Ostranauts News

Hey Folks!

Ostranauts v0.6.4.1 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.

This patch is largely bug fixes, but also includes some improvements to character creation, including non-random face customization, and fewer career repeats.

Specifically:

• Added code to store oldest game version info in save and save info files.
  
• Added savegame version to save slot UI.
  
• Changed career kiosk to have fewer career event repeats.
  
• Changed career kiosk to avoid two ship rewards in a row.
  
• Changed sink face part buttons to cycle through list instead of randomly choosing from list.
  
• Added back and forward buttons to face part selector on sink UI.
  
• Added code to auto-reveal some traits if relationship added via character creation or interaction.
  
• Changed EVA suit to only pump player's CO2 when equipped.
  
• Changed EVA suit to only pump O2 and use power when equipped.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused relationship data to be lost during save/load.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused save system to break if captain's name contained certain forbidden symbols.
  
• Fixed a bug that could prevent saving if components inside repairable item were null.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused room tiles to change if game saved with exterior airlocks open vs. closed.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused PDA to leave a permanent blank screen over UI if PDA power soft button hit while game paused.
  
• Fixed a bug that didn't remove O2/N2 gases from ship when sold at refueling kiosk.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused item prices to be wrong in trade UI.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused phantom mass to be added to containers after a save load.
  
• Fixed bug that caused some traits to be incorrectly shown or hidden in social UI.
  
• Fixed bug that caused AIs to steal items from each other for each task.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused AI to claim failure due to no prying tool when they were really just too tired.
  
• Fixed bug that caused AI to sometimes unskillfully work when they were skilled.
  
• Added base price to crates.
  
• Fixed a bug that showed item price outside of trade UI.
  
• Fixed a bug that would skip generating data cards for locks inside containers when ship first spawned.
  
• Fixed a null bug that occurred when issuing an order to a non-pathfinding object.
  
• Fixed a bug that always generated a new person when new relationship added in interactions.
  
• Changed new relationship message to use friendly text instead of debug text.
  
• Changed installables to have both a CTUs and CTAllowUs to allow unskilled options to check for lack of skills.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause null exceptions when saving the game due to bad record-keeping of containers/lots/stacks.
  

Face customization should now be less of a chore, with per-part selection buttons that let you cycle back and forth through all options. The randomizer is still there if you prefer it, however.

Also, the career kiosk was changed to produce fewer repeats. There should now be more variety each career term before you see a repeat, and no more ship offers twice in a row!

Several trading UI fixes went in, including mass and price fixes for containers with items inside. Selling a crate or a drink pouch should reflect the item contents more accurately now, and stop mixing them up.

Socializing should also more reliably show revealed trait info now. Each starting relationship has some basic traits revealed, and each new interaction has a chance of revealing a related trait. Plus, relationship info will no longer disappear on save/load.

The EVA suit now now longer drains resources when unequipped :)

A number of other bug fixes and optimizations also went into this patch, to hopefully further make running the game smoother.

As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems!

Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC

Hey Folks!

Ostranauts v0.6.4.0 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly. This, despite the fact that it's the Friday before vacation, which is usually a terrible idea :)

(And on that note, the previous version, 0.6.3.9, will be on standby as the opt-in "public_test" beta should we need it.)

This patch makes quite a few changes to socializing and the inventory UI, as well as several other fixes and tweaks.

Specifically:

• Changed social status text to show recent trend direction.
  
• Changed log messages to show recent trend direction, where applicable.
  
• Changed socializing UI to only show NPC statuses and traits that we revealed through interactions with them.
  
• Added a Debug button to social UI to toggle showing all NPC traits vs. revealed ones.
  
• Changed social action previews to show more info.
  
• Changed social UI action buttons to have optional text describing traits that led to that option.
  
• Added scrollbar to social actions.
  
• Added code to swap inventory items on cursor if dropping an item on top of something that cannot stack.
  
• Added code to quick transfer inventory items with shift click.
  
• Added code to require fewer clicks to drag inventory items into new spaces.
  
• Added code to automatically open a container's grid in inventory when first equipped.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused significant hitching/lagging when doing certain job types like repairs on a large ship.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused humans' body heating effects to be ignored after awhile.
  
• Fixed debug teleport so it works on other selected crew.
  
• Fixed bug that would leave items stranded at root if save file had different stack limits than current build.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause game to hang or crash when loading a ship with errors in contained item data.
  
• Changed fatigue cost of prying and bashing to be higher.
  
• Changed pricing on drinks to be more differentiated in supply kiosk.
  
• Changed trash stacking limit to 3 so it spreads out more.
  
• Fixed bug in Give Up response that required opposite personality types from what they should be.
  
• Changed Back Away Slowly to have greater intimacy penalty, and smaller privacy reward.
  
• Added banter about Breakout match as possible reply to banter about Breakout match.
  
• Fixed bug that caused dark rectangle under chin in dark skin portraits.
  
• Removed unused price info on installed switches and battery.
  
• Changed trenchers food to have eat as first context option.
  

The social system had a pretty significant overhaul this patch. We now start knowing very little about our conversation partner, and have to slowly reveal their status and traits via social moves. We can now also see how our status has recently changed in both the status UI and message log.

Furthermore, the social actions list now shows which traits and abilities unlocked each move, if applicable. And the preview text tells us more complete info on how the move is likely to affect both us and them.

Similarly, the inventory UI had quite a few quality of life features added. These include auto-swapping items if you drop on a different item type, shift-click to quick transfer between containers, and click-and-drag to start dragging, with releasing the mouse dropping or equipping the item.

There are likely gaps in the above UX changes, or tweaks needed, so we'll be looking for feedback on what works and doesn't.

One small fix with potentially big implications: body temperature would previously stop working after a while, so you might see yourself stuck sweating or shivering. Now, this should work with one caveat: it probably won't fix stuck sweating/shivering on old saves. So as you're working away, you'll have to manage both fatigue and heat, on top of breathing, sleep, and nutrition.

A number of bug fixes and optimizations also went into this patch, to hopefully further make running the game smoother.

As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems!

Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC

Hey Folks!

Been a while since we did a video, so I've got one of those to share today!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In it, I chat about how far we've come since September, the huge turnaround in review score, and some of the stuff we're working on now. Plus, I discuss a few of the things we have coming up soon, including AI improvements, in-game manuals, new product designs, and even new concept art!

Hope you enjoy the video. And since this is likely the last video of the year, hope you enjoy the holidays, as well!

We have a busy 2021 ahead, and lots of fun planned :)

Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC

Hey Folks!

Ostranauts v0.6.3.9 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.

This patch took longer than expected, largely because item stacking is such a fundamental change to many systems. But it seems to be tamed, plus we have some interesting AI updates, fixes, and quality of life changes.

Specifically:

• Added item stacking.
  
• Added Drop Item and Drop Item Stack context menu options.
  
• Added fatigue, meaning, self respect, and achievement effects to tasks.
  
• Added fatigue penalties when wearing EVA and pressure suits.
  
• Added movement penalties for severe pain and fatigue.
  
• Added fatigue cost for movement.
  
• Added code to adjust fatigue rates based on health conditions.
  
• Added skilled and unskilled versions of install, uninstall, scrap, and repair interactions.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused supply kiosk to charge same amount for all containers despite their differing contents.
  
• Added code to make docking and nav UI WASD cluster respond to mouse input.
  
• Changed docking and nav WASD button icon style to look like clickable buttons.
  
• Added code to make docking and nav UI WASD cluster match hotkey settings.
  
• Fixed a bug that would state wrong reasons for failed tasks (repairs, scrapping, installs).
  
• Fixed a bug that would spawn phantom rooms inside other rooms that would drain pressure.
  
• Fixed a bug that would cause a hidden 1x1 room inside exterior northern airlock if it was open when repairs changed room count.
  
• Fixed a bug that prevented interactions from giving fractional condition loot to participants.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused some music tracks to never be played.
  
• Added unused OST track to map track list.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause movement speed to be permanently increased by having too many penalties removed at once.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused all AIs in scene to play vacuum enter/exit and helmet sounds.
  
• Fixed a bug in button audio that failed to trigger if mouse enters button while left mouse button down.
  
• Added code to make nav UI dragging ignore mouse clicks outside display area height.
  
• Added code to make Home key center camera on 0,0 while in ship edit mode.
  
• Added code to show cursor's coordinates in ship edit mode.
  
• Fixed some null bugs that could happen with nested objectives.
  
• Added new option to interaction aLootItms property called Lacks, for interactions that must lack a certain item to proceed.
  
• Fixed missing friendly name on loose nav station.
  

The big ticket feature here is item stacking. Scraps and other smaller things now sort into piles of differing size, which should hopefully both allow you to organize better, and see more of the floor on derelicts.

AI now gets various mood boosts and debuffs for doing (or failing) tasks. Fixing a row of damaged walls is a great way to improve one's sense of achievement and meaning! It's also a great way to fatigue yourself, so remember to take a break.

Kiosks now charge/pay for items inside containers, and should do a better job of separating containers of the same type with different contents (at least where price is concerned). Also, a couple of "phantom room" bug fixes, missing OST fixes, and audio fixes.

Nav and docking UIs now have clickable WASD indicators, for those who want to fly-by-mouse instead of hotkeys! Thanks for that suggestion!

The editor had a few tweaks, including home key camera centering, tile coords in the top right readout. And for modders, there is a new type of interaction requirement you can use called "Lacks." It triggers the interaction if the "us" lacks the specified items. See ACTInstallDenyNoCutter in interactions.json for an example.

As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems!

Hey Folks!

Ostranauts v0.6.3.7 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.

This patch is a big bigger than most, and includes some pretty noticeable changes and fixes, from AI to derelicts, and even performance improvements.

Specifically:

• Added code to stop AI from opening pressurized airlocks without player intervention.
  
• Changed crew roster UI to have disembark and open airlock permissions.
  
• Changed game so it can continue to run in background.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused a long pause when docking or shutting down powered objects.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused unconscious to get stuck on AI if they were interrupted while waking up.
  
• Changed the way derelicts procedurally remove items, to reduce amount of missing floors below objects.
  
• Changed derelicts to have doors randomly opened, closed, or locked.
  
• Added code to reduce AI's autonomy discomfort whenever it gets to decide on an activity to do next.
  
• Added Back Off! social move to allow AIs to vent autonomy frustrations.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause Ostranauts to freeze when hitting Exit if an object was destroyed before it was removed from ships.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash if item contained parts for repairs when it mode switched.
  
• Added code to make AI take a break from work when offering to cover their shift.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused AIs to skip replying if player chose Direct Order while they were in a good mood.
  
• Fixed a bug in career kiosk sidebar that showed wrong ship name.
  
• Changed crew roster UI to have accurate ship company name at top.
  
• Changed roster and duties UI to no longer auto-pause game when opened.
  
• Changed PDA crew button to correctly toggle UI on/off.
  

One of the big things here is the beginning of our work on making AI more useful. As of this build, AI will no longer walk through airlocks with a pressure difference without your explicit permission. You can still manually open airlocks to let them through on a case-by-case basis, or there is a toggle setting for each crew member on the roster UI (PDA crew button) if you want them to go hog wild (like before).

AI also now recharge their autonomy needs whenever they choose to do something, whether it is assigned tasks or free roaming.

Also, the game now runs in the background! Feel free to alt-tab away, and the game will continue running until you return. Handy for waiting on sleeping AIs until we get a more powerful super-fast-forward function in.

And speaking of sleeping, the unconscious stuck bug should be fixed now, too.

Derelicts got some love, as well, and should now be a bit less annoying, and more interesting. You should see more missing equipment now, and fewer floors and walls missing underneath things. Doors will also be randomly locked or closed.

Finally, several bugs were fixed in this build, including the one that caused a massive freeze/hang after docking as the player visited more and more ships.

As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems!

Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC