Breakthrough / Discovery System

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NOTE: Breakthrough and Discovery refer to the same system!

Required text

Level entry player log

  • “I’ve arrived at a new biome, an arid landscape split by an ancient aqueduct. There is a massive quantity of what looks like flowing sand coming from the highlands above - I’ll definitely want to investigate that, though I’m not sure if I have the equipment necessary for such a trek. Better start researching.”
  • Just one per biome / breakthrough set

Biome reasearch overview

  • Short paragraph overview of the player’s research duties in the biome. Similar to the player log, but it is something that the player may refer back to. Can say the same things as the player log.
  • This gets displayed in discovery biome tab (maybe just biome tab? lol)
  • One per biome / breakthrough set

Undiscovered Breakthrough Description

  • This is a lil hint towards what the player should expect for a specific breakthrough without giving away much. Assume the player has seen nothing related to the breakthrough.
  • Displayed on the biome tab as hint text when hovering over that breakthrough’s “whos that pokemon”
  • “A bot named Rose is reported to be studying some curious specimens…”
  • One per breakthrough

Discovered Breakthrough Description

  • An additional line after discovering the breakthrough, possibly a short recap of what the player did, like a log. Should be short.
  • Also displayed as a hint text when hovering a complete breakthrough
  • One per breakthrough

Regular scan data

  • This is the regular ole scan blurb line. Will show up as usual (in blurb and codex)
  • One per breakthrough

Breakthrough Data overview

Breakthrough Type is an enum in the VarientData struct in the scan data table. If the enum is greater than 0, it is considered a breakthrough (scan component.)

UpdateBreakthroughSave is called (BP library). It runs ValidateBreakthroughTag, which checks CDT_DiscoveryIcons (a composite DT) for an entry. Each biome has a DT of Struct_DiscoveryIcon that contains info about the breakthrough.

It then updates the Breakthroughs map in CycleSave (not sure why this is cycle, probably should move!). (this could fire an event?) Remember, this is a CHECK, not reward.

ScanComponent currently calls AddPushNotification but this should probably move.

ScanComponent also calls UpdateBreakthroughShine, which sets CPD float index 7. Currently an obnoxious yellow shine in the scan material function. Should be changed.

UpdateBreakthroughShine SHOULD call RetrieveRewardTagsFromCheckTag, which SHOULD return a BP_BreakthroughUpgrade

Tag should always be the same as the scan tag. Make it simple.

There is ImportantPendingPrint in cycle save, set via RequestPriorityPrint in the printer subsystem. I believe this is called via getting the print subsystem. This uses a reward tag - DT_DiscoveryCategories has a default reward listed…

What actually calls RequestPriorityPrint though? The only thing that can trigger this is actually acquiring a breakthough, either through scanning or debug, so the actual UpdateBreakthroughSave should do the check for if it is the last in the group. The function should have bPop that debug calls to skip any visuals, IE this function should also call visual stuff lol, like pushing the visor and sending events

The idea would be you could find breakthrough data as an item (reward) anywhere. Gathering 4 (or whatever) triggers a priority print.

UMG_DiscoveryTab is a basic implementation of a status screen but it is pretty bad. May need to simplify.

Currently UMG_DiscoveryIconGroup reveals the icons and actually requests the print. This demands that the player actually open the menu for the item to print, which seems strange. Maybe not that weird?

This specimen appears to have rapidly grown several stamen</> after grabbing the sticky fruit.

Contact with a leafy tuber has caused this plant to grow leaves</> itself.

The hanging fruit from the large mushrooms seemingly has the effect of rapid general</> growth in this plant.

Due to environmental conditions, this organism has matured significantly more than the others found outside the cave. Despite it’s dramatic increase in mass it appears primed for additional sustenance - enzymes located within the plant suggest a similar reaction to local biomass</> as the lesser flora outside the cave.

After “feeding” the plant all three of the local fruit types, our organism has transformed into its final stage. A giant “sticky” crystal mass has revealed itself as the catalyst for the growth - this discovery suggests that there is a direct biological reaction</> at play here, perhaps one that can be replicated…

Needs

  • Scanning juice
    • Need a way to defer the scan blurb to show up after the visor switch
    • CRIT HIT sfx add for scanning impact
    • Open menu after upgrade screen
  • Raw functionality
    • Actually place all (4) breakthroughs ✔
      • Temp one in ocean ✔
    • Debug display of breakthrough save ✔
      • Click on buttons that directly edit save ✔
      • Buttons gain color on collect ✔
      • Extendable? ✔
    • Event / save for all 4 gathered ✔
    • RequestPriorityPrint ✔
    • Actually receiving object from printer ✔
  • Menu juice
    • Discovery Icon
      • texture assets ✔
      • Hover anim ✔
      • Fade in Anim (init) ✔
      • Fade out on tab change
      • Breakthrough Complete anim
        • Simple outline asset scales out from icon and fades out ✔
        • Icon fills in (border or icon?) ✔
        • Reveal research line to center ✔
        • Lil circle node surrounding the center icon fills in (radio button)
    • UMG_BreakthroughCounter ✔
      • Percent ✔
      • Update event ✔
    • UMG_BreakthroughGoal
      • On final, icon scales down / fades in (like a stamp) ✔
        • RESEARCH COMPLETE
        • FABRICATION SCHEMATIC AVAILABLE
        • RETURN TO SHIP (Flashing!)
      • Replaces complete icon.
    • Discovery Icon “ResearchLines” UMG - Cool glowy ring when print available (louder than others) ✔ - Radial gradient rainbow lol “attention” param ✔
      • Enable / disable research lines ✔

Pause menu visual overhall

  • Consistency is the primary goal

  • Flavor text bonus display below pause

    • Current biome name
    • Ship status
    • “model number”

So its

  • Codex screen update
  • Bumper button graphics for nav
  • Nav button update
    • Maybe names for them
    • LOG, CODEX, BIOME, OPT, EXIT
  • finish up back button visuals
  • font size for biome screen
  • SFX
  • Controller support

Codex - [042] index number on scans

  • Printer juice
  • Clarity
    • Everything rides on discovery / biome menu tab
      • Opens after breakthrough
      • Whos that pokemon reveal
      • Descriptions, ETC

Art Stuff

  • Want a clean way to resuse ivy assets / options for recolor
    • Alt foliage type with material change
      • Hue, new texture
      • Best perf is probably new texture / instance per biome. Just be meticulous and add 4 MI per plant, most share a mat anyways so it won’t be that many
      • Make a scripted action for this!
  • VERY flat shaded works best! Literally just a gradient
  • Spanish moss does not LOD down well, neither does SM_Ivy
    • Would require an impostor, likely
  • SM leafy way too detailed, simplify texture

Breakthrough Questions

  • How do breakthroughs stand out from regular scans?

    • Unified special ambient SFX ✔
    • Glowy sparkles around the asset ✔
      • Can be semi hand authored as there will only be ONE of each breakthrough… sorta maybe ✔
    • Literal RAINBOW effect in scan mode lol. Like bold AF ✔

  • How is the scanning experience EXTRA for breakthroughs?

    • Different hyped up SFX for scanning
    • Second “Layer” of scan health, like you charge it up to full then it goes into OVERDRIVE and you scan it more!
      • Flash effect, bonus visuals

  • How does the player know they got something good after scanning a breakthrough?

    • Pop an upgrade visor. We can put all info the player needs there!
    • Significantly jazzed up scan blurb (re-evaluate those first!)

  • How does the player know what to do after scanning all (4) breakthroughs in an area?

    • Scan blurb could explicitly tell the player to go to ship
    • Pop an upgrade visor. We can put all info the player needs there!!!!!
      • Player log, which has a push notif. Maybe a bit of a delay, or after the scan blurb closes!
      • Pop opening the actual biome screen menu after the upgrade screen!

  • Are there any support scans that go along with the breakthrough? How do we know we are “working” towards a concept?

    • Let’s work on the regular scan 3.0, may get some answers there.

  • Actually build breakthrough system (if not done for crystal cave)

    • Research. Find some contemporaries, or at least some related concepts
      • Seeing the cool chest / upgrade holder after a gauntlet / battle
      • What secondary FX can we use to pull em in?
      • What flair occurs after the player interacts with it?
    • BreakthroughZone
      • Shares tag with breakthrough scan
      • Dips music on approach
      • Ambient hum SFX
      • Particle glowy dudes (purple? Rainbow? Breakthrough colored?)
      • Screen space particle aura effect (research this)
      • Could use relevancy component to do distance checks for FX
    • Breakthrough get
      • Visor? Taking over screen is probably appropriate
      • Different jingle?
      • Sketch idea is still cool but I dunno if we have time. Maybe just use item get straight up and make a research icon instead
      • Pop scan blurb after visor screen