WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:15.000 Hello! I am Aurora Unit, 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:17.383 your personal artificial assistant. 00:00:17.383 --> 00:00:19.520 Please wait while I calibrate your suit systems 00:00:23.360 --> 00:00:24.924 All systems nominal! 00:00:24.924 --> 00:00:27.597 Did you need something? 00:00:27.597 --> 00:00:30.454 It's been a year since our last update?  00:00:31.427 --> 00:00:34.319 Well, get ready for a whole lot of update! 00:00:55.680 --> 00:00:59.919 By far the biggest critique of our previous video is Twilight. 00:00:59.919 --> 00:01:02.320 modeled and rigged by Jeannot Landry, 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.271 she was the first of many renditions yet to come. 00:01:05.271 --> 00:01:09.410 With the time and resources we had, she was sufficient for our purposes, 00:01:09.410 --> 00:01:11.127 but far from final. 00:01:11.127 --> 00:01:12.000 Since then, 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.659 we've worked hard to learn and adapt the styles 00:01:14.659 --> 00:01:17.939 we love into a character we  can all enjoy. 00:01:17.939 --> 00:01:19.971 Having taken months to get here, 00:01:19.971 --> 00:01:22.812 let us explain a little about why it took so long 00:01:22.812 --> 00:01:25.840 and show you what goes into making our models... 00:01:31.600 --> 00:01:34.720 AleChan: The first step in proper  modelling is a good reference art. 00:01:35.360 --> 00:01:40.205 This character art is key to working out the  design requirements for our ponies. 00:01:40.205 --> 00:01:42.950 Though things like anatomy are very important, 00:01:42.950 --> 00:01:46.480 equally important or facial references in many poses. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:53.074 This helps show what places need to bend  and squish to get the expressiveness and  look we desire... 00:01:53.074 --> 00:01:57.600 Since 2019 JustAFallingStar  has been the character artist for the game. 00:01:58.240 --> 00:02:01.090 His style was the original inspiration for us, 00:02:01.090 --> 00:02:03.520 as we love his cute yet practical anatomy. 00:02:04.240 --> 00:02:09.200 As you can see his art is excellent, but  we struggled to translate it into 3d, 00:02:09.200 --> 00:02:12.442 something that required a lot of anatomy  work and communication between 00:02:12.442 --> 00:02:15.642 the producer artist and modeler. 00:02:15.875 --> 00:02:19.435 I joined the team in October of 2020 00:02:19.435 --> 00:02:21.154 with the purpose of filling that gap! 00:02:22.135 --> 00:02:26.717 Quickly we started to redesign  Twilight in a way that looked good in 3d   00:02:26.717 --> 00:02:32.000 we spent about three weeks going back and forth as  I practiced and worked on evolving Star's style,   00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:35.784 until finally we were ready to go for the big leagues... 00:02:35.784 --> 00:02:39.579 Aurora: Since the time of Jeannot we have gone through several modelers, 00:02:39.579 --> 00:02:42.659 each of whom had their own strengths and weaknesses. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:47.680 We wanted to have a "pony" modeler a person  who would be able to judge the model as a brony 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:50.192 rather than one unfamiliar with the show, 00:02:50.192 --> 00:02:53.032 but this of course was difficult to find... 00:02:53.032 --> 00:02:54.826 Melvelvin: And that is where I come in. 00:02:54.826 --> 00:02:57.197 With AleChan's extensive artwork ability, 00:02:57.197 --> 00:02:59.007 and her ability to give in-depth critiques, 00:02:59.007 --> 00:03:01.775 we quickly started remaking Twilight. 00:03:01.775 --> 00:03:04.240 Many modelers before me had worked diligently to 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.432 capture the look and shape of the character, 00:03:06.432 --> 00:03:12.000 yet without the aid of a character artist we weren't really able to refine the face enough to our liking. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.395 See, there's a strong tradition of stylizing human anatomy in 3d, 00:03:16.395 --> 00:03:19.680 but we're limited to really just a few examples for ponies, 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:22.550 which means we had to do quite a bit of novel work. 00:03:22.550 --> 00:03:24.240 We had to go through several iterations 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:27.637 re-sculpting the mesh and making very fine changes in places 00:03:27.637 --> 00:03:29.950 until we finally started to get comfortable. 00:03:29.950 --> 00:03:33.520 Then came the challenge of rigging  where we put the bones in the mesh to make it move 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:36.051 and it took awhile. 00:03:36.051 --> 00:03:40.000 Let's just say that pony facial anatomy presents some "unique" challenges, 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:43.520 but eventually we were able to refine and  tweak the system so that it worked properly... 00:03:44.433 --> 00:03:45.346 most of the time... 00:03:45.799 --> 00:03:46.893 But here we are! 00:03:46.893 --> 00:03:51.276 Princess Twilight Primulaceae Fae as she will be... 00:03:51.276 --> 00:03:52.046 for now... 00:03:53.480 --> 00:03:55.187 Aurora: From inspiration, 00:03:55.187 --> 00:03:57.481 to the drawing board of characters, 00:03:57.481 --> 00:04:00.785 to the final rigging and animation of these models, 00:04:00.785 --> 00:04:03.996 we're grateful for all the support you've given us! 00:04:03.996 --> 00:04:10.985 Now with that out of the way we'd like to talk about the  world these characters will be living in... 00:04:11.914 --> 00:04:12.414 *beep beep* 00:04:12.488 --> 00:04:12.988 *beep beep* 00:04:14.047 --> 00:04:16.515 which you just lost ^:) 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:22.042 Game design is a complex and new frontier, an  art and a science. 00:04:22.042 --> 00:04:24.923 For a team to successfully create a game that plays well, 00:04:24.923 --> 00:04:27.000 lots of planning is required. 00:04:27.053 --> 00:04:30.259 Our past two years have been spent in what's called "pre-production." 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:31.765 Here we write the story, 00:04:31.765 --> 00:04:33.301 make game design documents, 00:04:33.301 --> 00:04:35.045 draft out levels and bosses, 00:04:35.045 --> 00:04:37.115 design and test mechanics, 00:04:37.115 --> 00:04:41.046 and overall make a sturdy foundation for the game as a whole. 00:04:41.046 --> 00:04:45.062 Without the foundational structure  of pre-production things become disorganized. 00:04:45.062 --> 00:04:47.666 It's like trying to build a skyscraper  with no plans; 00:04:47.666 --> 00:04:48.999 sure it's possible, 00:04:48.999 --> 00:04:52.071 but halfway through you could discover a fatal  flaw in your design, 00:04:52.071 --> 00:04:55.094 and you'll either have to destroy the whole structure and start over properly 00:04:55.094 --> 00:04:56.878 or freeze development altogether, 00:04:56.878 --> 00:04:59.743 a state that drives most teams into development hell. 00:04:59.743 --> 00:05:02.281 With pre-production we avoid this, 00:05:02.281 --> 00:05:06.911 and are not ashamed to spend as much time as we need in it  to get things done right. 00:05:06.911 --> 00:05:10.634 As for the game itself, it's currently in its Alpha build. 00:05:10.634 --> 00:05:14.715 Mostly consisting of a set of test rooms with toys and mechanics to play with, 00:05:14.715 --> 00:05:18.528 it acts as a platform that  allows us to make sure the game we're designing 00:05:18.528 --> 00:05:22.057 is not only a good one but possible in execution. 00:05:22.057 --> 00:05:23.321 Things like level loading, 00:05:23.321 --> 00:05:24.717 persistent enemies, 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:25.978 spinning horses, 00:05:25.978 --> 00:05:27.157 and that guy over there... 00:05:27.157 --> 00:05:29.790 he kind of just does his thing. 00:05:29.852 --> 00:05:34.154 Sentinel3RA: None of this of course accurately depicts the scope of this game. 00:05:34.154 --> 00:05:39.323 Dimensional Shift's story has been the subject of much debate and hard work since The Arrival, 00:05:39.323 --> 00:05:45.680 and this is translated into what this writer hopes is a delicate interweaving of plot, character, and gameplay. 00:05:46.640 --> 00:05:50.960 Much has changed for the better during  the time we've spent in pre-production, 00:05:50.960 --> 00:05:55.690 enough that we're confident we can move  into the next phase of development: 00:05:55.690 --> 00:05:57.709 The Beta 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:05.386 With two years of pre-production under our belt  we're ready to start our first major build: "The Beta" 00:06:05.386 --> 00:06:07.133 Situated in the Avalon, 00:06:07.133 --> 00:06:09.630 this will be the first minor level of the game, 00:06:09.630 --> 00:06:13.040 and Lord willing, as legitimate  towards the final game as possible. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.673 We'll still continue developing other major parts  of the game in pre-production, 00:06:17.673 --> 00:06:19.139 as we're far from finished, 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:22.491 but this will be released for free to  the public as soon as it's done! 00:06:22.491 --> 00:06:23.803 When will it be done? 00:06:23.803 --> 00:06:25.561 And why all this wait? 00:06:25.561 --> 00:06:29.985 Well, to explain that we must talk about a serious topic: 00:06:29.985 --> 00:06:33.840 our finances. 00:06:46.117 --> 00:06:47.821 Saphire: A year ago we made a promise to 00:06:47.821 --> 00:06:49.844 "refuse to let  any of them work without pay nor 00:06:49.844 --> 00:06:53.662 do we move ahead with tasks until we know we can fund them," 00:06:53.662 --> 00:06:56.193 and this statement still rings true today. 00:06:56.193 --> 00:07:00.870 Up until June of last year we funded the project almost completely out of pocket, 00:07:00.870 --> 00:07:04.937 paying our teammates and purchasing hardware and assets for the game. 00:07:04.937 --> 00:07:08.245 Soon we gained very generous supporters on Patreon and elsewhere 00:07:08.245 --> 00:07:14.458 who, as of today, donate a combined seven hundred and ninety dollars a month to us, which we're so thankful for. 00:07:14.458 --> 00:07:16.480 But it's time for some serious numbers: 00:07:17.760 --> 00:07:21.840 Last year we spent about twelve thousand  seven hundred and thirty-six dollars,   00:07:21.840 --> 00:07:24.877 with about seventy-five percent of the funds going  towards teammates, 00:07:24.877 --> 00:07:28.952 and had an income of about ten thousand two hundred and fifty-seven dollars, 00:07:28.952 --> 00:07:31.680 split almost 50 50 between Vortex and Patreon. 00:07:32.320 --> 00:07:35.438 That's about one thousand dollars a month in  expenses, 00:07:35.438 --> 00:07:39.090 but in reality 2020 only had about six months of major work, 00:07:39.090 --> 00:07:40.852 the creation of The Arrival video, 00:07:40.852 --> 00:07:42.604 with the rest being more spread out. 00:07:43.008 --> 00:07:45.587 All of these numbers are quite average for an  indie studio, 00:07:45.587 --> 00:07:51.999 and we're very thankful and grateful for the generosity of you all in the community who helped this whole project come together! 00:07:51.999 --> 00:07:53.955 Recently, though, things have been tight. 00:07:53.955 --> 00:07:56.054 Because of some hard stuff in real life, 00:07:56.054 --> 00:07:58.507 we've had to rely on the patrons quite a bit. 00:07:58.507 --> 00:08:01.207 This means we have to divide up payments over weeks or months 00:08:01.207 --> 00:08:06.320 which takes time and can prevent us from moving forward with other  things that require more immediate payments. 00:08:06.960 --> 00:08:11.280 We can proceed by all means, thanks to very  generous teammates willing to wait on payment,   00:08:11.280 --> 00:08:15.354 but this also puts a limit on who we can hire  to the team. 00:08:15.354 --> 00:08:19.631 Vortex: In the past we were able to afford relatively skilled artists to do the  things we needed, 00:08:19.631 --> 00:08:23.864 but this is difficult now that we must more tightly manage our budget. 00:08:23.864 --> 00:08:27.324 We may not be able to afford paying many artists up front as we used to, so 00:08:27.324 --> 00:08:32.781 we're in a tough spot where we have to look for artists willing to do work that can exactly be paid for at the moment 00:08:32.781 --> 00:08:34.960 and to ask them to do the work as well as they can. 00:08:35.520 --> 00:08:39.760 So to answer when will get done, that  really depends on the support we can get.   00:08:39.760 --> 00:08:42.446 It can get done without extra support for sure, 00:08:42.446 --> 00:08:44.787 we'll still use our own finances when we can, 00:08:44.787 --> 00:08:50.329 but of course it's much easier with the support  of our generous donors like our patrons on Patreon and Liberapay, 00:08:50.329 --> 00:08:52.868 something we're very thankful for. 00:08:52.868 --> 00:08:56.260 Saphire: As we said a year ago, game design takes a lot of time and effort, 00:08:56.260 --> 00:08:58.888 and it is only by the generosity of those on the team 00:08:58.888 --> 00:09:02.276 and supporters around the world that this project keeps going on! 00:09:02.276 --> 00:09:03.528 So we thank you for it, 00:09:03.528 --> 00:09:04.591 all of it! 00:09:04.591 --> 00:09:06.833 And if you feel like you want to contribute, 00:09:06.833 --> 00:09:08.363 we will be eternally grateful, 00:09:08.363 --> 00:09:11.508 no matter how large or small it is! ❤ 00:09:13.352 --> 00:09:15.225 Aurora: With that being said we're hiring! 00:09:15.225 --> 00:09:17.071 We need  creature modelers, 00:09:17.071 --> 00:09:21.860 hard surface sci-fi modelers and designers for levels, objects, and spaceships, 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:23.434 a sci-fi armor modeler, 00:09:23.434 --> 00:09:24.591 a HUD designer, 00:09:24.591 --> 00:09:25.866 two male voice actors, 00:09:25.866 --> 00:09:29.242 a pr manager capable of  creating quality video content, 00:09:29.242 --> 00:09:31.588 and a particle effects designer! 00:09:31.588 --> 00:09:35.714 Check the document below for the  requirements of each position and availability, 00:09:35.714 --> 00:09:37.350 and for how to apply! 00:09:37.350 --> 00:09:41.497 We'll be needing all of these positions in varying degrees for the next several months, 00:09:41.497 --> 00:09:44.526 so don't be scared to apply even a bit late! 00:09:44.526 --> 00:09:47.227 We also of course have our public Discord server, 00:09:47.227 --> 00:09:50.142 where you can come and relax and  get exclusive news on the game, 00:09:50.142 --> 00:09:51.317 and don't forget, 00:09:51.317 --> 00:09:52.476 for just one dollar 00:09:52.476 --> 00:09:55.840 you can get news at the end of  each week for all the happenings of the project! 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:00.222 Thank you all so much for waiting to the end of this update. 00:10:00.222 --> 00:10:04.094 It's been a wild year, and we're looking and hoping towards a bright future! 00:10:04.094 --> 00:10:06.637 We thank all of our patrons and supporters, 00:10:06.637 --> 00:10:07.955 from platform 00:10:07.955 --> 00:10:09.625 to platform, 00:10:09.625 --> 00:10:11.721 for your generous love and support. 00:10:11.721 --> 00:10:15.049 And above all we thank God for  His blessings upon this project 00:10:15.049 --> 00:10:19.115 and the grace and mercy He lavishes on us every  day to keep on! 00:10:19.115 --> 00:10:21.994 You all have a good night! 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:07.349 You're still here? 00:11:07.349 --> 00:11:08.508 Well good! 00:11:08.508 --> 00:11:12.460 We'll be hosting a live Q&A on 4chan, Reddit, and Discord 00:11:12.460 --> 00:11:14.192 in voice and text! 00:11:14.192 --> 00:11:16.177 You can ask any questions you want, 00:11:16.177 --> 00:11:18.122 except for super spoilers. 00:11:18.122 --> 00:11:20.282 Hope to (see) you there! 00:11:21.850 --> 00:11:25.666 May the Lord bless all of you in His Glory!