1. Space Grunts 2
  2. News

Space Grunts 2 News

update v1.11.0: New life and Teleporters


Captain, we discovered new life forms!  I figured it was about time to add some fresh meat to the game, so you'll be able to encounter three new creatures, one of which is very fast: it can take 2 turns so might be harder to escape from!

The tornado's were still causing some issues here and there, so I added more code to (hopefully) avoid all issues where a tornado somehow seems to fling you into the big unknown: Space.  Let me know if you still run into those issues (and preferably with a screenshot and through discord.gg/orangepixel .. thanks!)

Transporters now have gotten even more functionality, as mentioned last week, so now stepping onto a transportation spot pops-up a little choice. Either set it as a new safe-spot, use it to teleport to the last set safe-spot, or just ignore it (if you stepped on it by accident).

The last safe-spot teleport is also shown on the radar in Blue.. and I think it's about time to add some sort of legend to the map-screen in an update soon!

For now, enjoy the life-forms and teleportation functionality captain!

Full changes list:

  • added: Transporters now give the option to use them (beam out) set as safe spot, or leave them
  • added: latest transport spot is highlighted on the radar
  • added: new creature: Nilo
  • added: new creature: Brocko
  • added: killed aliens will sometimes lave a smelly corpse attracting other creatures
  • added: some creature can now have faster movement (2 tiles instead of 1)
  • added: "speed" info to alien-codex
  • fixed: tornado's flinging you around the map will check wider surroundings
  • fixed: multi-turn locks up player if alien dies with turns left
  • fixed: tornado-fling will also show your surroundings (calculate FOV)

Update 1.10.0: Let's eat FRUIT and rebalance


It's a big one this week!  Version 1.10.0 comes with a host of new goodies, big changes, and some planning for future updates. So let's dive into the juicy stuff.

And IT IS juicy this week, you'll now find the planet has a host of different fruits and these are a little different from your normal items. Fruit is "instant" so if you pickup a fruit, it's effects will be instant and not card-based. In most cases the fruit will increase your health with +1 or +3 (depending on the size of the fruit).. but every now and then, the fruit can be rotten.. and there is always one type that's poison.  So figure out which is poison, and avoid it as much as possible.

My idea behind this feature is that it is an alternate way to increase your HP, and it should help getting deeper into the game.  Because it helps.. I of course had to add an opposing effect. So you might find that some of the aliens are now more aggressive. I've been rebalancing some stuff, and also made aliens more likely to attack you (to avoid being able to breeze through a group of aliens without ever getting attacked).

More balancing is done in the shape of increasing your XP, which should now be slightly faster, so it also makes it possible to level-up faster. Still tinkering with it!

Besides the fruit, there are some new level layouts, there is now a fruit-room, and a bunch of graphical changes left and right.

Another BIG change is the function of teleporters/safe-spots. I always found them a little underwhelming and function-less. SO let's improve it. The "Retreat" card in battles is now replaced with a "Beam out" card, which will instantly bring you to the last safe-spot (and end the battle). This makes the teleporters suddenly more interesting, because you can now trigger them near the exit, or near a fruit-room, or at least in a safe spot somewhere in the level.

I will be expanding on this idea for a future update, as one of my plans is to start adding some more "tasks" to the levels. Right now the only task is finding a red key, to open a red-door, and use the exit. But I want to add a few things like: the exit might not work, unless you activate/hack a few consoles somewhere in the level.  Or the red-key isn't available in the level, but taken by a monster or a specific NPC has it (and yes, there will be NPC's coming to the game).

I got plans! For now, boot up the new version, give it a few goes, and let me know if I broke anything else while doing all these improvements ;)




Full changes list:

  • added: Fruit - instantly heals, but can be rotten (lowers HP) or poisonous (sickness)
  • added: Fruit-room
  • added: few new level building blocks
  • added: seeding number to pause screen (for bug fixing)
  • added: graphical destruction to walls near explosions
  • added: increased enemy spawns in later levels
  • added: replaced (fairly useless) "Retreat" card with "Beam out" card - taking you to last safe spot
  • added: Trinket info now shown every game on first pickup
  • added: visibility (field-of-view) now smaller when in darkness
  • added: Card stats now show passive/buff card info (and correctly sorts them)
  • added: teleporter spots near exits
  • fixed: minor background graphic improvements
  • fixed: in-teleporting aliens should never be sleeping
  • fixed: slight increase on alien attack-chance in later levels
  • fixed: phantom red-keys (when alternate routes are available)
  • fixed: level-generator bug in 4-direction rooms
  • fixed: small bug in random drops (items, cards, fruit, etc)
  • fixed: VERY rare bug where tornado could put you inside an unescapable small area
  • fixed: "Exit" button on "game completed" screen not working (because of all buff cards unlocked)
  • fixed: lowered "XP" steps required to unlock later XP levels
  • fixed: power-shield card ended turn (for no apparent reason)
  • fixed: monsters now more likely to avoid hazards when moving (like acid)
  • fixed: using medikit at HP station - doesn't cure sickness

Update v1.9.0 : New environments


This weeks big new feature comes in the shape of new environment graphics. I decided it was time to spice up the variation a bit, so there are now alternate versions of graphics for each region, and the game will alternate between those for the various levels.  It's a tiny thing gameplay wise, but it does make the game feel fresh again!

While doing new graphics I also added a tiny amount of new level-layouts, so you might find yourself wandering in new areas now and then!

Most of this weeks code was preparing some under-the-hood stuff for future updates. I haven't been adding new cards because I made a thinking error in my code/design, making it hard to add new cards without messing up a bunch of things like statistics and unlocked buff cards, etc.   The code to fix all that is now running in this version, which makes it possible again to start adding new cards in future updates.. I have some ideas already!

Finally I fixed a few bugs and small annoyances..  game on Captain!

Full changes list:

  • added: alternate graphics for every region (randomized for more variation)
  • added: new level building blocks
  • fixed: re-organized skills and buff card code handling for future updates
  • fixed: split tornado-event and single-tornado dialog text
  • fixed: healing (sickness) now only works when using a medi-kit or enhancer card
  • fixed: player energy wasn't correctly saved in saved-game



for support, questions, or just Space chit-chat, make sure to check discord.gg/orangepixel #spacegrunts !

Update v1.8.0 : Character customization



A much requested feature is some sort of character customization, so guess what! We now have character customization! It's not over extensive because the game doesn't really have a huge amount of statistics that change the game's progress. There is strength, defense, and tech and of course your health.

I might expand on this in future updates, but such an update will require a lot more work because any extra properties are required to drill down to every system that makes up the game ! So adding properties is easy, but having them connect with all the other game stuff takes some thought.

For now, I think this is a pretty cool step towards modifying the challenge of a single run!

I also made mechanical-walls show up more visibly on your radar, as I noticed some players weren't aware enough and at times missed the fact that some walls had walls that only open up when you are near them. This should remedy those problems.

There was also, still, some occasional problems with the boss-level not generating an exit/boss/ending. I added a few more checks for when such a thing might happen and then fix those cases.

Full changes list:

  • added: Character customization
  • added: mechanical walls are now visible on the radar
  • added: double check for levels creating an exit
  • added: transparency to walls blocking your view
  • fixed: Tornado's now vanish after tossing player 3 times
  • fixed: progress-menu items design

Update 1.7.0: Tornado season


Another week, another update! This one is a bit fun, I had this silly idea for a Tornado entity. You can't fight with it, or interact with it.. you can only try to avoid it .. OR NOT!  Because bumping into it isn't pure good or bad. 

When you hit the tornado it will reshuffle your full deck (always) and there's a fairly big chance that it will fling you around the map a bit; placing you on a nearby tile.  Both the reshuffle and the flinging might actually turn out pretty well if you are in a crowded area!  

There is now also a Tornado-Event added to the random event-pool, in which case those tornado's will be all over and in much bigger numbers than in a normal round.

So enjoy! :)

Full changes list:

  • added: Tornado entities - they shuffle your deck, and teleport you to last safe spot
  • added: Tornado season event (many tornado's)
  • added: new hints (on character select screen)


Fixes:

  • fixed: improved settings menu items