI[/youtube]
Video link: https://youtu.be/YLykOqBlIGI

The new forests of Amethyst Mountain are coming together quite nicely now, as you saw in last week’s “Peaceable Kingdom” video. This week we look at the technical side of vegetation: How we set up the trees and other vegetation objects in the game scene so they “grow” where they should, and not where they shouldn’t. We’re using an amazing plugin for Unity called Vegetation Studio Pro, which lets you set spawning rules (e.g. tree #1 should spawn in low elevations, tree #2 in high elevations, etc.), and then uses cutting-edge rendering techniques that allow us to have hundreds of thousands of trees in the scene without killing game performance. Like many game development tools, it’s quick and easy (and fun) to create a rough version of what you want….and then lots and lots of tweaking and testing to get it just how you want it. (For example: did anyone spot the tree without a trunk in the video?)

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We know everyone wants to know when when when! We are still hoping to release the first episode, Amethyst Mountain, by the end of 2018 for PC/Mac on Steam and itch.io, as Early Access — but we aren’t quite as far along as I had hoped to be by now, so that’s a goal, not a guarantee. At any rate, that’ll be followed by Slough Creek some months later in 2019, then followed by the mobile versions. We’ll then resume development of the next episode, Tower Fall.

[SnowSprite]

I love how the leaves in the trees are actually moving in the wind. It makes a ton of difference to the static, non-moving trees in the old game. I like how this is turning out and I can't wait to play! When it's ready, of course.

[MysteryFoxSpirt]

Wow! The foliage maker is amazing! Can’t wait to hunt in the trees again!

[YellowstoneWolves1]

The forest is beautiful, Dave! Now it's REALLY making me think of my grandma's cabin up in the mountains. I have a question, and if this is not the right place for it, please direct me to the correct place to ask this. I know people on mobile will have to wait, but will we still be able to play with people who are on mobile? Or will people in WolfQuest 3 and Wolfquest 2.7.3 be unable to play in the same server?

[PearlyReborn]

It looks so real!! Can't wait to run through these woods.

[wulfentine]

I love it—I like getting to see development in real time, watching the tree sizes change was quite interesting I know Wolfquest is supposed to be realistic to the specified locations, but I think larger trees would look really cool in another game, maybe fantasy; I wonder why I haven't seen that before?

Take your time, guys, though if it does come out by the end of the month it'll make a great Christmas gift!

[Phasoli]

Strolling through the forest is going to be so much more magical now. The scenery in the new game is going to be so beautiful. I can’t wait to prowl through it!

[Hazelflower]

Oh man! This is so beautiful! It's so realistic and... I don't know. It's just looking absolutely amazing! Keep up the good work!

[xX_WillowWisp_Xx]

Wow! This is absolutely stunning, well done wolfquest team! I have an other idea: when creating your wolf, most of the pelt colors could be locked apart from some main ones, and you unlock them by successfully having pups with a mate of that colour. It seems a bit tricky but it would be great for those of us who like a challenge. Speaking of trees this week, will there be a family tree? - I freel like this would be really intereating and helpful to keep track of all the lovely puppies and ancheators too, and, much later, when new episodes come out where you finally raise your pups up and they either leave the pack or stay an other year, you could have the option to save that wolf and play as it your self, continuing with the family tree! Thanks again for the amazing blogs each week, keep up the good work

[GoldDiamound]

Wow, this looks sooo realistic. I cannot wait to run through it. Or more like run into the trees. XD.