Hi all, it's now Month 7 and I want to give you an update on development relative to the roadmap.



[h2]EA Plans[/h2]

As planned, the remaining months of the Early Access revolve around adding the main storyline, and I've been making good progress on this, including new story missions, as well as large amounts of story planning which can't easily be shared in the usual way.

The main story missions will not only bring more handcrafted, lore-filled dialogues, but will also introduce whole new game mechanics. As a simple example (already developed) some missions will now require you to transport NPCs, rather than goods or other items - you can also chat to the NPCs while they are on board your ship!



This is just a simple example - without giving spoilers, the late game missions will bring major new mechanics to help keep things fresh and surprising...

[h2]Update Timetable[/h2]

Adding more story also introduces some complexities about how this fits with the existing roguelike game mode. For example, players might want to be able to play the tutorial missions, but still have random missions rather than the full story (as in the current EA version), and this will require some reorganisation of existing game modes (e.g. a 'random missions' mode separate from an 'enable tutorial' mode).

Also I expect many players will prefer to wait until the full storyline is available before diving in to the story missions (rather than playing only 'chapter 1' say, and then having to wait until full release before seeing the rest of the story).

For these reasons I am proposing to defer further major game updates until the full story is complete in early/mid-2024. Full release is still targeted for Month 13 (May 2024) of the roadmap, but there will likely be beta releases for Discord members before that.

[h2]Join the Discord[/h2]

Finally don't forget you can join the Discord to discuss the game with fellow fans and ask any questions you might have.

Hi all, the Month 4 Update is here, right on schedule for the Early Access roadmap:



Here's the lowdown on what's new:

[h2]Full Pilot Skill Tree[/h2]

The Pilot Skill tree has been completed and refreshed, and now includes 18 brand new pilot skills (taking the total to 32 - not including up to 3 skill levels for each skill). New skills include

• 'Commandeer' - allowing you to capture and fly enemy ships
  
• 'Drone Pilot' - allowing you to deploy combat drones (new 'utility' equipment)
  
• New maneuvres: 'Strafe' and 'Reverse thrusters'
  

• 'Continue game' button in splash screen
  
• Auto-scaling of font-sizes for equipment names
  
• Ability to highlight mission targets for a specific mission
  
• Ship speed and cargo information added to main UI
  
• Numerous improvements to tooltip info
  

Hi all, just a quick progress update on the Early Access Roadmap!



We're currently midway between Month 1 and Month 4, and I'm happy to report that the core new features scheduled for the Month 4 update are essentially complete.

These include

• A big update to pilot skills
  
• Improvements to wreck exploration and mining
  
• A new 'endless' game mode allowing for more open gameplay
  
• Fast travel mechanics
  

FIX: bug where Naveen stations fail to spawn across the system when playing in tutorial mission mode
FIX: incorrect tooltip for fuel indicator in system map
MOD: removed 'new mission targets' messages

FIX: bug where lights indicating whether wrecks have been explored do not deactivate after wreck is explored
FIX: bug causing fewer ships than intended (particularly for main factions) to appear in early sectors
NEW: added fuel and credits info to system map screen
NEW: add 'v' to cycle to bottom text
MOD: visual improvements to lights indicating wheher wrecks have been explored

Its almost exactly a month after the Early Access Roadmap was published, and the first major update is now live!

As planned, the focus of this update is on responding to the most urgent issues and feature requests raised in feedback from players following the Early Access launch. (Future Roadmap updates, by contrast, will focus more on adding new game content.)

These fall into 3 main areas which Ill dive into below (major UI improvements, difficulty and balance, and bug fixes) along with some additional bonus features Ill cover at the end.

A full list of changes can be found here.

[h3]UI improvements
[/h3]

One of the most frequently requested changes from Early Access players so far has been improvements to the system map, to make it easier to locate missions available from specific factions as well as the specific goods that are needed for some mission types. I could see that this would be a big step forward in terms of user friendliness, so this was a priority for the month 1 update.

The system map screen has now been enhanced to include filters for both factions and goods types, and more detail on available goods is also available via tooltips.



Other UI improvements include UI scaling (another roadmap feature) and a new timeline graph display for energy and heat.



There is also a brand new map view, making it easier to get a quick overview of key locations, stations and mission targets in a sector.



[h3]Difficulty and Balance
[/h3]

Another consistent bit of feedback from players has been that the game is a little too hard overall, and that adventure difficulty in particular should be made easier compared to tactical.

Like many turn-based tactics fans, I think it is very important to offer enough of a challenge so that a wide range of tactical choices are required. At the same time it is important to offer players a choice of difficulty levels to suit different play styles, and the changes in this version contribute to that goal.

These changes should have the overall effect of making adventure mode significantly easier; tactical mode should also be a little easier than previously, especially at the start of the game; while extinction difficulty remains as a challenging difficulty mode for hardcore players.

Aside from the big changes affecting overall difficulty there are some smaller balance changes as well, such as changes to reputation requirements for some high level ships, and a personal favourite of mine: if you capture a holoship projector from a Maker ship you can now use it yourself to generate a friendly holoship that will support you in combat.



[h3]Bug Fixes
[/h3]

Aside from the usual range of bugs, Early Access players discovered some creative exploits allowing them, among other things to:

• Generate infinite relics and sell them to get rich quick!
  
• Complete goods delivery missions quickly by delivering goods, buying them back and reselling them
  
• Achieve permanent cloaked status by unequipping a cloaking device while cloaked
  

Bug fixes:

FIX: stubborn soft-lock that occurs when saving and loading in the middle of an 'emergency transmission' mission, while not in 'random missions' mode.
FIX: various issues that occur when a relic ship mission unit follows a distress call mission unit
FIX: bug where relic ships do not immediately appear in station shipyards after completing a relic ship mission

Quality of Life:

MOD: game no longer pauses audio when changing focus to other windows applications (useful for streamers)

Textual fixes:

FIX: text overflow when credits go into six digits
FIX: skill description text error when using level 2 repair
FIX: an issue with the mission text for relic ship missions

With the frenzy of Early Access launch now behind us, now seems a good time to look ahead and discuss what's still to come during the Early Access period itself.

Below is the current roadmap.



So the first priority - with a timescale of approximately 1 month - is to push out a major update that fixes the most significant remaining bugs and balance issues adds the most requested UI features. Some issues may also be addressed by further hotfixes.

In general I take a flexible approach to development, and this roadmap is subject to change in response to both player feedback and new ideas on my part.

So if you have any suggestions or comments on the roadmap please let me know either right here on Steam, or in the game's Discord.

I'll share updates or proposed changes to the roadmap as and when required.

Join the Community

To keep up to date on the very latest in Relic Space's development, and take part in exclusive in-game challenges, you can join the Relic Space Discord. During Early Access you'll also be the first to gain access to bleeding edge builds, and of course will be able to discuss the game with fellow fans as well as the developer.

FIX: bug where 'emergency transmission' missions can occur outside Order sectors, leading to odd results.
FIX: bug where arena drone kills are not reset between arena matches
FIX: arena drones can no longer flee the Arena
FIX: added correct ship class name for arena drones.
FIX: ships with inactive engines can no longer flee sectors

Thanks all for your feedback on the game so far! This patch fixes two of the more serious issues affecting more advanced players at present.

FIX: Issue where soft-lock occurs repeatedly after an enemy faction has enough relics to complete their 'tech tree'.
FIX: Some problems related to loading a saved game with an active patrol mission.

[h3][High priority message incoming from Captain Jorrell] All Omega pilots please report for duty in the main hangar bay. The hour of victory is at hand![/h3]

That's right, the Early Access version of Relic Space is here, the result of more than 3 years of development so far. Though it's been so much work, it's also been so much fun to see this passion project grow, alongside a great community of players who've helped test earlier versions, and to whom I'm immensely grateful!

I hope you'll really enjoy the game as it is so far, and stay tuned as I continue to make it bigger, better and ever more epic during the Early Access period.

For more details of the new features in the Early Access version, check out this previous post.

[previewyoutube=muU61p740DY;full][/previewyoutube]

Join the Community

To keep up to date on the very latest on Relic Space, and take part in exclusive in-game challenges with real prizes, you can join the Relic Space Discord. During Early Access you'll also be the first to gain access to bleeding edge builds, and of course will be able to discuss the game with fellow fans as well as the developer.

With the EA launch only days away, here are some of the new features and gameplay you can expect from the upcoming version of Relic Space!

[h2]Explore a Procedural Universe[/h2]

First off, youll be able to freely explore over 45 procedurally generated sectors, each with their own distinct mix of factions, stations and environmental effects. And of course each with missions generated out of this local context, which you'll need to complete to help your faction to victory.



And I do want to stress the 'procedurally generated' part. During the Early Access period I'll be adding a complex, branching narrative, told through handcrafted missions. But as the game is right now it's best to think of it more as a classic roguelike experience, where the fun comes not so much from the storyline, but the tactical challenge of taking on ever harder opponents, with an ever wider range of ships, weaponry and equipment, in runs that are never the same twice.

[h2]Find a Winning Strategy[/h2]

Speaking of victory, the '4X-style strategy' layer of the game will work, for now, just as it did in the Demo - except you'll need a whole lot more victory points for a win! Youll need to roam widely and choose the right missions to boost your faction in specific ways - all the while keeping a close eye on the progress of your rivals.



You'll balance regular missions that boost faction stats, with the rarer missions that give you a chance of discovering relics that unlock research goals. Unlike in the Demo, progress through the tech tree is essential to keep pace with your enemies, as their ships will be upgraded with their faction's latest tech.

[h2]Game-changing Upgrades[/h2]

Full access to the tech tree opens up a wide range of weapon and equipment options, including over 50 'base' equipment types, which each come in numerous variants in terms of size (Large/Medium/Small) and quality (Normal/Good/Exceptional).



Combine this with the wide range of ship hulls you'll be able to acquire, together with the fact that many equipment types come with new active skills, or offer entirely new combat strategies (Stealth Field anyone?) and you have a recipe for classic-RPG-style progression that never gets old!

[h2]Make Friends - or Enemies[/h2]

Finally, while on your travels, you'll now discover a total of 7 minor factions in addition to the 3 main factions. Just to take two examples:

• The Ludist faction structure their lives around games and play: many believe the universe itself to be a game, and the laws of physics its rules. Their stations are well-known for their combat arenas, in which bets are placed on battles between custom-built drones...
  
• The Makers value pure creativity above all. Their anarchic, freewheeling culture often tips over into violence, and their combat ships are deadly works of art.
  

[h3]It's time! Your first real trial as an Omega. The galaxy lies in ruins, and our Order is now all that stands between civilization and chaos.

We know that you will do your duty. On..

Thursday 9th March 2023

..the battle for humanity's soul begins.[/h3]

[previewyoutube=HjDaroAg0ec;full][/previewyoutube]

Can it be?

Yes that was the official Early Access release date for Relic Space, in case it wasn't clear, along with the brand new Early Access Trailer!

There'll be further news in the coming days about what you'll be able to do for the first time in the Early Access version, along with a range of fun in-game challenges to complete - and prizes to win! - starting on launch day!

Join the community

The best way to keep up to date on the very latest on Relic Space, including the competitions mentioned above, is via the Discord. During Early Access you'll also be the first to gain access to bleeding edge builds, and of course will be able to discuss the game with fellow fans as well as the developer.

Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

Hi everyone - it's a brand new year, and oh wait... the steam page still says Q1 2023 so Early Access really is coming soon - I will of course be sharing the exact date as soon as I can!

In the meantime the hard work has continued on polish and bug-fixes, and as a result can now release a new version of the Demo (probably the last one before Early Access). Here's a summary of the main changes:



Major balance changes

Important balance changes have been in virtually all areas of the game, for example, loot and credit drops, the rate at which other factions progress in technology. Maybe the most tangible balance change is one that increases the difference between more and less advanced weaponry, which in turn makes finding and researching relics more beneficial.



New generators, engines and heat sinks

Some new generators, engines and heat sinks have been added that are currently available for purchase right from the start of the game. This was an important addition because when you start getting more advanced ships and weapons, it is increasingly important to make sure you have enough energy available to power your additional weapons, enough heat sinks to dump the heat they generate, and enough motor power to keep up a good speed despite the increased weight.



UI improvements Bug Fixes

Finally, lots more bug-fixes and UI improvements should make this the most stable and user friendly version of the game to date!

Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 221) website.

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans - and the developer - and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

TurnBasedFest has just got going and were honoured that Relic Space is being featured among the fantastic selection of other tactical gems!



As our contribution to this celebration of turn-based goodness, we're releasing another major Demo update. This update reflects the hard work that has gone towards adding polish to the game in recent months, as we gear up for a Q1 2023 launch into Early Access.

Here are some of the key new features in the update:

[h2]New challenging game modes[/h2]

This update gives a first taste of the new game modes that will be important to generating replayability in the Early Access release. A new difficulty level, called 'Extinction', will provide an extra level of challenge for veteran players who are finding 'Tactical' difficulty too straighforward.

And there's now a full-on 'Ironman' mode where, as usual, you are limited to only one save slot, which is automatically updated as you progress and is deleted if you die. Death is permanent.



[h2]Improvements to manual mode[/h2]

A lot of streamers have been picking up Relic Space over the last few months, and watching those streams has made clear that a number of people are attracted to playing the game using the 'manual' as opposed to 'automatic' weapons mode. That's completely understandable, as tactical players often love to drill down into the details of game mechanics by making every small choice themselves. But before this update, the user interface had been a lot more geared towards automatic mode.

No more! This update brings a big overhaul to manual mode, making it fully playable for the first time by removing some unnecessary delays and required keypresses, as well as by introducing a new weapon-range indicator (see the red hexes in the gif below) that simultaneously serves to make clear when your weapons have yet to be fired in manual mode.



[h2]Lore[/h2]
The lore for Relic Space has been planned out in some detail, though to date has been mostly limited to some dialogs in the scripted tutorial missions. This update for the first time brings lore dialogs to random NPCs. Although these are still quite small in number and limited in scope, they offer a taste of the rich and suprising sci-fi narrative still to come.



Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 211) website.

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans - and the developer - and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

Relic Space is currently taking part in Steam's latest strategy game festival: TactiCon!



We're honoured to be featured together with so many other high-quality, turn-based games - and to celebrate we're launching a brand new version of the Demo, available now on the Steam page.

This new Demo reflects the hard work that's been going on behind the scenes as we gear up for the Early Access release, with lots of new content and increased variety of tactical challenges. Naturally some of this content will only be accessible in the EA version, but the Demo certainly offers a taste of what's to come.

[h2]New Missions[/h2]

A total of SIX new base mission types have been added to the previous three. The innovative procedural mission system in Relic Space means that each of these 'base' mission types offer a framework that allows for multiple variants and combinations of individual mission 'units' - so the total number of distinct missions available is actually well into the hundreds!



[h2]Piracy[/h2]

There are also a number of new NPC interactions including...space piracy! Urgently need some sodium for a nearby construction project? Try forcibly demanding it from a transport ship belonging to another factions - if you dare face the consequences, that is!



[h2]Ruins[/h2]

Another example of the varied new content in the game is the new wreck models, such as this ruined quantum lab. Each model will have it's own stories to discover, but beware of strange local effects such as quantum teleportation...



Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 192) website.

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans - and the developer - and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

So a great Steam Next Fest is behind us, with over a thousand new players trying Relic Space! While there's been lot's of positive feedback, there's also been a number of reports of bugs and balance issues, as well as some really detailed discussion of game mechanics, particularly on the Discord.

So since then (after a bit of a break!) I've jumped straight into fixing what I considered to be the highest priority bugs and balance issues. While not the most exciting of updates, it will make the Demo a more polished and well-balanced experience for those trying the Demo for the first time (still available for download from the Steam page).

BALANCE CHANGES

MOD: all mission types are now more evenly distributed in the system
MOD: reduced frequency of stolen goods mission variants
MOD: reduced frequency but increased difficulty of ambushes
MOD: reduced frequency of ambushes further for adventure mode
MOD: adventure mode now has a slower event clock
MOD: increase loot from enemy ships
MOD: voidfliers now have two random light weapons instead of medium laser

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

MOD: improved character selection descriptions
MOD: amended heat warning text display to clarify ability to disable weapons using 'X'

MAP

NEW: added pulses to sector map for additional clarity
NEW: display indicating how many sectors have been explored compared to the maximum available (limited to 8 in the Demo)
FIX: unexplored sectors are now correctly marked with a glowing outline in the system map, and this is noted in the map key section



FIXES

FIX: too heavy for ship message incorrectly shown when selling equipment
FIX: bug where pressing R activates equipment skills other than weapon skills
FIX: bug where using power shot can lead to weapons being deactivated
FIX: bug where incorrect skill level shown for techie trait skills in character selection screen
FIX: bug where circle faction stats are initially not shown in faction stat spider chart
FIX: bug where projectiles fired from platforms are too small to be visible
FIX: some issues with explosion animation for certain ships
FIX: incorrect chance of occurrence for certain faction event types
FIX: bug causing soft-lock when loading a 'random missions only' game straight after launching the game.
FIX: incorrect ship class icon for certain ship and platform types
FIX: weight warning sometimes shown when jettisoning goods
FIX: bug where cutscene audio is played at full volume irrespective of saved music volume preference
FIX: bug where background music in splash screen does not initially load with saved music volume preference
FIX: rare unexpected loud sound effect when returning to main view from system map

Thanks for reading and watch this space for more news as we progress towards Early Access!

As part of Steam Next Fest I'll be continuing my over-ambitious and ultimately doomed attempt to reach 50 victory points in a custom-modified version of the Relic Space Demo! Feel free to Ask Me Anything in the chat.

The Stream will be today, 18 June @ 6pm EST/10pm GMT.

I'm happy to announce that Relic Space is participating in the Steam Next Fest: June 2022 Edition!

As part of the festival I'll be streaming the new 'Random Mission' mode in the latest Demo version on Thursday 16th June @ 6pm EST/10pm GMT! Watch me battle the RNG in 'tactical mode' as I strive to reach the victory point threshold...or die trying.

I'm happy to announce that Relic Space is participating in the current Dreamhack Beyond Steam Event.



As part of the festival I'll be streaming the new 'Random Mission' mode in the latest Demo version each day at 6pm EST/10pm GMT! Watch me battle the RNG in 'tactical mode' as I strive to reach the victory point threshold...or die trying.

Hi folks, continuing last month's theme of 'Going Rogue', the latest update to the Demo adds some new features that really bring out the 'roguelike' in Relic Space, increasing replayability by shifting the focus to randomized missions.

'Random Mission' mode

Though it's just a simple checkbox on the game mode selection screen, skipping straight to random missions brings a massive boost to replayability (though only recommended of course once you've played through the tutorial at least once). And since you're now focused on earning victory points with complete freedom to choose your missions, you can now begin to experience that roguelike, open-world feel that's always been part of the game's promise.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/w06A1zJ.png[/img]

Hall of Fame

A great complement to 'Random Mission' mode, the new 'Hall of Fame' provides a detailed highscore board, in which you can read off your past achievements in the game with pride. Among other things, the Hall of Fame tells you which difficulty level you were playing, which is of course very relevant when assessing the extent of your achievement in a given game!

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/EU8OvKw.jpg[/img]

Improved Trading Mechanics

There's also a significant update to trading, whereby your ship now has a cargo capacity that limits how many trade goods you can carry. Since this limit can be increased with the right utilities, this adds a new level of strategic choice for the player (whether to upgrade your ship for trading), while simultaneously fixing the imbalance that previously allowed big trading profits to be made a little too easily.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/woXWIOz.jpg[/img]

Improved Ship Damage Mechanics

Another pretty fundamental area of change is ship damage, and specifically on-board fires that are usually caused by overheating. While previously a fire was considered just one more debuff in need of 'repair', it is now a unique damage status requiring use of the brand new 'extinguish' skill. As well as being more realistic, this brings some additional tactical choices to the core combat experience.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/EOV760a.png[/img]

Bugfixes, balance changes and more

As usual there are plenty of bugfixes, and balance tweaks, including further refinements to fuel capacity and 'running out of fuel' mechanics, as well as removing the lag when opening the save/load menu. And the system map now has a useful new feature, showing the key station modules to be found in each sector.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/GkroKSv.png[/img]

Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 152) website.

Still to come..

The focus on randomized missions in this update will also form the basis of the Early Access release later in the year, which will bring a much more extensive path towards military and economic victories by means of random missions, exploring sectors and upgrading your ship along the way.

And as the next step on the path towards this milestone, I'm planning a big increase to variety and complexity of random missions - watch this space!

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

Hi folks, its time for another update to the Demo in preparation for the upcoming Going Rogue Festival here on Steam.


While it may not be obvious from the screenshots, 'under the hood' Relic Space is many ways a traditional roguelike: it's turn-based and grid-based, with procedurally generated levels and missions, and like many classic roguelikes it's a non-party-based RPG where you focus on controlling a single character. And the full version will also feature a Permadeath game mode. So it's super-exciting to be participating in Steam's Going Rogue festival!

As there may be quite a few new players trying out the Demo, we wanted to make sure it's as polished as it can be - meaning there's a whole host of bugfixes in this update! But there's also a few significant new additions gameplaywise as well:

Difficulty Levels

This update introduces difficulty levels to the game for the first time. 'Adventure' difficulty offers a gentler introduction to the game for those who prefer to focus on uncovering storylines, or who find the more demanding 'Tactical' difficulty too challenging. (The full game will also feature a third, harder difficulty for veterans who need even more of a challenge)

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/f3Mnmbg.png[/img]

16 new sector environmental effects

The new environmental effects are features that affect an entire sector, like quantum storms, asteroid showers or radioactive residue. Some of these have a potentially game-changing impact on combat, for example by making shields unusable, or reducing the effectiveness of specific weapon types. This will help each sector feel more distinct, as well as offering interesting new challenges.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/ScHfew2.png[/img]

New Gas Cloud Types

While all gas cloud types offer a useful bit of extra cover, the new explosive and corrosive gas clouds come with an additional risk as well. Being fired at wil hiding in an explosive gas cloud could cause the whole cloud to go up in flames, and your ship along with it!

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/P4ujWjS.png[/img]

Bugfixes and balance change

As mentioned there are plenty of bugfixes, particularly as relates to the new weapon display that was introduced in the last updated. In terms of balance tweaks, the biggest change is around fuel, where the fuel capacity of all ships have been decreased, so that fuel has more of an impact on progress.

Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 152) website.

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

The Relic Space Demo just got a major update!


The core of this update are a few big changes that should improve the experience of the core gameplay loop in subtle but significant ways, as well as providing new content.

14 new utility items

14 new utility items can now be obtained by researching relics, enabling completely new combat tactics such as use of cloaking fields, and jump drives (pictured below). As a result the relic research screen now has a lot more fully functional research goals - though there are still a lot more to come!

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/vOWTgN7.gif[/img]

Equipment Skills

The new game mechanic of 'equipment skills' whereby weapons and utility items now grant special abilities, which work in much the same way as pilot skills. In addition to new skills for the utility items mentioned above, there are also 6 new 'weapon' skills associated with different weapon types, such as the 'bullet sweep' skill pictured here:

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/uypqf8G.gif[/img]

New 'Manual Mode'

There is a major overhaul of 'manual' mode, with a new UI section that allows full control of weapons so that you can now fire different weapons at different targets, and move and fire in any order.

[img width=500]https://i.imgur.com/C8283I3.gif[/img]

Bugfixes and balance change

As usual there are also plenty of bugfixes, and some balance changes, for example reducing profitability of trading, and increasing availability of starter weapons at station stores.

Change log

Full details of the changes can be viewed on the (see Demo 143 and 146) website.

Join the community

To discuss the game with fellow fans and get free early access to bleeding-edge builds, join the Discord. Alternatively sign-up to the low-volume newsletter to be notified of key updates and new releases.

The Relic Space Demo is now available to download from the Steam store page.

The last three months have seen another big development push fixing bugs (with over 100 bugs fixed!) and adding quality of life features as well as new gameplay features, including:

Custom keybindings and alternate movement controls

You can now change almost all keyboard controls to custom keybindings. There's also a whole new alternative keyboard control scheme (namely, 'tank-style' WASD movement that is relative to your ship's current direction) that can be toggled on or off in the settings - and also remapped.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/MQaYWI5.png[/img]

New ships, equipment, and status effects

There are 2 new enemy ship types, each with brand new equipment, to improve early-game tactical variety. And there are also two new status effects: you generator can now become 'unstable' with potentially explosive effects, and utility items can become 'severely damaged' in a way that is very hard to repair.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/1fNtak9.png[/img]

Improved trading mechanics

Amounts and prices of trade goods are less random, and instead based on the local economy, with some goods being in surplus or shortage in each sector (plus handy icons so you can see at a glance which goods might be best for trading)

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/qzUGwRl.gif[/img]

New themed soundtracks

There are now also 3 new adaptive soundtracks by talented composer Peter Gagliardi, so each of the main factions now has its own themed soundtrack, which plays when exploring a sector controlled by that faction.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/1cczTxZ.png[/img]

Plans for 2022

2021 was a game-changing year for Relic Space, in which we went from early Alpha - little more than a tech Demo, with not much content - to a much more polished, fully playable and actually-fun-to-play Demo version.

But 2022 promises to be even bigger. We'll be adding new content and features each month as we head toward Steam Early Access later this year - and where applicable the Demo will be updated to include the new content as well.

The Early Access version will include

• access to 90% of the full procedurally generated solar system map
  
• a wider range of procedurally generated missions
  
• more NPC factions
  
• more ships, equipment, research and status effects
  
• a balanced way of winning the game via economic/military victory points (as opposed to via the main storyline)

Yes, Alpha 8 is now out on the Discord!

This is a pretty big milestone, as with the wide range of new features added, Relic Space is now more or less feature-complete, though plenty of incremental improvements are still expected. More importantly, the new content and other improvements take the game past am important complexity threshold, making it properly fun to play - though of course still in a limited way, as there's still masses more content to add.

As described in more detail in the last interim update the major new features include:

• Saving and Loading
  
• Shipyard module for buying new ships
  
• Overhauled tech tree
  
• Faction event timeline
  
• Resource Trading overhaul
  
• New main faction: the Circle
  

The last two months have seen a sustained development push adding lots of new features and content to the game. Along with the further additions to come over the next few weeks, these will take the Relic Space Alpha from being a 'promising' tech demo to being a real, complex and properly fun game!

New features since Alpha 7 include:

SAVING AND LOADING

This is of course quite a big deal from a technical point of view, and also really significant from a gameplay perspective, allowing more lengthy and in depth runs.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/Yal2Prk.gif[/img]

SHIPYARD MODULE

A big new area in terms of both game mechanics and content is the new shipyard module, which allows you to unlock and board completely new ship classes (which have also been added). The UI also clearly displays the key stats differentiating each ship so you can assess their strengths and weaknesses.

[img width=600]http://i.imgur.com/lcyWh5q.gif[/img]

TECH TREE

The tech tree was due for an overhaul, and is now both more visually appealing and contains a lot more actual techs. In Relic Space you first need to acquire relics which unlocks research options, and the layout reflects that.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/4p4xr59.gif[/img]

EVENT TIMELINE

Faction events now have a whole new UI panel to themselves, to allow the player to keep track of, and check information about, events that have occurred. You can now look back to see which sector a faction contructed a station module in, and then travel there to see it for yourself.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/YzIlFzj.gif[/img]

RESOURCE TRADING

Resource trading has been overhauled. While the underlying economics model is not yet complete, random variation in prices has been added meaning trading is now a viable way of earning some much-needed extra credits. Along with this the interface has been improved to more easily allow selection of the amount of goods you wish to buy or sell.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/g1ySnm0.gif[/img]

NEW FACTION: CIRCLE

There's a whole new faction in the game: the Circle consists of posthumans whose enhancements are primarily mental, including implants that allow forms of telepathy and telekinesis. It's a neutral faction and work is in progress to allow interesting player interactions with them, including new missions.

[img width=300]https://i.imgur.com/hz7Xpeo.gif[/img]

Alpha 7 is now out on the Discord! It's the biggest update yet in terms of sheer number of changes, and the focus is on bringing out the tactical depth to the game from the start.

Pilot Skill Tree

Like skills or abilities in many RPGs, Pilot Skills can be activated during combat to have specific effects, such as repairing a part of your ship, boosting some stats, or performing a specific maneuver. They are therefore central in offering the player specific tactical choices, in addition to moving and shooting.

To give players more tactical choices right from the start of the game, you can now choose from one of three character backgrounds, each of which has three starting skills, and a 'trait' which determines which skills can more easily be developed in the game.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/S8qmueA.gif[/img]

Alongside this, the skill tree has also been completely redesigned to a) more easily distinguish different types of skill b) introduce more interesting choices when selecting a new skill to acquire by having interdependencies between skills and c) bring out the thematic or narrative aspect of developing skills associated with your background trait.

The new skill tree now has a more familiar division of skills according to themes, e.g. combat, movement, engineering etc. It also has a proper tree structure in which new skills become available as you unlock previous ones - though at the moment the structure is quite simple - as more skills get added I will add extra complexity to the structure as well.

And there are also six entirely new skills, to make the three starting skill choices more balanced and equally playable.

[img width=600]https://i.imgur.com/iKYEGzW.gif[/img]


Combat UI

Relic Space has quite a deep simulation of many aspects of combat, including different damage types, effects of cover, impact of motion on hit chance, and managing heat and energy, so there are plenty of tactical options available: the challenge is to present this information in a way that is clear and without resulting in 'information overload'.

The new 'target analysis' mode (which can be toggled on or off) causes a panel to be shown that contains information about the impact of firing your ship's weapons on its current target - and importantly, this panel is shown irrespective of where the mouse is hovering. Making it independent of the mouse in this way allows for the addition of tooltips that enable the player to drill down deeper into the figures shown, and thereby learn more about the core combat mechanics.



Original Soundtrack

This build introduces for the first time an all-new original soundtrack by talented composer Peter Gagliardi. As you can see from his bandcamp profile Peter has a lot of experience creating sci-fi works with a grand cosmic scale, and so is a great fit for the project.

The soundtrack is 'adaptive', changing in response to what's happening in-game, and there are three main music states. The most intense music occurs, not surprisingly, during combat, and the least intense - a quieter, more relaxed, ambient loop - occurs when the player is just travelling with no current mission. Then theres a state of intermediate intensity that plays when the player has accepted a mission, though is not yet in combat.

In addition to being adaptive in this way, the music is also themed around the main factions in the game, so that music with characteristics corresponding to a given faction plays when you enter a sector primarily controlled by that faction. When you enter a sector that is contested by two factions, the music itself becomes a mix of the themes of those two factions. And there are also variations that occur to keep things fresh when you enter a new sector that happens to be controlled by the same faction as the previous sector you were in.

Heres a short video that gives a taste of the way the music transitions smoothly to become more intense when a mission is acquired, and again when hostile ships are encountered.

[previewyoutube=WzhYNJE3B_g;full][/previewyoutube]

...And More

The tutorial has also been augmented in various ways, and extended to cover the first Relic mission, to introduce players to the relic/research mechanics. There are also a host of smaller graphical improvements and bug fixes that should make for a smoother, more playable experience.

The full list of changes can be viewed on the dev blog.

Join the community

To help test the new Alpha and be among the first to play Relic Space, join the Discord for access instructions, or sign-up to the newsletter for access to future releases.

Three months, three Alpha releases! A lot has happened since Relic Space was announced, and now is a good time to take stock and review plans for the future.

First of all I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who gave feedback on any of the Alphas so far: all comments are being taken very seriously, and by contributing at this very early stage of the game you have helped shape the future of Relic Space!

The response to the game so far has been extremely supportive, with many players confirming we're on the right track in terms of the core game loops, the graphics, the story, the tutorial and the UI.

At the same time there's been a lot of bugs spotted and more substantial suggestions for improvement, some of which have been extremely useful, and will I think make for significant improvements in the core experience.

However incorporating this feedback will add some development time, and therefore a change to the Early Access Roadmap. Instead of Alpha 7 in mid-may, there will now be a longer development period resulting in a new release in June/July.

It's possible that the release date for Early Access will also be pushed back by a small number of months, to ensure that even this early release allows for a richer, more polished and well-balanced player experience. Any such change will be confirmed at a later date.

I hope it's understood that these changes don't at all reflect a lack of commitment to the game, but instead reflect a strong commitment to listening the community and to ensuring the game lives up to its full potential.

Thanks again to all of you for your support, and I leave you with a little infographic of the Alphas so far:

As outlined in the Roadmap the focus in Alpha 6 Loadout is on adding content in three main areas: weapons, ships and relics.

[h3]Weapons[/h3]

There are 8 new base weapon types, each of which come in 3 weight classes so thats 24 distinct weapons in total, ranging from pulse lasers to stinger missiles.

In addition, many of these weapon types have distinctive damage effects, such as the ability to overload shields, or cause specific thermal damage.

[img width=400]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39741526/da2006af6fe754e8978e8680cc82f2fc37bcb499.jpg[/img]
[h3]Ships[/h3]

The combat-oriented ships of the hostile Union faction (i.e. the main enemy ships, at this early stage) have been completely updated both in appearance and stats, and all ships and other equipment rebalanced with respect to stats like armor class and weight.

For example the high speed of more lightweight fighters is now properly reflected in the way such ships are able to take turns more frequently, based on their specific combination of engine power and hull weight.



[h3]Relics[/h3]

Procedural generation of relics has been fleshed out to allow for a large variety of possible relics, which can in turn unlock 8 new research goals.

Relic Missions are now generated alongside other mission types, so you can now become a true collector of these precious artefacts.



[h3]New game loop[/h3]

Together these changes open up a whole new game loop, as you can now seek to research and equip more powerful weapons by discovering Relics!

While this aspect of the game is still in its early stages, it should provide a taste of the way the tactical missions and combat will be embedded in a larger strategy layer inspired by 4X games.

Of course, theres also a load of bug fixes and smaller improvements based on prior feedback as well.

The full list of changes can be viewed on the dev blog.

[h3]Join the community[/h3]

To help test the new Alpha and be among the first to experience the innovative tactical gameplay in Relic Space, join the discord for access instructions, or sign-up to the newsletter for access to future releases.

We've reached the first milestone on the road towards Steam Early Access! Alpha 5 'Explorer' focuses on bringing more variety to sector maps, including faction-owned sectors, giant asteroids, wrecks and more.

There are also a whole host of tweaks to game mechanics (including inter-sector travel and mining), Quality Of Life improvements and bug fixes.

The full list of changes can be viewed on the dev blog.

To help test the new Alpha and be among the first to experience the innovative tactical gameplay in Relic Space, join the discord for access instructions, or sign-up to the newsletter for access to future releases.

Relic Space will hit Early Access on Steam in August/September 2021 and the Roadmap below shows how well get there.

As you can see therell be plenty of opportunities to participate in Alpha and Beta testing and give feedback along the way via the Discord.

There's already been some great feedback from the first Alpha, and each new Alpha will include fixes and improvements based on previous player input.