zine update

hello!

big update time. this is the zine update, and it comes with a pre-made Unity asset for you to download.

This asset is an easy-to-use magazine prefab- all you need to do is create a URP Unity project, import a new custom package and select the "magazine prefab" .unitypackage file . drag the prefab into the scene and add your pages as image files to the MagazineScript component.

Make sure to set the "playercam" to your Main Camera and tag your player with "Player". 

there is also a demo scene available for you to use and see the magazines in action.

the magazine can have infinite pages, is a one-button use (E), and requires the shadergraph package and the URP pipeline. 

half of the fun is figuring out how it works, so give it a try- it's basic and easy to comprehend.

It's got a few features built-in, but its ready for you to DIY or reverse engineer in any way you see fit. I only ask that you do not re-distribute the base scripts / models commercially. 

its great for beginners who want something hands-on to start experimenting with game engines, or for more experienced devs who want to try implementing a non-UI based reading system. All the code is annotated so you can see what is doing what- but if you are completely new to Unity, maybe watch a few videos to show you around first.

 as most people on itch are devs or enthusiasts, having projects that contain usable assets is a unique way to provide practical inspiration, share resources and facilitate collaboration. in game dev there are some systems that are "nice to have", but aren't enough of a priority to build from scratch. I always wanted an in-game comic or magazine system, so here is my best effort. piece by piece we are enriching the player experience. this type of DIY asset might take a bit of work to fit an existing project, but perhaps this makes them a bit more approachable, practical, and meaningful to use.

* * *

this update is the first of 1.3. the camera system is updated dramatically. new stylized shader systems, most evident in water and some distant objects. 

You can now enter the water and swim a little. you can also hold shift to move a bit faster.

 the surrounding environment has been altered. I have always described loutra as a "world of crude, deteriorating pixels". three years after my visit, the memory has peacefully decomposed. its time to more accurately reflect this, and let loutra embody its own nature as a small-world, residency sim game. 

In one way, I want to explain and illustrate my memory, so I can give it a universal permanence and share it with you. what was poignant, who was there, how the atmosphere felt, what it did for me; at the same time, there is a tangible disparity between the experience i had, the memory i took away, and the small virtual environment i have created. this has been a point of contention, knowing i won't be able to embody the world i was a part of, and yet, pursuing that might create something equally meaningful and sincere. something that perhaps rivals its own origin. regardless of what is or was, i feel deeply attached to it.

the bath house has received a fresh coat of paint. some texture changes, new lighting styles throughout the day, as well as a new morning time (6am-10am).

magic spells have been removed. the sitting system has changed, you can now pick up and drop chairs by holding E when nearby, and when looking at the seat of the chair, pressing E will let you sit down. (this system is not yet optimised for sitting & reading, and there are some known collision / positioning issues)

a voidless expanse has been added, accessible every day between 9pm-3am. there is currently one item in the voidless expanse.

there are four demo magazines to read:

wires

stones

wires interior

eyes8atelier and the valley of five hundred swords

there are no shows in this update, no real content show-off. just hope you like the magazines