Major changes to world generation this update means you can now dig into the ground for resources! The world is now composed of geological layers, which can be easily edited in the xml data files. If you dig through the soil layer, you can reach the clay layer, and then the gravel layer, and so on. It is different for each biome. Each layer has its own characteristics such as water absorption, fertility, hardness, movement speed, etc. The world looks much more natural with this new system, and I’m especially excited by the flexibility of adding ground layers for each biome with only several lines of xml!
To dig into the ground, just use the extract button just like you would for extracting trees and rocks. As an example, extracting gravel can provide us with granite chunks, along with giving a chance to find some flint chunks.
Another exciting feature of this update is coastlines! I spent about two weeks working on refactoring and improving the water generation algorithm yet again to get this working. I think it was worth it, as now we have working tides! That’s right, the water level rises and falls over the course of a day in the new Rocky Beach biome. When the tide recedes, crab holes may appear in the sand from where you can extract sand crabs. But don’t set up too close to the sea, or the high tide will wet all your tribe’s belongings. This new biome requires some balancing, but it’s there to be played around with for now.
On the usability front, I have continued improving task indicators to help the player better understand reasons why something isn’t being done. In the task panel you can now see the reason a task isn’t being completed, whether it is missing materials or no Pokian available with the ability to complete that task.
With a task query panel open, you can also see arrows pointing to the materials that are assigned to that task. In the below image, we have a Spear weapon crafting task that required a stone knife, log wood and animal tendon as materials.
Finally, I’ve done a major crafting rebalance so object values, required crafting materials and required abilities are more consistent. In general, crafting an object will increase the value of base materials by 2 to 3 times. Monument construction has also been split up to allow more Pokians to work towards building it at the same time. First you need to craft stone slabs and dyes, and then use those subcomponents as the base materials for a monument.
There’s lots more in this update, but I’m not here to write a novel! Here is the full change list for Alpha 16:
Features
- Created functionality for unlimited ground layers
- Major refactoring of land generation code
- Added layering for ground types in default biome
- Add functionality for digging into terrain using extract button
- Added checkboxes to turn off ground extraction in side menu
- Refactored abilities so they can be defined from xml without restriction
- Refactored image reading to allow separate male/female children images
- Added randomiser for tattoo and colour sprite on game setup
- Added trinket collection mission
- Hardness added to ground layers
- Added reason for task not being performed to task panel
- Map generation page includes option for coastline
- Add tutorial for gaining diseases and viewing tribe status
- Added arrows on map when query task panel open indicating materials for the task locations
- Implement rocky beach biome
- Added crab resource
- Added object ambient sound functionality
- Added task “cooldown” as reason for non-completion of task
- Added bipedal height/wideness difference for individuals
Gameplay
- Tundra reduced daily temperature fluctuations, increased daily temperature fluctuations
- Added movement cost modifiers based on terrain types
- Gravel no longer extractable, will be replaced by diggable
- Changed moss from resource object to ground layer
- Extracting resources from the ground lowers terrain now
- Rebalanced weapon abilities and effect on extract/gather/craft speed
- Added water table for generating water below certain height
- Added soil object from digging grass
- Added more animal wandering when idle
- Added Digging Stick object specialised in digging into ground
- Implemented children sprites
- Added burin tool with carve ability
- Statues changed to require carve ability instead of chop
- Reduced time taken to start a fire
- River/coast height determined by water table height
- River/coast direction on map fixed instead of random
- Major rebalance of all object values
- Major rebalance of object crafting time and crafting materials
- Removed deep water alpha colour change
- Reduced number of flint pieces available from quartz rock
- Modified some tutorial requirements to streamline them
- Split extract stone tutorial into two parts
- Split monument construction to include crafting subcomponents slab and dye
Fixes
- Fixed some query items not disappearing when updated while filter is on
- Fixed timeline scroll not working on win page
- Fixed timeline event for gaining sickness repeating too often
- Reimplemented ice forming similar to snow forming
- Smoothed tundra and semi-arid temperature fluctuations
- Fixed missing edible lichen image
- Fixed item abilities not being read properly in task panel crafting tooltip
- Reduced saving/loading time by 80%
- Tweaked human sprites so outline colour retained
- Reduced saturation of humanoid skin colours to look more pleasant
- Fixed clothing position on children
- Refactored extract/gather/craft tooltip to standardise format
- Fixed construction required abilities not being taken into account
- Tweaked ground saturation to reduce “pulsing” water
- Major optimisation of water flow
- Fixed crafting bone statue incorrect material names
- Fixed plants growing on non-fertile terrain
- Fixed starting fire ability not being taken into account
- Fixed bug with selecting attack targets
- Fixed mammoth unable to cross river
- Fixed diplomacy panel priorities alignment
- Add tooltip when trying to assign stockpile hex without selected stockpile
- Fixed starting fire task failing instead of waiting when twigs being stored
- Tweaked effect of exposure and wetness on human internal temperature
- Replaced first names with more easily pronounced names
- Fixed animals not aging properly
Twitter – ParsleyPWG
Website – PokingWaterGames.com
