SABRE - (Stable Actor Based Raycasting Engine) - UPDATES!

[lcl]

Hi Zivouhr!

Thanks for the post.

How is Sabre progressing?

SABRE has not progressed for some time now. I have very little time for programming anything currently. But I'm trying to work on it whenever I have some time.

It's not so easy finding time for any of my hobbies currently, as I spend most of my time at work and when I'm not at work I want to spend time with the people in my life. But when I'm alone, all I want to do is to program as much as I can. So I'm going to devote some evenings after work just for working on this project.

Currently I'm working on a customizable universal graphical user interface system that I need for SABRE World Editor. The system is a by-product of SABRE and I'll eventually publish it as a free tool for everyone to use.

What is the biggest challenge to overcome with the development of Sabre?

That's an interesting question. One of the biggest challenges is to make SABRE as user friendly and simple to use as ever possible. Optimization for maximum performance is also a difficult one.

If you could pick a release date to make Sabre available for fans, what month in 2016 would you release it?

That's a difficult one. I'd of course wish to be able to release it very soon, but the truth is that there's still a lot to do and I don't know how much time I will have for working on it, so I'm not in a position to give any promises of the release date. But I wish to finish SABRE during 2016, this project's been dragging on for way too long.

What is your favorite aspect of the game?

My favorite aspect of the engine may be how flexible it is for customization. And that it's 3D in Game Editor.

[Zivouhr]

Thanks Lcl. Glad to hear you still have programming in mind. I'd really like to see more of the levels you create using your level editor as a short demo sometime in 2016. That would be cool and doesn't have to be perfect as most times a fun game is more important than perfection even if the menus aren't as intuitive as possible.

Are you planning to include some puzzles to solve in the game, or some enemies to confront?

The customizable universal graphical user interface system sounds like a very important aspect of the game creation of Sabre. Customization does take a lot of work with all of the variables and the in depth, linked web of interactions it creates. Same with the user friendly, simple to use interface. Optimization for maximum performance is no easy task to accomplish either I imagine.

What is your frame rate goal for most of Sabre? What would be acceptable for your game? I know 30 frames per second is a general standard, 60 fps a higher standard, but 20 frames per second, how do you feel about that? Is that too low and is it within reach to hit a higher frame rate given that Game Editor is designed first as a 2D editor and this is a 3D inspired game?

Motivation is definitely a challenge for any big project, so I understand why it takes time to be inspired to create and complete this game. The real reward will be knowing you've accomplished it as a goal in life.

Whenever I lose total motivation and rather focus on other distractions in life, I hesitantly load up the project one day in my spare time, after a week or more of separating from it, and think about what isn't frustrating about creating it, and work on that for 5 minutes, then put it away if I'm still not feeling inspired. The next day, 5 minutes again, and the next day maybe 10 minutes. Sometimes, I'll lower some of the goals to make the completion of the project more within reach, and something I can accomplish within a realistic amount of time. Eventually, I regain some motivation and 5 minutes becomes an hour a day, till one day, the project is completed. Setting an exact deadline is a big motivation also. "Okay, I'm going to complete this aspect of this project by June 1st, 2016. If I can do that, then I'll set the next deadline to meet." If I don't meet it, I extend it by a couple weeks if I'm not getting paid for it.

Best of luck with the project and I look forward to hearing more progress in 2016.

[lcl]

I'd really like to see more of the levels you create using your level editor as a short demo sometime in 2016. That would be cool and doesn't have to be perfect as most times a fun game is more important than perfection even if the menus aren't as intuitive as possible.

Well, there's not really that much to showcase in the World Editor since my last video on it. I'll probably make a video of it later on when I've added more features to it.

Are you planning to include some puzzles to solve in the game, or some enemies to confront?

Of course I will add more content to SABRE. But remember that this topic is not about a game, SABRE is a game engine, not a game, so in SABRE itself there will be no enemies or puzzles. But with SABRE one can create games which of course will have enemies and puzzles and whatever one wants to add.

The customizable universal graphical user interface system sounds like a very important aspect of the game creation of Sabre.

Yes, the system is essential for SABRE World Editor and other possible add-ons SABRE may need. The system will also be remarkably useful for any GE user who wants to make something that requires a graphical user interface, be it a program like SABRE World Editor or a complex RPG. The system will make it very easy to create visually appealing and unique window based GUI's.

What is your frame rate goal for most of Sabre? What would be acceptable for your game? I know 30 frames per second is a general standard, 60 fps a higher standard, but 20 frames per second, how do you feel about that? Is that too low and is it within reach to hit a higher frame rate given that Game Editor is designed first as a 2D editor and this is a 3D inspired game?

Well, I'm aiming for minimum 30 frames per second, but hopefully reach much higher frame rates on average. In the the fps of course depends on the player's computer. There is a remarkable difference in the fps between a bad laptop and a powerful desktop computer. However, it will be possible to build highly adjustable games with SABRE. What I mean with this is that players will be able to adjust SABRE's settings to trade the quality of the graphics for better performance. For example, with GE 1.4.1 around the corner I'm looking for to making the engine's resolution adjustable. With high adjustability I wish to achieve at least a tolerable 30+ frames per second on most systems with the more powerful systems reaching potentially much higher frame rates.

Best of luck with the project and I look forward to hearing more progress in 2016.

Thanks! And thanks also for the tips on staying motivated. Currently my motivation levels are great. Only problem is that I'm having it quite difficult trying to find time for programming. But the coming weekend there's nothing standing between me and my computer, so I'm looking forward to getting to program as much as I can.

[Zivouhr]

Thanks for the detailed information on the progress of Sabre, Lcl. Yes, this will be a game creation engine, sounds cool.
Glad to hear the motivation to complete it is alive and its completion will happen. Considering you're one person working on the project, that is a worthy accomplishment no matter how reasonably long it takes to complete. Looking forward to the next update on Sabre.

[Zivouhr]

Hi LCL,

How are things progressing in your spare time with SABRE?
It's not easy completing a large project when time is limited and there are other priorities in life, like a paying job and other obligations. Sometimes scaling back some of the features and releasing a more basic version can get things completed as I've learned, compared to an indefinite release date. Best of luck.