PostMagic v4
Small improvement for PostMagic due to a larger donation. See my Hub resources page.
2023-07-07 18:56:31 +0000 UTC View Post
MacGruber_Laboratory posts
Updates for Essentials and VirtualLock
New AudioReverb plugin has been added with Essentials.16. Also major update for VirtualLock (part of Connect.6). See my Hub resources page.
2023-04-18 19:46:14 +0000 UTC View PostNew Guide: Raspberry PI + Relay board
For Connect plugin. Check my Hub resources.
2023-04-09 19:38:29 +0000 UTC View PostLife plugin WIP: Voice+Breathing
Short Hub profile blog post, plus looking for recommendations on AI voice services.
2023-04-09 13:07:48 +0000 UTC View PostFYI: Switching page to non-adult
I have decided to switch my page to non-adult, as that is the option offered by Patreon to creators who do not want to do their age-verification. I simply don't agree with having my biometric data stored by a third-party in a fourth-party cloud storage. Therefore I deleted all old posts.
Clarification: New content will go directly on the Hub, simply skipping the EarlyAccess phase. Check my resource page there on occasion to not miss new resources, the Hub sadly doesn't ...
2023-04-04 10:37:27 +0000 UTC View PostSpeechRecognition v3: Maintenance (free)
Quick maintenance update after last weeks v2 release.
Changelog
- Fixed null reference exception that was apparently introduced due to an API change with VaM 1.21 or 1.22. This actually made the GrammarRecognizer unusable when the plugin was added to a new scene. Thx "Will" for reporting.
- Fixed another silent null reference exception.
- Updated demo scene to match new plugin version.
Download
LogicBricks v14: Sound from AssetBundles
LogicBricks is a collection of 34 reusable logic plugins to quickly build simple logic without coding. Version 14 adds the new SoundFromAB brick and other improvements around the topic of handling large amounts of sounds.
So, pick your favorite text-to-speech AI out there and have it generate your voices. Put them into an AssetBundle. Then enable VaM's new build-in lip-sync and use LogicBricks to play your voices. Having hundreds of voice lines in a scene isn't an issue...
2023-03-14 20:28:48 +0000 UTC View Post"The New Remote" scene release (free on Hub)
Quick update for those still here after one year of nothing? I'm not "back", but just had a few days of free time and released a minor scene for free on the Hub:
In the last few days I also fixed the Benchmark plugin to make it work again with VaM 1.22.0.1 and made minor updates to the LogicBricks and Connect plugin...
2023-03-04 13:44:27 +0000 UTC View PostKeeping the site online due to popular request.
Hi,
after the Goodbye post last week, I received lots of comments of appreciation. Thank you for those! My decision hasn't changed, I have stopped working on any VaM stuff. I will likely ignore questions, too. For the reasons stated in that post. Anyway, among them were surprisingly many comments asking to keep my site run...
2022-04-03 17:44:20 +0000 UTC View PostGoodbye!
Just to make that clear, this is not an early April's Fool post ;)
Some probably already suspected this after I had paused my Patreon for the last two months, I decided to stop my engagement in the VaM community for the foreseeable future.
But, ...why?
I was active in the VaM community more or less continuously for more than 4 years now. VaM has come a long way since then. Usually I spend something around 30-40 hours per month, so...
2022-03-28 17:21:20 +0000 UTC View PostMonthly Report: Paused subscriptions for March
Quick update: I activated the pause-function of Patreon again for March. That means active subscribers won't be charged for the coming month. There is nothing you need to do. However, anyone signing up as a new Patreon in March will still be charged normally.
That non-VaM project I mentioned in last month's report is still ongoing and takes all my available free time. Additionally, stress level at my real job is going up as well, simply the nature of ga...
2022-02-28 18:30:53 +0000 UTC View PostMonthly Report: Paused subscriptions for February
Hi! Beginning of the month went as planned and I released Essentials and LogicBricks updates, as well as my Connect GPIO plugin, which allows you to control a Raspberry PI's GPIO pins from VaM, which again could control almost any device you hook up to it. Following that, I wanted to start on various IdlePoser improvements, which were detailed in last months report.
However, a non-VaM project has come up that...
2022-01-23 15:03:12 +0000 UTC View PostConnect v4: Raspberry PI GPIO
Connect is a plugin package that allows you to control external applications and devices via network. This could be an audio-driven E-Stim devices, or now also the GPIO pins of a Raspberry PI, essentially pins you can turn on/off to control stuff. This kind of micro computer is often used for homemade "smart home" devices, like watering your plants, etc. Without any coding, just some soldering/electronics skills, you are now able control all kinds of toys/de...
2022-01-05 19:23:39 +0000 UTC View PostLogicBricks v12: ValueRelay
LogicBricks is a collection of 31 reusable logic plugins to quickly build simple logic without coding. Version 12 just adds a small feature to the ValueRelay brick.
Changelog for LogicBricks v12
- ValueRelay: Adding RangeMin/Max sliders, so you can remap the value range. This allows you to adjust range of a float trigger via trigger.
- Updated demo scenes to refer current versions of packages.
Downlo... 2022-01-05 17:52:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Essentials v14: Maintenance update (free)
Your most essential MacGruber tools in a convenient single VAR package. This version got more bugfixes for PowerHandles, hopefully not introducing new issues. That plugin is a bit delicate as its pulling strings inside VaM to make it do crazy things VaM was never intended for. I hope I got it right this time.
Changelog
- PowerHandles: Fixed issue with 'SelectRoot' no longer working. Thx AcidBubbles for reporting. 2022-01-04 09:07:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Monthly Report: December
Happy new 2022 everyone! Slightly late monthly report as I wanted to get my Raspberry project at least far enough for a little demo video. So what has been going on last month?
Essentials and LogicBricks
As planned, I did some way overdue maintenance/bugfixing on PowerHandles, SkyMagic and SuperShot, which are all part of my Essentials collection. Especially the fixes for PowerHandles should help anyone working ...
2022-01-02 11:18:57 +0000 UTC View PostLogicBricks v11: SequenceMachine and SequenceChoice
LogicBricks is a collection of now 31 reusable logic plugins to quickly build simple logic without coding. Version 11 introduces two new bricks, SequenceMachine and SequenceChoice.
Changelog for LogicBricks v11
- SequenceChoice: Similar to RandomChoice and SelectChoice. However, each time it's triggered, it executes the next item in the sequence. There is also a RandomShuffle option. This was a request by lapi... 2021-12-28 11:03:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Essentials v13: Maintenance update
Your most essential MacGruber tools in a convenient single VAR package. This update fixes a PowerHandles issue accidentally introduced with v12.
Changelog
- PowerHandles: Fixed issue when no longer cycling through controllers by clicking.
Download
- This is an EarlyAccess release! Download will be available for free under 2021-12-28 10:47:28 +0000 UTC View Post
Essentials v12: Maintenance update
Your most essential MacGruber tools in a convenient single VAR package. This update contains various fixes for PowerHandles, SkyMagic and SuperShot.
Changelog
- PowerHandles: Fixed issue when releasing modifier key (CTRL or ALT) before releasing the mouse button. Thanks to ZRSX and babul for hints on how to reproduce the issue, so I could finally hunt it down.
Monthly Report: November
The Benchmark obviously was the big release of the last few months, which is for now at least considered "done". I have not entirely made up my mind yet on what to do next. Probably first some smaller maintenance/bugfixing updates for my plugins, after that I'm not sure. I'm considering either of the following at the moment as the next project. As usual, I can't make any promises as to when this would...
2021-11-28 18:58:44 +0000 UTC View PostBenchmark v3: New scenes and fixes
Version 3 - Changelog
- New scene with in two variants, featuring 3 characters having fun. Something like this was asked for a lot as it should make a more realistic test, as many VaM scenes have more than one character. As usual the variant is identical except for one thing, in this case "Advanced Colliders" and "Soft Body Physics" are turned off for all 3 characters. On my old machine (i7-4770K) that would have given a noticeab... 2021-11-14 19:53:21 +0000 UTC View Post
Monthly Report: October
The first version of the Benchmark system released this month, plus a minor bugfix release. Seems it was pretty successful in terms of downloads for new Hub resource (currently at 1.7K), reviews and active discussion going on in the designated thread on the Hub. Not successful in terms of Patreon pledges, though. I have lost some 30% earnings before tax over the last 6 months. Apparent...
2021-10-31 09:55:23 +0000 UTC View PostBenchmark v2 - Bugfixes
Changelog
- Hopefully fixed those false "modified version" errors. These seem to have been caused by starting out with any PhysicsRate other than my favorite 60Hz and some obscure float-inaccuracies within VaM.
- Fixed not counteracting VR head tracking in "Run Scene Only" mode as advertised.
- Simplified integrity check debugging features so I get info easier when something goes wrong.
- Removed unnecessary SkyMagic Exporter plugin.<... 2021-10-21 19:10:54 +0000 UTC View Post
Benchmark v1
Finally....I released the Benchmark system! Please install via the Hub-Browsewithin VaM. All info here: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/benchmark.11336/
There is a discussion thread where you can share your results here: https://hub.virtamate.com/threads/benchmark-result-discussi...
2021-10-20 20:59:54 +0000 UTC View PostMonthly Report: September
Quick update....this month I had been a bit more busy than expected with my real life job, we are coming near a major project milestone, so stress level goes up, meaning I couldn't do as much VaM work as I usually do. Also no vacation days or legal holidays I could use this month. Not to mention the weather being too good to stay inside ;)
Still, I found some time to work on VaM stuff:
- Benchmark project: Added UI and code to ask the user about whether As... 2021-09-30 17:40:47 +0000 UTC View Post
Monthly Report: August
End of the month, it's report time! Nearly all available VaM time still goes into the Benchmark project I announced in the last report.
What happened so far?
- Building technical basis for a Benchmark system inside VaM. Its a framework that can capture detailed timings for multiple parts of the scene. It... 2021-08-29 11:47:45 +0000 UTC View Post
Essentials v11: Maintenance update
Your most essential MacGruber tools in a convenient single VAR package. Just a quick maintenance update for FrameRateControl.
Changelog
- FrameRateControl: Fixed detection when VaM is loading, which probably broke with VaM's Cyberpunk update. When you got "Pause VaM when not focused" enabled, the plugin will now again not pause while you are loading a scene or assets. So it actually loads and you are free t... 2021-08-22 07:50:33 +0000 UTC View Post
LogicBricks v10: ScreenFade + LoadingDelay
Among other things, two new bricks for LogicBricks. These will be needed for the Benchmark project to reduce motion sickness as much as possible. Due to the locked VR head tracking, motion sickness is a problem in that scene you usually would not have to this degree. So I need to use every trick in the book, at least those that won't affect benchmark results, to reduce it as much as possible. In this case fading to...
2021-08-22 07:36:18 +0000 UTC View PostFluff: Benchmark Prototype
After burning a full week of vacation on this, I got a first working prototype of the benchmark tool. The idea is to measure VaM performance in a scene that is identical for everyone with as little random factors as possible. VaM's settings should be enforced to be the same for everyone to make the results actually comparable. That will allow us to gather solid performance data for VaM and system inf...
2021-08-11 18:16:53 +0000 UTC View PostFluff: Testing Mocap vs. Gaze/Glance
Just testing mocap interaction with Gaze/Glance. I wanna see if this could be something for the Benchmark project I'm working on.
2021-08-06 08:59:55 +0000 UTC View Post