SUMMARY: This update expands the core game by adding new Locomotion options, Climbing support, Oculus support, Inventory system fixes and Gameplay fixes. In addition to updating the existing chapters to support the new locomotion modes, a significant internal upgrade was made to the game engine. This tech work, although largely transparent to players, will allow the world of Vanishing Realms to expand in the future, enabling the possibility of a more open-world game design. I hope there’s some fun stuff in this update for all players, however it’s worth noting this is not a release of new chapters. That work is ongoing, but not yet complete - and as mentioned in the last update, new chapters will be part of separate DLC.
NEW GAME FEATURES:
Vanishing Realms now supports additional Locomotion options, available from the Pause Menu.
GLIDE: By popular demand, this option allows players to use the left trackpad to move continuously through the world without teleporting. As far as trackpad locomotion goes, Vanishing Realms implements a relatively comfortable form of movement: no view rotation is experienced. Minimal Teleporting is still required to ‘jump’ over water or dismount from ladders.
VIGNETTE: This option may be enabled to automatically mask peripheral vision while Gliding. Motion-sensitive players may find the vignette significantly increases comfort while gliding with the trackpad. The theory is that motion discomfort originates when inner ear sensations fail to match visual cues. Peripheral vision appears to contribute more to this perceptual mismatch than forward vision, so masking peripheral vision helps dampen discomfort. Seems to work for me!
SPRINT: This option increases Glide speed when the left trackpad is clicked and held. Sprinting may be uncomfortable for motion-sensitive players, so it was included as an option rather than default behavior while gliding.
ROTATE: This option allows players to instantly rotate in place. The sensation is similar to teleporting, but without forward movement. To rotate, players click the leftmost or rightmost portion of the Teleport trackpad. This feature helps prevent HMD cord tangling, and aids those players who have a smaller playable area.
CLIMBING: Ropes, chains and ladders my now be climbed ‘by hand’ using tracked controllers. ch1 & ch2 have been retrofitted to include some fun climbing surfaces.
OCULUS: Oculus hardware now has better integrated support. The correct Oculus Tracked Controller models show up during initial training, and the dreaded teleport ‘flash’ bug is fixed.
INVENTORY BELT: The inventory belt now automatically recognizes the height of the wearer, allowing shorter players to more easily reach the belt. The belt no longer disappears when the player is crouching. Inventory items stored in the left or right backpacks are now restored to their original backpack when resuming a saved game.
GAME FIXES: Some players were accidentally bypassing a large outdoor section of the game by saving up enough gold to purchase a certain magic item early. This is no longer possible. The 2-handed axe now has a double-blade, which some players may find easier to wield. Some poems were rewritten to provide better clues in the outdoor areas.
TECH: This update includes a major new game engine version and an upgrade to OpenVR support. The game now supports loading very large outdoor areas, allowing for a more open-world design in the future, as well as DLC expansions. The entire game was re-lit to support the new game engine upgrade, and every room was re-worked to support the new Glide movement mode. If all went well, these tech changes should be invisible to players.