• Added "pbr" setting to improve performance on low-spec hardware
• Internal: added support for non-square particles

[ 2025-02-08 01:40:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

A lot happened in the past year. Many felt the impact of escalating geopolitical events, and I am personally somewhat anxious about my own wellbeing in the coming year. There is a space for games that speak to these issues, but RSOD is primarily a low-brow action game, so I will leave the political discussion at that. For RSOD, the single most important milestone in 2024 was the release of its source code under a permissive license. Since June, the Git commit log has tracked every change to the engine, including:

• Projectile Weapons (Plasma Pup and enemy shotgun)
• Game maps as title screen backgrounds
• Continuous particle emitters (smoke barrels and rain)
• Improvements to UI, enemy AI, and bug fixes

New Map: Hidden Valley

This is a work in progress. Anyone who tries to make a game with cyberpunk aesthetics will quickly come to the realization that the world we live in is quite cyberpunk already, thus the map looks like a place you might see in your town.
I'm proud of the architectural detail, which comes from that liminal space between minimalism and brutalism you see in a mid-90s FPS. This is a mid-2020s FPS, so I'd call it nostalgic. The demo has been updated with all of these changes and more, so please give it a shot! Have a happy new year.

[ 2025-01-01 02:58:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

List of changes

• Highlight the agent the player is looking at
• VTOL quick travel after the player gets implanted (this may be used for future missions)
• Give Gogol a 2-way entrance
• Default to 2x MSAA (This may lead to some breakage/white screens. You can change msaa to 0 in the settings, then restart the program.)
• Bug fixes

[ 2024-09-08 03:31:32 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Removed a screen shake effect that nobody liked
• Increased hick turn speed
• Added particle effect to enemy shotgun
• Made the grocery district a little larger

[ 2024-07-31 23:53:57 CET ] [ Original post ]

Fixed a bug that made destroyed objects continue to display on the minimap

[ 2024-07-18 23:55:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

Added a 3D title screen

[ 2024-07-02 06:11:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

Fixed a pistol prop animation bug

[ 2024-06-26 22:46:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

* Re-added weapon: Silent Strizh. This pistol was present in early buids and has returned because... * You can now kill non-hostile NPCs and destroy computers

[ 2024-06-25 00:57:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

A bunch of little changes 2 weeks after the previous update. Steam won't surface the game until a week before launch day, so it's not like anyone will notice. One of these changes is for compliance and took close to 3 full days. It's enough to make me want to build my own platform.

• Added weapon: Plasma Pup (replaces Kolashkebab)
• Replaced AI-generated art with human-generated art
• Changed swamp background audio to wind
• Added an autosave to the cat tower
• Segmented undersea tunnel to support max_draw_distance as low as about 350
• Made Cyberhick invulnerable to falling damage so they can spawn anywhere without dying
• Reserve ammo count no longer displays when 0
• Frames per second no longer display (you can use the Steam overlay for this)

[ 2024-06-21 19:58:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Added train to grocery district
• Changed Bubbles dialogue
• Changed enemy catgirl hair to blue to make the avatar distinct from Bubbles
• Added setting: max_draw_distance
• Internal (all platforms): Code cleanup, updated SDL2, stb_image
• Internal (Linux): Replaced static SDL2 with a dynamic link, removed force_link_glibc

In celebration of Pride Month, I did the gayest thing possible: the RSOD engine is now free/libre open source software and ready to receive your patches. You can check out the source code here.

[ 2024-06-09 03:40:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey folks! Here's a little update that should improve player perceptions of the start of the game.

• Added new player intros and spawn points
• Added wind sound and a kill floor to the starting area
• Added tent to cat tower
• Worked around initial player rotation bug
• Internal: Made SETHOUR accessibile from dungeon onLoad

[ 2024-05-19 22:42:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

Happy Ishtar! This update brings a bit more content to the demo, steps towards hacking mechanics in the core game loop, and a cessation of analytics. I got the data and feedback I needed, and now the game is on track for a 1.0 release this year. Below is a list of changes for each update since Steam Next Fest.

2024-03-31

• Added cybercastle map
• Added Cyberhicks that dispense TEK points
• Reduced eMoto turn acceleration
• Replaced the first door switch with a tablet
• Set the minimum stats value to 1
• Environmental audio tweaks

2024-03-24

• Made medkits emissive
• Added a medkit to the swamp
• Made flashlight more effective
• Small dialogue tweak
• Added an Easter egg that tells you when the game failed to load completely
• Disabled analytics
• Bugfix

2024-03-12

• Added music to cyberfortress and Gogol
• Bug fixes

This game is still a work in progress, but at this point it is close to its final form. 7 more months of polish.

[ 2024-04-01 00:06:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

RSOD is coming to Steam Next Fest this February. This is a chance for new players to see the game and add it to their wishlists. The Fest is also a chance to collect data. Analytics are recorded in a text file on rsodgame.com, so if you die a bunch in a particular place I'll know it. This is important for the development of the game; the best way to support it is to play it. See you in February!

[ 2024-01-27 22:17:08 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Adjusted minimap
• Added a new track to LoRide playlist
• Added a custom analytics solution (sorry if this bothers anyone but I'm trying to catch pacing and difficulty problems)

Thank you for playing!

[ 2023-12-05 21:37:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

I don't have much time today, so here's a quick progress report on what happened this month: * Demo launched! * Red/cyan anaglyph 3D! * More settings to fine-tune your experience * More content (some of it unfinished) Stick around. There will be more.

[ 2023-10-03 00:30:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

Blast through a gauntlet of cyberpunk abominations, or explore and survive the world of the future at your own pace (and peril). The demo is here!

[ 2023-09-16 05:19:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

THE BASICS

In the past month, I added three significant quality-of-life features to RSOD:

• Saving and loading
• Options menu
• Radar minimap

It's no coincidence that I received this comment in a survey: [quote]Have the possibility to change the controls for the qwerty keyboard.[/quote] Well, anonymous playtester, check it out:
Note that the game starts with default keybindings based on your keyboard layout, so if you have an AZERTY keyboard you will automatically have ZQSD rather than WASD, and this is reflected in the options menu.

HIATUS

A typical FPS has more than 50 maps. RSOD currently has 8, so let's call it 16% complete. At this rate, the game will be finished in early 2034. I intended the game's story to be a loud warning to Big Tech, but at present the experience feels a bit generic. Steam can't tell it apart from one of those glitchy Unity games with 1000 zombies that let you move around after you're dead (not as a zombie). For these reasons, I am putting the game on hiatus until it organically gets more wishlists. The engine may still get updates as I prototype a dark fantasy game. (Send your ideas and other thoughts to support@microsm.space)

[ 2023-09-02 17:25:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

It's now August, midsommar in the northerly parts and midwinter in the southerly parts. As I was occupied for the past 3 months, development on RSOD stalled. However, I managed squeeze in a small content update to the grocery store in North Island. Go through the tunnel and check it out. I got one survey response in July: Xin cho, ti mun bit gi ca bn. (Hello, I would like to know your price.) My response: l b mt. (It's a secret.) I find it rather depressing how much of Steam is bartering and commerce, so I won't overcharge. The GLIBC issue is still on the radar, but thankfully it doesn't affect Windows users. You can expect more updates in the future.

[ 2023-08-01 17:21:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

It's now June, the start of summer in the northern hemisphere and a time for relaxation. The RSOD playtest remains available for your pleasure. It hasn't been getting a lot of survey responses, but I think these responses from May hit the nail on the head: Q: What did you like? A: Girls able to do leg stretching Q: What features do you think could be improved or added? A: more options to progress the game I also got a bunch of spam. As previously stated, there won't be any game updates for a while. I don't like the implication of "options to progress", as if the player is the one moving the game forward. The game should carry the player forward, not the other way around. It should be clear where the waypoints and objectives are. That will require more development, as the current build is more of a sandbox. I want this to be a narratively rich experience, so give me more wishlists and I can put more time into development. By the way, I am aware of a GLIBC version mismatch for Linux builds. I will look into this in the coming months.

[ 2023-06-01 07:01:17 CET ] [ Original post ]

I will be occupied for a while, so expect the frequency of updates to temporarily reduce. Here is the changelog for April 2023: 2023-04-29 * Added some detail to the overturned vending machine 2023-04-24 * Added inventory to pause menu * Updated email text 2023-04-18 * Fixed a skin rendering bug * Increased the base resolution 2023-04-17 * Made vehicles invincible 2023-04-15 * Added a little park to Grocery District 2023-04-11 * Reduced in-vehicle collision damage * Prevented the world floor from acting as an agent * Tweaked shadow fade distance 2023-04-10 * Increased draw distance as far as it should go on a 5 TFLOP GPU * Completely walled off the edges of Grocery District 2023-04-07 * Improved southwest building interior 2023-04-06 * Added settings INI in userdata folder for controls, language, etc. 2023-04-05 * Applied fog to outlines to reduce the "ant trail" effect * Reduced fog density accordingly * Increased audio buffer samples from 10 to 16 * Added weapon: Flogger 2023-04-04 * Added weapon impact sounds * Improved Grocery District 2023-04-03 * Reduced the starting map's draw distances to avoid a catastrophic number of draw calls * Eliminated pop-in with stochastic distance fade 2023-04-02 * Added an alternate path through the adjacent building

[ 2023-05-02 02:00:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

When I started writing this devlog in mid-March, I began with a list of features I had added since the previous devlog. There are performance optimizations, new content, and by far the biggest feature: a yet-unreleased VR mode. I also saw this as a good day for a stunt post, it being April 1st. I considered a tryhard unfunny rap, but I ended up deciding that it was so tryhard and so unfunny that it would overshadow any ironic comedic value with genuine shame. I also considered posting a manifesto on the microscopic niche of Linux VR, but the manifesto ended up as a series of how-to guides that I am incrementally posting to Reddit. Therefore, rather than pleading in a chapter-length devlog for the reader to take interest, I give you a list of important changes since March 1st:

• Added more buildings
• Lighting and performance tweaks
• Dynamic resolution scaling
• Added remotely operated doors
• Added the first melee weapon
• Improved text layout for character dialogue
• Started pitching this as an adult-oriented game
• Misc. content tweaks
• Misc. bug fixes

I would post more GIFs and more text, but nobody can be bothered to engage with this content beyond a superficial level right now, so I'll leave it here. March was a productive month!

[ 2023-04-02 01:20:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

Over the last development cycle, a lot of the game's ambition was put on the back burner. Right now you just shoot things, but in the future there will be deeper character interactions. There is not a huge volume of players hungry for futuristic open-world gun games on Steam. Borderlands was a thing for a while, but people moved on to the next fad pretty quickly, and now AI is the hot topic in the gaming space. I am looking into ways to make characters more dynamic, and AI may have a role to play. It's easy to fall into a pit of negativity when there is a lack of interest in your work, but some of my work on other projects is bringing greater fulfillment. If AI is meant to replace people, that says something for the value that people have. I may be flying solo on this project, but it's not my whole career, just a project that sets a high bar in terms of graphics and engine features. This is my Doom 3. You don't have to like it, but you have to admit it's impressive. RSOD's most recent feature is an experimental third-person mode that's not quite ready for prime time. When it is ready, you'll have to see if you prefer the game in first-person or third-person mode. Seeing the character from behind might help you connect with him or her, in the same way that people see themselves from an outside introspective perspective. Third-person shooters have fallen out of fashion, but if it helps you see the character as a person (rather than a capsule collider with a gun for a head) then I would say the game benefits.
In other news, Steam just added a content questionaire today that mirrors Google Play and will only serve to increase censorship. As RSOD is more likely to have strong adult content than any other shooter I can imagine, this makes me question the viability of Steam from a creative perspective, not just a financial one. There is distributing a game without making money, and then there is not distributing a game at all.

[ 2023-03-01 09:12:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

I'm not gonna lie, January was a rough month for my business. I have another day job that takes up a lot of dev time, and as part of a background check needed for a promotion, I had to create this weird document to "certify" Motor Strip Entertainment:
It's official: Motor Strip Entertainment is either a sole proprietorship, a doing-business-as, or an Internet identity (depending on legal interpretation). Games are serious business. I also made this GIF that Reddit didn't like:
Here is the updated version:
That's all for now. If you have any badass ideas for the game, drop them in the comments below or the usual places. Please wishlist, follow, like and subscribe. <3

[ 2023-02-02 03:40:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

I originally planned to release RSOD in early 2023, but now it's looking like a "when it's done" release schedule. Thanks for all the feedback you have given on the playtest, which will remain open until the first demo is released. I can't say when that is, but perhaps this year. I know my fellow millennials like pictures between the words, so here's a before-and-after screenshot comparison:
You can see the addition of a HUD, vehicle headlights, clouds, more environment details, new shaders, and of course weapons. Now, let me set the stage with a few words about scope, themes, and tone.

Scope

RSOD is a single-player open-world FPSRPG with a story. If the feature you want isn't in that sentence, it probably won't be in the game. Think Borderlands, Half-Life, and Ion Fury.

Themes and Tone

Almost nobody does cyberpunk just right. The way I imagine it, it's about hacking and killing for money, but mainly it's about sex. I want to create an amoral world where the player does whatever pleases him, her, or it (within the limitations of the software). A world that is fully adult in its humor and storytelling. In my opinion, the best cyberpunk atmosphere of any game can be found in Dex, and its original creator died several years ago, so it's too late to tell him that. Dex is brightly lit and slightly futuristic, not the total grunge misery of Deus Ex and "dystopian" cyberpunk. I don't want to make something dystopian, I want to make something that gets you amped up at any time of the night to go do some fucked up shit. I hope you understand that this isn't GTA and it's not made for teenagers. If you are intelligent and you enjoy the combination of serious topics and kinetic violence, this might be for you.

[ 2023-01-02 00:49:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

As of now, the RSOD playtest is open! Go ahead and try out the current build, but be prepared for bugs and missing content. Where are we at in terms of release? Ideally, that will be in a year. I think you will see that the content available right now is not enough to call a "game", but now is the time to give feedback. If you have any, send it to this email address: support@microsm.space On Steam, there are also the forums, community hub, etc. Come get some!

[ 2022-03-22 16:26:48 CET ] [ Original post ]