Hello! This update took more time than usual, but it brings a big number of important improvements and changes, and we finally ready to show the result!

Engineering drones replaced with robotic arms

Sometimes, people asked us about drones. Mining drones, combat drones etc. But we answered that drones does not fit the concept of this game. Let's explain it in more details. Drones haves several conceptual problems: They do not consume fuel, but they have engines. This is a bit unrealistic. But the most important, drones can't be damaged or destroyed, because they are flying above the main ship (different Z level), and this is incorrect. Enemy should be able to shot down the drones if they are trying to damages its ship. It means that we should add another type of "anti-drone" weapons which will attack everything in radius like in tower-defense games. Also it will require to implement another systems for drones hitpoints, AI, or even storage if we are talking about mining drones. As result, it will turn into completely new game about drones which will be built on top of existed ship about spaceships. And this is absolutely incorrect, because we already have all of such systems, storages, AI, damage control etc. So according to our vision of game concept, engineering drones should looks like actual a small space ships with engineering equipment. And this is what we done. Engineering module now is much smaller, no longer have "yellow drones" but equipped with robotic arms, which performs engineering tasks in small radius around itself. In our opinion it is much more interesting and also realistic.
So now it consumes only power, and should not require a fuel, it is more logical now. We trying to recreate something like a real robotic arm on ISS, which called CANADARM:
Or something similar to industrial robots on real factories:
Robotic arms is more beautiful during construction, and also it requires to build special engineering ships, which can be docked to main ship and perform engineering tasks when it will be needed!
Later we will add more various of engineering modules, with smaller and bigger arms and different radius, which will allows to build impressive space shipyards!

Warning icons

Added new very convenient notifications system, so you no longer will wandering why your engineering may don't want build something. Why engines does not works, and what situation with the food on the ship.

Production modules

Another problem which was solved: "some resources can be obtained only via trading". And this is incorrect. Accord out vision of the game, everything should be craftable with help of NPC traders. So we added production modules for ammo, rockets and gas collector which allows to gather xenon from planets!

Home bases

When we started to work on new production modules, we realized another problem, production modules is too small. In most open world survival games, users should build own "base" or "house" where you should bring resources, repair and upgrade something. So we are want to implement something similar.
So all production modules now it much more bigger and massive. It still can be moved using engines, which allows you to have movable base, which is very nice feature. But it will require much more fuel, so it will encourage you to build own space station as a base.

Info about modules in build list

This old flaw of the game finally fixed. Now you can explore characteristics of modules right in the build menu, without necessarily to build modules. It makes planning a much more convenient.

Advanced shadows

We added special technology of shadows, which implemented as screen space post-effect, as result it is capable to displays shadows for even the smallest details on the ship. The result is very nice! Looks at the difference before and after:

100% stable NPC stations in orbital mode

Yes! Stations no longer will fall on planet. Completely. Now stations located on fixed orbit. It required some research, but we managed to do it. By the way, aerodynamic mode helped to find a solution for orbital mode : ) Implementation of this technology allows new possibilities for orbital mode. We are started working on jump gates and experimental orbital assistant, but update already too big, so it will be added later. Besides that, now when we are improved such important core features, we are going to continue to work on bugfixes.

CHANGE LOG

Improvements

• Added screen-space shadows effect which provides shadows for a small details at close range, which significantly improves overall quality of graphics!
• Now you can see characteristics of modules right in the build menu. Also this window is a bit redesigned (added yellow frame for better visibility)
• Now, in orbital mode, NPC space stations and big asteroids located on fixed orbits! It means nothing can move them. Stations no longer will fall on planet and always will be 100% stable!
• Added large asteroids in orbital mode (they are on fixed orbits and can be moved)
• Completely new engineering module instead of previous one. Drones completely replaced with robotic arms, which is much more realistic and suits the game concept.
• New module: Ammo fabricator (produces ammo for cannons)
• New module: Rocket fabricator (produces ammo for rocket launchers)
• New module: Gas collector which allows to gather xenon from the planets
• Fuel fabricator now is much more massive
• All production modules now have "cycle time", so it produce result once per N seconds
• All production modes now can be toggle on and off
• New module: Structural part which is useful to fit to these new production modules
• Model of small command module is redesigned, so now it looks better if something placed in front of it
• Added system of warning icons (for engineering module, engines, all types of weapons, power generator, solar panel, all production modules), which will inform you about lack of resources, wrong connections or something else. Which makes ship management much more convenient!
• When your crew is out of food, you will see an icon above module, which will disappear once food will be supplied
• Collisions from damage decreased in 5 times (modules no longer will explode even on light touch)
• Added new build frames (but it is temporary and will be improved later)

Small improvements

• Added "Hide all" button for appearing notifications
• Engineering module no longer can repair or deconstruct itself, it should be done by another module
• Cargo gate module moved to "Production" category
• Production rate of fuel generator changed from 1.1 to 6
• Masses of some modules rounded to more nice looking values
• Icons of modules in build menu is re-renderered with different light preset
• Power generator now is togglable
• Power generator no longer consumes uranium when power storage is full
• Power generator a bit redesigned in order to fix visual gaps between neighbor modules
• Amount of resources in asteroids increased in 10 times (it was impossible to gather enough ice)

Fixes

• Fixed laser impact visual effect (sparks) in orbital mode
• Now you can properly grab static asteroids with grabber
• You no longer can sell turrets with attached weapon or storages with content (you will see a warning when you will try to do it)
• Window with info of module no longer will flicker when you move cursor from one icon to another (in build menu)
• Engines with "auto mode" off now will properly ignore WASD and stabilizer and can be controlled only by user defined hotkeys
• You no longer receive small amount of resources when engineering bay deconstructed a module which was placed but was not constructed
• Ion engines no longer able to work while their power connector is not connected
• Modules which was built in sandbox mode no longer can be instantly deconstructed in non-sandbox mode
• Planets no longer can be selected in main menu
• In orbital mode, when game is loaded, camera focused on your ship (not on planet)
• Fixed blocked control after game was saved from menu
• Mounting points no longer should be broken after you detached a module during pause

[ 2017-09-24 14:26:54 CET ] [ Original post ]