The 2.1.0 release is here! There isn't a great deal of new content in this release but a lot of work has been done behind the scenes to make the game much more stable and easier to develop. As with the last release, we're including four extra modules with the base game: federal, syndicate, salvage and warp. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this release! The game's open source and if you want anything in the game, you can help to make it happen.

Release Highlights

• New World Generation
• New UI Framework (good for players with irregular screen resolutions)
• New Tutorial
• Working maze collisions
• Many fixed bugs and fewer crashes

With the new world generation, you may have to start a new game. Older worlds are not likely to remain the same. Here's a brief look at the updated UI:

Changelog

Additions

• Replaced UIs using a new UI framework (NUI)
• Replaced the old tutorial and added new sections
• Added a UI scaling option to the main menu settings
• Added a preview of a ship's appearance on the new ship screen
• The Page-Up and Page-Down keys can be used to change the map zoom

Changes

• Updated libGDX to 1.9.14 (this should resolve some issues experienced by macOS players)
• The escape key no longer closes the game from the main menu
• Projectiles no longer collide with their originating ship

Fixes

• Fixed maze collisions
• Fixed objects being incorrectly culled on the map screen
• Fixed waypoint placement on a rotated map
• Fixed crash when opening inventory whilst transcendent
• Fixed crash when respawning whilst transcendent
• Fixed crash when the game is minimised
• Fixed ability charges not being consumed
• Fixed free IK-2 Escort mercenaries from the federal module

Full changelog here

[ 2023-04-05 20:11:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

We're finally back with another release after three long years! The biggest thing to have happened in that time is the integration of the Gestalt framework. This means that:

• Modding is now much, much easier. Check out how to create your own module with a few simple steps!
• Modules can more easily be added to the game. Simply drag the folder into the modules directory!
• More ships! More guns! More [insert other item type here]s! All in various modules we've got under the Destination Sol organization on GitHub. Note that some of these modules may be unstable or imbalanced
• No in-game interface to select modules yet, sorry! We hope to add this in a future version

There have been many other small changes over this time and as such it's just impossible to list them all. Here are the highlights:

• Significant code cleanups and enhancements
• Many, many bug fixes (and probably just as many bug introductions!)
• Brand new logo and animated menu background
• Some UI tweaks, including a remade new ship screen in which you can select how many systems will be generated (up to 9!)
• Some balance adjustments, including reducing the time between shots on the blaster
• Continuing a game will now generate the very same world each time
• In game console for cheating (use wisely)! Open it by pressing the tilde key and type `help` to see a list of commands
• A splashscreen will now appear while the game is starting
• Waypoints! Select anywhere on the map to mark for later.
• You can now pan the map with your mouse
• Faction enhancements. Increase your reputation among factions by buying things from them, or shoot at them to make them dislike you!

For full contents, see https://github.com/MovingBlocks/DestinationSol/milestone/4 Included in this release are four featured modules:

• federal
• syndicate
• salvage
• warp - a great example of the current possibilities of modules. Aside from its awesome ships, it introduces a new and interesting gameplay mechanic: research.

If you are coder, modder, artist, or are merely trying to become one of those things, and you want to help us in developing this game then we will happily welcome you! Check out our instructions for setting the game up for development to get you started; make sure also to say hello in our Discord server. Speaking of which... Feel free to join us on our Discord! (room #destination-sol) Oh and if you spot any issues with this release then feel free to report them to us there, or on our GitHub. While this release is long overdue, do keep your eyes peeled for more updates in the future. We currently have a dedicated Google Summer of Code student working on transitioning our code-base into a much more manageable state. We're not quite there yet, but with our frameworks in place the path to supporting multiplayer is now open. It will take effort (and new contributors!) but with your help we'll get there!

[ 2020-07-10 21:59:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

Check it out! Switch to the open beta branch and give the game a whirl! Beware that there are likely to be bugs, crashes and all sorts. Please note that you will not be able to continue an old game after upgrading. Report any issues here The biggest thing to have happened is the integration of the Gestalt framework. What this means: - Modding is now much, much easier. Check out this wiki page with instructions on how to create ships and other items - Modules can more easily be added to the game. Simply drag the folder into the modules directory! - More ships! More guns! More [insert other item type here]s! All in various modules we've got under the Destination Sol organisation on GitHub. Note that some modules may be unstable There have been many other small changes and as such it's just impossible to list them all. Here are the highlights: - Significant code cleanups and enhancements - Many, many bug fixes (and probably just as many bug introductions!) - Brand new logo and animated menu background - Some UI tweaks, including a remade new ship screen in which you can select how many systems will be generated (up to 9!) - Some balance adjustments, including reducing the time between shots on the blaster - Continuing a game will now generate the very same world each time - In game console for cheating (use wisely)! Open it by pressing the tilde \` key and type `help` to see a list of commands - A splashscreen will now appear while the game is starting - Waypoints! Select anywhere on the map to mark for later. - You can now pan the map with your mouse - Faction enhancements. Increase your reputation among factions by buying things from them, or shoot at them to make them dislike you! For full contents, see https://github.com/MovingBlocks/DestinationSol/milestone/4 Notes for developers: - Help us out! If you have some spare time and some technical know-how, we welcome new contributors to our project. Check out how to get setup - Due to the nature of this beta release, there will inevitably be bugs that need to be fixed. Please come help us fix them :) - Unit tests have been introduced recently but they are sorely lacking. Please help us write some if you know what they are or are willing to learn! Featured modules: - federal - syndicate - salvage One module of paticular interest is warp which is a great example of what can be done with some custom code in a module. Aside from its awesome ships, it introduces a new and interesting gameplay mechanic (research). Download the pre-release from GitHub to try them out. Join us on Discord! discord.gg/terasology

[ 2020-04-05 20:44:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

For those not following on GitHub it is hard to stay up with development activity, one could even think the project has stalled, but that's far from reality :-) During summer of 2017 we had one Google Summer of Code student assigned to Destination Sol, which got part of our Gestalt game library applied to DS, allowing modules to work properly (real modding, woo!) - there are even several actual modules adding new factions and ships working, adding more content to the game. For 2018 we had a promising GSOC proposal to finish implementing Gestalt for game logic, content, and eventually multiplayer, but didn't end up with enough slots from Google to fit it. Instead we're considering a similarly structured community project, which might also get into better staying on top of our social networks, web presence, Steam, and so on. Read more in our dev forum - there'll be a meeting this coming weekend to discuss further https://forum.terasology.org/threads/summer-of-code-destination-sol-community-project.2165/ We are also on Discord among other places. Invite: https://discord.gg/4uKbB8J

[ 2018-04-30 16:17:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

Patch release with some recent fixes related to v1.4.0 and in general :-)

• Mercenaries now start with an appropriate weapon so they'll be helpful without an awkward weapon item throwing phase. Huzzah!
• Crash from trying to load a ship with too many items in the save (should be OK to load broken old saves with)
• Allow volume control for both sfx and the new music separately
• Optimization for how the new music is loaded
• Minor extras like docs and project logistics

Special thanks to JGelfand on GitHub for most the work! :-) In other news: During Terasology's participation in Google Summer of Code (we got sponsored by Google to mentor three students working with us over the summer) one of the students also took a look at integrating our primary code library from Terasology into DS. First round should allow for easier asset usage (think defining ships) as well as adding new content in modules (mods really) like with Terasology - so easier modding, potentially with Workshop hooked up later! That will be the primary feature in v2.0.0 (not a sequel, just a new version), and the initial setup works on PC, but not Android yet. We need to finish that up then come up with a clean approach to hooking in the modding that won't later clash with a Workshop setup. Exciting potential, but no ETA so far. As usual that depends entirely on our volunteers, so if you know anybody eager to help code a game in Java in a welcoming and helpful community please let us know! :-)

[ 2016-09-15 02:23:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

Patch release with some recent fixes related to v1.4.0 and in general :-)

• Mercenaries now start with an appropriate weapon so they'll be helpful without an awkward weapon item throwing phase. Huzzah!
• Crash from trying to load a ship with too many items in the save (should be OK to load broken old saves with)
• Allow volume control for both sfx and the new music separately
• Optimization for how the new music is loaded
• Minor extras like docs and project logistics

Special thanks to JGelfand on GitHub for most the work! :-) In other news: During Terasology's participation in Google Summer of Code (we got sponsored by Google to mentor three students working with us over the summer) one of the students also took a look at integrating our primary code library from Terasology into DS. First round should allow for easier asset usage (think defining ships) as well as adding new content in modules (mods really) like with Terasology - so easier modding, potentially with Workshop hooked up later! That will be the primary feature in v2.0.0 (not a sequel, just a new version), and the initial setup works on PC, but not Android yet. We need to finish that up then come up with a clean approach to hooking in the modding that won't later clash with a Workshop setup. Exciting potential, but no ETA so far. As usual that depends entirely on our volunteers, so if you know anybody eager to help code a game in Java in a welcoming and helpful community please let us know! :-)

[ 2016-09-15 02:23:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

Official soundtrack by NeonInsect released at last! Note that the app size went up a fair bit for that reason (9ish mb to 61mb with bundled JREs on top of that for PC) The way our Android build is prepared also changed a bit, could be unexpected issues, especially on older devices. Other changes - Star gates should no longer spawn within each other - Ship icon should be visible while jumping between gates - Equipped weapons should persist through reloads - Lots of technical refactoring for later improvements - Credits updated - Mouse cursor *may* behave better in some edge cases reported occasionally (we upgraded LibGDX, the game library used by DS) For playing on a PC we now also integrated the CrashReporter originally designed for Terasology, so it should be easier to report crash issues. Don't forget to check out http://hastyhamster.net for a new game from Milosh, original creator of Destination Sol :-)

[ 2016-07-19 21:24:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

Official soundtrack by NeonInsect released at last! Note that the app size went up a fair bit for that reason (9ish mb to 61mb with bundled JREs on top of that for PC) The way our Android build is prepared also changed a bit, could be unexpected issues, especially on older devices. Other changes - Star gates should no longer spawn within each other - Ship icon should be visible while jumping between gates - Equipped weapons should persist through reloads - Lots of technical refactoring for later improvements - Credits updated - Mouse cursor *may* behave better in some edge cases reported occasionally (we upgraded LibGDX, the game library used by DS) For playing on a PC we now also integrated the CrashReporter originally designed for Terasology, so it should be easier to report crash issues. Don't forget to check out http://hastyhamster.net for a new game from Milosh, original creator of Destination Sol :-)

[ 2016-07-19 21:24:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello fellow gamers! Yesterday we've published a new Android game! Basically each level is a maze with water, and you have to tilt your phone/tablet to make water flow! Physics-based water simulation included! Visit the game website to find out more: http://hastyhamster.net (We've also made a Greenlight submission, but it needs a total re-design! v__v)

[ 2016-07-09 03:03:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello fellow gamers! Yesterday we've published a new Android game! Basically each level is a maze with water, and you have to tilt your phone/tablet to make water flow! Physics-based water simulation included! Visit the game website to find out more: http://hastyhamster.net (We've also made a Greenlight submission, but it needs a total re-design! v__v)

[ 2016-07-09 02:54:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

This is a small patch release with a couple fixes before we embark on something a little bigger in v1.4.0 Changes:

• Mouse is less tied to the windowed version of the game, free to move in and out when in the menu.
• Game crashes should put a logged reason why in a little popup
• Minor renaming of some stuff

No Android release as there'd be no noticeable changes. On the horizon activity is picking up and we'll likely prepare the nice soundtrack donated by NeonInsect soon. PrivateAlpha is getting to work again reorganizing some things and is looking at the 2D physics/image editor tool to see if we can rejuvenate it and make it easier to edit/add ships. FredoMaster fittingly popped up recently and started working on ship art, there's a nice preview just posted in the artwork section of a new boss ship, coming one day to a dark empire near you!

[ 2015-10-11 19:13:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

This is a small patch release with a couple fixes before we embark on something a little bigger in v1.4.0 Changes:

• Mouse is less tied to the windowed version of the game, free to move in and out when in the menu.
• Game crashes should put a logged reason why in a little popup
• Minor renaming of some stuff

No Android release as there'd be no noticeable changes. On the horizon activity is picking up and we'll likely prepare the nice soundtrack donated by NeonInsect soon. PrivateAlpha is getting to work again reorganizing some things and is looking at the 2D physics/image editor tool to see if we can rejuvenate it and make it easier to edit/add ships. FredoMaster fittingly popped up recently and started working on ship art, there's a nice preview just posted in the artwork section of a new boss ship, coming one day to a dark empire near you!

[ 2015-10-11 19:13:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

We just published v1.3.0 where the primary feature is controller support :-) You can now pick "Controller" as your input method and map any axis to ship related actions (menu stuff is still handled via mouse). You can also tweak your hot keys and such. Finally we've done a bunch of mouse fixes, mostly from issues noted on Windows 8 and/or in fullscreen. Please let us know if there are any noticable mouse issues left. Fullscreen on Win8 (and 10?) may still run in a weird fixed window that doesn't take up the whole screen, that's a separate issue that isn't solved yet.

Changes

• Added partial controller support. At this stage the ship can be controlled using a controller while the menu items can be accessed via keyboard or mouse.
• Added the ability to change the controls from the options menu, i.e. change the key and controller mapping.
• Escape key can now be used to quit the game from the main menu.
• Credits screen updated.
• Fixed a bug where the background junk, dust and debris may not have appeared.
• Fixed a bug where the mouse controls weren't working correctly after changing resolution.
• Updated libGDX to latest version.

Note: The tutorial is deactivated if you set "Controller" as your input method. Full change list on GitHub If you find any particularly comfortable controller settings (what do you put on what axis, etc?) let us know as the defaults aren't necessarily ideal at the moment. That may get more advanced later if more directional thrusters get added to ships ... :-)

[ 2015-08-02 03:49:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

We just published v1.3.0 where the primary feature is controller support :-) You can now pick "Controller" as your input method and map any axis to ship related actions (menu stuff is still handled via mouse). You can also tweak your hot keys and such. Finally we've done a bunch of mouse fixes, mostly from issues noted on Windows 8 and/or in fullscreen. Please let us know if there are any noticable mouse issues left. Fullscreen on Win8 (and 10?) may still run in a weird fixed window that doesn't take up the whole screen, that's a separate issue that isn't solved yet.

Changes

• Added partial controller support. At this stage the ship can be controlled using a controller while the menu items can be accessed via keyboard or mouse.
• Added the ability to change the controls from the options menu, i.e. change the key and controller mapping.
• Escape key can now be used to quit the game from the main menu.
• Credits screen updated.
• Fixed a bug where the background junk, dust and debris may not have appeared.
• Fixed a bug where the mouse controls weren't working correctly after changing resolution.
• Updated libGDX to latest version.

Note: The tutorial is deactivated if you set "Controller" as your input method. Full change list on GitHub If you find any particularly comfortable controller settings (what do you put on what axis, etc?) let us know as the defaults aren't necessarily ideal at the moment. That may get more advanced later if more directional thrusters get added to ships ... :-)

[ 2015-08-02 03:49:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

This has been in beta for a little while and nothing major has come up so we're releasing it and moving on with v1.3.0 which adds controller support! Beta for that should be out soon :-)

1.2.0 Change Log

• Restructured the way ships ("hulls") are defined in code and text files. Now each ship has its icon, texture, and text-based data under a single directory named for the ship.
• We've created a guide on How to Add a New Ship based on this version.

Guide: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=481833955

[ 2015-07-26 05:25:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

This has been in beta for a little while and nothing major has come up so we're releasing it and moving on with v1.3.0 which adds controller support! Beta for that should be out soon :-)

1.2.0 Change Log

• Restructured the way ships ("hulls") are defined in code and text files. Now each ship has its icon, texture, and text-based data under a single directory named for the ship.
• We've created a guide on How to Add a New Ship based on this version.

Guide: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=481833955

[ 2015-07-26 05:25:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

OS X Now Supported

We're pleased to announce that Destination Sol is now available on OS X. Version 1.1.1 has now been released which add supports for OS X. Windows and Linux users will also see a small update as this version is rolled out.

1.2.0 Beta Available

We have an early release of version 1.2.0 which is now available for beta testing. Anyone interested in helping beta test should head over to this discussion for more details.

[ 2015-07-13 08:20:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

OS X Now Supported

We're pleased to announce that Destination Sol is now available on OS X. Version 1.1.1 has now been released which add supports for OS X. Windows and Linux users will also see a small update as this version is rolled out.

1.2.0 Beta Available

We have an early release of version 1.2.0 which is now available for beta testing. Anyone interested in helping beta test should head over to this discussion for more details.

[ 2015-07-13 08:20:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi all :-) We're still adding the final touches to a new release process. But we've gotten a decent amount of fixes in and thought we'd try a beta release here on Steam (and on Google Play) We've had it tested by a few people but before unleashing it on Steam & Android proper wanted to see if we could get a few more testers, just in case something is flawed in our process. To beta test on Steam: Go to your library, right click Destination Sol, and enable Beta on its tab. Wait for the update, launch, confirm v1.1.0 in the bottom left and that the game works. To beta test on Android: Go join our G+ community then opt in for beta testing. - the app should update on your device or you can install it if you don't have it yet We're particularly interested for testing on Linux here on Steam as well as Android in general. Change notes:

• Migration to GitHub and general tidying up of code & structure
• You can now cycle through all resolutions supported by your system. No more crashing on unsupported ones.
• Key bindings can be changed, although not yet in the UI. Look for a settings.ini
• Linux support on Steam improved (we think? Please test!)
• Crash fix when changing from a two-gun ship to a smaller one-gun ship with a secondary gun equipped
• Fixed loss of a repair item every time you reload the same ship
• Fixed some minor wording in the tutorial
• Should work on Macs using Java 8 now (not yet on Steam)

You can download the game outside of Steam here We'll likely release officially this coming Friday (July 3rd) if all looks well. Go forth and test! :-) Future releases should start increasing in content as we make it easier to tweak at the code.

[ 2015-06-28 19:29:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi all :-) We're still adding the final touches to a new release process. But we've gotten a decent amount of fixes in and thought we'd try a beta release here on Steam (and on Google Play) We've had it tested by a few people but before unleashing it on Steam & Android proper wanted to see if we could get a few more testers, just in case something is flawed in our process. To beta test on Steam: Go to your library, right click Destination Sol, and enable Beta on its tab. Wait for the update, launch, confirm v1.1.0 in the bottom left and that the game works. To beta test on Android: Go join our G+ community then opt in for beta testing. - the app should update on your device or you can install it if you don't have it yet We're particularly interested for testing on Linux here on Steam as well as Android in general. Change notes:

• Migration to GitHub and general tidying up of code & structure
• You can now cycle through all resolutions supported by your system. No more crashing on unsupported ones.
• Key bindings can be changed, although not yet in the UI. Look for a settings.ini
• Linux support on Steam improved (we think? Please test!)
• Crash fix when changing from a two-gun ship to a smaller one-gun ship with a secondary gun equipped
• Fixed loss of a repair item every time you reload the same ship
• Fixed some minor wording in the tutorial
• Should work on Macs using Java 8 now (not yet on Steam)

You can download the game outside of Steam here We'll likely release officially this coming Friday (July 3rd) if all looks well. Go forth and test! :-) Future releases should start increasing in content as we make it easier to tweak at the code.

[ 2015-06-28 19:29:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello folks! I thank everyone who had expressed their interest in taking over the project -- the amount of emails in my inbox was really surprising. It was cool to find out that many gamedevs who wrote me were interested in keeping the project totally free. At some point of time I realized that it would be interesting to invite all these people (and everyone else) to participate together and to produce a better version of a game, for the joy of all the gamers! Still there was a need to find a talented and experienced person who could initially manage the project in its new open-source mode. Luckily, I've found that person. And not only a person, but also a whole gamedev community that might get interested in participating. Please meet: Rasmus Praestholm (aka Cervator) and the Moving Blocks community! From now on, Rasmus will be managing everything related to the game: the code itself, the publishing, the Steam and Google Play communities, as well as any other aspects omitted here or yet to be implemented. The game will still be open-source, and you're welcome to help it get better! Some words from Cervator should also appear nearby soon!

[ 2015-04-21 00:41:22 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi all! Sorry for the absence of game updates! We're all here lazy / busy-with-real-life / busy-with-fighting-with-inner-demons. Sadly, it seems to me now that the only way of making the project evolve is giving the whole project to someone else. We'll give it for free. That new person would be able to earn money from the game. There are different ways of acquiring the ownership of the project. BTW it has always been open-source: http://sourceforge.net/projects/destinationsol/ 1. You can reuse the game sources to make your own game and start selling it. You won't have to pay us for that. I'll consult you about the source code. (I hope Valve would be OK with that, though.) 2. You can keep the current name, improve the game and (optionally) monetize the game. You won't have to pay us for that. You'll be able to do almost anything with the project. In this case I'll require a person to be adequate and experienced enough. Please provide as much information about your previous experiences as possible. Also would be cool to know about you as a person. So yeah guys, could you please help it find new owners? Please write me to ps6666@yandex.ru

UPD

Due to the fact that communication with the most of interested people is following the same pattern, here's what I suggest doing if you're interested in taking over the original title: If you're interested in taking over the original project and title, please at first understand the project structure and start doing something. If it goes well and you indeed produce some new code and you feel that you can keep on doing that, show the sample code to me and we'll discuss the ownership transition. Shortly saying, I can give you the project ownership only after you've written some real code. Also, if you're interested in forking the project, I can add some open source licence to the project so that you will have a legal right to use the sources and the name (as well as anybody else).

[ 2015-03-23 04:26:20 CET ] [ Original post ]