Controller [Released] Sci-Fi Ship Controller - A versatile physics-based controller with playable demos, AI...

RPG and Space battles

If you are planning on building a game that combines role-playing elements and space craft battles (over land or in space), we'd love to hear from you.

1. What are your challenges?
2. What features do you require?
3. Will your character move between different space craft?
4. What input system are you planning to use?
5. What else can you tell us about your project?

 

Invincible Damage Regions



In SSC version 1.2.7, localised and/or the main damage region of a space craft can be made invincible. This might be something you wish to do for a short period of time when the ship is not disabled. Maybe it could be a feature of your game.

When the main damage region is invincible, essentially this also make the whole ship invincible to damage.

 

Overriding Ship AI input

We were recently asked if it was possible to manually fire AI Ship weapons without using the AutoTargetingModule. From v1.2.7 Beta 2b onwards, that will be possible by overriding the say the Primary or Secondary Fire mechanisms.

We have included SampleInputAIOverride.cs in the Demos\Scripts folder to get you started.

If you have Beta Program membership (free to existing customers) you can download the patch and give it a try. Otherwise, it will be part of the 1.2.7 Release.

 

Tech Demo 3 - news update 6

Creating interactive experiences in your game-play helps to make your players more connected with your game.



Here is an example of guiding players with something as simple as a flashing light on a ship console. We add a Sticky Interactive component (from our Sticky3D Controller asset), and then when the character looks at and selects the button:

1. The interactive-enabled button tells the character to stand up
2. The shuttle starts docking with the space port using AI-Assisted Docking
3. A message on the Ship Display Module tells the user to head for the shuttle exit.

Tech Demo 3 Catch-Up

• News Update 1
• News Update 2
• News Update 3
• News Update 4
• News Update 5

 

Version 1.2.7 is now live in the asset store.

Here's what we've updated:

[NEW] Damage regions or whole ships can be made Invincible to damage
[NEW] Override shipInput from ShipAIInputModule in your own game code
[NEW] SampleInputAIOverride sample script
[NEW] Thruster can optionally burn fuel at different rates
[FIXED] Regression bug on ships not undocking
[IMPROVED] Use input sensitivity and gravity in your own custom input code
[IMPROVED] Door (button) Control component includes static API methods
[IMPROVED] Docking manoeuvres
[IMPROVED] Braking on approach to a target

 

Thruster Heat Management



This is a new feature coming in Sci-Fi Ship Controller version 1.2.8. We will include a demo script (SampleShowThrusterMetrics) which shows how to hook these up to HUD gauges and message alerts.

Heat management is per thruster so you can determine in the editor (or at runtime via our APIs) which ones it applies to. Each thruster can have different settings.

You can use our Ship Display Module (HUD) to warn the user when things are going critical or get our data for your own HUD.

 

Fantastic! This’ll allow me to replace my overly complicated system with yours. Looking forward to it! If you need a beta tester I’ll be happy to oblige.

 

If you PM me your email address and invoice number I can add you to the beta program.

 

This component in Sci-Fi Ship Controller v1.2.8 will allow you to quickly add your own single objects in your scene to radar without any scripting.

This will complement our DestructiveObjectModule, built-in radar options for ships or surface turrets, and our extensive radar APIs to call from your own code.



It is now available in SSC v1.2.8 Beta 1e or newer.

 

Based on Beta Program feedback we're adding a new central fuel option to 1.2.8. This will now be the default setting.



NOTE: Fuel burn is off by default (for backward compatibility), so to consume fuel, ensure you adjust the per-thruster Fuel Burn Rate.

 

Tech Demo 3 - News Update 7

The scene or gameplay sequence is now mostly complete. We've been working on:

• Improving integration with Sticky3D Controller (our character controller asset)
• Adding more interactive experiences (like the Call Lift button you see in the above video)
• Performance optimisations
• Selectable performance levels for different hardware
• Improving small details that most people won't notice but are typical in any game dev process

Tech Demo 3 Catch-Up

• News Update 1
• News Update 2
• News Update 3
• News Update 4
• News Update 5
• News Update 6

 

HUD scroll-able heading or compass

This is a new feature we're adding in Sci-Fi Ship Controller version 1.2.8.



It comes with its own API methods so the UI can be configured in the editor or at runtime.

 

Heads-Up Display (HUD) links, info, and requests



HUD scrollable messages
HUD on-screen tracking
HUD gauges
HUD flicker
HUD scrollable compass or heading

We're also interested to see what HUDs you're building for Sci-Fi Ship Controller and/or what features you're interested in seeing with our in-built HUD.

Feel free to post here or head over to our dedicated Discord channels.where we have "ssc-feature-requests" and "ssc-showcase".

For more details you can check out our manual ("Help") where there is ton of information on configuration and our APIs.

 

While testing the Tech Demo 3 scene, we came across some unexpected behaviour with our Ship Camera Module. When our ship exceeded 250 m/s we started getting artifacts of the front of the ship. Interestingly, it only happened in the cockpit view and not in either of the camera following options we'd configured.



It turned out, we'd forgotten to click the Minimum Distance Est. button. With a minimum distance of 0, the we'd started clipping our own ship.

Don't forget, if you run into any problems, don't forget to check the "Common Issues" section of our manual. It contains all sorts of configuration tips (and now includes this one!).

 

In Sci-Fi Ship Controller version 1.2.8 we're adding more gauge types. You can see four examples on the right of the HUD above. These are configurable in the editor or at runtime in code.

 

About to unpack a new Oculus Quest 2 so that we can do some more XR testing with Sci-Fi Ship Controller.

 

We're currently adding a dedicated Player Input Module XR input mode (we already support Oculus and Vive using the older VR systems).

If you're working on a VR game using Sci-Fi Ship Controller we'd really appreciate to hear from you (either here or on our Discord channel).What features would you like to see and what would be helpful to advance your game development?

 

Coming in Sci-Fi Ship Controller 1.2.8 is support for the popular Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.



For customers who wish to test this, it is available from the Beta Program - you need SSC 1.2.7 from the asset store, and patch v1.2.8 Beta 3h or newer.

 

Does the oculus integration support using in game controls similar to no mans sky vr controls?

 

We haven't used No Man's sky VR controls. Can you give some details?

 

the control stick and throttle(very much like a HOTAS stick) are directly in the cockpit(in game) and can be gripped with the oculus controls. This as opposed to mapping controls to the sticks on the oculus controls.

Also you should play No Man's sky in VR its amazing.

 

Also i'm interested in the oculus quest 2 integration beta. i believe you laready have my details.

 

Anyone in the Beta Program can download 1.2.8 Beta 3h+ and apply it to the latest version from the asset store (1.2.7). This will give you access to the Unity XR input mode in the Player Input Module (instructions are included in the manual that comes with the patch).

 

Yes, I've been thinking about this scenario. I don't have a working solution yet, but we're making progress. How is the joystick mapped in No Man's Sky? In SSC, we support reverse thrust, so not sure yet how we'd handle that on an in-game virtual joystick.

Currently, in my scene, I have hand controller triggers mapped to fire buttons - but that's easy to change in our Player Input Module.

 

wheres the patch download link please?

 

In the email we sent you to join the Beta Program - it is unique to you and should not be shared with others. You will need this link every time you wish to download a beta program patch. PM me if you've lost the original email.

 

We're working on in-game Joysticks for VR flight control. Initially, these will work with the Oculus Quest 2 but may also work with other controllers that support hand tracking.

The latest beta already supports controller joystick and button mapping in the Player Input Module.

 

good to hear, also does the sticky 3d controller have vr support and can it be made to integrate readily with SSC? sorry if im asking in the wrong place

 

what would it be under? or name of sender ias i cant seem to find it.

 

i found the beta for sticky 3d controller links but not for ssc. i dont think i have participated in the ssc beta before.

 

Sticky3D Controller is designed to work with Sci-Fi Ship Controller. We are planning to release Sticky3D VR-support shortly. Do you have a project or game in mind?

 

I emailed you a link.

 

Here is our first announcement around VR support for our Sticky3D character controller.

 

thanks and i do have a project in mind...... interactable ship buttons and guages for use in 3d and a first person vr perspective. I'd prefer to have all controls as interactive features in game.

Basic open world space adventure

 

How do i set a fresh project up to work with it... i keep getting errors from the player input script to do with xr.

 

With XR we don't use the Unity Player Input component. Instructions are in the manual. Look for the section in the Player Input Module called "Unity XR". It in the table of contents.

 

Sometimes you may want your thrusters to throttle up over a few seconds rather than be at max thrust instantly. To achieve this, set the Throttle Up Time. There is a also a Throttle Down Time.



This can be useful for slow moving space craft or while performing docking or undocking manoeuvres. These values can be set in the editor, or at runtime.

 

We're adding 4 new events to our SSC Moving Platform component.



On Arrive Start, On Arrive End, On Depart Start, and On Depart End. These will help you take action when a lift (be it for a space craft in a hangar or a human elevator) starts or stops at one end of its cycle.

 

WANTED - Tech Demo 3 testers



If you own both Sci-Fi Ship Controller (SSC) and Sticky3D Controller (S3D), we need your help to take a look at Tech Demo 3 and provide some feedback before it is released to the wider SSC community.

We are particularly interested in the integration between the two products so that developers (like you) can create truly immersive games.

The relatively small scene packs in a bunch of different game play elements and features from both assets to demonstrate how a variety of things can be achieved in fully featured games.



If you're interested, please message me or contact us on our Discord channel. If you've been off-world for the past year and missed the news on Tech Demo 3, you can read more here.

 

Sci Fi Ship Controller 1.2.8 is now available. It includes the following updates since 1.2.7:

[NEW] Thruster heat management
[NEW] Central thruster fuel or individual fuel levels
[NEW] Player Input Module - Unity XR [Technical Preview]
[NEW] Support for Oculus Quest 2 [Technical Preview]
[NEW] Object Targetable component for adding single objects to radar
[NEW] ShipDisplayModule - gauges can have adjustable medium colour range
[NEW] Track the number of times a ship is respawned
[NEW] HUD scrollable heading or compass display with API
[NEW] HUD numeric gauges with or without labels
[NEW] Sample Tele-Port World script
[IMPROVED] DoorControl - check for unlocked before changing button status
[IMPROVED] Radar mini-map overlay and background are changeable at runtime in the editor
[IMPROVED] Ship Display Module - Cursor is hidden when Lock Reticle to Cursor is on
[IMPROVED] Ship Display Module - optional Fill Method None for numeric gauges
[IMPROVED] Compatibility with Unity 2021.2

 

Patch Notification

Assets\SCSM\SciFiShipController\Scripts\Control\PlayerInputModule.cs(4401,119): error CS1061: 'CustomPlayerInput' does not contain a definition for 'xrPositiveInputActionMapId' and no accessible extension method 'xrPositiveInputActionMapId' accepting a first argument of type 'CustomPlayerInput' could be found

If you see this in SSC 1.2.8, we have a patch - You need 1.2.9 Beta 2a or newer.

 

Don't forget, if you already own Sci-Fi Ship Controller, you can purchase our other assets like Sticky 3D Controller and Landscape Builder at a discounted price.

 

Sci-Fi Ship Controller version 1.2.9

This version is now available on the Asset Store and is ready to be downloaded. It includes the following changes since 1.2.8.

[NEW] ShipDisplayModule - HUD attitude overlay with pitch ladder
[FIXED] 'CustomPlayerInput' does not contain a definition for 'xrPositiveInputActionMapId'
[FIXED] ShipDisplayModule - Heading scrolls in the wrong direction
[FIXED] ShipDisplayModule - selecting a HUD prefab asset can create orphaned panels in the scene
[IMPROVED] Moving Platforms include optional arrival and departure events
[IMPROVED] Path editing - Option to Modify position Y-axis on selected Locations
[IMPROVED] Path editing - context menu to snap Locations to mesh below

 

Mars Tech Demo - Interactive Experience

In 2020 we built Tech Demo 2 for our Sci-Fi Ship Controller asset using Landscape Builder. This was a 64 km x 64 km landscape with a citadel roughly in the middle. As a mini-game, you pilot a space ship flying within the atmosphere of the planet in which you attack the citadel with a squadron of fighters in order to prevent a capital ship from escaping.

In 2021, we switched to a space port, and built an interactive mini-game which integrated with Sticky3D Controller (our new character controller asset). If you only own Sci-Fi Ship Controller, you experience a fly-through of the space shuttle and space port, before joining a space battle in a small space craft fighter. We aim to release this mini-game (Tech Demo 3) as part of Sci-Fi Ship Controller version 1.3.0.

In 2022, we'd like to build an interactive experience that includes Landscape Builder, Sci-Fi Ship Controller, and Sticky3D Controller. We're thinking this could be based on Mars using real-world data.

It's pretty ambitious but it could include:

• Real world Martian landscape (maybe scaled down for better game play)
• Terra-formed areas under domes
• A space ship docking port
• Turret defenses (some pesky AI space craft are sure to attack...)
• Walking on the planet and use of jet packs (Sticky3D would be useful here)
• Support for VR (SSC and S3D v1.0.6+ support VR)

What do you think? We're happy to consider any suggestions. Post your comments here or on our Discord channel.

Tech Demo 4 Updates

• News Update 1
• News Update 2
• News Update 3
• News Update 4
• News Update 5
• News Update 6
• News Update 7
• News Update 8
• News Update 9
• News Update 10

 

That all sounds great! Would you be open to providing both arcade and physics-mode SSCs in ships for comparison between their handling and behavior? Since I'm day-dreaming, show how they work both on planet (thin atmosphere, low-G) and in space (vacuum, zero-G)?

 

We will add that to our items to consider.

 

Tech Demo 3 - News Update 8

Our objective is to deliver a game-like experience which demonstrates how various systems in our assets work together to create immersive game-play. We still aim to bring you Tech Demo 3 before the end of this year.

So what are we working on?

1. Balancing the use of real-time point lights (in a demo we can't use baked lighting as it doesn't work across multiple Unity Editor versions). This a unique challenge for asset publishers and won't directly affect you guys.
2. Sticky3D Controller (aka S3D) interactive enhancements. Although not part of Sci-Fi Ship Controller, S3D is designed to work seamlessly with SSC.
3. Sticky3D Controller VR readiness (sorry, but this has slowed down the work on Tech Demo 3 due to resource contention).
4. Ship Display Module (HUD) feature enhancements - these improve the space combat experience to help with orientation in the blackness of space
5. Ship AI setup, configuration, and management for the space combat section of Tech Demo 3.

Combat in the relative blackness of space around a space port is MUCH different that on a clear fine day near a planet's surface (like you saw in Tech Demo 2). We're currently working on a new command-led technique for this battle scene - but more on that later.

Tech Demo 3 Catch-Up

• News Update 1
• News Update 2
• News Update 3
• News Update 4
• News Update 5
• News Update 6
• News Update 7

 

Thank you for the update! This is very exciting.

 

Coming in version 1.3.0 - planets

The (demo) celestials component will be able to create and render planets in the sky. This allows you to show planets as well as stars in the background. You can provide a separate material for each planet.

This helps to provide the illusion that the player is in space.

Celestials work with build-in and URP render pipelines.

 

any chance you could add a warp function?