Survive The Editor 2 is a multi-stage Distance competition leading up to the launch of Distance v1.0 on September 18th!
STE2 fuses two level editor competitions with two tournaments over 5 weeks. We’ll be taking the top submissions from each level editor competition and utilizing them in each tournament! Every Saturday from 12pm to 2pm PT we’ll be running a special live stream on Twitch for each stage of the competition!
Watch STE2 live: http://twitch.tv/refractstudios
August 18th: Devs play Distance
August 25th: Level submission judging #1
September 1st: Tournament #1
September 8th: Level submission judging #2
September 15th: Tournament #2
We’ll be giving away an incredible, one-of-kind, 3D-printed trophy to each week’s grand prize winners (seen above), as well as t-shirts, posters, and glow-in-the-dark pins to the runners-up!
Whether you like to create levels, race with others, or just watch on Twitch there’s something for you. We hope to see you join!
Distance v1.0 Releasing on Sept. 18th, New Trailer!
Distance v1.0 is coming to PC on September 18th! This massive update features tons of new content including Adventure v1.0, our mysterious narrative experience. Check out the new trailer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z4G47P5vd8
Month of Madness (Distance v1.0 edition)
Distance v1.0 comes with much more than just Adventure v1.0. Take a look at our previous blog post for an overview of what’s coming on Sept. 18th. Over the next month leading up to the launch we’ll be unveiling more content and hosting several events. Watch out for the upcoming rules for an elaborate level editor competition x tournament fusion!
Speaking of events, we’ll be starting up a weekly stream this weekend! Join us this Saturday August 11th at 12pm PT to watch the team play Distance and answer questions about v1.0!
Refract Twitch Stream:
Aug. 11th @ 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 7pm GMT
http://twitch.tv/refractstudios
Distance v1.0 is increasing to $24.99
To accompany the final increase in content, we’ve decided to set the final price of Distance to $24.99. This change will begin in one week on August 15th, 2018, so if you’d like to pick up Distance at it’s current price of $19.99 you have one week to do so.
So yeah, this is really happening
Cutting together this new trailer was incredibly enjoyable for me – not just because I love mysterious cinematic stuff, but more because it was an excuse to show off the amazing work of my teammates. And trust me when I say the coolest stuff in Distance v1.0 is not in that trailer. There are still plenty of secrets yet to uncover, and today is just the beginning.
Let us know what you think of the news on Discord and in the comments below!
- Jordan (
Your First Look at Distance v1.0
Hey everyone! At long last we have another meaty devlog for you to check out. It covers what to expect from the impending v1.0 release as well as some personal notes on the development process so far.
Thank you once again for your continual patience and encouragement while we push toward this massive milestone!
- Jordan (
Minor Update (Build 6009), Jan. Workshop Highlight
(community level "On rails: Arena" by Sperzieb00n)
Hey everyone! Today we're releasing a small patch to remove the Winter theme from Distance and fix a few bugs. I know this patch isn't exactly breathtaking, but that's because almost all of our time right now is being spent finishing Adventure mode and all other content to be released at 1.0. The ninety-ninety rule seems to be in full effect, but overall it's going well and we're still making good progress every day.
Thanks as usual to everyone who reported these bugs and shared output logs with us! Check out the full changelog below:
MINOR UPDATE: Build 6009
GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS
Reverted Christmas/Winter features back to their previous state
LEVEL EDITOR
Added "double pivot distance" to Animator, to help longer objects travel more smoothly along tracks
Improved error message when you're blocked from adding an EventListener to an object
BUG FIXES
Fixed bug where restarting in some levels could result in returning to a broken main menu (like this)
Fixed bug with Dev marker in leaderboards resulting in dev marker on incorrect results, broken Spectate functionality, duplicate names, etc.
Fixed bug where returning to the main menu from an online game or after switching profiles would result in broken submenus
Fixed bug where Shuffle affected Adventure mode
Fixed bug where DetailedLight would sometimes not save out
JANUARY WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHT
Alongside the patch release I've also updated the main menu to highlight some of the latest and greatest Workshop creations. Congrats to those who were selected. Keep up the fantastic work!
Happy holidays! Today we've got a minor update that adds a bit of holiday flare while sneaking in a few improvements. Check out the full changelog below!
In checking out the new build I recommend playing through the incredible Distance Advent Calendar releases from this year:
If you missed last week's live stream you can also check that out where a few of the devs play through 21 of the levels in a mini marathon:
https://twitch.tv/videos/211537322
THE CHRISTMAS UPDATE: Build 5930
GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS
Updated loading screens and main menu with a winter holiday theme
Improved load times and memory use
Added snow on the car screen (toggle in General settings)
Improved default replay download behavior for Near My Ranking so if you've never played the map before it grabs a wide variety of replays
Restored trick text in Adventure mode and simplified it further
Level authors and devs are now tagged in leaderboard listings
Upgraded splash/idle screen functionality in the main menu
Improved error checking and handling of edge cases where connection to Steam Workshop is poor
Warning messages in the Graphics options now pulse to grab your attention
Changed level select behavior so that it auto selects the last played level instead of the last selected
Press Back to Reset is now hidden if All Abilities in Adventure Mode is enabled
Improved level preview texture settings so it looks better in VR
"Regenerating" text now matches color of checkpoint
Loading the main menu is now asynchronous
LEVEL EDITOR
Objects in frozen layers are now hidden in the Level Objects Tab
Added default cubemaps for levels which don't use LevelCubeMapRenderers
Added delay on EventListeners
Changed object preview for Biodome and LevelCubeMapRenderer
BUG FIXES
Fixed issues with rendering of background layers on HTV Vive
Fixed bug with replays going through teleporters and seeing a weird camera angle
Fixed issue where if All Abilities in Adventure Mode is enabled text near the car wouldn't appear in Arcade
Fixed bug where when using Trigger Distance on TurnLightOnNearCar and exploding within that distance the lights are not turned off
Fixed bug where components like PulseAll would be culled in the background layers
Fixed bug where loading bar was indicated incorrectly sometimes
Fixed bug where popup blocker would sometimes not popup when it should
Fixed bug with lens flare multiple always disabling lens brightness
Fixed bug with Detailed Lights option in Graphics menu not linking properly with other buttons
Fixed bug where popup-blockers are stuck below the road after restarting the level
Fixed bug where menus were broken when viewing a replay on a Trackmogrify Level
Fixed bug where objects would sometimes use the wrong cubemap
Fixed issues with news box in main menu when offline
- Jordan (
Distance Advent Calendar, Dev Stream (Dec. 21st)
Hey everyone! Distance Advent Calendar (DAC) is going strong for its fourth year and I want to give it a shout out. DAC is a yearly event where the community bands together to release new levels every day in December! Some of our most popular Workshop levels were released during previous DACs. The creativity and craftsmanship demonstrated is always inspiring.
HOW TO FOLLOW DISTANCE ADVENT CALENDAR
To keep up to date with DAC levels, I recommend checking out the Special Event I've been updating (accessible via our Workshop home page). You can also check out the #d4c channel on our (now official!) Distance Discord. While you're at it come discuss each day's level with other players, and see early previews of upcoming community levels.
Finally, we'll be retweeting the organizers of DAC who announce each day's level, so check out @refractstudios on Twitter if you're into that sort of thing.
DEV STREAM: DECEMBER 21ST (12PM PT)
On Thursday, December 21st at 12pm PT / 8pm GMT we'll be hosting a Twitch stream where we play through released DAC levels! We'll also likely talk about some of the new tools released in the skybox update, answer questions, and talk about development in general. Hope to see you there!
What: Refract Dev Stream
When: December 21st at 12pm PT / 8pm GMT (time converter)
Where: twitch.tv/refractstudios
- Jordan (
The Skybox Update is Live
Hey everyone! While we continue to crank away at the final pieces of content we intend to ship at 1.0 (Adventure mode and a few other surprises) we want to share some of the latest tools being used to create that content. The biggest feature we've added is a completely revamped skybox system! Now you have an incredible amount of power when creating your own universe, either in tweaking the default planet look or in creating something new.
While the update is heavily focused on exposing new editor tools, there are general improvements across the board. Check out the full changelog below!
THE SKYBOX UPDATE: Build 5821
GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS
Updated skybox in all levels to use new dynamic skybox system
Optimized CPU performance and memory usage throughout the game
Trick text and "Regenerating" text are now disabled in Adventure mode
Removed 3, 2, 1 countdown on car screen at start of Adventure levels
Car is now frozen at the start until "GO!", also preventing teleports and other triggers
Improved car explosion visual effect
Arcade level select is now organized by Collections
Updated Sprint level set unlocking requirements
Added a main menu notification prompt when levels are unlocked
Added on-screen visuals when gaining/losing boost, jump, and jets
Added Rich Presence support for Discord on Windows (OS X and Linux in the works)
Added Ground Zero to Sprint and updated medal times
Improved several situations where objects would pop in and out (related to static batching)
Improved handling of bad collisions in several rare scenarios
The Manor has been removed from split-screen play due to tricky level design
LEVEL EDITOR
Completely revamped skybox system (via Level Settings and Biodomes)
Background layers can now be assigned
Any object within a background layer will be rendered from (0,0,0) directly in the skybox
The Sun, Stars, Storm, and Background Layer can all be toggled on/off individually
By default the UltraPlanet (highly customizable earth) exists in the background layer
Any levels created previous to this update will be auto-upgraded to the new system
Added star tweakables such as colors, variation, brightness, and glow
Added Background Scroll value which allows the background to move slightly based on player position
[Animator] Added ability to have separate delay and duration when playing an Animator in reverse
[Animator] Added option for following a track by percent rather than distance
[Animator] Added "Wrap Around" option when following a track. Disable this to prevent popping at start or end of the track.
Added Roads/InvisibleStartZone which allows you to spawn into a Sprint level from anywhere
Added several new Golden Simples presets such as Sand, Ice, Snow, Water, Glass, etc.
Added level description field in the Level Settings
Added ability to collapse all components in the Properties window (hold Ctrl when clicking a collapse triangle)
Added a "Silent" toggle on Checkpoints which mutes sounds and hides text printing
Added feature in TurnLightOnNearCar where you can turn off the light on trigger exit (works with both Trigger Distance and the EventListener)
"Generate Unique Event Name" on Event Trigger now affects selected Event Listeners which have matching Event Names
Library Tab search now supports searching with multiple words and includes matching folders (e.g. "spli HD" finds "SplinesHD" folder)
Reduced minimum value of Fog Near to -1000
The first letter of each component property is now capitalized
Removed DisableAnnouncer checkbox in the editor Level Settings
Cleaned up the golden simples presets (deleted and renamed a few)
Swapped several of the presets used on default Golden Simples objects
Changed TurnLightOnNearCar so that it only affects itself and children
TurnLightOnNearCar doesn't affect any child objects with their own TurnLightOnNearCar
BUG FIXES
Fixed bug where the mysterious orb's rotation in Ground Zero was erratic at high framerates
Fixed bug where "B for Back" wasn't shown in the split-screen player selection menu
Fixed bug where some halloween features were enabled by default
Fixed potential memory leak caused by resetting your car
Fixed bug where TurnLightOnNearCar would still have a collider when an eventListener was being utilized
Fixed issues with Wrong Way in Corruption
Fixed EmpireCube not rendering properly
Fixed bug where strange announcer phrases could be heard on non-Windows platforms
Fixed several specific stability issues
Fixed bug where wheel visuals could flicker black
Fixed bug when using TurnLightOnNearCar in conjunction with GoldenSimples
EDIT (12/1): The build has been updated to 5824 with additional bug fixes.
Fixed bug where TurnLightOnNearCar would never trigger
Fixed bug where Spectating was broken
Fixed bug with wheel decals being visible when close on network cars
Fixed bug where certain text printouts weren't playing clicking sounds
Fixed bug where the announcer would randomly cut off in Adventure mode
Objects existing in the same place and having the same name will no longer be auto-deleted
Version info in upper right corner now says macOS instead of OS X
- Jordan (
Happy Halloween! New Level 'The Manor'
EDIT (11/4): The build has been reverted back to normal, but the new level and music remain.
Happy Halloween! Today we're taking a short break from Adventure mode development to give Distance a Halloween-themed makeover! Alongside various visual tweaks, this patch also features a brand new (super spooky) Sprint level called The Manor.
Build 5464 - Halloween Update
Added new Sprint level: The Manor (with new music)
Added toggle in General settings for Halloween Features
Random smashable pumpkins are back
Updated the main menu to something a bit creepier
Added spider web on the car's screen, jack-o-latern image on rims, and flickery headlights
Added heavier film grain and vignetting effect
Landing tricks triggers a mysterious laugh
Development Update
As you might have guessed by the short changelog, this build does not contain all of the new stuff we've been developing internally. We still plan to release the final Adventure mode at v1.0, and while things are going well we're not currently in the best spot to branch back into the public build. Since our June update we've added quite a bit of new tech to make certain cool things happen in the new Adventure mode, but unfortunately it causes some issues with the old Adventure mode.
Since it would be sad to miss our tradition of releasing a Halloween patch, our solution was simply to patch the latest stable branch. It might be a bit unorthodox, but we figured it was better than no patch at all.
(an upgraded level from the revamped Adventure, can you guess which one?)
As I mentioned above, content for the v1.0 release (i.e. final Adventure mode and some other secret stuff) is coming together nicely. Adventure mode itself is finally nearing completion, so one of our current big tasks is to ensure performance and memory usage are acceceptable thoughout the campaign. Many of the final Adventure levels have 2x as many objects than their current early access counterparts. To ensure the new levels run as smooth as possible it requires some clever optimizations on our end. We're using the PS4 build as a performance benchmark and have been making good progress this month towards our target, though we clearly have some work to do.
(framerate data for secret new level running on the PS4)
I still can't yet announce everything that will be released at v1.0, but some very cool stuff is making the cut. We're making slow but steady progress every day over here, doing our best to stay within scope while still living up to the promises we made. Until we can say more I hope you get a kick out of this week's patch and have a fun Halloween!
- Jordan (
Tournament on Saturday, Gamescom this month!
Hi everyone! We've got something really cool going on this weekend. We'll be hosting our first ever Sprint tournament this Saturday, August 12th! Sign up to race on Discord, and watch the fierce competition in action on Twitch!
One big reason why we haven't yet hosted a Sprint tournament is that we wanted to ensure it would be as fair as possible for all players. In that effort we've invited three talented level creators from our community to each create a brand new level. The levels will be officially unveiled on Saturday during each round of the tournament. In the meantime, here’s a teaser:
Learn more about prizes, event rules, and more on Discord. See you on Saturday!
DISTANCE AT GAMESCOM
In other exciting news, we'll be returning to Germany in less than two weeks to show Distance at gamescom! We're really excited to show off some of the latest levels in Adventure mode to our European friends, host a few tournaments at the booth, and some other fun stuff. Thanks to our friends at Indie Arena for having us again!
You can find us in Hall 10.1 Booth A-020. If you’re attending, be sure to watch @refractstudios on Twitter for the latest info during the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSpAqfuxqZY
LOOKING FOR GAMESCOM VOLUNTEERS
Since there are just a couple of us making the trek to Germany we're once again looking for volunteers to help at the booth (especially with events like tournaments). In exchange for volunteering at the booth we can get you special access to the expo and likely some other rewards. If this interests you please email ellie@refract.com with the subject line "Gamescom volunteer" and we'd love to discuss the details with you.
QUICK DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
The past couple months have largely been focused on wrapping up major content for the 1.0 release, including Adventure mode as well as some miscellaneous content for Arcade. Wrapping up a project of this scope has certainly been an immense challenge, but I can’t describe how exciting it is to see the pieces all come together.
On the PS4 side of things, our next major step is to take any content that’s locked in and do our best to make any required optimizations. Not only do our latest Adventure levels push the CPU to its limit, we are noticing that memory has finally become a concern. We’ve been holding off on these final optimizations until we knew how far the PS4 would be stretched. On the upside the visual quality of our environments has never been higher. We just have to ensure that the PS4 (and lower spec machines in general) are able to fully enjoy them.
Following gamescom we’re essentially moving into the final polish and optimization stage of development. We don’t have a perfect plan for what will be publicly released on PC before the 1.0 launch because our focus is 100% on finishing content for 1.0. There is (of course) an endless list of things we’d like to improve in the public build, but we must stay the course and get this 1.0 content locked in before moving on.
Anyway, our plan is to keep pressing forward and do our best to bring this project to a proper 1.0. We hope to see many of you at gamescom later this month, and in the meantime we can’t wait to witness the tournament madness this weekend.
- Jordan (
Minor Update (Build 5462)
Hey everyone! Today we uploaded a small patch to address issues found in The Radical Update.
The biggest issue addressed in this patch was that several SteamVR devices (e.g. HTC Vive, Oculus DK2, etc.) would either not work at all or cause Distance to crash. This should now be fixed. This was an oversight on my part and I apologize for the inconvenience to VR players since the release.
I've also added an Announcer Settings section to the Audio options. This allows you to enable/disable the Announcer in certain modes based on preference. By default "Stunt Only" is chosen, though if you like it in Sprint or Adventure you can choose "Arcade Only" or "All Modes" respectively.
Thanks to those who reported these bugs and supported output logs on the forums and Uservoice! Check out the full changelog below:
MINOR UPDATE: Build 5462
GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS
Added "Announcer Settings" drop down which allows you to enable the announcer in All Modes, Arcade Only, Stunt Only, or fully Disabled. By default Stunt Only is chosen
eV in the level select leaderboards is now formatted properly with commas
By default Replays are now set to "Global Near"
By default VSync is now disabled in the Graphics settings
LEVEL EDITOR
Added Red Heat and Disassembly Line to the viewable levels in the Level Editor
The Announcer can now be heard in the level editor
Added "Disable Announcer" option in the level editor's Level Settings which disables the announcer for that specific track
"Press ... to Reset" text has been disabled in the level editor
Golden SplinesHD are now included in track generation by default
Improved default values for golden animator
Moved some objects into the Zones folder
BUG FIXES
Fixed crashes and various bugs due to loading the game with the HTC Vive or another SteamVR device attached
Fixed bug where the "Checkpoint" phrase would play in Challenge, Stunt, and Reverse Tag
Fixed bug where clicking Next in the Pause menu would do nothing
Fixed bug where after completing a playlist, clicking Next would do nothing
Fixed issue where an orange dot would confusingly appear next to Adventure in the main
