Episode 125 - Rift Awakening

In episode 125 of COPI Café, Rob Greig and Josh Jones introduce Cornucopias and discuss ongoing updates in game development, particularly improvements in onboarding new players, which currently lacks clarity on navigating features like avatar customization.

Emphasizing community engagement, they note the essential role of social interactions, particularly in Discord, for helping newcomers acclimate to the game.

Upcoming features include a new avatar system with enhanced visual qualities and a more dynamic resource-gathering process that introduces challenges and rewards.

Additional elements such as combat mechanics involving unique creatures and the strategic shutting down of rifts are presented, showcasing the game’s evolving complexity and design.

With an upbeat spirit, the hosts maintain an engaging atmosphere throughout the episode, reflecting on the excitement surrounding Cornucopia’s development and community involvement.

• 00:00:00 In this section, the hosts welcome listeners and outline the episode's topics, including updates on the game’s development, specifically regarding nodes and community feedback. The conversation highlights ongoing improvements in customer onboarding and player experiences, along with a special guest who will share exciting insights. Amidst the discussions, the hosts share light-hearted moments over their drink choices, while emphasizing the importance of community engagement and providing details on how node performance will evolve to incentivize player contributions in the game's ecosystem.


• 00:05:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on improving the onboarding experience for new users of the game, highlighting the importance of performance and a seamless introduction to the game’s features. The team acknowledges that the current onboarding is lacking, as new players struggle to navigate the game after downloading it, lacking clear direction on activities such as customizing their avatar or accessing different game areas. The goal is to create a luxurious, five-star-like experience that welcomes newcomers and encourages them to explore the game fully. There is also a desire to involve the community more in this onboarding process to enhance user experience. The conversation touches on understanding why users might choose to pay for a basic game entry rather than opting for NFTs, indicating a need for deeper insights into player motivations and challenges faced in attracting new users.


• 00:10:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the importance of community support and guidance in the development of the game, addressing the current lack of structured quests and introductory mechanics that typically help new players acclimate. The speakers emphasize that the community, particularly in Discord, plays a crucial role in helping newcomers find their way around, enhancing the gaming experience through social interactions. They liken this community aspect to working out in a gym with friends for motivation, suggesting that multiplayer elements greatly enrich the gameplay. The conversation then shifts to recent game builds, highlighting the challenges of integrating a multiplayer combat system, the rigorous QA testing involved, and the complexities that arise when different players' experiences do not align. The development team is actively seeking to resolve these bugs and improve the gameplay experience based on user feedback.


• 00:15:00 In this section, the developers discuss the anticipated release of a new avatar system, highlighting that a significant patch with bug fixes is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by quality assurance testing next week. While acknowledging that the system comes with its expected bugs, they express optimism regarding the avatar's enhancements and improved visual quality. Key features include new visual aspects and definition sliders that allow for a range of character appearances. They also touch upon how character movement will benefit from the latest upgrades in Unreal Engine 5.5, though some aspects of vehicle dynamics still require attention. Additionally, the potential for swimming and diving in future updates is mentioned, with emphasis on ensuring there's meaningful content related to these features. Overall, the team conveys excitement about these advancements while candidly addressing existing challenges.


• 00:30:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the mechanics of resource gathering in the game, specifically focusing on the challenges and dangers players will face while mining. The developers express a desire to create a more engaging experience that goes beyond simple grinding by introducing risks and rewards within the mining process. Players won't just gather resources easily but will have to navigate dangers, like falling rocks and dark areas, to reach deeper veins that yield more valuable materials. They emphasize the importance of making the gathering process dynamic and immersive, hinting at plans for skill progression where players can unlock higher quantities and access to exclusive gathering sites as they gain experience in various resource-gathering activities. The conversation includes playful brainstorming about potential game elements, indicating a creative and evolving design approach.


• 00:35:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the new updates in the avatar creation and visual aspects of the game, including enhancements in avatar proportions and the introduction of morphing features for greater ethnic diversity in character customization. The main menu also received a fresh look with updated colors, while the avatar creator now allows users to view their creations in different lighting environments. Additionally, players will start the game with basic suits, which will now be categorized as light or medium armor. The creators showcase the ability to explore new maps, particularly Solace 2, highlighting the game's expansive environment and improved lighting effects. The update includes a mining area and a mining processor, which transforms mined materials into usable crafting resources, indicating significant advancements in the game's overall visual and functional design.


• 00:45:00 In this section, the hosts discuss the recent update for the game, which they describe as a "huge miner update" featuring new characters and enhancements. They express excitement about the prospects of varied environments in the mines, including multiple entrances and potential dangers, likening the atmosphere to that of horror games like Resident Evil 2. The discussion touches on the inherent dangers of mining, both in the game and in real life, while noting the detailed rock structures and ongoing improvements to the game's lighting effects. Ultimately, they conclude that the update is impressive and players are looking forward to exploring the new content.