Episode 121 -Alpha Drop

In episode 119 of COPI Café, Rob and Josh introduce the innovative open-world MMORPG "Cornucopias," set in a fantastical sky realm of floating islands.

They discuss the game’s development updates, featuring guest David and various team presentations, including Jim's advancements in character design with Avatar 3.0 and enhancements for improved realism and performance.

The team also outlines progress on the Esperanza area, showcasing unique creatures and wildlife behavior, while introducing futuristic weapons and gameplay mechanics tied to player engagement. Ongoing collaborative efforts are emphasized along with the significance of community feedback in testing phases.

The video concludes with plans for material card customization, inviting player creativity and interaction in character aesthetics. Overall, the segment highlights an energetic development atmosphere, aiming to refine gameplay and enhance the player experience through detailed design and community involvement.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Rob and Josh welcome special guest David - Game Director, who shares his excitement after not being on COPI Café for several months. They also discuss their drinks, hinting at a relaxed atmosphere, before diving into their main topic—an overview of the exciting updates and events planned for the game's development, highlighting contributions from team members during their recent meeting.

• 00:05:00 In this section, the discussion highlights Jim's presentation on Avatar 3.0, which showcases significant advancements in character design, including improved facial topology, a new body model, and simplified slider functionalities. The enhancements aim for better visual quality and motion matching. Jim also introduced custom "jiggly bits" technology that adds natural movement to characters' bodies, enhancing realism in animations without compromising performance. Following Jim, Joe presented improvements on Esperanza, contrasting it with other designs, and focused on utilizing efficient 8x8 km domes for better visual elements. Overall, the segment reflects a strong emphasis on refining character aesthetics and performance while maintaining gameplay fluidity.

• 00:10:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the development of a new area called Esperanza, which features a unique desert landscape compared to the more lush Solace. The team highlights the increased foliage necessary for aesthetic variation in Esperanza, especially given its arid climate. They mention that the town center is being crafted with attention to detail, with each plot hand-placed by an artist. Differences in the mountainous terrain and vegetation are also discussed, noting that Esparanza has flatter mountaintops and unique erosion patterns. The speakers emphasize improved workflows and a larger team that facilitate faster progress on builds compared to the earlier Solace project. Additionally, they introduce a new area called Glimpse of Esparanza, which will expand the gameplay options for players in the Kedo region, enhancing the overall experience.

• 00:15:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the upcoming release set in the Esperanza area and features insights from Jillian of the Characters and Creatures department, who elaborates on the design of various animals in the game. Jillian highlights the importance of "micro details" in creature design using tools like substance painter, which enhances unique attributes in animals such as bears. The conversation touches on the poly count for creatures, indicating that while the animals are efficiently designed, they possess substantial detail with counts reaching up to 150,000 polygons for larger animals. The team discusses animal behavior and spawning mechanics, emphasizing optimization techniques to ensure performance, especially for larger populations like deer. They showcase a range of animals, including bears, deer, mountain lions, and various fox types, while also introducing specific creatures like the coveted Quantum monster cutthroat trout, integrating gameplay elements with environmental realism.

• 00:20:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the introduction of new animals and machines in the game, emphasizing their unique characteristics and behaviors derived from rifts. The team intends to create variations of animals, including rare versions, highlighting a focus on realism and natural animal behaviors. The developers discuss the importance of not just creating the animals but also ensuring they exhibit realistic actions, such as grizzly bears interacting with their environment rather than just standing idly for players to hunt. Enhanced AI and animation techniques are being implemented to reflect these behaviors, similar to the detailed world of "Red Dead Redemption," aiming to eliminate the one-dimensional nature of wildlife typically found in MMOs. Overall, the careful design process is geared towards integrating a more immersive and captivating ecosystem within the game.

• 00:25:00 In this section, the team discusses ongoing developments in the game, particularly focusing on AI and animation progress for various animal behaviors, including bears and mountain lions. They mention the large-scale Calido International Airport's design, emphasizing the need for community feedback during testing phases. The airport features platforms for various vehicle sizes, along with a Nexus system for retrieving ships. The discussion also highlights attempts to improve performance in Calido City through batch instancing to reduce memory load and draw calls. Lastly, Matias briefly introduces concepts like motion matching for the combat system and an emote wheel, although he doesn't provide visuals like other team members.

• 00:30:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the programming and development of weapon mechanics within the game, highlighted by the efforts of team members working on various functionalities such as combat interfaces and user interfaces (UI). An overview is provided on different weapon categories including ballistic, pulse, and charge weapons, each characterized by unique attributes such as damage output, ammo capacity, and firing mechanisms. The team explores the nuances of weapon dynamics like reload animations and projectile types, indicating that players will have the option to carry primary and secondary weapons for tactical versatility. As the conversation progresses, adjustments to controls and camera views in the game's new internal build are mentioned, signaling ongoing refinements and the introduction of new combat systems.

• 00:35:00 In this section, the conversation delves into various types of futuristic weaponry being developed for a game, including energy, quantum, and ballistic weapons. The hosts explain how different weapon technologies have parallels in real life, such as submachine guns and sniper rifles having equivalent versions in the game. Players will be able to earn in-game currency to purchase certain weapons and cosmetic upgrades, while more premium items may be represented as NFTs. The discussion emphasizes the importance of player engagement with weapons, allowing for upgrades and customization that enhance both performance and aesthetics. Accessories will play a significant role, with players able to craft or buy upgrades and maintain a connection to their weapons, fostering a deeper gaming experience.

• 00:40:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the incorporation of brand rivalries and weapon manufacturing within the game, highlighting the need for brands like Ford and Chevy to create a relatable experience. Specific weapon manufacturers such as Kamaro Defense and Randos Metal Works are mentioned, with a focus on the unique concept of repurposing relics from the pre-Calamity era. The creators are working on a variety of weapons, with a focus on optimizing around seven or eight core models while also developing a dynamic combat metric called "dips R30" that goes beyond simple damage per second (DPS) to account for factors like accuracy, reload times, and weapon performance in different engagement scenarios. The conversation extends to the role of armor and loadout strategies, emphasizing how different armor types will affect player speed and gameplay style, thereby encouraging strategic decision-making in combat.

• 00:45:00 In this section, the conversation centers around a recent team meeting where various departments showcased their projects, generating excitement and fostering collaboration among team members. Participants discuss the importance of sharing updates across different sectors, as it helps everyone understand the bigger picture despite the busy nature of game development. They highlight the need for regular showcases, emphasizing that the game team's work often goes unnoticed by other departments. The discussion also includes plans to produce more cinematic content for marketing, leveraging the skills of team members like Mark, who has transitioned from commercial work to contribute to the game’s visuals. Overall, there is a strong consensus on the value of continued show-and-tell sessions to enhance communication and motivation within the team.

• 00:50:00 In this section, the discussion centers around the mechanics and features of the game being developed. Questions from viewers are addressed, starting with the functionality of items like a knife on a tactical backpack, which may serve more aesthetic purposes than practical ones. Furthermore, the availability of specific in-game buildings is clarified; while certain structures may be limited, they will always be accessible through various towns, encouraging player interaction and competition for resources. Lastly, the impact of the Avatar 3.0 update on character features, such as hair movement, is discussed, noting that improvements are planned, albeit with performance considerations in mind.

• 00:55:00 In this section, the discussion centers on the functionality of material cards in the game, which allow players to customize their outfits by swapping out materials to achieve different looks. Players can collect these material cards when they purchase outfits, enabling them to modify elements such as color and design. For example, a cowboy outfit could be transformed into a vibrant disco look using material from a dance-themed outfit. While some combinations might yield unconventional results, experimentation is encouraged. The segment wraps up with gratitude for team contributions, highlighting an exciting upcoming build, and encourages viewers to engage with the content by liking and subscribing.