Some cool 1.5 exclusive screenshots (**As seen on TV!**)

[Northman]

D.Birkin, can you tell us, how much of the original program code have you substituted with your own thus far. Because I'm getting the impression that it's A LOT. The original engine appears to be more limited than what people thought.

[D.Birkin]

That's awesome. I find it interesting that you are able to program the game in ways that makes it run more efficiently than from when it was originally conceived. I wouldn't have thought things like that would have been a possibility given the source material. But then again that sort of thing is a whole other world to me.

We could move faster with engine source code but I have 0 problems organizing the original exe and my code differently. It is good exercise for my brain cells.

What is dynamic voice allocation though? Is that for enemy grunts/groan/roars? With this implemented, could more sounds play at once rather than waiting for one moan to complete, then playing another? If so that sounds great.

It is something to make sound channels not overwrite. Say a crow cries and another does a frame later. You only hear the old crow for one frame.

Are the improvements from your tweaks noticeable as of yet? I'm super interested on what sort o improvements these implementations will have.

Dynamic volume levels in options and no music bugs when player opens a new room.

D.Birkin may I assume that since you just mentioned your code is "10 times smaller and faster" that you will have more enemies on screen at one time? I actually don't mind a challenge if that is your plan.

That depends on the precise task code carries out. With new sound code I have sound structures consuming less space in memory and less CPU overheat coming from SPU bus. VAB libraries are complicated. My sound system is simplified and optimized for what it is planned to do. I have ambiance support and panning too.

D.Birkin, can you tell us, how much of the original program code have you substituted with your own thus far. Because I'm getting the impression that it's A LOT. The original engine appears to be more limited than what people thought.

1.5's engine is 1 MB in total and my code is almost 350 KB. You do your math.

[Renard]

Dynamic volume levels in options and no music bugs when player opens a new room.

Thank goodness, those always made me jump when opening a door!

[Guest]

I'm curious, why is it that optimization is necessary? Are there problems with the original engine which you absolutely have to fix? Is it specific to this build of 1.5?

[D.Birkin]

I'm curious, why is it that optimization is necessary? Are there problems with the original engine which you absolutely have to fix? Is it specific to this build of 1.5?

Sound code rewrite is for technical reasons and because updated sound libraries are not fully compatible with old PsyQ code.

❶ technical reason is SPU voices do not send KEY OFF signals sometimes. Sony made many changes to break compatibility.
❷ simpler format for audio uses less space and is easier to use for processor. If I save processing for SPU I can use it on other tasks.
❸ I removed some PsyQ calls from 1.5 to reduce code size. If I save code space somewhere I can use it somewhere else for other tasks.
❹ 1.5's engine sounds like retail.
❺ Special reason I can not say for spoilers.

[warren]

Special reason = VA during FMV

[Zombie_X]

Perhaps voices? Sounds super awesome if true. Maybe even FMV + audio.

EDIT: Too late. I see warren posted before me.

[Guest]

Sound code rewrite is for technical reasons and because updated sound libraries are not fully compatible with old PsyQ code.

❶ technical reason is SPU voices do not send KEY OFF signals sometimes. Sony made many changes to break compatibility.
❷ simpler format for audio uses less space and is easier to use for processor. If I save processing for SPU I can use it on other tasks.
❸ I removed some PsyQ calls from 1.5 to reduce code size. If I save code space somewhere I can use it somewhere else for other tasks.
❹ 1.5's engine sounds like retail.
❺ Special reason I can not say for spoilers.

Thanks, they seem good enough reasons to me! I guess the more space there is and the less work there is for the CPU, the more content you can cram in there at a much higher quality. It's reassuring to know that you're making these efforts to make the engine as clean as possible, you would never expect it just by looking at the game so it's good to know the inside is being cared for just as much as the outside. It will be interesting to see what you do to make use of all the extra space and extra resources you manage to free up.

[Darkness]

mfw VA is confirmed

[Renard]

VOICE ACTING?!

[yurieu]

no, i think its not confirmed people!

[Ultimacloud123]

no, i think its not confirmed people!

Seems the team loves to get a brains and adrenaline pumping when ever they can. For all we know certain things may be obvious however we overlook it.

[Zombie_X]

I was waiting for someone to say "They added surround sound support!!!". I could see all sorts of stuff going down. But honestly we don't know what the feature is and I'm sure it will be voice acting. What else could it be that requires SPU modification and spoiler tags?

[D.Birkin]

Point ❺ is not about voice acting. I said before there is native support for it. But you mentioned something important and I want you all to reflect on this. Voice acting was planned to be but never confirmed because of more urgent priorities. Making of part 2 says we can add it at some point. But if we want to add acting voices should be from professional actors. Hiring professional actors costs a lot of money and this project is not gaining profits.

[Zombie_X]

There's a lot of voice over people on youtube who want to do it for free. There's one guy, named LionHeart I believe, who wanted to do it. I don't have his contact info though.