WEEKLY UPDATE #5

Command Console & ConVar System

This update introduces a full console and configuration system in the style of Source-engine games like Counter-Strike. Press F1 to open the in-game command console, bind any command to any key, and tune the game through plain config files (keys.cfg, autoexec.cfg) in the game directory. Hundreds of fine-grained parameters are now exposed as convars — every command and binding is documented on the wiki.

SKALA / PRIZMA Rework

The SKALA/PRIZMA computer has been heavily reworked. Many more parameters are now available to query, including basic setpoint monitoring. MTK displays now behave like the real hardware: they report slightly stale data and refresh less frequently, reflecting the actual cycle time of the PRIZMA program on the original machine. See the wiki for the full list of available inputs.

New Reactor Core Thermal Feedback

The reactor core received a new set of thermal feedback mechanisms for much more realistic behavior:

• Positive void coefficient of roughly +4.1 βeff, close to the historical value
• Adjusted Doppler (fuel temperature) feedback
• New graphite temperature feedback
• Water temperature feedback in control rod channels
• Gas-gap conductivity between graphite and fuel channels
• Non-uniform burnup scatter

Reactor Core is slightly more non-uniformly burned to represent refueling cycle.

ZRK (channel water flow) valves are now trimmed by default to compensate for fuel burnup and ensure more uniform voiding. Valve trimming can be done though command console "reactor.balance_zrk" at any power level.

Improved fuel assembly feedback properties based on real world data.

New Wiki

A new wiki is live and will replace the current in-game manual:

Features

Console, Config & Input

• Command console (F1)
• ConVar system — fine-grained parameters configurable via autoexec.cfg or the console
• Settings are now saved as .cfg files in the game directory
• Key bindings are configurable from the settings menu or directly in keys.cfg / autoexec.cfg
• All VIUR controls are exposed as commands and bindable to any key (see wiki)
• Simulation/render speed (TPS/FPS) reworked into the param [0-6] convar
• Cheats must now be explicitly enabled with cheats 1
• Interlock bypass (requires cheats) — more on the wiki
• Player controller rebuilt on a Source 2–style controller
• Panel key controls are constrained to your local position in front of the panel

Reactor Physics

• New thermal feedback set: void, Doppler, graphite temperature, and rod-channel water (KOSUZ) feedback
• KCTK gas circuit added, with its thermal feedback
• Void slip implemented in fuel channel water
• Non-uniform fuel burnup pattern improved to reflect real refueling history
• Fine-grained diffusion simulation settings via convars
• Various diffusion simulation speedups and improvements
• Thermal network proof of concept — partially integrated into the core
• Internal rework of control signals to deterministic "wires" settled once per tick

SKALA / PRIZMA

• Heavily refactored and improved PRIZMA program
• SKALA programs М (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Correct boiling crisis coefficient (К0К0000)
• Setpoint measurement (proof of concept)
• Prohibitions (proof of concept)
• Unit quadrants (second digit of К: 3–6)
• Periodic MTK measurement (on by default, as before)
• VU non-latching switches
• Refactored numerical readout displays

Control Room & Panels

• KOM — drop rods by disengaging servo power
• ZRK per-channel water flow trimming valves
• LAZ in-zone now actuates both LAZ rods when the LAR rod is fully inserted
• LAZ triggers when either of the two AZ signals is present
• Hysteresis added for AZS/AZSR, AZM/AZMM, and LAZ
• Wired: LAR plotter, steam separator plotter, ISS plotter, core-side power current indicators (all 4 sides), AR-1/AR-2 tracking mode lights
• Rod servo alarms and SFKRE alarms
• VIUB mnemonic displays
• Missing texts and controls added to the VIUR side
• Texts and props added to wall panels
• All alarm texts finished
• Desk phone dials (props)

UI & Misc

• Personal dosimeter overlay (configurable units)
• UI popups
• Improved alarm sound effects to be less grating

Fixes

• Achievements are disabled while cheats are enabled
• Fixed AR probes non uniformly picking up flux due to numerical solver limitations
• AZ-3 now reduces power to 20% instead of 50%
• Fixed a major race condition in control signals (control knobs)
• Fixed nondeterministic probe feedback (off-by-one tick)
• Fixed Doppler feedback — it was artificially capped by a wrong denominator in the thermal transfer equation
• Fixed xenon multiplier
• Fixed DKE probing through SKALA's VU-1 interface — proper scaling, limited to DKE channels
• Fixed SKALA VU-2 value and order inputs
• Fixed SKALA VU "?" and "!" lights and error code outputs
• Fixed VU buttons playing multiple sounds per click
• Fixed К0Т0000 returning fuel temperature instead of gas temperature
• Fixed DKE-R probe positions
• Fixed AZ rod control matrix lights
• Fixed LAZ emergency setpoint decrease
• Fixed LAR setpoint autotuning and added hysteresis
• LAR in PK mode now stays engaged during an unacceptable-imbalance trigger
• Fixed AR disengaging in PK mode during unacceptable imbalance (e.g. AZ-3 trigger)
• AR-2 now correctly takes priority over AR-1 when LAR is disabled
• AR rod type no longer has displacers
• Fixed switching from AZS to AZSR triggering an emergency when the period was slightly positive
• AZS/AZSR switching delays now follow game time instead of real time
• Fixed KpY mismatched units
• USO deviations are clamped to the real unit's voltage range
• Fixed USM non-linear feedback and scaling issue
• Fixed kaleidoscope probe topology mismatch
• Proper ESC handling in various UI windows

Saves are not backward compatible.

Reactor Hall is temporary disabled.

If you experience any issues you can switch to last-update branch.