The last few months have been tough. To be honest, 2024 has kinda sucked. Too many bad things have happened, and not just to me and my family, but my circle of friends as well. It's like no one has been free of tragedy, and it's really taken its toll. However, not all is lost: an eclipse is only a moment of darkness, afterall.
The past few months I've had less time to work on Halcyon Online. From the usual 30-40 hours of week I would do week-on-week (on top of my day job), I've only managed a few hours per week for May and June. But that's not to say that nothing has been done! :D
Roadmap update
As of today the roadmap has gotten an update regarding this shift in focus, with timelines updated for the foreseeable future.
Mobile client
There's been a lot of focus already on developing a mobile client for the game. However, what has been discovered is that the amount of code required to support all devices from mobile, tablets and desktops is becoming a nightmare to manage and makes the resulting HTML & CSS very difficult to read.
The result of this exploration is that instead of developing the mobile client alongside the rest of the game development now, we're instead going to focus on Desktop resolutions (1080p and up) and post-launch work on a dedicated mobile client that can be run in the browser, but more likely - an installable app.
There's a lot of shared code between these devices, so I'm working how to extract the common components that can be shared easily that don't impact the resulting codebase. The result of this split is that the apps developed will be better suited to each device, and result in less issues.
Colony infrastructure
The first and largest piece of the game's development: colony infrastructure requires a lot of technological progress to be made that powers the entire game. From the hexmap tech we've built through to the Timewarp engine, all the big pieces need to be done in order for this screen to be completed. But that's also exciting, because once the underlying pieces are done, the following game mechanics around research, spaceship production and others can begin to roll off the production line much faster, and more smoothly.
This screen is about 75% complete, with the ability to select hexes, build structures and see them placed. There's a lot of UI and UX pieces to complete still to make the experience a beautiful one, and the Timewarp engine still needs to be finished - but we're getting close!
Lore
It's been a while since we posted a story on the website, but I've got 2 in the works which should land later this month.
3D art
Because it's been hard to focus on programming the last few months, I've taken some time to continue learning 3D design. With that, comes some progress in 3D planet design and the aesthetic I'm looking for. And found it, I have. Halcyon Online's planets will be more stylised and less realistic than you may have experienced in other games, but this design choice lends itself to a more beautiful render and representation of celestial bodies that I've come to love. It really makes the various cosmic objects you'll encounter really come alive rather than looking like boring spheres. But do not fret: despite this more stylised approach, the planets still do very much look like real objects you might see within the observable universe.
In addition to this, I've also spent some time crafting backdrops in Photoshop, and have been very happy with the results. See below.
This is one of several background images you'll see in-game for the Soluna galaxy, which is a PvE-only experience (yup, you read that right!)
Our next livestream
It's been a few months since I posted my first ever livestream for Halcyon Online (and one of my first videos ever, too!), and we're long overdue for the next. So watch out for details around this livestream via the newsletter and over on our Discord, and be sure to tune in with any questions you may have. I'll give 2-3 weeks notice so everyone can plan their days, should they need to!
Despite the setbacks this year, Halcyon Online continues to make great progress, and with the updated roadmap I'm hoping to have the majority of the game's core development done by the end of 2024. Be sure to check back regularly and remember to join us on the Discord for in-depth and interesting discussions about the game's design, development and brainstorm sessions.
Until next time, adios!