URP Conversion/MAC Playtest Version Update, and A Requiem For A Post Office.

Sorry we’re a day late- yesterday was a scorcher, and our computers shut down for a couple of hours (we don’t have air conditioning.)  Laura & I took the afternoon off to have a writer’s meeting with one of the ferry greeters out on Peaks Island (more about the visit, below.)

First - to our Mac-Using supporters waiting for their playtest version:  The URP conversion that we have committed to was waylaid by four days, due to issues with our terrain shader. Thankfully, we had a breakthrough two days ago, and work has proceeded apace.  Just about every system is now more or less functional within the new URP framework, and 90% of static textures have been converted.

The last remaining issue to be addressed is converting the foliage.  We have a three-step process for every one of the fifty or so prefabs that populate the island’s various biomes.  I anticipate this should take no longer than 48 hours.  At that point, we will be asking our Mac guy to attempt a full fresh download of the project, and a build.

The initial download, I confess, requires about 24 hours.  Typically, the Mac requires an additional 12 hours to build the project’s library.  I am hesitant to make any predictions, but I am figuring that we’ll be releasing a new playtest version in the first week of August for both Mac & PC.

You can see we've come a long way, since last week - look at all that freaky magenta!

This has not been the only thing going on, by the way.  Laura has added a “test quest” to every NPC species in the game, along with a quest tracker.  She has also taken on the simplification & revision of interiors that will be needed for the full Beta.

Lance has added a number of improvements, including the integration of a REALLY neat book reading system.  We'll be showing that off, in Monday's update!

We have also brought on Nick B., a Mainer volunteer who will be making sure that everything within the project is properly compressed.  We noticed that the project had bloated considerably in the wake of the URP conversion, and the previous playtest build was 10GB larger than it should have been.  Nick will make sure that doesn’t happen again!

So - yeah, a Post Office.  You see - one of the things that made me fall in love with the islands of Maine was how each is its own community.  Each had their own schools, small businesses, and with just a few exceptions, their own post offices.

The first of these island post offices I encountered was on Peaks Island. It was only open for a couple of hours a day, but had served the community well for many years.  When we created the Post Office on Peace Island, we modeled it after that building.

Unfortunately, just prior to the start of the Pandemic, the rear of the building caught fire. I believe it was the result of a careless AirBNB rental - but whatever the cause, Peaks Island had lost its Post Office.

The island’s market stepped up to serve as a temporary replacement, as the building stood vacant for two years. Then, on our recent visit, we found that the building that had housed the Post Office had been demolished, down to the glacial bedrock.

Having studied the history of these islands, I know that far greater and more consequential buildings have been lost to such accidents over the centuries.  However, it’s strange to think that this building now only exists in Peace Island.

The stone at the entrance still stands - we’ll see what it leads to, in times to come.

Next week’s update will be a members-only affair - see you all on Monday - Thanks again for your patience, confidence, and support!