Disclaimer: I’m not trashing or disparaging any of the developers for their hard work. I know game dev isn’t as easy as it seems, and things won’t always be perfect, we won’t always get want we want, and I’m grateful that the Pixeltail team has been so transparent and open to the community about their work.
I will be scoring every new condo item added in this update by 4 criteria:
(Click each for details)
Necessity
How much a condo builder might need an item like this to complete their project. An item that would only be used in very specific circumstances would score lower than an item that would be used for more general circumstances.
Fidelity
The visual quality of the item’s model(s).
Generally, a higher fidelity item will have:
- No harsh polygonal edges. (Proportional to the default size of the model.)
- High resolution textures. (Proportional to the default size of the model.)
- Realistic/believable shading and materials (e.g, a pillow should not look like it’s made of metal, a toaster should not look like it’s made of wood. Rounded edges should be rounded.)
- No bugs or glitches (Z-Fighting, lighting inconsistencies, customization not saving, scaling offset issues, etc.)
Customizability
How customizable the item is. An item with high customizablity might have:
- Coloring options. Ideally, every part of the item should be colorable, including particles and emitted lights, and the color of the item should not be tinted with the original color of the item. (i.e an item that is green by default should not have that green tint influence the player selected colors.)
- Object Variation. Item should have multiple variations available in the edit menu. If necessary. For Example, a Jar item might have an option to remove the lid, and options to fill the jar with either a solid substance or liquid. A new canvas primitive should have half, quarter, and eighth divisions if necessary.
- Canvasable: Any item which could have a generic, labelless version of itself should have one. This is mainly for food items. Jars, bottles, cans, sealed bags, should all have their own respective canvas item for personalization.
Interactivity
How interactable the item is through the game and through I/O. An item with good interactivity might have:
- Item should have believable and expected function within reason. Any Item with similar functions to previously existing items should have similar interactivity. (e.g, a lamp should be able to be turned on and off, and have all light functions. An item with a door or hatch should have all door functions.) Items that are purely decorative, and expected to be decorative will always score a 3 out of 5.
- Any interactivity provided by the item should have some way to be removed for decorative purposes. (A door should be lockable, a machine should have an option to not be useable.) Some objects, like the “Basic Shape Button” allow deactivation of interactivity through I/O.
- I/O functionality: Any interactable item should have inputs and outputs for each interaction. These should be consistent with other items of it’s kind. Chairs should have the same I/O functionality as every other chair.
Each category will have it’s own respective scoring out of 5, which will then be used to determine the overall score of the item.
Item Review: 0.18.7.0 “SDNL Announcer / Bowling Physics Update”
There were 19 purchasable condo items added in this update. I’ve been procrastinating doing this for the past few days, but I’m ready now.
Item 1: Heavy-Duty Shelf
Necessity: 3/5
There are already a couple of “Heavy-Duty” style metal shelves in the game. These ones have more vibrant colors, though.
Fidelity: 3/5
The shelves’ materials all have appropriate textures. The frame has fully detailed adjusting locks, fitting for a shelf of this nature. However, the shelf pieces, and especially the legs, seem too thick for a shelf of this size. The proportions seem more accurate when the scale of the item is halved. The corrugated metal material on the underside of the shelves is a little stretched, making the bolts appear elliptical rather than spherical.
Customizability: 4/5
Frame and wood are fully colorable. Metal underneath shelf is not colorable.
Has 3 different shelf placement variations. No options for shelf width.
Interactivity: 3/5
Purely decorative, as expected.
Total score: 13/20
Grade: B
+ Well modeled shelf, accurate materials, frame/wood colorability, multiple variations.
- Mildly redundant, strange proportions, underside metal missing colorability, could use width variations as well.
Item 2, 3, & 4: Rental Shelf (Short), Rental Shelf (One-Sided), Rental Shelf (Short One-Sided)
Necessity: 5/5
The existing rental shelf item was lacking in side and length variations, and now we have them.
Fidelity: 4/5
All use similar models to the original rental shelf. The material, colors, and model match well with the original.
Customizability: 4/5
All rental shelves now have a colorable body and trim. The metal net material is still not colorable on any of them.
Interactivity: 4/5
Functions like the original rental shelf. As stated in the first item review, there are still no I/O options to respawn all the items on shelves, nor to eject the items without manually doing so.
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Consistent with original rental shelf item, all are more colorable than before.
- Metal net is still not colorable, missing important I/O functions (Eject and Respawn).
Item 5: Milk Crate
Necessity: 5/5
A common item in urban locations, often used in stores and found around trash. Also commonly used as storage for vinyl records.
Fidelity: 5/5
High fidelity model with appropriate levels of grime. Has an accurate plastic material, with realistic wear and detailed ridges around the holes in the crate.
Customizability: 4/5
Fully colorable. A cleaner variant for stores would be nice, something like this:
(Decal used in example.)
Interactivity: 3/5
Fully decorative, as expected.
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Very common and necessary item, well modeled and textured, fully colorable.
- No clean variant.
Item 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10: Metal Sign (Traffic), Metal Sign (Road Condition), Metal Sign (Informational), Metal Sign (Blank), Metal Sign (Text)
Necessity: 5/5
Although they are simple items, having these very common additions is very necessary, since they are commonplace in any urban, suburban, and even nature environments.
Fidelity: 5/5
All signs look accurate to real traffic signs in color, style and symbols. Not much to say.
Customizability: 4/5
LOADS of variations to have many different kinds of metal road signs. Only “Blank” and “Text” signs are colorable (save for the black border on them, and the red circle on “Text” variation design 3. “Text” version has expected text sign options consistent with similar items.
Interactivity: 3/5
Purely decorative, as expected.
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Highly necessary items, accurate to real signs, many options to choose from.
- Missing colorability on most signs.
Item 11: Metal Sign (Standing)
Necessity: 5/5
Similar to the non-standing signs, extremely common and necessary item.
Fidelity: 5/5
Reuses Sign models from other sign items. Metal pole is very detailed, with appropriate wear and bordering around holes.
Customizability: 4/5
Many different signs to choose from, including a sign-less version. No colorability.
Interactivity: 3/5
Purely decorative, as expected.
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Highly necessary item, accurate to real signs, many options to choose from including a sign-less version.
- Missing all colorability.
Item 12 & 13: Watermelon, Watermelon (Destructible)
Necessity: 5/5
Although there was a melon slice in the game, it was very cartoony and not as realistic as this one.
Fidelity: 5/5
Both exterior rind and interior flesh are moderately realistic, including seeds. The interior flesh has an appropriate amount of specular “juiciness”. The rind would have looked more realistic with a more yellow tinge compared to the vibrant green seen in game.
Customizability: 3/5
Every bite removes a slice from the watermelon, and also has a version with only a slice of rind. No colorability, and destructible version is not edible. Edible version has expected food health settings. Destructible version has typical destructible respawn time and object health settings.
Interactivity: 4/5
Prop version is edible, as expected. Destructible version is missing “OnDamaged”, similar to other destructibles. Explosion sound is quiet and underwhelming.
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Realistic model and textures, many different slice variants, destructible version functions as expected.
- No colorability, destructible is missing “OnDamaged”.
Item 14 & 15: Cheese Wheel, Cheese Wheel (Physics)
Necessity: 4/5
Food, as always, is welcome. Not exactly 100% necessary, but definitely nice to have.
Fidelity: 5/5
Exterior is appropriate for a semi-hard cheese wheel. Interior has holes similar to swiss cheese. Wax variant also looks correct.
Customizability: 4/5
Has various different slices when eaten, including a fully eaten crumbs option. Has a variation that is coated in wax, which also has sliced variants. No colorability. Physics version has no slice variants. Crumbs model seems to be more vibrant and yellow than the wheel.
Interactivity: 4/5
Edible version has expected food features. Physics version has expected physics I/O settings. Physics version is also bouncy!
Total score: 17/20
Grade: A
+ Very realistic model and textures, has multiple slice options and wax version. Physics version is bouncy.
-No colorability. No slices on physics version. Crumbs are inaccurate color.
Item 16: Berries
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Necessity: 5/5
Berries are very common food items in kitchens and found on bushes in gardens and farms.
Fidelity: 5/5
For their size, the berries are as detailed as can be within reason, with accurate texture, gloss, and color. The blueberries are maybe a little too glossy.
Customizability: 3/5
Has three different berry options, blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry. _No colorability.
Interactivity: 2/5
Not edible! Why can’t I eat the berries!
Total score: 15/20
Grade: B (for berry)
+ Necessary additions, realistic models, textures, and materials. Multiple berry types.
- No Colorability, not edible.
Item 17: Cucumber
Necessity: 5/5
Very common food item found in the fridges of many a lonely women. (Because they are hungry!)
Fidelity: 5/5
High fidelity model for it’s size. Has realistic color, texture, and materials. Sliced variant has appropriate “juiciness” and accurate seeds.
Customizability: 2/5
Has a variant with a few slices on the end. No colorability. Individual slice to be added as separate item in cooking update.
Interactivity: 2/5
Cannot be eaten. Purely decorative.
Total score: 14/20
Grade: B
+ Very necessary item, extremely realistic model, with 2 variations.
- No colorability, no individual slice item.
Item 18: Lettuce
Necessity: 5/5
Very necessary, common food item. Bunny. Bunny.
Fidelity: 4/5
Looks a little cartoony. Might need to be a little paler with a more noticeable color gradient. Leaves are realistically textured with grit and veins. Also includes a stem. Stem could be more red to match real iceberg lettuce.
Customizability: 0/5
No Colorability or other customizations.
Interactivity: 2/5
Inedible. Purely decorative.
Total score: 11/20
Grade: C
+ Very necessary food item, realistic leaf textures.
- Cartoony appearance, no customization or interactivity.
Item 19: Kiwi
Necessity: 4/5
Although somewhat of a niche fruit compared to others, still somewhat common and still very welcome.
Fidelity: 5/5
Both interior and exterior of fruit is accurate and realistic. Inside flesh has appropriate specular “juiciness” and includes seeds.
Customizability: 3/5
Now has a variant to be sliced. (Not included in original release, I procrastinated a little too long!) No colorability.
Interactivity: 2/5
Inedible. Purely decorative.
Total score: 14/20
Grade: B
+ Realistic model and texture, has a sliced open variant.
- No colorability or interactivity.
Bonus Item Uses
Here are some alternate uses for the new items. Time to get creative!
The Metal Sign (Standing) and Heavy-Duty Shelf can be used to make cool sci-fi wall designs!
Flatten your Milk Crates to make interesting plastic grates!
Flip your Metal Sign (Blank) around for some interesting metal panelling.
Squish your cucumber to turn it into a pickle! Perfect for the classic American dish:
Conclusion:
We saw lots of items, almost all of which were of very high quality. Seems like colorability is still a huge issue for new items.