IK is SO CLOSE to perfection - and STUFF!

So, as I detailed last week, we had begun our first steps of improving the IK.  In case you are not aware, IK is Game-Developer-ese for "Inverse Kinematics."  Generically, it is best described as this:

Imagine holding a whip.  Note how that as you have control over the handle, you have massive control of where the tip of the whip will land, and how the length of said whip will travel.  If you were using said whip within a simulation, these trajectories would be computed using kinematic equations.

Inverse kinematics is a bit more complex:  Imagine being able to pick up the tip of that same whip, and exterting the same level of control - not only over the tip, but the entire whip, all the way back to the handle.  THAT is (an admittedly grossly simplified explanation of) what inverse kinematics is.

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO CATS?

Well- as anyone who has played our previous alphas knows: the one place that the cats are most prone to get caught up on are the rocks along the beaches.  This is because we had not implemented a proper IK system, yet.  Whenever the cats moved, the engine was simply computing one thing: the collider the cat was standing on in relation to the cat body's collider.

Note the improved movement that the new IK system allows:

The system is now computing the position of each paw in relation to a collider, and sending that information back to that IK chain's "handle" to ensure much smoother movement, fewer glitches and snags, and improved "Follow" function.  Understand that in the example shown above, there was a good chance that the following cat would have walked AROUND the rock, rather than followed the lead cat OVER it.

It's not perfect - when the cat is on a slant, the body should adjust to keep itself as horizontal as possible.  I have a feeling we'll have that more or less addressed within the next two weeks.

SO, TO KEEP TRACK - Since the release of the previous alpha just a couple of months ago, we have added:

Reactive foliage - Grasses and plants now react to the passing of cats and NPCs, and you don't lose sight of the cat, when its in the deep woods!

"Hiding Grass" - When you need to evade a deer or the odd obnoxious goose, there will be certain overgrown areas where you can find refuge!

New deer AI - The deer are now on set patrols, so you'll have to plan your passage a bit more carefully when in the Cathedral Woods.

Inventory - Cats can now pick up and drop objects.

Improved Follow - A clowder will be able to far better maintain cohesion.

IN ADDITION - we're working on:

New Music - You'll soon be able to detect the presence of nearby NPCs, by subtle changes to the music you hear within the game.  In addition, "Old Town" will be getting its own "Audio Biome."

Performance Improvements - As always...

Adding the first Dialogues/Quests - So that players will be able to get the first glimpses of the story!

We are adding so many improvements/content that it is getting more and more likely that we will be producing one more Alpha - probably at the end of July.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

Recently, we got a premium returned to us from the postal services of Montenegro - apparently there was some sort of problem with the address.

I have to say: this package seems to have been on an adventure far more interesting than I've personally had in years.  I am still wondering about the stuff that caused the creeping grease stain on the lower right.  We're going to have to go through our records, and follow up with the recipient (we'll be sending a NEW one, of course!)

IF YOU HAVE YET TO RECEIVE YOUR POSTCARD/PRINT PREMIUMS, PLEASE EMAIL US.  As you can see, we're always playing catch-up!

ONE LAST THING:

After my rather disastrous "vacation",  I am pretending that my birthday actually takes place on June 5th, this year.  I'll be bloviating about cats, the universe, and everything for a few hours a week from tonight - consider tuning in! 

See ya'll on Monday, June 6th- thanks again for your support- it means the WORLD to us!