Liberation (tuxdb.com)

Murder on MegaPlanet

Liberation is one year old today and to celebrate I am sharing a short story set in the Liberation universe. It's titled "Murder on MegaPlanet". The last year has been amazing and the game has done really well. Thank you for your support! Please consider leaving a review for Liberation and also wishlisting my next game, Cell Sword. Murder on MegaPlanet Synopsis: By all appearances, Eden Towers is a standard apartment block on MegaPlanet. School pods are well occupied, elevator rage is under control, and employment is mercifully low. Except Eden Towers has a big problem. Its community credit score is dangerously low and nobody can understand why. if it falls any further the building is in danger of being recycled... with the 200,000 residents still inside! So when a high ranking government official is found dead, the desperate citizens are forced to rely on an unlikely hero, a servo bot with the ability to clean up the crime scene. However, B31-T12 has a dream of its own... to be the Galactic Federation's greatest detective. "Murder on MegaPlanet" is a darkly comedic tale by Luke Miller set in the universe of Liberation, the retro space adventure from Classyk Games. It is available for free from this google doc link. You can read it in the browser or go to File->Download and get it as PDF, epub or TXT. I hope you enjoy this little insight into one of the many worlds in the game!

[ 2024-09-24 10:38:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 27th August 2024

Hi everyone, I'm back with probably the biggest patch Liberation will ever get! Liberation is meant to be just a small fun game that surprises and delights and that's the focus of this update. The big changes are: [olist]

New missions -- Mild spoilers follow: There are four and the purpose is to flesh out some of the story and provide variety and surprises.

Police are OUT and Space Rats are IN. Before, if you attacked civilians the police would launch. The problem is that it would take forever for them to reach the scene of the crime! So I thought about it and decided to remove them. Instead there is an entirely different mechanism. Each system you enter you may encounter roving gangs of hooligans, known as Space Rats. It's just a bit more fun (hopefully) and that's why I'm here!* [/olist] One new mission of which I'm really proud happens about half way through the game in a big facility. The lights go out and for a few seconds you get some classic wireframe gaming.

Anyway, there's also lots of great little fixes and quality-of-life changes. Finally, I am working on a new game! It's called "Cell Sword". Cell Sword is a 6DoF game like Descent (1995) set inside the human body. I'm going for Descent meets Inner Space meets Fantastic Voyage meets Omni Consumer Products from Robocop. The premise is that in the future, instead of playing video games, players remotely pilot microscopic craft to kill hungry nano drones left over from a war. I've learned a lot making Liberation and I think Cell Sword is going to be different but in a good way. The steam page is up and there's a trailer too. Thanks for buying the game -- your support is making Cell Sword happen! Another way to help is to leave a review of Liberation... it would mean a lot. Regards, Luke * I don't want to trash talk other space games but I really loved the Krait silhouette from the original Elite (1983) so I was shocked when I saw what they'd done to my boy in Elite IV! The Space Rats are my attempt to put it right.

Add

[olist]

make galaxy map navigable with mouse

allow keyboard to control pointer and zoom in galaxy map

add keyboard remapping

add keyboard remapping screen to menu

allow rotate with mouse via a key modifier

male primary mouse key apply precision aim (same as holding SHIFT)

connect Nyria jumpgate to ZED Labs

add third nurse to Boucher

add secret stealth ship lab

add new ship the ZED-12

add new mission to destroy stealth ship labs

add some new civilian ship names

add data heist mission

add SFX for talking

add SFX for credit transfer

add asteroid hug mission

make billboards flicker when shot or flown through

add search and rescue mission

allow docking at mining ships

on unlocked systems there is a chance of space rat activity

add space rats as replacement for police

add space rat article

vibrate gamepads on missile impact

add two new music tracks to battle sequences

add "UI scale" option to Video Menu. When turning off retro graphics this will control whether to scale the UI and HUD or to use the native resolution.

add option to turn off Star light in Video Menu. Some players report over-brightness on OpenGL drivers and this might help.

add crosshair on external view [/olist]

Change

[olist]

terminate docking computer via cooldown button if pressed

buff Balaantra fighter by a lot

give exit menu button focus after abandoning game

only show chatter on non-essential ships if they are not behind player

flash mission objective message

release target lock for new players on Penryhn when guard scrambles

update manual to include SHIFT key and clearer instructions

give market focus when dialogues closed inside dock

reorganise menu

remove police, replaced with space rats

reduce effectiveness of autotarget tech by about 10%

buff nurse accuracy at Boucher

make it so any type of hacking unit can be used in hacking mission

make missing encrypted package message clearer when docking at Lostmon

buff rookie squad accuracy

switch location of Kaneel and Lostmon. Let's not go to Kaneel, it is a silly place.

make save games use latest system description and coords

make plasma turrets have longer gaps between rounds to make it more tactical on heavy fighters

punch up some Quatermatter mission text

add delay between end of Death Race and mission communications

add explosion when game over

buff raider accuracy from 0.4 to 0.55

nerf raider plasma bolt cooldown from 2 to 6s

speed up Endurance at Boucher from 0.8 to 1.0

nerf autotarget to only work within a certain range

reduce dimming on comms

normalise the vector when calculating speed for NPC ships(this really affects NPC behaviour)

make missions update mission control on load

allow speed controls to work on external view [/olist]

Fix

[olist]

stop shield booster forever boosting

stop reactor booster forever boosting

enable close comms button when messages run out

stop player being able to use sold systems in duplicate slots

stop shield bar continuing to boost when shield charge ends

end laser sounds from exploding ships

stop message history juddering after loading from save game

fix spelling mistake on Etain system description

stop The Endurance from always orbiting Lostmon when it is elsewhere

stop missiles orbiting themselves if the target is stationary (this was hard to fix haha sob)

make menu background fill screen on 4k resolutions

remove blurriness on fonts when retro scaling turned off

fixes for galaxy map when retro scaling turned off [/olist]

[ 2024-08-27 05:59:59 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 7th May 2024

Hi everyone, To me, Liberation is a tight little game that lives or dies on how successfully it explores the concept "retro space adventure meets classic UK sci-fi". Generally I am thrilled with the game. It has far exceeded what I thought was possible and the reception has been fantastic (please consider writing a review!). But as I watch people play several common negatives keep popping up: [olist]

When players die there is not a recent enough save game.

Players often close the communications window before accepting a mission without realising it and then get lost.

Restarting would not completely clean the previous game session.

Players visit space ports and space stations because they need to not because they want to. [/olist] A great example is watching youtuber Matt From The Awesome Duo play the game and hit all of these points (all fixed now hopefully). This release addresses those issues! [olist]

The game now autosaves when you travel through a jumpgate.

The communications window can no longer be closed if there is a conversation occuring. It was a noble idea to give players ultimate freedom but they're not ready for that power.

Restarting or loading a game completely cleans the game session first.

Planetary systems now specialise in a technology and advanced versions can only be purchased in that system. [/olist] How are systems specialised? Here's an example: There are now advanced versions of the EMP Device. At some ports you will find the basic EMP but only at the Lostmon spaceport can you find the better EMP II and the ultra powerful EMP III. And spaceports can now vary pricing of the same items. MegaPlanet 1 has the widest variety of weapons on sale but you have to pay MegaPlanet 1 prices. It's just more ... fun. Not only have the existing ship systems such as Battery Booster gotten more variations but there are several new ship upgrades: The autotargetter and the shield energiser. I could go on... it really is a very big update! Additionally, the galaxy map screen has gotten a lot of love. New graphics, improved functionality, full controller support. Leveling up has gotten some love. Missiles have gotten some love -- they can now be sold and the ship slot freed up. Finally I had someone ask about DRM. Liberation is DRM free and the source code is included in a zip archive (although it's a bit rough to get running). Coming from a Linux background (Liberation is made on Linux) this is how we roll. I had thought my focus would be on new missions but this update sort of bubbled up. I can't do such a large update again until at least September (and I never can promise another update anyway). However, I do expect there will be some minor balance and fixes and polish updates before then. Down and safe! Luke

Additions

autosave when player goes through a jumpgate
add mouse + controller controlled crosshairs on galaxy map
make galaxy map navigable using controller
include some missing source files in the included source code zip
allow missile systems to be sold and the slot freed up
markets can scale prices on individual items. Shows if cheap or expensive
add upgraded missile launchers, Braben specialises in missiles, missiles cheaper at Braben
upgrade Morloc spaceports to specialise in battery boosters
add EMP II and EMP III that drain a lot more energy
add shield energiser system for purchase. This was in the game at launch but was a phantom weapon.
add sfx for buy/selling in the market
market place can now scroll if there are many items
update mining station of Etain to specialise in hacking units
add new more powerful hacking units version II and III... for a price
make Kaneel specialise in shields, add everything basic to MegaPlanet but make it expensive
add "Thunderchild" to list of civilian ships
The Clarke and The Endurance sell missiles for cheap. The Endurance repairs for half cost
add new planetary art for galaxy map
make Boucher spaceport contain a variety of equipment but use plague pricing

Changes

update to Godot 4.2.2
nerf health of Hawks on Lostmon by 15%
turn off docking rings if port is locked
increase experience rewards as game progresses to make leveling up worth it
add outline to unchecked checkboxes for clarity
activate system info on press down instead of release on galaxy map
release system and system info when clicking down on galaxy map outside a system
add new planetary graphics to galaxy map
add key to galaxy map
reduce size of system lock icons on galaxy map
add "you are here" to galaxy map
reorient Khaldir jumpgate at Tycho to make view more pleasing
reorient Tycho jumpgate at Thantis to make view more pleasing
rotate Penryhn jumpgate on Khaldir to make view more pleasing
remove comms close option when mid conversation (this will stop players closing a mission briefing before accepting a mission)
reduce turning speed while boosting from 0.1 to 0.08
rename spaceports on Morloc. WARNING: This may break older save files from Morloc. The odds of this affecting anyone is exceedingly low though.
moved body pointer on The Egg
place passenger portraits better on screen
punch up dictionary article
Hacking Unit I duration reduced from 12s to 10s, cooldown reduced from 20s to 16s
boost bounty from EMP station on Khaldir from 5 to 42 credits
toggling story mode no longer loses focus on menu button
make submenus remember the top level button that opened them when you exit
tweak take off animation at end of prologue
return focus to load game button in menu after loading a game
make Danube snippet an SFX not a music cue, you don't escape it that easily
rework mission objective subsystem to provide better target icon behaviour
add more carriages to metrolink train
skip autosave when entering a fresh game
reduce missile acceleration by 10% to make them even more remorselessly terrifying

Fixes

fix normals on shipyards to prevent ships getting caught inside structure
add collision shape for Braben planet
add collision shape to Boucher planet
fix name of Laveesti Star
fix issue where resetting game could leave dialogue windows in weird state
clean up mission objectives on game restart
fix crash on leaving Ecrondal orbit
fix camera change and boost issue on megaplanet
reset game first to clean up entire session when loading a game
hide dock control when resetting game
hide slide outs when resetting game
clear cargo on reset game
reset cooldown visibility on reset game
accepting the take Quatermatter to Thantis mission now updates dock controls
trigger boost cooldown when player docks while boosting
remove overzealous turn smoothing on enemy ships and missiles
fix grammar error in MegaPlanet 1 description
disable ship rotation during takeoff at end of prologue
fix nasty issue where heavy fighter turrets were entering quarantine slightly ahead of the heavy fighter so the Lancaster was getting a bad target lock

[ 2024-05-07 05:57:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 26th April 2024

Hi everyone, A decently large update. Some really nice quality of life improvements, bug fixes and cosmetic changes (including new ships, new planetary features and new items). Liberation has always been a tight little game and it's cool to get to cram some of the corners with extra details. I can't give too much away as they are spoilers! Liberation is starting to get some good polish going on. I can never promise future updates but after this patch I can kind of see where I would want to go... a few new missions (the foundations are in this update) and more zestiness. If you're liking the game please consider leaving a review or a suggestion on what you'd like to see in an update (for example, someone mentioned VR... that would be cool!) Regards, Luke

Additions

add SFX to reactor boost
add planet-wide metrolink to MegaPlanet 1
add heat vent tunnel through MegaPlanet 1
add dirigibles to MegaPlanet 1
add hover car traffic to MegaPlanet 1
add new ship: the garbage scowl
add garbage scowls to Morloc
add more specific joypad icons (eg R1, R2) for sony joypads
make dock control show target icon if mission objective is at this port
add new billboards that display any inspirational message (not just RELAX, OBEY, CONSUME)
add billboards to MegaPlanet 1
add ionised broiled lobster to Thantis Holiday Port market
add article about deadly ionised broiled lobster food poisoning outbreak

Changes

make speed boost much faster (from 220 to 300+) and reduce energy drain
buff reactor booster from 2.3 to 4.0 but duration cut from 15 to 8
reduce auto target effectiveness from 0.1 to 0.07 in Vantinov Clouds
make bliss farms rotate
reduce number of bliss reactors
move body pointers over the docking port if body has a docking port
prioritise exotic controllers over xbox when auto detecting template
turn off docking on the Endurance at Muturoa
move Jumpgate Judge super close to entry gate
rework input mapper to make more universal
massively buff health of jumpgate judge
reduce general autotarget gimbal effectiveness from 0.1 to 0.09 (10%)
move player target release to start of explosion not end when target is destroyed
buff Hawk attackers on Lostmon
allow space ports to override available market items
change pitch on each jumpgate
rework Quatermatter conversations
add another mining ship to Etain
change Thantis Holiday Port to only sell non-offensive ship upgrades
punch up some mission texts
only allow The Endurance to reserve the Nyria Jumpgate during Boucher Plague mission

Fixes

fix shudder on docking computer
release mouse lock on galaxy map
release mouse in target slide out and other slide outs
release mouse in dock control
release target lock on destroyed items such as missiles
fix bliss reactors target locks
make sure target clears after missile explodes
stop auto targeting destroyed attackers after their attack reached you
stop target slide out showing ships that have been destroyed
fix mission target issue on medusa mission
fix mission target issue on plague mission
turn off docking rings when docked
start Braben Station rotating
add Dradus Relay pointer over docking port
reduce vertex collision on Apostilico temple
add missing joypad icon on save button on sony controllers
hide galaxy map info box if empty
make changing device template less sensitive to joypad drift
make civilian ships have smoother turns and docking
let player buy consumables (eg mocktail) when ship slots are full
prevent ships with docking ports docking with themselves (this was tough to debug)
delay removing missiles from scene until they have finished exploding
signal destruction correctly when research ships explode
keep Etain jumpgate open during escape from Thantis mission

[ 2024-04-25 14:25:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 16th March 2024

Hi everyone, I'm really excited to share this release of Liberation! In my career as a software engineer I've always believed that "people don't have accessibility issues, software has accessibility issues". Why care about accessibility? Well, it's the right thing to do. As the good folk at the Game Accessibility Guidelines write, developers should "avoid unnecessarily excluding players, and ensure that games are just as fun for as wide a range of people as possible". A game built to include people is simply a better game. I guess I've always had a bit of a theoretical view of it. Like an architect doing ramps without needing them themselves. However, for Liberation I've had one real life design aim: To get my Dad to play it. My Dad is 80 years old now and his mobility is not so good. We played the original Elite together when I was a kid and one of the reasons I wanted to make Liberation was because he is terrible at Elite Dangerous. There is no "correct" way to play Liberation. If people want super hardcore twitchiness, turn the difficulty up to "Dangerous" and go for it. But with this release, Liberation can basically be played as a turn-based game if that is more your speed. [olist]

Turn on "story mode". This makes enemy ships do no damage and gives the player a super weapon

Turn on "pause game to target". This will pause the game and show a list of ships to target

Use the super weapon at any time to blast all enemies

Use the autopilot to fly to any target [/olist] Fun for as wide a range of people as possible. There are lots of other goodies this release too:

Completely reworked the mission system to provide feedback to players
Mouse support for aiming
New civilian ships
Gamepad improvements, including layers can force a gamepad template (eg xbox, sony)
Buffed some enemies but massively nerfed the Red Squadron skeleton fleet
Lots of quality of life improvements. LOTS.

Anyway, I'm pleased to say this release is Dad-tested. Regards, Luke

Additions

add mouse control for aiming (pitch and yaw)
show icon next to best jumpgate when in mission
add new civilian ship: The Tanker - carries raw commodities around GalFed
add new civilian ship: cargo tug - pulls one cargo container between cargo ships and ports
add non-player docking ports to bliss farms
add some tankers to Algeus
add some tankers to Tycho
schedule tanker traffic at Algeus extractor and farms
allow systems to schedule civilian ship arrivals at their jumpgates
add some missing source files
show mission icons in mission message
show icon on mission destination body
show mission target icon on relevant items in store
show mission target icon on mission objectives
notify player is missing embark and disembark opportunity
add lights to docking ports that activate when nearby
add paused target list slide out
add setting for paused targeting list
add target list setting to gameplay menu
add target slide out that can target system bodies
add ability to turn off gamepad layout autodetect
improve gamepad support (with layout autodetect off, game will use selected icons (eg xbox or sony) no matter the detected gamepad)
add option for "more description" that says "ship is behind you" on body pointer
display key bindings for actions such as Target and Accept Mission
display instruction on opening prologue
rework limpet mines so they travel around a circular path
add SFX to death race lasers
add new image for keyboard controls in manual
add option to send keyboard controls PDF to default printer

Changes

rework Khaldir system to make it tighter
move Penrhyn gate on Khaldir closer to action
allow cargo ships to take a full load (tee hee)
improved explosions on fighters and heavy fighters
let missiles destroy missiles
allow targeting of missiles
fix to mouse and autopilot
flash acquiring target message
update first message to say "Incoming communication"
break out mission control into own subsystem
rework mission objective handling
visually disable weapon buttons when docked
refresh market on game game
move mission data to mission objectives
add icon tip to comms accept button
play port music only when in dock screen not when in external view
update The Guard at Khaldir to be two-shot by missile attack but has buffed shields and armour
massively armoured Comms Relay
move Jumpgate Judge and Megaplanet 1 carrier closer to main theatre of action
beef up limpet mine explosion
move bombing fleet and jumpgates and limpet mines closer together on Kaneel
make skeleton fleet (Red Squadron) fire less often
give Red Squadron three missiles
remove two Red Squadron fighters
reduce Apostilico guard from infinite missiles to 5
reduce damage from missiles in Apostilico
deactivate docking computer on arrival at non-dock location
make death race starting line is targetable (you can autopilot to it)
make The Medusa rotate slightly
move cargo icon slightly to right on HUD
unfade non hostile body pointers so we can more easily find jumpgates when acquiring target during hostiles
show call sign If a ship is broadcasting a message
make Escape from Thantis mission warn if Quatermatter left behind and won't progress
buff The Colossus (made him more tanky)
rename Nyria Spacestation to Nyria Station. Don't not leave anyone at Nyria Spacestation in an old savegame (0.00001% chance someone has done this)
spread landers apart on Kaneel
buff nurses on Boucher
buff EMP device

Fixes

fix save game button
improve mousein menus and dock screen
fix mouse capture menu button to show loaded setting
fix xbox gamepad on windows
fix dock screen icon
restore focus when exit menu on dock screen
fix docking port
fix when joypad changes
fix gamepad save game button
prevent player controller ship from docking at npc-only docking port
make missiles no longer broadcast comms if shot at
make docking comp ignore missiles
make editor and mouse work nicer together
add vicinity shape for small space stations
stop weapon and boost buttons working when docked
terminate docking computer when player arrives at locked jumpgate
fix wandering input button on comms
stop clicking story mode losing focus
make when the guard is destroyed at Penrhyn they now stop taunting you
make comms relay now not broadcast civilian emergency message
improved solid shape for small space stations (ok I added it)
hide empty info panel on galaxy map
fix so Etain Jumpgate will no longer get locked during Escape from Thantis mission
fix closing comms while in market now won't lose button focus
make when docked a ship will no longer take damage
make when docked turrets will no longer target a ship
make when player is docked, NPCs will no longer launch missiles
make when game is over, stop NPCs from launching missiles
improve weapon system gamepad navigation d-pad
stop triggering jumpgate mission signals if coming from a load file
make Thantis cruisers invulnerable

[ 2024-03-16 03:48:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 29th November 2023

Hi everyone, Liberation is not just a game that looks retro, I also want to provide an authentic retro gaming experience. There's a lot of interpretation in that goal. I'm not necessarily here to recreate old gaming mechanics exactly, rather I want to capture the *feel* of playing an early generation space sim. To me that means a sense of wonder, a sense of entertainment, a sense of freedom with not much hand-holding. At launch, Liberation used a flight scheme similar to the original Elite from 1984. To fly you pitch up and down and rotate your ship. There is no turning (fancy name: yaw). I love that control scheme -- it feels so floaty to me, there is no up or down and space battles become these wonderful swooping and rolling affairs. However, based on feedback I have decided to use a more modern flight scheme for Liberation. Here's why: [olist]

The old scheme does not suit gamepads and that is half of the players

Players today expect to be able to turn their ship (fair enough!)

I didn't implement the original scheme so perfect that it would kill me to change it [/olist] So this release is ALL ABOUT replacing and tightening up the flight controls (but a few bonus features slipped in too). The major changes are:

New flight model adds turning/yaw
New weapon system for improved auto tracking and accuracy
Improved gamepad support (on-screen icons, more gamepad types supported)
Incoming communications now pause the game

I can never promise new features or anything but my priorities in the near future are mouse support, mission balance updates, and some juicy quality of life improvements (eg highlight which jumpgate is best for the current mission). Your support makes it happen! Regards, Luke

Add

New flight model: Added yaw (turning) to ship control
New flight model: New float model (responsiveness generally up)
New flight model: Precision effect reworked
New laser model: Single laser with two beams replaced with two lasers.
New laser model: Laser gimbal is radial instead of pitch/yaw
New laser model: Laser has improved collision with targets
Add arrow icon on HUD to track target, keep on screen
Rotate arrow icon to point at target
Pause game when comms or other system tabs are open
Make docking computer swivel player towards target even if docking denied. This opens up a new tactic during battle
add remap support for more joystick buttons (test support with sidewinder precision 2)
Show dpad icons on HUD next to system/weapon rows when gamepad detected
Auto change the on screen button text if device changes
Add icons for playstation controllers
Add icons for xbox controllers
Add gamepad icon to Target HUD
Add gamepad icon for Launch in prologue
Add gamepad icon on comms advance
Add gamepad speed up and speed down icons to HUD
Empty comms shows "no messages"
List attached gamepads on remap screen
Add support for Microsoft Sidewinder gamepads
Add support for PS gamepads
Add support for X360 gamepads
Add tab key to cycle through Target HUD

Change

Relax cargo rules on mining station mission
Auto target only when target is in cross hairs
Replace targeting gimbal with radial and made it larger
Improve laser gimbal accuracy, especially on low performance machines
Improve accuracy or enemy fighters
Make weapon system buttons loop left on HUD
Ignore function keys (eg volume) on title screen
Update to Godot 4.2rc2
Stop gamepads triggering boost and other systems when in prologue
Make comms close button grab focus when comms empty
Update keyboard manual entry to reflect new flight model
Match gamepad and keyboard invert pitch
Make limpet mines not do damage in story mode
Stop embarking losing focus for gamepad on market
Stop upgrade button losing focus for gamepad on market

Fix

Fix to disembarking passengers and cargo when there are other passengers and cargo
Fix to encrypted package mission is done in different order
Stop laser SFX immediately when ship destroyed
Stop bug where toggling scaling (in fullscreen?) causes resolution to go 2x2 pixels
Stop toggling retro scaling causing crash on mac
Fix R/RS gamepad not displaying on remapping screen

[ 2023-11-29 03:52:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 15th October 2023

Hi everyone, Liberation came out a few weeks ago and it's definitely been a busy time. The main purpose of this release was to add remapping for joypad/gamepads/joysticks/controllers but as I worked on it more and more fixes and changes snuck in until it became a pretty massive release. I definitely prefer to do small releases but occasionally it can be fun to make hundreds of changes and release them all at once. The biggest request by far from players was for controller remap support. Have I got it right? Probably not first go but I think we're on the right track for sure. The biggest changes this release:

AUTO-TARGETING. When attacked your ship will lock on target.
WEAPON GIMBALS. Your lasers will follow the target inside your cross hairs a bit. This means you will hit the enemy ships a lot more.
GAMEPAD REMAPPING. In the menu you can remap the controller inputs.
AUTOSAVE. When docking game will save progress in first save slot.

Luke Fixes

prevent keyboard echo on low performance machines on first load
add name to Kaneel spaceport
make abandon game clean up more systems such as messages
fix a few spelling mistakes (I wish editor had a spell check lol)
decrease number of hostiles if the hostile leaves through a jumpgate during a fight
clear message history on load from save game
restore UI correctly after load and instant docking
stop Council giving second warning when leaving Ecrondal
fix to civil war orbit egg mission (no spoilers)
stop Balaantra command ship firing after event (no spoilers)
prevent docking at Etain station during a mission
make ship UI health bars for energy, hull and shields accurately show upgraded values
fix a few spelling mistakes in articles and advertisements
stop civilian ship messages after escape Thantis mission ends
make The Lancaster missiles detonate if their target is destroyed
stop arriving ships giving exit messages
stop Nyria system relocking after battle
apply lots of fixes to reactor boost system
make command cruiser fire on ZED-11 during a mission (no spoilers)
fix system slide out gamepad navigation
make cooldown buttons lose focus when pressed
prevent Boost spawning multiple events on low performance machines
stop cockpit being viewable on launch on low performance machines
clamp racer top speed in Death Race
stop Lostmon system relocking after battle
stop Kaneel (and mine field) relocking after battle
allow targeting of mining stations
stop Death Race lasers causing null targets
stop plasma bolts causing null targets
prevent exploding ships from being able to be targeted
add ad theme to aliens ad

Changes

make comm messages appear on screen faster
aim Khaldir station towards Tycho jumpgate
make ZED-11 lasers no longer can fire when comms open
unlock Etain when you visit even though it has no hostiles
reduce speed of Thantis fighters
make Thantis fighters attack you if you attack them
make hacking unit cost energy to use (15 units)
lock Endurance dock when transiting Boucher
make ships attack ship that launched the missile
update bliss mission text
update holo-cast mission text
show message when Siltz sends credits to your account
make landers give zero bounty if they make it to spaceport
make rebel mining station mission text clearer
stop allowing targeting on non-important bodies
update pacing of void mission (no spoilers)
buff Ecrondal travel machines
give Ecrondal travel machines names
move Laveesti gate on Apostilico to create better view on approach
update void mission text
update Algaeus mission text
reduce gradient fade on comms message history
make scanner in Vantinov Clouds show distance when objects are close
reduce civilian traffic at Thantis
move Braben jumpgate closer to everything on MegaPlanet 1
move jumpgates on Kaneel closer to each other
rework Death Race advertisement
change icon background colour in market place
limit number of raiders in Boucher transit mission
rename London ship to The London
reduce damage from missiles in story mode
make raider hit area much large
reduce raider speed
add hacking animation to fighters
add hacking animation to heavy fighters
add hacking animation to ZED-11
buff reactor boost from 10s to 15s, reduce cooldown from 50s to 42s
buff hacking unit duration from 5s to 12s
change way civilian ships are named, stops duplicate names
remove reactor booster, EMP and hacking unit from Thantis Stadium market
increase speed of docking computer when approaching jumpgates and stations from 10 to 30
rework Boucher hostiles to give more personality
reduce speed of raiders at Boucher
rework Boucher transit mission text
rework Thantis holo-cast mission text
rework MegaPlanet 1 hostile to give more personality
rework Braben hostile to give more personality
rework informant mission text
reduce resources required by galfed map when emitters turned off
preload more music for low performance machines
move default gamepad mapping for ROLL to RIGHT STICK (was LEFT STICK)
auto target when attacked
make missiles explode if they lose their target

Additions

gamepad remapping
add auto-targeting
give ZED-11 lasers a gimbal so they follow targeted ships inside crosshairs (makes it easier to hit)
add massive civil war battle to Ecrondal orbit
add messages from before current play session into comms panel when playing from save game
add more metal to Morloc to make it more epic
make "not enough energy" messages show energy levels
add hacking animation to landers
add taunts and chatter from racers when doing Death Race
add auto-save when docking
add arrival messages when a civilian ship exits jumpgate
add space station to Nyria system
add icon to executable
add banter to Boucher hostile
add hour and minute to save game thumbnails
add SFX to more UI elements such as buttons and slide outs
include the source code with the distribution
on various UI elements such as cooldown buttons, show controller input instead of keyboard input if controller detected

[ 2023-10-15 04:59:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update notes for 28th September 2023

Hi everyone, Liberation came out a week ago and I'm pleased to upload the first big post-release patch. This is largely based on feedback from the community at Space Game Junkie. Thanks for your suggestions! Please note, gamepad support is really only for xbox one (or similar) controllers at moment. It might not work with other type of controllers/layouts. This is the next big issue I want to tackle. Delivering better gamepad support (maybe even remapping) is the dream but it is not something I can rush. Fixes

make entering jumpspace cancel boost and target and docking computer
make menus be on top of the galfed map when opened
prevent player entering or exiting atmosphere when traversing jumpspace
fix tutorial popup from showing each time you enter Penhryn
make cooldown buttons reset on reset game
reset system information between games
reset galfed map update between games
stop delayed comms opening when game over
make menu exit manual and control sub menus correctly
make docking computer understand how to approach liners and dradus relay
fix nasty bug with invisible message box blocking buy and embark buttons
fix reactor boost text
fix docking computer text
fix Muturoa and Ecrondal jumpgate connections
fix jumpgate connection between Apostilico and Laveesti
hide map labels when closing galfed map
fix gamepad echoing when activating toggle buttons
fix reset game when abandoning game
fix missile avoid radius issue when avoid radius is zero

Changes

make shields and battery drain and charge when docking computer active
make blast weapon gives bounty
make it so limpet mines can be destroyed with missiles
double size of limpet mines so they are easier to see and shoot
improve spacestation ultra docking and collision shapes
prevent player boosting in jumpspace
fade ship chatter when ship is behind player
make Penryhn launch point no longer depend on initial mission being unfinished
add docking nodes to liners and dradus relay
remove unused worlds
remove WIP from market title
improve game over
make blast weapon less effective during egg mission
update egg mission and void mission (no spoilers)
stop reactor boost system boosting when in cooldown lol
rename Vantinov system to Vantinov Clouds
now have The Endurance visit Vantinov
make Vantinov clouds less dense
reduce speed and roll and pitch when comms panel is open
reduce speed of first guard in first mission
give zero bounty when cruisers destroy
give no experience or money from zero bounties
make is so during escape from mining station command cruiser will now fire on player
change planetary descriptions to Bellian and Apostilico
change it so that player can not save game while docked with The Endurance
change galaxy map so label and lock do not scale

Additions

improve hull repair in market place, price now depends on damage, price is zero if hull is pristine
display an icon when opening market item
add icons to items in market
flash dock upgrade buttons when upgrade points available in market
add a confirmation popup when players goes to abandon game
add death animation and sounds to egg mission
update credits
rework pacing of Muturoa void mission
add particles and sfx to egg when attacked
avoid repeated signals when destroying a body or loading a scene on low performance machines
make crime boss mention Tycho jumpgate in first mission
add three new music tracks
hide hidden systems on galfed map
arm command cruiser with turrets
add animation so command cruiser now explodes
add no saving message when save not available at dock
add article about The Clarke
add some new civilian ship names
make it so docking ports can be inactive
scramble scanner when at Vantinov
update hunter and post hunter missions (no spoilers)
add custom model for The Clarke ship
offer tutorial on start
update shipyard mission (no spoilers)
add new shipyard reactor mission
add shipyard reactor model
add more wreckage orbiting Laveesti
add careening cruiser to Laveesti

[ 2023-09-28 08:25:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

Updates notes for 23rd September 2023

Hi everyone, Here is the first post-release patch of Liberation, my retro space adventure. Changes

add option to disable listening for gamepad/hotas/joystick input (Menu->Controls->Gamepad Input)
add a slight displacement to each pointer overlay to assist readability

change Boost so that player can not reduce speed while boosting
change Boost by allowing player to rotate faster

fix issue where docked ships are sometimes undocked after loading from save
fix system icons update when loading from save
fix when starting new game with story mode enabled to immediately give blast weapon
fix returning to Penrhyn will not restart original guard

[ 2023-09-23 07:17:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

Liberation Game Launch!

Hi, I'll be playing/poking/debugging my new game, Liberation. Hope you can join in.

[ 2023-09-18 09:30:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Liberation | Free Demo Now Available

I'm pleased to share a pre-release demo of Liberation! Download it for FREE on our steam page. Liberation is a retro space adventure where you pilot an elite stealth ship as you take your revenge against the evil Galactic Federation (GalFed). Upgrade your ship with a variety of weapons and systems. Engage in high-stakes dogfights, dock with space stations and planet spaceports, and work with heroes and villains to destroy GalFed. Liberation is a lovingly crafted single-player open-universe RPG, inspired by classic science fiction such as Blake's 7 and the original 1984 BBC Micro version of Elite. After you play Liberation, I'd love your suggestions in our steam forum. Luke

[ 2023-09-16 23:35:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

Liberation
Classyk Games

Developer

Classyk Games

Publisher

2023-09-21

Release

Action Indie Strategy Casual RPG Adventure Simulation F2P Sports MMO Racing Singleplayer Multiplayer Coop EA