Go Outside Simulator
Not dead.
I had very little time to work on this as I needed to do stuff to like...survive.
Anyway Although GOS is a dumb meme game it's not dead, Ive been working on some more content for it. a new environment that was meant to be just cool and fun has been giving me a ton of issues with the scripting and making everything play nice together. It will be in the next update but it will likely be very very broken at first as I have no idea how to fix a few major issues yet. But that’s not stopped me before.
I also did get a VR headset Early 2020 from revenue I made off GOS and started learning how to make VR content. But again I had to back burner game dev stuff for months which sucked. However things are looking better already and I can work on this stuff again. I also have a VR planetarium I made quickly as a test and it turned out pretty good, I’ll see about releasing that as a free thing eventually, and adding VR support for GOS down the road. I also did start work on my first proper game last year but it also got the freezer treatment. So Both will be worked on this year.
Anyway For those who were disappointed last year by this I’m sorry, but it’s not a dead project, it was just in hibernation.
New year new updates
So the next update is underway. I’m going to try and fix a bunch of things, add some stuff, and push it out of early access. I do plan on re doing the forest day level because ive never really liked how it turned out. I may do so for the 1.0 update or I might do so later when I can afford better tools to do so. Regardless when it comes out of early access I will continue pushing updates for it as this project is still very much a practice project where I experiment with things in Unity level design and scripting. I also enjoy hiding jokes and references in the levels because my dry sense of humor cannot and will not be stopped.
To that end other things you can expect in later updates include-
- VR support (probably VR specific levels as walking around in VR is nauseating)
- Re done forest day (the layout will be the same, the foliage and ground will not)
- More interactivity (more things to play with in game)
- Online multiplayer (sounds like a joke, it is, but “go outside together” is the most requested feature)
-a lot more environments (no shortage of ideas)
These will happen but I can't give a firm time table, but a VR level will likely be the first as I am getting a headset and need to experiment with building VR content.
Thank you all for supporting this confusing simple meme of a game, It means a lot.
Next Update
The next update will polish some functions, fix problems, add more set dressing and will include a new and rather strange environment. I have tons of ideas for new environments and places to build and as I generally improve I will update the game. Even if I’m working on other projects and am far removed from GOS I will continue to update it as time goes on because if nothing else it’s a fun stupid project.
Thank you all who have played the game, even if you refunded it right after I hope you at least got some amusement out of the concept or finding the Easter eggs. Once I finish the next update I will begin full work on my next project but will not stop adding to GOS. Also I would like to say the price will not change, I had thought about bumping it up a little once it leaves early access but I won’t. I want it to stay cheap and honestly charging more for what it is feels like a crime. Sure I’ve put a lot of work and time into it but I didn’t make it for money so it will remain a cheap gag you can waste time in. That being said the support does help and I’m shocked I got as many purchases as I did.
Onward and upward.
v0.5
0.5 Changelog:
- Added new Environment (Maze)
- Added new Environment (Mars)
- Added new level type (Challenges)
- Added light effects to Forest Day
- Added light effects to Forest Winter
- Added light effects to Desert
- Added light effects to Backyard
- Additions to main menu
- Adjusted ball in Backyard
- Texture pass to Forest Day
- Texture pass for Forest winter
- Adjusted player character in Forest Day
- Adjusted player character in Forest winter
- Adjusted player character in arctic
- Adjusted player character in Desert
- Adjusted player character in Forest Night
- Reworked helmet view in Deep Ocean
- Improved camera effects in all environments
- Reworked helmet view in Moon
- Adjusted run walk and look speed in Moon
- Edited boundaries in Arctic
- Texture additions to Forest Day
- Added diving lift to Deep Ocean
Early Access
Originally GOS was scheduled to leave Early access in April, Now since the game is a simple environmental simulator and not very complex this goal may still be achieved if I can get enough done before then. However it’s looking more likely that it will remain in early access for a bit longer.
Even after it leaves early access updates improvements and additions will continue be added as I work on it in my spare time. But before it leaves early access there are a number of features I want to have in place that are not yet in the game.
Thank you all who have supported GOS. I don’t pretend it’s some kind of big, interesting or well-made game, or even a game honestly. But the skills and concepts I’m learning through its development are helping other projects and moving me closer to my goal of using environmental simulation to help people in education and mental health. At its core GOS is just a humorous walking simulator for those who genuinely like it, and to those who appreciate the gimmicky nature of it.
The next update should be a larger one and should be ready fairly soon.
0.4.2 update
- Added pond to backyard
- Added underwater audio in Forest Day
- Added audio zone to Backyard
- Prepped terrain for audio zones
- Tweaked colliders in Backyard
0.4.1 update
- Reduced jump in Forest Winter
- Re worked Pause Menu
- Minor UI changes
- Skybox rework for Moon
- Addition to object in Forest night
- Minor terrain edit to Moon
Development update
However it's not perfectly smooth sailing. After updating to the most recent version of Unity a few things broke and are in the process of being fixed. Nothing was lost or anything, just updating stuff and fixing broken scrips. The pause menu was one casualty, I may fix it or just scrap it and implement a better less garbage one (which I’ve been planning to do anyway) so we will see how that pans out.
Anyway all that aside development will pick back up and updates can be expected in the near future. In my computers down time I’ve been looking into procedural generation for another project I want to work on in the future. The best way to toy with it would be to use it in GOS and see how it works. If I do add procedural generation it will be in a dedicated level and not in all levels. The environments are all made to be a static size and static configuration, however it might be fun to add one or more procedural environments for those who want to walk forever. No ETA on that feature and I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep, but I am looking into it so it may happen. I have also looked at suggestion made in the discussions and will work on a few, no guarantees on multiplayer (it would be kind of funny not going to lie) but proper controller support will likely happen.
Thank you for supporting Go Outside Simulator and thank you to everyone who’s left a review, I’m pleased to see people either got the joke or genuinely enjoy the concept.
0.4 update
The 0.4 update is now live, with it comes a host of additions and fixes. Work is still progressing and i'm always thinking of new things to add and experimenting with new ways to improve the environments. Thank you for your support of GOS.
Changlog
- Added new environment (Deep Ocean)
- Added new environment (Forest Winter)
- Optimized camera for Forest Night
- Adjusted fog in Forest Night
- Adjusted lighting in Forest Night
- Improved natural level boundaries in each environment
- Added more terrain detail to Forest Day
- Slight texture improvements to Forest Day
- Adjusted camera for Forest Day
- Adjusted lighting for Forest Day
- Changed walking and running speed
- Replaced house in Backyard
- Removed gun from Backyard
- Redid textures in Backyard
- Added bees to backyard
- Added tree physics to Forest Day Forest Night and Backyard
- Added audio to game object in Desert
- Improved lighting and snow in Arctic
- Fixed a couple broken textures in Moon
There have been a couple hotfixes the last few hours. They are just small graphical fixes small enough to just fix but not large enough to warrent a full update. No matter how much I look I always see problams after an update I need to fix.
It never ends... Well back at it!
Comeing up
The next big update is already in the works, It will fix a number of known issues, replace place holder assets with custom ones and add new things. The invisible walls are annoying and that's the more common critic the game has gotten. Fully agree, they are just there to keep you from falling off the map but I will be making level boundaries more natural.