Ballistic NG - Wipeout fan project

[bigsnake]

I've got an early preview of what's been happening with development, I've rewritten the game from scratch to better optimize it and make it more convenient to add/change features. There's still several features missing that I will be adding back in over the next few days but before then, here's the preview.

A few notes:

• Keyboard only
• Only one graphics preset on the Unity launcher
• No pausing or settings menu in-game
• Spectre Class only
• Checkpoints enabled

[TheXTR09]

I somehow came across this lighting test on Unity, from some University of Utah students...


The lighting is perfectly natural, shadows were not too soft, boy wonder how they can pull this off.
Thought graphics don't have to be this nice, BnG's atmosphere must be perfect, or else it just feela like a generic Unity game.

[bigsnake]

It looks like they're interpolating the normals between the vertices and applying their own shadow maps, or the shadows are baked into a lightmap. Don't take my word on that though, I'm no expert in the field of shaders.
In layman's terms, they're smoothing the light on those objects and using their own custom shadows.

I'm learning 3D as I go and hopefully BallisticNG's end result should look better then your average generic Unity game. It's not all about the shaders though, the artist behind the assets makes up a considerable amount of the quality of the visuals too.

Here's a real-time orbiting render of the G-Tek Gen2 Ship, unlike any other ship model I've made in the past this one is optimized.

[AGgamer]

Well it tokk me way too long to get this out but here it is:

These are two track designs as well as the full Cold Comfort remix. I named the tracks "Harpstone" and Aciknovae" though if you want you can give them your own names.

[bigsnake]

I like those, nice job! I think the names are already pretty good, I'll get to making them later on today
Since you've placed what can be the basic geometry that will make modeling the environment easier too.

[bigsnake]

Some news on development:

Firstly check out this Trello board I started recently, it's pretty vague at the minute but I'll add more details as time goes on. For me I can use it to make sure I'm keeping on track, for everyone else you can check out how far through development I am and what I am currently working on. (Green means complete, yellow means in progress and red means pending).

As it says on the board the game now has savable times, I am currently working on ghosts. The times are stored in your documents folder as a .sav file (BallisticNG/Windows user account name/Times/TrackName.sav). If you beat your best time on time-trial then your time will be saved, it will automatically be loaded and displayed again the next time-trial race as expected. When ghosts are finished, you will be able to share your ghosts for others to use, in the future I want to get some server space so data like ghosts can be uploaded and shared in-game.

Your name in the game will automatically be picked up from your Windows user account name (minus -PC), however you will be able to change it in the options menu.

[mannjon]

When bigsnake released a video with new team called G-Tek, I knew I have to make a little description for my Hyperion team as well.

HYPERION

Isn't that a little, eh, Borderlandsish? Might want to make sure that name isn't copyrighted. I would hate for you to get moonshotted.

[Meg.A.Byte]

Isn't that a little, eh, Borderlandsish? Might want to make sure that name isn't copyrighted. I would hate for you to get moonshotted.

Well, it's surprise for me and I'm little dissapointed right now. I've never played Borderlands and I know nothing about it so it's pure coincidence. But after all Ballistic NG is just fan project and as Snake stated it probably never will go wide public.
Btw the name "Hyperion" is name of greek titan from ancient mythology, so it's never going to be copyrighted (probably).

[JABBERJAW]

Could you post a video with the new physics, I have been able to play it yet. This fall I should get a chance to dig in with a decent computer.

[bigsnake]

Yeah Hyperion wouldn't be copyrighted by Gearbox, the use of the name in relation to the corporation inside of Borderlands more then likely is though.

Could you post a video with the new physics, I have been able to play it yet. This fall I should get a chance to dig in with a decent computer.

[JABBERJAW]

Good sliding, are the pitch controls in this version? The last version I played came off the track and played pretty well

[bigsnake]

Pitch control is somewhat in, still needs a bit of work until the next release though.

[stin]

that video looks awesome!! keep it up

stevie

[mannjon]

I just checked. You are correct in that Hyperion cannot be trademarked! As long as it bears no identifiable similarities that might cause some reason for dispute (like Hyperion yellow, which is trademarked), you should be fine.

[Rovenami]

I will be taking part of the project by helping out with some tracks and machines.

[PureSpeed7]

Could you put a track that is on one of the Hawaiian islands? That would be really cool.

[Rovenami]

Could you put a track that is on one of the Hawaiian islands? That would be really cool.

Well, I did plan on making one set on a rollercoaster attraction of a previously abandoned theme park, but that would require a lot sharp, blind corners, some parallel track sections and a section of a "Sphere of Mirrors" and a HUGE plummet towards the end of the track.

[PureSpeed7]

So I made up a track description of a track on the island of Maui. You don't have to use any of these details but you can if you want to.

Kahawai bay: (kahawai means river or stream in ancient Hawaiian.) Kahawai bay is a very long track, so long it had to have two pit lanes! The track starts indoors inside the huge Kahawai resort complex. There is then a wide straight section and a 90 degree bend that goes out of the resort. Then there is a small crest and your ship does a massive jump into a huge circular tube sticking out of the water. Then you land at the bottom of the ocean and there is a very technical section of track around the coral reef. You can see colorful fish and coral under out of the clear floor, ceiling, and walls of the tunnel. Then you emerge from the tunnel and cut back through the resort. As the pilot in first place flies through the lobby section fountains activate as they pass. After a few turns in the resort we move on to a very technical jungle section. (think alca vexus but less visibility and more trees.) This is why the bay is called Kahawai bay: there is a visible river going from the cliffs of Mauna Kahalawai through the jungle right next to the track and down to the bay. After the jungle section there is a climb up to the side of the cliff and some vertigo inducing jumps. After the fast, straight section on the Cliffside there is a left right left chicane and a big drop down to what is the centerpiece of the track: a huge water filtration plant turning seawater into freshwater for the growing population of the mid-22nd century. The track goes inside the plant and has some sharp blind corners in low lighting then the track opens up and suddenly there is a small ramp and a HUGE drop down to the canal. (think Altima VII but BIGGER)
(you can also put a DANGER! sign up as a little 'easter egg' for the most loyal fans) as you land you're in a wide, clean and flowing canal. (like vohl square 3 but without the wrecked bridges and clean.) at the end of the canal there are bright flashing arrows telling you to go right or left. Right path: you go into a tunnel in the side of the canal and there is a large upward spiral of track (like cubiss float 3) and when you emerge there is a 180 degree left hander then a whole bunch of speed pads and a HUGE jump across the canal. When you land on the other side the track connects with the left path. Left path: you enter another tunnel and there is a long straight hill then another 180 degree turn onto a wide clear section of track suspended above the canal in a U shaped 180 turn back onto solid ground. It then connects to the right branch. There is then a long straight section back to the start in the resort.

Again, you don't have to put all those features in, i'm sure that would be one heck of a job.

[Rovenami]

So I made up a track description of a track on the island of Maui. You don't have to use any of these details but you can if you want to.

Kahawai bay: (kahawai means river or stream in ancient Hawaiian.) Kahawai bay is a very long track, so long it had to have two pit lanes! The track starts indoors inside the huge Kahawai resort complex. There is then a wide straight section and a 90 degree bend that goes out of the resort. Then there is a small crest and your ship does a massive jump into a huge circular tube sticking out of the water. Then you land at the bottom of the ocean and there is a very technical section of track around the coral reef. You can see colorful fish and coral under out of the clear floor, ceiling, and walls of the tunnel. Then you emerge from the tunnel and cut back through the resort. As the pilot in first place flies through the lobby section fountains activate as they pass. After a few turns in the resort we move on to a very technical jungle section. (think alca vexus but less visibility and more trees.) This is why the bay is called Kahawai bay: there is a visible river going from the cliffs of Mauna Kahalawai through the jungle right next to the track and down to the bay. After the jungle section there is a climb up to the side of the cliff and some vertigo inducing jumps. After the fast, straight section on the Cliffside there is a left right left chicane and a big drop down to what is the centerpiece of the track: a huge water filtration plant turning seawater into freshwater for the growing population of the mid-22nd century. The track goes inside the plant and has some sharp blind corners in low lighting then the track opens up and suddenly there is a small ramp and a HUGE drop down to the canal. (think Altima VII but BIGGER)
(you can also put a DANGER! sign up as a little 'easter egg' for the most loyal fans) as you land you're in a wide, clean and flowing canal. (like vohl square 3 but without the wrecked bridges and clean.) at the end of the canal there are bright flashing arrows telling you to go right or left. Right path: you go into a tunnel in the side of the canal and there is a large upward spiral of track (like cubiss float 3) and when you emerge there is a 180 degree left hander then a whole bunch of speed pads and a HUGE jump across the canal. When you land on the other side the track connects with the left path. Left path: you enter another tunnel and there is a long straight hill then another 180 degree turn onto a wide clear section of track suspended above the canal in a U shaped 180 turn back onto solid ground. It then connects to the right branch. There is then a long straight section back to the start in the resort.

Again, you don't have to put all those features in, i'm sure that would be one heck of a job.

Not bad, I'm pretty sure we'll have that under consideration.

[bigsnake]

So I made up a track description of a track on the island of Maui. You don't have to use any of these details but you can if you want to.

Kahawai bay: (kahawai means river or stream in ancient Hawaiian.) Kahawai bay is a very long track, so long it had to have two pit lanes! The track starts indoors inside the huge Kahawai resort complex. There is then a wide straight section and a 90 degree bend that goes out of the resort. Then there is a small crest and your ship does a massive jump into a huge circular tube sticking out of the water. Then you land at the bottom of the ocean and there is a very technical section of track around the coral reef. You can see colorful fish and coral under out of the clear floor, ceiling, and walls of the tunnel. Then you emerge from the tunnel and cut back through the resort. As the pilot in first place flies through the lobby section fountains activate as they pass. After a few turns in the resort we move on to a very technical jungle section. (think alca vexus but less visibility and more trees.) This is why the bay is called Kahawai bay: there is a visible river going from the cliffs of Mauna Kahalawai through the jungle right next to the track and down to the bay. After the jungle section there is a climb up to the side of the cliff and some vertigo inducing jumps. After the fast, straight section on the Cliffside there is a left right left chicane and a big drop down to what is the centerpiece of the track: a huge water filtration plant turning seawater into freshwater for the growing population of the mid-22nd century. The track goes inside the plant and has some sharp blind corners in low lighting then the track opens up and suddenly there is a small ramp and a HUGE drop down to the canal. (think Altima VII but BIGGER)
(you can also put a DANGER! sign up as a little 'easter egg' for the most loyal fans) as you land you're in a wide, clean and flowing canal. (like vohl square 3 but without the wrecked bridges and clean.) at the end of the canal there are bright flashing arrows telling you to go right or left. Right path: you go into a tunnel in the side of the canal and there is a large upward spiral of track (like cubiss float 3) and when you emerge there is a 180 degree left hander then a whole bunch of speed pads and a HUGE jump across the canal. When you land on the other side the track connects with the left path. Left path: you enter another tunnel and there is a long straight hill then another 180 degree turn onto a wide clear section of track suspended above the canal in a U shaped 180 turn back onto solid ground. It then connects to the right branch. There is then a long straight section back to the start in the resort.

Again, you don't have to put all those features in, i'm sure that would be one heck of a job.

I was working on the layout the other day, forgot to post it here Just a note for anyone else who wants to share a track idea in the future, if you've got the layout in your head please don't explain it and not provide an image because it's just confusing. Everyone has access to some form of image editing software, be it MSPaint, Gimp or Paint .NET if you are looking at free software. All it has to be is a line and maybe some labels around the side explaining.