Weekly update #17

by Bod9001 Weekly Update Howdy, fellow spessmen, spesswomen and everything in between! Welcome to the 17th installment of our (somewhat sporadic, yet always insightful) weekly update blog posts. We took a little breather last week as we found ourselves deep in the nuts and bolts of some smaller, albeit still crucial, fix-ups. But guess what? We're back this week, not just with a spring in our step, but also with a bag full of neat enhancements and a shiny, new feature to boot! Let's not keep you waiting, jump in and discover what we've been up to.

Science laser Lab

Exciting news for our science enthusiasts: we've just launched the Science Laser Lab, a brand-new way to conduct your research. Note that this is the first playtest and will likely require some balancing, but we're eager to get your feedback. Here's the deal: your mission is to find rare items, place them on the plinth, and collect all of the laser light bouncing off them. Sounds simple? Well, there's a twist. The angles at which the lasers bounce off each item are random, adding a layer of puzzling and experimenting fun . Your task is to arrange the reflectors so they align perfectly with the collectors to capture the laser light. Currently, the items with higher rarity - and thus more research value - are the ones that require collaboration. We're focusing mainly on rare botany plants and elaborate foods for now, but we're open to expanding this range. Balancing the research rarity of items is something we're keen to refine further. We're eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions on which items should have more research rarity or how we could balance rarity. Don't hesitate to share your ideas on our official Discord! Big thanks to Bod9001 for introducing this innovative new feature. Happy researching!

How to Use the Science Laser Lab: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting started with the new Science Laser Lab is simple! Here's a quick step-by-step guide: [olist]

First, you'll need an items scanner. You can grab one from a lathe or a science locker.

Use the scanner to find a high-purity item. These items are key to your research.

Once you've found your item, bring it to the Item Plinth in front of the research laser. Click on the research laser to get a projection of where the lasers will bounce off the item.

Now comes the fun part - aligning the reflectors. The goal here is to reflect the lasers at a perfect 90-degree angle to the research laser collector face. You'll need to do this for all laser paths.

Once your reflectors are all set up, it's time to fire up the research laser. Use alt-click to do this, then wait a few seconds for the research to be uploaded to the server.

[/olist] If you've done everything right, you might just collect enough same-coloured laser light to unlock a new technology straight away! Remember, practice makes perfect, and we're here to support you as you master this new research tool. Happy experimenting!

Improving Player State Synchronization

Have you ever been thrown off by seeing a supposedly "dead" player standing as if they're alive and well? That's all about to change. With MaxIsJoe's improvements, the laying state of players is now synchronized properly. This means you won't have any more confusing instances of dead players appearing to stand up. A huge thank you to MaxIsJoe for his tireless efforts in refining our gameplay

Admin Sound Manager Upgrades

Got an ear for updates? Good, because we have one that hits just the right note! This week, we're amplifying our appreciation for MaxIsJoe, who has revamped the admin sound manager. This improvement enables admins to play any sound in the game. You heard it right any sound! Whether it's for setting the mood, signaling an in-game event, or simply for some unexpected fun, this upgrade gives our admins the versatility to shape the auditory landscape of the game. Brace yourselves for some surprising and delightful sounds in your upcoming gaming sessions!

New Alert for Nuclear Disc Teleportation

Attention crew! Here's a small but significant update that could drastically change your game strategy. Courtesy of MaxIsJoe, we've added action text for when the nuclear disc teleports back to the station. In the heat of the action, it's easy to miss small but crucial events such as this one. This feature was suggested on our Discord server, remember we interact there pretty much every day and your suggestion can help us improve the game! Join the Discord server and have a chat with us! And just like that, we've reached the end of this week's saga! We hope you had as much fun reading about our latest adventures in development as we had living them. As is tradition, we're holding a playtest right at this very moment! Dive in and get your hands dirty with all the shiny new features and improvements we've been talking about. Before we sign off, we have to pause and take a moment to acknowledge the awesome crew that makes all this possible. From patrons to developers, players to spriters, wiki editors to friendly supporters you all make this wild ride worthwhile. Without you, our voyage into the unknown wouldn't be the same. So here's to you, and to many more weeks of creation, innovation, and, of course, a whole lot of fun. Until next time!