MateEngine 1.8.0
Major Menu and UI Changes
* The AI Chat, Settings, and Clothes menus are now combined into a single Circle Menu. Right-click to open the Circle Menu and access all three features instead of using separate keybinds.
* The Settings menu automatically moves to the left if your pet is sitting on the right edge of the screen, making controls more accessible.
* Head pats and hand holding are disabled while the Circle Menu, Settings, or Clothes menus are open. This prevents overlapping and awkward UI interactions.
New Features
* Big Screen Mode (Beta): Open the new Radial menu and press the Face or Head icon to make your pet appear extra large on your screen. You can touch its hair and pet the head by holding the left mouse button. This is still a beta feature, so some VRM or physics limitations may apply. Future updates may add an alarm function and custom expressions. There are also plans for screensaver-style automatic activation after user inactivity.
* The AI Chat’s chat bubbles now use your main and radial menu colors for a consistent and modern look.
Behavior and Functional Improvements
* Taskbar and window sitting behavior is improved. When you scale the avatar, it tries to stay positioned on top of the window or taskbar. The results may vary depending on the VRM file's base size.
* You can no longer scale the mascot while dragging it. This prevents glitches and positioning errors.
* AI Chat movement is more natural. The chat bubble is attached to the pet’s upper body and swings based on the avatar’s movement.
AI and Performance Updates
* The AI model has been updated from Qwen 2.5 1.5b to the new Qwen 3.0 1.7b model. This version responds more naturally and cutely. It is not perfect (since it uses only 1.7 billion parameters), but it offers the best experience for most systems.
* Note: Local Chat AI uses about 3 to 5 GB of RAM when active and is CPU-intensive. A Ryzen 5 or Intel Core 5 from 2020 or newer is recommended for smooth AI chat.
* Code cleanups and lower memory usage: The app now uses less memory overall. At startup, Task Manager may show 350 to 500 MB with the default model, but after the first garbage collection (which runs every 15 minutes), usage drops to 150 to 300 MB. Memory usage may vary with different models.
* The FPS number now uses the correct size. Previously, it was larger than other text.
* The FPS number is now right-aligned for a cleaner appearance.
* The FPS slider now uses only whole numbers. This fixes the problem where setting it to 60 FPS could result in rendering at 59 or 61 FPS.
* Five new dances have been added: Hip-Hop, Salsa, Sexy, and Shuffle.
* The Can Dance menu is now merged into the main menu, helping to save screen space for settings.
* The Mod Menu is also merged into the main menu to reduce clutter.
* A "Back" button has been added to the Mod List, VRM Model List, and Can Dance menus, based on your feedback. This should make navigation much clearer.
* Chibi Mode is now accessible in the new Circle or Radial menu. You no longer have to hover over the feet to enable or disable it.
* Chibi Mode now uses the same particle effects as the head pat animation.
Important Information about the Radial Menu
* In some animation states, such as dancing, certain functions may not be available. This is intentional and not a bug. For example, the AI Chat button is unavailable while the mascot is dancing; you need to be idle to talk to your mascot. This prevents interruptions in different animation states. Most options are available when your pet is idle.
Clothes for Zome
* Zome now has three example clothes buttons, accessible from the Circle Menu.
* Only .ME files support clothes toggles. .VRM0.x and .VRM1.x do not support clothes toggles.
* You must set up clothes toggles yourself on your .ME model by following this guide:
[https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/wiki/MateSDK#meclothes](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/wiki/MateSDK#meclothes)
Other Changes
* Added complete Japanese translation.
* Added complete Traditional Chinese translation.
* Added complete Korean translation.
* Improved the overall font structure of the menu for better readability and consistency across languages. The menu should now look much cleaner.
* The Audio Settings icon is now aligned to the right side of the menu to prevent translated text from overlapping with the icon.
* Fixed an issue where the menu glow effect was being cut off by the app, which made the menu look odd.
* Fixed an issue where sliders in different menus had inconsistent color shades.
* Added 8K textures to the default model "Zome."
Two New Avatars Added
1. Aldina
Author: Yorshka (also creator of Zome)
Description: A cute, tiny anime witch girl featuring a unique mix of red, silver, and toxic green colors.
Author’s Website: [https://yorshkasencho.booth.pm/](https://yorshkasencho.booth.pm/)
2. Lazuli
Author: Elychiffon
Description: Lazuli is a magical, adorable catgirl—perfect for all neko lovers! Includes a clothes toggle feature to easily switch clothes on or off.
Author’s Website: [https://elychiffon.booth.pm/](https://elychiffon.booth.pm/)
Fixed and Requested Community Changes
* Issue 35: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/35](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/35)
* Issue 74: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/74](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/74)
* Issue 136 / 96: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/136](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/136)
* Issue 131: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/131](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/131)
* Issue 123: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/123](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/123)
* Issue 76: [https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/76](https://github.com/shinyflvre/Mate-Engine/issues/76)