Greetings, fellow adventurers of the monster-breeding world! Today, we're thrilled to share some insights into the release of the new "Adventurous Monster Breeder" build.

Challenges and Triumphs

Behind the scenes, the development of "Adventurous Monster Breeder" has been an epic quest filled with hurdles, most of which can be attributed to my coding skills. One of the major challenges was crafting the intricate motive system. My goal was to ensure the game remained performant even as countless NPCs roamed the open world, each with their unique status and routines. I've seen other games with similar features suffer from lag as the game progresses or when numerous NPCs populate the screen. To tackle this, I devised a virtual-based motive system that only updates values when needed, saving precious resources. While the math involved was heavy, it was more about my math skills than the complexity of the system.

Integrating the motive system seamlessly with the AI system proved to be a task of its own. NPCs needed to consider their needs and act accordingly, a concept that was relatively easier to implement. But what happens when players interfere with the NPCs' plans? To address this, I devised a sophisticated AI task stacking system to manage NPC schedules and tasks when players throw a wrench into their routines.

Another challenge was the implementation of interactables with a slot system, allowing multiple actors to use them. Creating a slot claiming system wasn't too tough, but I ran into some issues with animations. Unreal Engine didn't always behave as expected. Additionally, these interactables had to work harmoniously with the motive system, adding a layer of complexity to the task.

A Glimpse into the Future

Now that we've successfully navigated these challenges, let's take a peek into the future of "Adventurous Monster Breeder." While we've only implemented half of the motive system, the groundwork is laid, and we're eager to expand it further. Our plans include introducing new interactables and interactions to cater to various needs. Imagine adding an arcade machine to satisfy the fun need, an interactable station with animations to fulfill the love need, and a computer to address the social need.

Furthermore, we're working towards enabling NPCs to interact with each other. For instance, we're envisioning a love spot in the form of an interactable. When an NPC's love need runs low, it will claim a slot on this interactable and wait for another NPC. The other NPC, sensing a similar need, will search for a love interactable and check if a slot is claimed. If both NPCs share a mutual attraction, a love story will unfold.

These checks and slot claiming calculations will happen swiftly, ensuring a seamless gaming experience. We're even exploring the possibility of NPCs and players trading in-game currency for unique interactions, expanding the horizons of the monster-breeding universe.

As "Adventurous Monster Breeder" evolves, we invite you to embark on this journey with us, where every interaction, motive, and connection shapes a unique narrative in the world of monster breeding. Stay tuned for more updates as we make the final adjustments before uploading the game.

TL;DR: "Adventurous Monster Breeder" is on the verge of release. Game development faced challenges, especially in coding the motive system and integrating AI. The future holds exciting plans, including new interactables and NPCs interacting with each other. Stay tuned for the game's imminent release, promising a unique monster-breeding experience!