Update Log: 2022/06/01

Here's the update. I think we're getting to the latter half of the update's completion; except for one thing. (scroll past changelog)

The current test build can be accessed with this link. Make sure you copy the entire link! https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_e5eb4407-062b-4034-a1d4-87bca18c80ea&instanceId=PATRON~hidden(usr_8d3b6c9b-cd64-449a-8b39-a819057f5d3c)~region(us)~nonce(1c620f70-a63a-4f29-9492-7703c2d071d6)

Bus To Nowhere 1.5 Changelog:

• The knife was slightly retextured and now has a new form. 
• Three new bus synchronizations, "Lemon", "Starlight", and a secret sync, "Blood Rush". These can be obtained by syncing Lemonade, Karol's new form, and the Knife's new form respectively.
• The "Blue Bus Reset" has been implemented. It can only be used once and is done by sacrificing the Blue Bus in the engine room by using it, preferably near the machine. Items used to synchronize the bus will still be gone. The only exception is Big Eyes, which will reappear to prevent a soft lock with the Apocalypse Bird battle.
• It should also be noted the Bird Lamp that spawns with the Lamp Bus will also vanish alongside it's synchronization.
• Bus synchronizations now properly color the info/news text on low quality lighting.
• The "Greed" bus's ability was buffed a bit more.
• All passengers are now killable, except for the bucket because it's a bucket. Passenger death animations were also sped up slightly and are more fluid overall.
• Fixed the battery indicators not showing up when active.
• Fixed Patron list having duplicate names; I'm not sure how this happens. I'll probably have to double check everyone's on there at some point.
• Also fixed the second part of patron names not fading properly.
• Mystic Moon now has the ability to act as lightning if items are held up on the roof during the night. Karol should be unaffected. (You can charge Ukulele in it, charge batteries, and kill Virus) 
• Fixed being able to revive Karol in the Mystic Moon. You can't undo what you've done.
• Fixed Him being able to be turned into a weird hybrid of both forms.
• Absolutely fixed textboxes on pickup-able characters 100%
• Updated the Virus Ending and Chaos Ending credits with new patrons.
• Added one new patron plush. (Edit: I forgot some stuff on your plush, it will be added the next time I update the world, sorry about that!)
• Removed Ancient Guardian, see below. 
• DUP is now obtainable from Ancient Biome Events at a 1/3 chance after unlocking the Diamond Moyai. This NPC also now adds towards the progression Ancient Guardian would have given.
• DUP's lines were also changed to reflect this.

On the topic of Ancient Guardian:

Firstly, I'm sorry, but secondly and more importantly, the explanation.

The current fight seemed fine conceptually. 

But in practice, it is a syncing nightmare and even a slight network delay can cause you to lose it unfairly. The fight itself is pretty poorly designed for groups, and there is also the issue with it not even summoning the event for non-master clients, so I have made the decision to just remove it all together from the current test version and rework it entirely into something less network reliant later down the road. 

I want something fun, not something broken and confusing.

At some point in the future, I want to rework the fight entirely; so that everyone in the instance can enjoy it. This is the current plan for the rework:

• The fight will instead be based on surviving as a player rather then protecting an object. The collision triggers for players are local, so this will make the battle way more fair for each player.
• This also means that it's much more of a group effort rather than one person doing all the fighting. Puppet hand will still be usable in the fight, so that does mean one person can have the advantage.
• The goal of the fight will be to have at least one player by the end of it. Players that have been hit will be trapped in a cage until the battle is over. If all players are hit or fall off the bus, the battle will end.
• I will likely also be redoing the chart for the song, as well as maybe choosing another song entirely. While I like 72, there was another Everhood track I also really liked that I think would be better for this kind of event.
• No idea how it's going to be spawned or summoned or whatever yet. Maybe the NPC can have something to do with it, who knows. I'll iron that out once the rework is implemented.

TL;DR: I hate how Ancient Guardian turned out personally and am unhappy with it; so into the recycling bin it goes until later when I have more time to fix it; since it will be a big investment; which brings us to issue #2

On the topic of my Time:

I think it is important to mention that I start an actual job soon, which is 4 to 5 12-hours shifts a week, flip flopping between day and night shifts. Meaning I'll have significantly less time to work on the world, and probably much less energy (and patience).

I want to get this update out before then if possible; so if I have to, I may release the update without Ancient Guardian and add it later on down the road as a patch; though when that'll happen, I can't quite say for sure. 

In the event I have to stop working on the world once I start my actual job, I'll close my Patreon down for a bit, or swap it to the mode where you only get charged if I post something new; that way you don't pay for nothing if I don't end up doing anything significant.

I might put it to a poll at some point and we'll see what happens from there.

Thanks for reading, hope you all have a good day/night!