You must be registered to see the links
Happy New Week!
No update on the shirts this week. I need to set up the storefront and was busy last week working on assets for ch6. At the moment, it looks like someone's xanga page (yes, i'm that many years old). We'll see how it goes this week to have them up.
I went back and made some adjustments to MC's car. In CH5, I had to position the camera due to the car being one whole obj and not rigged. So things like the car door, trunk etc. could not be opened. Now everything is fully rigged. Doors open, turning the steering wheel not only orients the steering wheel but also turns the wheels, trunk opens and even the windows roll down now. I also did all the material presets for quick settings. Things like turn signaling, break and reverse lights, and headlights. It's a lot of work now but saves time for when I need them changed for a scene. The whole thing in general takes time, but it's worth the effort in the end.
And speaking of custom assets. Slightly disappointed that the asset I purchased came in pieces, so I had to reassemble this set piece manually. Much like the shooting range asset in CH3 with Naomi. This one had to be pieced together, UV mapped and textured. But it's just one of those things I complain about now but appreciate when actually using the asset.
While these custom assets do take time to import and set up for DAZ. It is nice to not limit myself to what is only available on the DAZ store. Sure, it does add to development time depending on the complexity of the asset. Or sometimes I need to take a step back and think about "how am I going to accomplish this?". Like the mall scene for example. I had a bunch of DMs about it. Thinking back on it, I'm pretty sure every asset there was custom, aside from the characters. From the mall itself, parking garage, the clothing store and even the freezie stand. The exception was that the dressing room was a native DAZ asset.
The point of all this is I've been asked a few times why has development time increased compared to CH1. A small part is learning new methods, tools, etc. The other part is working with different assets that add to the quality of the game. But I don't want anyone to think this is foreshadowing CH6 development time. With Steam out of the way until Book 2 is completed, I'm able to stay focused on CH6. There also aren't any mini-games or free-roam planned for CH6. I try to weave them into the story so they feel natural to the flow of the narrative. Though I feel I went a little too hard on Veronica's mini games in CH5. Particularly her word-hack game. Since I had to code and render the outcomes depending on what stage of the game and how much she undressed. It was fun, but also hell to work on.
Anyway, I try to shed a bit of light on the BTS (behind the scenes) of development. There's a lot that goes on that many don't see. One of these days I'd like to just record the process for these chapters. I think it'll not only be fun but educational for anyone interested in knowing how things work.
I've taken enough of your time today. Progress continues to go well.
Stay safe and cozy out there!
- digi.B
