It's Here!

After about 14 months of development, PunjiVR Version 2 has finally been released to the main branch for all of you to enjoy. Version 2 is a total remake of PunjiVR, and it fixes and improves everything wrong with the original build while also paving a better path for future updates.

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Main Features & Improvements:

• Full player body
  
• New locomotion system (a combination of joystick and armswinger movement, plus physical crawling & climbing)
  
• Overhauled audio (you'll like it)
  
• Improved visuals
  
• Better gunplay and weapon handling
  
• Updated inventory system that's affected by item weight & bulk
  
• Traps
  
• Larger map potential (the Gun Truck mission and Intro are set on a 2km X 2km size map)
  
• Better AI
  
• Allied AI
  
  
• SteamVR integration (Index controllers use finger curling now, rebindable controls via SteamVR, pausing, and overall more stability)
  
• Better performance
  
• Proper controller positioning (no more need for manually adjusting your hand offsets)
  
• Reliable height calibration
  
  
• A whole lot more. Scroll through the last 20 test build update notes for details

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• Intro
  
• Main Menu / Shooting Range
  
• Movement Tutorial
  
• Obstacle Course
  
  
• Firefight (Endless 10v10 battle set near a village)
  
• Last Stand (Endless wave defense mode that gets harder the longer you play)
  
• Tunnel Rat (Collect 3 pieces of randomly placed intel and escape the Viet Cong tunnel system. Watch out for traps!)
  
• Gun Truck (Defend the gun truck as long as you can. Each kill earns one point that can be saved up and spent on loadouts for you, armor and weapons for the truck, and ammo refills. Make sure to keep an eye on the truck's health and repair it with the wrench to keep it moving!)

• 15 infantry firearms
  
• 4 fixed/static weapons
  
• 5 frag grenades and a set of 5 smoke grenades
  
• 4 Traps to watch out for (each can be disarmed)
  
• Flashlight
  
• Your fists

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What's Next?

Version 2 is the start of a new era for PunjiVR -- this is just the beginning.

A lot of exciting features are planned for the future, but I want to spend the next few major updates adding pure content to the game before I start work on anything major.

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Closing:

It's a relief for me to finally see Version 2 take over the main build. Version 1 was decent and it had some good ideas, but it was just too messy to keep maintaining and adding to.

I know there's not a whole lot of content in the current build, but that will change very quickly over the course of the next few months, so stay tuned!

Over the course of its development, Version 2 was tested by a number of various community members and their help has been incredibly valuable, so I appreciate all of you who took the time to play around with it during the testing phase. I will continue to use the separate test branch for future updates, especially major ones, so if you're interested in taking part in that, head over to the Discord and get the 'tester' role to be notified of new releases.

I look forward to seeing what you all think about the new PunjiVR and, as always, I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions for it, so don't hesitate to let me know. You can do so in the comments of this post, on the forums, or through one of the social links below.

Thank you all and good luck in the jungle!

-

Discord[discord.gg]
Subreddit

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

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Highlights:

• Intro Scene

[/b]
A new intro scene plays the first time you launch the game (after height calibration). Deleting your save file lets you experience the game from scratch, but the mission was also added to level selection as an alternative.

Credits page

[/b]
If you have voice lines in game and don't see your name, or you would prefer I use a different name for your credit, please contact me and let me know!

Rucksack now works with custom loadouts

[/b]
[/list]

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Other Changes/Fixes:

• Disabled custom loadouts on Range
  
• Fixed issues with M60 in custom loadouts
  
• M60 top cover now closes when the gun is stored in a shoulder slot
  
• Open bolt weapons now spawn with their bolts back in loadouts
  
• Fixed UI errors with shoulder slots
  
• Made logic for stored flashlight work better (no more double lights, more accurate checks, etc.)
  
• Flashlights that are powered on now stay lit when stored in your shoulder slot. It also follows your camera rather than your chest, because it's stored on your helmet instead of your chest rig.
  
• Smoke grenades now block bots' vision
  
• Chest inventory now moves and rotates more accurately with your body and is easier to access when crouching
  
• Fixed multiple pathing errors for the gun truck
  
• Can no longer store grenades once their pin is pulled
  
• Added extra particle effects to the gun truck
  
• Added more cover logic to multiple props and vegetation
  
• Optimized bullet trails
  
• Improved dynamic lighting for default graphics setting (High) to look better with Tunnel Rat
  
• Weapon sounds will now continue playing even after the bot is killed, or if the weapon is stored (for player guns)
  
• Various other bug fixes and optimizations

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Conclusion:

Welp, here we are.

This is the last test build for Version 2 and it's reflective of the full release.

I plan on launching it to the main build in the next week or two, so it should give enough time for you all to test it and for me to redo the store page. If you do test it, please let me know what you think of it in its entirety considering it will be the PunjiVR from now on. Your feedback, as always, is extremely helpful.

I tagged this announcement as a "patch" instead of a "regular" update to hopefully give the real, full release extra visibility. I will also do a large marketing push to try and get as many new (and returning) players on board, which is something I've neglected for the past year or so, so thank you to everyone that stayed with development and continued to support the game during that downtime.

I'm still planning out the roadmap for the updates following Version 2's full launch, so stay tuned for info on that -- and don't hesitate to reach out with suggestions if you have any! The main goal for the first ~year after V2's release will be to get as much content into the base game as possible so that I can afford to spend longer development periods on larger additions, like vehicles, level editors, larger missions, and multiplayer.

---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Subreddit


----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

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Highlights:

• Settings/Options

[/h2]
Since the video, a new option has been added that lets you disable controller turning entirely

Custom Loadouts

Create and bring your own custom loadouts into the missions (except for Gun Truck). The rucksack inventory does not save or load properly at this time, but it will be fixed before release.

[/list]

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Other Changes/Fixes:

• Height calibration is now only done once at the start of the game
  
• Movement tutorial goes to the proper main menu now
  
• Added ??????*$%(@#?????? to the Range
  
• Added icon to the executeable
  
• Adjusted pose zone size for level selection
  
• M60 bipod now folds when stored in a shoulder slot
  
• Adjusted volumes & priorities of misc. sounds (collision clips, bolt manipulation, etc.)
  
• Lowered default master volume

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Conclusion:

One more to go!

I made the decision to skip the tutorial at this time because it will save a good month or two and it's not necessarily needed for the type of content currently in game. Instead, I will be creating an intro level that plays the first time you launch the game. It'll be a brief showcase, only a minute or so long, but it should help get you immersed into the world of PunjiVR and give a good first impression. I'll also add in a credits page with this next update, so for those of you that have helped out with development, you'll finally get a good spotlight!

The settings in game should cover all of the major requirements, but do let me know if there is anything missing and I'll put it on the list to add.


---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

----------

Highlights:

• New Main Menu

[/h2]
Thank you to MemeIsMyDream on Discord for providing the intro music.

New US Voices

[/h2]

Voices by:

• Jaiden Christensen
  
• louie.
  
• Maximus The Great
  
• Nebulyte
  
• Notgodchrist03
  
• TrypZ

[/list]

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Other Changes/Fixes:

• Silhouette targets now automatically reset on their own after a few seconds
  
• Spinner targets make a louder sound when hit
  
• Fixed bug where storing mosin ammo in your inventory consumed one bullet
  
• Suppression resets faster
  
• Explosion blur is half as intense if you're covered from its blast
  
• Made helmet tapping easier
  
• Various optimizations, mainly to Firefight
  
• Price of static weapons and their ammo refills on Gun Truck now scale with how many static weapons you currently have -- the larger and more powerful your armaments, the more costly it is to expand and maintain it, but the starting cost is a lot lower (static M60 = 5 points to start and raises your next purchase by 3, minigun = 20 but raises your next purchase by 10...)
  
• Added audio to storing and retrieving items from your chest rig pouches
  
• Renamed a few items (for helmet tap info & inventory storing) to their correct ones
  
• Fixed issue where 1911 wasn't able to be stored in shoulder slots
  
• Fixed bug where chest rig was enabled/disabled when shooting certain guns
  
• Made grenades more deadly to enemies
  
• Fixed issue with grenades not applying damage when they were supposed to
  
• Made fixed weapons easier to aim and handle
  
• Getting a new loadout now destroys all instances of the old loadout (even if the item is no longer on your person)
  
• Fixed an issue where the gun truck tried to start on a waypoint that doesn't exist, causing it and the player to not be able to move
  
• Adjusted priorities of bullet snap audio so it no longer plays over gunshots

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Conclusion:

The next test build might take a little longer than usual and there won't be a lot of interesting features to showcase during its development because it'll deal with a lot of technical stuff. Still, it will be one of the most impactful updates yet, adding in all sorts of settings and values to tweak to make PunjiVR perfect for you.

If you have any specific settings or options that you want to see included, don't hesitate to let me know in the comments, subreddit, or Discord.

---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

----------

New Graphics:

--

--

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Other Changes/Fixes:

• Removed broken enemies from Firefight
  
• Fixed issue where the player's shadow would be headless
  
• Added correct ballistic materials to all props and items
  
• Tweaked all ballistic materials to be accurate to real life values
  
• Replaced all bullet impacts with proper effects
  
• Adjusted AI's gunshot sound priority so that player weapons play over it
  
• Decreased intensity for both explosion and gunshot suppression effects
  
• Added max value cap for gunshot suppression effect
  
• Fixed multiple minor issues with the buttons on Gun Truck
  
• Fixed issue with old loadouts not being destroyed when a new one is loaded
  
• Removed leftover remnants of older chest inventory
  
• Made magazines easier to load on multiple weapons
  
• Made Mosin bolts easier to cycle
  
• Fixed collision issues with grenades stored in inventory
  
• Switched chest inventory to TOGGLE with trigger to open/close
  
• Chest inventory no longer opens automatically when a storable item is near. Pull trigger while holding the item to open it (prevents it from opening when not wanted)
  
• Allies now shoot more often
  
• Improved bot cover behavior
  
• Made enemies more aggressive on Hillside
  
• Grass no longer billboards (rotates to face player) on Gun Truck
  
• Made enemies more aggressive on Gun Truck when they first spawn, but decreased max number of enemies
  
• Made gun truck more agile to avoid it turning into trees (it still drives poorly in a few places, please let me know if you find a spot it goes off road on)

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Conclusion:

I set the graphics preset to 'Very High' (second highest preset), but it should still run well on most modern hardware. If it doesn't, full graphics settings will be added after the next test build. There are still a few performance hiccups here and there that I need to smooth out, so let me know if you run into any and I'll try to fix it before the full release.

There were also a lot of smaller but more impactful changes/fixes, mainly switching the inventory to toggle instead of hold to use, so be aware of that and let me know which one you prefer (I'll probably make it an option you can set: toggle, hold, or always show). The bots' cover behavior and aggression was also improved, so they shouldn't be running around like a headless chicken as much and they should be better at attacking intelligently. Lastly, the suppression effect was tweaked a lot so that it's more manageable and doesn't get overwhelming as easily.

---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Twitter
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Graphics Preview:

(Firefight mission)

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What's Left:

1. Graphics
   All of the new models are ready, so the only things left to do is to place them in the levels, adjust their colliders and AI cover spots, and bake the levels' lighting. The Firefight mission is ready for its lighting to be baked, Tunnel Rat's graphics are already complete, and I won't be messing with any of the menu visuals right now, so there are only two levels to finish — Gun Truck & Last Stand. In short, it shouldn't take too long!
   
   
2. Main Menu
   The main menu will be a new scene that combines level selection and the shooting range (similar to how the current menu scene is, but it'll look better). It won't take too long to create.
   
   
3. Settings & Options
   This test build will add in the player settings (i.e. options for turning, height calibration, accessibility, etc.), but it will also add in mission settings to let you tweak the difficulty and gameplay of each level.
   
   
4. Tutorial
   The original scope of the tutorial has been dramatically reduced now that the inventory and other core features have been simplified. The main focus will be to teach the basics of weapon handling, movement and climbing, and the inventory.

Overall, I'm still aiming for a summertime release.


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Plans for Post-Launch:

The main priority (besides bug fixes and polishing) will be content. I'm already working on the first new mission to be added in the first update — it will be set in a shipyard where you play as a Viet Cong sapper tasked with finding randomly placed intel. New weapons and equipment are also on the radar for the first few updates, but the main goal will be to add new missions.

As the game's playtime increases, I'll start working on other features like custom loadouts, navigation, and vehicles. After around a year or so after release, the game should be in a very solid state with a great foundation, so I would feel more comfortable to start working on larger, more time consuming additions like multiplayer, longer campaigns, and a mission editor.

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Version 1 was created without any real goal in mind which led to it becoming an awkward sandbox of scattered ideas, which is fine but it lacks a long-term plan. Version 2, however, aims to be a lot more focused.

The main goal is to create an experience that can stand on its own for many years to come without the need for new updates from my end. Things like multiplayer, mod support, and a mission editor are large checkboxes that will help accomplish this. Before any of that is started, though, I want to make sure the actual base game is great as is, It's nice to be able to "create your own fun", but some days it's nicer to be able to just jump into something already finished and polished, so I want to ensure both options are available.

---


It's getting close!

As always, I'd love to hear what you all think, so don't hesitate to let me know in the comments or through one of the links below.

Thanks for the support and remember to keep an eye on the treeline!

Discord[discord.gg]
Subreddit

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

----------

Highlights:

The new inventory uses the same socket-style chest inventory as version 1 and other popular VR games, so it should be a lot more natural and familiar to use. The difference is that it is only enabled when you either go to store an item or when you hold trigger over your chest area. This makes it less obstructive than the standard socket inventory by only being active when you want to access it.

A small detail that was harder to see in the video is that a pouch model spawns on your character's chest rig at the spot an item was stored at, so you can quickly see how many items you're carrying and where they're stored by simply looking down.

-

Other Changes/Fixes:

• Can no longer load mosin ammo into 1911 :(
  
• Increased blast radius on all grenades
  
• Fixed carbine muzzle positions
  
• Your character's head is no longer visible to the camera (to avoid clipping)
  
• Fixed clipping issues when aiming some guns
  
• Fixed second-hand grab on M60 not affecting rotation
  
• Gun Truck now properly restarts when the truck explodes
  
• Added audio to truck repairs
  
• Added more hints and additional info to menu scene
  
• Adjusted injured camera effect distance to better cover the screen
  
• Added a fade transition between levels
  
• Fixed multiple issues with the over-the-shoulder inventory (it should work properly now)
  
• Can now store any item in shoulder slots (ammo, flashlights, pride, etc.)
  
• Made helmet tapping easier

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Conclusion:

Now that everything's all polished up and working as intended, I'll start working on the graphics. Most of the new models have already been created, so it should only take a month or two before it's ready.

---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Twitter
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

----------

-

----------

Highlights:

• New Mission: Gun Truck
  Protect yourself and the gun truck for as long as you can! Killing an enemy awards you a point which can be used to buy new loadouts, truck armor, and mounted weapons for the truck. You can repair the truck by tightening a bolt with a wrench.
  
  
• Mounted Weapons
  
  
  • Mounted M60
    
  • M2 Heavy Machine Gun
    
  • Twin M2
    
  • M134 Minigun
  
  

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Other Changes/Fixes:

• Fixed bugged magazines and grenades in Tunnel Rat armory
  
• Can no longer shoot guns when holding back the charging handle
  
• Fixed multiple lighting errors on Tunnel Rat
  
• Made it easier to grab second grab point on 1911
  
• Decreased default suppression intensity and cooldown time
  
• Fixed grounded layermask issue with terrain
  
• Made grab trigger larger
  
• Made bolts and charging handles easier to grab on all weapons
  
• Fixed rare bug where 1911 slide wouldn't go forward
  
• Decreased base enemy health

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Conclusion:

This was the last main mission for Version 2 before its full release. The next test build update will focus on polishing and bug fixes, but, after that, it should be pretty smooth sailing until launch:

---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Twitter
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below:

Check out the next iteration of PunjiVR early and provide feedback to help make it the best it can be!

What Is Version 2?

Click the link below for a roadmap and info on Version 2:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1900020/view/4147323864458114135

----------

Highlights:

• New Mission: Tunnel Rat
  
  Find and collect 3 pieces of intel in a VietCong tunnel system.
  
  
• Random and preset loadouts
  (custom loadouts coming soon!)
  
  
• Traps!
  
  Each trap can be disabled or triggered manually. Check out the examples in the test range to learn more

-

Other Changes/Fixes:

• Smoothed bot aiming & made their 'leading' behavior (shooting moving targets) more realistic
  
• Standardized shadow smoothness on all materials
  
• Added angled flashlight
  
• Prevented duplicate instantiations for Bots when they spawn
  
• Disabled item action button when hovering it over your chest inventory to prevent input overlapping
  
• Many minor bug fixes with the chest rig inventory
  
• Adjusted master audio volumes
  
• Removed controller vibrations for inventory warnings
  
• Added loadouts to firefight
  
• Increased weapon and attack stats for multiple AI weapons
  
• Adjusted interaction between weapon sounds and environmental reverb zones
  
• Removed English lines from VC bots
  
• You can no longer sprint when crouching too low
  
• Revised climbing to make it easier and less janky
  
• Revised crawling and lower player stances to make them easier and less janky
  
• Removed all traces of older M60 ammo belt
  
• Increased damage of all bullets
  
• Fixed collision issues with AI ragdolls
  
• Explosions can now detect more than just the camera collider on the player (making them more deadly if your body is exposed)
  
• Stopped AI hands from spinning when they die
  
• Grenades now properly add force to AI ragdolls
  
• Revised body impact effect
  
• Added ammo crates (smack mags on them to refill your ammo)
  
• Full chest rig view no longer rotates with camera when open, making it easier to navigate
  
• Made grenade spawners less buggy (they're still buggy, just less so)

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Conclusion:

Tunnel Rat still needs a lot of polish and testing, but it's in a playable and fun state that should give those of you who have been itching to try it out a chance to do so. The enemies in that mission use a death animation instead of a ragdoll because the physics kept bugging out in such a small space that it made it not only less immersive but sometimes even difficult to actually navigate. I'll fix those issues and revert them back to using ragdolls for the next test build. There's also an issue with the light from the kitchen's fire ignoring shadows and illuminating objects that it shouldn't, that will also be fixed.

All in all, I'm really pleased with the new mission and I look forward to seeing what you all think about it!


---

If you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or want to share your opinion, head down to the comments of this post or through any of the links below. Thank you all and good luck!

Discord[discord.gg]
Twitter
Subreddit



----------


If you'd like to participate in this test build, follow the directions below: