Golfing In Aether News

Todays update focuses on improving ghost recording, overall replication, and replay playback. Thanks to the replay mode in yesterdays update I was able to scrutinise the playback of ghosts and significantly improve them. Only new ghosts will contain added data required, but leaderboards will be reset before launch anyway.

In case you don’t happen to care about replays as a feature, how ghosts and replays are handled is basically using the same functions as what multiplayer replication uses, so improving one can also improve the other. Plus given it can also be a bit hard to see what some other player is doing as their ball wizzes past you in multiplayer, the ability to record and play this replication back over and over is very useful for debugging purposes as you can imagine.

If you want to see a replay with these improvements then I recommend playing one of recently added levels such as ‘Bogeytown’, ‘Spin Cycle’, ‘Drop to the left…’ etc. as its quite possible you haven’t played these yet and thus will be easy to set a new leaderboard entry. Also if you are enjoying playing the demo then please don't forget to add the game to your wishlist :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914980/Golfing_In_Aether/

[h2]General[/h2]

• Fixed up an issue with replicated rotation for newer method.
  
• Fixed resetting in replay not undoing a balls rotation.
  
• Fixed undoing in practice mode not completely undoing data destined for leaderboards.
  
• Added various performance optimizations via reducing calculations needed to replicated movement.
  
• Added change to how ghosts and replays are handled to have much greater rotation accuracy while at same time decreasing data size. All previous leaderboard ghosts will no longer work with rotation as a result of this change but they are due to be reset before launch anyway. Location replication still works fine.
  
• Added improvements to saved leaderboards data by moving to a more event driven array setup. What this means is only changes need to be stored per index reducing data needed considerably.
  
• Added power level at stroke to stored data in ghost. This allows for reproduction of sound.
  
• Added marker for holeout to stored data in ghost. This allows for more precise replay length. Additional changes have been made so the entering hole sound plays when entering the hole.
  
• Added markers for hit sounds to stored data in ghost. This allows for reproduction of a hit sound when a ball impacts a specific surface. A limit of 1 sound per 0.05 seconds is in place.
  
• Added additional stroke launch sound level.
  
• Added improvement to the spawning of practice levels so they inherit the expected location range as you would find in a standard session. This specifically may affect lighting and other environmental factors.
  

[h2]Interface[/h2]

• Added improvements to replay HUD timeline and skip time functions. The end time for newly recorded ghosts will be the holeout time and not end of recorded data. Also while the ball will ‘play’ naturally beyond the holeout time, if you skip backwards the skip will start at the hole entry time.

Be sure to check out the official discord server with channels for Golfing In Aether and my other various projects.

This update introduces the replay system starting out initially with available playback of leaderboard entries via the practice menu.


The replay HUD lets you adjust the play rate, skip time, and reset. As of the previous update you can also activate free camera and fly around to get any view you wish as well in any spectating state.

Please note that existing leaderboard entries simply lack specific data so a few things like stroke counts and rotation may appear odd depending how old the entry is.

Specific issues include stroke counts were not factoring in undo, so in some cases you’ll just see “7” as stoke number because the player probably had a dozen attempts and then reset before the final ghost was recorded etc. In other cases, you’ll see entries with a previous rotation method being stored which can be a bit wonky. Additionally, some levels have been moved around since the first leaderboard entries were made.

All of these will be cleared before launch and new leaderboard entries record better already. With this system I’ll be able to observe and fix things a lot easier too. Also an area where definite improvement is needed is to synchronize the obstacles, and that will be something for a future update.

The end-goal with this replay system is to extend it to be able to playback all holes of full 16-player games which will work via the previously added session history menu. The point of it so you can go back and take screenshots, record video, or just check out how a specific shot was made. I welcome feedback on the quality and overall usability of the interface as it gets expanded over time.

There are a few other changes in the full patch notes below so please check those out. If you are enjoying playing the demo then please add the game to your wishlist :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914980/Golfing_In_Aether/

[h2]General[/h2]

• Fixed an instance where a local controller wasn’t removed correctly.
  
• Added improvements to local controller handling so they can be used out of order. I.e. start a game with player 1 and player 3 on the profile select screen.
  
• Added various backend tidy ups to player name fading in and out.
  
• Added added rule to block entering free camera when the player you are spectating is inside a hole (or pipe).
  
• Added ability to watch a replay of your own leaderboard ghost, or others via the leaderboard menu in practice menu.
  
• Added ability to control game speed during replay playback. The environment including sounds will be effected by these changes but your ability to move the camera will not.
  
• Added improvements to all inputs to account for global time dilation.
  
• Fixed various ghost related issues relating to stroke count handling.
  
• Fixed an instance where the top camera could interfere with spectating.

[h2]Environment[/h2]

• Fixed a few wall gaps on ‘Bogeytown’.

[h2]Interface[/h2]

• Fixed an instance where the next available player name was shown during hole out in the spectating screen for a spectator who is in free camera.
  
• Added various tidyups to back-end logic handling for spectator names.
  
• Fixed game menu showing “disconnect from the session” instead of simply “end session” as a description for returning to the main menu.
  
• Added improvements to how keyboard keys are represented, and defaulted to some common symbols instead for keys that cannot be condensed. So ‘Backspace’ got changed to ⟵ etc. I’ve kept others like TAB as simply ‘TAB’ as it wouldn’t be saving space and I’m not sure every user would recognise symbols for those anyway.
  
• Fixed an instance where opening the game menu would still send input to the spectator menu.

Be sure to check out the official discord server with channels for Golfing In Aether and my other various projects.

Todays update is mostly quality of life with a few bug-fixes thrown in too. Included is the ability to pause the game when playing solo, see-through some close camera blocking obstructions like trees, and use free camera while spectating.


While playing solo in any mode and proceeding to open the game menu it will now pause the game, and visibly show in menu subtitle ‘paused’ like in the screenshot above. Only the element of the game 'pausing' is new, the interface was already present. If you are in game with other people, this cannot be paused and it instead say, ‘not paused’. Should a player join the game via either being public or you are inviting them, while the game is paused, the game will un-pause.


When spectating other players, typically it will follow the current active player but instead you have the option to activate free camera and fly around the level without restriction. When its a local players turn in hotseat mode the camera will be returned as normal. When not playing hotseat the text will just say 'Spectating' as you are not focusing on a specific player, however in hotseat as only one player may be active it will always display the active player.


What you are looking at in the picture above is a specifically set object type such as the tree appearing translucent as your camera is close it it and its obstructing your view. Currently the only other mesh type supporting it is those red fences but I may look into other objects should any prove problematic. If you don't like the effect you can disable it under graphics settings, given theres typically no more than four or five trees per island the performance benefit of disabling would be very small even on low end systems.

There are a few other changes in the full patch notes below so please check those out. If you are enjoying playing the demo then please add the game to your wishlist :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914980/Golfing_In_Aether/

[h2]General[/h2]

• Added proximity dithering effect if your camera is in proximity to the base of a tree or one of the fences. This effectively lets you see through these meshes when really close to them.
  
• Added graphics setting option to disable proximity dithering. Given the number objects that use this is small (trees and fences) I would say the performance gain from disabling would be minor at best, however the option is present regardless.
  
• Added ability to pause the game. Way this works is if you are playing in any mode solo, when you open the game menu it will pause the game, and visibly show in menu subtitle ‘paused’. If you are in game with other people, this cannot be paused and it instead say, ‘not paused’. Should a player join the game via either being public or you are inviting them, while the game is paused, the game will un-pause.
  
• Added various blocks to prevent the game menu opening during holeout. You can open the game menu however while spectating.
  
• Fixed an instance where the new rotation replication of previous update wasn’t correctly handling instances where balls where spawning at exactly zero rotation. This occurred only in hotseat and only on a handful of levels, notably ‘Time To Reflect’.
  
• Added ability to activate free camera while in spectating.
  

[h2]Environment[/h2]

• Fixed a collision problem on ‘One Hill Over’ due tree proximity to the track.
  
• Fixed fences obstructing camera on ‘Gentle Swing’ and ‘See You On The Other Side’.
  
• Added change to collisions on movers so they don’t obstruct free camera, or regular camera.

[h2]Interface[/h2]

• Fixed a visual error for the scoreboard break down when looking at it from an early round. This did not effect any of the actual handling of placement, your simple score, or the final reported result.

Be sure to check out the official discord server with channels for Golfing In Aether and my other various projects.

Todays update fixes a few more issues found in testing as well as introduces optional on-screen player names.


I wanted to give the option for these as I see it commonly suggested for other games. I always like to keep things minimalistic and not have the screen over-crowded, so this isn't just functionally floating text, theres quite a bit of added behavior to both fade out the names over a distance of 7 meters, as well as follow various other rules to just help in keeping things tidy. These names are enabled by default, you'll find the option to disable these in game settings. If you encounter any issues with player names please let me know.

There are a few other changes in the full patch notes below so please check those out. If you are enjoying playing the demo then please add the game to your wishlist :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914980/Golfing_In_Aether/

[h2]General[/h2]

• Added player names. These are visible up to 7 meters and will fade in or out based on varying conditions.
  
• Added game settings option to turn player names on or off. They are enabled by default.
  
• Added an ‘Inspect’ feature to the practice leaderboard menu which will let you view a players Steam Profile. Works via standard Steam API’s so usual privacy options apply.
  
• Fixed an issue with applying game settings while in split screen which could affect the field of view.
  
• Fixed when disconnecting a local player, you would have a low field of view.

[h2]Environment[/h2]

• Fixed a blocked hole on ‘Pick A Hole’ due to recent update.
  
• Fixed a small missing wall piece on ‘Gentle Swing’.

Be sure to check out the official discord server with channels for Golfing In Aether and my other various projects.

Todays update continues on with various fixes and tidy-ups, but also introduces a new early game level and some additional environment sounds.


This is a slightly different take on the vertically orientated windmills found in recently added level “What Goes Around...” with you being required to trick-shot your way to hole-in-one. Overall this level is a relatively simple one and can be found in the early game. Its designed to introduce the mechanic more-or-less without other hazards to really contend with.


I’ve added a few more sounds such as for the ‘plop’ sound when you fall in the water, and the ‘hit’ sound effect of impacting the wooden windmills. In addition to there’s been various mesh tidy-ups where minor stuff like gaps were found.

There are a few other changes in the full patch notes below so please check those out. If you are enjoying playing the demo then please add the game to your wishlist :)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914980/Golfing_In_Aether/

[h2]General[/h2]

• Added new early game level.
  
• Added improved replication for rotation which will also affect ghosts. Because this involves recording data differently, existing leaderboard ghosts will not take advantage of this behaviour, but as these will be reset soon enough, I figured it was best to leave these as is with additional support for them. In the release game only the new rotation values will be stored.
  
• Added graphics option to disable planar reflections found on water.
  
• Added improvements to ball stopping behaviour by factoring in floor normal. If the surface is essentially flat and the ball is at a very low speed about to stop it will stop much quicker rather than the previous what felt like a half a second wait for it truly stop at times.

[h2]Environment[/h2]

• Added sound effect for impacting wood constructions – e.g. water wheels, windmills, fences etc.
  
• Added sound effect for impacting rocks.
  
• Added sound effect for landing in water.
  
• Added performance optimization to water plane.
  
• Fixed a section of water lacking planar reflections on ‘mind the gap’.
  
• Fixed assorted alignment issues with water on various levels.
  
• Fixed a missing rock on ‘What Goes Around…’.
  
• Fixed red fences blocking camera.
  
• Fixed a gap on ‘Getting Tee’d Off’.
  
• Fixed some ground pieces not lining up with walls correctly on ‘Gentle Swing’.
  
• Fixed vertical orientated windmills physical material having its restitution set a little high.

[h2]Interface[/h2]

• Fixed release references from ‘Fall’ to ‘September’.

Be sure to check out the official discord server with channels for Golfing In Aether and my other various projects.