{"data":{"id":18078,"title":"Squadron 42 Monthly Report: March 2021","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/transmission\/18078-Squadron-42-Monthly-Report-March-2021","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/18078","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/18078","channel":"Transmission","category":"General","series":"Monthly Reports","images":[{"id":26917,"name":"source.mp4","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/5cgjus00n68jn\/source.mp4","alt":"","size":82241030,"mime_type":"video\/mp4","last_modified":"2021-04-05T23:07:53+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26917","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26917\/similar"},{"id":26918,"name":"source.mp4","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/nal3mckdt2nyt\/source.mp4","alt":"","size":31708522,"mime_type":"video\/mp4","last_modified":"2021-04-05T23:08:56+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26918","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26918\/similar"},{"id":26919,"name":"source.mp4","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/9yux76dei3grw\/source.mp4","alt":"","size":7027426,"mime_type":"video\/mp4","last_modified":"2021-04-05T22:34:54+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26919","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26919\/similar"},{"id":26920,"name":"source.mp4","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/y8ili0zvtbu52\/source.mp4","alt":"","size":67463743,"mime_type":"video\/mp4","last_modified":"2021-04-05T22:38:15+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26920","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26920\/similar"}],"images_count":4,"translations":{"en_EN":"This is a cross-post of the report that was recently sent out via the monthly Squadron 42 newsletter. We\u2019re publishing this a second time as a Comm-Link to make it easier for the community to reference back to.\nAttention Recruits,\n\nWhat you are about to read is the latest information on the continuing development of Squadron 42 (SCI des: SQ42).\n\nThanks to the work of dedicated field agents and operatives, we\u2019ve uncovered information on pilot security behavior, Vanduul combat, and physicalization of planets.\n\nThe information contained in this communication is extremely sensitive and it is of paramount importance that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Purge all records after reading.\n\nUEE Naval High Command\n\nAI (Content)\n\nMarch\u2019s report starts with the AI Content Team, who spent part of the month working on the engineer NPC, including improving the usable split of Mannequin tags coming from the use channel and the objects they interact with. On-foot security, tourist, and tour guide activities were further developed too. The bed bunks behavior progressed, with the team working towards a better abstraction of bed shutter usage and investigating how to support bed sheets when characters are sleeping. Kick-offs to define the medic, illegal goods dealer, deck crew, and janitor behaviors were done too.\n\n\n\nAI (Features)\n\nMarch saw AI Features complete the first pass on subcomponent targeting. This is now integrated and used in the main game-dev branch and will initially improve the behavior used when smaller ships attack capital ships, allowing for more effective element targeting, complex attack patterns, tactics. The pilot security behavior was also restructured and extended. This is used, among other things, when security spaceships validate illegal content inside ships. Alongside creating a better structured and more scalable activity, it allows the security pilot to request the target surrender and handle different player behaviors. The pilot will also continue to request that the player surrenders during combat, allowing players to end the conflict and be arrested. They also worked to allow AI pilots to correctly dock at any supported location. This functionality is similar to landing, as it allows ships to navigate close to the collar and then perform a docking maneuver.\n\n\n\n\nThe eat and drink behavior continued to be improved, particularly \u2018chowline\u2019 usage. In addition to cleaning up the chowline, eating, and drinking animations, they improved the drinking behavior to make taking a cup a separate action. Plus, exit animations are now split between taking the tray and exiting tables so that multiple actions can be performed from specific bounce poses.\n\nThe surrender and cowering behaviors used by both trained and untrained agents progressed. This is used in hostile scenarios when NPCs are unable to fight back, are overwhelmed, or don\u2019t have the tools for combat and prioritize preserving their lives.\n\nOn the Subsumption-logic side, several new tasks were introduced, including:\nHasAnyTagInTagSelection: Evaluates whether an object has tags under specific parent tags\n\nBroadcastInMyActionAreas: Propagates an event in the action areas the agent is contained\n\nMergeMannequinTags: Takes two Mannequin tags variables and merges them into one\n\n\nThey also supported the Alpha 3.13 release with bug fixes and optimization, including issues causing slow NPC reactions and pilot security to complete flight activity too early.\n\n\n\n\n\nAI (Tech)\n\nThroughout March, AI Tech progressed with EVA, creating tech to allow characters to calculate 3D paths and systemically transition out of ships into space. Last year, code was introduced to allow a hierarchical structure of the Subsumption mastergraph, which allows the team to create a state machine that describes the mental state of an NPC that\u2019s preserved across multiple activities. For example, surviving in a zero-g environment requires the NPC to have specific knowledge and handle requests differently from when on foot or piloting a ship. The team are utilizing this to allow a better structure for the mastergraph and handle all states with fewer transitions. This groundwork will ultimately provide a better systemic transition into and out of zero-g environments.\n\nImprovements were also made to the navigation links that describe the external linkage of navigation mesh triangles (essentially, two disconnected triangles are connected and become traversable using animation, explicit locomotion linkage, etc.). In doing so, the NavigationLink component was simplified to allow the explicit instantiation of extensions that can use different types of data to create external links. They currently support the following scenarios:\n\nExplicit offsets that can be used to customize enter\/exit locations for doors\n\nAnimation-driven traversal, such as an animation used to vault over an object or jump up and down\n\nThe AI Team began extending the melee system to improve the definition of combo attacks. The goal was to avoid using explicit Mannequin transitions between states to reduce the complexity in the setup, since they know the exact flow allowed between melee attacks. To achieve this, they introduced an automatic way to calculate the Mannequin tag of the transitioning attack so that the structure can be more straightforward. This also makes it easier to test chaining animations, ensuring poses perfectly match and timing is easily adjusted.\n\nFor patrol tech, \u2018hot reload\u2019 was implemented. This means the Subsumption logic edits associated with a path are automatically reloaded in the editor, giving the designers immediate feedback on-screen that they can quickly iterate on. The logic will also be validated if data changes without the editor running. During level loading, the saved data attempts to match with the current updated logic too.\n\nThe team also spent time refactoring the usable code to better calculate usable-attached Mannequin tags related to items they want to manipulate. The code is now split to propagate tags associated with the usable and use channel, including the one coming from the tool. Once calculated, they\u2019re merged and passed into the animation request to select the appropriate animation.\n\nThe unification of the flow for using usables and operator seats continued, which now only uses two blocks in the movement plan for the usable component. The actor state machine communicates the different states with the usable component, such as entering a seat or starting idle, which is then propagated and evaluated to understand when to consider entering or exiting the usable a success.\n\nFor the communication system, AI Content fixed the automatic creation of group channels based on the target of dialogue. This allows them to control who is allowed to talk to a specific target to avoid overlapping when the \u2018Group\u2019 channel type is specified. They also improved the system allowing communication context to override silence on a specific channel. This gives designers more granular control over the pacing of voice lines used by AI to communicate readability of their actions.\n\n\nAnimation\n\nThe team spent part of the month on the engineer, deck crew, and Vanduul combat animation behavior sets. Progress was also made on hurt conditional states, AI hygiene, emergency reaction exits in useable planning, zero-g traversal, dodging, shopkeepers, guarding behavior, players healing friends, looting, surrendering, mess halls, and eateries. A bug affecting wrist wobble that plagued the team for years was fixed, and the crossbow, cutter, and tractor beam progressed through the pipeline. On the facial side, animations were polished for the next round of story characters. The Gameplay Story Team worked through a new chapter, and motion capture was solved for conditional deaths. Planning was done for Q2, which involved aligning with the needs of the PU and re-evaluating the processes to streamline animation-side development.\n\n\n\nArt (Characters)\n\nMarch saw the artists start a significant concepting pass for an enemy faction, which will also inform how character assets are approached for use in the Pyro in the PU. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen some exciting designs coming from the Concept Team and we can\u2019t wait to get started on these!\u201d -The Character Art Team\n\nElsewhere, work continued on Trejo\u2019s head, hair, and her Basilisk Advocacy uniform. New shader tech was also developed for eyes and ears alongside the Graphics and Tech Animation teams.\n\n\n\nAudio\n\nLast month, the Audio Team continued to support work on chapter 4a, ensuring music logic and systemic SFX systems are well balanced.\n\nCinematics\n\nThroughout March, the Cinematics Team made big pushes on ship-centric cutaways, polished more intricate character scenes, and welcomed new tools to support their efforts. For ships, they progressed well on several large-scale cutaways involving several varieties of alien ship, including a Xi\u2019an cargo ship and its captain. \u201cFor the longest time, the captain of said Xian vessel was realized as a crude stand-in blockout. We had put a Halloween-mask-style sculpt export of a Xian on top of a human body for our cutaway scene, so seeing this guy finally appear in our scene as a realized, almost-final creature was a refreshing sight for the eyes!\u201d -The Cinematics Team\n\nAnother in-mission cutaway featured unique vessels built out of other ships. The Cinematics and Art teams synched extensively on these designs to ensure they look interesting and menacing while still delivering easy readability for the player.\n\n\n\nEngine\n\nIn March, Engineering added physics support for multiple solar systems. A new grid type (GT_SOLARSYSTEM) that replicates the configuration of the current root grid was added along with the ability to skip the inside\/outside checks to allow multiple instances of such grids to overlap without entities randomly transitioning between them. To ease debugging (which can be difficult without a visual representation of what\u2019s going on in the physical world), a simple debug raytracing framework was added to visualize the results of ray world intersection (RWI) checks. This has been hugely useful already and allowed the team to fix various bugs quickly. The team will also be using this to optimize RWI in general as it accurately uncovers performance issues otherwise hidden in the game\u2019s RWI queries. March also saw various code optimizations, including the physicalization of planets, ray-bound intersections, and using octrees for ray-occlusion tracing. Furthermore, the velocity limit for explosions and shockwaves was removed, interior grids can now be saved as CGFs to allow proper instancing, and support for kinematic parts (animated parts that get proper velocity estimates) was added. The Physics Team also spent time bug fixing and supporting Alpha 3.13.\n\nWork on the G12 renderer continued, with internal resolution scaling and native resolution rendering being reworked. The render graph that controls the scheduling of render passes and associated resource management was merged into the main development branch. Alongside this, more existing features were ported to Gen12, such as emissive lights and object motion blur, and the shader parser was refactored in parts to allow for faster processing (especially for code dependency tracking).\n\nEngineering made great progress with volumetric clouds last month, with tint support being added to allow more flexibility on the art side when coloring clouds for exotic planets. The multi-scatter solution also received various subtle improvements, including taking an atmosphere\u2019s optical depth along shadow rays into account. Cloud shaping was further improved to provide a better sense of local volume, while support for shadow refinement was added to further contribute to cloud detail. Alongside these visual improvements, initial optimizations were implemented to speed up the raymarching process, and the implementation of an efficient empty space skipping scheme has begun.\n\nOn the core-engine side, more work was done on performance analysis and regression. The in-engine profiler received various improvements, including the ability to group samples captured by their respective function. The team also started to look into replacing their current UI solution for postmortem performance analysis based on captured performance telemetry data. Python scripts were written to run performance tests and write corresponding reports. Additionally, the threading logic was refactored to further improve performance and the job system now utilizes specific APIs introduced with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (Windows 7 still works but won\u2019t benefit) to allow for much-improved waking of jobs and preventing contention in the fiber system thread. This is particularly noticeable on CPUs with a significant number of cores and will be rolled out in Alpha 3.13. The entity component update scheduler received a profiler and GUI as well as various optimizations.\n\nFinally, C++17 language support was enabled and a performance issue with code generation in MSVC with regards to thread local storage initialization behavior was addressed.\n\n\n\nFeatures (Gameplay)\n\nThe SQ42 Feature Team began profiling the time taken when running TrackView sequences with productive results. They found some bottlenecks in a couple of the systems which, when optimized, will have a significant benefit and could help performance in general. The TrackView code is not multithreaded, so they\u2019re looking at converting it. A few tasks to help improve the transition from game mode to cinematic sequences were completed. Now, the team can specify whether the cameras fly from the player\u2019s viewpoint into a sequence and back again rather than just cutting between them. They also supplied a new node that the team can use to get the player to automatically locomote short distances. This is used to get them into the correct position at the start of a sequence to smooth out the initial transition.\n\nWork also began on formation flying, which features an indicator highlighting where the player should go and gives the option to continue flying manually or automatically stay in formation.\n\n\n\nGameplay Story\n\nMarch saw Gameplay Story record a lot of new scratch audio for chapter 1 and \u2018random-to-NPC\u2019 scenes. Extra lockers were added to the main bathroom in the Idris, so several scenes were updated to match the new layout, and several gameplay animation sets were completed, enabling the team to begin updating scenes using the maintenance wall panel and mess hall tables. Great progress was made on a pair of complicated scenes from chapter 11 that include player interaction, prop use, several different branches, and video comms from different characters and sources. Additional \u201cwait function\u201d animations for different characters were created too, and a complicated scene that uses a flexible cable was also updated.\n\n\n\nGraphics & VFX Programming\n\nThe Graphics Team spend early March fixing bugs. For example, the render-to-texture (RTT) system didn\u2019t have a fixed memory budget and was instead dependent on how it was used by the game. However, this could sometimes lead to out-of-memory issues, particularly when running at higher resolutions. Now, the memory reserve for RTT is linked to screen resolution, because higher-resolution outputs require higher-resolution intermediate textures. If the fixed budget is exceeded, they now dynamically down-res the RTTs until they fit, which ensures stability in extreme scenarios. They also began planning for the transition to the Gen12 renderer to better understand when each milestone will be delivered to help determine the balance of staff working on the transition, features, and bugs.\n\nThe VFX Programming Team split time between bugs, fire, SDF shields, and particle lighting. The fire feature is a long-term task, with the current focus on fire spreading between rooms, light spawning, and repair. Particle lighting is a new model that gives higher quality and more consistent and physically plausible results.\n\n\n\nLevel Design\n\nThe Social Design Team are on course for the game-wide rollout of all granular scene setups and usable interactions. The Level Design Team continued to work with the artists and FPS AI Team to add spaces that bring additional life to some of the bigger chapters in the game. The Space\/Dogfight Team worked towards an internal milestone this quarter with the support of many other teams, with all chapters that include space flight benefiting from the initiative.\n\nNarrative\n\nThe in-depth reviews of the campaign continued in March, and along with it came some additional scripts to further polish the gameplay experience. In several instances, the Narrative Team began working with Audio and Design to record and implement placeholder versions of this dialogue with various team members serving as temporary voice actors. This allows for internal testing during playthroughs to see if the dialogue is achieving its intended purpose and tone. The team can also make additional revisions much faster with the placeholder assets than if they had been recorded with actual voiceover talent. The team also worked with Character Art to provide additional details for a group of outlaws players will encounter, expanding on their unique look. The goal is to give them a real sense of history and personality while fitting in with the Star Citizen universe. Additionally, the Narrative Team provided write-ups on space-scaping for a sector explored early in the game, identifying billboards and signage that travelers will encounter.\n\n\n\nQA\n\nCinematics continued to rely on QA for recordings of each level for review, and new features and content were tested for the development teams. QA also began testing the AI side of the project.\n\nTech Animation\n\nMost of the Tech Animation Team spent time last month iterating on the in-house facial pipeline. They\u2019re aiming for a faster and more intuitive approach to FACS expression authoring for the complicated facial systems, part of which incorporates the smooth skinning decomposition technology from last month\u2019s R&D. They maintained and triaged assets from many other departments to ensure the project structure, builds, and animation systems are kept in a stable state, and helped author and refine some head and body assets to enable the animation teams to work directly in Maya. Lastly, they completed the first round of rigging for the Xi\u2019an character and are currently awaiting feedback and iteration from Animation.\n\n\n\nUI\n\nThe UI Team polished the user interface in support of the new radar gameplay for vehicles and first-person modes, which includes emissions, a scanning UI, and updated ping. Work also continued on the new HUD for the Aegis Gladius, with the team focusing on missiles and improved contact display.\n\nVFX\n\nLast month, the VFX Team continued to work on improvements to gas cloud interiors, specifically using vehicle SDFs to simulate the look of tiny dust particles flowing over the surface. This adds to the sense of motion when flying when combined with the collision effects mentioned last month. Several miscellaneous effects were also worked on, including some new water effects for the artists to place throughout a dank, grimy location, and some electrical effects. WE\u2019LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH\u2026","de_DE":"Dies ist ein Cross-Post des Berichts, der k\u00fcrzlich \u00fcber den monatlichen Squadron 42 Newsletter verschickt wurde. Wir ver\u00f6ffentlichen ihn ein zweites Mal als Comm-Link, damit die Community leichter darauf zur\u00fcckgreifen kann.\nAchtung Rekruten,\n\nWas ihr gleich lesen werdet, sind die neuesten Informationen \u00fcber die weitere Entwicklung von Squadron 42 (SCI des: SQ42).\n\nDank der Arbeit von engagierten Feldagenten und Agenten haben wir Informationen \u00fcber das Sicherheitsverhalten der Piloten, den Kampf gegen Vanduul und die Physikalisierung der Planeten aufgedeckt.\n\nDie in dieser Mitteilung enthaltenen Informationen sind \u00e4u\u00dferst sensibel und es ist von gr\u00f6\u00dfter Wichtigkeit, dass sie nicht in die falschen H\u00e4nde geraten. L\u00f6sche alle Aufzeichnungen nach dem Lesen.\n\nUEE Naval High Command\n\nKI (Inhalt)\n\nDer M\u00e4rz-Bericht beginnt mit dem KI-Content-Team, das einen Teil des Monats damit verbracht hat, an dem Ingenieur-NPC zu arbeiten, einschlie\u00dflich der Verbesserung der nutzbaren Aufteilung der Mannequin-Tags aus dem Nutzungskanal und der Objekte, mit denen sie interagieren. Auch die Aktivit\u00e4ten des Sicherheitsdienstes, des Touristen und des Reiseleiters wurden weiter entwickelt. Das Verhalten der Bettkojen machte Fortschritte, wobei das Team an einer besseren Abstraktion der Nutzung von Bettl\u00e4den arbeitete und untersuchte, wie man Bettlaken unterst\u00fctzen kann, wenn Charaktere schlafen. Kick-offs zur Definition der Verhaltensweisen des Sanit\u00e4ters, des H\u00e4ndlers f\u00fcr illegale Waren, der Deckcrew und des Hausmeisters wurden ebenfalls durchgef\u00fchrt.\n\n\nKI (Features)\n\nIm M\u00e4rz haben die KI-Features den ersten Durchgang f\u00fcr das Subkomponenten-Targeting abgeschlossen. Dies wird nun in den Hauptentwicklungszweig des Spiels integriert und verwendet und wird zun\u00e4chst das Verhalten verbessern, das verwendet wird, wenn kleinere Schiffe Kapitalschiffe angreifen, was ein effektiveres Element-Targeting, komplexe Angriffsmuster und Taktiken erm\u00f6glicht. Das Pilotensicherheitsverhalten wurde ebenfalls umstrukturiert und erweitert. Dieses wird unter anderem verwendet, wenn Sicherheitsraumschiffe illegale Inhalte im Inneren von Schiffen validieren. Neben der Schaffung einer besser strukturierten und skalierbareren Aktivit\u00e4t, erlaubt es dem Sicherheitspiloten, die Kapitulation des Ziels anzufordern und verschiedene Verhaltensweisen der Spieler zu handhaben. Der Pilot wird auch weiterhin den Spieler w\u00e4hrend des Kampfes auffordern, sich zu ergeben, was es Spielern erm\u00f6glicht, den Konflikt zu beenden und verhaftet zu werden. Es wurde auch daran gearbeitet, dass KI-Piloten an jedem unterst\u00fctzten Ort korrekt andocken k\u00f6nnen. Diese Funktionalit\u00e4t \u00e4hnelt der Landung, da sie es Schiffen erlaubt, nahe an den Kragen zu navigieren und dann ein Andockman\u00f6ver durchzuf\u00fchren.\n\n\n\nDas Ess- und Trinkverhalten wurde weiter verbessert, insbesondere die 'chowline'-Nutzung. Zus\u00e4tzlich zum Aufr\u00e4umen der Chowline-, Ess- und Trinkanimationen wurde das Trinkverhalten verbessert, um das Nehmen einer Tasse zu einer separaten Aktion zu machen. Au\u00dferdem sind die Animationen beim Verlassen des Tisches nun aufgeteilt zwischen dem Nehmen des Tabletts und dem Verlassen des Tisches, so dass mehrere Aktionen aus bestimmten Bounce-Posen ausgef\u00fchrt werden k\u00f6nnen.\n\nDas Kapitulations- und Kauerverhalten, das sowohl von trainierten als auch von untrainierten Agenten verwendet wird, wurde weiterentwickelt. Dies wird in feindlichen Szenarien verwendet, wenn NSCs nicht in der Lage sind, sich zu wehren, \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigt sind oder nicht die Werkzeuge f\u00fcr den Kampf haben und die Erhaltung ihres Lebens priorisieren.\n\nAuf der Seite der Subsumption-Logik wurden mehrere neue Aufgaben eingef\u00fchrt, darunter:\nHasAnyTagInTagSelection: Wertet aus, ob ein Objekt Tags unter bestimmten Eltern-Tags hat BroadcastInMyActionAreas: Propagiert ein Ereignis in den Aktionsbereichen, in denen der Agent enthalten ist MergeMannequinTags: Nimmt zwei Mannequin-Tags-Variablen und verschmilzt sie zu einer\nAu\u00dferdem wurde die Alpha 3.13 mit Bugfixes und Optimierungen unterst\u00fctzt, darunter Probleme, die zu langsamen NPC-Reaktionen f\u00fchrten und die Sicherheit der Piloten, die Flugaktivit\u00e4ten zu fr\u00fch abzuschlie\u00dfen.\n\n\nKI (Tech)\n\nDen ganzen M\u00e4rz \u00fcber machte die KI-Tech Fortschritte mit EVA und entwickelte Tech, die es den Charakteren erm\u00f6glicht, 3D-Pfade zu berechnen und systematisch aus Schiffen in den Weltraum zu gelangen. Letztes Jahr wurde Code eingef\u00fchrt, um eine hierarchische Struktur des Subsumption-Mastergraphen zu erm\u00f6glichen, die es dem Team erlaubt, eine Zustandsmaschine zu erstellen, die den mentalen Zustand eines NSCs beschreibt, der \u00fcber mehrere Aktivit\u00e4ten hinweg erhalten bleibt. Zum Beispiel erfordert das \u00dcberleben in einer Schwerelosigkeit, dass der NSC \u00fcber spezifisches Wissen verf\u00fcgt und Anfragen anders behandelt, als wenn er zu Fu\u00df unterwegs ist oder ein Schiff steuert. Das Team macht sich dies zunutze, um eine bessere Struktur f\u00fcr den Mastergraphen zu erm\u00f6glichen und alle Zust\u00e4nde mit weniger \u00dcberg\u00e4ngen zu behandeln. Diese Vorarbeit wird letztendlich einen besseren systemischen \u00dcbergang in und aus der Schwerelosigkeit erm\u00f6glichen.\n\nVerbesserungen wurden auch an den Navigations-Links vorgenommen, die die externe Verkn\u00fcpfung von Navigations-Mesh-Dreiecken beschreiben (im Wesentlichen werden zwei unverbundene Dreiecke miteinander verbunden und durch Animation, explizite Locomotion-Verkn\u00fcpfung, etc. durchquerbar). Dabei wurde die NavigationLink Komponente vereinfacht, um die explizite Instanziierung von Erweiterungen zu erm\u00f6glichen, die verschiedene Datentypen zur Erstellung externer Links verwenden k\u00f6nnen. Sie unterst\u00fctzen derzeit die folgenden Szenarien:\n\nExplizite Offsets, die verwendet werden k\u00f6nnen, um Eingangs-\/Ausgangsorte f\u00fcr T\u00fcren anzupassen Animationsgesteuertes Traversieren, wie z.B. eine Animation, die verwendet wird, um \u00fcber ein Objekt zu springen oder auf und ab zu h\u00fcpfen Das KI-Team begann, das Nahkampfsystem zu erweitern, um die Definition von Combo-Attacken zu verbessern. Das Ziel war es, explizite Mannequin-\u00dcberg\u00e4nge zwischen den Zust\u00e4nden zu vermeiden, um die Komplexit\u00e4t im Setup zu reduzieren, da sie den genauen Ablauf kennen, der zwischen Nahkampfangriffen erlaubt ist. Um dies zu erreichen, f\u00fchrten sie einen automatischen Weg ein, um den Mannequin-Tag des \u00fcbergehenden Angriffs zu berechnen, so dass der Aufbau einfacher sein kann. Das macht es auch einfacher, Verkettungsanimationen zu testen, um sicherzustellen, dass die Posen perfekt \u00fcbereinstimmen und das Timing leicht angepasst werden kann.\n\nF\u00fcr Patrouillentech wurde 'hot reload' implementiert. Das bedeutet, dass die mit einem Pfad verbundenen \u00c4nderungen der Subsumptionslogik automatisch im Editor neu geladen werden, was den Designern sofortiges Feedback auf dem Bildschirm gibt, mit dem sie schnell iterieren k\u00f6nnen. Die Logik wird auch validiert, wenn sich Daten \u00e4ndern, ohne dass der Editor l\u00e4uft. Beim Laden des Levels versuchen die gespeicherten Daten ebenfalls mit der aktuellen Logik \u00fcbereinzustimmen.\n\nDas Team hat auch Zeit damit verbracht, den nutzbaren Code zu refaktorisieren, um besser nutzbare Mannequin-Tags zu berechnen, die mit Gegenst\u00e4nden verbunden sind, die sie manipulieren wollen. Der Code ist nun aufgeteilt, um Tags, die mit dem Usable- und dem Use-Channel verbunden sind, zu propagieren, einschlie\u00dflich desjenigen, der vom Tool kommt. Sobald sie berechnet sind, werden sie zusammengef\u00fchrt und an die Animationsanforderung \u00fcbergeben, um die passende Animation auszuw\u00e4hlen.\n\nDie Vereinheitlichung des Flusses f\u00fcr die Verwendung von Usables und Operator Seats wurde fortgesetzt, der nun nur noch zwei Bl\u00f6cke im Bewegungsplan f\u00fcr die Usable Komponente verwendet. Die Actor State Machine kommuniziert die verschiedenen Zust\u00e4nde mit der Usable-Komponente, wie z.B. das Betreten eines Sitzes oder das Starten des Leerlaufs, was dann propagiert und ausgewertet wird, um zu verstehen, wann das Betreten oder Verlassen des Usables als Erfolg zu werten ist.\n\nF\u00fcr das Kommunikationssystem hat AI Content die automatische Erstellung von Gruppenkan\u00e4len basierend auf dem Ziel des Dialogs festgelegt. Dies erlaubt ihnen zu kontrollieren, wer mit einem bestimmten Ziel sprechen darf, um \u00dcberschneidungen zu vermeiden, wenn der Kanaltyp 'Gruppe' angegeben ist. Au\u00dferdem wurde das System so verbessert, dass der Kommunikationskontext die Stille auf einem bestimmten Kanal au\u00dfer Kraft setzen kann. Dies gibt Designern eine genauere Kontrolle \u00fcber das Tempo der Sprachzeilen, die von der KI verwendet werden, um die Lesbarkeit ihrer Aktionen zu kommunizieren.\n\n\nAnimation\n\nDas Team hat einen Teil des Monats damit verbracht, das Verhalten der Ingenieure, der Deckcrew und der Vanduul-Kampfanimationen zu verbessern. Fortschritte gab es auch bei Verletzungszust\u00e4nden, KI-Hygiene, Notreaktionsausg\u00e4ngen in brauchbarer Planung, Zero-G-Traversal, Ausweichen, Ladenbesitzern, W\u00e4chterverhalten, Spielern, die Freunde heilen, Pl\u00fcndern, Kapitulation, Messehallen und Essensst\u00e4nden. Ein Bug, der das Wackeln des Handgelenks betraf und das Team jahrelang plagte, wurde behoben und die Armbrust, der Cutter und der Traktorstrahl kamen durch die Pipeline. Auf der Gesichtsseite wurden die Animationen f\u00fcr die n\u00e4chste Runde der Story-Charaktere poliert. Das Gameplay Story Team arbeitete sich durch ein neues Kapitel, und Motion Capture wurde f\u00fcr bedingte Tode gel\u00f6st. Die Planung f\u00fcr das 2. Quartal wurde durchgef\u00fchrt, was eine Anpassung an die Bed\u00fcrfnisse der PU und eine Neubewertung der Prozesse beinhaltete, um die Entwicklung auf der Animationsseite zu rationalisieren.\n\n\nKunst (Charaktere)\n\nIm M\u00e4rz begannen die K\u00fcnstler mit einem bedeutenden Konzeptionsdurchgang f\u00fcr eine feindliche Fraktion, der auch die Herangehensweise an die Charakter-Assets f\u00fcr die Verwendung in der Pyro in der PU beeinflussen wird. \"Wir haben einige aufregende Entw\u00fcrfe vom Concept Team gesehen und k\u00f6nnen es kaum erwarten, mit diesen anzufangen!\" -Das Character Art Team\n\nAn anderer Stelle wurde die Arbeit an Trejos Kopf, Haaren und ihrer Basilisk Advocacy-Uniform fortgesetzt. Zusammen mit den Grafik- und Tech-Animationsteams wurde auch neue Shader-Technologie f\u00fcr Augen und Ohren entwickelt.\n\n\nAudio\n\nIm letzten Monat hat das Audio Team die Arbeit an Kapitel 4a weiter unterst\u00fctzt und sichergestellt, dass die Musiklogik und die systemischen SFX Systeme gut ausbalanciert sind.\nCinematics\n\nIm M\u00e4rz hat das Cinematics Team gro\u00dfe Fortschritte bei den schiffszentrierten Cutaways gemacht, komplexere Charakterszenen aufpoliert und neue Tools zur Unterst\u00fctzung ihrer Arbeit begr\u00fc\u00dft. Bei den Schiffen kamen sie mit mehreren gro\u00df angelegten Cutaways gut voran, in denen verschiedene Arten von Alien-Schiffen vorkommen, darunter ein Xi'an-Frachtschiff und sein Kapit\u00e4n. \"Die l\u00e4ngste Zeit wurde der Kapit\u00e4n des besagten Xian-Schiffs als grober Stand-in-Blockout realisiert. Wir hatten f\u00fcr unsere Cutaway-Szene einen Halloween-Masken-Sculpt-Export eines Xian auf einen menschlichen K\u00f6rper gesetzt, also war es ein erfrischender Anblick, diesen Kerl endlich als realisierte, fast fertige Kreatur in unserer Szene zu sehen!\" -Das Cinematics Team\n\nEin weiterer Cutaway in der Mission zeigte einzigartige Schiffe, die aus anderen Schiffen gebaut wurden. Das Cinematics- und das Art-Team arbeiteten intensiv an diesen Entw\u00fcrfen, um sicherzustellen, dass sie interessant und bedrohlich aussehen, w\u00e4hrend sie gleichzeitig f\u00fcr den Spieler gut lesbar sind.\n\n\nMotor\n\nIm M\u00e4rz hat die Engine die Physikunterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr mehrere Sonnensysteme hinzugef\u00fcgt. Ein neuer Gittertyp (GT_SOLARSYSTEM), der die Konfiguration des aktuellen Root-Gitters repliziert, wurde zusammen mit der M\u00f6glichkeit, die Inside\/Outside-Pr\u00fcfungen zu \u00fcberspringen, hinzugef\u00fcgt, um es mehreren Instanzen solcher Gitter zu erm\u00f6glichen, sich zu \u00fcberlappen, ohne dass die Entit\u00e4ten zuf\u00e4llig zwischen ihnen wechseln. Um die Fehlersuche zu vereinfachen (was ohne eine visuelle Darstellung dessen, was in der physischen Welt passiert, schwierig sein kann), wurde ein einfaches Debug-Raytracing-Framework hinzugef\u00fcgt, um die Ergebnisse von Ray-World-Intersection (RWI)-Checks zu visualisieren. Dies war bereits sehr n\u00fctzlich und erm\u00f6glichte es dem Team, verschiedene Bugs schnell zu beheben. Das Team wird dies auch nutzen, um RWI im Allgemeinen zu optimieren, da es genau die Performance-Probleme aufdeckt, die sonst in den RWI-Abfragen des Spiels versteckt sind. Im M\u00e4rz wurden au\u00dferdem verschiedene Code-Optimierungen vorgenommen, darunter die Physikalisierung von Planeten, ray-bound Intersections und die Verwendung von Octrees f\u00fcr das Ray-Occlusion-Tracing. Des Weiteren wurde das Geschwindigkeitslimit f\u00fcr Explosionen und Schockwellen entfernt, Innenraumgitter k\u00f6nnen nun als CGFs gespeichert werden, um eine korrekte Instanzierung zu erm\u00f6glichen, und Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr kinematische Teile (animierte Teile, die korrekte Geschwindigkeitssch\u00e4tzungen erhalten) wurde hinzugef\u00fcgt. Das Physics Team hat auch Zeit damit verbracht, Fehler zu beheben und Alpha 3.13 zu unterst\u00fctzen.\n\nDie Arbeit am G12 Renderer wurde fortgesetzt, wobei die interne Aufl\u00f6sungsskalierung und das Rendering mit nativer Aufl\u00f6sung \u00fcberarbeitet wurden. Der Rendergraph, der das Scheduling von Renderp\u00e4ssen und das damit verbundene Ressourcenmanagement steuert, wurde in den Hauptentwicklungszweig \u00fcberf\u00fchrt. Daneben wurden weitere bestehende Features auf Gen12 portiert, wie z.B. emissive Lichter und Objektbewegungsunsch\u00e4rfe, und der Shaderparser wurde in Teilen refaktorisiert, um eine schnellere Verarbeitung zu erm\u00f6glichen (vor allem f\u00fcr die Verfolgung von Code-Abh\u00e4ngigkeiten).\n\nDas Engineering hat im letzten Monat gro\u00dfe Fortschritte bei den volumetrischen Wolken gemacht, wobei die Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr Tint hinzugef\u00fcgt wurde, um mehr Flexibilit\u00e4t auf der Art-Seite beim Einf\u00e4rben von Wolken f\u00fcr exotische Planeten zu erm\u00f6glichen. Die Multi-Scatter-L\u00f6sung erhielt auch verschiedene subtile Verbesserungen, darunter die Ber\u00fccksichtigung der optischen Tiefe einer Atmosph\u00e4re entlang der Schattenstrahlen. Die Wolkenformung wurde weiter verbessert, um ein besseres Gef\u00fchl f\u00fcr das lokale Volumen zu vermitteln, w\u00e4hrend die Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr die Schattenverfeinerung hinzugef\u00fcgt wurde, um weiter zu den Details der Wolken beizutragen. Neben diesen visuellen Verbesserungen wurden erste Optimierungen implementiert, um den Raymarching-Prozess zu beschleunigen, und die Implementierung eines effizienten Leerraum-Skipping-Schemas hat begonnen.\n\nAuf der Seite der Core-Engine wurde mehr Arbeit an der Performance-Analyse und Regression geleistet. Der In-Engine-Profiler erhielt verschiedene Verbesserungen, darunter die M\u00f6glichkeit, die erfassten Samples nach ihrer jeweiligen Funktion zu gruppieren. Das Team hat auch damit begonnen, die aktuelle UI-L\u00f6sung f\u00fcr die Postmortem-Performance-Analyse basierend auf den erfassten Performance-Telemetriedaten zu ersetzen. Es wurden Python-Skripte geschrieben, um Leistungstests auszuf\u00fchren und entsprechende Berichte zu erstellen. Zus\u00e4tzlich wurde die Threading-Logik \u00fcberarbeitet, um die Leistung weiter zu verbessern und das Jobsystem nutzt nun spezielle APIs, die mit Windows 8.1 und Windows 10 eingef\u00fchrt wurden (Windows 7 funktioniert noch, profitiert aber nicht davon), um ein deutlich verbessertes Aufwachen der Jobs zu erm\u00f6glichen und um Konflikte im Thread des Fasersystems zu vermeiden. Dies macht sich besonders auf CPUs mit einer signifikanten Anzahl von Kernen bemerkbar und wird in Alpha 3.13 ausgerollt werden. Der Entity Component Update Scheduler erhielt einen Profiler und eine GUI sowie verschiedene Optimierungen.\n\nSchlie\u00dflich wurde die Sprachunterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr C++17 aktiviert und ein Performance-Problem bei der Codegenerierung in MSVC in Bezug auf das Verhalten bei der Initialisierung des lokalen Speichers von Threads behoben.\n\n\nFeatures (Gameplay)\n\nDas SQ42 Feature Team begann damit, die ben\u00f6tigte Zeit beim Ausf\u00fchren von TrackView Sequenzen mit produktiven Ergebnissen zu profilieren. Sie haben einige Engp\u00e4sse in einigen Systemen gefunden, die, wenn sie optimiert werden, einen signifikanten Nutzen haben und der Performance im Allgemeinen helfen k\u00f6nnten. Der TrackView Code ist nicht multithreaded, also schauen sie sich an, ihn zu konvertieren. Ein paar Aufgaben zur Verbesserung des \u00dcbergangs vom Spielmodus zu filmischen Sequenzen wurden abgeschlossen. Nun kann das Team festlegen, ob die Kameras vom Standpunkt des Spielers in eine Sequenz und wieder zur\u00fcck fliegen, anstatt nur zwischen ihnen zu schneiden. Sie lieferten auch einen neuen Node, mit dem das Team den Spieler dazu bringen kann, sich automatisch kurze Strecken fortzubewegen. Dies wird verwendet, um sie zu Beginn einer Sequenz in die richtige Position zu bringen, um den anf\u00e4nglichen \u00dcbergang zu gl\u00e4tten.\n\nAu\u00dferdem wurde mit der Arbeit am Formationsflug begonnen, bei dem ein Indikator anzeigt, wo der Spieler hinfliegen soll und die Option bietet, manuell weiterzufliegen oder automatisch in der Formation zu bleiben.\n\n\nGameplay Geschichte\n\nIm M\u00e4rz wurden in der Gameplay Story eine Menge neuer Scratch-Audios f\u00fcr Kapitel 1 und 'Random-to-NPC'-Szenen aufgenommen. Zus\u00e4tzliche Spinde wurden zum Hauptbadezimmer der Idris hinzugef\u00fcgt, so dass mehrere Szenen aktualisiert wurden, um dem neuen Layout zu entsprechen, und mehrere Gameplay-Animationssets wurden fertiggestellt, was es dem Team erm\u00f6glichte, mit der Aktualisierung von Szenen zu beginnen, die das Wandpanel f\u00fcr die Wartung und die Tische in der Messe verwenden. Gro\u00dfe Fortschritte wurden bei einem Paar komplizierter Szenen aus Kapitel 11 gemacht, die Spielerinteraktion, Requisiteneinsatz, mehrere verschiedene Zweige und Videokommunikation von verschiedenen Charakteren und Quellen beinhalten. Zus\u00e4tzliche \"Wartefunktion\"-Animationen f\u00fcr verschiedene Charaktere wurden ebenfalls erstellt, und eine komplizierte Szene, die ein flexibles Kabel verwendet, wurde ebenfalls aktualisiert.\n\n\nGrafiken & VFX Programmierung\n\nDas Grafikteam hat Anfang M\u00e4rz damit verbracht, Bugs zu beheben. Zum Beispiel hatte das Render-to-Texture (RTT) System kein festes Speicherbudget und war stattdessen davon abh\u00e4ngig, wie es vom Spiel genutzt wurde. Dies konnte jedoch manchmal zu Out-of-Memory-Problemen f\u00fchren, besonders bei h\u00f6heren Aufl\u00f6sungen. Nun ist die Speicherreserve f\u00fcr RTT an die Bildschirmaufl\u00f6sung gekoppelt, da h\u00f6her aufgel\u00f6ste Ausgaben h\u00f6her aufgel\u00f6ste Zwischentexturen erfordern. Wenn das feste Budget \u00fcberschritten wird, werden die RTTs nun dynamisch heruntergerechnet, bis sie passen, was die Stabilit\u00e4t in extremen Szenarien gew\u00e4hrleistet. Sie begannen auch mit der Planung f\u00fcr den \u00dcbergang zum Gen12 Renderer, um besser zu verstehen, wann jeder Meilenstein ausgeliefert wird, um die Balance der Mitarbeiter zu bestimmen, die an dem \u00dcbergang, den Features und den Bugs arbeiten.\n\nDas VFX Programming Team teilte die Zeit zwischen Bugs, Feuer, SDF Schilden und Partikelbeleuchtung auf. Das Feuer-Feature ist eine langfristige Aufgabe, wobei der aktuelle Fokus auf der Ausbreitung des Feuers zwischen R\u00e4umen, dem Spawnen von Licht und der Reparatur liegt. Die Partikelbeleuchtung ist ein neues Modell, das eine h\u00f6here Qualit\u00e4t und konsistentere und physikalisch plausible Ergebnisse liefert.\n\n\nLevel Design\n\nDas Social Design Team ist auf Kurs f\u00fcr den spielweiten Rollout aller granularen Szenen-Setups und nutzbaren Interaktionen. Das Level Design Team arbeitete weiterhin mit den K\u00fcnstlern und dem FPS AI Team zusammen, um R\u00e4ume hinzuzuf\u00fcgen, die zus\u00e4tzliches Leben in einige der gr\u00f6\u00dferen Kapitel des Spiels bringen. Das Space\/Dogfight Team arbeitete in diesem Quartal mit der Unterst\u00fctzung vieler anderer Teams auf einen internen Meilenstein hin, von dem alle Kapitel, die Raumfahrt beinhalten, profitieren.\nNarrative\n\nDie eingehenden \u00dcberpr\u00fcfungen der Kampagne wurden im M\u00e4rz fortgesetzt, und mit ihnen kamen einige zus\u00e4tzliche Skripte, um das Spielerlebnis weiter zu polieren. In mehreren F\u00e4llen begann das Narrative Team mit Audio und Design zusammenzuarbeiten, um Platzhalterversionen dieser Dialoge aufzunehmen und zu implementieren, wobei verschiedene Teammitglieder als tempor\u00e4re Synchronsprecher fungierten. Dies erm\u00f6glicht interne Tests w\u00e4hrend des Durchspielens, um zu sehen, ob die Dialoge ihren beabsichtigten Zweck und Ton erreichen. Au\u00dferdem kann das Team mit den Platzhalter-Assets viel schneller zus\u00e4tzliche \u00dcberarbeitungen vornehmen, als wenn sie mit echten Synchronsprechern aufgenommen worden w\u00e4ren. Das Team hat auch mit Character Art zusammengearbeitet, um zus\u00e4tzliche Details f\u00fcr eine Gruppe von Ge\u00e4chteten zu erstellen, denen die Spieler begegnen werden, und ihr einzigartiges Aussehen zu erweitern. Das Ziel ist es, ihnen ein echtes Gef\u00fchl von Geschichte und Pers\u00f6nlichkeit zu geben, w\u00e4hrend sie in das Star Citizen Universum passen. Au\u00dferdem hat das Narrative Team die Raumgestaltung eines Sektors, der zu Beginn des Spiels erkundet wird, mit Hilfe von Werbetafeln und Schildern, auf die Reisende treffen werden, beschrieben.\n\n\nQA\n\nDie Cinematics verlie\u00dfen sich weiterhin auf die QA, um Aufnahmen von jedem Level zur \u00dcberpr\u00fcfung zu erhalten, und neue Features und Inhalte wurden f\u00fcr die Entwicklungsteams getestet. QA begann auch mit dem Testen der KI-Seite des Projekts.\nTech Animation\n\nDer Gro\u00dfteil des Tech Animation Teams hat im letzten Monat Zeit damit verbracht, die interne Gesichts-Pipeline zu iterieren. Das Ziel ist eine schnellere und intuitivere Herangehensweise an die Erstellung von FACS-Ausdr\u00fccken f\u00fcr die komplizierten Gesichtssysteme, wobei ein Teil davon die Smooth Skinning Decomposition Technologie aus der F&E des letzten Monats beinhaltet. Sie haben die Assets vieler anderer Abteilungen gewartet und gepr\u00fcft, um sicherzustellen, dass die Projektstruktur, die Builds und die Animationssysteme in einem stabilen Zustand gehalten werden, und haben geholfen, einige Kopf- und K\u00f6rper-Assets zu erstellen und zu verfeinern, damit die Animationsteams direkt in Maya arbeiten k\u00f6nnen. Zu guter Letzt haben sie die erste Runde des Riggings f\u00fcr den Xi'an-Charakter abgeschlossen und warten nun auf das Feedback und die Iteration von Animation.\n\n\nUI\n\nDas UI-Team hat die Benutzeroberfl\u00e4che f\u00fcr das neue Radar-Gameplay f\u00fcr Fahrzeuge und den First-Person-Modus aufpoliert, was Emissionen, eine Scan-UI und einen aktualisierten Ping beinhaltet. Au\u00dferdem wurde die Arbeit am neuen HUD f\u00fcr den Aegis Gladius fortgesetzt, wobei sich das Team auf Raketen und eine verbesserte Kontaktanzeige konzentrierte.\nVFX\n\nIm letzten Monat arbeitete das VFX-Team weiter an Verbesserungen der Gaswolken-Innenr\u00e4ume, insbesondere an der Verwendung von Fahrzeug-SDFs, um das Aussehen von winzigen Staubpartikeln zu simulieren, die \u00fcber die Oberfl\u00e4che flie\u00dfen. In Kombination mit den im letzten Monat erw\u00e4hnten Kollisionseffekten verst\u00e4rkt dies das Gef\u00fchl der Bewegung beim Fliegen. Es wurde auch an verschiedenen anderen Effekten gearbeitet, darunter einige neue Wassereffekte, die die K\u00fcnstler in einem feuchten, schmutzigen Ort platzieren konnten, und einige elektrische Effekte. WIR SEHEN UNS N\u00c4CHSTEN MONAT...","zh_CN":"This is a cross-post of the report that was recently sent out via the monthly Squadron 42 newsletter. We\u2019re publishing this a second time as a Comm-Link to make it easier for the community to reference back to.\nAttention Recruits,\n\nWhat you are about to read is the latest information on the continuing development of Squadron 42 (SCI des: SQ42).\n\nThanks to the work of dedicated field agents and operatives, we\u2019ve uncovered information on pilot security behavior, Vanduul combat, and physicalization of planets.\n\nThe information contained in this communication is extremely sensitive and it is of paramount importance that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Purge all records after reading.\n\nUEE Naval High Command\n\nAI (Content)\n\nMarch\u2019s report starts with the AI Content Team, who spent part of the month working on the engineer NPC, including improving the usable split of Mannequin tags coming from the use channel and the objects they interact with. On-foot security, tourist, and tour guide activities were further developed too. The bed bunks behavior progressed, with the team working towards a better abstraction of bed shutter usage and investigating how to support bed sheets when characters are sleeping. Kick-offs to define the medic, illegal goods dealer, deck crew, and janitor behaviors were done too.\n\n\n\nAI (Features)\n\nMarch saw AI Features complete the first pass on subcomponent targeting. This is now integrated and used in the main game-dev branch and will initially improve the behavior used when smaller ships attack capital ships, allowing for more effective element targeting, complex attack patterns, tactics. The pilot security behavior was also restructured and extended. This is used, among other things, when security spaceships validate illegal content inside ships. Alongside creating a better structured and more scalable activity, it allows the security pilot to request the target surrender and handle different player behaviors. The pilot will also continue to request that the player surrenders during combat, allowing players to end the conflict and be arrested. They also worked to allow AI pilots to correctly dock at any supported location. This functionality is similar to landing, as it allows ships to navigate close to the collar and then perform a docking maneuver.\n\n\n\n\nThe eat and drink behavior continued to be improved, particularly \u2018chowline\u2019 usage. In addition to cleaning up the chowline, eating, and drinking animations, they improved the drinking behavior to make taking a cup a separate action. Plus, exit animations are now split between taking the tray and exiting tables so that multiple actions can be performed from specific bounce poses.\n\nThe surrender and cowering behaviors used by both trained and untrained agents progressed. This is used in hostile scenarios when NPCs are unable to fight back, are overwhelmed, or don\u2019t have the tools for combat and prioritize preserving their lives.\n\nOn the Subsumption-logic side, several new tasks were introduced, including:\nHasAnyTagInTagSelection: Evaluates whether an object has tags under specific parent tags\n\nBroadcastInMyActionAreas: Propagates an event in the action areas the agent is contained\n\nMergeMannequinTags: Takes two Mannequin tags variables and merges them into one\n\n\nThey also supported the Alpha 3.13 release with bug fixes and optimization, including issues causing slow NPC reactions and pilot security to complete flight activity too early.\n\n\n\n\n\nAI (Tech)\n\nThroughout March, AI Tech progressed with EVA, creating tech to allow characters to calculate 3D paths and systemically transition out of ships into space. Last year, code was introduced to allow a hierarchical structure of the Subsumption mastergraph, which allows the team to create a state machine that describes the mental state of an NPC that\u2019s preserved across multiple activities. For example, surviving in a zero-g environment requires the NPC to have specific knowledge and handle requests differently from when on foot or piloting a ship. The team are utilizing this to allow a better structure for the mastergraph and handle all states with fewer transitions. This groundwork will ultimately provide a better systemic transition into and out of zero-g environments.\n\nImprovements were also made to the navigation links that describe the external linkage of navigation mesh triangles (essentially, two disconnected triangles are connected and become traversable using animation, explicit locomotion linkage, etc.). In doing so, the NavigationLink component was simplified to allow the explicit instantiation of extensions that can use different types of data to create external links. They currently support the following scenarios:\n\nExplicit offsets that can be used to customize enter\/exit locations for doors\n\nAnimation-driven traversal, such as an animation used to vault over an object or jump up and down\n\nThe AI Team began extending the melee system to improve the definition of combo attacks. The goal was to avoid using explicit Mannequin transitions between states to reduce the complexity in the setup, since they know the exact flow allowed between melee attacks. To achieve this, they introduced an automatic way to calculate the Mannequin tag of the transitioning attack so that the structure can be more straightforward. This also makes it easier to test chaining animations, ensuring poses perfectly match and timing is easily adjusted.\n\nFor patrol tech, \u2018hot reload\u2019 was implemented. This means the Subsumption logic edits associated with a path are automatically reloaded in the editor, giving the designers immediate feedback on-screen that they can quickly iterate on. The logic will also be validated if data changes without the editor running. During level loading, the saved data attempts to match with the current updated logic too.\n\nThe team also spent time refactoring the usable code to better calculate usable-attached Mannequin tags related to items they want to manipulate. The code is now split to propagate tags associated with the usable and use channel, including the one coming from the tool. Once calculated, they\u2019re merged and passed into the animation request to select the appropriate animation.\n\nThe unification of the flow for using usables and operator seats continued, which now only uses two blocks in the movement plan for the usable component. The actor state machine communicates the different states with the usable component, such as entering a seat or starting idle, which is then propagated and evaluated to understand when to consider entering or exiting the usable a success.\n\nFor the communication system, AI Content fixed the automatic creation of group channels based on the target of dialogue. This allows them to control who is allowed to talk to a specific target to avoid overlapping when the \u2018Group\u2019 channel type is specified. They also improved the system allowing communication context to override silence on a specific channel. This gives designers more granular control over the pacing of voice lines used by AI to communicate readability of their actions.\n\n\nAnimation\n\nThe team spent part of the month on the engineer, deck crew, and Vanduul combat animation behavior sets. Progress was also made on hurt conditional states, AI hygiene, emergency reaction exits in useable planning, zero-g traversal, dodging, shopkeepers, guarding behavior, players healing friends, looting, surrendering, mess halls, and eateries. A bug affecting wrist wobble that plagued the team for years was fixed, and the crossbow, cutter, and tractor beam progressed through the pipeline. On the facial side, animations were polished for the next round of story characters. The Gameplay Story Team worked through a new chapter, and motion capture was solved for conditional deaths. Planning was done for Q2, which involved aligning with the needs of the PU and re-evaluating the processes to streamline animation-side development.\n\n\n\nArt (Characters)\n\nMarch saw the artists start a significant concepting pass for an enemy faction, which will also inform how character assets are approached for use in the Pyro in the PU. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen some exciting designs coming from the Concept Team and we can\u2019t wait to get started on these!\u201d -The Character Art Team\n\nElsewhere, work continued on Trejo\u2019s head, hair, and her Basilisk Advocacy uniform. New shader tech was also developed for eyes and ears alongside the Graphics and Tech Animation teams.\n\n\n\nAudio\n\nLast month, the Audio Team continued to support work on chapter 4a, ensuring music logic and systemic SFX systems are well balanced.\n\nCinematics\n\nThroughout March, the Cinematics Team made big pushes on ship-centric cutaways, polished more intricate character scenes, and welcomed new tools to support their efforts. For ships, they progressed well on several large-scale cutaways involving several varieties of alien ship, including a Xi\u2019an cargo ship and its captain. \u201cFor the longest time, the captain of said Xian vessel was realized as a crude stand-in blockout. We had put a Halloween-mask-style sculpt export of a Xian on top of a human body for our cutaway scene, so seeing this guy finally appear in our scene as a realized, almost-final creature was a refreshing sight for the eyes!\u201d -The Cinematics Team\n\nAnother in-mission cutaway featured unique vessels built out of other ships. The Cinematics and Art teams synched extensively on these designs to ensure they look interesting and menacing while still delivering easy readability for the player.\n\n\n\nEngine\n\nIn March, Engineering added physics support for multiple solar systems. A new grid type (GT_SOLARSYSTEM) that replicates the configuration of the current root grid was added along with the ability to skip the inside\/outside checks to allow multiple instances of such grids to overlap without entities randomly transitioning between them. To ease debugging (which can be difficult without a visual representation of what\u2019s going on in the physical world), a simple debug raytracing framework was added to visualize the results of ray world intersection (RWI) checks. This has been hugely useful already and allowed the team to fix various bugs quickly. The team will also be using this to optimize RWI in general as it accurately uncovers performance issues otherwise hidden in the game\u2019s RWI queries. March also saw various code optimizations, including the physicalization of planets, ray-bound intersections, and using octrees for ray-occlusion tracing. Furthermore, the velocity limit for explosions and shockwaves was removed, interior grids can now be saved as CGFs to allow proper instancing, and support for kinematic parts (animated parts that get proper velocity estimates) was added. The Physics Team also spent time bug fixing and supporting Alpha 3.13.\n\nWork on the G12 renderer continued, with internal resolution scaling and native resolution rendering being reworked. The render graph that controls the scheduling of render passes and associated resource management was merged into the main development branch. Alongside this, more existing features were ported to Gen12, such as emissive lights and object motion blur, and the shader parser was refactored in parts to allow for faster processing (especially for code dependency tracking).\n\nEngineering made great progress with volumetric clouds last month, with tint support being added to allow more flexibility on the art side when coloring clouds for exotic planets. The multi-scatter solution also received various subtle improvements, including taking an atmosphere\u2019s optical depth along shadow rays into account. Cloud shaping was further improved to provide a better sense of local volume, while support for shadow refinement was added to further contribute to cloud detail. Alongside these visual improvements, initial optimizations were implemented to speed up the raymarching process, and the implementation of an efficient empty space skipping scheme has begun.\n\nOn the core-engine side, more work was done on performance analysis and regression. The in-engine profiler received various improvements, including the ability to group samples captured by their respective function. The team also started to look into replacing their current UI solution for postmortem performance analysis based on captured performance telemetry data. Python scripts were written to run performance tests and write corresponding reports. Additionally, the threading logic was refactored to further improve performance and the job system now utilizes specific APIs introduced with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (Windows 7 still works but won\u2019t benefit) to allow for much-improved waking of jobs and preventing contention in the fiber system thread. This is particularly noticeable on CPUs with a significant number of cores and will be rolled out in Alpha 3.13. The entity component update scheduler received a profiler and GUI as well as various optimizations.\n\nFinally, C++17 language support was enabled and a performance issue with code generation in MSVC with regards to thread local storage initialization behavior was addressed.\n\n\n\nFeatures (Gameplay)\n\nThe SQ42 Feature Team began profiling the time taken when running TrackView sequences with productive results. They found some bottlenecks in a couple of the systems which, when optimized, will have a significant benefit and could help performance in general. The TrackView code is not multithreaded, so they\u2019re looking at converting it. A few tasks to help improve the transition from game mode to cinematic sequences were completed. Now, the team can specify whether the cameras fly from the player\u2019s viewpoint into a sequence and back again rather than just cutting between them. They also supplied a new node that the team can use to get the player to automatically locomote short distances. This is used to get them into the correct position at the start of a sequence to smooth out the initial transition.\n\nWork also began on formation flying, which features an indicator highlighting where the player should go and gives the option to continue flying manually or automatically stay in formation.\n\n\n\nGameplay Story\n\nMarch saw Gameplay Story record a lot of new scratch audio for chapter 1 and \u2018random-to-NPC\u2019 scenes. Extra lockers were added to the main bathroom in the Idris, so several scenes were updated to match the new layout, and several gameplay animation sets were completed, enabling the team to begin updating scenes using the maintenance wall panel and mess hall tables. Great progress was made on a pair of complicated scenes from chapter 11 that include player interaction, prop use, several different branches, and video comms from different characters and sources. Additional \u201cwait function\u201d animations for different characters were created too, and a complicated scene that uses a flexible cable was also updated.\n\n\n\nGraphics & VFX Programming\n\nThe Graphics Team spend early March fixing bugs. For example, the render-to-texture (RTT) system didn\u2019t have a fixed memory budget and was instead dependent on how it was used by the game. However, this could sometimes lead to out-of-memory issues, particularly when running at higher resolutions. Now, the memory reserve for RTT is linked to screen resolution, because higher-resolution outputs require higher-resolution intermediate textures. If the fixed budget is exceeded, they now dynamically down-res the RTTs until they fit, which ensures stability in extreme scenarios. They also began planning for the transition to the Gen12 renderer to better understand when each milestone will be delivered to help determine the balance of staff working on the transition, features, and bugs.\n\nThe VFX Programming Team split time between bugs, fire, SDF shields, and particle lighting. The fire feature is a long-term task, with the current focus on fire spreading between rooms, light spawning, and repair. Particle lighting is a new model that gives higher quality and more consistent and physically plausible results.\n\n\n\nLevel Design\n\nThe Social Design Team are on course for the game-wide rollout of all granular scene setups and usable interactions. The Level Design Team continued to work with the artists and FPS AI Team to add spaces that bring additional life to some of the bigger chapters in the game. The Space\/Dogfight Team worked towards an internal milestone this quarter with the support of many other teams, with all chapters that include space flight benefiting from the initiative.\n\nNarrative\n\nThe in-depth reviews of the campaign continued in March, and along with it came some additional scripts to further polish the gameplay experience. In several instances, the Narrative Team began working with Audio and Design to record and implement placeholder versions of this dialogue with various team members serving as temporary voice actors. This allows for internal testing during playthroughs to see if the dialogue is achieving its intended purpose and tone. The team can also make additional revisions much faster with the placeholder assets than if they had been recorded with actual voiceover talent. The team also worked with Character Art to provide additional details for a group of outlaws players will encounter, expanding on their unique look. The goal is to give them a real sense of history and personality while fitting in with the Star Citizen universe. Additionally, the Narrative Team provided write-ups on space-scaping for a sector explored early in the game, identifying billboards and signage that travelers will encounter.\n\n\n\nQA\n\nCinematics continued to rely on QA for recordings of each level for review, and new features and content were tested for the development teams. QA also began testing the AI side of the project.\n\nTech Animation\n\nMost of the Tech Animation Team spent time last month iterating on the in-house facial pipeline. They\u2019re aiming for a faster and more intuitive approach to FACS expression authoring for the complicated facial systems, part of which incorporates the smooth skinning decomposition technology from last month\u2019s R&D. They maintained and triaged assets from many other departments to ensure the project structure, builds, and animation systems are kept in a stable state, and helped author and refine some head and body assets to enable the animation teams to work directly in Maya. Lastly, they completed the first round of rigging for the Xi\u2019an character and are currently awaiting feedback and iteration from Animation.\n\n\n\nUI\n\nThe UI Team polished the user interface in support of the new radar gameplay for vehicles and first-person modes, which includes emissions, a scanning UI, and updated ping. Work also continued on the new HUD for the Aegis Gladius, with the team focusing on missiles and improved contact display.\n\nVFX\n\nLast month, the VFX Team continued to work on improvements to gas cloud interiors, specifically using vehicle SDFs to simulate the look of tiny dust particles flowing over the surface. This adds to the sense of motion when flying when combined with the collision effects mentioned last month. Several miscellaneous effects were also worked on, including some new water effects for the artists to place throughout a dank, grimy location, and some electrical effects. WE\u2019LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH\u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":30,"created_at":"2021-04-14T19:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"5 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-04-24 22:03:40","valid_relations":["images","links","translations"],"prev_id":18077,"next_id":18080}}