Designing and deploying a high-performance VRChat cyberpunk environment with custom lighting, optimized assets, and integrated interactive systems for large-scale multiplayer stability.
Title
Lead Technical Designer
Game
VRChat
Last Update
1.1 - March 2021
Unity Version Used
2018.4.20f1
Timeframe
August 2020 - March 2021
Languages & Frameworks
C#, UdonSharp, Shader Graph, Unity Lighting Systems, HTML/CSS (UI elements)
Infrastructure
VRChat SDK, Unity Engine, Git (Version Control), Blender Asset Pipeline
Tools
Photoshop, Substance Painter, Oculus Link, Valve Index Testing, Post-Processing Stack, Unity Profiler, Occlusion Culling Tools
Project Overview
Sheruta is a large-scale VRChat cyberpunk social environment designed to handle high concurrent player counts without sacrificing visual quality or immersion. I led the technical design and optimization process, ensuring that complex art assets, dynamic lighting, and interactive systems ran efficiently on a wide range of VR hardware.
The project balanced AAA-level environmental design with real-time performance constraints, requiring tight collaboration between design, programming, and QA. The result was a stable, immersive space capable of hosting large community events without latency or rendering issues.
Key Engineering Achievements
Infrastructure & Optimization
- Reduced overall draw calls by ~42% through mesh combining, LOD systems, and selective static batching.
- Implemented occlusion culling and aggressive light baking to achieve stable framerates on mid-tier VR systems (e.g., Quest via Oculus Link).
- Developed a modular asset pipeline in Blender and Unity for quick iteration and performance tuning.
Scripting & Interactive Systems
- Wrote custom UdonSharp scripts for environmental triggers, animated billboards, music sync events, and dynamic lighting changes.
- Added user-triggered features (e.g., “party mode” lighting) with server-safe toggle logic.
Networking & Scalability
- Configured VRChat world settings for 50+ concurrent users while maintaining consistent performance.
- Developed a network-safe interaction layer to prevent desync during high-traffic moments.
- Used Unity Collab + Git for version control, ensuring stable merges and quick rollbacks during development.
Testing & QA
- Conducted iterative load tests with up to 120 concurrent users, monitoring network latency, FPS stability, and shader performance.
- Implemented pre-launch profiling to catch memory spikes and shader overdraw issues, reducing load time by ~18%.
Challenges
- Performance vs. Visual Fidelity: Balancing a dense cyberpunk aesthetic with VRChat’s strict optimization guidelines, requiring aggressive draw call reduction without compromising visual identity.
- Hardware Diversity: Ensuring stable performance on both high-end VR rigs and mid-tier setups (e.g., Oculus Quest Link) while maintaining parity in user experience.
- Concurrency Management: Configuring the world for 150+ concurrent users without triggering latency spikes, physics desync, or shader overdraw issues.
- Dynamic Content Integration: Creating interactive elements (event signage, lighting controls) that could be updated without republishing the map.
- Asset Pipeline Coordination: Managing a collaborative asset workflow between Blender, Unity, and Git to prevent broken references and maintain modularity.
Results
Technical:
- Achieved stable 70+ FPS on desktop VR and 45–50 FPS on Quest Link under peak load.
- Reduced scene load time by nearly 20% compared to early builds.
- Enabled long-term maintainability by creating a modular architecture for rapid event-specific updates.
- Recognized in VRChat community hubs for balancing immersive atmosphere with optimized performance in large-scale social spaces.
Popular Features:
- User Favorites: The video player, pool table, amphitheatre, and the avatar and portal hubs are particularly popular among users, indicating the effectiveness and appeal of these interactive elements.
User Engagement:
- Visits: Sheruta has successfully attracted over 6700 unique visits, demonstrating its popularity and appeal within the VRChat community.
- Community Events: The world has hosted over 15 diverse events, including a notable pre-recorded live session for an emerging EDM artist, highlighting Sheruta’s capability as an event venue.
Recognition:
- Spotlight Feature: Sheruta has been featured in VRChat’s Spotlight section, a testament to its quality and uniqueness in the VRChat universe.
Testimonials
Additional Media
