Steam News23 July 202511mo ago

Devlog 25

# ------ Announcements ## Sprint 3rd sprint, of the 3rd cycle. Chapter 02/Pass 02. This sprint was even more challenging. My aim was to do more on narrative, and i did manage to do some.

Full notes

Full LifeDev update

Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.

What changed

7 fixes8 additions5 changes1 removal

Gameplay
Performance
UI and audio
Fixes

added## GeneralNEW * Moved to unreal engine 5.6.0.

changed## GeneralImprove: * Game save time is now on UTC (warning). * Patched Sentry being called in a background thread. * Regular optimizations, cleanups, and so on. * A good amount of refactoring and moving stuff. * * Moved chapter loading to `LStoryMan` (not in the build, but scheduled for the next one). * * Moved menu to `LFeatsMan`. * * And more listed in their own category.

added## SettingsNEW:

fixed## SettingsImprove: * Reworked buttons for key binding. Now using button styles. Styles are planned to be used more in the game. * Fixed the message box for re-loading the current save-state.

added## Settings## Art NEW: * Added new plant, cup, 2 types of towels (one unused), coat hanger (unused), toy (unused). * Attempt at adding an app icon.

fixed## SettingsImprove: * Improve item use colors. * Modified flashback material! (again). Removed gooch and changed it a bit. * Improve the intro UI. * * Improved warning screen. * * Reworked savegame screen. * Improve a few of the settings screen. Included key binding. * Fixed issue with roundedness of the dialog box and blurred background. * Adjusted rounded corners for `Teach` and `Prompt` ui. * Changed font for `Teach`. * Disabled some material's "set automatic usage". To reduce the required shader permutations. This is also an optimization. It's a work in progress. * Refactored the dialog animation to use a "retainer" box. * Fixed outro text style.

# ------ Announcements

## Sprint

3rd sprint, of the 3rd cycle. Chapter 02/Pass 02. This sprint was even more challenging. My aim was to do more on narrative, and i did manage to do some. I also made a ton of refactors, which were difficult, but also important. I haven't detailed the refactors and fixes so i've done more than what's shown here.

Play-tests are always welcome open. If you want to help me with your feedback, please contact me :)

Explanation and showcase

View store pageyoutu.be

# ------ Game

## General

This build contains big amounts of refactor.

NEW * Moved to unreal engine 5.6.0.

Improve: * Game save time is now on UTC (warning). * Patched Sentry being called in a background thread. * Regular optimizations, cleanups, and so on. * A good amount of refactoring and moving stuff. * * Moved chapter loading to `LStoryMan` (not in the build, but scheduled for the next one). * * Moved menu to `LFeatsMan`. * * And more listed in their own category.

Known issues: * Screen might flash when loading the next chapter. It's a UE thing, not my code.

## Settings

NEW:

Improve: * Reworked buttons for key binding. Now using button styles. Styles are planned to be used more in the game. * Fixed the message box for re-loading the current save-state.

## Art NEW: * Added new plant, cup, 2 types of towels (one unused), coat hanger (unused), toy (unused). * Attempt at adding an app icon.

Improve: * Improve item use colors. * Modified flashback material! (again). Removed gooch and changed it a bit. * Improve the intro UI. * * Improved warning screen. * * Reworked savegame screen. * Improve a few of the settings screen. Included key binding. * Fixed issue with roundedness of the dialog box and blurred background. * Adjusted rounded corners for `Teach` and `Prompt` ui. * Changed font for `Teach`. * Disabled some material's "set automatic usage". To reduce the required shader permutations. This is also an optimization. It's a work in progress. * Refactored the dialog animation to use a "retainer" box. * Fixed outro text style.

## Chapters

All:

CH00: CH01: * Fixed phone text.

CH02: * Reworked the flow considerably. (Quite some work). * Modified which rooms it uses. With this, finally, each chapter uses different rooms. * Improved data-layer usage. For chapter 02. Still remaining are 03 and 04. * Added `LogicCard02` and `LogicCard03`. Stub, not used. * Reworked hints. Added a bunch. * Improved the character dialog animation. * Added some world-texts.

CH03: CH04:

# ------- Subsystems and plugins

## All

> Public repos for the plugins are updated on a later date, according to (my) availability.

## Flashbacks

## Dialogs

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/Diags

LifeDev: * Ported a bunch of dialogs to the new Auto-dialogs. This is a work in progress (quite large). * Some fixes, some adds, some improves.

Plugin:

## Interactions (and animations)

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/Interact

LifeDev: * Removed code for old item-use. * Consume used item. * Deprecated the `Spot` class in favor of the improved `LInteract`. * * Moved two spots to an interact. This is a work in progress. * Improved unlocking with items. * Renamed auto-dialog for trigger locked. * Removed `LockedItemDlg`, `ULockItemReq`, `ULockItem`. * Added item `OnLook` delegate.

Plugin: * `SetUseHint` is virtual. * Improved the collision profiles. Added some docs. * Some rename and refactor on `finishFlags`, `finishItems`, `itemsRem`, `itemEnsure`, etc. * Improved unlocking. * Deprecated the spot. * Added editor-only field `Comment`. * Fixed ability to trigger multiple times on a self-destroy item. * Conditions and comments are searchable in the Asset Registry.

Puzzle: * Improved/fixed hinting. * Implemented fade.

## Inventory / Flags

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/Inventory

LifeDev:

Teach (NUX): * Added vr as a type. * Fixed dismissing the message for "look at item".

Plugin: * Removed Item's `selfUsable` flag.

## JSignificance

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/JSig

## JUtils

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/JUtils

New: * Added a `LoadScr` subsystem. It's a useful asynchronous loading screen. * * Unfortunately it's not enough for me, so i'm not using it. But it's available for those who might use it.

Improves: * Potentially fix the camera fade.

## Sounds

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/Sounds

LifeDev: * Fixed some sound location on the cabinet doors. * Ported the last `SFXTrigger` to the new `SFXs`. `SFXTrigger` got removed. * Re-imported some audios with an improved sample rate. * Adjusted some levels. * Sounds for: screwdriver, scissor, toilet flush, chair.

Plugin: * Moved some meta-sounds to the plugin. E.g. `SoundSheet`, `RampAndSwitch`.

## Story

https://codeberg.org/jerobarraco/Story

LifeDev: * Removed `WaitTime` from step. * Modified `ActorsShow` to not hide automatically, and added `ActorsHide`. * Modified a bunch of the character dialog animations to use teleport after blend. * * It feels more natural, and helps with the flow, as well as fixing some quirks.

Plugin: * Improved data layer loading. To allow to (optionally) block during load. * * The next step doesn't start until loading is done. You need to specify the streaming to `Blocking` on the data-layer. * * Improves reliability and determinism a bunch. * Implement teleport after camera blend.