Hello from the Black Mesa group! We have been GRINDING on this Xen factor, so let’s get proper into the place we’re at:
Xen – Final Art/Polish
We are driving although every of the six maps, capping off the ultimate duties, and doing little bits of housekeeping to make the degrees shine. We are additionally taking a tough take a look at the efficiency of every degree to ensure the game runs as easy as attainable on the myriad of machines on the market. Thus far, now we have made vital progress with deep engine optimisations, in addition to a number of sweeping game-wide asset optimisation passes. We are additionally trying into different engine fixes, akin to batch rendering for props and displacements to additional improve efficiency.
Gonarch – Final Art/Polish
We now have Gonarch arted and lit, with all of the technical results and animations carried out. All that’s left is to shine the animations and results, and to ensure the participant clipping is easy all through (in addition to some water options). We are actually pleased with the numerous encounters, interactions, and fights with Gonarch all through the chapter, and might’t wait to see how they play on the market within the wild.
Show ‘em, Giphy…
Interloper – Design Lock/Art
We’re design locking the chapter whereas additionally constructing out the artwork and lighting. In order to get the artwork accomplished in report time, each the artists and degree designers are creating placeholder property in order that we will element the play area, then merely drop within the remaining artwork by overwriting the placeholders. We wish to maintain Interloper largely below wraps, and the elements we do wish to exhibit aren’t fairly prepared for the highlight. So as an alternative, right here is a few artwork to present everybody a touch of what’s in retailer for Interloper:
Old Concept for Interloper Exteriors By Eddie Hinestroza
Interloper Materials By Mark Foreman
Console Models Built with Modularity in Mind By Robert Chinner
Release
This is how we plan to launch within the coming months:
Technical Beta – This will probably be a few maps to check the newest engine, and check the efficiency of our maps. This will probably be public, however roughly of a stealth launch for people who find themselves concerned with serving to us check. This method we will check on plenty of machines shortly, and have time to implement any essential suggestions.
Open Beta – After now we have carried out the suggestions from the technical check, we are going to push your complete game to open beta. This will give us testing for the remainder of the degrees to once more be certain the game releases as easy as attainable.
Release – Though we predict all of the betas to run effectively, when you have been ready for the complete Black Mesa expertise, that is what you wish to await. Once we all know the beta doesn’t set individuals’s machines on fireplace, we are going to swap the complete game over to the principle Steam department and announce its full launch! After this, we are going to proceed to observe suggestions and concepts from the neighborhood for Xen, and launch periodic bug fixes and updates.
Discord
In addition to those staggered releases, we plan on launching a public discord to work along with our Steam boards. This will probably be an incredible place to talk, report bugs, and get mini updates from the group. We are usually not certain after we will probably be launching this, however it is going to most likely be with one of many betas. This is without doubt one of the methods we hope to interact a bit extra with the neighborhood, and supply extra common updates and interactions.
Soon! ™
Thanks Again
Apologies for the silence over the previous couple of months. We have been actually diving into our work. Every from time to time we poke our heads as much as see how far now we have come, and the way shut we’re to ending this large endeavor. We have extra deliberate updates and enjoyable stuff to point out off on the best way to the borderworld! Thanks!
