Dev Update 2022-07-02: Focus on balance and stability
Hey Space Travelers!
It’s a really hot summer over here, so the pace of development is a little slower than usual, but non the less, there are 120+ bug fixes, 70+ UI improvements, 50+ balance changes, 20+ new features, 5 new OST tracks and a ton of overhauled sound effects since the last update ~6 weeks ago.
To get ready for a smooth and solid launch, I have temporarily shifted focus to stability, player experience, polish, quality of life and game balance.
Let’s take a look at some noteworthy changes.
[h2]Research Overhaul[/h2]
One of the biggest set of changes was related to Research. The automatic research tree layout algorithm wasn’t doing a great job, so it was completely replaced by something much more solid. The research tree now looks better. But it’s not just about the looks. The contents of the tree were overhauled with more balanced requirements. We now also have multiple dependencies and a research queue where we can put as many items as we want - you no longer need to start a new research every time something gets unlocked.
Humans will also be able to contribute to the research - you can build Research Stations for that. This also enables running more than one research at the same time.
[h2]Hailing Merchants[/h2]
It’s easy to get short on certain materials in space, and finding them on planets may not be a quick and easy task. There is a new option of dealing with resource shortages. You can use a Communicator to hail a specific type of Merchant. Once contacted, the Merchant will arrive at your location with a set of goods that may help you solve your urgent need for specific items or materials.
[h2]More / Better Charts[/h2]
Charts have been overhauled as well. They are now easier to read, with better tooltips. Electricity grid charts have the most notable improvements. They pack a lot of important information that is easy to understand. You can see energy production capacity, consumption, deficit, battery reserve and battery charge level.
Inventory will also display resource charts, so you can predict how fast you will run out of fuel, or see if the soy burger production can keep up with demand.
[h2]Device Wear[/h2]
This is a new mechanic that may seem dull at first, but hear me out! The device wear accumulates according to use and other factors (like taking damage), and once the wear reaches 100%, the device can no longer be repaired. At that point you can only replace the device. I made sure this mechanic would not become grindy, and you wouldn’t have to keep replacing everything over and over. Devices wear very slowly on their own. But if there is a fire, or a meteor strike damages your solar panels, you can’t expect them to work as “brand new” once they get patched up, and after one more strike they won’t be repairable at all. This mechanic adds some realism to the simulation. But should you find it annoying, it can be turned off completely in game settings.
[h2]Hazard Warnings[/h2]
Sometimes it was not obvious why certain items were never used by human colonists. 99% of the time the reason was that the item was in a spot where there was not enough oxygen, or it was too cold. A new system will show warning notifications for objects and devices in hazardous environments, but only if those things are meant to be used by humans. You can turn off these warnings either per each object individually, or globally in game settings.
[h2]Ordering Petting[/h2]
I kept the most important feature for last! You can now order petting a pet, and see when was the last time any pet was petted, and by whom.
That’s it for now! See you in the next update, and have a great summer!
[h2]Follow the Development[/h2]
[h2]Add Stardeus to Wishlist[/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1380910/Stardeus/
It’s a really hot summer over here, so the pace of development is a little slower than usual, but non the less, there are 120+ bug fixes, 70+ UI improvements, 50+ balance changes, 20+ new features, 5 new OST tracks and a ton of overhauled sound effects since the last update ~6 weeks ago.
To get ready for a smooth and solid launch, I have temporarily shifted focus to stability, player experience, polish, quality of life and game balance.
Let’s take a look at some noteworthy changes.
[h2]Research Overhaul[/h2]
One of the biggest set of changes was related to Research. The automatic research tree layout algorithm wasn’t doing a great job, so it was completely replaced by something much more solid. The research tree now looks better. But it’s not just about the looks. The contents of the tree were overhauled with more balanced requirements. We now also have multiple dependencies and a research queue where we can put as many items as we want - you no longer need to start a new research every time something gets unlocked.
Humans will also be able to contribute to the research - you can build Research Stations for that. This also enables running more than one research at the same time.
[h2]Hailing Merchants[/h2]
It’s easy to get short on certain materials in space, and finding them on planets may not be a quick and easy task. There is a new option of dealing with resource shortages. You can use a Communicator to hail a specific type of Merchant. Once contacted, the Merchant will arrive at your location with a set of goods that may help you solve your urgent need for specific items or materials.
[h2]More / Better Charts[/h2]
Charts have been overhauled as well. They are now easier to read, with better tooltips. Electricity grid charts have the most notable improvements. They pack a lot of important information that is easy to understand. You can see energy production capacity, consumption, deficit, battery reserve and battery charge level.
Inventory will also display resource charts, so you can predict how fast you will run out of fuel, or see if the soy burger production can keep up with demand.
[h2]Device Wear[/h2]
This is a new mechanic that may seem dull at first, but hear me out! The device wear accumulates according to use and other factors (like taking damage), and once the wear reaches 100%, the device can no longer be repaired. At that point you can only replace the device. I made sure this mechanic would not become grindy, and you wouldn’t have to keep replacing everything over and over. Devices wear very slowly on their own. But if there is a fire, or a meteor strike damages your solar panels, you can’t expect them to work as “brand new” once they get patched up, and after one more strike they won’t be repairable at all. This mechanic adds some realism to the simulation. But should you find it annoying, it can be turned off completely in game settings.
[h2]Hazard Warnings[/h2]
Sometimes it was not obvious why certain items were never used by human colonists. 99% of the time the reason was that the item was in a spot where there was not enough oxygen, or it was too cold. A new system will show warning notifications for objects and devices in hazardous environments, but only if those things are meant to be used by humans. You can turn off these warnings either per each object individually, or globally in game settings.
[h2]Ordering Petting[/h2]
I kept the most important feature for last! You can now order petting a pet, and see when was the last time any pet was petted, and by whom.
That’s it for now! See you in the next update, and have a great summer!
[h2]Follow the Development[/h2]
- Official Website: https://stardeusgame.com
- Join Stardeus Discord
- /r/stardeus on Reddit
- @StardeusGame on Twitter
- @dev_spajus on Twitter
- dev_spajus on Twitch (live development streams)
[h2]Add Stardeus to Wishlist[/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1380910/Stardeus/