Big Update Coming
Hello everyone,
We hope you’ve all managed to get through the first half of 2021 safe and healthy. We have spent the last months working hard to improve Space Travel Idle. With the help of a lot of great feedback from all of you, the next update to the game will entail a number of (for us) exciting new features:
An optional tutorial
First off, we find that players often struggle most with the first few play-minutes. This became clear from feedback in the review section of Steam but also from our friends and family; we have heard that the first few minutes are entirely overwhelming. Therefore, we created a tutorial system that makes it easier for players to understand all basic elements of gameplay in order to “get going”. That being said, players who prefer to “explore” on their own, who prefer to figure things out without an extensive tutorial, will naturally be able to opt out of it. This has taken much longer than we wanted due to some struggles with the Unity Game Engine, but we are now confident that the tutorial adds significant value for new players.
A modular prestige system
Another pain point is that the game starts to feel slow and “grindy” over time. Of course, idle games are not meant to be fast-paced, but they are also not meant to be boring. The game should remain engaging even over time. We have reworked our balancing (which is, in all honesty, still a Work-in-Progress) and added a modular prestige system to improve the feeling of progress at an enjoyable rate. Players will be able to prestige and “restart” the game with additional perks which they can pick themselves. Some might want to improve their stats in battle, while others might want to improve their resource gains. As later planets become more grindy, the prestige should make it easier, faster, and more enjoyable to travel through space. The modularity will make it possible for players to make it their “individual” journey.
Card Alchemy
So far, cards were mostly collected through either battle zone success or Card Forging. The next update will include a third source of new cards, Card Alchemy. With Card Alchemy, you will be able to combine different cards (and some mystery-inputs) to create entirely new, very powerful additions for your decks. We believe that this will add another enjoyable layer of progress and the ability for those of us who enjoy collecting complete decks to create a unique collection.
Stats Tracking and Challenges
Progress in Space Travel Idle was often hard to measure. We want to improve on that issue by making your game stats easily accessible (and a little nice to look at). This is going to be an ongoing Work-in-Progress, but we do find this a very important addition for a game that gives a rewarding feeling when progress is made. Furthermore, we really hope that you will enjoy trying to complete the challenges that await you.
A lot of content
The current version ends with Mercury. The coming update will include all planets until including Jupiter, with more content ready to launch progressively with upcoming minor updates throughout Summer. Beyond planets, the next update will also include a very large number of new battle zones, cards, and more.
Our ETA for the coming update is most likely within July, with all remaining planets (and a certain dwarf planet) of our solar system by August. Some roadblocks, such as tricky bugs, server construction, and Covid-related delays, have pushed our timeline back a lot so far, so we hesitate to announce a fixed date just yet. However, it is important for us that you know that we are still here and that the next update is coming very soon. Thank you all for your patience!
Much love,
Aya & Berk
We hope you’ve all managed to get through the first half of 2021 safe and healthy. We have spent the last months working hard to improve Space Travel Idle. With the help of a lot of great feedback from all of you, the next update to the game will entail a number of (for us) exciting new features:
An optional tutorial
First off, we find that players often struggle most with the first few play-minutes. This became clear from feedback in the review section of Steam but also from our friends and family; we have heard that the first few minutes are entirely overwhelming. Therefore, we created a tutorial system that makes it easier for players to understand all basic elements of gameplay in order to “get going”. That being said, players who prefer to “explore” on their own, who prefer to figure things out without an extensive tutorial, will naturally be able to opt out of it. This has taken much longer than we wanted due to some struggles with the Unity Game Engine, but we are now confident that the tutorial adds significant value for new players.
A modular prestige system
Another pain point is that the game starts to feel slow and “grindy” over time. Of course, idle games are not meant to be fast-paced, but they are also not meant to be boring. The game should remain engaging even over time. We have reworked our balancing (which is, in all honesty, still a Work-in-Progress) and added a modular prestige system to improve the feeling of progress at an enjoyable rate. Players will be able to prestige and “restart” the game with additional perks which they can pick themselves. Some might want to improve their stats in battle, while others might want to improve their resource gains. As later planets become more grindy, the prestige should make it easier, faster, and more enjoyable to travel through space. The modularity will make it possible for players to make it their “individual” journey.
Card Alchemy
So far, cards were mostly collected through either battle zone success or Card Forging. The next update will include a third source of new cards, Card Alchemy. With Card Alchemy, you will be able to combine different cards (and some mystery-inputs) to create entirely new, very powerful additions for your decks. We believe that this will add another enjoyable layer of progress and the ability for those of us who enjoy collecting complete decks to create a unique collection.
Stats Tracking and Challenges
Progress in Space Travel Idle was often hard to measure. We want to improve on that issue by making your game stats easily accessible (and a little nice to look at). This is going to be an ongoing Work-in-Progress, but we do find this a very important addition for a game that gives a rewarding feeling when progress is made. Furthermore, we really hope that you will enjoy trying to complete the challenges that await you.
A lot of content
The current version ends with Mercury. The coming update will include all planets until including Jupiter, with more content ready to launch progressively with upcoming minor updates throughout Summer. Beyond planets, the next update will also include a very large number of new battle zones, cards, and more.
Our ETA for the coming update is most likely within July, with all remaining planets (and a certain dwarf planet) of our solar system by August. Some roadblocks, such as tricky bugs, server construction, and Covid-related delays, have pushed our timeline back a lot so far, so we hesitate to announce a fixed date just yet. However, it is important for us that you know that we are still here and that the next update is coming very soon. Thank you all for your patience!
Much love,
Aya & Berk