[i]Dear Fans, Dear Followers, Old & new, Welcome to this (late, but still earlier than before!) February 2023 dev diary for Task Force Admiral.[/i] Sooo... Well, we did post the January update a bit late, and February not being a very long month either, we had to tie a few loose ends before I end up with some contents in an interesting format. A video being worth a thousand words, let's start with the fun. More details below! [previewyoutube=u7kA0CmfIZ0;full][/previewyoutube] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/14eab4c71413f81de04026be7b862447698fa511.png[/img] [h2]Under the Sea[/h2] Views would be nothing without relevant, sophisticated visual effects. Now that cameras are working their magic following the progress made back in January, let's see how they also allow you to explore the depths of the Pacific and our colorful palette! I won't spend too much time on the underwater camera, it kinda speaks for itself. Until now we were lacking an actual underwater plane for the game, and considering subs are coming too, and ships got to sink convincingly, we had to do something about it. Some aspects still need to be tweaked of course (the propellers are a bit fast, and have to be made more compatible with the actual framerate) but overall, it is serving its purpose well-enough - we aren't making a submarine simulation after all. We just want to make sure that you'll be able to make nice shots all the same below and above the water, and as these few seconds above demonstrated, I am pretty sure our players will make do! Oh yeah right, talking about submarines by the way... [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/c3d857a6cb5b9a0fb30200e7b65c19a7c4d99fd9.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/c3d857a6cb5b9a0fb30200e7b65c19a7c4d99fd9.png[/img][/url] [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/46feedfece82cc8658d11c9f936e1f1601545b2d.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/46feedfece82cc8658d11c9f936e1f1601545b2d.png[/img][/url] [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/805d8c3968618c020845dba478f782783a69346e.png] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/805d8c3968618c020845dba478f782783a69346e.png[/img][/url] [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/afd28d6ebd5f19c88a383da64fe7f83215cb3730.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/afd28d6ebd5f19c88a383da64fe7f83215cb3730.png[/img][/url] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/14eab4c71413f81de04026be7b862447698fa511.png[/img] [h2]The Filter System[/h2] The filter system is somewhat more complex as a topic, as it is more of an extra feature in nature. The four pictures below depict the same scene. Yet, they seem a bit foreign, different from each other - some of them actually don't look like the game as you know it, some might say. Why is it so? [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/4450478f6ed6760aebfa7e750df9be47b7a3e13e.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/4450478f6ed6760aebfa7e750df9be47b7a3e13e.png[/img][/url][url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/71eb08e0570f38b3a1facaaca8b62bc8ca964060.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/71eb08e0570f38b3a1facaaca8b62bc8ca964060.png[/img][/url][url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/ac126511a9eb3287a9bdfca85bf3aee9dd7fe17e.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/ac126511a9eb3287a9bdfca85bf3aee9dd7fe17e.png[/img][/url][url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/a3ec488f74ffb1eac982077ca00754375533110d.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/a3ec488f74ffb1eac982077ca00754375533110d.png[/img][/url] We're excited to talk about a new feature we've developed that we believe will add a whole new dimension to your gameplay experience – fully customizable color filters that can be swapped on the fly during gameplay. This feature is all about giving players the ability to create the mood and atmosphere that they want while playing the game, and we think it's going to be a game-changer when it comes to experiencing the game and creating contents along the line of what [i]you[/i] think the deep Pacific should feel like. First of all, let's talk about what we mean by "color filters." Essentially, a color filter is an overlay that changes the colors of the game world. We've developed a variety of different color filters that players can choose from, ranging from vibrant technicolor to more subdued, vintage-style filters. These filters can be swapped in and out during gameplay, giving players the ability to experiment with different looks and moods as they play. [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/b34e35e93d09df2c66af29001ad70c956c8001fe.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/b34e35e93d09df2c66af29001ad70c956c8001fe.png[/img][/url] So, why are color filters so important? Well, for one thing, they allow players to create a more personalized gameplay experience. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to visual style and aesthetics, and color filters give players the ability to customize the look of the game to their liking. Whether you're into bright, bold colors or more muted, understated tones, there's a color filter that will suit your tastes. Beyond personal chromatic preferences, color filters can also add a whole new dimension to the game world itself. By changing the colors of the game world, players can create different moods and atmospheres. Are you looking for the darkest night? Or a romantic sunset? Or a black & white / Sepia old school vintage feeling? We've got you covered. And considering it is an in-game feature, this kind of flexibility should be available when using our future replay system too. Although it will obviously not replace a full-feature video or image editor, it is a good start, and it is all done in real-time! Somewhere, there has to be a setting that fits your needs, and you'll be completely free to use it for the right sequence. [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/ee15682d1774bf80b2b2307e3b3d2551f29fa186.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/ee15682d1774bf80b2b2307e3b3d2551f29fa186.png[/img][/url] Besides, as you can see above in a few shots, those who feel like making a periodically a new wallpaper or screensaver for themselves will be happy to know that our object viewer is also used to tweak said color filters. We are certain that the most art-minded souls among you will put this to good use to produce breathtaking shots. We are looking forward to these, and will probably start producing a few ones ourselves in the near future as a reward for those who are following us and reading us in here! [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/93889b6311e6c9ac22bf54f675df744df361eb4c.png] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/93889b6311e6c9ac22bf54f675df744df361eb4c.png[/img][/url] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/14eab4c71413f81de04026be7b862447698fa511.png[/img] [h2]That's a lot of Damage[/h2] Finally, we have also used the small amount of time we had available in February to work further on the damage model of our ships. As our Porter is being readied to serve as a guinea pig for everyone else, it had to endure some extreme punishment day after day, as we were meticulously making boxes within its 3D shapes so that we could puncture them all mercilessly shortly thereafter. [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/b2330f325bf49b5957ecbf359acc8b5131b4619e.png][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/b2330f325bf49b5957ecbf359acc8b5131b4619e.png[/img][/url] It made it necessary to create the right tools for the job, and we got there with little trouble thanks to the versatility of our existing interface in the editor. These integration tools will be available to you too, and should speed up the modding process whenever you need to add a new ship or aircraft to the existing gallery. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/08811039b4118c6aeea1070967f43086dcc07d4b.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/5f8efa64f9f7ceaec3dfecdbe852015b4526de5f.png[/img] The flooding system, as depicted in the video at the top of this blog post, allows water to incrementally enter a compartment based on the diameter of the hole(s) which were created by damage received from a projectile or a collision. Water pours in, but will not spread to other yellow compartments as long as each adjacent box retains its original integrity. That's where big shells, bombs and torpedo play a role: by damaging several of these "cells", they will create a cascading effect that might very well make the ship impossible to stabilize before it's too late. One will also have to keep in mind that not all compartments are equal. Engine & boiler rooms occupy larger space (equivalent to several decks) and can critically impact the overall balance of the ship if they were to flood rapidly following a hit. These are basic mechanics of course - one still has to factor in the effect of damage control, which also includes water being pumped out, or counterflooding being used to bring the ship back on an even keel. But we're getting there, solving one issue at a time, and the future still looks bright! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/d1de2a09aa8fcd76e2820aa1a3a55b381693e577.png[/img][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/db1db5ed3721faa5c6ce241a785dd17454fd96c9.png[/img][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/972b6388a974dfaa772662e72dd76629f9b20252.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/14eab4c71413f81de04026be7b862447698fa511.png[/img] There you go! Hope this was an enjoyable ride. As for us, we're back to the workshop, thinking hard about our next step. Thank you for following us, sharing this post and our media posts, and for supporting us in that long, long trek of ours...! [url={STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/fd12bb00e75f48874d8a4730f4eff24d36fe0ed8.png] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/fd12bb00e75f48874d8a4730f4eff24d36fe0ed8.png[/img][/url] As always, if you aren't too fond of Discord, Facebook, Twitter or else, don't forget that we have a mailing list here specifically made so as to keep you updated of all our Steam updates and other announcements which might be big enough to deserve a special treatment. Click on the pic below to access the form. [url=http://eepurl.com/gMCA4T][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/c2616940e22ac9a4701551fbd9b78a48f10ef3b7.jpg[/img][/url] Cheers & take care, and see you at the end of March for our next chapter The Task Force Admiral team [url=https://discord.gg/xyWqGak][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/e80ee0a9741f654567f884e9bb163776ad9a13d8.png[/img][/url] [url=https://twitter.com/DrydockDreams][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/3a1e97f2cf149c6dd4fa9c243f434178f5232067.png[/img][/url] [url=https://www.facebook.com/TaskForceAdmiral/][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/6e6ba1996ebbeab842854775398d296eecd31ac6.png[/img][/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv_rxX8PnLOVt77K3FaIPnw][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/afce089fb35fc0312b165cb1f1e7be638fc2e063.png[/img][/url] [url=https://space.bilibili.com/478394397][img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37689795/6e999aff3471cd2fac37ccbdc0082a1a8a2634a3.png[/img][/url]