Research Story News

[h2]Hello Researchers![/h2]
For those who celebrate Easter, I hope you had a good time! 🐣🐰 I don't celebrate Easter myself, but took a day off on Good Friday to relax a little.

Here’s a progress update for the past couple of weeks (updates will only be live later this month):
[h3]More UI implementation 🎮[/h3]
Ah, more UI work - we're getting there! The Map is an example where players can cycle through key locations using the LS based on the map layout:

✅ Other UIs completed: Selecting save files, Customisation, Recording Stations, Shops, Mini-games, Journal, Quests, Profile

[h3]More specific target handling 👈[/h3]
Previously, we added a system that finds the nearest interactable object. It mostly worked, but there was an issue with overlapping interactables (e.g. creatures in their pens - we could only target the pen and not the creature). As such, we implemented a sorting system to prioritise common tasks (such as trough and creatures), and also a way to toggle between the nearest objects by pressing RS. Players can also use RS as a mouse cursor.

Trough and chicken are prioritised over the pen. Using RS can be a fallback option for more specific targeting.

[h3]Placing Items 🏡[/h3]
Since items are placed on a grid system, players can use RS to navigate and choose the exact spot for placement:


[h3]Optimisation ✨[/h3]
I’ve also reworked and optimised some parts of the code, which hopefully helps with the lag that some players are facing after playing for about a year in-game.

[h3]What's next[/h3]
The above changes will be live as part of the controller update later this month. Thank you everyone for your support and patience as we continue development! 💗

I've updated the remaining to-do list. One of the things I hope to address soon is better support for wider resolutions. I'll also try to add the inventory QOL that we previously mentioned - but if that takes too long, it'll probably be moved to a different update.

[h3]To-do for the controller support update:[/h3]

• Remaining UI (Job Board, Fishing Map, Animal UI)
  
• In-game keyboard for naming player & animals
  
• Updating tutorial & adding glyphs
  
• Controller remapping
  
• Adding Steam Cloud support
  
• Better support for wider resolutions
  
• (Given enough time) Inventory QOL (Auto-sort, Auto-add/pull from chests, and Coloured Chests)
  

Thanks for reading, and I hope that you're enjoying these devlogs! ✨
- Miki

Fixed: Mines-related:
- Some creatures using perk unnecessarily in lava mines
- Inconsistencies in popups while using creature perks & potions in ice/lava mines
- Interesting Statue 2 reappearing on other floors if not claimed
- Mysterious note reappearing on other elevator floors
NPC-related:
- Teagan's 'Tarot Reading' Quest staying in questlog after it's complete
- Yan Yan's name showing up as ??? for some players, despite befriending her
- Attempt to fix occasional clipping bug during a boatride hangout where NPC appears under the boat

Changed:
- Consuming a Pitch Lily leads to -5 energy instead of +1 energy, to more accurately reflect its journal description.

Fixed:
- Crash after adding more than 99 items to the last slot of the crafting tab.
- Bug preventing players from fishing when standing to the north of the lake where the fishing hut is.
- Occasional bug where players get stuck in the wrong fishing animation while fishing.
- Some text errors

[h3]Greetings Researchers![/h3]
We're here with another mini-devlog to update you on development progress!

[h2]✨ Key changes - in v0.1.32[/h2]
[h3]Changes in player hitbox -> Prevents players from getting stuck[/h3]
Player hitbox has been reduced, and also standardised. This should prevent some weird collisions and players getting occasionally stuck on things like trees. We've also made it such that players can walk past this small gap in this mine layout - as we've heard that players sometimes get locked into a small area due to ladder spawns. This seems fairer!


[h3]Changes in seasonal debris spawn -> Reduced farm clutter[/h3]
Players mentioned that the seasonal debris spawns can be a bit too much, and we agree! We've reduced the spawn rates and also made it such that no debris will spawn within a 2-grid radius around tilled ground and placed items.



[h2]🎮 Controller Support - in development[/h2]
Developer note: Controller support is in development and will only be available to players when it's mostly/fully implemented in all parts of the game!

I've been spending the bulk of my time on controller support. Here's a progress update:
[h3]Interacting by going close to NPCs/signs etc.[/h3]
When walking close to an NPC or interactable sign, an indication will appear, prompting players to interact.


[h3]Grid-detection when using tools[/h3]
Tilling, watering, and planting actions are tied to the grids on the farm. When using the controller, the game detects the grid in front of the player, and tools and actions will update the indicated grid.


[h3]More UI controller implementation[/h3]
In many cases, navigating the game UI with a controller is different from navigating with keyboard and mouse. Here is one example, where the buttons are navigated with the left stick:


[h3]To-do for the controller support update:[/h3]

• Remaining UI (Map, Violet Archive UI, customisation etc.)
  
• Animal and plant interactions
  
• Fishing minigame & other minigames
  
• In-game keyboard for naming player & animals
  
• Updating tutorial & adding glyphs
  
• Controller remapping
  
• Adding Steam Cloud support
  

As you can see, there're quite a few areas where extra consideration and programming are required in order for the controller to work smoothly. Happy to say that we're making steady progress! Our target for the controller update for players is sometime next month (April).

Thank you for reading!
- Miki

Small update:
[v0.1.32.1] Fixed a minor bug from the v0.1.32 update (Some creatures following the player were not triggering their perks).

v0.1.32 Fixed:
- Creature perks with countdown (e.g. boar) sometimes not triggering after loading a game.
- Debris spawning on old crops when new season arrives
- Shaking trees actually drop sticks now.
- Ice Salamander resting state does not show its resting sprite
- Crash related to having a fox/chicken follower and hitting a rock.

Changed:
- Player collision box, to reduce chances that players get stuck on weird environment collisions.
- Seasonal debris spawn: Debris spawns at the beginning of each season will not spawn 2 grids around tilled soil and player-placed items. Also reduced overall spawn rate.
- Added version number in Pause Menu.