#sitenu

Here's another Sitenu update. After my last update, I switched to a new operating system and finally started using the webcam I've had since 2019. The audio is pretty terrible, so I decided not to say anything lol

Since December, I'd been working on the first boss of my game. Whenever I'd get stumped in the code (which happens semi-frequently) I would switch focus to environmental design. I'm particularly proud of dumping Unreal Engine's experimental water for my own river material.

I also reworked all of my trees, and I really like the way they look with the bushes and grass I added.

Once I finished that, it was right back to my spooky guy. The boy is something fierce, tucked into the back of a cave. Thankfully, there are hand torches lying around for me to pick up and carry through the darkness.

I added bone rotation on the spine so that looking up and down affects where your attacks land, as opposed to going straight forward no matter where the player is looking. You'd think I would have done that 5 years ago but I never got around to it. This only takes place when the weapons are equipped.

I also added health bars for regular enemies, as well as blocking and kicking to force enemies back. I will show these in a later video. The Thu rat quest is almost done, as I've been slowly chipping away at it. Once I finish that, I will show off my cave boss fight, including an upsetting musical track I wrote to accompany it.

Wow, apparently, I've had this blog for a whole year. This has been the most productive year of development since I first downloaded Blender in 2020 (it was THAT kind of hobby).

Mom, the mercenaries from Foch are shooting me with arrows again (for the first time since last night)

I got my boy, Mr. Archerman imported and coded up to shoot me with three arrows, deleting my system 32 in the process. Through the time-tested method of strafing and stunlocking, I was able to beat him instead!

My plan for him is to keep distance and run away when he is hit, so that he doesn't just stand there begging for me to keep cutting and stabbing at his pretty clothes. I intend to add a sound to accompany the bark text, maybe even reading it and throwing the sound through some filters myself.

This has to be my favorite model to work on so far. The Fochian mercenaries are a band of armed men from the Vabmaa Islands, just north of the Hargathi, where Sitenu takes place. After encountering the surugitau (the green pig monsters) they're shooting first, yelling at you in their mother language when you get too close, never asking questions (yet?)

The mercs have provided a good place to explore the Bronze Age inspiration for the setting. Armor wasn't always as complex as commonly seen in medieval-inspired plate designs (there are examples of plate armor from the Bronze Age that's somewhat similar, but more tier cake in shape) One could always use a good helmet, like this guy here.

Premium rat content, as promised. I found a vintage video created during a study on the Thu rats, who found their beginnings in the Forest of the Hargathi.