Archive for the ‘World building’ Category

Cell Block D-5

I know, it’s the last day of September. I’m still trying to fix the Cell Block D-5 cuffs, and potentially break everything in the process.

I’ve done a complete rewrite of the cuffs that should, ideally, fix some of the lost updates on busy instances. There is a good chance that I’ve royally messed up, but only time will tell.

I also added a new prisoner sheet to the relevant paperwork pad.

Froznovia

I have been building. A lot.

I think the sawmill at the end of the main artery is exactly the type of sight line I’d like: big imposing building that swallow the end of the road.

I finally have a template done for the A blocks. It is pretty basic and my ceiling heights/floor heights are all wrong, but it is a start. I’ve put perforated plates on the north face because that’s the one that faces the Protektor barracks, and they would have complained about the stares. All the windows still need frames, windowsill, glass, and bars of course.

I also need a few variants and to revise the interior layout, especially for the laundry building.

The tractor garage is still sitting there, unfinished 🙁

I was supposed to post much earlier, but I kept trying to do it while I was too tired to do so.

I’ve pushed a bunch of small map updates for the Cell Block D-5. It led to bugs, which led to more updates… I’m sorry about all of that.

• Fixed audio muffling and handcuff serialization glitches.
• Added card reader contacts to the Protektor console and fixed lighting issues on the paper bins.
• Small security hot-fix to help long-running instances.
• Mirror doesn’t show the HUD anymore and renders a little less, for better performances.
• Fixed the handcuff snap-back bug.
• Fixed the screen blocker getting stuck (it will hold this time, I swear!).

I’ve also done work on a new version of the prisoner’s uniform that is more directly Froznovia-themed. I’ll take some non-Blender pictures once I sort the dynamic numbering issue… which might require its own mesh, I’m not sure

A few things I’ve added & changed:

• The shift change takeover window is now for VR users only, sorry.
• HUD “Protektor on duty” indicator for Protektor status (localized).
• FZ-12 prisoner case blank document added to the blank form pad.
• Security card animation when locking/unlocking the Protektor console.
• Lowered the default media player volume.
• Added a blinking LED animation during shift change to make it more visible.
• Added a boot screen to the Protektor console.
• Unused handcuffs return to their dock when unused and on shift change.

I think I am going to keep polishing this until October 1st (maybe the elevator?) and then it will be time to start the yearly Halloween special project!

Thank you everyone for being so patient.

Froznovia time

The map now features a rack-mounted WURMTEK-branded dot-matrix clock panel. It uses the new time system established in the world of Froznovia after “The Incident”:

Without getting into the nitty-gritty, after “The Incident” the world was forced to adapt to a new reality, and that’s when the new time system was adopted:

• The Incident marks Year 0.
• Years and months do exist, but it is common to count days since The Incident.
• 10 cycles (Zyklus) per day.
• 100 “minutes” per cycle, each with 100 seconds.

Protektor console

The “Warden” role is now officially the “Protektor.” The console features green phosphor CRT and Fraktur rendering—a fitting touch for WURMTEK.

The console now handles shift changes every cycle. It releases the Protektor shift card for 100 seconds, allowing anyone to take over. If no one takes it, the current Protektor is allowed to remain on duty for the new shift.

Which means:

• AFK Protektors can be replaced by an active player during and after shift change.
• The role cannot be hoarded indefinitely anymore.
• Private role-play groups can ignore this system.
• Busy instances won’t get stuck with an AFK or bad Protektor.
• Shift change is synchronized across all live instances of the map.

Overall improvements

• Fixed incorrect shaders on most map labels.
• Added clean stenciled labels to the cell doors and the elevator.
• Added two paper pads with Froznovia-themed forms (purely for world building and RP hooks).

Map Versions: 12/12 vs 30/30

There are now a 30/30 and a 12/12 version of the map. They are completely identical, save for the max player count.

12 is better semi-public RP instances, and easier on your PC. Use it, or don’t if you prefer hosting crowd baths. Your call.

I’ve completed a couple of things about the map that I think I should have mentioned before:

• Fixed a small issue where a deposed Warden would be able to re-spawn from the current cell.
• Prisoner case files for Froznovia characters. (Hans, Alina, Mika, Sofiya).
• Case files for the “VR” residents too, (two at the moment).
• I’ve added an early version of a clock that tells the in-universe Froznovia time.
• A copy of the Cell Block D-5 map is now live on the VRChat Labs, configured to a 12/12 player cap (as originally intended).

I really would like to find a way to present/hint as the existence of Erika von Kroenen and Gregor Petrovich within the map too, but I’m not sure yet how. Staff files could be interesting, but their presence would make no sense. Putting their faces on the security cards later would be an option, but it still feels like a stretch.

I’ve tried getting some modeling done this week, but I’m not getting any of the important things done.

I drafted two parts: a lore dump about a defunct company: “Sonne Mond und Sterne” (using it worries me because it is a big tangent from the Froznovia setting), and a half-finished scene between Erika and Mika.

I’ve updated the Patreon-only release of the Froznovia paperwork batch. There were a handful of fixes that I had to apply. I also resolved some consistency issues, cleaned up the source files & made them available.

I’ve also added the prisoner case file cover sheet template. And I’m finishing up an update on the case files available in the Prison Cell Block D-5. It’s boring stuff, I just made the photos muddier, and I’m trying to make everyone’s fingerprints unique and to shift everything around just slightly.

There! More documents, mugshots this time! I’ve been practicing filling these out and giving them a little bit of character. Two based on avatars, and two that are Froznovia OCs.
Not entirely satisfied with those, I’m waiting for some artworks to make them a little more unique looking.

I have, so far, resisted using the triple mugshot format. But that’s only because it doesn’t fit.

Yes. Alina was always based on Ariane Yeong.

I’m also adding this new template to the Patreon rewards.

These are also in the prisoner file pad in Prison Cell Block D-5 in VRChat.

I don’t know if this will be anyone’s cup of tea, but I decided to release the Froznovia paperwork I’ve done so far.

• F-29 Requisition form.
• F-83 Transfer form.
• FZ-17 Disciplinary report.
• FZ-22 Interrogation report.

I’ve exported them in PDF for people who want to print them for their own nefarious uses (yes, I met those people).
And as 1920×1080 PNG files.
I haven’t finished cleaning up the source LibreOffice Draw files but I will release those too once they are ready.

If that’s something you’re interested in, I’ve made it available on Patreon.

Yes, I really am melting.

I’m currently going through an increasingly worsening heatwave, which coincide with a bunch of my scheduled real-world appointments. That means that despite the absolutely insane temperature, I have to spend a lot of my time outside, commuting between places. And the worst days are yet to come.

I haven’t managed to do very much, but I’ve started working a potential “sub-basement” for the Prison Cell Block D-5 (that also means new assets of course). Lore wise, this would effectively be the sub-basement D-4, darker, more humid, deeper… I don’t know if I want to keep going, but I do know what D-2 and D-1 would look like already.

That’s a lot of basements, I know.

My idea is to create new modules that fit my original cells, 3×3 or larger. Currently, I have planned those crawl “bunker” cells I posted before, and some sort of “interrogation” room with a one-way viewing mirror. Who knows, maybe I’ll finally complete the tiger chair and the steel furniture kit?

I DID manage to release a small update to the VRChat Prison Cell Block D-5 map:

• The changelog & Warden system are not visible in screenshots anymore.
• The Isolation cell (ISO-1) is soundproofed, just like the padded cells.
• One of the padded cells now has a bed (if you can call it that).
• A few minor personal changes (adjusted some of the cell numbers & bowl numbers).

A reminder that, if you like all the free work I do (outside the paid content of course), you can support me via Patreon!

And here is another update to the VRChat “Prison Cell Block D-5”.

• Recapture system that I broke when I improved the item return system is now fixed.
• There is a video player now, and it is wired into the Warden system, just like the rest.
• Three of the cells now have a very small TV screen, I’m still working on making them toggle-able (that’s what the buttons on the console are for).
• The padded cell doors now muffle voices and avatar sounds.

I plan on tightening some of the existing systems in the near future. For instance, opening & closing the doors need to be decoupled into distinct messages to make them more consistent. There have been a few language updates to Udon scripts. I need to learn how to leverage them.

The information page has been updated to reflect the changes.

List of things to do

• Tightening security on what can & can’t be reached by players.
• Map-version of my stun-prod for the Warden.
• Interrogation chair, my beloved.
• Mirror/seats/collider options as persistent preference.
• A more intuitive way to tell cuffed players where their wrists should be.
• Smarter mirrors that don’t require to be toggled on/off manually.
• Move all preferences (maybe even the warden UI) into a dedicated local menu.
• Notification to all players whenever the warden role moves to a new player.
• AFK Detection on the Warden, this is a problem on long-running instances.