Version 0.1.113 Update Information

Welcome to another development update of Unsung Heroes 1898. The last two weeks have been hectic and I do have some things to say about the recent Unity controversy (towards the end of this update). Let's first talk about the good stuff.

This update builds on top of the last by fixing a few bugs with that version. In addition, the movement for the cavalry/commanding officers has been overhauled. Movement now is variable unlike before when cavalry only went one speed. Steering a horse is much more believable looking in this update thanks to updated animations. This also includes new jumping animations and SFX. Just like the infantry, cavalry can also slide down steep slopes and are unable to climb up them. 

There has also been major improvements to the soldier switching mechanic and the map view. The UI has been updated to now show button prompts and features a cleaner layout. In addition, players can now switch between troops using the mouse scroll wheel. While players can still select troops by panning the camera over them, this new method (which I have called the "Fast Soldier Selector") allows for quick soldier switching. There are also new transitions when switching between the map view and soldiers. 

Just like the last update, please remember that these update changes are only playable on the new "development map" and not on the previously existing three maps. Once the AI system (and other minor mechanics) have been fixed, these changes will be merged into the older maps. The next update will focus on adding updated character models for the infantry (will replace the temporary infantry model in this update) and lay the groundworks for the major AI system overhaul.

The complete list of update features:

• New cavalry movement allows for variable speeds and more accurate steering
• Cavalry can no longer climb steep slopes and will automatically slide down them
• Cavalry can no longer walk backwards (they instead can turn in place)
• New animations and SFX for cavalry units
• New map screen with improved UI (pictured above)
• "Fast soldier selector" allowing players to quickly switch between soldiers
• BUG: Fixed a bug where weapons would not hit the correct targets
• BUG: Look sensitivity settings (sensitivity and inverting) now also affect the look controls in the development map

You can download Version 0.1.113 on the Itch.io page for free. If you have any feedback you want to share, please do so on our community Discord server (https://discord.com/invite/p8CA9qXgCN). Thanks and enjoy the update! This development log post is also available on the Venomic Games website: https://venomicgames.com/?p=647 .

Unity Controversy

I will not explain much about what the controversy is, but essentially Unity has enacted an extremely controversial pricing model and many developers have lost trust with the company and are switching engines.  I recommend watching some of these videos if you would like to learn more:

Now for what you are all probably asking: am I leaving Unity? The short answer is no. The long answer is complicated. However, I need to say a few important things: 

• THIS GAME IS A FREE GAME. BY DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING IT, I WILL NOT NEED TO PAY ANY NEW FEES. YOU DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT "BANKRUPTING" ME OR VENOMIC GAMES (the label for the company I've created). Unity's new pricing model only affects users who have made a certain amount of money.
• THIS GAME USES AN OLDER VERSION OF UNITY (Unity 2021.3 to be exact). UNITY'S NEW FRAUD DETECTION SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE PRESENT IN ANY BUILDS OF THE GAME. IF YOU ARE STILL UNCERTAIN, YOU CAN TURN OFF WIFI WHEN PLAYING THE GAME (this should prevent any possibility of it detecting your user data).

I have developed this game for two years. Unsung Heroes 1898 utilizes many unique features of the Unity game engine. As such, I can not just simply switch to another game engine (like Unreal or Godot). I also believe that I am not going to be affected by these changes. While I hope for success, I always keep my goals reasonable and I do not see myself or Unsung Heroes 1898 surpassing the thresholds set in place by Unity. 

Another important thing is that Unity, as a piece of software, is fantastic. It's lightweight, modifiable, capable of games of a multitude of sizes, and easy to use. As such, giving up on this game engine would be like giving up on "the best tool for the job." Unlike other game developers, I do implore Unity to walk back their changes and I would be forgiving of them if they do. At the end of the day, it's not the engine or the developers behind it that are the problem; it is the leaders at the top of the company who are at fault. I saw this post the other day on the Unity forums and I agree with it 100%.

Again, Unsung Heroes 1898 will be developed with Unity. However, should Unity move forward with their pricing plans, I will be developing future projects in a different game engine (I may even streamline some of the goals for Unsung Heroes 1898 as a means to move on to different engines a little bit faster, but I really do not want to do that). Let's hope that the massive criticisms and protests are heard and Unity either reverts or adopts a well-accepted model (such as a revenue-sharing model). 

And lets also hope I don't have to make another of these unfortunate posts again ;)