Progress - and some backstory, finally!

So, the past week is the first where we've had a full slate of folks working on the project - and no less than three of them were coders!  As a result, we made some solid progress on a lot of goals:

1:  The two Mikes in NY have been able to integrate pretty much all of the main game world into our sectorizing tools, resulting in a HEFTY improvement in framerates.  Unfortunately, this process required going through the entire gameworld, and un-doing a lot of work from late June: namely, breaking apart all of the fences, sidewalks, and objects that I had previously baked together, in order to reduce draw calls.

Rolling back alla that work took only about a day, since I had backups from months ago.  While it was kinda frustrating, one learns early in the Game Development trade that it's never a good idea to become too in love with one's own work...

2: We've expanded the cat controller to include aimed jumps - watch it, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8JzlWa2mWw 

We were VERY lucky to meet a local guy willing to take on finalizing the controller.  Believe it or not, this is the FOURTH guy we've had working on this one VERY important part of the game, and the first one I have complete confidence in.  Aside from the jumping script, he's really improved the animation blending.  The next step, of course, is to bring in the ability to target objects, while hunting!

3: Our Goose has been completely re-animated, and its AI is close to Beta-Ready!  Richard - another local hire - has now moved on to bringing in improved chicken Models & AI.  

I've had to stop thinking of these guys as "Flocking Animals," as they are all really the NPCs that you will be dealing with, as you progress through the game.

As usual, there are a jillion & one other things going on, but I know you guys don't wanna hear that boring backend stuff about lawyers & business managers- you want the backstory stuff from the GAME!!!

Question: So, why was this island named "Peace Island?"

Well, believe it or not, the islands of Maine tend to change their names, over time.  Very few of the people who now vacation on Casco Bay's Diamond Islands know that for well over a century, the islands were known locally as "Big & Little Hog Island."

Ya see, back in those days, it was easier & more cost effective to use the islands as a source of meat for the nearby city of Portland, and communities beyond - back in those days, with no environmental oversight, the farmers on these islands were free to dispose of animal wastes and carcasses by simply dumping them into the ocean.

Even tiny Cliff Island- a rocky double-bladed spit of land six miles from the coast- was home to several cattle herds - the footprint of the original farmstead is still preserved to this day.

The origin of Peace Island's name are a matter of contention - even among the locals.

Some claim that it was initially given the name "Peasoup Island" by early European settlers, due to the persistent fog that draped the island, preventing visibility beyond 150 meters, despite the weather, or time or year.

Others assert that the name came later, when the island became renowned for the shiploads of peas that were once grown on & exported from the island's eastern farmlands.

There is also ample evidence that local native tribes considered the island a place of negotiation & refuge in times of conflict, prior to colonization.  Three large "Treaty Oaks" were designated by natives as places where  violence, weapons, and even combative language were strictly forbidden.  These trees were significant enough to have been featured on the flag of the short-lived "Free Island Republic."

ONE LAST THING:

Postcards are going out, but only about 20% of those eligible for postcards have provided their addresses.  We will be reaching out to those who have not, as our schedule allows.

SEE YA'LL ON SATURDAY!