Whirligig - Beta release 5.62, bug killing, optimisation and other stuff

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Hi everyone,

This is another big update!
The main focus this time is on bug fixes, performance improvements, and core system optimisation. I’ve been working hard to polish Whirligig so I can move forward on solid ground.

I’ve tested everything thoroughly, but as always, some issues might have slipped through the cracks — so please let me know if you spot anything!

[/p][h2]Core Update [/h2][h3]Unity 6 & URP Implementation[/h3][p]One of the biggest backend updates: Whirligig now runs on Unity 6000.2.8f1 with the Universal Render Pipeline (URP).
This was a major change that took a couple of months to complete.

Benefits include:[/p]

• [p] Significantly faster loading times[/p]
• [p] Much better resource management[/p]
• [p]Noticeable performance boosts (especially during playback)[/p]
• [p] Easier future updates and feature additions[/p]
• [p] Better long-term support and stability
  [/p]

[h3]Input System Overhaul[/h3][p]The old input and mapping system was needed a major overhaul as I wrote it a long time ago. It had a noticeable performance cost and was tricky to maintain. I’ve completely rewritten it for better stability, performance, and usability.

You’ll notice:[/p]

• [p] Much smoother slider movement[/p]
• [p] Analog inputs (like tilt) now respond incrementally to pressure on thumbsticks [/p]
• [p] Overall, a more responsive feel when using controllers[/p]

[p][/p][h3]VLC (VideoLan) Update[/h3][p]Whirligig uses the official VLC plugin, and I’ve updated it to the latest version.
There were a few tricky parts that needed brute-force fixes to make things work as expected, but those have been cleaned up.

The result: improved playback performance and more predictable behavior across the board.

[/p][h3]Explorer Improvements[/h3][p]The Explorer has been heavily optimised for both thumbnail and list views.

Improvements include:
[/p]

• [p] Much faster thumbnail generation and loading[/p]
• [p] Supports larger directories without slowdown[/p]
• [p] More reliable thumbnail frame capture[/p]
• [p] Several long-standing bugs have been fixed[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Multi-Monitor Feature[/h3][p]If you haven’t seen it yet, the multi-monitor mapping feature lets you combine several displays or projectors into one continuous screen.

You can read more about it here:[/p][p]real-world-360-degree-mapping-multiple-projectors[/p][p]This feature has been fully updated and is now compatible with all the latest Whirligig changes. I will be doing a full breakdown of this hopefully soon so if you're interested keep an eye out for the release. [/p][h2] Other Updates & Additions [/h2]

• [p]360 rooms have improved screen alignment.[/p]
• [p]Two new 3D environments:[/p]

• [p] An outdoor camping area[/p]
• [p] A post-apocalyptic desert scene[/p]
• [p]Custom video thumbnails can now be generated from Settings → About.[/p]
• [p]Audio-reactive backgrounds have been refined for smoother and more dynamic visuals.[/p]

[p][/p][h2] Feedback & Bug Reports[/h2][p]This is a big technical update, so there’s a chance a few new bugs snuck in.
If you notice anything odd, please let me know!

You can post feedback here on Steam or on the main discussion page, or email me directly at [email protected] with examples or logs. [/p][p][/p][h2] Thank You[/h2][p]A huge thank you to everyone who continues to use and support Whirligig.
Your feedback, patience, and encouragement mean the world to me.

If you enjoy using Whirligig, a positive review really helps keep development going.
And if you’ve got suggestions for new features — I’m always listening!

Until next time,
Happy watching![/p]