November 2021 (Week 2)

+ Optimization begins
+ preliminary png to dds conversion workflow completed
- now I just need to reoutput all assets and convert from png to dds
- its about an 80% reduction in VRAM usage for a 300% increase in filesize, not ideal but a sizable improvement
+ adjusting the layers of images, made some of them optional to save space on some assets
+ numerous png and dds conversion issues, like color artifacts, the alpha layer disappearing, and other bugs fixed or workarounds found
- still haven't pulled the trigger on reducing from 32 to 16 directions. need to see how the rest of optimization pans out before I make that call
- ideally, we'll use 16 directions only on smaller vehicles like sedans, small UGVs, and tuk-tuks
+ Version 0.031, which is a small optimization patch, will release some time this week. Filesize will increase considerably, but it will run much better.
+ Added a AH-1 Cobra and a patrol boat in preparations for testing new forms of unit movement
+ Version 0.03 released and is available here: balancedbreakfast.itch.io/bombs-and-bullets
+ I do dev streams here regularly: twitch.tv/commander_rad
+ Here is the current music playlist for anyone that wants a listen: soundcloud.com/user-255042164/sets/b-b-ost
- For those that would like to use the AGDG recap, its here: recap.agdg.io

UI design
Many iterations of rectangular and other layouts, more realistic and more stylized symbols, separate and combined gizmos and weighing numbers against bars and such, ultimately lead to this design I am happy with.
The gizmo will float behind the player in world space and show health (horizontal bar, black full, white red empty), stealth energy (S meter that fills vertically, light blue) and a row of grenade icons (binary, white on, red off).
The implementation in Unity is not presentable yet so here is a blurry photo of the concept on paper.

+ Improved collision groups, so enemy and player bullets don't collide by default

+ Added two new enemy types(bomber and splitter).
+ Added two new modifiers(knockback and trail).
+ Added separate buttons to craft upgraded modifiers or to swap them for rarer ones.
+ Bunch of bugfixes(tracking colliding entities, etc.)

+ Made the background shake and flash when you get hit
+ Added a "level completed" message and a 5 sec timeout when you finish a level

+ Wrote up more sidequests.
+ Prepped the demo for deployment.
+ Worked on modeling a few backer bosses.

+ Added orbital boss attacks that are used in a variety of things.
+ Added a generic destructible thing.
+ Worked on sidequests and organizing those better. Final sidequest and questline quest count: 58.
+ Modeled out a spacetrain.
+ Fixed issue where some quests events would repeat.
+ Fixed issue with duplicating ads.
- Accidentally posted last week's progress instead.

+ Added a pause screen
- Need to find a better place for the pause button, phone screens are wild nowadays