The next evolution of RustForge is here!! Version 3.8.0.0 marks a massive milestone in the engine's development. I have completely refactored the core screen-space math and input logic to ensure frame-sync stability and pixel-perfect accuracy across all modern display configurations.

From high-precision double-mapping for 4K/Ultrawide users to the new VoidWatch Sentinel AutoSave System, this update ensures that your progress is protected and your strokes are precise, no matter the server conditions, or your PC Hardware.

The VoidWatch Sentinel is your proactive insurance policy against lost progress. It acts as a live monitor for the game's UI layer while you paint.

• Proactive Recovery: The VoidWatch Sentinel monitors a specific UI element (like the Trash icon). If it detects the menu has closed due to death, a disconnect, game crash, or a server restart, it instantly halts the cursor and triggers an emergency save for you to recover from.

• Canvas Sync (CTRL+S): To ensure the game itself saves your work, RustForge now pulses a save command to the server every heartbeat. This prevents "rollback" data loss if the server crashes before its own internal autosave triggers.

• Custom Polling: You can now adjust the Sentinel Heartbeat (Default: 2000ms) in the settings to control how often the app checks the screen state.

• Calibration: Use the new Set VoidWatch AutoSave Point (F8) hotkey to pick your tracking anchor before you start. (This box should be drawn around the red trash can icon in the painting screen, the save button, or any other canvas UI element on the canvas screen that does not change.)

I’ve rewritten the math for how the mouse moves across Widescreen and High-DPI displays using a new high-precision coordinate system.

• Scaling Detection: If Windows is stretching your display (125%, 150%+), RustForge now detects this "logical vs. physical" discrepancy. A new notification will inform you exactly how the app is adjusting its math to compensate. Now RustForge handles the scaling properly!

• Double-Mapping System: By moving to a new precision mapping system, I have eliminated the "rounding errors" that previously caused unpainted vertical stripes or ghost lines on certain resolutions.

• Ultrawide Support: Reworked equations to natively support 21:9, 32:9, and non-standard aspect ratios without tearing.

• Fixed Unpainted "Specks": Resolved an issue where rapid paint operations would skip pixels. This was caused by the input buffer missing/skipping a mouse event. I've implemented a Safety Floor (minimum 20ms) for any small area being painted to ensure the game engine processes every single dot. Large areas will still be able to paint at the speed you set, but small areas of a painting will cause the cursor to slow down a bit to maintain accuracy.

• Accurate Estimates: The painting time estimator has been rebuilt from the ground up. It now accounts for every internal sleep and overhead delay, providing a high-fidelity completion time. (Soon to add a "Time Remaining" counter on screen during the painting process)

• Session Persistence: Fixed a bug where loading a session would occasionally skip to the next color instead of resuming the exact pixel where you left off.

• Resume On Click: Now 100% fixed. Palette data now persists properly through resume points, ensuring the colors remain consistent even after stopping and starting.

• WebP Support: You can now load and paint [c].webp[/c] images directly.

• Modernized UI: Updated the Help and Info forms with a high-contrast, scannable layout.

• Image Loading Fix: The "Missing Parameter" error has been resolved; all standard formats and SVGs now load flawlessly.

• DPI Override Guidance: If the new math detection isn't enough for a specific "quirky" Windows setup, the app now provides clear instructions on how to use the Windows "Override High DPI Scaling" properties.

The next evolution of RustForge is here, and it’s time to move into the next phase of the Beta! This update is a massive milestone, I’ve refactored the core engine logic to be 33% faster while simultaneously making it more resilient to most every issue, and to Windows display "quirks."

I have introduced the VoidWatch Sentinel, a proactive monitor that acts as your insurance policy against lost progress. Because I've rewritten the math for how the mouse moves across Widescreen and High-DPI displays using a new coordinate system, I need your help testing these changes across as many different monitor setups as possible!

1. Right-click RustForge Sign Painter in your Steam Library.

2. Select Properties > Game Versions & Betas.

3. Choose the Beta Branch.

The VoidWatch Sentinel (Painting State Monitor)

• Proactive Recovery: VoidWatch Sentinel now monitors the game's UI layer while you paint. If it detects the painting menu has closed (due to death, disconnect, or a server restart), it instantly halts the cursor and triggers an emergency save.

• Saves in-game Canvas: The Sentinel now periodically pulses a save canvas command ([c]CTRL+S[/c]) to the game every heartbeat, ensuring the game itself has saved the canvas contents. This ensures you lose no canvas data if the canvas closes before the game saves its contents.

• Custom Polling: Added a "Sentinel Heartbeat (Polling Rate)" option to let you decide how often the app checks the screen (Default: 2000ms).

• Calibration: Use the new Set VoidWatch AutoSave Point (F8) hotkey to pick a static UI element (like the Trash icon) for the Sentinel to track.

High-Precision Screen Space Math

• Accurate Screen Space Detection: I’ve implemented a new "Physical vs. Logical" resolution check. If Windows is "stretching" your display (125%, 150% scaling), a new notification window will explain exactly how RustForge is adjusting its math to compensate.

• The Perfect Equation: I’ve moved to a high-precision double-mapping system. By using this, we eliminate the "rounding errors" that previously caused unpainted vertical stripes or "ghost lines" on certain resolutions.

• Ultrawide Support: Reworked screen space equations to natively support 21:9, 32:9, and non-standard aspect ratios.

Engine & Stability

• 33% Speed Boost: Refactored the internal loop to reduce CPU overhead, allowing for significantly faster painting on "Turbo" settings.

• Input Safety Buffer (Safe Mode): A new toggle in Settings that adds micro-delays between inputs, perfect for ensuring strokes register on high-latency/laggy servers.

• AutoSave Improvements: Standard AutoSave now triggers every X rows, backing up your session data to the INI file so you can resume exactly where you left off.

• Image Loading Fix: Resolved the "Missing Parameter" error, all standard image formats and SVGs should now load flawlessly.

• VoidWatch Sentinel Reliability: Did the VoidWatch Sentinel properly stop RustForge when the menu closed or changed? Did it "save" your progress?

• DPI Alignment: Does the new scaling detection properly align the canvas selection with your mouse? Does the painting method stills cause tearing and specking?

• Safe Mode: Does the "Input Safety Buffer" help with skipped pixels on high-ping servers, and unstable/low FPS?

• Speed: What speed are you set at, what is your Timing Delay set to?

• Modernized UI: Updated the Help and Info forms with a high-contrast, scannable layout.

• DPI Override Instructions: Added clear guidance on how to use the "Override High DPI Scaling" properties in Windows if the new math detection still isn't enough for your specific setup.