Hello, Everyone!

We've updated The Zium Exposition to from Version 1.1 to Version 1.2. This update is focussed on Performance Accessibility.

The ideal for The Zium is a low barrier to entry, and that doesn't just mean 'it's free, and easy to download' but, ideally, it also means you can experience The Zium on whatever system you have available, and at whatever fidelity matches that system. It's challenging to see people, including some of our artists, not having a very nice time playing The Zium Exposition due to the lack of customisable quality settings and resolution option. So we fixed that and added some. 

Please note, however, that at 'lower quality settings' some works may not appear as they are intended to appear. This is just a factor of how the engine works, and what is sacrificed when quality settings are lowered. In most cases, there are no issues, however, if you can play on 'Quality: High' or above, then please do so, and take the hit on Resolution. This will ensure all the works are operating and displayed as intended. In any case, the options are there for you to balance to taste, as with any other game, naturally. You can change the Quality and Resolution from the main menu, as well as the in-game settings menu.

We've also made a number of other small improvements and changes to the main gallery, primarily quality of life fixes. Notably, we've added small 'Audio Tour Available' signs in areas which, when tuned to Jay Castello's Audio Tour channel, can be triggered by the Z-Wave Radio. We had a couple pieces of feedback that these were hard to find, so we wanted those of you who wanted to enjoy Jay's contribution to be able to do so, easily! We have not done the same for Pippin Barr's Radio Nodes for his pieces FACE and FACADE, as it is in the spirit of the work that these are found 'by searching' and somewhat 'found spontaneously' as you explore the gallery when tuned to Pippin's channels. In any case, hopefully all things Z-Wave Radio are a little more intuitive and enjoyable.

For the assistance on the update, I want to say a special thank you to Richard Walsh. Richard is one of our artists, and a long-time Zium collaborator, and he made several specific code-level optimisations across the board, as well as greatly assisted in implementing functional Quality and Resolution customisation options. Thank you also to Pietro Righi Riva for all the advice on our optimisation efforts, and of course Sirius for some fixes early on in the optimisation process. Thank you also to the members of the discord who assisted in playtesting the new update, and for anyone who has shared feedback of their experiences, which have all served to make The Zium Exposition just that little bit better.

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We've had many visitors since launching The Zium Exposition, and it's been nice to see the steady stream of increased visits to previous Ziums with the release of The Zium Exposition. I had the opportunity to speak to not one, but two PHD students over the last couple weeks who interviewed me about The Zium, and making virtual galleries, and together with speaking at GAEMZ in Tokyo last month, it's been a really nice time of reflection. I'm very lucky that I get to make virtual galleries, and that together with many, many artists, we've made a nice little offering for the world to enjoy. Bringing an experience that I love, being the experience of visiting art galleries, to the comfort of your own home, via your computer, is a great thing to be able to do. It's a real pleasure.

Thank you for all of those who have already visited The Zium Exposition, and I hope all the new visitors will enjoy their time in The Zwitz Alps.

Oh, and Happy Holidays.

All the best,
Michael Berto.
Curator