EarthX News

Hey,

After 9 days of me taking a "break", I can finally release the first snapshot of the 0.2.8 update.

Why is snapshot 1 amazing? Because it takes the graphics on another level! I tried to make it look nicer but also that you can still run it on low-end PC. The system requirements are going to be a little higher, but this is what I do expect from the players on Steam. You can still launch EarthX on LOW at a potato PC tho.

Why did it take more than a week to make? One of the reasons is my private life problems, like school or my destroyed PC. I will talk about that later in a new post ;)

Changelog:

• Improved: Everything is smaller
  I made every object 30 times smaller to get more space for AI companies, but also for better visual appearance.
  
  
• Added: New water appearance
  The water has now its animation, reflections, and the actual visible ocean deep.
  
  
• Added: Wind
  All trees and clouds are affected now by the wind.
  
  
• Added: Shadows
  All objects have now its shadows!
  
  
• Added: Better color shadings
  Now the colors are looking even more dynamic and nicer!
  
  
  
  
• Improved: The earth rotates now the right way!
  So many players requested me to change this, so here you go!
  
  
• Improved: GEO sats are now static
  Just like IRL.
  
  
• Added: Engine smoke when the rocket is flying in the atmosphere
  

• Added: New build mode
  I reworked the build mode. Now instead of 24 slots, you can place buildings where you want and how you want.
  
  
  
• Added: New rocket animations (AGAIN!)
  But this time with a lot better appearance and performance! I added 3 types of animations for LEO, MEO and GEO orbits, so everything is now visualized. Even the second stage! You can now see the fairings deploy on the second stage :D
  The landing has now sonic booms!
  

• Improved: Test mission will be no longer selected on default
  
• Improved: Mission report window appearance
  
• Improved: Camera movement (it's more responsible now)
  
• Fixed: rockets didn’t reset their position after a launch
  
• Fixed: landing rockets could cause a lot of errors sometimes
  
• Fixed: rocket reliability could be more than 100%
  
• Fixed: mission report showed the wrong info after the failed static fire
  
• Fixed: the offices are looking for wrong contracts after game load
  
• Fixed: particles didn’t work properly on some of GPUs
  
• Fixed: profit after a mission was wrongly calculated
  
• Fixed: Tooltips didn't change their scale
  
• Fixed: Static fire took 2 payments
  
• Removed: Truth mode (Flat earth)
  

This snapshot was published for everyone.
Visit our Discord server:
https://discord.gg/sbXwwMs

Hey,

After 4 snapshot updates, I'm glad to announce, that the full 0.2.7 update has been released now.

This update was actually really easy to make, but of course, there were some hard times, which I passed through.

0.2.7 "Research is consistent" update was focused on adding research stuff and I think I've achieved the goal. You can now upgrade your modules, the rockets are getting cheaper and cheaper over time, and you can research the explosions. This update gave EarthX more deep and opened me the door to add a lot of more stuff.

Please take your time to read this changelog (Screenshots are here too!) and in the end, I will talk a little bit about 0.2.8 (next) update.

Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/hspjjg0l8w4

Rockets and modules
• Added: Completely new explosions system
  The explosions are now based 100% on the reliability of the modules. There're of course some randoms in it, but now you can really do something about it.
  If a rocket explodes, you actually know why. I've added about 25 reasons (4-5 for each module) like overpressure or software failure. An issue can happen only one time, so after 15-20 explosions the rockets are getting more and more reliable. A perfect fundament for crew missions :D
  
  
• Added: New rocket animations
  I moved the animations 100% to the code, so I can have a lot of more control over it. That's why now if a rocket explodes, it starts to spinning around before it. The rockets can now tip over at landing and explode after it.
  
  
• Added: New explosions effect
  Now if a rocket explodes, the camera shakes.
  
  
• Added: New static fire logic
  If you're making a static fire now, there's a 5% chance that the rocket explodes on the launch pad. However, there's also a 20% chance of finding an issue in the rocket, which adds reliability to it.
  
  
• Added: Mission reports
  You can now see a report after every mission. It contains stats and so on. No more annoying notifications while launching the rocket :D
  
  
  
  
• Added: New rocket repairing system
  Now repairing rockets is more intuitive and easier.
  
  
• Added: One step forward to make rockets affordable
  Now the modules are cheaper each build. For example, if you've built 10 small fairings, they just get cheaper (so is the rocket too).
  
  
• Added: New durability system
  I moved the durability from the rocket to each of the modules, so the rocket repairing would be more intuitive. It also affects the explosions a little bit.
  
  
• Added: Now you can preview the modules in the rocket preview
  You can see the build costs at building and durability status at launching/repairing.
  
  
  
  
• Added: Module upgrades
  Module upgrades make the desired module cheaper, more reliable and the build time is faster.
  
  
• Added: 3 new skill point types
  Fairing, Fuel tank, and Engine skill points are used for upgrading the modules.
  
  
  
  
  Other
• Added: Tutorial
  Now the John (James actually) will teach you, how to play EarthX :D
  
  
  
  
• Added: Factory stats
  Now if a factory builds 60 engines, it will build them 6% faster. You can see it as the building upgrades (which got removed in snapshot 2).
  All buildings have now their level.
  
  
• Added: Hangars existing sense
  Now the hangars are actually storing your rockets. Every hangar can store up to 3 rockets.
  
  
• Added: Tooltips
  As the players requested, I added tooltips to some places in the UI.
  
  
• Added: GEO ring
  The satellites launched on GEO orbit are flying around the earth in a very visible way. Besides that, I added 6 new satellite models, which are made by rykllan.
  
  
• Added: Naming buildings
  Now you can name every building as you want. Feature requested by one of the players.
  
  
• Added: Flying numbers
  It's just a better visualization of money income/outcome etc.
  
  
• Added: Game version control
  Now you can't play the save files from older versions of EarthX. This caused a lot of bugs and it will be not supported in Early Access. This game develops rapidly ;)
  
  
• Added: One secret easter egg
  Improved: Working with offices
  Now you can decide, which type of contracts the office should look for.
  
  
  Improvements and small features:
  
  
  
• Improved: Research tree look
  
• Improved: Overall UI improvements
  
• Improved: Unlocking balance
  
• Improved: Rocket look
  
• Improved: Added 150 satellites object limit
  You can still launch more than 150 satellites, but the game will show only the max of 150 of them on the Earth orbit.
  
  
• Improved: Added colors to the building icons
  
• Improved: Building trackers appearance and performance
  
• Improved: Shadows appearance
  
• Improved: Explosions & engine particles appearance
  
• Improved: Interface sounds
  
• Improved: Buttons
  Now if a button is disabled, it will look more like it's disabled.
  
  
• Improved: Rocket repair logic
  Now the durability of the fairings after a mission on a reusable rocket will be 0%.
  
  
• Improved: Loans amount are now higher (Inflation hehe)
  
• Improved: Paying taxes
  In older versions of EarthX, if you got 10M$ of income and 5M$ of the outcome, you would still pay 13% of that 10M$ income. Now you pay 13% of (income -
  outcome), in this case, 5M$.
  
  
• Improved: Game balance
  
• Improved: Increased the character limit on every input field.
  
• Improved: Main menu home look
  
  
  Bugfixes:
  
  
  
• Fixed: Research tree loading
  
• Fixed: 3-core rocket building was too easy
  
• Fixed: Contracts and missions didn't work properly
  
• Fixed: Modules build didn't progress sometimes
  
• Fixed: Bug, where you could create a new game, while you were already in the game.
  
• Fixed: Bug, where you could build a rocket without unlocked modules.
  
• Fixed: Truth mode loading didn't work properly.
  
• Fixed: The resolution in the settings tab was always the lowest.
  
• Fixed: You couldn't get into the build mode if any window was open
  
• Fixed: You couldn't pause the game if any window was open
  
• Fixed: If you paused the game, it would unpause if you closed any window
  
• Fixed: Employees pay was always 0$
  
• Fixed: Buildings rent was always 0$
  
• Fixed: The contract would be removed even if you're launching a mission right now.
  
  
• Removed: Building upgrades
  Added in a new form of factory stats.
  
  
• Removed: City names
  Now you can name every building on your own.
  

Research is consistent. Big thanks to rykllan for mental support and for helping to make the next update 0.2.8 possible.


Now I will begin working on the 0.2.8 update, which will focus on... competition. Imagine fighting against other space companies. The contract count is limited and you have to convince others, that you're the best. I really hope I can do that because the game will get much more gameplay deep after that.
Anyway, we will see how it goes :D

Discord server: http://mesotegames.com/discord

Hey,

This is the final snapshot of the 0.2.7 update. The full 0.2.7 official release is scheduled for tomorrow.

Working on this all snapshots was very exciting and I learned a lot. Now I will make few days break and then I will begin working on 0.2.8 update :)

• Added: Tutorial
  
• Added: Naming buildings
  Now you can name every building as you want. Feature requested by one of the players.
  
  
• Added: Hangars existing sense
  Now the hangars are actually storing your rockets. Every hangar can store up to 3 rockets.
  
  
• Added: Flying numbers
  It's just a better visualization of money income/outcome etc.
  
  
• Added: Game version control
  Now you can't play the save files from older versions of EarthX. This caused a lot of bugs and it will be not supported in Early Access. This game develops rapidly ;)
  
  
• Added: One secret easter egg
  
• Improved: Working with offices
  Now you can decide, which type of contracts the office should look for.
  
  
• Improved: Paying taxes
  In older versions of EarthX, if you got 10M$ of income and 5M$ of the outcome, you would still pay 13% of that 10M$ income. Now you pay 13% of (income -
  outcome), in this case, 5M$.
  
  
• Improved: Game balance
  Few experiments with explosions and employees pay.
  
  
• Improved: Increased the character limit on every input field.
  
• Improved: Main menu home look
  
• Fixed: Truth mode loading didn't work properly.
  
• Fixed: The resolution in the settings tab was always the lowest.
  
• Fixed: You couldn't get into the build mode if any window was open
  
• Fixed: You couldn't pause the game if any window was open
  
• Fixed: If you paused the game, it would unpause if you closed any window
  
• Fixed: Employees pay was always 0$
  
• Fixed: Buildings rent was always 0$
  

Go to your library and click with the right mouse button on EarthX on the list. After that go to the properties and select "BETAS", and then "snapshots" from the dropdown list.

You will probably need to restart your steam after that in order to begin downloading snapshots versions.

Snapshots are available only for Windows in the English language.

Note: Snapshots are for testing purposes only. If you've found any bug, please let me know on my discord server:
https://discord.gg/sbXwwMs

Hey,

I'm glad to release this not-a small snapshot update today. I've worked on it for about a week and the work time I put into it was massive.

I hope you will all enjoy it. I will now work on the last snapshot update and release the full 0.2.7 after it.

• Added: Completely new explosions system
  The explosions are now based 100% on the reliability of the modules. There're of course some randoms in it, but now you can really do something about it.
  If a rocket explodes, you actually know why. I've added about 25 reasons (4-5 for each module) like overpressure or software failure. An issue can happen only one time, so after 15-20 explosions the rockets are getting more and more reliable. A perfect fundament for crew missions :D
  
  
• Added: New rocket animations
  I moved the animations 100% to the code, so I can have a lot of more control over it. That's why now if a rocket explodes, it starts to spinning around before it. The rockets can now tip over at landing and explode after it.
  
  
• Added: New explosions effect
  Now if a rocket explodes, the camera shakes.
  
  
• Added: New static fire logic
  If you're making a static fire now, there's a 5% chance that the rocket explodes on the launch pad. However, there's also a 20% chance of finding an issue in the rocket, which adds reliability to it.
  
  
• Added: Mission reports
  You can now see a report after every mission. It contains stats and so on. No more annoying notifications while launching the rocket :D
  
  
• Added: Factory stats
  Now if a factory builds 60 engines, it will build them 6% faster. You can see it as the building upgrades (which got removed in snapshot 2).
  All buildings have now their level.
  
  
• Added: Tooltips
  As the players requested, I added tooltips to some places in the UI.
  
  
• Improved: Building trackers appearance and performance
  
• Improved: Shadows appearance
  
• Improved: Explosions & engine particles appearance
  
• Improved: Interface sounds
  
• Improved: Buttons
  Now if a button is disabled, it will look more like it's disabled.
  
  
• Improved: Rocket repair logic
  Now the durability of the fairings after a mission on a reusable rocket will be 0%.
  
  
• Improved: Loans amount are now higher (Inflation hehe)
  
• Fixed: Bug, where you could create a new game, while you were already in the game.
  
• Fixed: Bug, where you could build a rocket without unlocked modules.
  
• Removed: City names
  

Go to your library and click with the right mouse button on EarthX on the list. After that go to the properties and select "BETAS", and then "snapshots" from the dropdown list.

You will probably need to restart your steam after that in order to begin downloading snapshots versions.

Snapshots are available only for Windows in the English language.

Note: Snapshots are for testing purposes only. If you've found any bug, please let me know on my discord server:
https://discord.gg/sbXwwMs

Hey,

In this snapshot update, I continue to rework and improve all the modules & rockets related stuff.

The full 0.2.7 will be a pretty big update, which changes all how we play EarthX.

I started working on the module upgrades, but I also began working on new buildings related things.

Please stay tuned for more snapshots and of course for the full 0.2.7 version of the game.

• Added: 3 new skill point types
  
• Added: Module upgrades (in BETA)
  
• Added: Modules list to the rocket preview
  
• Added: Module prices in the rocket preview
  
• Added: New rocket repair system
  
• Added: New rocket durability system
  
• Improved: Rocket look
  
• Improved: Added 150 sats limit on the orbit
  
• Improved: Research tree look
  
• Improved: Building icons
  
• Fixed: Contracts and missions didn't work properly
  
• Fixed: Modules build didn't progress sometimes
  
• Removed: Building upgrades
  

Go to your library and click with the right mouse button on EarthX on the list. After that go to the properties and select "BETAS", and then "snapshots" from the dropdown list.

You will probably need to restart your steam after that in order to begin downloading snapshots versions.

Snapshots are available only for Windows in the English language.

Note: Snapshots are for testing purposes only. If you've found any bug, please let me know on my discord server:
https://discord.gg/sbXwwMs