Demo Update 1.5


It's about time the content of this update has made it into the game.  The game's visual style has been almost fully realized, and it's easier to play than ever before.

Here's what's new:

Comic Book Visuals

  • Glass and water are now fully cartoon and no longer realistic compared to everything else.  The streaks on the windows even point towards the sun/moon.
  • The line art post process is now more accurate, and has been altered to allow more control over where line are and aren't.  Notice that the colored sections of buildings are outlined, and there are more lines in general.

Aim Assist/Auto Aim

  • Gumlines and gumballs will automatically be launched directly at whatever is closest to where you are aiming.
  • To make sure it works as it should, it is now impossible to miss a gumline.

Improved Controls

  • The default and only control scheme for controlling gumlines has been altered to the following:
    • Oculus: Pull the trigger to reel, and depress the grip button to let it out.
    • Vive: Pull the trigger to reel or let out, using the swap button (down) to toggle between them.
  • Running on the ground is now much more responsive
  • The settings "Reeling Method", "Automatic Reeling", and "Reeling Direction" have been removed.
  • The highly-requested option to disable rotation has been added as a Rotation Mode.
  • Smooth rotation speed has been increased by 50% for Oculus.
  • Difference in speed from walking sideways or backwards works better than before.
  • Walking up and down inclines actually works now.

Smooth Gumline Intersections

  • When a gumline is intersected by a building or other object, physics will smoothly move to the new swing point, rather than being instant and possibly pulling on you and messing up the sweet swing arc you had going.

Many of these changes come out of necessity from developing traditional non-VR support.  What wasn't much of a problem in first person may be problematic in third-person, but these fixes benefit both greatly.

I'm currently working on a big 2.0 overhaul of the demo that will have a bigger, redesigned city, new and meaningful challenges like races and time trials, cars and people on the ground, real enemies, and third-person non-VR support.  If you would like to help out in this effort, send an email to theunbreakablegumball@gmail.com.

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Comments

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I've acctually just created account just to leave this comment. Thank you for your wonderfull work. I have yet to play the new update but so far this demo was the best experience science initial wow factor of oculus rift for me. (ok maybe excluding first few days with Elite Dangerous).
Whole vibe, graphics and music goes well together. It really seems like a whole idea was created from one root. I am really impressed on how moving through the city, while being influenced by spider man,  doesn't really feel like a ripoff but a style on it's own. 
I would love to see more interactive props on the map. Iteams that could be swung as a weapons. Or bigger movable items, that can be affected by your inertia (a crane moving around its base for example, or slightly breaking a  billboard).

Looking forward to the full release.

Thanks for the kind words!  You can rest easy knowing that all sorts of fun things are planned for the game, and they'll be in the demo at some point as well.

This is great. I downloaded the game about two months ago, and loved the concept, but had a couple of frustrations. This update seems to have confronted most of them, and that's amazing! not just that these things have been dealt with, like the line reeling for the gumlines, and aim assist, but it also shows that you are working very hard to improve on this game. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for the kind words, they're what keep me going.  You said most of your frustrations have been addressed, but what hasn't been?

It's difficult to say. I had some problems with gumlines, which you fixed for the most part, and the other problems I had had with them may have been due to my lack of practice. But, if you take away the effort needed to swing, you take away the magic of it! some of the movement mechanics for actually being on foot and jumping seemed to be unoptimized, but that's something that has to be confronted right away, so I bet that's already fixed or in the process. otherwise, it just keeps getting better!

I'm really sorry about not replying so long ago, this comment probably has little to no relevance, as you've either worked out these problems by now or identified them. And, hell, I haven't played the game nearly enough to evaluate it, and I'm not an expert, either.

Awesome work man!

I did have to get rid of the effort needed to swing in order for the traditional third-person gameplay to feel good.  But that work carries over into VR, and it feels great!