Vox Machinae News

Here are just some of the features we are currently hard at work on:


Work continues on taking our terrain visuals to the next level. We’ve just recently gotten it to a stage where the artists can start converting all assets over to the new system. This is a months-long task, as we’re taking the time to also expand/improve our levels in meaningful ways while they’re under the knife. For a sneak-peak at the current state of Serpent Plains using TT3, check out the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw7ylN6lQSU


We're just getting started on the journey to getting our much-anticipated grinder mods shipped out to you all. That is to say, we got a few of them working to the point where we can play around with their functionality and start tweaking/balancing their gameplay. After that we’ll start doing an art pass on presentation, along with any special case stuff to make sure players understand what the mod will do once equipped. While we’re still a ways off from shipping this feature, it is already showing a lot of promise, shaping up to be another great addition to the game.


As many of you may have noticed in discussions with us over on our Discord server, we’d like to tweak some of the way scoring works on both our Stockpile and Salvage game modes. Specifically, stockpile is currently undergoing some tweaks internally, with the goal of rewarding more strategic teamplay. We’d like to move towards rewarding prolonged control of factories as opposed to just getting a point every X seconds of control. Additionally, we’d also like to create some more interesting point distributions for taking over enemy-controlled factories to encourage comebacks. We’re hoping we can get it finalised for inclusion in our next update, fingers crossed.


What once was an objectives screen, will soon become a status screen. Why the change of heart(name)? Well since we shipped our game, we introduced game mode briefings at the start of matches, so it’s no longer a mystery about how the current mode you’re playing works. With that, the status screen can then be cleaned up a bit, leaving room for more important status information that’s key to your team’s strategy towards winning. This is a mockup of the direction we may take for future revisions of the Status screen’s presentation (in this case showing Stockpile mode).



UPNP is a feature of many home routers that can help prevent some connection problems when one player tries to join a server being hosted by another player. It allows the game to request that the router reserve a specific port for game traffic and not be so strict! If you've ever tried to join someone's game and gotten the Server not responding error message, there is a good chance this will help you out!


Vox currently uses the microphone support built into the Unity game engine. While this works for most people, a few had issues. We are working on hooking into the microphone input available in Steam and Oculus Platform which will hopefully provide a better experience. This will also help simplify things for us since we use the Wwise audio system for speaker output, and removing the dependence on Unity for mic input allows us to disable Unity's audio system completely. We're just testing the new mic input and sorting through some bugs, hope to have it in there soon.

In Summary...
So there you have it, TT3 work continues, grinder modules are taking shape, game mode scoring will improve soon-ish, and misc stuff is also happening! All this to say, we’re continuing to work our butts off in making Vox Machinae better and better, even if sometimes that means doing less exciting stuff along the way.

• Add support for Logitech-branded X52 Pro HOTAS joysticks.
  
• Add deadzone for joystick-type controllers to prevent drift.
  
• Add "-avatar" launch option to force showing the pilot customization screen.
  

ːsummer2019coneː
We've just published a patch that improves Valve Index controller support. This update uses the finger sensors to grab objects instead of the force sensor and results in a much more comfortable experience. It also enables use of the A buttons and thumbsticks, which previously were not mappable.

If you have modified the controller mapping using the Steam VR mapping editor, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you switch to the official mapping in order to be able to use the grip properly. You can then make any modifications you like to this new mapping (you are also able to edit the mapping using the in-game menu). For new players and those who have not edited the mapping this should (hopefully) happen automatically.

The default controls for Index controllers have changed a little bit. The menu is now operated with the Left Thumbstick and Right A/B buttons for Select/Back. Aiming on the scope is now mapped to Right Thumbstick by default. All other inputs remain the same.

Tutorials and weapon grouping prompts now also feature graphics specifically for the Index controllers.

This update does not add full finger tracking, which we do hope to incorporate in the future.

Also, due to a game engine upgrade this patch is unfortunately fairly large, and we do apologize for the inconvenience this might cause.

If your grip is NOT working after the update, please follow these instructions:
- open Steam VR
- click the menu symbol in the top left corner
- Pick Devices > Configure Controller
- click Vox Machinae
- under Current Controller, ensure Index Controller is selected
- under Current Binding, ensure Vox Machinae Index Controller Mapping is selected
- if not currently selected, find it in the list underneath and click View, then Select This Binding

See below for the full patch notes:
0.33.2 alpha

• Fix controller prompt for left trackpad press incorrectly showing left thumbstick press.
  
• Valve Index: Add controller graphics for Valve Index controllers.
  
• Valve Index: Added custom Steam VR controller profile for Valve Index controllers. Now able to use A buttons and thumbsticks. Grip has been changed from force sensor to capacitive touch sensor for more natural grabbing.
  
• Valve Index: The menu is now operated with the Left Thumbstick to navigate and Right A/B buttons for select/back.
  
• Valve Index: If you have made your own Steam VR controller mapping, we recommend using the new default mapping for the best experience and to ensure you have access to all controller buttons.
  
• Valve Index: Default controller mapping has changed. Aiming now defaults to right thumbstick. If you have edited the controller mapping using the in-game menu, we recommend resetting the mapping for each controller.
  

0.33.3 alpha

• Fix some errors that could occur during Convoy mode.
  
• Fix error that could occur when Oculus Touch controller runs out of battery.
  
• Adjust grabbing thresholds. Grabs when 80% depressed, releases when 20% depressed.
  

0.33.4 alpha

• Add settings for motion control grip grab and release threshold.
  
• Add setting to disable hand tracking.
  
• Hands will no longer snap to default position when an untracked controller is moved/pressed. Please use the "hand tracking" setting if you have tracked controllers that cannot easily be turned off and want to use traditional inputs.
  

With just a few days into summer, we at Space Bullet felt it was prime time to get things really heated up in Vox Machinae. Say hello to our Summer Update, jam-packed with new content to unload and lay digital waste on your fellow grinder pilots.


To get things started, we’re proud to finally unveil our first ever Co-op gameplay mode, Convoy. As the title suggests, you and up to 3 other fellow pilots are tasked with protecting 3 mining trucks making their way through our treacherous battlefields. Along the way you’ll be greeted by the gunfire of enemy scavenger trucks and grinders, so stay sharp and protect those piggies. What’s more, you’ll have to keep a keen eye out for bigger foes and even competing enemy convoys attempting to cross your path as they chart their own course. Fear not though, as you may encounter optional opportunities in the form of dormant grinders and factories to capture and benefit from along your journey to the goal.


People are always tell us that our signature jumpjet gameplay is one of the most compelling aspects of Vox Machinae. That got us to thinking, what if there was a grinder that could FLY? Well that’s just what we did! Sort of. Introducing Overhaul, the double fixed-mount medium class grinder featuring hummingbird propulsion jets. What’s hummingbird you say? It allows Overhaul to hover effortlessly over the terrain, surveying the battlefield below. With those 2 fixed weapon mounts, he can unleash a unique combo of weaponry on those poor pilots below.


Speaking of weaponry, the summer update once again delivers with our two new guns, Pulsar and Hammer. Pulsar adds to our roster of small weapons, doling out a triple shot of magnetically-charged projectiles that proximity explode near enemies to deliver splashy damage goodness. Meanwhile, Hammer delivers the goods in a dramatically different way. Available to grinder pilots in fixed-mount form, this giant homing missile can be guided by the pilot’s cursor for targeted explosive glory. What’s more, once a player commits to a target and lets go of the fire button, the missile sheds its casing and accelerates to expedite delivery of its payload. Oh and did we mention that it can be controlled via your scope monitor? Because it totally can!

So to sum things up, hovering grinder, guns, and co-op glory is the name of THIS game with our summer update, available NOW!

Here are the patch notes that list some other fixes, etc:
0.33.0 alpha

• New improved textures for grinders with more detail and paint decals and so on.
  
• New Grinder: Overhaul. Float like a butterfly, and sting like a missile-tossing nightmare.
  
• New co-op game mode: Convoy. Team up with your pals and see how high you can crank the difficulty!
  
• Enabled Remix options are displayed in the lobby for all to see.
  
• New small mount weapon: Pulsar. Toss some quarks or whatever at the enemy and make them Pul-sore!
  
• New fixed mount weapon: Hammer. When you've got a giant guided missile, you can really nail those baddies!
  
• Pressing any button on a controller (even if unmapped) will now cause that controller to become the active controller.
  
• Picking up/moving a motion controller will now cause that controller to become the active controller.
  
• When switching from motion controllers to an untracked controller (like mouse/gamepad), the hands will now snap to a default position.
  
• Fix training mission saying "there is no input mapped" to aim when using a mouse.
  
• Fix leg of Grinders kicking backwards after landing, resulting in getting moving again more quickly.
  

0.33.1 alpha

• Possible fix for some rare controller detection errors.
  

ːsummerskullː

On the path towards shipping any product, a development team will iterate countless times on assets/gameplay/code/pipelines for the game with the goal of increasing quality and fun while simultaneously improving their internal processes. So it’s only natural that at a certain point we run out of iterations we can cram in, and some aspects ship with room for improvement past Early Access release. Here are two examples of the things we always wanted to come back to, and how we are now working to improve them since our EA release.

Terrain Tech 3 (TT3 for short) (click to biggie-size it)

This one is a doozie. For starters, internally we have gone through many more than 2 versions of the terrain system of our game. There was a time when everything was going to be procedural, then everything was going to have unique textures everywhere, and finally we landed on a combination of the two. We went with procedurally designed textures that get tiled and combined at runtime to give the illusion of uniqueness. Ultimately the solution we chose, while serviceable, came at the cost of video memory.

The terrain solution at launch was working, but ultimately push came to shove when we started running out of memory and file size to cram new content the game as we patched and improved it. So the lion’s share of memory use, which was still taken up by our terrain system, needed to be readdressed in order for us to improve the game further. Enter TT3.

Taking cues from megatextures along with our own Space Bullet innovations, TT3 is being built to shave down on memory use and drawcalls (# of objects displaying to the player) while also boosting texture fidelity. And heck, while we’re at it let's fix our long-standing terrain seam/gap issues and throw in support for new stuff like ambient occlusion textures and glowing objects. It’s a tall order, and one that needs time in order to get it looking just right. So while it’s still several months from its debut, on the screenshot you can see the kinds of improvements to expect when its done (distant visuals are not yet working atm).

Grinder Visual Improvements (click to biggie-size it)

While our grinders have always had a unique look to them, one element that didn't make the EA release was armour panelling on grinders. Now you’re probably thinking we’re being nit-picky, and you’d be right! But, when 95% of the grinder’s surface area IS panelling, wouldn’t it make sense to give it the love that it deserves? We’re talkin’ bolts, little hatches, lettering/numbering, logos, markings, and of course, more rust. Also new with this update are dynamically paintable accents, which can be used by the game to give the grinders some added colour variety. Click the thumbnail below to check it out, oh and it’s coming in our next content update.


So there you have it, some deep under-the-hood work being done to elevate our visuals as we continue to work feverishly to take VOX closer to Version 1 release, one element at a time.

We're also working on finishing up a new content update for y'all and there will be more info to share about that very soon.

ːlunar2019piginablanketː

Hello, Pilots!
Today's patch brings you a bunch of improvements to hosting matches, tweaking your cockpit, and some weapon adjustments. Be on the lookout for a future article to learn about some of the new content coming up in the next major update.

• Host can adjust Match Config settings such as Duration and Remix toggles after match has started.
  
• Dedicated Server launched without a playlist will become a player-controlled server. The first player to join will become host. Look for servers labelled "FreePlay" to take advantage of this new feature.
  
• Add support for CH Fighterstick.
  
• Add support for CH Pro Throttle.
  
• Add support for Saitek X45 Flight Control Stick.
  
• Hands will no longer fly into the air when tracking is lost on some motion controller types.
  
• Revamped explosive weapon damage. New method takes into account surface area of the component, volume of the explosion, and other factors when calculating damage. In general, smaller components take less damage, and larger ones more damage.
  
• Reticle can now be offset both horizontally and vertically. It can also be offset in smaller increments.
  
• Remove "DISABLED" aim speed, add "2.0" aim speed choice.
  
• Head-tracked aiming on the scope for VR users. (Default is the old manual aiming. Look in the menu under Controls > Aiming to change to the new style.)
  
• Eject handle position can now can be offset forward/back and up/down.
  
• Fix JOIN menu freezing when trying to connect to a server you are already connected to.
  
• Fix some cases of radial menus not fading out properly.
  
• Fix Space Bullet splash screen timing and fading issues.
  
• Skyjacker requires targets to be moving slightly faster than before to detonate. Damage dealt is much more consistent per shot.
  

It's gettin' hot! ː2016snoconeː