Forum > Games Discussion
Ready Or Not (Elite SWAT Team)
Asid:
Vol. 59 - Ready or Not Development Update
Fri, 8 September 2023
Motion Capture
Attention Officers,
Welcome to the 59th edition of our biweekly newsletter, September 8th, 2023! Have your heads on a swivel, because today we'll be taking a look at brand new motion capture from a recent major multi-week motion capture shoot. For this mission the team made a wonderful visit to our friends at Bohemia Interactive and their mocap facilities. Our development team here at VOID is thrilled so far with the results of this marathon of studio time, and we're sure you will be too!
Ambition Through Animation
Some major reasons for this specific motion capture session are the expansive scope in which we want to take our game and the high fidelity variety of animations we wish to include, all with the consistent direction of law enforcement operators. Our expectations are best met by the affordances of optical motion capture, with subsequent attentive tweaking to suit cinematics or gameplay.
This is a massive team effort, and the VOID Animation Team will be giving a more in-depth look into the entire process throughout this newsletter for what this brand new haul of animation data contains, and what it means going forward. This is not our first time working with motion capture so we already knew quite early what we wanted to achieve. To ensure the highest quality we had both cinematic and gameplay animators at the mocap stage to oversee the entire shoot.
Glimpses of just a slice of content from the past weeks of mocap are presented throughout below!
Dramatic Cinematics and Tactical Realism
“Trained [operators] performing what they have been doing naturally in their jobs, on stage, [...] to make the entire experience more authentic and immersive"
This new motion capture data will be represented via compelling cutscenes, gameplay animations, and future trailers that will help bring Ready or Not's gripping storyline to life.
Among 6 dedicated individuals who simultaneously donned their mocap suits for this shoot were several law enforcement professional stunt people with up to decades of Close Quarters Combat career experience, including tactical team leadership.
In close collaboration with our VOID developers we aimed to act out scenarios that are grounded in tactical realism and fit for integration into the game. The combination of trained stunts and CQB experience also meant we had a unique opportunity to capture dynamic animations that will see a wide range of potential use. It was especially a game changer and a humble learning experience to be able to “consult with [the operators] directly on stage, learning everything regarding CQB and SWAT tactics” during the shoot.
Video below: A tactical team climbing into an overwatch position.
With improved tactics shining in mocap performance for SWAT operators comes revamped arrest animations, allowing you to safely secure subjects with confidence using 20 variations of trained officers making arrests. It goes without saying that all of their other movements as well were recorded and will find places across countless areas of SWAT portrayal in-game.
Also in the expected changes are improved variations between animation types such as Suspect AI fake surrenders, melee, hostage taking, and more.
Video below: Suspects engaging in bladed combat.
Read on... https://steamcommunity.com/games/1144200/announcements/detail/3650785607759028052
Asid:
Vol.60 - Ready or Not Development Briefing - Special PSA
Fri, 22 September 2023
Special PSA Regarding RoN's Ongoing Development Process
Attention Officers,
Thank you for joining us for the 60th edition of our biweekly development briefing, September 22, 2023!
Today, we have some important details to cover in the form of a Public Service Announcement regarding the game's ongoing development process, and technical reasons for a lack of public build updates as our many departments work effectively towards delivering you all the 1.0 version of the game. In this process we will describe avoiding development crunch, maintaining efficiency, and a technical perspective that represents the challenges our currently rapid and all-enveloping development progress presents for releasing incremental public updates.
It's all about forward momentum rather than perpetual Early Access, and we will see this project through to meet you all at its many future successes and a mature, complete stage. We are incredibly pleased with the progress we’ve made so far, and although we're sorry about the absence of recent incremental public build updates, we appreciate you all continuing to stick with us so that these exciting game changes can be released together once 1.0 eventually arrives.
(Note: The term “incremental update” refers to a public build that is released as an update in-between major milestone development versions of the game. These public builds contrast with development builds of the game, which are not yet released)
As we discuss examples that illustrate this development topic, you will also find substantial new work-in-progress content throughout this briefing!
All-Enveloping Development Progress and You
Ideally, we'd love to provide you, our playerbase, with as many public builds to play as possible. However,due to our current progress there are currently interconnected and nseparable challenges with doing this based on our status of a rapid, all-enveloping game development focus over this period in preparation for the 1.0 release.
Examples of some such interconnected challenges that result from this progress are outlined in the section below; the main point is that we are in extremely rapid development of many different interdependent systems across the game, and to ship an incremental update would require effectively halting, reverting, and synchronizing fragments of our forward progress at a critical moment winding up to the larger 1.0 release.
An All-Enveloping Example
In this hypothetical example, let's say we plan to release a public build as an incremental update that contains the new level, Coyote, for you all to play.
As previously mentioned, we've been working on every single aspect of the game— from revamped SWAT AI (to be showcased at a later date!) to extensive UI/UX overhauls/additions. They're not compartmentalized into any "group" where we can just cleanly export them to a public build in isolation from the rest of the development build features.
This means that at this stage of development from a technical perspective, adding the new Coyote level would require us to also add all these other features in some form:
- First of all, we need to provide you with our new AI spawn system and AI improvements. This means a lot of polishing, subsequently taking time away from our current pre-content 'lock' focus and therefore delaying full release. This sort of content-lock roadblock taking away from our current development priorities is a trend for all the remaining bullet points below.
- ("Pre-Content lock” refers to a point in time where we solidify existing features, stop adding new ones, and polish them for a new release).
(Image below: A slice of Coyote’s current WIP version)
Read on: https://steamcommunity.com/games/1144200/announcements/detail/6843838379406308520
Asid:
Vol.61 - Ready or Not Development Briefing
Fri, 6 October 2023
Police Trailer Units, Less Lethal QOL Overhauls, Blocking Volumes, Farm Level Overhaul, and VFX improvements
Attention Officers,
Thank you for joining us for the 61st edition of our biweekly development briefing, October 6, 2023!
Today, we have a Situation Report via a variety of subtopics that provide a wide view of the game’s current development. Included in this format we hope to show you some of the more nitty gritty details of our development process.
This briefing's subtopics include police “trailer” units, Quality of Life (QOL) improvements to less lethal equipment, level blocking volumes, level overhauls on Farm, and VFX improvements/optimizations.
Furthermore, we are excited to say that we are on track for an expected 1.0 release towards the end of this year based on the incredible pace of our team’s development throughout these past months!
Thank you for all of your continued patience, along with your considerate reception of our recent PSA in Vol.60, regarding still ongoing technical limitations presented by incremental public build updates at this stage. Quality takes time, and we’re fortunate to have had the opportunity and support to continue to use our time efficiently over these months.
Please keep in mind that the development content depicted in this briefing is a work in progress and may be subject to change in the game’s final state.
In this briefing you will also see media that illustrates several of these areas of development below!
Police "Trailer" Units
"This is Entry Team to TOC. Suspect secure."
"TOC to Entry Team. Roger that, proceed with caution, trailers incoming."
These above in-game radio communications finally come to life with the new addition of a physical police "trailer" AI unit that's intended to increase immersion at the end of a mission.
The name “trailer” refers to the fact that these units safely ‘trail’ behind the actions of the tactical team, avoiding tactical interference while providing auxiliary support. Reminiscent of real SWAT procedures, our police trailer units arrive to physically extract secured civilians and suspects to safety after you clear a level, removing them from the scene.
Although in previous testing we had trailers extract subjects during the active scene, it resulted in some rare but awkward occasions where active suspects would incidentally encounter trailer units.
Therefore, in the current state once all civilians/suspects are detained and/or tragically deceased, trailers come in and manage "the level after your SWAT team's actions, [carrying] detained/deceased civilians/suspects and collecting bagged evidence to take back to the bearcat [vehicle].” As a result, “you can actually see them doing their job and walking back to the bearcat, rather than being something that happens off-screen.”
Less Lethal QOL Improvements
We have made numerous quality of life improvements for less lethal equipment by realistically rationalizing the unique niches they fill and the in-game tactics they’re involved in. This is particularly emphasized by our more nuanced approach to the usage of CS gas, the VKS pepperball launcher, and pepper spray
to make them more distinct and realistic.
CS Gas
from a technical perspective used to perform similarly to flashbangs, statically stunning individuals within its area of effect for a period of time. However, we have changed them to operate more appropriately as area denial equipment.
To achieve this CS gas clouds last longer (~30–45 seconds), no longer emit audio that alerts suspects, and serve to primarily flush out subjects from dangerous areas. The previous form of CS gas also used a tick-based damage system which was unoptimized, where this new system avoids that issue. Lastly, our improved gas logic system allows CS gas to work through 'rat holes' in walls and around corners to a certain extent. This is done by drawing a path from the grenade to the target and then determining whether the target is in range.
With the VKS pepperball launcher
you can expect a major change to its ammunition function and a tactical usage change to indirect fire instead of direct fire. The updated OC-balls, referring to oleoresin capsicum (pepper resin) inside of them, are less effective upon direct impact but instead leave small OC powder clouds that last for ~20–25 seconds at an impact. NPCs and players that walk through these clouds are affected by them, allowing you to lay down less lethal suppressive fire or flush out AI in a precise manner.
We found that pepper spray
was sometimes too powerful for use against armed suspects in combat contexts. Now, instead of a full stun, suspects who are affected with pepper spray will cover their eyes, experience an accuracy reduction, and have a morale drop. In this blinded state they are still capable of shooting the player up close.
The player’s response to any chemical agents is now less extreme under current changes:
“Instead of turning the screen red and taking player control by making the camera sway all over, it only makes the screen red/blurs the screen as if with tear filled eyes, and the player character makes audible coughing sounds”
that alerts suspects as an aggressive noise.
VFX Improvements/Optimization
At the same time while we’re making improvements to the fidelity of visual effects, we are also optimizing our related systems so that they run as efficiently as possible. Among just a few the VFX improvements we’ve worked on are muzzle flare, explosive effects (including increased performance for C2 breaching), new vehicles, and increased granularity of our existing vehicle destruction plus optimization.
For optimization we are generally trying to reduce the number of "draw-calls." Draw-calls are what occurs when your computer performs instructions to render (draw) a given graphical element and how to render it.
(Video below: Updated effects for muzzle flare, [new]
oxygen tank explosion, optimized C2 explosion, and the updated CS Gas effect which has improved performance as well)
Keep in mind that due to in-engine performance demand of development tools overhead this footage capture is at a decreased resolution, and that development build performance is generally worse than in a shipping (meaning eventually intended for public) build.
Read on: https://steamcommunity.com/games/1144200/announcements/detail/3710460111434346510
Asid:
Vol.62 - Ready or Not Development Briefing
Fri, 20 October 2023
Gameplay Changes for Many Maps
Attention Officers,
Thank you for joining us for the 62nd edition of our biweekly development briefing, October 20th, 2023!
Today, we want to provide insight on the gameplay-oriented changes that have been made for evidence collection and across many of the existing maps in Ready or Not. The maps we’ll be focusing on are Port, Dealer, and Farm.
These improvements bring our maps further in line with our visions for the game and increase the quality of gameplay substantially. Many maps, where possible, now have more than one spawn location and generally more freedom of movement for you to approach your initial breach.
Throughout this briefing you will see various media that reflect this topic!
Please keep in mind that the development content depicted in this briefing is a work in progress and may be subject to change in the game’s final state.
Significant Evidence Collection Changes:
We want evidence collection to remain an important element of the gameplay, however we also want it to be logical and enjoyable for you as the player rather than tedious. Our game data shows that players would often exit a mission instead of trying to collect the last bit of evidence in a map.
Weapons that suspects drop are still critical pieces of evidence that you need to secure to prevent AI from picking up and using them, this is unchanged. We did make this process more accessible by newly allowing you to enable an option to outline dropped weapons that highlights them when nearby. We hope this prevents you from having to search extensively just to grab the many weapons that drop on each level.
(Image below: A fallen weapon lying just out of reach of an incapacitated suspect, highlighted with a new in-game option)
Read on: https://steamcommunity.com/games/1144200/announcements/detail/5555811415915054408
Asid:
Vol.63 - Ready or Not Development Briefing
Fri, 3 November 2023
Commander Mode and Narrative
Attention Officers,
Thank you for joining us for the 63rd edition of our biweekly development briefing, November 3rd, 2023!
Today, we want to go in-depth on what you can expect from the game's campaign mode and narrative. The main focal point of these changes is what's known as "Commander Mode,"
the name of our new campaign mode that brings with it countless new immersive features. In Los Sueños, how you enter the ‘fatal funnel’ of each door will seal your fate and that of those around you.
Some of the elements from Commander Mode that we will cover are the progressive mission unlocks, permadeath, roster system, behavioral traits, officer therapy, and HQ expansion/functionality.
In the second section of this briefing, we will also detail progress on our narrative techniques such as briefing messages, 'on-call' officers, interactive audio device storytelling, novel tools for storytelling such as modular vehicle license plates, and the accompaniment of auxiliary in-game organizations.
Throughout this briefing you will see media that portrays the various topics we discuss!
Please keep in mind that the development content depicted in this briefing is a work in progress and may be subject to change in the game’s final state.
Vol.63 Development Briefing summary points:
(not a changelog)
Missions for Single Player unlock one after another in order of completion
Single Player playthroughs will have permadeath for each of your officers
In Ironman mode, your save will be deleted if you die
There will be a large amount of unique behavioral traits for the officers in your long potential roster which will each impact the gameplay style of your team
Mission conduct outcome will affect the mental health of your officers, unbearable levels of stress causing them to quit or worse
Over 5 new areas in the station with revamped existing areas such as the firing range and shoot house
At least one unique briefing per mission that can take various formats, along with the extensive role that your tactical tablet plays for most mission information
30-40 new interactable audio narrative devices added to the game.
Modular license plates on vehicles that allow us to easily customize all aspects of them during development to fit the sort of characters in each mission
A description of some of the federal law enforcement organizations present in the narrative, including DETE (Drug Enforcement Tactical Element), FISA (Federal Investigation and Security Agency), the Marshals, and the Park Service.
Teaser conclusion
Take Command
In the boots of David “Judge” Beaumont you are the Commander of the LSPD's SWAT Team. This is by no means a figurehead role in-game for Commander Mode. It is up to you to compose your team from a long dynamic roster, pick your plans, give orders, keep your teammates (as well as yourself) alive and healthy in mind and body, and conduct your missions with integrity.
All three of major systems detailed in sections below: permadeath, officer traits, and mental health interplay to provide an additional layer of tension to your team’s success and conduct in a mission.
In Commander Mode your mission score is meaningful, and the specific conduct used to achieve the score will lead to a subsequent long-term impact on your team, positive or negative. If you arrest all suspects but kill a civilian, expect detrimental repercussions on your team’s stress levels.
High Stakes Progress
The extreme state of systematic disrepair in Los Sueños has left everyone at risk. The dangerous nature of your encounters will spiral the further you go. Lives taken is further violence, and it's your duty to uphold what dignity you can for future prosperity by defusing hostile situations that are too far out of hand.
Unnecessarily escalating these missions makes them more unpredictable and turbulent for all involved. This escalation will often provoke suspects and civilians to resort to more drastic measures in missions.
Each successful completion of a given mission will unlock the next one in succession for Single Player. The story of Los Sueños and the trials that you will face unveil themselves to you in each mission as you come across them.
Officer permadeath for all single player playthroughs means your team members won't get a second chance. Our new SWAT AI has an exceptional increase in their survivability and tactical effectiveness, but it's up to you to make sure the specific tactics you order are sound in each unique decision in-game. If a SWAT Officer dies there will also be a negative impact on your team’s mental health.
“Ironman mode” even makes your own survival imperative or you risk the deletion of your save when you, as the commander, die.
(Image below: A save slot for Commander Mode with the Iron Man option shown)
Read on: https://steamcommunity.com/games/1144200/announcements/detail/3801661174266563081
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page