b cover
b screenshot
Genre: Indie

b

update #17

changes


  • official SteamDeck controller layout
  • using alternative grass density (touch screen or click track pad) 1 b flies on SteamDeck at almost 60 fps depending on view and at nearly 30 fps using default density, depending on view, due to mesh components data highly compressed and grass vertex amount reduced keeping look
  • VR not offered on SteamDeck
  • settings options rearranged at bottom
  • tree bark color darker
  • outer space stars color and type (partly) changed



new known issues


  • asteroid ocean lighting is tile-based again


update #16

fixes


  • crash at sizes > 15 (or > lower than 15 when free RAM / cpu cache size too small)
  • seed planting callback call after meadow size change when inactivating seed during change (mod relevant)
  • moon collider partially ineffective
  • cloud coverage on sizes > 5
  • time speedup not affecting outer space music
  • b lighting not affected by outer space sun



changes


  • meadow sun disc
  • settings menu "Apply" available after introductory camera ride now
  • functionality associated with "m" and "p" keys by default are exclusive now, other keys work after the functionality has performed
  • b wing flap elongation when b flies skywards / groundwards
  • mod documentation introduction clarified, reference of plantOnMeadow clarified
  • flying dandelion seed velocity change interval now framerate independent
  • ocean and rain drop water



known issues


  • space dust lighting affected by meadow lighting instead of outer space sun lighting
  • "p" key default functionality does not work on moon
  • input devices digital buttons might be used as actuated initially, perform once any input on that device to have its correct values be used
  • "turn left" default key ist shown as Á but is A
  • custom music resets itself 1 time after playing the first tenths of the first second
  • disabling VR results in the screen showing the image for the VR hmd left eye

update #15

additions




changes


  • ladybugs shading
  • ladybugs landing on and take-off from leaves
  • outer space stars type and color
  • outer space sun's color and flare's speed



known issues


  • input devices digital buttons might be used as actuated initially, perform once any input on that device to have its correct values be used
  • custom music resets itself 1 time after playing the first tenths of the first second
  • disabling VR results in the screen showing the image for the VR hmd left eye

Mods support beta for update #15



Modding now supported in beta



BETA branch 18_update15version_mod_support_beta (game properties (right-click) in library)

mod_doc.pdf in game installation folder (in Steam Library on disk)

Mods folder in game installation folder (in Steam Library on disk)

download the first mod by this link from the game's website on the developer's hosting provider's server and extract its content into the Mods folder !




known issues:


  • ladybugs don't fly to leafs after meadow edge/2 length change after unchecking Mods in Settings.

update #14




changes


  • nVidia RTX and (newer) AMD gpus now show all flower types
  • all flower types are distributed with the same density across the grass now
  • flower density increased
  • dandelion seed texture
  • game engine OpenXR plugin provider changed, SteamVR is not opened anymore during launch when available
  • ocean beach audio volume starts to falloff farer away
  • music max volume slightly decreased
  • meadow grows smoothly when meadow size changed
  • clouds fade smoothly into existence
  • when 4 (logical, also hyperthreaded) cores are available weather cloud center calculation is performed on its own separate core (1 core is left for the game engines thread and 2 are left for Windows), when more than 4 cores are available weather cloud movement is calculated looped on each of those more cores
  • tree wobbling animation applied with 1 random orientation and thus 1 rotation calculation for all branches instead of 1 such for each branch



improvements


  • input detection adjusts for always-actuated inputs



additions


  • a 4th flower type
  • an "other colors" mode
  • a "light shininess" mode



fixes


  • custom music starting from beginning when not having changed it when applying settings again
  • key for turning left not working
  • analog input devices initial values being wrong getting used
  • fireflies on trees erroring when meadow size changes during their birth as well as life



known issues


  • input devices digital buttons might be used as actuated initially, perform once any input on that device to have its correct values be used
  • custom music resets itself 1 time after playing the first tenths of the first second
  • disabling VR results in the screen showing the image for the VR hmd left eye

Beta updated

The beta is available from the Steam library game properties "Betas" dialogue, branch "16_update14version_rc".



with regards to the previous Beta:

changes


  • meadow grows smoothly when meadow size changed
  • flower density increased
  • when more than 3 logical cores are available weather calculations are performed looped across every of those other cores



fixes


  • key for turning left not working
    when a joystick is connected and not actuated false values might be delivered by the game engine resulting in unintended movement until the joystick is touched briefly

Beta available

a new update is about to be ready but a possible control issue occurred when testing on my Win 11 systems: the default key for turning left is delivered as '"A"' (A with double quotes) and configuring it as 'A' (only A) was necessary to be able to turn left for me, while that 'A' gets shown as 'Á' by the game engine -- I am interested in whether you have this issue too.

The beta is available from the Steam library game properties "Betas" dialogue, branch "16_update14version_rc".



Release Notes for this version:

changes


  • workingaround nVidia RTX and (newer) AMD gpus not accessing the previous 3rd and 4th texture file during the grass shader stages which resulted in missing flowers, every flower texture is now derived from 1 single common texture file
  • a 4th flower was added making the common texture file contain 4 flower textures
  • the previous texture-file-number-based distinct flower density across the grass is lost, all flowers have the same density across the grass now
  • dandelion seed texture changed
  • game engine OpenXR plugin provider changed, SteamVR is not opened anymore during launch when available
  • beach ocean audio volume starts to falloff farer away
  • music max volume slightly decreased



improvements


  • input configuration; a false actuation of an analog input as delivered by the game engine was still observed but was remedied by actuating the intended input stronger



fixes


  • custom music starting from beginning when not having changed it when applying settings again



known issues


  • disabling VR results in the screen showing the image for the VR hmd left eye
  • custom music resets itself 1 time after playing the first tenths of the first second

update #13

changed


  • logo color
  • no launcher anymore
  • settings not open initially
  • new introductory camera ride
  • different grass lighting
  • different b lighting
  • whity petal flowers now have purple petals
  • trees bark color lighter
  • rain drops now refract light
  • fireflies emit halo
  • beach water color lighter
  • added shore sound
  • audio fades out towards edges middle rather than towards corners
  • main audio volume slightly increased again
  • space beyond colors changed
  • space debris between meadow and moon volume decreased, slightly more dense now, moves slower, evades b
  • settings menu look, wordings and arrangement slightly modified
  • maximum size of meadow edge/2 length increased
  • maximum number of dandelions increased
  • configurable number of ladybugs
  • input configuration ingame added to settings (and now input) configuration menu
  • manual updated



known issues


  • input configuration input detection might detect gamepad axis (stick, shoulder triggers) input incorrectly and might not be able to detect joysticks having thrust control inputs other than the thrust slider

Update

update #12



changed


  • "white" flowers petals fringe narrower
  • red flowers leaf orientation steeper
  • grass texture resolution lower

  • fireflies light range reduced
  • fireflies casting shadows disabled
  • 2 to 5 fireflies instead of 4 or 6 fireflies
  • one less to one more tree having fireflies now

  • hard shadow options removed

  • nightsky scintillation
  • animated 3D flowers brightness increased



fixed


  • fireflies, tree drawing order



the changes performed ought to benefit framerate

Update

update #11



updated
  • middleware and plugins


changed

  • added animated 3D flowers, reduced density of 2D flowers, initial number of dandaelions halved
  • meadow audio volume reduced to 1/3.
  • asteroids emitted lights color changed
  • shadow resolution increased, reduces shadow flickering


fixed

  • rain freezing mid-air on meadow size change


added

  • texture and audio license screens


removed

  • b mod support intent documentation


known issue

  • "hard shadow" options performance worse than they used to be