Project Introduction
ABOUT THE PROJECT:X-POINT was created and is being developed by one person, Andrey Skanarri. The project is updated every month with major updates that include both fixes and improvements to the game mechanics, and new content is also added.
The project has its own history. The idea for the project was born in the process of creating a modification by the developer, called SymBioz (sometimes referred to as SymBioz: Desert Rose)
in 2014 to the well-known strategy made on the SAGE game engine. The storyline is mainly inherited from SymBioz but has already acquired its own peculiarities, given the capabilities of the UE4 game engine.
By the way, the name X-POINT was approved later in 2018, the original name was supposed to be SymBioz - New Age. The project was conceived exclusively as a strategy without the possibility of direct control of units,
but when the first sketches for UE4 were created, it became obvious that the project would be multi-genre, or as it now called "multigame" genre.
GAME MECHANICS:
The game allows the player to interact with units in different ways (underwater \ on water surface\ on the ground \ in the air \ in space \ in a parallel dimension).
The main game modes: strategy (where the player manipulates the satellite camera and controls the troops) and action (where the player can move into any unit that is available to the player).
In strategy mode, the player can interact with commanders who can also transfer their units under command, after which the AI makes decisions itself.
As in the usual strategy, commands for creating groups, markers, points, etc. are available. Also, in the strategy mode, a strategic view of the entire sector is available, for analyzing the situation globally in the region.
In action mode, the player can memorize a unit and assume control of it. Depending on the type of unit, that is under direct control of the player, the control logic also changes.
The game has help keys, this is F1 (keys of the given unit in which the player is).
There are also additional game modes, for example, the invasion mode, when a player is controling an infantryman, he has access to the logic of controlling other infantrymen, and the “replicant” logic when the AI
during the game works with the player inheriting his actions. Also, in direct control mode of an infantryman, you have the ability to interact with available objects.
There are also entertainment features such as posing and dancing, as well as playing billiards!
AI is not stereotypically implemented in the project. The paths are not pre-registered on the maps, and the AI does not see through walls, which is often found in games.
Each action of the AI is random, as it is written "along the way" of the game process. This logic is complex in terms of CPU load, and sometimes, creates ridiculous situations, but allows you to simulate the "human factor".
For example:
- the fighter pilot may not have time to complete the maneuver, and accordingly crash;
- when fired upon, a unit can make a mistake, and not hit the target;
- the ship can run aground, and the submarine can hit the bottom relief;
- at night, units have a different view depending on whether, or if they have a night vision device;
- for infantry units, the effective fire distance depends on the aiming system of a particular weapon.
The project implements an integrated approach to the damage system. Each unit has its own type of armor, and accordingly, reacts differently to different types of damage.
For example, even 100 soldiers with small arms will not be able to destroy 1 tank, because the tank cannot be penetrated by simple small arms. Damage from blast waves is also allowed.
SINGLE PLAYER GAME:
At the moment, single player has modularity. There is a global map with locations offered to the player, as well as a storyline "Blacklist". In the future, it will be supplemented with plot "Episodes".
In total, two plot branches and 4 "Episodes" are planned, separated by a time interval from 2010 to 2070 of the alternate reality.
Some story (key) missions will be available for multiplayer passage by number of players on the network.
The player has access to training and practice. Also, in fact, any location can be a sandbox for the player, thanks to the editor panel itself, which allows you to create any unit "on the go".
UNITS:
The project presents relative replicas (copies with some differences and changes) of real equipment and weapons. The segmentation of units is primarily by purpose and not by type.
That is, the main battle tank differs from the command tank in its performance, characteristics, and even more in its purpose. In the project, the units are used by the player to solve certain tactical or strategic tasks.
The detailisation of each unit depends on its storyline in the game, for example, the characters in the main storyline have higher detail and animation capabilities than regular marines.
The player is presented with units of all possible types, ground, air, water and underwater and in the future space units.
The player has the ability to direct control of any vehicle other than the civilian one, that requires control through the infantryman who will sit in it. The management of any unit depends on its type and is very different from each other.
The project implements a partial simulation to the extent of its complexity, which will not interfere with the scale of the project.
CHARACTERS:
Characters in the project are made into the following roles, each of which determines its importance, the degree of animation detail and, accordingly, the load.
"Characters of the main storyline" - this class has the highest animation detail and the highest load, but is limited by the presence in the location.
These characters establish the connection of the storyline and their loss during the task is the failure of the task itself.
The provision of these characters goes into the creation of appropriate units and objects for them, which can interact exclusively with such characters. The main storyline character is now represented by Millenia Kassadi.
"Characters" - this class includes characters who, as a rule, do not have extended animation, but have their own names and history.
Their loss at the time of the task execution may not cause failure if this is not due to the task itself. This class affects the storyline in its individual aspects, but they have no influence on the overall plot.
Also, this class has no location limitation.
"NPC" - this class does not allow the player to control them, this class plays the role of atmospheric immersion or individual roles based on the concept of the location in which they meet. This class also has no location limitation.
PLOT:
The plot in the game is an alternative world based on the signs of real one. Any similarities is purely coincidental or performed in the role of parody.
The plot is divided by a time interval from 2010 to 2070 of the alternate reality.
The plot is divided into episodes that are currently in development, the degree of their completion in advance, as well as the full description will not be announced so as not to cause the player to lose interest.
All information will be provided to the player not only from the tasks but also from the dialogues and information collected during the game process, which will then create a general picture of what is happening.
There will also be branches of the storyline in the form of an additional series of tasks, for example, the "black list" block in the initial stage is already available now.
List of episodes and branches, that are planned in the project:
EPISODE 1 "FALL" - this episode will cover the beginning of the plot, a little history, and will show the beginning of active global hostilities without explaining the reason for the beginning of such events.
The end of the episode will be the beginning of active hostilities with the use of weapons of mass destruction.
EPISODE 2 " " - this episode will lead the player into the base events in different parts of the world, showing the turning points in the global confrontation and reveal the reason for the beginning of such actions and the organizations that were behind it.
EPISODE 3 "THE COMING" - this episode will show the player the post-war period of the world, and a new distribution of the world order, followed by the coming of forces, with which, humanity has not yet come into contact, in this episode the player will fully reveal the causes of the global conflict.
EPISODE 4 "NEW ERA" - this episode will give the player the opportunity to master a world that has changed greatly due to previous events, the difference from the standard approach to the future will be that, despite decades of past time, technologies do not change much in the world.
LOCATIONS:
Locations in the game are mainly in a total area of at least 7,000 sq. Km. Which allows us to say that the game takes place in an open world, since there are no limited sectors. Each location supports changing the time of day and weather conditions.
Weather conditions are not decorative and have an impact on gameplay including AI. For example, water units not intended for going out to the open sea can turn over on the waves and in a storm when ships wreck, the crew can drown.
Depending on the stage of development of a particular region, locations are being finalized as well as the situation in the region, including settlements and landscape decoration. Some regions in the future will allow you to change to parallel dimensions.
ADULT CONTENT:
The project is intended for a 16+ audience with an established psyche and worldview! There are such elements as: nudity (exposure of the upper body in girls), a injuries from explosions (when a person hit or rip apart from a shock wave of an explosion), obscene language.
