NPC Benchmark (Patreon)

The NPC performance test is ready to roll, we'll start emailing out links shortly.

Thank you for taking part in this test, please note that we haven't yet finalized navigation and input with Vive or Rift, you have almost definitely experienced more polished control systems and navigation systems! We will be spending some dedicated time on this and plan to release mini-demos for people to give their feedback on improvements once we're further along - but this is mostly a performance test. Our efforts up til now have been primarily with art / asset creation - hope you guys understand!

Please turn off any reprojection settings that you can for this test, as they mask frame drops and stability.

For Touch users, to spawn NPCs press the grip button on your left controller.

For Vive users, the spawn button is also the grip, but mode switching actually swaps your left and right controller around in-game (and you don't notice since controllers are agnostic) so the spawn NPC button may be on your left or right controller depending on what mode you're in! Sorry for that quirk, we just needed a temporary button to spawn NPCs in, so assigned it to any free button we had.

For Xbox controller users, the button is X.

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There are 60 NPCs in the scene, they will spawn in set locations that we've chosen. Out the windows of the school is big floating text which tells you how many NPCs you've spawned :D Please spawn in as many as you can achieve with the default graphics options (most of you should be able to spawn in all 60) and then begin messing with graphics settings to see what kind of performance you can reach, and where your performance starts to fail. Please make note of any specific locations where you experience bad performance.

We'll release a form in the next few days for you to give feedback.

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Known issues -

NPCs can sometimes aim their head weirdly if you move close to them from far away, and sometimes on their initial spawn in - this is because of more complex AI kicking in once you're within ~8 meters of them, this will be fixed once we make the transition smoother between their AI states.

There is no collision on most walls and surfaces - collision is very boring and tedious to set up, so we like to leave it til last. The Old School Building enviro is not yet complete, so only the floors and some extra parts have collision.

You may not be able to open doors if you're holding an object (to open doors, just touch them with your motion controller or press A when you're near them for Xbox controller users)

For Vive, switching controller mode when you're holding an object will teleport the object you're holding to the other controller.

If you throw objects hard enough, they may go through the floor / surfaces. We know how to fix this, but we're waiting until we have dedicated time to spend on physics props (props will eventually have different mass, sounds when they collide etc) before fixing.

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Controls - 

Xbox controller:

Dpad - movement

Right trigger hold and release - teleport

Select - opens / closes the options menu

Right trigger hold and release (when you're in the Options menu) - select the option that your face is aiming at

Bumpers - rotate left or right

For Vive users, hold down the mode switch button to open Menu, and then use trigger to select. You can view Vive mapping in the Controls tab. 

For Touch users, hold down the right analog stick button to open Menu, then use trigger to select - you can view Touch mappings in the Controls tab. 

Sorry to Xbox controller users - you can't remind yourself of mappings in-game as the Controls tab will show you the mapping for Touch controls :(

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Other stuff

Have fun exploring the school and checking out NPCs, feedback on them is welcome (apologies for the only two animations, obviously there will be more). The Old School environment will contain club rooms and a bunch more detail, it's quite bare for now.

Enjoy the music, we have some new tracks that are commissioned work, which is possible because of you. We think they're really great, and Virtual Novel will have an incredible OST when it's finished. 

There are 4,362 trees in this scene! To reduce amount of trees, there is a new Foliage setting in the graphics menu, but most of you should be able to render all of them. 

If you share screenshots or video of this performance test, we'd appreciate it if you include a disclaimer that it's a private build and an uninished game!