Hi All, this is a bigger update than usual this week and an earlier update than usual. We missed last week's update due to personal reasons, and this one is coming early because of the long UK bank holiday weekend! In this update we introduce three feature overhauls

Atlas

One of the biggest criticisms so far has been the inability to track systems visited and keep a catalogue of them. Atlas provides an improved version of jump history. Atlas contains a 100 location jump history of where you've jumped, a listing of where all your structures and ships are located (even if you leave them in a system), and a new imaged system tool

System imaging

We've introduced a new probe type. A system imaging probe is a single-use probe that can be deployed in a system to take a snapshot of it. This snapshot is saved to a datacard (also craftable). All imaged systems saved to datacards that are currently in your inventory can be viewed through the Atlas. Unlike jump history and ship locations, imaged systems can be searched either by system name, or (more conveniently) resource type or name. This means that you can image a system then type in "copper" and it'll show you which planets have copper (or indeed if any planets have copper). Additionally, because datacards are objects themselves, you can trade datacards with systems you've imaged stored on them. This makes space exploration a profitable mechanism where by discovery is rewarded. We will gradually be updating the search tool in atlas to support searching for resources of a specific property (e.g. strength > 500 etc.)

Captain's Directory

We've introduced a new captains' directory that allows you to search for other players. Via the Captains' directory you can edit your character avatar which will be visible to other players. We will be gradually introducing more social features to Captain's directory to make it possible to friend, ally with and form groups with other captains. We'll do this as we introduce mechanics that benefit from co-operative play.

Additional notes

• We've introduce new additional crafting objects (along side the new feature objects, such as imaging probes and datacards).
• We've completed the necessary backend code to support tooling. This means that certain recipes may soon require a prefabricated tool before it can be crafted
• We've introduced some minor bug fixes

[ 2022-06-02 11:00:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

Between Two Stars is a 2D procedurally generated space exploration game. Players take control of a newly constructed Pytheas class starship, as part of a simulation on behalf of the Orpheus Corporation and explore the Sierra Galaxy via their ship's jump drive to discover new worlds and new materials with which to trade, craft and build bases.

Explore

The Sierra Galaxy consists of approximately 500 million star systems to explore, each with different configurations of raw materials to be harvested. The procedural generation means each star system consists of anywhere between one and a dozen planets, with their temperature, mass, atmospheric conditions all determined by their proximity to their star (or stars).

Harvest

Harvest planetary samples by building and deploying probes. Probes gather samples of the planet's raw materials. Every star system has a different makeup of minerals, gases and chemicals - each of which have different strengths and weaknesses, that affect their crafting quality. Some planets are capable of supporting life, allowing players to harvest not only inorganic materials but flora and fauna from the planet.

Craft

Craft better ship parts, such as engines, jump drives, power generators, and comms arrays - or use materials to build new bigger and better ships, or space stations. Need more resources? Build mining and harvesting platforms to harvest minerals in a system whilst you're offline or away exploring.

Trade & Socialise

Build space stations to control a system, and get a cut of the traffic and trade that flows through it. Build marketplaces on your station to allow players to trade the raw materials they find or the objects they craft with one another whilst taking a cut of the credits that change hands. Build better comms array for your ship so that you can receive messages from systems further away and cast a participate in a wider community.