In April 2022, the game will be removed from the Steam store. Anyone who already bought the game will still be able to play it. The same will apply for all the games of the Farsky Interactive company. Making our games was an intense journey. We made them all with care and passion. We thank everyone who enjoyed our games, and hope we brought some hapinness, emotion and fun to most of you.

[ 2022-03-19 20:55:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

The goal of this update is to improve the experience of the player with several small features. For instance, the current quest is always displayed on the screen, and the same is applied for the quest arrow. The fixes prevent some annoying situations and remove an issue with a dying loop occurring under certain conditions. Here is the full log file for this update: Updated features

• switch weapon button must be held
• quest always on screen
• quest arrow always on screen
• improved starting indication for first hacking
• can use the left stick on gamepad for item and weapon selection
• inventory separator text is now more visible
• remove "wheel selection" text in the hack mini game
• heavy blaster effect explained on the second island
• mecha in pause mode is now more visible
• removed unlocking all weather controllers revealing island map

Fixes

• dying loop if saved while dying
• enemy spawning near the player after loading the game
• save menu not following cursor when using gamepad if there are too many save slots
• wrong switch weapon button description for gamepad (Rt instead of Rb)
• simultanious input on keyboard and gamepad disconnect gamepad
• fast walking when hidden and wounded

[ 2016-11-02 13:20:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

The goal of this update is to improve the experience of the player with several small features. For instance, the current quest is always displayed on the screen, and the same is applied for the quest arrow. The fixes prevent some annoying situations and remove an issue with a dying loop occurring under certain conditions. Here is the full log file for this update: Updated features

• switch weapon button must be held
• quest always on screen
• quest arrow always on screen
• improved starting indication for first hacking
• can use the left stick on gamepad for item and weapon selection
• inventory separator text is now more visible
• remove "wheel selection" text in the hack mini game
• heavy blaster effect explained on the second island
• mecha in pause mode is now more visible
• removed unlocking all weather controllers revealing island map

Fixes

• dying loop if saved while dying
• enemy spawning near the player after loading the game
• save menu not following cursor when using gamepad if there are too many save slots
• wrong switch weapon button description for gamepad (Rt instead of Rb)
• simultanious input on keyboard and gamepad disconnect gamepad
• fast walking when hidden and wounded

[ 2016-11-02 13:18:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

The final update is now here ! The game is now ready to leave the Early Access ! It focuses on a "boss" mecha, the limited ammo, the lost logbooks and many optimizations/fixes. There have been also a lot of adjustments in order to give you the smoother gameplay experience as possible.

The boss mecha

This mecha is different from the others. It is harder to destroy, it is stronger, and it uses special capacities. If you beat it, you will not be able to hack it, but you will be well rewarded.

Limited ammo

Starting from this update, standard ammunition will become an important part of the game. As it will become limited, engaging combat will not be as straightforward as before. Ammo can be either crafted or found inside lost chests.

Lost logbooks

Did you know what happened on this planet before your arrival? How can there be uncontrolled mechas? Why was this planet abandoned by humans? Now is the time to get some answers. Previous humans left logbooks behind, explaining many details about their missions and how things evolved.
The game is now complete, and we will handle it to keep it stable, but there is no major update to expect anymore. Here is the full log file for this update: New features

• lost logbooks
• boss mecha
• new mecha idle animations
• saving option when interacting with ionizer
• lost loot chest filled with blaster ammo
• pressing F2 removes UI elements

Updated features

• blaster ammo is now limited
• ending cinematic music is now fading out
• more trees in ice biome
• cannot use ship ionizer anymore
• ship uses more energy
• special ammo effects improved
• can aim and stay hidden in bushes
• no walk speed change when hidden in bushes
• mechas are more aggressive
• mechas are more accurate when aiming player
• no more enemies generated near station docks
• difficulty adjustments
• crafting recipe adjustments
• can save when interacting with a ionizer
• hacked mecha stops combat if player is too far away
• player evolution needs fewer chips
• mecha warehouse needs fewer crystals to be unlocked
• windmills give one chip
• improved distant mecha behavior
• can change item quantity when dropping or moving item 10 by 10
• middle popup background image

Fixes

• optimizing textures in memory
• grass not generated on some chunks after navigating with the ship
• smooth music transition between islands
• ingame menu not closed while in main menu
• Spike special attack having an effect on distant attacks
• gamepad saving panel selection issue under certain conditions
• "hold" text not synchronized with language
• optimized AA algorithm. It is now a FXAA post effect
• issue preventing foot prints to be displayed correctly
• gamepad issue with text on some ship indications
• mecha animation timing issue when stun animation is over
• no step sound for a few seconds after loading
• biome theme music not played
• taking an item from the station chest with full inventory could make the item disappear
• unlocking last crafting item displayed the first one as unlocked
• take crystal do not remove crystal icon on map
• issue with ship sound when used remotely to extract boxes
• ship piece always at the center of the research area
• take crystal with full inventory makes the crystal disappear
• oil placement shown by the drone even if already taken
• no enemy around after loading
• improved scorpion distance attack aiming
• changing view distance direct effect
• corner map island not displayed
• greenhouse plant icon on minimap
• mecha never giving up combat issue
• damage value issue with enemy missiles
• station hole in a wall of the hangar room
• laser attack double hit
• right click input performed while in ingame pause
• cleaned some player animations

Thank you to everyone who supported the game during the Early Access and for your useful feedback. We really hope you will have fun with this last major update of Sky Break !

[ 2016-10-21 16:06:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

The final update is now here ! The game is now ready to leave the Early Access ! It focuses on a "boss" mecha, the limited ammo, the lost logbooks and many optimizations/fixes. There have been also a lot of adjustments in order to give you the smoother gameplay experience as possible.

The boss mecha

This mecha is different from the others. It is harder to destroy, it is stronger, and it uses special capacities. If you beat it, you will not be able to hack it, but you will be well rewarded.

Limited ammo

Starting from this update, standard ammunition will become an important part of the game. As it will become limited, engaging combat will not be as straightforward as before. Ammo can be either crafted or found inside lost chests.

Lost logbooks

Did you know what happened on this planet before your arrival? How can there be uncontrolled mechas? Why was this planet abandoned by humans? Now is the time to get some answers. Previous humans left logbooks behind, explaining many details about their missions and how things evolved.
The game is now complete, and we will handle it to keep it stable, but there is no major update to expect anymore. Here is the full log file for this update: New features

• lost logbooks
• boss mecha
• new mecha idle animations
• saving option when interacting with ionizer
• lost loot chest filled with blaster ammo
• pressing F2 removes UI elements

Updated features

• blaster ammo is now limited
• ending cinematic music is now fading out
• more trees in ice biome
• cannot use ship ionizer anymore
• ship uses more energy
• special ammo effects improved
• can aim and stay hidden in bushes
• no walk speed change when hidden in bushes
• mechas are more aggressive
• mechas are more accurate when aiming player
• no more enemies generated near station docks
• difficulty adjustments
• crafting recipe adjustments
• can save when interacting with a ionizer
• hacked mecha stops combat if player is too far away
• player evolution needs fewer chips
• mecha warehouse needs fewer crystals to be unlocked
• windmills give one chip
• improved distant mecha behavior
• can change item quantity when dropping or moving item 10 by 10
• middle popup background image

Fixes

• optimizing textures in memory
• grass not generated on some chunks after navigating with the ship
• smooth music transition between islands
• ingame menu not closed while in main menu
• Spike special attack having an effect on distant attacks
• gamepad saving panel selection issue under certain conditions
• "hold" text not synchronized with language
• optimized AA algorithm. It is now a FXAA post effect
• issue preventing foot prints to be displayed correctly
• gamepad issue with text on some ship indications
• mecha animation timing issue when stun animation is over
• no step sound for a few seconds after loading
• biome theme music not played
• taking an item from the station chest with full inventory could make the item disappear
• unlocking last crafting item displayed the first one as unlocked
• take crystal do not remove crystal icon on map
• issue with ship sound when used remotely to extract boxes
• ship piece always at the center of the research area
• take crystal with full inventory makes the crystal disappear
• oil placement shown by the drone even if already taken
• no enemy around after loading
• improved scorpion distance attack aiming
• changing view distance direct effect
• corner map island not displayed
• greenhouse plant icon on minimap
• mecha never giving up combat issue
• damage value issue with enemy missiles
• station hole in a wall of the hangar room
• laser attack double hit
• right click input performed while in ingame pause
• cleaned some player animations

Thank you to everyone who supported the game during the Early Access and for your useful feedback. We really hope you will have fun with this last major update of Sky Break !

[ 2016-10-21 16:06:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.4 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, the final cinematic, translations and many optimizations/fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the deer mecha. As always, it has two variants: a head attack and a charging attack from the distance. It can only be found in the ice island.

Final cinematic, translations and more

Finally the game has an ending cinematic, which concludes the story. The game is now translated in German, Italian, Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish and Russian. There have been a lot of optimizations and fixes. The game should run better on a low-end computer and feel more fluid on a high-end computer.
Here is the full log file for this update: New features

• translation in German, Italian, Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish, Russian
• ending cinematic
• deer mecha for the ice biome
• gamepad walk capacity
• several ambient sound effects
• skipping cinematics timer
• ship warning state when energy is low
• elevator light indication when impossible to go down
• loading percent indicator

Updated features

• activating a beacon is done using the drone and attracts near enemies
• improved weapon sight. Sight is colored depending on the target
• window mode is now fully re-sizable (with window dragging)
• storm system stays now at a zero level for a few minutes
• air ionier glow is stronger. Can be seen through fog
• beacon model and activation system. The drone activate the beacon. Echos are attracting ennemies nearby.
• improved graphics of the sky (above clouds)
• improved map rendering speed when using the spaceship
• improved water effects
• weapon sight icon is different when the taser is selected
• map indication cursor automatically removed when near
• leader mecha does not own extra shield bars anymore
• improved desert lighting
• getting closer from the tornado deals more damage
• no need to interact with station dock or weather controller screen for tempest reduction. Done automatically when near
• hacking a mecha does not restore its shield anymore
• title logo
• ship piece search areas are only displayed if the island has been unlocked

Fixes

• performance optimization
• faster loadings
• impact bomb behavior. It now follows the camera aiming point and has a visible trail
• item selection indication when using ship
• some not well aligned texts
• UI blinking issue during dialogs
• ionizer collider
• bird behaviour
• cliff rocks blocking some access
• sliding acceleration issues
• gamepad crafting elements navigation
• gamepad skipping some dialogs made the player jump
• gamepad issues during ship landing
• map popping at first loading
• ship indications not instantly removed after landing
• lightning cloud alignement (sometimes floating in the air)
• can unlock ship piece before unlocking the ship
• scrolling within ingame menu changing weapon selection
• inventory accessible during dialogs
• dying without saving can sometimes spawn you dead
• screen interface image
• drawning sound issue
• indication popup while aiming letting the player stuck in the aiming position
• station dock antenna collider
• walk animation while aiming stucked after item selection or menu pause
• gamepad menu issue when removing saving slot
• drone weird behaviour if not hacked and the player goes in the station
• main menu graphical bugs if a save file is corrupted
• no inventory full warning when picking up a resource
• add weather controller icon near to lost spaceship
• no more saving lag thanks to asynchronous saving
• player animation issue when using ship and accessing ingame menu
• sky lift door indications inverted
• cloud rendering issue with some graphics cards
• too many mecha teleportations when having 4 hacked mechas
• some menu UI elements behing ingame UI elements
• UI elements over the tame minigame

PS: as we announced previously, we are now working on the final release update, which will come out on October 21.

[ 2016-09-22 13:42:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.4 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, the final cinematic, translations and many optimizations/fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the deer mecha. As always, it has two variants: a head attack and a charging attack from the distance. It can only be found in the ice island.

Final cinematic, translations and more

Finally the game has an ending cinematic, which concludes the story. The game is now translated in German, Italian, Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish and Russian. There have been a lot of optimizations and fixes. The game should run better on a low-end computer and feel more fluid on a high-end computer.
Here is the full log file for this update: New features

• translation in German, Italian, Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish, Russian
• ending cinematic
• deer mecha for the ice biome
• gamepad walk capacity
• several ambient sound effects
• skipping cinematics timer
• ship warning state when energy is low
• elevator light indication when impossible to go down
• loading percent indicator

Updated features

• activating a beacon is done using the drone and attracts near enemies
• improved weapon sight. Sight is colored depending on the target
• window mode is now fully re-sizable (with window dragging)
• storm system stays now at a zero level for a few minutes
• air ionier glow is stronger. Can be seen through fog
• beacon model and activation system. The drone activate the beacon. Echos are attracting ennemies nearby.
• improved graphics of the sky (above clouds)
• improved map rendering speed when using the spaceship
• improved water effects
• weapon sight icon is different when the taser is selected
• map indication cursor automatically removed when near
• leader mecha does not own extra shield bars anymore
• improved desert lighting
• getting closer from the tornado deals more damage
• no need to interact with station dock or weather controller screen for tempest reduction. Done automatically when near
• hacking a mecha does not restore its shield anymore
• title logo
• ship piece search areas are only displayed if the island has been unlocked

Fixes

• performance optimization
• faster loadings
• impact bomb behavior. It now follows the camera aiming point and has a visible trail
• item selection indication when using ship
• some not well aligned texts
• UI blinking issue during dialogs
• ionizer collider
• bird behaviour
• cliff rocks blocking some access
• sliding acceleration issues
• gamepad crafting elements navigation
• gamepad skipping some dialogs made the player jump
• gamepad issues during ship landing
• map popping at first loading
• ship indications not instantly removed after landing
• lightning cloud alignement (sometimes floating in the air)
• can unlock ship piece before unlocking the ship
• scrolling within ingame menu changing weapon selection
• inventory accessible during dialogs
• dying without saving can sometimes spawn you dead
• screen interface image
• drawning sound issue
• indication popup while aiming letting the player stuck in the aiming position
• station dock antenna collider
• walk animation while aiming stucked after item selection or menu pause
• gamepad menu issue when removing saving slot
• drone weird behaviour if not hacked and the player goes in the station
• main menu graphical bugs if a save file is corrupted
• no inventory full warning when picking up a resource
• add weather controller icon near to lost spaceship
• no more saving lag thanks to asynchronous saving
• player animation issue when using ship and accessing ingame menu
• sky lift door indications inverted
• cloud rendering issue with some graphics cards
• too many mecha teleportations when having 4 hacked mechas
• some menu UI elements behing ingame UI elements
• UI elements over the tame minigame

PS: as we announced previously, we are now working on the final release update, which will come out on October 21.

[ 2016-09-22 13:42:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

We are very proud to announce that Sky Break will get out of Early Access on October 21 ! We are currently working on the next update (v4.4) that will come out on September 22. It will mainly focus on a new mecha, the ending cinematic, and a lot of optimizations/fixes. Then we will focus on the final release, which will include a major feature..

[ 2016-09-14 14:09:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

We are very proud to announce that Sky Break will get out of Early Access on October 21 ! We are currently working on the next update (v4.4) that will come out on September 22. It will mainly focus on a new mecha, the ending cinematic, and a lot of optimizations/fixes. Then we will focus on the final release, which will include a major feature..

[ 2016-09-14 14:09:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.3 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, several updates and fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the lizard mecha. It has two variants: head attack or tail attack from the distance. It can only be found in the desert island.

Several updates

There are now ionizers all over the map. You need to use a ionizer battery to activate it (except on the first island). Once it is active, you can use it as many time as you wish to reduce the tempest level. Meanwhile, the storm grows faster so you have to keep an eye on ionizers around you to use it when necessary. The ship quest has been improved. You now need to find all the ship pieces to directly improve your ship and in a long term leave the planet. The cinematic introduction has been improved for a better immersion at the beginning of the game. We added the french language support. More languages will come later.
New features

• lizard mecha for the desert biome
• french language support
• Y axis inversion option for gamepad
• ionizers. Use a ionizer battery to activate it.
• spaceship air ionizer
• spaceship pieces: required for the spaceship improvement and for quest completion

Updated features

• storm grows faster
• ionized solution becomes a power cell
• introduction cinematic
• mecha special attacks
• minimap plant and medicinal plant icon. Disappear when taken
• different sound for recipe accomplishment
• several CPU optimizations
• UI icon for distant mecha
• ionized solution becomes a power cell

Removed

• teleport fx and sound for the personal drone

Fixes

• cannot change control input twice in the ingame menu
• tornado inside protected area
• map not instantiated issue when navigating at full speed with the ship
• stamina consumption when aiming and sprint is requested
• evolution interaction impossible while station is moving
• spaceship navigation underwater
• some collider issues in the ice world
• explosion particle artifact
• hacked mecha shield bars not vertically aligned correctly in the UI
• going near upside clouds with the ship kills instantly
• spaceship physics when dying
• mecha evolution and player evolution menu interactions
• gamepad item selection while using a menu
• issues with gamepad and menu navigation
• spaceship going down control key for gamepad
• camera rotation when loading a game

[ 2016-08-23 07:31:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.3 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, several updates and fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the lizard mecha. It has two variants: head attack or tail attack from the distance. It can only be found in the desert island.

Several updates

There are now ionizers all over the map. You need to use a ionizer battery to activate it (except on the first island). Once it is active, you can use it as many time as you wish to reduce the tempest level. Meanwhile, the storm grows faster so you have to keep an eye on ionizers around you to use it when necessary. The cinematic introduction has been improved for a better immersion at the beginning of the game. We added the french language support. More languages will come later.
New features

• lizard mecha for the desert biome
• french language support
• Y axis inversion option for gamepad
• ionizers. Use a ionizer battery to activate it.
• spaceship air ionizer

Updated features

• storm grows faster
• ionized solution becomes a power cell
• introduction cinematic
• mecha special attacks
• minimap plant and medicinal plant icon. Disappear when taken
• different sound for recipe accomplishment
• several CPU optimizations
• UI icon for distant mecha
• ionized solution becomes a power cell

Removed

• teleport fx and sound for the personal drone

Fixes

• cannot change control input twice in the ingame menu
• tornado inside protected area
• map not instantiated issue when navigating at full speed with the ship
• stamina consumption when aiming and sprint is requested
• evolution interaction impossible while station is moving
• spaceship navigation underwater
• some collider issues in the ice world
• explosion particle artifact
• hacked mecha shield bars not vertically aligned correctly in the UI
• going near upside clouds with the ship kills instantly
• spaceship physics when dying
• mecha evolution and player evolution menu interactions
• gamepad item selection while using a menu
• issues with gamepad and menu navigation
• spaceship going down control key for gamepad
• camera rotation when loading a game

[ 2016-08-23 07:31:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.2 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, the weather system and fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the bear mecha. It has two variants: head attack or blaster attack from the distance. It has a high level of shield and is hard to stun, but have a low life level. Its attack deals high damage. It can only be found in the ice island.

The weather system

The tempest is now dynamic, and has an effect on mechas. A new indicator is visible next to the corner map, showing the tempest level. As time passes, the tempest gets stronger. After the first level, all mecha shields are reduced by one. After the second level, all mecha shields are reduced by two and the heavy fog prevents the use of any localization system. To calm the tempest, interact with a weather controller or use an air ionizer.

Holidays

As we are taking some days off during the summer, we won't be able to work on the game and the next update will come a bit later than usually. We should release the EA v4.3 around August 23. Meanwhile, we wish you a nice summer! New features

• bear mecha for the ice biome
• shield mecha skill
• weather evolution system. As the time passes, the tempest get stronger
• air ionizer item. Useful to calm the tempest level
• remove help indications option
• direct previous and next ammo selection for mouse/keyboard (already existing with gamepad)
• pause order. Face your mecha and press the fire button to make it stand still
• hacked mecha teloportation fx

Updated features

• increased inventory size
• life bar only shown when aiming at the mecha
• the drone does not collide with the player anymore
• switching to the blaster when shooting any last ammo type
• crafting item quantity shows how many items can be crafted at once
• mecha attack speed is now fixed and does not depend on its attack level
• improved combat AI

Fixes

• mecha jittering animation when walking
• player idle animation jitter
• mecha running when station moving
• "escape" button instead of gamepad mapping on dead screen
• stamina used when holding the run button without moving
• bird not falling
• cursor not correctly placed on map while moving
• door sounds cut when station is moving
• visual elements moving away when station is moving
• fog on sky element not correctly set
• missile collision with trigger colliders
• interaction UI indicator visible when facing the opposite direction
• gamepad loading slots compatibility
• pause effect volume not set according to volume options
• stamina UI over inventory UI
• can now take back control with keyboard over gamepad if a key is pressed

[ 2016-07-21 15:18:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.2 update is now available. It focuses on a new mecha, the weather system and fixes.

The new mecha

A new mecha is now available: the bear mecha. It has two variants: head attack or blaster attack from the distance. It has a high level of shield and is hard to stun, but have a low life level. Its attack deals high damage. It can only be found in the ice island.

The weather system

The tempest is now dynamic, and has an effect on mechas. A new indicator is visible next to the corner map, showing the tempest level. As time passes, the tempest gets stronger. After the first level, all mecha shields are reduced by one. After the second level, all mecha shields are reduced by two and the heavy fog prevents the use of any localization system. To calm the tempest, interact with a weather controller or use an air ionizer.

Holidays

As we are taking some days off during the summer, we won't be able to work on the game and the next update will come a bit later than usually. We should release the EA v4.3 around August 23. Meanwhile, we wish you a nice summer! New features

• bear mecha for the ice biome
• shield mecha skill
• weather evolution system. As the time passes, the tempest get stronger
• air ionizer item. Useful to calm the tempest level
• remove help indications option
• direct previous and next ammo selection for mouse/keyboard (already existing with gamepad)
• pause order. Face your mecha and press the fire button to make it stand still
• hacked mecha teloportation fx

Updated features

• increased inventory size
• life bar only shown when aiming at the mecha
• the drone does not collide with the player anymore
• switching to the blaster when shooting any last ammo type
• crafting item quantity shows how many items can be crafted at once
• mecha attack speed is now fixed and does not depend on its attack level
• improved combat AI

Fixes

• mecha jittering animation when walking
• player idle animation jitter
• mecha running when station moving
• "escape" button instead of gamepad mapping on dead screen
• stamina used when holding the run button without moving
• bird not falling
• cursor not correctly placed on map while moving
• door sounds cut when station is moving
• visual elements moving away when station is moving
• fog on sky element not correctly set
• missile collision with trigger colliders
• interaction UI indicator visible when facing the opposite direction
• gamepad loading slots compatibility
• pause effect volume not set according to volume options
• stamina UI over inventory UI
• can now take back control with keyboard over gamepad if a key is pressed

[ 2016-07-21 15:18:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.1 update is now available. It focuses on the controller support, the combat system and fixes.

The combat system

From your suggestions and some play testings, we realized that the combat system needed more depth, though without ading too much complexity. It also needed to be cleaned to avoid mechas going inside each other at a same spot during combat. Now the mechas own a shield (several shield bars actually). When it is hurt, only the shield is affected at first. If a shield bar goes to zero, the mecha is stunned for a few seconds and damage will affect its life. This mechanics also affects your mechas, but you can help them to retrieve their shield instantly. You blaster has been updated, there is no heat limitation anymore. You can charge your blaster and shoot a full charge that will have different effects depending on the mecha aimed: - if it is a hacked mecha in a stunned state, it will regenerate its last shield bar - if it is an enemy, it deals high damage Mechas orders have been limited to only group orders. Indeed, giving individual attack orders can easily break the combat flow. It is more convenient to give orders to the group, and to change special attacks system to respond either to special conditions or chances. We created new types of enemies which are variants of the existing ones. New enemies will come in the next updates.

Controller support

The game is now working with many controller devices, such as Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, AirFlo PS3, Steam Controller, Logitech F310/F510/F710, and NVidia Shield controller.
New features

• controller support
• new assets for the ice biome
• north indication on corner minimap
• oil spots to drone radar
• shield system on mechas
• feline distance enemy
• ostrich distance enemy
• scorpion closed enemy
• main button indications in the left bottom corner of the screen
• mini map navigation indications
• remove minimap cursor ability
• help indication windows while playing

Updated features

• ship radar only show useful ships pieces of information (oil, weather controllers, station docks)
• quest "find the others" has now a marker on the map to indicate the origin of the signal
• mechas idle behaviour when aggressive
• mecha special attacks
• main menu look & feel
• inverted object and raw resources order in inventory
• improved mecha AI in combat
• blaster system. Can now charge the blaster for high damage or shield regeneration
• windmill and oil spot map icons

Remove

• mecha individual orders

Fixes

• removed beacon on the last island
• mouse input in control menu
• linux blanking cursor in the middle of the screen
• loud mecha scream sounds
• issue with internal timer making plants and resources grow too slowly in loaded games
• hacked mecha spawning under the sky lift when leaving the station
• player not dying underwater
• jittering above water under special conditions
• screen ratio compatibility (tested with 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:10 and 16:9)

[ 2016-07-11 16:45:08 CET ] [ Original post ]

The v4.1 update is now available. It focuses on the controller support, the combat system and fixes.

The combat system

From your suggestions and some play testings, we realized that the combat system needed more depth, though without ading too much complexity. It also needed to be cleaned to avoid mechas going inside each other at a same spot during combat. Now the mechas own a shield (several shield bars actually). When it is hurt, only the shield is affected at first. If a shield bar goes to zero, the mecha is stunned for a few seconds and damage will affect its life. This mechanics also affects your mechas, but you can help them to retrieve their shield instantly. You blaster has been updated, there is no heat limitation anymore. You can charge your blaster and shoot a full charge that will have different effects depending on the mecha aimed: - if it is a hacked mecha in a stunned state, it will regenerate its last shield bar - if it is an enemy, it deals high damage Mechas orders have been limited to only group orders. Indeed, giving individual attack orders can easily break the combat flow. It is more convenient to give orders to the group, and to change special attacks system to respond either to special conditions or chances. We created new types of enemies which are variants of the existing ones. New enemies will come in the next updates.

Controller support

The game is now working with many controller devices, such as Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, AirFlo PS3, Steam Controller, Logitech F310/F510/F710, and NVidia Shield controller.
New features

• controller support
• new assets for the ice biome
• north indication on corner minimap
• oil spots to drone radar
• shield system on mechas
• feline distance enemy
• ostrich distance enemy
• scorpion closed enemy
• main button indications in the left bottom corner of the screen
• mini map navigation indications
• remove minimap cursor ability

Updated features

• ship radar only show useful ships pieces of information (oil, weather controllers, station docks)
• quest "find the others" has now a marker on the map to indicate the origin of the signal
• mechas idle behaviour when aggressive
• mecha special attacks
• main menu look & feel
• inverted object and raw resources order in inventory
• improved mecha AI in combat
• blaster system. Can now charge the blaster for high damage or shield regeneration
• windmill and oil spot map icons

Remove

• mecha individual orders

Fixes

• removed beacon on the last island
• mouse input in control menu
• linux blanking cursor in the middle of the screen
• loud mecha scream sounds
• issue with internal timer making plants and resources grow too slowly in loaded games
• hacked mecha spawning under the sky lift when leaving the station
• player not dying underwater
• jittering above water under special conditions
• screen ratio compatibility (tested with 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:10 and 16:9)

[ 2016-07-11 16:45:08 CET ] [ Original post ]

We released a series of patches in the last few days to fix some issues with the game. Here is the list of the fixes:

• item placing with the sky station chest issue
• unlocked mecha spots not accessible after reloading the game
• wrong texture on some ice plants
• boxes not instantiated correctly (resulting in no chip or oil loot)
• "Damage+50Damage+50..." text in the crafting description part if no item is selected
• wrong map spot location if upgraded the game from v3.3 to v4.0
• "Craft Board" interaction changed to "Evolve"
• stuck inside the sky station after moving it with the message "Docking in progress"
• tornado can hurt you for a few seconds in the sky station
• station position not saved correctly
• interaction text not aligned
• snow particles on the player in the forest biome under special conditions
• ship weird behavior after landing under special conditions, hurting the player
• windmill quest info number staying at 0
• could arrive at station dock with the sky station and there is no hole in the clouds
• drone sonar not working after fixing the ship
• some text errors
• number of fragments not saved correctly

Also, the game is planned to be released in October 2016. Here are some elements that you can expect in the updates to come:

• more mechas
• better fx
• xBox controller support
• short cinematic
• improvements, optimizations & fixes
• minor updates
• translation in additional languages

Of course, keep in mind that it is an Early Access game and that you can only trust the current state of the game. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change.

[ 2016-06-15 15:06:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

We released a series of patches in the last few days to fix some issues with the game. Here is the list of the fixes:

• item placing with the sky station chest issue
• unlocked mecha spots not accessible after reloading the game
• wrong texture on some ice plants
• boxes not instantiated correctly (resulting in no chip or oil loot)
• "Damage+50Damage+50..." text in the crafting description part if no item is selected
• wrong map spot location if upgraded the game from v3.3 to v4.0
• "Craft Board" interaction changed to "Evolve"
• stuck inside the sky station after moving it with the message "Docking in progress"
• tornado can hurt you for a few seconds in the sky station
• station position not saved correctly
• interaction text not aligned
• snow particles on the player in the forest biome under special conditions
• ship weird behavior after landing under special conditions, hurting the player
• windmill quest info number staying at 0
• could arrive at station dock with the sky station and there is no hole in the clouds
• drone sonar not working after fixing the ship
• some text errors
• number of fragments not saved correctly

Also, the game is planned to be released in October 2016. Here are some elements that you can expect in the updates to come:

• more mechas
• better fx
• xBox controller support
• short cinematic
• improvements, optimizations & fixes
• minor updates
• translation in additional languages

Of course, keep in mind that it is an Early Access game and that you can only trust the current state of the game. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change.

[ 2016-06-15 15:06:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

The major update v4.0 is now available. It focuses on the spaceship, the ice biome, and the cure quest.

The spaceship

It is now possible to fix the spaceship of your friend found on the second island. Once fixed, you can use it but there is not enough fuel to leave the planet. You will need to find that fuel. You can navigate freely with your spaceship, however it is impossible to land in the tempest. Landing is only possible near weather controllers, station docks or on the sky station. It is mainly useful for fast traveling, but can also be used to winch boxes. Some assets such as the weather controller and the station dock have been updated to add a landing platform for the spaceship. Thanks to this feature, the world is now 3 times bigger. We made some modifications and adjustments to keep the game as enjoyable as when it was smaller.

The ice biome

A new biome is now available, filled with snow and ice. It is different from the previous ones since it is a group of small island with small icebergs and ice slabs between. You need to find a path between those islands, or create one with the ice ammo. They produce a small ice slab when they hit the water. There is no new mecha for the time being, but it is planned for the next updates.

The cure quest

This is the reason why you were going on this planet. Now this quest has been added. Everytime you pick a plant or some mucus, you earn some points which allow you to get closer and closer from the discovery of the cure. But not only. You can only craft the Quick Repair when you launch a new game. You will need to gain some research points before crafting new recipes. The more you pick a type of plant, the fewer points you earn. Try to pick various types to increase your research level.

The sky station

As the purpose of the game is to spend time on floor (on the planet) and to spend a small amount of time in the station, we decided to put everything needed for evolution (for the player and the mechas) in the station rather than in the inventory or a submenu. We also decided to remove the possibility to build, move and remove rooms since it has no gameplay impact. All rooms are available from the start. There are 3 new station rooms which are: - the mecha room (you can unlock new mechas to control and raise your mechas' capacities) - the evolution room (where you can evolve your character) - the ship room (to put your spaceship)
New features

• the spaceship
• station ship room
• evolution station room
• mecha warehouse station room
• ice world
• ice ammo
• oil
• cure quest. Every plant picked increases the cure recipe research percent
• medicinal plant
• individual attack order to mecha
• fragments particle effect when mecha dies
• activating all weather controllers of an island removes the map fog
• "hack timer" highlight for dead mechas previously hacked
• item description
• new items: Quick Repair +, Endurance Serum +
• snow and sand visual effect on the player after staying outside too long
• footsteps on sand and snow
• landing platform for the spaceship to the weather controllers and the station docks
• can escape from ingame menus/interactions with interaction button, inventory button, or item selection button

Updated features

• mecha life does not regenerate automatically anymore. Must go to the station or use a heal ammo
• easier crafting recipes
• player evolution only possible in the station
• cannot change the station anymore. All rooms are already there
• crafting item recipes must be unlocked with the cure research system
• mechas always produce fragments
• mecha loot is predefined by its type
• quest panel
• islands are 3 times bigger
• mecha evolution cost is dependent on the skill level
• windmill are now spread over the map
• windmills provide framgments
• trains provide oil and chips
• mecha passive skills. It now has more impact on the combat
• station performance optimization
• no more battery required to activate the beacon
• player evolution skills are all accessible (no skill tree)
• enemy repartition is now biome dependent (not just island dependent)
• crafting timer goes twice faster
• font
• passifist mechas are now attacking if under attack. They live in bigger groups than aggressive mechas
• if a mecha cannot attack the player, he will run away

Fixes

• shadow transparency effect on plants
• hacked mecha not attacking if under attack
• station lighting issues
• healing machine fx not stopping
• wild mechas stuck in objects

[ 2016-06-13 17:05:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

The major update v4.0 is now available. It focuses on the spaceship, the ice biome, and the cure quest.

The spaceship

It is now possible to fix the spaceship of your friend found on the second island. Once fixed, you can use it but there is not enough fuel to leave the planet. You will need to find that fuel. You can navigate freely with your spaceship, however it is impossible to land in the tempest. Landing is only possible near weather controllers, station docks or on the sky station. It is mainly useful for fast traveling, but can also be used to winch boxes. Some assets such as the weather controller and the station dock have been updated to add a landing platform for the spaceship. Thanks to this feature, the world is now 3 times bigger. We made some modifications and adjustments to keep the game as enjoyable as when it was smaller.

The ice biome

A new biome is now available, filled with snow and ice. It is different from the previous ones since it is a group of small island with small icebergs and ice slabs between. You need to find a path between those islands, or create one with the ice ammo. They produce a small ice slab when they hit the water. There is no new mecha for the time being, but it is planned for the next updates.

The cure quest

This is the reason why you were going on this planet. Now this quest has been added. Everytime you pick a plant or some mucus, you earn some points which allow you to get closer and closer from the discovery of the cure. But not only. You can only craft the Quick Repair when you launch a new game. You will need to gain some research points before crafting new recipes. The more you pick a type of plant, the fewer points you earn. Try to pick various types to increase your research level.

The sky station

As the purpose of the game is to spend time on floor (on the planet) and to spend a small amount of time in the station, we decided to put everything needed for evolution (for the player and the mechas) in the station rather than in the inventory or a submenu. We also decided to remove the possibility to build, move and remove rooms since it has no gameplay impact. All rooms are available from the start. There are 3 new station rooms which are: - the mecha room (you can unlock new mechas to control and raise your mechas' capacities) - the evolution room (where you can evolve your character) - the ship room (to put your spaceship)
New features

• the spaceship
• station ship room
• evolution station room
• mecha warehouse station room
• ice world
• ice ammo
• oil
• cure quest. Every plant picked increases the cure recipe research percent
• medicinal plant
• individual attack order to mecha
• fragments particle effect when mecha dies
• activating all weather controllers of an island removes the map fog
• "hack timer" highlight for dead mechas previously hacked
• item description
• new items: Quick Repair +, Endurance Serum +
• snow and sand visual effect on the player after staying outside too long
• footsteps on sand and snow
• landing platform for the spaceship to the weather controllers and the station docks
• can escape from ingame menus/interactions with interaction button, inventory button, or item selection button

Updated features

• mecha life does not regenerate automatically anymore. Must go to the station or use a heal ammo
• easier crafting recipes
• player evolution only possible in the station
• cannot change the station anymore. All rooms are already there
• crafting item recipes must be unlocked with the cure research system
• mechas always produce fragments
• mecha loot is predefined by its type
• quest panel
• islands are 3 times bigger
• mecha evolution cost is dependent on the skill level
• windmill are now spread over the map
• windmills provide framgments
• trains provide oil and chips
• mecha passive skills. It now has more impact on the combat
• station performance optimization
• no more battery required to activate the beacon
• player evolution skills are all accessible (no skill tree)
• enemy repartition is now biome dependent (not just island dependent)
• crafting timer goes twice faster
• font
• passifist mechas are now attacking if under attack. They live in bigger groups than aggressive mechas
• if a mecha cannot attack the player, he will run away

Fixes

• shadow transparency effect on plants
• hacked mecha not attacking if under attack
• station lighting issues
• healing machine fx not stopping
• wild mechas stuck in objects

[ 2016-06-13 17:05:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

The update v3.3 is now available. It focuses on the tempest system and the desert biome.

The tempest system

Storm elements now happen locally and can be seen from the distance. It is composed of two elements (as previously): tornadoes and lightning. Tornadoes are bigger and move around a center point. Going too close to them will harm you but you can still walk away. Lightning strike in the same area. You attract lightning only if you enter in this area.
The weather controller and the station dock now create a hole in the clouds (removing any tempest element in the area).

The desert biome

The desert is now composed of 4 biomes (instead of one previously). There are now: - the sandy biome (same as previous one, filled with resources, dry grass, trees and rocks) - the oasis biome (only sand and some spots for resources) - the rocky biome (filled with different rock types and big rock columns) - the dry biome (filled with dry grass) New features

• new desert biomes (oasis, rocky, dry)
• new desert dry grass, rocks, trees
• floor texture mix
• cloud holes
• forest new types of grass

Updated features

• tempest fx (rain, wind, lightning, tornado)
• lightning and tornado system
• difficulty progression (hacking is easier, less enemies in a group, more life for the player)
• smooth floor delimitation
• combat musics now stops other musics
• clouds lighting
• sand lighting. There are now some sky reflections
• station chest can host more items

Fixes

• take item from ship chest does not update equiped items
• hacked mechas continue to attack enemies around him after killing its target
• unloading island and coming back generates different hill forms
• sky lift switch animation
• chunks loading incorrect LOD when the game starts
• attack warning direction incorrect when aiming

[ 2016-05-06 14:38:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

The update v3.3 is now available. It focuses on the tempest system and the desert biome.

The tempest system

Storm elements now happen locally and can be seen from the distance. It is composed of two elements (as previously): tornadoes and lightning. Tornadoes are bigger and move around a center point. Going too close to them will harm you but you can still walk away. Lightning strike in the same area. You attract lightning only if you enter in this area.
The weather controller and the station dock now create a hole in the clouds (removing any tempest element in the area).

The desert biome

The desert is now composed of 4 biomes (instead of one previously). There are now: - the sandy biome (same as previous one, filled with resources, dry grass, trees and rocks) - the oasis biome (only sand and some spots for resources) - the rocky biome (filled with different rock types and big rock columns) - the dry biome (filled with dry grass) New features

• new desert biomes (oasis, rocky, dry)
• new desert dry grass, rocks, trees
• floor texture mix
• cloud holes
• forest new types of grass

Updated features

• tempest fx (rain, wind, lightning, tornado)
• lightning and tornado system
• difficulty progression (hacking is easier, less enemies in a group, more life for the player)
• smooth floor delimitation
• combat musics now stops other musics
• clouds lighting
• sand lighting. There are now some sky reflections
• station chest can host more items

Fixes

• take item from ship chest does not update equiped items
• hacked mechas continue to attack enemies around him after killing its target
• unloading island and coming back generates different hill forms
• sky lift switch animation
• chunks loading incorrect LOD when the game starts
• attack warning direction incorrect when aiming

[ 2016-05-06 14:38:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

The update v3.2 is now available. It focuses on a complete evolution system for your mechas.

Mecha evolution system

You can now point at one of your mechas and open its evolution window view. There is a range of 5 skills to improve. Each evolution requires a certain amount of fragments, which can be found on dead mechas. The evolution skills are: - Armor - Attack - Special Attack 1 (different on each mecha) - Special Attack 2 (different on each mecha) - Passive skill (different on each mecha) Regarding the enemies, they still have a level. It reflects its level of armor and attack. If it is a leader, it can use its special attacks during combat.
New features

• complete evolution system for hacked mechas
• new special attacks
• new tree models for the second island
• dry grass, rocks and trees for the desert biome

Updated features

• lighting params to give more brightness to the forest biome
• improved scorpion and bird behaviour
• can jump even with no stamina
• enemy leveling system. Level of enemies show how much armor and attack they have
• leader (enemies) can use between two special attacks during combat
• improved forest tree leaves & LOD

Removed

• player evolution skills related to mechas' global stats (armor, attack, speed, XP)

Fixes

• flying mecha attack range too wide
• mechas side sliding when moving
• VRAM memory leak
• hack view not working correctly while aiming

[ 2016-04-19 14:34:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

The update v3.1 is now available. It focuses on controlling your hacked mechas.

Special attacks

Your hacked mechas now have a set of special attacks. Only 4 available for this update, which are: powerful attack, damage zone, heal zone, and stun zone. When you use a special attack, it uses an energy bar that has been added to all your mechas. It takes a few seconds to recharge so you can launch a new special attack. Some wild mechas can use special attacks too. In case that happens, you have the possibility to avoid it if you control your mechas correctly. This brings us to a new features: command your mechas.

Command your mechas

At any time during the game, you can point at any place on ground and click. Your mechas will automatically move to this spots. It can be useful if you want to run away from combat or avoid an enemy special attack for instance. If you point at an enemy, they will attack him. In order for this feature to be interesting, the AI of the mechas has been improved. Also for more accuracy in your orders, you can stop time during items and special attacks selection.
New features

• move, attack and special attack orders to hacked mechas
• energy bar to hacked mechas
• special attacks to mechas. Can be used when the energy is full
• leader enemies. They can use special attacks on the player

Updated features

• hacked mechas do not collide each other anymore when following player no friendly fire anymore
• blaster heat system
• AI behaviour. Enemy attacks hack mechas in a more distributed way (no focus on one mecha)
• UI weapon and item selection
• item equipment is automatic
• wild pacifist mechas are running away from combat
• wild mechas repartition

Fixes

• AI system. Mechas now avoid obstacles more accurately
• sounds cut
• mechas UI state desynchronization
• combat music could keep playing in the station under some conditions

[ 2016-04-08 15:52:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

The major update v3.0 is now available.

Weapon & Hacking

The first thing to notice is the change of weapon. Fighting is not a close combat style anymore. Instead, as hacking drones becomes an important aspect of the game, it is better to manage combat from a long distance. This way, it is possible to attack but also to heal your drones during combat. Plus combat is a bit more difficult since the drones are stronger than you. Hacking mecas is the best way to survive. So how does the hacking system works? If you want to hack a meca, you first need to kill him, then use your hacking taser (integrated in your weapon) to shoot him and hack him. When it is hacked correctly, its health is restored and it will fight with you. When you start the game, you can only hack one meca. You need to evolve to unlock the ability to hack have more hacked mecas at the same time.

Enemy levels

Mecas have now a level representing their strength. This level number is displayed during the game, so you know before engaging combat which enemy is stronger than the others. It also means that your hacked drones have a level. The more they fight, the more experience they get and they can gain new levels and get stronger.

The desert & New points of interest

A new biome is now available: the desert. It is still incomplete and requires several updates to gain in maturity, but it offers a fresh air in your exploration. Be careful, from time to time, sand tempests occur and lower down your visibility. All your map system do not work anymore during those tempests. New point of interests have been added. They offer chips which are useful to evolve your character, but they are often protected by drones. Getting those chips is not an easy task.

Crafting & Evolution

Crafting has been simplified in order to get more interesting and give more depth to it. You can now craft from anywhere, and the list of items required to craft has been simplified. The goal is to remove unnecessary complexity and improve the gameplay depth. The chip system will be replaced by a skill tree system, for the same reasons as the crafting system. It will be more about your capacities ingame rather than just improving your statistics.

No retro-saving compatibility:

As there are many changes, savings from the previous versions of the game are not compatible with v3.0. If you wish to continue playing v2.2 even during update v3.0, the retro-access is explained here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/405370/discussions/0/385428458169641772/

Dev Log:

New features

• level to mecas
• XP system. Tamed mecas earn XP with combats and can reach new levels
• taming launches a connection system UI
• new biome: the desert
• new music assets for the desert biome
• can choose how many items to drop
• meca state UI
• windmill spots
• train wreck spots

Updated features

• sword has been replaced to a blaster weapon system
• minimap fog look and feel
• map is a bit smaller but has more density
• main menu is pausing the game
• chip system is now replaced by a skill tree system
• no dramatic music anymore during continuous tempest
• inventory is now limited by a number of items
• inventory look & feel. It is now a 3d augmented reality hub for inventory, map and evolution system
• the weather controller and the station dock are now saving spots
• once activated, the weather controller attracts pacifist drones
• drone echo does not indicate anymore the types of element to find unless it is already discovered
• beacon must be activated with a battery. These batteries are plugged on some mecas
• damaged life (due to multiple death) cannot go under 75% of full life amount
• sky lift buttons does not show a menu anymore. It goes up or down directly
• endurance consumption when jumping or rolling
• beacon and weather controller activation goes faster, with no timer countdown
• tree leaves color
• bird move system
• map topology generation parameters
• improved AI behaviour in combat
• increased LOD distance parameters
• the drone radar indicates ship wrecks
• player state UI

Removed features

• tempest continuous damage and tempest shield
• flying truncks (temporarily, was too frustrating)

Fixes

• performance optimization
• floor seams (occuring randomly from time to time)
• save mouse sensitivity option
• equipment display synchronization with inventory
• light movement desynchornization with wind
• save previously discovered island map data

[ 2016-03-23 12:39:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

We want to warn you that there will be some delay on the v3.0 update as there are many changes/improvements/new contents. Globally you already know what to expect for this update (please refer to our previous news). Yet there are some changes that we did not mention. The main one is the weapon. Indeed, we are making changes to make combat more strategic and interesting rather than just brutal and repetitive. The sword will be replaced by a kind of rifle/blaster, with possibility to handle your tamed drone from outside the combat area. Again, our goal is to bring more depth to the gameplay. Also, be warned that because of all the changes (craft, map, items, station, and more...) all previous savings won't be compatible with the new version of the game. We will make an access during one month to v2.2 to let you continue playing your old game if you wish. Sky Break v3.0 should be available around March, the 18th.

[ 2016-03-07 17:36:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

The next update will bring many new contents and improvements, and will also bring some important changes in order to mainly improve the tame feature. First of all, the crafting system will be updated to a simpler one accessible within the inventory. No need to get back to the station to craft. Recipes have been simplified. The goal is to remove unnecessary complexity and improve the gameplay depth. Also, the chip system will be replaced by a skill tree system, for the same reasons as the crafting system. It will be more about your capacities ingame rather than just improving your statistics. The sword may change to a new type of weapon. It is still under testing, we cannot give more information for the time being. The tame system will be improved in many different ways to become a key element of the game. You can have a group of mecas to help you through your journey, heal them, and improve their XP to make them stronger. You will be able to find new points of interest during your journey, such as abandoned trains, windmills, former mecas. We start to give some history to the land your exploring. The tempest will have some minor improvements, nothing really noticeable for the moment. Finally, a new biome will be implemented: the desert. There will not be new enemies for this update, but that will come soon afterwards.
There is no precise release date since there is a lot of content. We hope to release this update in two weeks, but it may come a bit after.

[ 2016-02-22 15:57:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

A new update is now available. Because of the delay of the previous one, it comes earlier.

New enemies

Two new enemies have been added. One of them is flying and can attack on a medium distance, the other one can use a laser as a long-range attack.

Improvements & fixes

Combat is a bit more challenging. Indeed some improvements have been added to the AI behavior. For instance, they now behave as a group, and if one of them is attacking, the others will help him. It is increasing the difficulty, but in the same time it is now easier to dodge the enemies. Along with the fixes, the loading time when the station is docking to a new island has been improved a lot. It may have fixed the deadlock issue that some of you have sometimes, please don't hesitate to warn us in the steam discussions page if the problem is still not resolved. New features

• 2 new enemies
• "previous slot" and "next slot" input settings

Updated features

• enemy group cohesion. If an enemy of the group is attacking, the others help him
• enemy is easier to dodge (no rotation towards player during attack)
• standard player attack affects one enemy at a time
• increased enemy aggro distance
• enemy detection time is a constant. If too closed, detection is instantaneous no matter what the player position is
• fog wall is more transparent for a better visibility
• ai improvements

Fixes

• loading optimization when moving to a new island. Potential fix for loading deadlock
• deadlock if the player dies before reaching the station dock
• stealth not triggered in some bushes
• terrain chunk seam gaps

[ 2016-02-04 08:43:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

Finally, after a delay of two weeks due to a UI flickering issue which is now fixed, the update EA v2.1 is now available.

New Enemies

We wanted to add more life and variety to the enemies, so we decided to completely update them to keep a mechanical aspect but with an animal look and feel. The AI has been completely re-written to match with an animal behavior. For instance, one has an energy battery that provides enough energy to create a shied in the storm and protect you. It is also possible to tame those drones. They will then follow you and protect you if you are under attack. Two drones have been created for this update. More will come along with each update.

Tempest

We decided to make important changes to improve the tempest gameplay. First, no more random events hitting directly the player. Lightnings, ripped off trunks and tornadoes are biome related and occur all over the world. They are easier to avoid. No more oxygen! Indeed this is a big decision, but we felt that something was wrong with this gameplay system, and decided to remove the oxygen and the heartbeat. Instead we introduced the tempest shield, which protects you from continuous damage in the storm. So time is limited in the tempest, but once in a calm area you are safe. Because of these changes, we improved the UI to work better with this system. There are also less equipment slots for a more convenient item selection.
New features

• plant indicators in corner minimap
• two new drones, with a more "animal" look and feel
• tame special capacity
• tempest shield. The tempest is dealing damage if the player is not protected
• indicator for the short health quest

Updated features

• drone AI. A custom A* algorithm is now used
• storm system. Now lighting and tornadoes are spread over the world, not aiming the player especially
• storm effects are biome dependent
• UI interface. Compact presentation of primary elements (life, equipment, tempest shield,...) with less equipment slots available
• the player does not stop anymore when using an item
• the player hides automatically when inside bushes
• weapon sheathe/unsheathe is now handled automatically
• light params for more visibility
• scale corrections
• combat enemy behavior
• endurance system
• changed combo system into a selection system using shield energy
• audio for better sound effects over music

Removed features

• previous enemy drone
• oxygen
• heartbeat system

Fixes

• station docking deadlock
• cinematic camera start rotation
• performance issue with some FPS drop spikes
• streaming music files for RAM optimization
• crafting list not updated correctly

PS: because of this delay, EA v2.2 will come earlier (in one week approximately)

[ 2016-01-29 08:27:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

We said in the last announcement that the next update should be ready for January the 14th, i.e. today. This is the reason why we are making this small news to actually warn you that there will be some delay (a few days normally). Indeed, everything is ready but we updated the project to the latest version of our 3D engine (Unity 5.3.1) which encountered some issues with a flickering UI. Unity is aware of this issue and we are waiting for them to fix it. Sorry for this delay, as soon it is ready, we launch the update on Steam. In the same time, we are currently working on the update v0.2.2 (even if we'd rather see some feedback first on v0.2.1). PS: if you want some more info on this issue, you can have a look at this thread http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/5-3-elements-in-the-ui-flicker-between-different-sprites.373098/

[ 2016-01-14 17:35:40 CET ] [ Original post ]

What to expect for the next update

The next update will mainly focus on the enemies. Because it is needed, and because you suggested it many times. Indeed, there is a lack of variety in the enemies. Just adding new attacks would not feel very satisfying, and we want them to really look different the ones from the others. We also feel that the game needs more life, a more organic feeling. And finally, we want them to be more connected to the storm. For these reasons, we decided to actually make an important update on the drones and make them look and feel more "animals". It is not just about the 3D modeling but also about the AI, their animations and how they behave. You can see here how one of the drones may look like:
You will also be able to "tame" them. Once tamed, they will follow you and protect you. For instance, the one shown above has a tempest shield. Once tamed, it will follow you and protect you from the storm. We also want to update how the storm system works. We feel that we are on the good road, but some adjustments and modifications are required to make it fun and complete. It also feels a bit too frustrating for the moment, we will correct that. We cannot say too much about it yet since there are still some tests in progress.

Holidays

As we are spending holidays with our family, we won't be able to work on the game and the next update will come a bit later than usually (We want to bring an update every 3 weeks +/-1 week). We should release v0.2.1 on January the 14th. Meanwhile, we wish you the best for the new year to come, and we will see you next year!

[ 2015-12-18 17:55:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

This major update is finally available. Storms have now become a permanent threat.
The world is filled with tempests (lightning, tornados, wind, etc...). Some installations previously created by humans are ionizing the air to remove the tempest around it. You will have to dive into the storm, face the elements and from time to time activate those installations if you want some helpful calm in your exploration. We also worked on the world to make it more interesting and avoid a too flat aspect. The map generation algorithm has been improved a lot to really add more verticality, structure and variety. You now need to find your path between cliffs and hills if you want to reach certain areas.

New features

• Permanent tempest
• Tempest walls
• Tempest fx and sounds
• Strong winds
• Tornado
• Sulfur ore
• Crystal ore
• Hurt sound and fx
• Armor is broken when dying (max health reduced)
• Recovery flower
• Armor recovery item
• Weather controller
• Danger music during introduction

Updated features

• Map generation algorithm
• Lightning system
• Time requested to extract resource is shorter (5sec)
• Add in-biome cliffs
• Station dock activation timer
• Lighting params
• Camera outside default distance
• Better biome structure
• The map is closer to the see and the sky is closer to the floor
• Less iron to find
• More aggressive enemies
• Reduced fog (when outside of tempest)
• Removed battery system for station dock activation.
• Battery system are replaced by a switch system. No need to find the battery for the beacon
• Station dock model
• Beacon model
• Removed crystal container, syringue and explosive container. Crafting is easier

Fixes

• Texture issues and light issues with low quality graphics
• Black artifact issue
• Dying loot disappearing
• Dying loot flying above plants

[ 2015-12-08 09:03:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

The next update is coming soon, in two weeks if everything goes fine. It will mainly focus on one idea: make the tempest a central element of the game!

The tempest

Indeed, even if the tempest were already present in the game, it was a minor part of it and did not feel completely frightening. However several things in the game were built around that idea, with for instance the station above the clouds. Our goal with this major update is to really make the tempest interesting and frightening, as we really want the player to feel that he weathers the storm. The world is now covered by tempests all the time. Some installations previously created by humans are ionizing the air to remove the tempest around it. So you will have to dive into the storm, face the elements and from time to time activate those installations if you want some help and calm in your exploration. Within this tempest, you will face constant threats. Wind is throwing trunks over you, lightning are striking regularly, sometimes the wind blows too much and many trunks are thrown in your direction at the same time. Other storm elements will come in the next updates.

The map

We also worked on the world as we wanted to make it more interesting and avoid it to be too flat. The map generation algorithm has been improved a lot to really add to the world more verticality, structure and variety. You now cannot run straight forward to go from point A to point B. Cliffs and hills are present inside the world, and you need to find your path if you want to reach certain areas. There is also a better repartition of the elements to unlock.

Death

We are also updating things here and there to make the tempest even more interesting. For instance, when you die not only will you drop your inventory on the floor but you will also break your armor a bit, which means your max health will be reduced. The more you die the less available health you have. If you want to fix this, you need to find a rare resource that will allow you to heal completely. In order to have a stable public build, we will make a public beta access within Steam in one week. A discussion thread in the Steam forum will explain that soon.

[ 2015-11-24 10:38:57 CET ] [ Original post ]

Collectable plants are not always easy to find. This is why we made the greenhouse room, making it possible to manage your plants and collect plant items directly within your station. When you walk and collect an item from a plant, you now have a percentage to get a seed. In your greenhouse room, you can use this seed to put a new plant. It requires some time before you can collect the item from the plant. Once collected, you have to wait again to collect it again. We also added other new features, such as some giant rocks to add more verticality to the terrain. Have fun!

New features

• The greenhouse room
• Plant seeds
• Giant rocks
• Working drones inside the station
• New bushes
• Keyboard config auto saving & Invert Y axis option & default option

Updated features

• Fast cooldown to use drone
• Mecas look and feel
• Ferns visual aspect
• Cliff rocks visual aspect
• "rock and tree" biome
• Start with sword
• Heartbeat decreasing naturally faster
• Quest indication icon
• Must use the drone at the beginning. No path tracking
• Default button to use items is now 'R' on Windows and Linux

Fixes

• Beacon always shown as activated on drone's map
• Inventory items disappearing under some conditions
• Floor without texture appearing from time to time
• UV mapping issue with station dock
• Sky lift stuck in station (to be confirmed)
• Quest issue when beacon is activated before inspecting the ship
• Core doors can be opened even if there is no room behind
• Chips not pluggable to combo 2 if plugged on combo 1
• Combo number not changing when changing combo (in combo energy bar)

[ 2015-11-12 09:10:16 CET ] [ Original post ]