23 Jul 2025Developer postOriginal post (opens in a new tab)

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.
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 game page

# ------ 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.