Hello Outrunners,
I bring you some much needed updates to VR Mode and a brand new game mode which adds progression for map unlocks!
VR Mode
Over the past couple of weeks I've been working hard to make VR Mode much more playable and today I am glad to say I am happy with the final results. Overall you should expect double your performance in VR Mode, if not more. To do this I used an optimisation technique which allows Unity to render the headset camera onto a texture and copy it onto your other eye rather than rendering both eyes separately (thus the double frame rate). This comes with a trade off however, the radial blur effect you may have noticed when boosting had to be disabled as it was not compatible with the render texture. I'm sure you'll all agree this was worth it.
Along side this I've added an array of QOL changes to the mode which should allow for smoother play. Please see below for full details.
New Game Mode: Tournament
A brand new game mode has been added. "Tournament" is similar to Mario Kart's Grand Prix mode. You must now partake and come in the top three of each "cup" to unlock all the maps for free play in race or time trial. This won't require much grinding and many of you will be able to unlock everything on your first play through. There is an extra incentive to this mode, lots of credits. If you win a cup you walk away with the prize money. However, if you don't make top three you walk away with nothing and you'll have to kick rocks instead of buying that awesome purple Lambo you've been eyeing in the garage. At first you only have access to "The Chrome Cup" which is the first tier out of three difficulties of cups. You can unlock the chance to play in the next tier of cup by winning the previous one.
With this there have been some pretty smooth changes to vehicle collision, barriers are now much less punishing and you should be able to hit them and will be guided back onto the track without being pinged around. Also some new camera effects have been added which lean into the cars physics, you'll see what I mean when you try it out for yourself.
Other than that here's a full list of patch notes:
- Global Time Attack rankings/best times in extras menu.
- Barrier collision smoothed out.
- Purchase with amount of coins text changes position and colour to make it more readable.
- Camera physics for first and third person cameras.
- Better UI navigation/clarity - you can now press ESC or right button to exit main menu sub menus.
- VR Mode tutorial added on HUD.
- Re-centre option for main menu.
- No more bumpy roads (except on Endless)!
- AI Benefactors shouldn't float off into space now when activating their Second Law ability.
- Pause menu remains static for VR.
- Colour filters reset (from player ultimate) after hitting finish line.
- The option to retry races and time trials.
- Drift score added.
- No more black screen when re-entering settings sub menu after exiting from rebinds.
- Key rebinds should now work!
- Window mode kept consistent over play sessions.
- Cup/map progression.
- Pause menu not too far away for VR anymore.
- VR Mode camera positioning adjusted.
- Car shake toned down.
- Car lean toned down.
- Gunship better tracking.
- People who have obviously been cheating with their high scores (looking at you Phil337) have been removed from both demo and full versions of the game.
Thank you all for your continued feedback and support.
Stay rad.