Morand

I had the pleasure to talk to JC for about one hour at gamescom. Here are some hopefully new informations I can remember:
JC dont know when the Alpha is ready but it is going to happen in 2018 The Market-Feature is going to be implemented in the first update for the alpha (some weeks after the alpha launch) They havent done much yet to prevent hackers To prevent glitching when standing on moving objects (like space engineers or GTA) they give every construct their own relative coordinate system, called Local-Frame, which the player is bounded to. To detect which Frame is the right one (e.g. jumping from a ship to a planet) they send a ray downwards and the ray detects the Frame underneath the player. Right now only the skybox is rotating, but planet rotation is planned for the future On Tuesday, August 22, Novaquark has implemented a sitting function for the couch (not a joke!) They are hiring several new people starting in september, including a webdeveloper, who is going to work for the first 4 month on the community portal full-time JC itself has written the LUA-Scripting, flight-mechanics, logical-gates and the HTML/SVG Screenunit The Community Managers are really happy seeing such a growing community and that much interest in the game Most of the people at novaquark are playing the game mosty at work, not very often at home You can freely reskin the entire UI of the game, the whole UI is made up of HTML and CSS, NQ wont prevent making changes to the ui Right now, you can embed any HTML-content, except for Javascripts, in the Screen-Unit, e.g. embedding a Youtube-Video works right now, they arent sure, if they continue to allow that The client and the server are written in C++. The client needs C++ for the performance, the server is also written in C++ due to the high amount of the same code with the client. They wished, they could make it in a safer language like Java, but htey simply doesnt have the time to write a lot of code twice. Traveling to other planets takes in average 2 days, to other solar systems 2 weeks When the player has a limited internet-connection, they lower the refresh-rate of constructs and players When the player has a slow computer, they are limiting the viewing distance and also lowering the refresh-rate of constructs and players The goal is to reach 30fps on every mid-sized pc Thats all for now, sorry for my bad english and some typing errors

The DU gameplay at Gamescom was really amazing. I learned so many new things from talking to JC and actually playing the game that I would like to share them with you.
I’m very surprised no one else started a topic about the Gamescom jet, as there were people who spend much more time at the NQ booth then me…
 
Disclamer: None of this information is official! It’s just my interpretation of the conversation I had with JC. Also none of the features are final! I got the impression that a lot of details are not fully thought out and will be changed during development.

I hope we can freely discuss features “as seen in the Gamescom” without violating any pre-alpha NDA… I just think this will be interesting for those who were not there.
 
Orbital mechanics:
In space there are actual physics calculations like in Kerbal Space Program! I managed to catapult my ship into orbit with atmospheric engines, but it was pulled back in a parabolic curve by the gravity.
JC said that atmospheric engines are actually a bit overpowered, as you could reach escape velocity with them and fly straight into space… without any control… because the engines only work in atmosphere… xD
I have to say that I really liked the atmospheric flight mechanics; they felt very realistic just like a real airplane.
 
Damaging system:
Functional parts get damaged on impact and are supposed to lose their function until they get repaired by hand. (currently tweaked as it’s a little bugy)
 
Lua Scripting:
We already know about the minigames you can create in DU, but what about the multiplayer capabilities? Interestingly enough it’s already possible to connect multiple programming units together by just using global variables, which are shared inside one core unit.
Thereby multiple sup-components on a big ship can be interconnected and exchange information between each other.
In theory it could also be possible to communicate to another construct using the same mechanic, but with a growing distance the update rate of the data would be decrease…
They are thinking about creating a component that can be accessed “globally” by any programming unit in range… but the whole topic about distributed systems will be another milestone that has not been considered jet.
Another thing I asked was if we could use an external IDE for programming, as the ingame one was kind of limited… JC said in theory you could import an external library in the ingame interface, which should access the Lua scripts directly from your PCs hard drive.(not sure about the Lua limitations inside DU though)
Or you just copy the code over to the game for testing.
The Lua development is also tied to the ingame IDE as each connected component actually provides predefined event-function-blocks that are triggered by certain events (e.g. a switch has an on, and an off block) and you have to place Lua code in the corresponding function blocks.
I’m sure in the long run NQ will develop a fully fledged IDE for the game, so this will become no issue at all….
The breakout minigame was also simply some code executed in the “start” function that was able to receive keyboard inputs and generated svgs that were displayed on the screen-unit.
 
Rendering/Performance:
Ok, the game is not the prettiest rendering wise.
All vegetation and functional components get only rendered up to a certain distance (few 100 meters) than they get de-spawned. Also all lighting and shadows are only active up to this distance.
Further away voxels also get simplified a lot… I honestly don’t care about the visuals that much, but I’ll admit the space station looked kind of squashed from far away.  But JC said they are working hard on improving the rendering.
On the flip side flying around was very smooth! In god-mode I flew to the moon of Alioth in 2 seconds without any noticeable frame drops!
 
 
So, that’s all that was new/interesting about the game for me. Maybe most of this was already known, but it wouldn’t hurt to share it here…
I actually did not have enough time to cover all my questions. But others are probably able to share a lot more insights from Gamescom, so feel free to post them to the rest of the community!

The CTV team is pleased to announce Broadcast 3 of Cinderfall TV! Apologies for the delay, and please enjoy! Special thanks to our host, @FancyVader; our editor, @Code24; and a special guest writer this time: @Peregrin! 
 

Hello Dual Universe! Welcome to Ark Central, the leader in Dual Universe news and updates! We're dedicated to bringing you the latest across the universe and keeping you informed on everything Dual Universe! The Ark Central team provides information across a variety of media, including video and radio broadcasts.
 
We'll keep this thread updated with the latest broadcasts so you won't have to search around for them!
 
*Note: Ark Central was previously known as Cinderfall TV. This partnership has since been terminated.
 
Cheers!
 
Broadcast 1: 
Broadcast 2: 
Broadcast 3:
Broadcast 4 (November 2017):
Broadcast 5 (December 2017):
 
Broadcast 6 (January 2018):
 
Broadcast 7 (February 2018):
 
Broadcast 8 (March 2018):
 

A great cinematic track composed for ODY by our friend The Epic Composer. You can check out his other music  here.

English                     All                         78
 

Objective Driveyards is a corporate-state established in the evolving world of Dual Universe. We aim to design ships that combine elegance and efficiency with a readiness for the cold-blooded nature of interstellar warfare. We will bring an array of premier spacecraft to the marketplace: battle-tested by our navy and refined by an organized team of engineers and designers.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
The Corporation relies on teamwork and structure to succeed, and thus operates as a meritocracy. The corporation is led by the CEO and a Council of three directors. Corporate assets are divided into three main branches; each responsible for a major aspect of Corporate operations and manned by specialists with appropriate skills. Each branch is independent to a degree but ultimately answer to the Council.
 
CEO - Code24
 

 
Objective Dynamics

Leader: Head Technocrat, Croomar
 
The scientific branch of the Corporation, lead by a head Technocrat. This branch develops tech, designs blueprints, programs systems, conducts exploration, and tech mining. Blueprints can be designed on contract to be sold to other factions, or strictly for corporate use.
 
Researcher - Develops new designs and blueprints to be tested and refined.
Explorer - Lone wolf pilots looking to explore under a Corporate Charter.
Programmer - Specialist skilled in scripting advanced systems with LUA 
 
 

 
Objective Industries
 
Leader: Director of Industry, BliitzTheFox
 
The circulatory and digestive system of the Corporation, controlled by a Director who is part of the Corporate Council. This branch is responsible for mining and refining raw materials, manufacturing components and equipment, and ultimately constructing ships. While the Navy controls most of the Corporate fleet, Indi Ops controls most of the Corporate shipyards. Ships and equipment produced by this branch are first researched and designed by the R&D branch. Indi Ops can also manufacture hulls and equipment to be sold on contract to other factions.
 
Miner - Raw resource extraction.
Technician - Refining and manufacturing.
Engineer - Industrial construction/development.
Shipwright - Shipyard operation, starship construction.
Marketer - Promotes and sells products, conducts market research
 
 

 
Objective Navy
 
Leader: Stategos, Sgt.Toothpaste
 
As the military branch, the Navy is responsible for protecting Corporate interests from external threats. The Navy is lead by the Strategos, one of the members of the Corporate Council and the highest ranking officer within the fleet. The Navy controls the majority of the Corporate Fleet and draws from Corporate personnel with skills particular to any and all aspects of combat. These roles can include:
 
Pilot - Pilot specializing in either strike craft or larger warships.
Commander - Officer in command of a large, crewed warship.
Crew - Entry level warship crew, manning the critical stations on larger vessels.
Security - Infantry unit skilled in ground combat.
Combat Engineer - Field engineer skilled in building/repairing constructs in combat situations.
Recon - *Redacted*
 

 
Objective Driveyards is seeking the top talent in Dual Universe to make our team stronger.
Play DU in small, focused teams that are agile, efficient and focused on excellence. Cement your role in the future of ODY, and submit an application on our website today. If you are interested in one or more of the roles described above, but still have questions, contact one of the Corporate Council members.
 
 
Required:
 
Means of Voice Communication
 
Application on both website and community portal
 
Complete a short interview with a recruiter
 
Age: 16 +
 
 

 
 
Follow us:
 
   

Learn More

You can add this one to the list, from ComputerBild.de :
http://www.computerbild.de/artikel/cbs-Vorschau-PC-Dual-Universe-No-Man-s-Sky-trifft-Minecraft-18798441.html
 
It's in german, if anyone is willing to translate in english, thanks.
I used Google Translate to read it. There is no official news, but it's a good article about DU.
 
PS : At the end you have a link to the Gamescom babes

Alright ladies, settle down.
 
One thing we all need to realize is that we have no idea what the uptime schedule is going to be. From my perspective, even though I have more PTO than I'll ever need, it makes no sense to take time off if I don't even know it will be worth taking time off. Yes I will take at least a day or 2 if we're given enough notice of when the first uptime is and it takes place during my work hours. We're all fans of the game here. Most of us are super excited just as much as the next guy. Sometimes our situations just aren't the same. It may make sense for some people to take time off and not others. Some people simply show their excitement in different ways.
 
On top of everything, it is pretty insulting to say a person isn't a fan because of how you perceive, without context, what they write.
 
I'd love to play devils advocate here as well and side with Yamamushi on something but all you're doing is poking and prodding at a point with only the context of a few words that you assigned an emotion and feeling to. Maybe Lord_Void got your intent wrong as well. However, he's not the one saying you're not a fan or even too fanatic about the game.
 
Let's just all take this as a learning experience and move forward. Don't make get the switch.

I've also kept my summers days off to take it at the Alpha launch. So it will be the 1st week of october, maybe 2 weeks.
Even if the server will not be 24/7 access, I have so much things to prepare offline.

I wouldn't call it "alpha postponed". They held their promise and give us a game to break and test, that's all that counts for me.
 
Good job @NQ-Nomad, well done. It shows that you really care for this community and we will do our best to give that trust back to you

Hi Ultragamer,
And welcome to the community.
 
You should try to join the DU Constructors Guild which is about what you are proposing.
They have a discord and people are sharing their ideas, pictures and concepts about contructs.
 
I'm not sure you will find many people sharing complete 3D models ready to build because you will be able to sell your constructs in DU, so most of the builders want to build their own ideas before anyone can copy it.

Quote from Kickstarter AMA Event - Third & Last Part :
 
 
Just adding, this is what you want :
 

English (Translator used)
 
Hello Lethys,
Nice that you invite us all into the "Alpha Team Vanguard" group, does it know NQ-Nyzaltar already?
 
 
German (orginal)
 
Hallo Lethys,
nett das Du uns alle in die "Alpha Team Vanguard" Gruppe einlädst, weiß es NQ-Nyzaltar schon ?
 
 
mfG Die Waldfee
 

In construction. (F3 to search for specific terms / timestamps). In some cases paraphrasing may be inaccurate.
♠ : Foundation - Unreal (2014/06-2016/04)
♣ : Production - Unigine / KS demo (2016/04-2016/10)
♥ : Pre-Alpha (2016/10-2017/...)
♦ : Alpha (2017-...)
[V] : Video
[T] : Text
 
Dual Universe E3 2016 Teaser youtube.com/watch?v=B7QF0QsjkY8
♣ 0m38s universe = seamless, editable, single shard
♣ 1m00s gameplay = emergent, rebuilding civilization
 
Dual Universe Pre-Alpha Gameplay youtube.com/watch?v=6dPmVdMU434
♣ 0m58s environment = procedurally generated, algorithm planting trees and placing objects on the ground
♣ 1m26s demo's space station = huge, 8km long
♣ 1m47s voxels = dig holes, add matter on the ground, shapes, spheres, cubes, dedicated tools to build ships, connect surfaces together
♣ 3m02s ships = mix of voxels & elements, modifiable freely
♣ 3m20s elements = functional parts (radar, weapons, cockpit...)
♣ 3m59s transition from planet to space = seemless
♣ 4m25s customizable UI, widgets, script necessary tools with LUA
♣ 5m2s automatic landing gears
♣ 6m16s planets and ships = completely editable, not meshes
♣ 6m43s decorative elements = aesthetics only, sci-fi looking
♣ 7m06s elements = screens placed freely, seats, customizable
♣ 7m36s screens = active elements in the ship, energy, container capacities, message requests
♣ 8m08s visible from space = all big objects, cities, big enough structures
♣ 8m55s technology = edit the world, create ships and structures of any size, all players hosted on the same server at the same time = continuous single shard cluster
♣ 9m25s emergent gameplay = tools to build anything, political structure, economy, territory
 
Dual Universe DevDiary - Massively Multiplayer Server Technology Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=QeZtqoydXpc
♣ 0m15s game focus = emergent gameplay, building
♣ 0m25s unique universe = one big server, no instances, no zones
♣ 0m32s player-created = cities, spaceships, orbital stations, political / territorial / social structures
♣ 0m49s server technology = universe dynamically partitioned in cubic cells (particular machines) maintaining average maximum players per cell
♣ 1m30s test server architecture = dynamic space splitting
♣ 1m50s further away player = less frequent updates, compensated by interpolation techniques
♣ 2m22s server technology test = 1,000 thousand bots, full fledged simulated client, can interact with each others
♣ 2m55s performances so far = as expected
♣ 3m02s draw distance entities = depends on the size, ships seen from further away, frequency of updates adjusted based on the distance
♣ 3m30s server technology test = 700 to 800 bots, very high density of players possible
 
Dual Universe DevDiary - Spaceship Building Gameplay Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=2zfnAtb6MZQ
♣ 0m30s core units = starting point, first element to deploy, creates a local matrix or frame to build larger buildings, comes in different sizes
♣ 0m55s shapes = made from materials (copper, polymers...), voxelized (dual contouring), deployed to create structures, sculpt any shape
♣ 1m30s grid view = display the grid (underlying snapping matrix) of the voxelized shapes, small scale grid of 25 cm or larger, more visual feedback planned
♣ 1m55s shape editing tools = select a volume, delete, undo, removing sphere volume, adapted for many situations
♣ 2m55s elements = many, cockpit, core unit, active components, functionalities (engine, screen, weapon...)  appearance not customizable
♣ 3m18s cockpit = one of the control units, used to pilot the constructs, hosts LUA scripts to orchestrate other elements, auto-configure function = analyze the  ship, locate the engine and elements, create the flight controller LUA script, easy for players who don't use script
♣ 4m25s engines = variety, different fuel types, trade-offs between autonomy and speed
♣ 4m51s surface linker tool = select two surfaces to fill the space between them
♣ 5m15s jetpack = tool for builders to look at constructions from above
♣ 5m39s directional unit = indicates to the auto-configure where the front of the ship is
♣ 5m55s engines = important elements, connected to the fuel tank with connector units
♣ 6m28s decorative elements = wings, aesthetics
♣ 6m58s voxelized shapes = used to protect elements from damage
♣ 7m08s paint tool = voxels can be painted, select a volume to paint
♣ 7m52s adjusters = tiny engines, do not require energy, essential to manoeuver the ship
 
Dual Universe Kickstarter Video youtube.com/watch?v=RrOGOHA5ERI
♣ 0m35s game focus = craft, trade, conquer
♣ 0m53s player-owned world, rebuilding civilization
 
Dual Universe "God Mode" Tour Pre-Alpha Video [HUGE WORLD] youtube.com/watch?v=JcC8hAqxPG0
♣ 0m30s sci-fi sandbox mmorpg, single shard universe, one central server on which everybody connects to
♣ 1m25s the world is huge
♣ 2m03s seamless landing on planets
♣ 2m18s performances = details loaded progressively to manage the heavy rendering load
♣ 2m15s everything is editable
♣ 2m45s day night cycle, sun influencing shadows of the planets, lighting in real-time
♣ 3m45s no limit in the size of ships or constructions
♣ 4m20s control room entirely player-created, editable
♣ 5m0s weapons are customizable, voxelized shapes of ships can be edited with voxel tools
♣ 5m40s arkship = every player starts from that ship and where they respawn until implementation of resurrection nodes
 
Dual Universe DevDiary - Voxel Technology Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=MWcuwt9bjHo
♣ 0m18s voxels = like Minecraft but more realistic, more complex shapes, allow players to build very large structures seen from a long distance
♣ 0m43s voxel network technological challenges = updates to allow other players to see the modifications made to the world
♣ 0m58s Novaquark's voxel engine
♣ 0m59s simple shapes (sphere, cube, cylinder, prism) = made out of smaller structures stored in the 3D matrix (Hermite data field, dual contouring)
♣ 1m29s entire planets or orbital stations made out of voxels, information about the Hermite data field stored based on different levels of detail
♣ 2m6s voxels = endless creative possibilities
♣ 2m7s advanced voxel tools = copy paste, symmetry management, other tools introduced with expansions, based on community feedback
 
Kickstarter "Ask Me Anything" Event youtube.com/watch?v=efu_129hI9o&t=
♣ 0m20s in-game technology = unlocked by the players over time, required to explore and expand
♣ 0m31s universe size at launch = Alioth planet surrended by 10 to 20 other planets, expansions = growing the universe, star gates, bridges to other solar systems, existing universe = very large, can be scanned, analyzed, known universe = accessible through technology
♣ 1m17s scripting = LUA, simple programming language, automating certain actions done with elements, can also be done without script, limits = number of actions per second, efficiency of the actions vs. done normally, no scripted mining nor actions that can hurt gameplay
♣ 2m12s limits to loading the elements = priority to those that are close, players need to stay within a certain distance of the elements for the scripts to be efficient or functional, scripts running at low frequency (automated defense mechanisms) while players are offline may exist after launch
♣ 3m10s scripts = attached the control units, control units = in-game asset, owned by a player or an organization, can be used in the name of the player or of the organization (permissions)
♣ 3m56s biomes = building blocks to create planets via procedural generation limited set of biomes at start, animals = limited set at launch, plants = maybe collect them to make medicines after launch, expensions = more variety, weather effects (rain) more complicated, has to be visible from space, maybe after launch
♣ 5m04s wheeled vehicles = not at launch, maybe expensions, hovercraft = at launch, vehicles that fly at low altitude, tanks and armored vehicles = built by the players, transport aircraft = unload attack forces in remote places
♣ 5m45s Kickstarter pets = cosmetic, follow players, can not die or be lost
♣ 6m10s extremely large structure = can be built by the players, require vast amount of resources and very long time, studio's technology = same tech to display constructs and planets, massive destruction weapons (death ray) = not possible, unfair for players
♣ 7m07s bounty system = countermeasure to avoid free for all PvP, consequences for more aggressive behaviors
♣ 7m50s master blueprint = blueprint made out of a construct owned by a player, can be used to create copies of the blueprint, permission required to copy master blueprint, "digital right management" to protect from reverse engineering
♣ 8m40s territory control = planets only at launch, expensions = ownership of solar systems, regions, etc.
♣ 9m12s PvE activities = minimal at launch, player-driven gameplay, economy, trade, politics, PvP
♣ 10m03s damage in construct vs. construct = based on voxels (holes), targeting a certain ship's part, amount of damage = based on stats, skills, types of weapons, protections, materials, etc. visual feedback = maybe, destroyed elements = loss of functionalities, collision between constructs = not happening, avoiding kamizake ships, projectiles = not physical objects, lock & fire (performances)
♣ 11m58s thousands of players in close areas, lock & fire targeting = trade off for performances, technical constraint, frequency of the updates = lower because of limitations, sniping with free aim = impossible with less accurate position update
♣ 13m10s LUA = completely transparent, open source, server sends the scripts, after launch maybe = preventing reverse engineering by obfuscate scripts, selling scripts = less likely, players exchange scripts outside of the game
♣ 14m35s day night cycle = based on planet rotation and the sun
♣ 15m03s farming, breeding, animals = maybe
♣ 15m29s scanning = important feature, find rare materials, experts in mining = very valuable role
♣ 16m06s subscription = all future expensions free, cosmetic items = possible, tradable in-game, not reserved to cash shop users
♣ 16m55s server wipe = necessity to reset the world after Alpha and Beta, last chance for the studio to fine tune, improve procedural generation, distribution of the materials, blueprints = preserved during the wipe, way voxels are handled may change but blueprints can be converted with conversion scripts
 
Dual Universe Crowdfunding Video youtube.com/watch?v=TyWZsuLmloo
♥ 0m18s DU = old gamer's dream, return to the root of MMO
♥ 0m28s every player in the same world = no boundaries, no instances, no zones, unique world = collective story that keep evolving, actions of the players matter
♥ 0m44s building = anything is possible (cities, buildings, ships, orbital stations), DU = emergent gameplay, the world is owned by the players
♥ 1m48s single shard universe = no loading screen, everyone plays in the same world at the same time, everything players do matter, real consequences (losing a battle may impact on the balance of power of the whole universe, creating a great spaceship may impact strategies of combat, exploring distant planets to discover a material = game changer for an organization), collective story
♥ 2m48s studio's technology = dynamic space splitting algorithm, level of detail optimization, transparent server migration, specific handling for high player density zones, voxel tech = replicate terrain & construct editions on the server
♥ 3m14 studio's technology = thousands of players can gather in close areas or large battles. Unprecedented at this scale.
♥ 3m30s rendering techniques = challenging (massive, single-shard realistic, continuous, consistent from the ground to space without loading screen), LoD technology = common to video games, studio's own new technology = continuous asynchronous  texture baking (synthetic view of the textures from space)
♥ 4m17s building = crucial feature of the game, collect, transform, craft components, build and assemble functional constructs (house, spaceships, stations).
♥ 4m29s creating a construct = deploy a core unit (local frame that gets detached from the planet), deploy materials and sculpt into a shape (superstructure for the construct), add functionalities (purchase or craft elements: cockpit, radar, weapons, engines), script all the interactions between all elements (automatic configurator possible), going deep into the scripts = LUA scripts, modify it to make it perform specific tasks (players' own AI, defense mechanisms for outposts and ships = players need to be online and near to the construct (runs locally on players' machine), create blueprints to rebuild a construct or sell on the market
♥ 6m06s gameplay technology = multiplayer building and network interpolations
♥ 6m15s economy = realistic, player-driven, real sell and buy orders, with an equilibrium that establishes itself (supply and demand), launch = NPCs acting on the market at first, then let players trade for themselves, markets = set by the players wherever they want, containers and energy are required to power the market (define how big they become), markets have physical existence in the world = placing an order on a distant market means going there to retrieve the objects purchased, localized markets = emergent gameplay, specialization (zones), difficulty to obtain items, markets = allow players to specialize (sell mining production, buy crafted elements), players can trade their skills against things they need
♥ 7m28s PvP = 2 aspects (avatar vs. avatar, construct vs. construct = ship battle), avatar vs. avatar = armor / shield protection and specialized weapons, lock & fire, not twitch / reflex based, outcome decided based on stats, construct vs. construct = lock & fire
♥ 8m05s ship crew = lot of players, specialized activities (weaponry, repair system, other functionalities), goal = large battles between many ships where players can feel it from the inside (like in movies), single crew ships also possible (faster, used to harass larger ships, target specific defenses
♥ 8m55s Arkship = all players begin at this location (safe zone, 20 kilometers wide, indestructible, no valuable resources, players have to go out and explore), rest of the world is dangerous, other safe zones = on other planets, must be discovered, reason for exploration
♥ 9m36s access rights = way to protect players' assets, not easy to break, protection bubbles = artificial safe zones created by the players, extremely hard to destroy, not indestructible, more power / energy = more powerful safe zone, marketplaces can finance strong protection bubbles
♥ 10m08s territory control = important strategic element of gameplay (in particular for organizations), surface of planets = divided into hexagonal tiles (1 km of size) that players or organizations can claim, claiming a tile = deploying a  territory units = very expensive and hard to craft,  access rights = owner determine which players have which rights (entering, mining, building, taxes = defense system, infrastructure), shutting down territory unit = hacking or destroying it, buying it from the owner, territories = tool for organizations to enforce politics and collective orientation on land
♥ 11m11s character customization = gender, main colors of standard outfit, skill system / tree = many options to specialize (building, mining, trading, combat), learning skills = over time, offline skill training, reorientation possible
♥ 12m05s organizations = group of players deciding how they share power, similar to guilds or corps, legate = owner / leader, members = occupy functions defined by the legate, organization can contain other organizations (alliances, nations, planet governments), very free form = any type of organization, rights and duties management system = tools to create organizations, either predefined templates (democracy, dictatorship, cooperation, pirats) or unique / customized political system.
♥ 13m43s emergent gameplay = everything is decided and created by the players (ships, cities, quests, stories), some content added by the studio at launch, gameplay mechanics / building blocks so the players can be creative, game design & orientation = certain behaviors are encouraged (advantages in building a city)  
♥ 14m25s quests = job board, offered by other players (building large structures, gathering materials, securing constructionsites, spying, scouting), meaningful quests = players really need it to be done to achieve a goal (industry, exploration, warfare)
♥ 15m35s team presentation
♥ 17m29s funding
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - December 2016 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=WTvT4BAg7RI
♥ 0m28s placeholders = many elements are not final
♥ 0m42s WIP functional territory units, territory claim & terrority tile management
♥ 0m52s WIP rendering engine, ambient light, texture management, VFX (mining)
♥ 1m10s WIP tools for procedural generation configuraton, biome creation (forest, desert)
♥ 1m30s WIP server testing & performances, plans for a permanent test server with 10,000 players and constructs
♥ 1m45s scanning gameplay = radial scanner, placeholder UI
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - January 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=iUTyiMjjf7w
♥ 0m32s WIP rendering icy (polar caps) and desert biomes
♥ 0m43s WIP day / night cycle, global illumination during night so players can see a bit in the dark
♥ 0m53s WIP voxel smoother tool, more possibilities sculpting voxels
♥ 1m03s  WIP jetpacks while in building mode = players can fly to access all parts of the construct
♥ 1m20s WIP physics = engines applying forces that push the ships in certain directions, engine specificities (force decreases with altitude) to allow floating hovercraft
♥ 1m44s WIP nano-former = part of the UI dirextly integrated in the nano former
♥ 1m55s WIP first live test server = hundreds of bots, permanent, loaded environment, gradually increasing the stress on the server
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - February 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=rNEgXg9vTik
♥ 0m40s WIP rework appearance of ship elements, darker and more sci-fi look, replacing placeholders with final design
♥ 0m57s WIP examples of ships
♥ 1m10s WIP ghost preview for element positioning & UI for copy-paste, rotating, templates, symmetry (speeding up creation of large structures)
♥ 1m55s WIP ship piloting dynamics, widgets = elements plugged in the controller unit (fuel container), customizable widgets via LUA (html & CSS)
♥ 2m38s WIP new automatic baking technique for textures, improved rendering, mid-distance viewing
♥ 2m53s WIP installer, loading screen, in-game tool tips
♥ 3m40s Alpha in September
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - March 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=5yG5DtZcdd8
♥ 0m33s WIP widgets = basic flight informaton, engine thrust, acceleration, centralize throttle control (adjusting engine power)
♥ 0m49s WIP physics improvement = atmospheric and spacial engines (atmosphere resistance), escape velocity = ships orbit the planet when engines are shut down
♥ 1m15s WIP interpolation = better smoothness of movement (formation flying, races)
♥ 1m34s WIP interactive elements = can be combined to form simple contraptons (switches, laser based detectors, gates, detection zones, force field) based on signal propagation, plans to add more simple interactive constructs that don't require LUA scripting
♥ 2m22s WIP final design for elements (containers, core units, engines)
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - April 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=GVJyfKNeOao
♥ 0m48s WIP physics system improved = everything in place for interplanetary travel (take off, leaving atmosphere, escape velocity, space travel, landing)
♥ 1m27s WIP ice biome = voxels, editable
♥ 1m43s WIP new assets (engine, light detector, pulser, remote control, manual button, operators)
♥ 2m0s WIP basic crafting (materials, refining, alloys)
♥ 2m18s WIP build mode improvement = windows with information on components of the ship and how it impacts on the flight (real-time manoeuvrability, performances, problems, aerodynamic profile, mass, fuel consumption, autonomy, acceleration)
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - May 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=Vce1qcnyTpE
♥ 0m25s third party company = quality assurance, find bug, suggest improvement
♥ 1m0s WIP interplanetary flight, quick velocity gain due to no atmosphere, effects and trajectory monitor = help predict the movement of the ship
♥ 1m38s WIP retro engine = allign ship movement with front direction
♥ 1m55s WIP air friction VFX (heating)
♥ 2m15s WIP map of the planet = 3D interface, territory tiles, information, zoom, bookmarks, set a destination = markers and waypoints appearing visually in the game
♥ 3m28s WIP pulsor unit = interactive electronic element, pulses a signal / light
♥ 3m50s WIP pressure plate = button that activate when stepping on it, connects with doors
♥ 4m10s WIP new components, switches, logic gates
♥ 4m22s WIP new assets (engine, navigatorchair, bonzai, plant, trash, territory unit)
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - June 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=pz-XcdbaC3E
♥ 0m15s Alpha = not full game, only selected gameplay, more features updated over time, fixes, based on community feedback
♥ 0m36s WIP improved building experience = new 3D brush shapes (cylinder, pyramid shape corner), more user friendly method to move voxel shapes (locking in a 2D plane)
♥ 1m31s WIP remote control element = controlling a ship from distance (decoupling the construct physics from player attachment) to visually assess manoeuvers players just programmed to the control unit
♥ 1m50s WIP physics and specific behaviours applied to remotely controlled ship (realism)
♥ 2m10s WIP physics applied to characters that jump off flying ships (realism)
♥ 2m40s WIP server test = thousand simulated players (bots), hundreds dynamic constructs (small ships) = more complicated than players (loading voxel information)
♥ 3m07s WIP new assets (board, factory, night stand, holograms, emergency unit)
 
Dual Universe DevDiary Updates - July 2017 | Pre-Alpha Video youtube.com/watch?v=4Vrf50dZrv4
♥ 0m48s WIP control unit = controls many elements with LUA script, plug element in control unit and activate script editor window
♥ 1m15s WIP script editor  = elements, selected elements, event handler, element types = programming board, manual switch, door, functions that can be invoked (buttons, doors, weapons, lasers), scripted interaction (button & door)
♥ 2m02s WIP screen unit = programmed to display text or html / SVG content, organization logo, ship map (can be modified on the fly, fully scriptable with LUA)
♥ 2m34s WIP emergency control unit = automatically triggers if ship falls, safety procedures to land ship and avoid damage by falling on the ground
♥ 3m0s WIP simplified damage model = impact elements only (voxel damage after Alpha), modified textures to display damage or VFX, damage can be repaired (consumes material), damage propagates to elements nearby (shockwave propagation) amount of damage depending on the distance of the impact
♥ 3m38s WIP new assets (radial atmo fuel tank, landing gears, paintings, hover)
 
Dual Universe trailer and interview - PC Gaming Show 2016 youtube.com/watch?v=HKlx1ydHijA
♣ 1m52s DU = sci fi MMO, online virtual world where players can build anything and become whoever they want, everything is editable, everyone plays in the same continuous single shard universe, cities with thousands of players possible (technology)
♣ 3m05s DU =  the game brings the best elements of other space sims together, actions of players really impactful (fame, meaning, everything matter, collective story, emergent gameplay, political system, economy, organizations, players build things together)
♣ 4m04s bringing players together = every player begins at the Arkship and spread from there, players can go further based on the advancement of technology (limit to how far players can explore)
♣ 4m22s quality of the player-generated content = balancing with forces and counter forces, equilibrium to be reached organically with some orientation given by the studio
 
DUAL Universe: Developer Interview (Sci-Fi single-shard Sandbox game) youtube.com/watch?v=m1WMwIDWFKI
♣ 2m13s complex technology = been in development for several years (2016)
♣ 5m03s dynamic space splitting = overcrowded volume of space gets split seamlessly, distant players get updated less often (technology)
♣ 6m59s lock & fire combat (similar to EVE Online), based on skills and level of the weapons
♣ 7m30s objects' and players' position = outdated if they're far away or in huge battle, limit to how accurate the simulation can be in large battle, thousands of ships interacting with each others, building space ships and cities to be the focus of the game rather than ship battles
♣ 9m15s Copying ships = possible with blueprints and factories, players can sell blueprints, multiple professions based on economy & crafting (design, production, collection, transformation, trade, etc.)
♣ 9m48s complex market features = players' made marketplace (fees, competition, organic growth, reputation), most attractive ships will sell more = over time the quality of the ships will naturally increase
♣ 11m30s everything is modular or made of elements = no predetermined ship or construction design, physics-based features = everything in-game exists realistically in the world (capacity of the containers, power of an engine, energy, weight, restrictions, laws)
♣ 12m25s players can decide the type of economy they want (e.g. communism), free form
♣ 13m10s NQ provides the tools / building blocks but only limited content = reduced the cost of development
♣ 14m20s tools to create organizations are versatile (templates), players can create any type of organizations, no limits regarding the size or complexity
♣ 15m55s WIP technological ground to build gameplay, tools to modify the shape of the voxels, procedural generation of the planets, server technology
♣ 16m40s hardest part in development is the tech = NQ focused on this aspect
♣ 17m35s limited instant / fast travel = players have to unlock technology to travel faster = time and physics are the only real limit, universe to expand as players explore further, planets generated procedurally = possible to have billion planets, nothing is stored on the server unless there's a modification made by a player = only local area where modification happened is updated on the server, gigantic world is less of a concern (technology), NQ to give players reasons to populate the world (look for resources, to explore, become rich, build huge structures), large structure provide multiple different jobs (logistics, mining, technical setting, mercenaries), maybe some minor quests as tutorial = job boards will replace traditional quests
♣ 20m53s Alpha the next big milestone, feedback of the community very important, adjusting the roadmap and schedule based on feedback
♣ 21m35s Beta to begin about a year after Alpha debuts
 
 
General
  Audience
  Features
  Inspiration
Technology
  Unigine
  Server
  Voxels
  Other
Physics
Development
Monetization
Data, stats & API
Character advancement
  Progression
  Customization
  Specialization
Politics
  Organizations
  Territories
Combat
  Player vs. player
  Ship vs. ship
Economy
  General
  Crafting
  Trading
  
 
 
 
 

 

We are telling the story of the Outfit from the very beginning in our new comic book!  Introducing The Outfit - Beginnings - Episode 1

We also thought this would be a great opportunity to help advertise for the Kickstarter.  So please share freely as there are three different kickstarter ads in this episode and only ten days to go!!

Many of our members had a hand in creating this comic.  We hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it.

https://goo.gl/zlJSlr
 

 

Quote from Kickstarter AMA Event - Third & Last Part :
 
 
Just adding, this is what you want :
 

So follow-up question I guess would be if the trees themselves are not voxels what about the actual wood/lumber/fibers that are gained from harvesting a tree. I mean if we build a structure with both ore ie metals and wood is only part of the structure now voxel based and/or do the different materials have different characteristics as far as strength and durability goes? Probably questions you're not even ready to think about yet I suppose.  

Although much is being said regarding the game mechanics, physics this and that, I have heard very little about character creation, clothing fashion and though for the more techically inclined this matters little in the grand scheme, as a female who appreciates a good charactor creator and loves the silly vanity items like jewlery and clothes, pets and lets not forget SHOES!!! I would like to hear some more about this subject.
I know myself well enough to know I will hate to see my char wearing the same space jumpsuit day in and day out and dont even get me started on those helmets. I can see if you have to be out on the dock of a mother ship working in space because that makes sense, or even farming mats on a planet whos atmosphere isnt oxygen based but all the time?!?!
I know after decades of playing mmorpg's that even the gender bending males (Dudes who play only female chars) like dressing up their chars. I would like to hear others thoughts on this subject and by all means post some images of the kind of fashion you would like to see offered ingame. 

Thanks Nyzaltar. The concept is more clear now.
 
This is something I suspected, and since we are going to start with advanced skills, we probably won't need wood in the alpha.
The temporary disappearing trees is a good temporary solution that will allow us to remove trees if needed.
 
 
 
So now, about my ideas, the team probably have already think/plan to do or not to do some of them, but I will sum them all here:
 
Since trees are 3D meshes, you can plan in the future to apply gravity on them, so they will fall when you remove the voxels below them.
Maybe you can even make them fall if a construct run into it, but this is probably more complicated since it depend on weight.
 
There is different solutions when harvesting them:
1. The tree disappear (Poof!) and the wood appear in your bag: simple, clean, not very realistic, but what if you don't have enough space in your bag?
 
2. The tree disappear gradually from the top: a little more complicated, clean, not very realistic, no problem with your bag
 
3. A chunk of the tree disappear where you hit it: more realistic but you have to handle multiple parts of a tree
 a. if the top part of the tree doesn't fall to the ground, you will have floating trees everywhere and it's not realistic at all
 b. if the top part of the tree fall to the ground, it is realistic, but you will end with many little parts of trees everywhere on the ground (that you also can make disappear with a timer)

Hi everyone,
 
Please keep in mind a few things when it come to expectations for the game access at the end of September:
- you are not going to have a full game from day 1. This will be a version "work in progress" and very far from being feature complete.
- Everything mentioned in the Lore may not be represented in the game as a game feature. It's the case for any game. Dual Universe is no exception.
 
Now regarding Tree Harvesting:
- The crafting system isn't complete yet and trees won't be harvestable in the game version you will get at the end of September. 
- Trees are not made of voxels. They are 3D meshes.
- Currently, for practical purpose: when all voxels connected to a tree are removed, the tree disappear.
- Trees should be harvestable once the crafting system will be complete.
 
Best Regards,
Nyzaltar.

 

We saw beautiful forests. We saw ground mining. But we didn't see tree harvesting, and as we know, it should be on the alpha.
 
So, I have some questions regarding trees:
1. Are trees made out of voxels like the ground, or like elements, or something else?
2. When a player harvest a tree, is it done like mining? Does all the tree disapear or just one chunk?
3. If only one chunk disapear, how to reach the top of the tree? Does the top fall to the ground or stay like a mountain?
 
These questions may look weird, but I may have some ideas depending on the answer.

I asked about shield mechanics in the DU Explorers interview last year:

 

https://youtu.be/H9Y0YmqGYDM?t=4379 




 

It is a difficult subject, because we don't want people to get abused when they was careful, and we don't want offline people to become a problem.
 
I have a solution that I think will resolve all these problems in a realistic way. It's good to see that some of you already proposed some parts of this solution.
Of course, I assume that people disconnecting in a construct should reconnect in the same construct, whether the construct has moved or not.
 
- We already know that we should not teleport offline people because it would be abused (except for death = RN).
- We also should not allow to build where people are diconnected, because they would reconnect in a wall.
- And we also should not force people to disconnect in specific area, because disconnections can happen anywhere/anytime. (and the RDMS already allow you to go in places you are not welcome)
 
So, we need a way to see where people are disconnected, and we need to be able to do something about them.
 
So, my proposal is :
 1. When a player disconnect, he let an invisible signature (or ghost) in the current voxel grid.
 
 2. Online players can see these ghosts only when activating an option (or skill) and depending on their RDMS rights. (see rules in next points) So you don't see hundreds of ghosts all the time.
 
 3. Online players can move or kill these ghosts depending on their RDMS rights. (see rules in next points) We should keep it realistic, so if you disconnect in a dangerous area, it is normal that you can be killed.
 
 4. When a player move or kill a ghost, the ghost keep a mark. So when reconnecting, the player will have a message telling "Player1 killed you" or "Player2 moved you". This will avoid any mystery about what happend to your ghost. If you're not carefull enough, players can abuse of your ghost, but you will know who did it.
 
 5. If you disconnect in a safe zone, your ghost can only be seen and moved inside the safe zone by the owners of the zone where you stand.
 
 6. If you are the owner of a construct, you have all the rights to see and move the ghosts inside it. This solve the problem of the stowaway, and doesn't stop him from trying. Before taking off your ship, you may want to check if there is no intruders on board. If you find a ghost that has no rights on this construct, you can also kill it.
 
 7. You cannot build on a ghost because he would reconnect in a wall. But if you have the right to build in this construct, you can see and move the ghost somewhere else.
 
 8. If something happen to the blocks where your ghost is, you suffer the damages. For example, if you are offline in a big ship during a battle, and the ship have an explosion in the corridor where your ghost is standing, you are more likely dead. Another example, if you disconnect on a landing plateform, and a ship land just on your ghost, you die, crushed by the ship. (IRL you don't go to sleep on a runway, so ingame don't be stupid as well).
 
 9. If you attack an ennemi base, it would be unrealistic that people can reconnect in a part that you have secured. But you have no rights in an ennemi base. So it would be good to implement a skill allowing you to detect ghosts and to move or kill them. But all this depend on the PvP gameplay that is not defined yet.
 
All these points make the online/offline concept more realistic and push you to be more careful about where you will disconnect. If you are not careful, or if you don't choose well your friends, people can still abuse yourself.
 
PS : I volontarily skipped the part disconnect when flaged PvP, maybe a timer before disconnect is a good idea, but I think it's another subject.

English (Translator used)
 
Hello Elildar,
That is a perfect solution!
 
 
German (orginal)
 
Hallo Elildar,
dass ist eine perfekte Lösung!
 
 
mfG Die Waldfee
 

It is a difficult subject, because we don't want people to get abused when they was careful, and we don't want offline people to become a problem.
 
I have a solution that I think will resolve all these problems in a realistic way. It's good to see that some of you already proposed some parts of this solution.
Of course, I assume that people disconnecting in a construct should reconnect in the same construct, whether the construct has moved or not.
 
- We already know that we should not teleport offline people because it would be abused (except for death = RN).
- We also should not allow to build where people are diconnected, because they would reconnect in a wall.
- And we also should not force people to disconnect in specific area, because disconnections can happen anywhere/anytime. (and the RDMS already allow you to go in places you are not welcome)
 
So, we need a way to see where people are disconnected, and we need to be able to do something about them.
 
So, my proposal is :
 1. When a player disconnect, he let an invisible signature (or ghost) in the current voxel grid.
 
 2. Online players can see these ghosts only when activating an option (or skill) and depending on their RDMS rights. (see rules in next points) So you don't see hundreds of ghosts all the time.
 
 3. Online players can move or kill these ghosts depending on their RDMS rights. (see rules in next points) We should keep it realistic, so if you disconnect in a dangerous area, it is normal that you can be killed.
 
 4. When a player move or kill a ghost, the ghost keep a mark. So when reconnecting, the player will have a message telling "Player1 killed you" or "Player2 moved you". This will avoid any mystery about what happend to your ghost. If you're not carefull enough, players can abuse of your ghost, but you will know who did it.
 
 5. If you disconnect in a safe zone, your ghost can only be seen and moved inside the safe zone by the owners of the zone where you stand.
 
 6. If you are the owner of a construct, you have all the rights to see and move the ghosts inside it. This solve the problem of the stowaway, and doesn't stop him from trying. Before taking off your ship, you may want to check if there is no intruders on board. If you find a ghost that has no rights on this construct, you can also kill it.
 
 7. You cannot build on a ghost because he would reconnect in a wall. But if you have the right to build in this construct, you can see and move the ghost somewhere else.
 
 8. If something happen to the blocks where your ghost is, you suffer the damages. For example, if you are offline in a big ship during a battle, and the ship have an explosion in the corridor where your ghost is standing, you are more likely dead. Another example, if you disconnect on a landing plateform, and a ship land just on your ghost, you die, crushed by the ship. (IRL you don't go to sleep on a runway, so ingame don't be stupid as well).
 
 9. If you attack an ennemi base, it would be unrealistic that people can reconnect in a part that you have secured. But you have no rights in an ennemi base. So it would be good to implement a skill allowing you to detect ghosts and to move or kill them. But all this depend on the PvP gameplay that is not defined yet.
 
All these points make the online/offline concept more realistic and push you to be more careful about where you will disconnect. If you are not careful, or if you don't choose well your friends, people can still abuse yourself.
 
PS : I volontarily skipped the part disconnect when flaged PvP, maybe a timer before disconnect is a good idea, but I think it's another subject.