I hope this dev log finds you well and ready for some exciting updates on GalCiv IV: Supernova. Today, I wanted to share with you some recent work we've been doing on the battle viewer.
First and foremost, we have completely redone the cinematic mode. We know that players love to watch their battles unfold in a dramatic and visually stunning way, so we took this to heart and completely overhauled the camera movements. The result is an epic and movie-like experience that truly captures the feeling of a space battle. With the new camera movements, you’ll experience widescreen slow pans of the entire battle before jumping into close up action cams where you'll feel like you're right in the thick of it.
In addition to Cinematic Mode, we have introduced a new mode called Battlefield Mode. This mode keeps the entire battlefield in view, allowing players to follow the tactics of the battle while still maintaining the cinematic look. This is in addition to the existing top-down and follow camera modes, giving players even more options for viewing the battle.
Balancing the view of the battle was a challenge for us. We understand that different players have different preferences when it comes to how they want to view the battle. Some players prefer close up action shots of a fighter making a run on a capital ship, while others want to see the entire battle at all times so they can follow the large-scale tactics. We have worked hard to balance these needs, so everyone can follow the “story” of the battle.
Last but not least, our senior graphics engineer Jesse has been hard at work adding a blur filter that brings warmth and glow to the beams and explosions in the game. The result is truly stunning and adds a level of immersion that was previously missing. Watching your ships unleash their weapons has never been more satisfying!
Along with the updates to the Battle Viewer and effects, we have also been working on making the battle role behaviors for ships more defined. Our goal is to provide more clarity and certainty in how ships behave in battles, giving players better heuristics for fleet composition and strategy. For example, fighters will attempt to clear out other fighters, then regroup to attack larger ships. These new, more defined behaviors will allow players to make more informed decisions about how to build their fleets, leading to even more exciting and strategic space battles
We believe these changes to the Battle Viewer and battle behaviors will provide players with a more immersive and exciting battle experience. We hope players will enjoy the new camera movements, Battlefield Mode, updated weapon effects, and battle behaviors. Keep an eye out for more updates in the future, as we continue to work on making GalCiv IV: Supernova the best it can be.
Until next time,
Zack, Associate Game Designer
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Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Dev Journals
