Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to send out a quick update on v0.2.1 and the introduction of multiplayer, as well as touch on the final exciting core tech improvement that will be included in this update.

Before I get into this, I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has been testing out the 0.2 build on experimental. Your feedback and been invaluable to me, and has helped to quickly improve the overall quality and stability of the 0.2 branch for when it goes live later this month.

[h2]Multiplayer Support[/h2]
[h3]Experimental Release Date (v0.2.1)[/h3]

As many of you know, I was originally estimating the release of multiplayer to be on May 3rd, but due to a few missing pieces of networking architecture a few days prior to that date, I decided to delay it a week in order to allocate enough time to finish it off and ensure the build was stable and ready for testing.

However, during this week I went down a rabbit hole of component-based architecture, which somehow stemmed from a networking related issue that I was trying to solve. One thing led to another, and now the entire component hierarchy of the game has been completely changed - but for good reason.

I'll touch on specifically what this is below, but for those who just want to know when they'll get to play multiplayer, I am confident I'll be able to have it out into your hands on May 17th.

This final delay is due to the above component architecture change; not anything multiplayer related.

[h2]Component Refactor[/h2]
[h3]The Biggest Tech Improvement Yet[/h3]

The component refactor is the culmination of the last year and half of work. It builds on top of all the amazing technological improvements I've been making over the past few months, and was the final piece of the puzzle in regards to paying off Vectorio's "tech debt" (requirements to support all future content)

I cannot put into a single message how immensely powerful and significant this change is, but I'll explain below what is and why it's so important to the overall vision of Vectorio.

[h3]What is the Component Refactor?[/h3]

The component refactor is a massive hierarchy-based change to how data segments are defined and implemented into their component counterparts. Prior to this, components were defined in a "ladder-based" hierarchy, where similar data types & components would inherit all the previous attributes and methods from their parent. This worked well in the smaller scope of Vectorio, as many components needed to access or override similar logic to other components, so simply having them inherit / extend that logic was an easy and quick approach for setting up new entities.

As an example, let's say we have a claimer-type building. Prior to this change, here is out the inheritance structure would've worked (note this is VERY much an over-simplification)...



In this picture, you can see that the claimer inherits all of the methods & attributes from the building component, and the building component inherits all of the methods & attributes from the base entity.

This worked great and was an easy way to quickly get access to certain values or methods that a particular component would need, but doing it this way also locked the system out from being able to define entities that had multiple component functions to them. For an example, here is the drone port...



If we (theoretically) wanted to create a claimer that also housed some sort of drone in it, we couldn't, or at least not in a way where we could reuse the previous components. This made creating new buildings that utilized pre-existing logic impossible, making it hard to build and expand on.

However, this has now changed with the component refactor. In this new component architecture, components are now defined as individual objects that inherit from a generic component interface, and are stored on an entity through the usage of a polymorphic data list. This means components no longer have a pre-defined structure to them, and are able to operate and execute logic independently of one another while still being able to communicate via their shared base entity. Here's an example...



While the above image may look confusing, essentially what you're looking at is a singular entity with a list of different components. This means the "Reclaimer" is no longer specifically built from a "ClaimerData" object, but instead a list of components that make up the Reclaimers logic (in this case, a Building component and Claimer component). While this doesn't change how the Reclaimer operates, it now separates the claiming logic into it's own component which any building can now use!

[h3]Why is this so significant?[/h3]

Obviously component-based architecture is nothing new, and it's one Unity's strong suits in regards to what utilities they offer, but this component system specifically builds on top of all the other amazing core tech that has been designed from the ground up to support the expanded vision of Vectorio.

What I mean by this, is that the components directly interface with all of the systems that have been developed and iterated on over the past months. This means components can interface with the Entity Manager to receive update ticks, access and utilize the entity model system, interact and obtain info directly from the tile-grid, manage or edit sounds through the audio system, subscribe to events based on certain state changes, request and sync received network state info, automatically handle entity pooling without any boilerplate code, and so, so much more.

This is a highly customized system that works in the scope of Vectorio, and provides components with all the utilities and data they need to function in an efficient and easy-to-access manner. On top of this, components communicate with other local components via the e-component system (highly custom interface for Vectorio components), which automatically handles conflicts or missing references without needing any additional checks. It's a very modular system that finally removes the barriers to some really exciting new content that people have been asking for for a long time.

[h3]When will this be available[/h3]

In v0.2.1 alongside multiplayer! Well this isn't gonna necessarily change any of the pre-existing content, it should give a good idea of where we're headed and why this system was needed. It's the final leap towards a truly modular entity system; paving the road for future content and eventually, mods!

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about this, please feel free to let me know! I know this was a lot of technical talk, but I think it's important to illustrate the significance of this system and why so much time has been spent working towards achieving it.

So thank you, truly, for being patient during this time and allowing me to do this properly. I know early access has been slow so far, but you will see all this work come to fruition in the very near future :)

Thanks for reading,
~ Ben

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello everyone!

I am happy to finally announce that as of today, v0.2.0 is ready to begin testing on the experimental branch with its initial testing rollout!

IMPORTANT: This update is huge, and because of that I am rolling it out in portions so that I can more easily collect, analyze, and action your feedback. Trying to dump the entire thing onto experimental all at once would make fixing bugs & addressing smaller direct feedback a nightmare for me.



You can use the above graph as a general breakdown of what to expect. I know doing it this was is a bit unorthodox, but it will help streamline the deployment of this update on my end drastically.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello Everyone!

As we approach the start of the likely long experimental phase for v0.2.0, I wanted to get everyone on the same page for how you can expect this update to be deployed on the experimental branch.

Due to the sheer size of this update, I will be gradually rolling it out in pieces; making it more manageable for me to collect, analyze, and action your feedback. This update isn't just touching on numerous gameplay enhancements; it's a comprehensive revamp of several core systems.

The main focus of this testing will be ensuring the stability and efficiency of the new database system, which has affected EVERY part of the games underlying code base.

So, here's the plan right now...



[h3]Initial Gameplay Test | 2024-04-19[/h3]

The first test will start in just under 2 weeks from now, which will be primarily focused on testing all the gameplay changes running on the new database system. This is the most crucial part of the entire test, and I will be working closely with everyone to ensure a smooth deployment of it.

What will be in this test?

• New database system, drastically reducing load times & optimizing library calls.
  
• Improved simulation stack - higher entity performance across the board.
  
• Multiple stability passes on individual entities (bug fixes reported in v0.1.4)
  
• Redesigned initial region, with a vastly improved generation algorithm.
  
• Balance changes to mid-late game, improving power vs. heat growth.
  
• New enemy mechanics, including base-reconstruction & outpost core connections.
  
• Redesigned user interface - all new windows with more intuitive navigation.
  

• Multiplayer - join forces with friends (or strangers) on a shared base!
  
• Steam lobby & matchmaking support, play with others from around the globe.
  
• Iterations on the initial gameplay test; fixing up initial bug reports & actioning feedback.
  

• An entirely new region - Phantom Plains, with a new research tree & unique challenges.
  
• Iterations on the previous test; fixing up Multiplayer bugs & actioning more feedback.
  

• When will the update be deployed on live?
  I don't know yet! It will depend on how testing goes during the experimental stages.
  
  
• Can I test multiplayer early?
  No, there are still a few things missing from multiplayer for it to work seamlessly across clients, and I want to focus the initial testing on the other changes coming in this update first.
  
  
• What will be changed in the first gameplay test?
  Assume everything. While it will still play similarly to how it did in v0.1.4, you'll notice a lot of little changes across the board to every part of the game, based on the feedback provided in v0.1.4!
  
  
• Is insert bug here fixed?
  I honestly can't answer this. While many reported bugs were directly addressed, others have been fixed indirectly from changes going on under the hood. It will be hard to say until I get a larger audience testing it, but as a general consensus; the stability of the game has improved drastically.
  
  
• Will my save transfer to v0.2?
  Yes, although with a bit of caveat. There are changes that have been made to the world generator which I can't retroactively apply to older bases, as it'd cause all sorts of conflicts to arise. I strongly recommend starting a new save if you want to experience the full update, but if not, your older saves should continue working and will be converted to the new database system when loaded.
  
  
• Why not release Phantom Plains with the initial gameplay test?
  To answer honestly, it's not ready yet. This update has been such a massive undertaking that certain parts of the new region still aren't complete, and while it won't take much time to finish it off, there are changes to the initial region that I'd rather focus on right now and get smoothed out. This is going to be the final major update to the first region, so I want to make sure it's done right so I don't need to keep coming back to it and updating it every few months.
  
  
• What will be in the new region?
  You'll have to wait and see for yourself :)
  
  
• What's next after v0.2.0 is live?
  I'll probably spend a few weeks running continuous fixes on the live branch after its deployed, making sure it's in a good state before moving on. The next update coming after this though will be another new region, which should hopefully only take a fraction of the time to put together and release now that the game is closer to running how I want it to on the engine.
  

Hello Everyone!

It's been quite a while since the last update or Steam post, and while this post isn't gonna be visually showing off anything in the upcoming update, I still wanted to update everybody on where I'm at in the development of it and give a VERY brief overview of what you can expect to see in it.

The reason for making this is just to echo what I've been saying to other members in the community in Steam forums or on our Discord server, as not everyone reads these and is aware of what's going on.

[h3]What is coming in v0.2.0?[/h3]

This is possibly the largest update I've ever put together across all my previous games in the past few years, and is jam packed with new features, improved systems, and a ton of iterations on pre-existing content based on all the feedback I've received over the past few months. This update is HUGE.

Without going into too many specifics in order to let everyone experience this update with fresh eyes, here is a very VERY shallow overview of what you can expect to see in this update...

• Multiplayer - join forces with friends (or strangers) on a shared base!
  
• Steam lobby & matchmaking support, play with others from around the globe.
  
• Vastly improved simulation stack - higher entity performance across the board.
  
• Entirely new database system, drastically reduced initial loading times.
  
• New animation & sound system, some buildings will feel more interactive and alive. (WIP)
  
• Multiple stability passes on individual entities, most reported bugs in v0.1.4 fixed.
  
• Heavy balance changes to mid-late game, improving power vs. heat growth.
  
• A completely redesigned initial region, with a vastly improved generation algorithm.
  
• Logistics V2 - new tools for setting, applying, and viewing drone routes across your base.
  
• New enemy mechanics, including base-reconstruction & outpost core connections.
  
• Completely redesigned user interface - all new windows with more intuitive navigation.
  
• Many new aesthetic tools - apply colors & place decoration tiles; make your base yours!
  
• An entirely new region - Phantom Plains, with a new research tree & unique challenges.
  
• And more!
  

Hello everyone

The next patch has been tested on experimental and all changes have been confirmed to go live. This update is mainly focused on bug fixes, and has no major changes to the game.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9


[h2]v0.1.4h Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]Balance Changes:[/h3]

• Lowered dropship collider size by 25%
  
• Lowered dropship HP from 1500 to 1200
  

• Fixed cargo drones not being destroyable when no route was set
  
• Fixed boosters from having an inverse effect on reduction-based multipliers
  
• Fixed storage boosters not working. Requires saving and reloading your world in order to fix.
  
• Fixed booster effects being infinitely stackable (now uses the most effective multiplier)
  
• Fixed model ID's changing on reload, making enemies appear as friendly
  

• Small refactor to the new stat system, which should make it far more reliable and efficient by utilizing instance pooling and multiplier sockets.
  
• Added a new world-feature flag to the save and EM system, which allows entities to be defined as world-features. This will be expanded on in coming updates to enforce spawning world features.
  

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello everyone!

The next power rework patch (v0.1.4) has been tested on experimental and all changes have been confirmed to go live. This update is largely comprised of many small changes, in addition to back-end improvements or reworks in preparation for Multiplayer. (v0.1.5)

NOTE: While many of the new features in v0.1.4 have been tested, some may require further testing. Expect a follow-up patch early next week to address any remaining bugs or balancing issues.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/vectorio




[h2]v0.1.4 Patch Notes[/h2]

Below is a compiled list of all changes throughout the experimental phase on the changes that have made it in for v0.1.4 live. Next weeks patch will tie up some of the changes mentioned here, as they require a larger testing audience to obtain good data and feedback on them.

[h3]New Additions:[/h3]

• Complete refactor of the power and heat system. Power only affects defenses, while heat only affects logistics. This will heavily affect how the game is played, so I am looking for feedback on it!
  
• New generator mechanics. Now requires either resources or a resource node to produce power.
  
• Removed collection mode and collector drones from the game, in place of having cargo drones unlocked from the get-go, and improving the overall control-flow of the game. This change is not final, and I'll be looking at feedback from it very closely.
  
• New UI designs for many of the interface elements that were out-of-date due to the power rework. Should improve overall clarity and readability on many of the interface panels.
  
• The ability to repair entities with one button press, in exchange for resources.
  
• Two new music tracks for the in-game OST, Gridspace & Horizons.
  
• New menu music track for the menu, with a new menu scene for power rework.
  
• Complete new heat tree, including new heat levels 11 - 15 that add more challenge with new units later in the game. (NOTE: Some of these units are currently not finished)
  
• New tutorial screen, and the ability to replay tutorials through the pause menu
  
• New material for drone route previewing to enhance clarity at a longer distance
  
• New construction sound effect that plays when a building is placed
  
• A variety of other smaller changes to certain notification windows, to again help with the actual information being presented to you due to things happening in-game.
  

• Multiple hotbars, and the ability to quick scroll through them using left-control.
  
• New entity tooltip panel that shows info without needing to click on the entity.
  
• Quick-edit keybind that enables the ability to edit certain entities in one click.
  
• Defenses and reclaimers will now auto-reconstruct themselves if they get blown up.
  
• Holding shift to move faster will also increase the speed of camera scrolling.
  
• A variety of smaller QOL improvements to the overall control-flow of the game.
  

• Majorly buffed all turret stats, in turn for not being able to build as many now.
  
• Improved the default drone speed and storage, to help with early-game automation.
  
• Increased the cost of many of the earlier research techs, as well as the actual cost to build them after unlocking them. These changes were made in correlation to the power rework.
  
• Lowered the health pool of larger units signficantly (dropships & spectors)
  
• Lowered the power cost of many defensive structures
  
• Various tweaks to resource costs for certain buildings that were too expensive
  
• Lowered cargo drone cost from 50 gold to 20 gold
  
• Increased cargo drone speed from 35m/s to 45m/s
  
• A variety of smaller balance changes to improve the overall flow of the game.
  
• Final heat values are still being tested and balanced, but will be in next weeks build
  

• Fixed an issue with power generators disappearing after reloading a save
  
• Fixed cargo drones deploying to previous routes after the route was changed.
  
• Fixed cargo drones being able to deliver to buildings of different factions
  
• Fixed region boosters causing negative values on certain multipliers
  
• Fixed Quantum Decryptors causing all sorts of strange artifacts when activating
  
• Fixed burners miscalculating power values when being deleted
  
• Fixed an issue with the new research complete event that was causing labs to disappear when finishing a research tech due to an unassigned variable in the interface component.
  
• Fixed entity tooltip not disappearing when hovering over blueprints
  
• Fixed old tutorial showing up when disabled
  
• Fixed labs causing a "Bug Reported" error when certain resources were put in them.
  
• Fixed cargo drones sometimes going to the wrong target after being object pooled.
  
• Many smaller bugs have been fixed from the core system improvements listed below.
  

• Refactored the screen activity detection for entities, which now calculates screen space orientation during setup. This will fix instances where on-screen entities would simulate as off-screen entities.
  
• Completely changed the way gamemodes are handled. Everything now runs through a central scene which is constructed based on the provided modes data, instead of having separate scenes for each mode. This may cause short-term issues with creative while the kinks are worked out, but will enable extensive support for custom gamemodes in the future.
  
• New backend stat system for handling entity stats that will open the door for levels and upgrades in the future, as well as improve the reliability and accessibility of stats in the game now.
  
• Multiple refactors to many of the manager scripts, that should help to improve their overall reliability and help support the new content coming in v0.2.0, which will have new unique mechanics to it.
  

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below. Please note experimental updates can be unstable, so it is always recommended to backup your saves if you wish to avoid possible conflicts.

Note: This is the final v0.1.4 experimental build. The live build will contain the final bug fixes and balance changes, as well as a few updates to the generator models / effects & menu scene.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello again!

A new experimental patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the changes and fixes now.

Side Note: Apologies for the delays on updates lately. Recently went through a huge shift in my life, which needed me to move twice within 2 months as I was figuring things out. However things are getting back to normal now, so updates will start coming out regularly again.

More info will follow shortly on what's coming next once v0.1.4 is finally live!

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello again!

A new hotfix is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the fixes now. This hotfix is meant to address an oversight with the research unlock event, which was causing an error to pass into the entity manager.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello everyone!

The much anticipated Update v0.1.4 (Power Rework) is now available for public testing on experimental. This is a huge patch that completely changes how the power system works, as well as introduces a ton of new QOL features and other fixes to the game.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello Everyone!

It's been awhile since the last update post, so I thought I'd throw together a quick progress report on the upcoming v0.1.4 update set to release on experimental sometime in the next week or so.

Also, just to quickly preface this post - I am aware that the Discord link in-game is not working. We recently reached level 3 on Discord, and were able to setup a custom URL. However, I was unaware this would terminate the previous link we were using, and so it unfortunately no longer works.

This will be fixed in v0.1.4, but for the time being you can only access our Discord using the new custom link. Please share it around for those that aren't aware: https://discord.gg/Vectorio


With that out of the way, let's get into v0.1.4!



[h3]Power Rework - Overview[/h3]

The main change in v0.1.4 is how power functions, and what buildings consume power. This rework fundamentally changes the way you need to think about power & heat as resources.

For those that don't know, in v0.1.4 all logistics buildings (drones, collectors, labs, etc.) will no longer consume power, and ONLY produce heat. Defenses on the other hand (turrets, walls, shields, etc.) will no longer produce heat, and ONLY consume power. Ideally, this is meant to enable more strategic decision making on your part, making heat and power bounce off each other much more naturally instead of power feeling pointless & tedious to try and manage.

In correlation to this change, since the total amount of available power has been drastically reduced, turrets are being MAJORLY buffed. This is meant to make each turret feel much, MUCH more impactful on your bases overall defensive capability. You'll require much much fewer turrets, and each turret will be balanced in a way where they can naturally bounce off each other to enable more strategic decision making with how you choose to setup turrets, instead of say defaulting to a wall of miniguns.

For a deeper look into this subject, check out the power rework post below!
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2082350/view/3681182908908723466

[h3]Power Rework - UI Redesign[/h3]

One of the first things I noticed after beginning the power rework, was that the UI was lacking critical information that would actually help the player maker more informed decisions regarding power / heat balancing. The first change I made was to the inventory, which now much more clearly displays what type of resource a building uses, and the cost associated with that building.

Here's an example of what power consuming buildings look like in the inventory panel...



And an example of what heat producing buildings look like...



I also changed where the power & heat counters are located, moving them to the top of the screen to free up space on the hotbar for multi-hotbar support. In the future, mode switching will be moved down onto the hotbar, and a "Region Overview" button will be added to the top near power & heat.



Finally, I redesigned the entity info panel, which is now laid out in a much MUCH neater way. The model preview has a little animation to it, and now supports custom model ID's & animations. When cosmetics are brought into the game, this is where you'll be able to select & view them from.



[h3]Power Rework - Generators[/h3]

The way you produce power has also changed. Gone are the days of being able to produce free power at no cost to you - now, all generators will require some form of resource, whether that's directly from a node (like the essence reactor seen below), or from a resource input via a drone.



In the future, additional generators will be added with more unique pros vs. cons to them, letting you more strategically choose how you want to generate power.



Now here's where we come to the main issue I've noticed with the power rework - resource abundance. Before, the resource abundance was typically obfuscated by the fact you were constantly redesigning defensive structures, meaning you would typically notice a resource drain whenever constructing.

However, as you now no longer need to produce as many defenses, it has critically highlighted how bad the issue with resource abundance is. Unless you're actively researching or expanding, there is practically no resource drains in the game. That has slightly changed now with generators consuming resources, but only a handful of resources are actually used towards power, meaning there's still plenty that have almost no real use-case to them beyond build costs & research costs.

This is where the new planned levels & upgrades system comes into play.

[h3]Building Upgrades - The Plan[/h3]

The current plan for upgrades is as follows. Please note this is all very much subject to change, and is actually the topic of this weeks discussion podcast with our community over on Discord.

• Upgrades will work similarly to research, in that you can have one active upgrade set at a time
  
• The upgrade will consume resources using a "Upgrade Bench", again similar to research
  
• Each building will have 5 unique upgrade levels to start, with more in the future
  
• With each level, you get to select from 3 different upgrades unique to the building being ugpraded
  
• Upgrade improves the effectiveness of a building, but in turn increases its heat & power
  
• Heat and power increase apply retroactively, meaning you need to be careful when upgrading
  
• Carelessly upgrading can result in power outages or heat level increases
  
• Upgrades are permanent, but you can completely reset a building back to level 1 at anytime
  
• In the future, upgrades will unlock engineering slots, which alter the way a building functions
  
• Ability to upgrade is unlocked after essence, with the new "Upgrade Bench" building
  

[h3]Community Discussions Podcast | Resource Sinks (Ep 2)[/h3]

Today, we had our second community discussion podcast over on our Discord server. This is an opportunity for the community to voice their ideas and feedback on specific topics, each and every week!

This week, we attempted to deep dive into Resource Sinks, and how they're currently missing from the game. HOWEVER, the podcast topic took a turn and we ended up touching on other subjects that are clearly needed to be improved on first before introducing more resource sinks.

This was quite an interesting episode, and the community really drove the topic. Watch it below!

[previewyoutube=ad6qzGtCna8;full][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Podcast Timestamps[/h3]

You can find a list of timestamps in the YouTube video description for quicker navigation. I HIGHLY recommend using them as the topic does jump around quite a bit.

[h3]Priority Changes[/h3]

Below is a quick TL;DR of the priority changes that were a result of this podcast. Hopefully this goes to show that I will continue to use these podcasts as a way to create lines of communication with the community in order to better approach the timeline of certain features during early-access!

Priority Bumped: (these features are now at the top of my list)

• Multiplayer - the ability to play with friends and other people on a shared world
  
• Drone Systems - implementing better tools for interacting with & setting up drones
  
• Unique Generators - more unique generators that each have a give & take to them
  

Hello everyone

The v0.1.3a hotfix has been deployed to live! While this patch has been tested on experimental, further testing is required to ensure the issues fixed in this build do not reappear. Further ghost patches will be deployed as needed until the issues have been completely fixed.

In the case some of these bugs still exist, a ghost patch will be deployed to ensure they are fixed.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9


[h2]v0.1.3a Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]Bug Fixes:[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where labs would not research even when they had valid resources in them
  
• Fixing boosted storages from still being tracked inaccurately in the resource manager on reload
  
• Fixed resource icon from not disappearing if the drones route was cancelled mid flight
  
• Fixed shield bubble not updating to the correct faction after being object pooled
  
• Fixed an edge case where a drones resource icon could cause an EM termination call
  
• Fixed an edge case where certain resources placed in a lab could cause an EM termination call
  

• Added a set of centralized utilities for interacting with & debugging resources, including a slight refactor to how base resource properties are accessed.
  

• Power Rework - A set of mechanic & balancing changes aimed at making power more of a strategic resource you need to think about. (for a full breakdown check the linked post below)
  
• UI Enhancements - Slight redesign to certain UI elements to display more useful information
  
• Build Planner - The ability to control build priorities, and see the costs of planned buildings
  
• Multiple Hotbars - QOL addition that lets you cycle through up to 10 different hotbars
  

Hello everyone

The next hotfix is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the fixes now. Please note experimental updates can be unstable, so it is always recommended to backup your saves if you wish to avoid possible conflicts.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

[h3]Community Discussions Podcast | Power Management (Ep 1)[/h3]

Today, we had our first community discussion podcast over on our Discord server. This is an opportunity for the community to voice their ideas and feedback on specific topics, each and every week!

This week, we deep dived into Power Management. Watch the podcast below!

[previewyoutube=pmLjY2d83BI;full][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Podcast Timestamps[/h3]

You can find a list of timestamps in the YouTube video description for quicker navigation. I recommend skipping the intro if you've already read the "Power Rework" post. (CLICK HERE TO SKIP)

The first section of the video is dedicated to talking about local power networks, and how it may or may not fit Vectorio. The second half dives deeper into the power rework and what the goals of it are, and how it's meant to strategize the gameplay of Vectorio more than it's current implementation does.

[h3]Power Rework Post[/h3]

If you aren't aware of the proposed upcoming changes, I recommend taking a look at this post. The video only touches on a brief summary of it, but this post goes deeper into the goals with the power rework.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2082350/view/3681182908908723466

[h3]Questions? Comments? Concerns?[/h3]

Please let me know! I want to involve the community as much as I can in every step along the way. If you want to join the discussion, feel free to hop in our Discord server as well!

Discord: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9

Hello everyone!

The next patch has been tested on experimental and all changes have been confirmed to go live. This update is mainly focused on QOL improvements & general stability.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9


[h2]v0.1.3 Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]New Additions:[/h3]

• Added the ability to copy settings (MMB) and paste them on pre-exisiting buildings.
  
• Added texture mipmaps to drone ports to help lessen the light strobing artifact that happens at certain zoom levels. This may be applied to additional buildings in the future.
  
• Added new damage and destroyed warning system (toggleable in settings)
  
• Added bloom intensity slider to settings
  

• Fixed turret heads becoming off-centered
  
• Fixed layout-rebuilder on inventory UI
  
• Fixed units skipping into base on reload
  
• Fixed buildings remaining linked to an outpost core after being object pooled
  
• Fixed drones remaining linked to their previous targets after being object pooled
  
• Fixed turret targetting system to not target objects that have been object pooled
  
• Fixed Atomizer turret from causing bugs
  
• Fixed explosion sounds for Artillery playing in the distance when off-screen
  

Hello everyone!

The next patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the fixes now. Please note experimental updates can be unstable, so it is always recommended to backup your saves if you wish to avoid possible conflicts.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello Everyone!

It's been fantastic getting to watch everyone get their hands on the game and enjoy it. The reception seems super positive so far, and I'm extremely excited to continue working on the game alongside all of you. We have a long way to go, but we're off to a great start!

As many of you have probably noticed, I've spent a considerable amount of time the past few days cleaning up bugs players have been running into, and getting them patched in a timely manner. I want to ensure the playability factor is there before I begin working on any significant changes and new additions to the game; that mainly being the first major update (which will take a few months in development) and reworking some of the systems in the game.

One of these systems is power management. It has been abundantly clear you guys do not like the power system in the game atm, and for good reason. It serves no real purpose other then to slow you down, and is clearly not a fun challenge to try and solve. So, it will be receiving the first rework!

[h2]Power Management Rework[/h2]

The rework to power is mainly to contrast it nicely with heat, where the two are meant to have similar implications in the game and bounce off one another nicely. Right now, heat does a fairly good job at that, requiring you to balance your heat output to not attract too many enemies.

Power however, feels underdeveloped in this area - it serves no real purpose other then to hinder your progress, and the solution is just "spam generators until the little red notification goes away". It's clear that power was not fully thought through, and so it will be first mechanic I focus on updating. I am doing this sooner rather then later because I believe this mechanic will heavily impact how the game plays, and having it in a good place before starting any major content updates is essential.

[h3]Proposed Changes:[/h3]

Below is a list of the proposed changes that have been drafted thanks to a discussion poll on our community Discord server. A lot of great feedback was collected, and here's what we came up with...

Hello everyone

A hotfix has been deployed to both live and experimental. This hotfix addresses a major issue with region boosters that would cause storages to take away resources on reload, resulting in negative resource counts. Additionally, this hotfix adds a new drone type to help with later-tier expansion.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9


[h3]v0.1.2a Patch Notes[/h3]

New Additions:
- Added a new builder-type drone, Fabricator. Much faster drone that can help with bigger expansions.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed an issue that would cause boosted storages to take away resources on reload
- Fixed an issue with boosted drones not moving from their port when deployed

Hello everyone

The next patch has been tested on experimental and all changes have been confirmed to go live. This update is mainly focused on QOL improvements & general stability.

NOTE: This update changes part of the underlying tech for the game - whilst this has been tested and confirmed to be working, there may still be strange edge cases we missed. If you notice any sort of artifacts happening that were not happening before, please report them so they can be fixed quickly!

Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Let me know below or on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9


[h2]v0.1.2 Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]Quality of Life:[/h3]
- Blueprints can now be queued outside your claimed area without needing a reclaimer.
- Builder drones now remain operational during a power outage, and will prioritize power production
- Removed the ability for enemies to spawn in claimed areas during decryption events
- Queued reclaimers now have a "preview area", allowing you to better plan expansions
- Cargo drones now refund unused resources as a temporary measure to avoid resource-loss

[h3]Bug Fixes:[/h3]
- Fixed cargo drones not delivering to unset storages
- Fixed regional boosters not affecting drones
- Fixed incorrect status indicators on collectors, causing them to sometimes error out
- Fixed safeguard beacon causing errors when placed near the hub
- Fixed research progression to use Scoria instead of Nitrium
- Fixed missing texture on advanced crafter
- Fixed all remaining techs to ensure the game can be completed from start to finish

[h3]Core Tech:[/h3]
- Added a new force-terminate utility for the entity-manager, which will forcefully remove any entities that do not successfully finish their update loop. The goal of this utility is to ensure worlds continue operating when experiencing issues that cause the EM to freeze up. In the case an entity is terminated, it will be logged so that it can still be accurately reported without locking your save up temporarily. This requires further testing to try and discover any edge cases where this may cause other issues to arise.

- Refined off-screen calculation for turret that will drastically improve performance, especially on lower-end hardware where entities may appear to "skip" every so often.

- Began work on async loading for saves, allowing them to load without clogging the main thread. This should be semi-noticeable in v0.1.2, but will not see it's full potential until a later update. Additional improvements are being worked on and looked at to improve overall loading times.

Hello everyone!

The next patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the fixes now. Please note experimental updates can be unstable, so it is always recommended to backup your saves if you wish to avoid possible conflicts.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]

Hello everyone!

The first update has been tested on experimental and all changes have been confirmed to go live. This update is mainly focused on general stability improvements.

[h3]New Additions:[/h3]

• Added the ability to set the save icon
  
• Added pipette to the tutorial sequence
  
• Added new tutorial segment for crafters
  

• Fixed blast collector from not functioning properly
  
• Fixed an issue causing Celite unlocks to appear incorrectly
  
• Fixed an issue where the recipe for infused crystal would not show up
  
• Fixed an issue which could cause errors when a reclaimer was destroyed
  
• Fixed an issue with labs & drone ports not always displaying their status correctly
  
• Fixed a grammatical error on the Osmium description
  

Hello everyone!

The first patch is now available for testing! You can access it on the experimental branch by following the instructions below if you wish to get access to the fixes now. Please note experimental updates can be unstable, so it is always recommended to backup your saves if you wish to avoid possible conflicts.

[h3]How to opt into experimental:[/h3]