Hello Miners!

Sometimes, atmosphere and world-building don\'t get the appreciation they deserve. Today, I wanted to show you step-by-step how I integrate the details I add to enrich The Long Way Home universe into the story.

From the very first day of development, my vision for this universe was for it to feel lived-in, a bit messy, and real. Sometimes, creating that feeling requires nothing more than a tiny, weird detail.

1. STEP 1: IS THAT A ROBOT SMOKING OVER THERE?

It all starts with a simple idea. If you step out the back door of \"Barnard\'s Place,\" located on an asteroid orbiting Barnard\'s Star, you\'ll run into a robot taking a smoke break. Why does a machine smoke? Is it trying to mimic humans? Or is it a programming error?

How animations are created:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/8321f42b9cba95d737310e62792e2fee6e44ccfc.gif\"][/img]

[dynamiclink href=\"https://youtu.be/twuVBNmJc7k\"][/dynamiclink]

2. CREATING THE BRAND

If this robot is smoking, that cigarette needs a brand. There\'s nothing interesting about it smoking a random cigarette, but if it prefers a specific brand, things change. This brand needs to feel like it belongs to this universe. Futuristic or traditional? Electronic, organic, or something hybrid?

Simple sketches laying the foundation:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/27a6e4583c69312ca10e5ae836a41c92408c53c6.png\"][/img]

3. ADAPTING IT TO THE UNIVERSE

Creating the brand isn\'t enough; I need to scatter it everywhere I can find in the galaxy to make it \"real.\" An article on the Galactic News Network or an advertisement airing on Galactic Radio... Slowly, the brand integrates with the universe.

Check out the video to hear the ad airing on the radio:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/244d2ff0afe76d6482c465ef14f1fc3764f5e04f.gif\"][/img]

[dynamiclink href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQHwuTFeIE&feature=youtu.be\"][/dynamiclink]

Also, the products need to physically exist in the universe. Therefore, they must be purchasable from vendors, advertising brochures should be found lying around, and you should even be able to buy a poster of the brand and hang it on a wall in your own ship.

Brochure and item logo design:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/6085a2a3f6ead819da45b04b8f3e29669e929094.png\"][/img]

Products purchasable from merchants:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/c36ce9d5536c77ce0a6ebe17b8cee1265d70f40b.png\"][/img]

Emberline Poster on a wall in the player\'s ship:

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/4fb2535a4828ca92178344253550d4722b964033.png\"][/img]

Poster hanging on the bar wall (top right):

[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/45888309/74347f434e59d915a67692d91eb40f7ecce45026.png\"][/img]

4. ENRICHING VIA DIALOGUE

Of course, showing it isn\'t enough; having in-game characters mention the brand occasionally and having it appear in different dialogues are key details that make everything feel realistic. In the video below, you can find a snippet of the dialogue you can have with the smoking robot.

[dynamiclink href=\"https://youtu.be/fddeCVRuI-0\"][/dynamiclink]

IN SUMMARY All these small details might seem quite insignificant, and it\'s very likely that players might miss them entirely. However, these details come together to form a universe, making it feel much larger than it is.

That is my primary goal with The Long Way Home project: To create a universe where anyone who wishes can get lost in it.

Safe travels to everyone.

Cihan Kuzu

Hello Miners!

Theres a lot in this new update for The Long Way Home.

[u]Change details:[/u]

Controller Support Added

• You can now play the game entirely using the built-in controller support. Xbox, PlayStation and other controllers are supported.

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• Thanks to some UI adjustments and a few additions to certain minigames, the whole game is now playable with a controller only. (Worth mentioning: this game was never originally designed to be controller-friendly, so there may still be places where the controller doesnt work perfectly. Please report anything you notice. Ill take care of it as soon as possible.)

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Introduction Revamped

• The introduction (a tutorial-like starting section) has been largely reworked. It now fits the story much better and players can also get through it much faster if they want to.

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Tutorial Handbook Added

• In the previous (temporary) approach, tutorial messages paused the game to give the player information. Now, tutorial texts have been moved into a tutorial handbook accessible through the PD (youll need to enable the tutorial option when starting a new game for this to work).

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Interface & User Experience (UI/UX)

• Some buttons and information that previously appeared only as text (like planting, crafting, repair and maintenance requirement tables) have been replaced with the relevant item icons. I think this improves readability and overall playability.

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• Many screens have been adjusted for a better user experience (and this work is still ongoing. Things likely need a bit more time and testing to fully settle into place).

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New Content Added: Hoth Cryomole Hunt

• If you land on OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb in Sector 5known to humans as Hothyoull find a winter-vacation-themed resort hotel run by synthetics. By talking to the synthetic at the reception desk, you can join their Cryomole Hunt festival, earn points during the hunt and exchange them for various rewards and gifts.

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Translations

• Missing translations that were identified have been added. There may still be gaps, if you report them, Ill address them quickly.

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Thank you!

A huge thanks to everyone for your contributions and valuable feedback. Youre probably helping more than you realize.

This build is still in development and testing. Id really appreciate it if you share any bugs you encounter or any suggestions you have. Safe travels!

Hello Miners!

The new update for The Long Way Home includes bug fixes and some interface adjustments. Here are the details of the changes:

Bug Fixes

• Black Screen Issue: Fixed the black screen issue occurring before the intro on some older systems. (I\'ve tested this myself but if anyone who previously experienced this issue could confirm the fix Id really appreciate it.)

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• Time Pause: Time now correctly pauses during all visits outside the ship, as it should.

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UI/UX (Interface and User Experience)

• Indicators: Circular indicators (plant growth, fuel tracking, etc.) have been adjusted as they were causing confusion.

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• Text Adjustments: Some dialogue text (especially interactions with robots at Barnard\'s Bar) has been simplified for better clarity and readability.

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• Dialogue Choices: Previously selected dialogue options are now visually distinct, making it easier to track which questions you\'ve already asked.

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Translations

• Fixed a translation error regarding the security bot\'s name on the Stellar Horizon.

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• Fixed translation errors in notifications appearing during planting/harvesting.

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• MotionBay Tutorial: Fixed an issue where the English tutorial text was not displaying correctly in the MotionBay conditioning section.

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Visuals

• Animation adjustments were made to create a more fluid combat feel during \"Brawls\".

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Thank You! I want to thank everyone for their contributions and valuable feedback. You are helping more than you probably realize.

This version is still in the development and testing phase. I would really appreciate it if you shared any bugs you encounter or suggestions you might have.

Safe travels!

Hello Miner!

The development of The Long Way Home continues. Based on your feedback, I have released a new update that makes the game experience smoother. This update focused particularly on interface readability and in-game guidance. Additionally, some minor improvements and bug fixes were applied.

[u]Details of the changes:[/u]

Interface and User Experience (UI/UX)

• Navigation: Earth coordinate information is now pinned to the navigation console by default.

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• Visual Improvements: Button sizes, text colors and font sizes have been updated to be easier on the eyes, easier to read and more noticeable.

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• Tutorial: In-game tutorial texts have been simplified and made more understandable. (Developer Note: This is a temporary improvement. I plan to add a much more dynamic and interactive tutorial system in the near future.)

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Gameplay and Balance

• Missions: Some mission descriptions and directives have been rewritten to eliminate confusion.

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• Mini-Games: The difficulty/reward balance in mini-games has been readjusted.

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Controller Support (Experimental / Beta) Partial controller support has been added via Steam Input. This feature is currently temporary:

• Important: The game currently does not offer a default profile. While the game is open, you need to open the Steam interface with Shift + Tab, click on the controller icon and configure the key bindings according to your preference.

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• Restrictions: Mouse usage and keyboard inputs in some mini-games are not yet fully supported.

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Full native controller support will be added with the full version of the game.

Thanks! I would like to extend a special thanks to Tyler Graham for his contributions and support in this update.

This version is still in the development and testing phase. I would be very happy if you shared any errors you encounter or your suggestions. Safe travels!

Hi! The demo is now live.

If you try it, I\'d really appreciate any feedback especially Steam Deck and Linux/Proton reports. Im developing this solo and currently the only tester, so real world reports help a lot.

[u]What Im looking for:[/u]

• Does the demo run smoothly on your system?

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• Any crashes, black screens, missing audio, weird UI scaling or input issues?

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• Steam Deck / Linux: performance, controls, text size or any other problems.

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[u]Where to report bugs & feedback:[/u]

Please post everything in the pinned Discussions.

If you enjoyed the demo, consider Wishlisting and Following the game. It really supports a solo dev.

Thank you for playing and for any reports you share!