A Path Beyond How are things?

[Raap]

Heya, Raap here, aka the guy who promised some sort of APB contributions but failed to deliver 1/3rd of it.

How is things around here these days, and does APB stil have an audience?

Despite how I left things during a 'heated moment', and despite an attempt to finish up my last contribution in august was just not working out due to a long excuse-train of reasons I don't believe are worth mentioning, I can't help but feel this nagging feeling of having some unfinished business. So I wonder, is there a point for me to consider making the time available to finish the Hostile Waters revamp that got stuck in a development hell? I'm speaking of this thing here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7fULGRONJ7dNldqVHVRQVhRSGc/view

I put a lot of work on various art related things earlier this year to finish it but I just wasn't able to pull through, and unfortunately there is still a lot left to be done unless I trim down the development scope a lot (like axing the completely untested underground railcart system). 

So, TLDR: Do people still play APB?

[Mojoman]

Good to see you around Raap :D.

Personally, I haven't in a while just with a bit of burn out on the game (I liked when there were constant balanced changes haha :p).

Looking at the ladder, it seems to have quieted down since the summer.

 

I'd be interested in the Hostile Waters revamp. Any new content would get me back into the game easier, and community creations are always a plus in my books.

[OWA]

Hey Raap, good to see you around again! Things at APB have quietened down currently, but if you know us then you'll know that we don't give up. We have a couple of projects in development that should be able to help us get the game out there to more players. There is a vast un-tapped audience of players who we aren't reaching, but when the time comes and we do reach them, APB will be back and better than ever.

[Raap]

I'll see if I can polish up the assets for HW's surface play space while leaving the rail network as it is (read: not implemented), as it appears that there will be no opportunity to test such horizontal elevator logic in a larger scale online environment. I unfortunately have no idea what's up with APB's development right now, and therefore currently have no idea on where to tie this up to, but hey, I'm willing to see what I got to work with here.

From where I'm standing, I'm OK to deliver something now, for it to be used down the line if activity picks up again. Axing the rail network - despite the hours that already went into creating and testing it - would actually simplify the wrap-up process down to surface aesthetics and gameplay mechanics. But regarding the latter; APB level development had become increasingly more time consuming due to requiring more and more logic set-up with each patch, this also did not help much the last time I tried to deliver this level, it just boils down to increased workload per level.

Anyhow, I promise no dates, but "I'm around" and hopefully by the time APB reboots itself, I'll have something to share.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Raap

[Einstein]

10 hours ago, Raap said:

Heya, Raap here, aka the guy who promised some sort of APB contributions but failed to deliver 1/3rd of it.

You think this is how we will remember you when you die don't you? Lighten up dude

Good to see you back! Hope things are doing well in your world. Hit me on steam or something!

[SilverShark]

Rankings and server bot appear to be down.

[Raap]

2 hours ago, Einstein said:

You think this is how we will remember you when you die don't you? Lighten up dude

Good to see you back! Hope things are doing well in your world. Hit me on steam or something!

Actually that'd be a positive thing since I didn't expect people to even think of me at all when I die!

And I'll be on Steam more, I just don't get around to it a lot. The last game I briefly got to play was Player Unknown's Battlegrounds to see what all this hype was all about - suffice it to say I don't see the appeal in a RNG-infested deathmatch, and have since concluded hat the bulk of the sales of this game are from Chinese businesses that turn a profit from the tradable cosmetics... Yeap, how's that for being cynical!

[Raptor29aa]

Good to see you Raap. Believe it or not I have been a fan of your unique map making abilities since.9935. Although you wish some of your earlier maps were buried deep under Chernobyl, I find them to be very imaginative. You weren’t satisfied with the same green boxed canyon design everyone else made. This how you will be remembered pushing both the game’s norms and limits.

ps (thanks for retuning a few maps)

Edited November 10, 2017 by Raptor29aa

[AZ-Stalker]

Glad you're still kicking Raap! Your work is always highly appreciated!

As far as I've noticed by talking to regulars on the server, people kinda got burnt out from the constant APB-ing... we had matches going on for months with lots of players, and the few I've questioned about the down time told me that they noticed people taking a brake so they took one too. It's a natural thing with games, it's like a sine wave as with all seasons in life. So currently there is less pressure for anything you'd like to contribute or explore until everything picks back up again!

Get an avatar.

[Raap]

2 hours ago, Raptor29aa said:

Good to see you Raap. Believe it or not I have been a fan of your unique map making abilities since.9935. Although you wish some of your earlier maps were buried deep under Chernobyl, I find them to be very imaginative. You weren’t satisfied with the same green boxed canyon design everyone else made. This how you will be remembered pushing both the game’s norms and limits.

ps (thanks for retuning a few maps)

That's a very fancy way of saying "He messed around in the dark while generally being pretty clueless yet despite of it still managing to somehow produce what in exclusively purely technical terms can be considered game levels".

As for returning maps, fun fact: I didn't! Hostile Waters got added - then pulled - and I never got to finish the revamp! And Siege was never officially released previously. Still, I'd live fine knowing I did a mere two level contributions to Delta, it'd beat the baby-sitting jobs I got handed to me during BHP's Beta development period.

Quote

Get an avatar.

I looked, I couldn't find anything. This forum does not allow transparency PNG's for avatars and I didn't feel like making something new, especially not an avatar, since that requires a capacity to express ones state of mind. 

Edited November 10, 2017 by Raap

[AZ-Stalker]

1 hour ago, Raap said:

I looked, I couldn't find anything. This forum does not allow transparency PNG's for avatars and I didn't feel like making something new, especially not an avatar, since that requires a capacity to express ones state of mind. 

Shhhhhhh... use an APB engineer, it'd make sense since you like to get technical.

Anyway really glad you're back and hopefully doing well.

[Einstein]

5 hours ago, Raap said:

That's a very fancy way of saying "He messed around in the dark while generally being pretty clueless yet despite of it still managing to somehow produce what in exclusively purely technical terms can be considered game levels".

Actually I took it to be a fancy way of saying "we like your maps boy". I for one share the enjoyment of your unique maps, and I'm sure that Raptor and I aren't the only ones, judging by some polls and some other things I've heard. Fond memories of slow-moving fireballs on tiny walkways out in a void.....that was you right?  

But if you want to be down about it then I guess thats your choice

Again, welcome back. We don't expect you to come in guns blazing with all sorts of awesome new content, so like AZ said no pressure. But we will for sure enjoy anything that happens to pop out!

[ganein14]

Despite the fact that I haven't been in a game of APB in a long time, I still enjoy seeing your content Raap. If you don't believe what I said though, I think my current avatar will display my feelings well enough.

[Raap]

I noticed Saberhawk departed from the programming team, how much of a set-back has this been? I recall he was the main driving force in engine improvements - although most of it seemingly never got finished.

Other than Jonwil and Dan, who else is left programming-capable? Will things such as a W3D format conversion tool, to eliminate the dependency on ancient (and broken) software, ever happen now?

Edited November 22, 2017 by Raap

[Einstein]

There are a few more that work on scripts stuff, such as Jerad2142 and Dblaney and maybe a few others. We also have one new addition, Neijwiert.

[Raap]

32 minutes ago, Einstein said:

There are a few more that work on scripts stuff, such as Jerad2142 and Dblaney and maybe a few others. We also have one new addition, Neijwiert.

Good to see a new addition!

But let's say, if I ever went back to work on something for a W3D project, who would I have to be harassing for things like a W3D converter or other previously 'teased' tools such as an updated content editor (LE replacement)? Or am I correct in presuming that at this time nobody is able to take over those tasks? I ask this because there was always one singular constant in any contributions I ever made, both for Delta and BHP; The tools are a perpetual pain in the arse, both in terms of handling and performance, especially on Windows 10.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Raap

[Einstein]

That I can not answer unfortunately. I'm not aware of any active developments in that area though.

[Raap]

Fair enough!

Anyhow, I took another look at my unfinished work, and I got reminded of a code related problem I wasn't sure I could work around. So here is a question to players, from their point of view: How obvious is the shadow bug in the screenshot below?

In slightly more technical terms, whats happening here is that W3D doesn't know how to render shadows on certain material surfaces. Now you probably never encounter this is normal environments, but this is an iceberg, and this ice is made up from several meshes, materials, and passes to look convincing. I presume an engine fix is unlikely so if I did get around to finishing this level, should I keep the ice with the weird shadow-cutting, or remove it?

Edit: For what its worth, I personally lean towards removing the surface ice as I find the shadow problem to be really distracting.

And I got another problem I was never able to solve as well; The Allied Advanced Naval Yard, despite not being touched since the original level release over as year ago, now refuses to export 2-3 specific meshes, for no known reasons. Puzzling issues like this always stalled content development and they certainly contributed to this map never releasing.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Raap

[Einstein]

I noticed that occasionally a long time ago before your map was released. I always place it in "the joy of using W3D" category. Doesnt bother me personally.

[Raap]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

I noticed that occasionally a long time ago before your map was released. I always place it in "the joy of using W3D" category. Doesnt bother me personally.

You might be mistaken here, because this new ice effect did not exist in the old map.

Anyway, threw this on the "Things I'll do last" backburner until a consensus is made regarding whether to keep it or axe it. 

I'll contact Pushwaffles later this week to ask where he stands right now in terms of ideas for reviving APB - again. I even got some theories on this myself especially given the likelihood of an impending C&C franchise revival by EA, so the timing might be right for it next year. I do still believe Delta to be an excellent state for the game and it deserves a bit more time in the sun, so at the very least Delta could be used as a framework for an eventual "Omega" or something equally silly sounding.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Raap

[Raptor29aa]

I can’t speak for everyone but I feel APB doesn’t need a new release. I am satisfied with the gameplay as is. Maybe a new level or four would jazz up the crowds. (you could give it a name like atomic winter or cold fission or APB leveled up)

Also to be honest I can feel tired of gameplay after a while. If EA does intend to revamp command and conquer... why not give them APB plus another CnC project? Then when some feel tired of one they can switch to another. Give both games a ranking system like APB stats and BAM! ? You will not have only brought in new players but also a younger audience and new enthusiasm. You could call it W3D - The Pwnage Begins

Edited November 23, 2017 by Raptor29aa

[Raap]

Perhaps I wasn't clear in expressing my thoughts when saying "I do still believe Delta to be an excellent state for the game". It doesn't need a massive gameplay revision. It just needs engine improvements to help it not feel so aged, graphical enhancements, and content additions on top of what is already there. Package these three things in one named patch and promote it a bit, and that's how you 'revive' a game.

Just my 2 cents of course, but having worked on 4 different iterations of APB (starting as a scrubby fan in the .99x days), Delta easily beats them all despite using the same engine and tools.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Raap