I often draw out some designs on paper before starting a 3D model. I’m not a very good artist—notice that most of these drawings are flat and unshaded—but it’s enough to give me an idea of how to approach the model.
These old drawing also give me a history of how my ideas have evolved. For example, notice the “North Atlantic Commonwealth” logo on this pa…
This week is the 17th anniversary of the first public release of Transcendence. I always feel nostalgic around this time, and in this week’s newsletter I want to look backwards at where we’ve been. I hope that an examination of the past will help us chart an even better future.
I’m always learning new things. That’s one of the things I love about what I do. I learn to be a better game designer; I learn to be a better artist; and I learn to be a better software developer. But the flip side is that I learn about all the things I’ve gotten wrong. I wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self about all the things I’ve learned. Maybe Transcendence would be farther along.
If I could go back in time and talk to myself, these are the kinds of things I’d say.
Transcendence was heavily inspired by Nethack, and it’s benefited greatly. The idea of unidentified barrels, for example, was lifted straight from that seminal Roguelike. But early players would often tell me, “just because Nethack does it that way doesn’t mean you should!” And they were (and are) right!
The Teraton fabricator, for example, was inspired by the polypile feature in Nethack. And while polypiling works in Nethack, the Teraton fabricator has numerous problems with balance and usability. It is a classic example of “Guide Dang It,” in which the only way to succeed is to read a spoiler guide.
Over the years, I’ve learned more about game design, and I’ve been able to refine some of the mechanics. Pilgrim’s Aid at the Sister of Domina is a good example. The first version required a spoiler guide (“how much should I donate?”) and had hidden state (“what’s the Sisters’ attitude towards me?”). The new version (which debuted in 1.9 Beta 2) is much more transparent and approachable.
If I could go back in time, this is one of the things I’d tell myself.
Version 0.7 was austere. Space was a solid black with white points drifting by. It was boring and, most of all, unmemorable. It wasn’t until version 1.6 that I added the distinctive volumetric lighting on asteroids. Around the same time I began upgrading the 3D models to be more detailed and textured. Since all the models are turned into sprites in-game, there is no penalty for adding lots of detail.
Visual style is one of the most important aspects of a game, second only to game design. A unique, appealing style is critical for getting your game noticed.
I wish I had paid more attention to that earlier. But better late than never. I’m very excited with the evolution of our visual style, and I plan to keep improving it with every version.
I like to think of Transcendence as an epic-scale indie game. It’s not a short, time-passer like Angry Birds and it’s not a tight narrative game like Portal. Instead, I want it to feel like you’re stepping into a vast universe, with a long history and infinite possibilities. And if I had a $100 million budget, that would be pretty easy.
But since our resources are limited, we need to leverage them as much as possible. “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” I’m not sure what Archimedes would think of Transcendence, but his advice applies nonetheless. If we want to build an epic-scale game, we need leverage—a way to do more with less.
Balancing Equations: With hundreds of items in the game it is impossible to balance them all against each other. Is a SmartCannon better than a heavy recoilless? Is an omnidirectional laser better than a Partisan turret? Sure, we could compare each combination (maybe in an Arena battle) but the number of permutations is prohibitive.
Instead, I created an equation that reduces the capabilities of a weapon (or armor, or shields) to a single number. Then we can use that number for comparison.
The current system is not perfect—it has trouble handling items with unique properties. But it’s a good start, and I wish I’d implemented it earlier.
Automated Testing: I’ve always believed in the importance of testing, but I neglected to incorporate that into the original game. More recently I’ve created a suite of automated tests that I can use to detect regressions. Each time I make a significant change to the engine, I run the tests (via TransData). These tests make sure the engine is behaving as expected.
This is no panacea, of course. Bugs and regressions still get through. But for each bug I ask myself, “can we design a test to catch it?” If so, I add another test to the suite so the same bug never appears twice.
In some cases I practice “Test-Driven Development,” which is a fancy way of saying that I create the test first and then keep writing code until the test passes. For example, recently I added a way for the msnFind function (which returns a list of current missions) to accept a logical-OR in its criteria (“missions from Benedict OR from the Sisters”). I wrote all the tests first, and then wrote the code.
Mods and Contributions: I’m most grateful for all the effort that people have made throughout the years. Bug reports, mods, and code contributions have all made the game significantly better. This is probably the most important form of leverage: designing the game (and process) such that others can contribute to it.
I’m glad mods were a relatively early development. That helped advance the game significantly. If there’s one lesson I could give myself back in time, it would be that: to let more people help.
I’m grateful that so many people have.
Surprisingly, version 0.7 more or less still runs on modern computers. It has trouble with very large screens (and there is no windowed mode) but otherwise runs quite well.
In this video I try out the game and talk about how much has changed.
If you’d like to try it out for yourself, download it here.
This week I worked on finishing up version 1.9 Beta 3.
I’m almost done with the changes to Eridani. I’m working on polishing the text, and then I’ll be done.
I fixed the bug in which contraband boxes yield infinite treasure. This was a subtle regression bug.
I added a way for TransData to dump out the list of words used in the text: TranData /language /lexicon
I used the word list to fix spelling errors and to be more consistent with terminology. For example, we generally use the word “medtech” instead of “medic” or even “doctor”. [The latter is reserved for very senior, experienced physicians.]
My plan is to release Beta 3 in early December.
There won’t be a Twitch session this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving (safely) I wish you and your family the best!
What do you think? Do you like how far Transcendence has come? Do you have ideas for the future? Let me know in the comments below, or write to me: transcendence@kronosaur.com.
You can buy Transcendence on Steam or download a free version on our site. If you’re really brave you can download the development version and/or contribute to the code on GitHub.
And of course, you can subscribe to this email newsletter to get updates and stories about the Transcendence Universe. You can subscribe for free or contribute to the development of the game and receive additional posts.
I’ve been working on Transcendence for twenty years now, and my workspace has grown along with the technology.
Right now I’m using a single 34” ultrawide display, which I prefer to dual monitors. I’m tempted to go even larger, but what I’ve got is amazing compared to the 19”, 1024×768 monitor I started with.
My development computer is an Alienware Aurora …
I’ve been working on improving the Eridani System. As the first system in the game, Eridani needs to be exciting, memorable, and an enticement to play the rest of the game. In short, a lot is riding on it, and I don’t think we’re there yet. In this post I’ll talk about my approach in redesigning Eridani and give you a sneak peek at the result.
Think of the Eridani System as the pilot of a TV series. We have some characters: the Pilgrim, of course; Benedict; the Raisu station master. But what’s the plot? What’s the story arc? Originally I thought Benedict’s missions, culminating in the rescue of Fiona, would be the main story arc. But that’s not a complete story. It’s only the beginning of an ongoing story.
Instead, I think the Raisu Station mission is the main story. If nothing else, it has a beginning, middle, and end. Raisu Station has been taken over by Centauri Warlords (beginning). When the Pilgrim destroys some Centauri stations, the Raisu stationmaster protests—she fears the warlords will punish Raisu. But the Pilgrim’s success convinces her to confront her fears and she tells the Pilgrim about the warlord leader, Arco Vaughn (middle). With the help of the stationmaster’s missile launcher, the Pilgrim hunts down Arco Vaughn and frees Raisu Station from warlord control (end).
This story is a good start, but it has a couple of weaknesses. First, it’s too short and doesn’t give us much opportunity to get to know the characters. Second, it offers no real choice for the player to affect the outcome.
In the new version I’m expanding the story and adding two different possible endings.
After killing Arco Vaughn, the player returns to Raisu Station and learns that the warlords have vowed revenge. Now the Pilgrim must defend the station against a concentrated attack.
The Raisu stationmaster decides that the only way to guarantee peace is to eliminate the Centauri settlement at the edge of the system. Now the player has to choose whether to help her or refuse.
One of the core elements of Transcendence is its moral ambiguity and complexity. I’m not going to claim any great philosophical insight, but I hope the game presents a more complex picture than just good vs. evil.
The revelation in the Huari dream sequence is a good example. Similarly, the player’s choice to either save or destroy the CSC Antarctica demonstrates that there is no single right answer.
The player’s choice to either destroy or save the Centauri settlement serves multiple purposes. It adds a choice with game-effects: one choice gives you free refueling and armor repair; the other choice gives you access to Centauri items. And just as important, it adds role-playing choices for the player: Do you want to play the hard-hearted realist who knows freedom is bought with blood? Or do you want to be the optimist who gives peace a chance?
The new Eridani storyline will be released with version 1.9 Beta 3, but until then you can watch a playthrough below:
What do you think? Do you like the new storyline? Let me know in the comments below, or write to me: transcendence@kronosaur.com.
You can buy Transcendence on Steam or download a free version on our site. If you’re really brave you can download the development version and/or contribute to the code on GitHub.
And of course, to get updates and stories about the Transcendence Universe delivered to your inbox, subscribe now:
Transcendence would not exist without the support of the community. Ever since the 2003 release, the game has benefited enormously from suggestions, bug reports, and immense passion. With the release of paid expansions and the Steam version, players have also supported the game financially.
Today I’m launching this Substack to share bonus features with the community. Every week I will publish new content about the Transcendence Universe. You can expect to see:
Development progress reports
Background lore and information
Stories set in the Transcendence Universe
Concept art and high-res renderings
All content will eventually end up on the Multiverse, but if you want to get it first and support the development of the game, sign up now.
Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue.
In the meantime, tell your friends!
One of my very favorites about Spiritual Community is to share information and insights with others who, too, are diligently working to fulfill their soul’s purpose. I met Christian, my host for the upcoming leadership virtual summit, just days before he asked me to participate. He came to me for guidance, and in turn, asked me to join this beautiful lineup of summit speakers. I love how spirit brings us all together, and joyously so.
Our intent for the Leaders Transforming Global Consciousness Free Virtual Summit is to inspire those of you with a sense of mission; teachers, healers and spiritual activists, but may lack the confidence or the know-how to fulfill your purpose. This is also an invitation, or better yet, a call to rev things up and step more fully into your role and a guide and a steward in the awakening of our global consciousness.
Here’s some of what you’ll experience at the summit:
You will also have the opportunity to:
Yours in the co-creation of an emerging future,
Carol Fitzpatrick
Visionary mentor/guide and soul coach
Founder of two world service organizations:
Sustainable Oneness Spiritual Alliance
Global Centers for Planetary Awakening
about.me/fitzpatrickcarol
Private Session Scheduler:https://carolfitzpatrick.as.me/
http://www.onenessofbeing.org
JOIN THE ALLIANCE: http://www.32centersalliance.com
Souls on the other side have much to tell us about what is possible when we make choices that most align within us, and bring us great joy. This first Vlog sharing is hopefully a way to convey the plethora of learnings that come from the work I do with others as a conduit for spirit to share from perspectives that we cannot see from our current vantage points of view. It’s because we are so “in it” that we loose perspective on why we are here and what really matters.
During our meditation this morning, and later in the day during the private session work, the messages landed in clearly and reassuringly. The star elders, ascended masters, and angelic beings continue to tell us, show us and steam energy through us to deliver the message, “It is time. It is THE time. It is now. The vibrational support, complete with all that is needed to manifest your heart’s desire, has arrived.”
They continue to instruct us, “The new earth template is anchored into the current grid system. Accept. Allow. Manifest. Manifest as we become the embodiment of our heart’s desire. Let go of yearning. That is the old way of plugging into the control programming. It is now dissolving.”
How much more simple and clear can it get? Yet so many of us (including me in specs of my life) continue to question. We look at the reflection of our current reality and ask, “How can this be? How can I shift this reality as I interact and try to influence a direction or an outcome? How do I solve this puzzle or make it better?”
The answer does not come from what is around us or from others. The shift comes from the light that ignites the knowing from deep within us. It is our energetic connection with the very Source of our creation that ignites the internal shift. It’s the being part that we might be quick to gloss over.
Life on the planet is amazing, and the natural world offers us a reflection of the pranic force that flows through all cycles of life. Once we recognize that everything is in flow, we can relax into the knowing that our heart’s desire is manifesting in the right and perfect sequence.
There is no need to push for or against anything. This lighter softer feeling requires us to use our more subtle higher senses. Allow for the flow to show us the way. The way may not show up as a physical manifestation but follow it anyway. Trust the inner feeling of the guidance.
We have been programmed to believe in an artificial flow, one that controls then works to influence our every thought and movement. It’s time to unplug from the more control matrix, the one that find us doubting our inner knowing.
The message is clear: Allow our hearts and minds to soar above the frey. It’s time to stop looking down at what ails us and to, instead, look up. We are to take up our rightful place, as divine beings of light, as embodied ones, in this higher vibrational consciousness grid and manifest from this vantage point. As we do, we are to dance and play in the higher realms, and create a new form of freedom in all manners of beingness on the planet.
Embodiment is the new normal for any being of light. It’s not only what we know but who we truly are. Just allow our imagination to be our guide.
Be. Do. Embody. Manifest.
Joyously so,