Session events, and full gameplay loop for PS:E 0.0.7 update

0.0.7 adds session events to complete a gameplay loop. Complete with 'pre-session' track cinematic dolly cameras that scan the track, a countdown routine and a basic post-session routine. I've also added a loading screen and transitions from menus and game sessions

Transition Events and Leaderboard API

The gameplay works...now just to create that loop! This version adds the transition events to and from menus, along with UI associated. Before a session, information about the track is displayed along with fastest laps. These fastest laps are dummy data currently; but a good friend of mine is working on an API to send and receive lap time data to a database - meaning leaderboards! In a prototyped version, lap times can be displayed according to track type and other filters. We're hoping soon for it be able available to query, and display leaderboard data in game. This API will be built along side the main game as an external service, so my time won't necessarily be on the API itself, I will focus on the core game. As my friends free time is limited we want to make it work for both of us, so will be his own project and will contribute when he can. I'm sure you'll agree it will be a massive feature in conjunction with the Track Builder! 

This update also features lots of dolly camera and UI work to make it a more cinematic experience. Transitions between events can be freely changed during a session (though this won't be exposed to the player) to help simulating environments for testing - further leaning on making tools for testing and development first. These events are clearly defined, so when we integrate online multiplayer with these events, all clients can be synced to the correct state simultaneously.

Soundtrack

In a bid to spread the many hats an indie game developer wears, I've started on the side creating the soundtrack and jumping on whenever I want a break from coding. I wanted to create the soundtrack for the first Phaseshift, but as (let's be honest) I was totally out of my depth whilst trying to learn Unity and game development, adding soundtrack to this mix was too much. Thankfully independent music makers Madwreck, Tempxa and Ben Cooper helped fill out the soundtrack will some awesome tunes! There are three tracks that I created for the original Phaseshift, however this time around I've created an entire workflow around creating and building (sound)tracks. Instead of a liquid, chill drum and bass vibe with the first Phaseshift, we're going more intense with a high-energy mix of synthwave, drum and bass and metal music. The idea is to infuse 80s metal, 2020s metal with 90s synths and drum and bass drums. 

This time around instead of static tracks being played on a playlist, they will hopefully be evolving tracks layered on depending session events such as countdown, in session, pre/post session etc. The intensity will rise as the action builds, and slow down when finishing or in the menus. Trying to be clever this time around utilising my actual university degree which I've barely used and any kind of music production and composition tricks I've learned along the way to make the soundtrack sound coherent across all worlds. Now to add that 80s guitar solo!