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Liftoff: Micro Drones News

First Look: Melon Pan Park at Night - V1 soon!


Each time we make a new level, we do it with the believe that we are crafting our best level yet. It’s only when it’s in your hands that we find out if we’ve actually succeeded. Your response to Melon Pan Park has been immense, thank you for making us feel on top of the world!

Melon Pan Park stands as a shining example of what community support can achieve. Your wish for a simulator completely tailored to a micro drones experience, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, makes dedicated content like this possible. Thank you for championing our vision and dreams of building the ultimate micro drone simulator.


[h2]Exciting Developments[/h2]

We’ve begun developing the night-time versions of Silverscreen and Melon Pan Park, and with the addition of three new micro drones, Steam achievements, and a brand-new track builder, the content and features for the V1 update are now completely locked in. While major updates before the V1 release (expected by the end of this year) are unlikely, we promise to keep you updated on our development progress. To kick things off, here’s a teaser of the Melon Pan Park night version, which is currently in development

Milestone 0.7.0 released!



For months, the whispers have spread like the warm scent of fresh-baked melon pan, and now, the gates to the park are open. Get ready for the sweet new Melon-Pan Park level!

[h2]Changelist[/h2]
  • Introduced Melon-Pan Park - Playground level.
  • Added 3 official racetracks, 1 hoverdrone track, and 3 item collection setups.
  • Added bots for the Silverscreen races.
  • Updated some old track items to be better looking (traffic cones etc)
  • Fixed a bug where tape assets were not functioning properly; they now correctly sag under their weight.


[h2]Melon-Pan Park[/h2]

It’s everything you’ve been craving: an Japanese urban jungle where wide-open streets meet shadowy alleyways, where towering concrete blends with vibrant life. At the center, a playground paradise draped in cherry blossoms, with working slides that twist and turn, and a merry-go-round that spins with nostalgia. Not hyped yet? Check out some of the videos our playtesters have made over the past few weeks.


Freestyle edit by Zhylia_FPV

[previewyoutube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMoZtpeSd4o[/previewyoutube]


Preview video by Josh of All Trades

[previewyoutube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zOX-Y28Wa4[/previewyoutube]

Reaction stream highlights by Infinity Loops

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Development roadmap update

It's been a few months since our last update, and we're excited to bring you up to speed on all the exciting new developments!

First of all, we're thrilled to announce that our team has moved into a brand new studio! After eight years in our previous rental space, we spent two months working from home while our new studio was being set up. Now, we're fully up and running in our very own studio space.



We have already enjoyed racing our micro drones trough the new studio. Would you like us to turn this into an actual Liftoff: Micro Drones level? Let us know!

[h2]V1 plans[/h2]

During that time we have set up a plan of action for the next milestone: our official V1 release where we transition the Liftoff: Micro Drones from an Early Access project to a full release. We have two mayor goals in mind for this V1 launch update:

A track builder, not just a port of the old track builder from classic Liftoff, but a brand new toolset build from scratch, focusing on the feedback and suggestions collected over the years. In our first team meeting at the new studio, we finalized the plans, and development is already progressing well!



Here are some features you can expect from our new track builder, which will also be included in classic Liftoff:
  • Completely redesigned user experience, featuring improved tools and drag-and-drop functionality
  • Freeform navigation
  • Multi-object selection and manipulation
  • Item duplication
  • Additional grid-based placement options


Additionally, we are excited to share that the launch of V1 will include the highly anticipated Melon Pan Park level. We're thrilled to give you an exclusive first look beyond the initial teasers we shared. This new level is designed to be the ultimate compilation of all the requests we've received: an outdoor playground set in an urban city environment. It will be our most intricate and detailed Liftoff: Micro Drones level to date, offering abundant opportunities for both freestyle and racing.



The big question on everyone's mind is: "When will we get this?" We'll continue working until everything feels just right, so we don't have an exact launch date yet. While we are aiming for a release in late summer, it's possible that it may be pushed to sometime after.

[h2]Thats not all[/h2]

Of course, that's not all we have in the works. We're continually developing a variety of new features and content, including the brand-new Hisingy drone, which will be added in an update before the V1 release. Additionally, we're excited about post-launch updates. While not set in stone, we're exploring ideas such as new game modes, competitive features, achievements, daily missions, etc.

Update 0.6.10 released!



Similar to its sibling, the Stargazer, the new Hisingy Sunray is designed as an amazing beginner drone and as a guilty pleasure for more experienced pilots!

It's good looking, super fun to fly and even comes with its own backstory! Drones like this help make the hobby more appealing to a wider audience, and we're excited to feature it in Liftoff: Micro Drones.

[h2]Changelist[/h2]
  • Added Hisingy Sunray drone
  • Added Hisingy Quantum Leap 1002 Motor 15300KV
  • Added Hisingy 45mm 2-blade Propeller
  • Fixed issue with Liftoff Pro sign in panel in the main menu.


Update 0.6.9 released


Introducing the highly anticipated Aquila16, brought to you by our partners at BETAFPV! Enjoy the flight!

[h2]Changelist:[/h2]
  • Added BETAFPV Aquila16 drone
  • Added Beta-45mm 3-Blades Propellers
  • Updated: complete revamp of the battery simulation system
  • Fixing some much needed back-end functionality (sorry for the big download)




[h2]Battery simulation[/h2]
We have enhanced the battery simulation for increased realism. Previously, the amp draw was too low, resulting in batteries behaving like timers. Now, your choice of battery significantly influences the simulation. Low-capacity or low C-rating batteries may prematurely die or overheat. Battery sag has been refined for greater responsiveness, exhibiting a slight voltage drop when the load increases, recovering swiftly, and a slower, more enduring drop when pushed excessively.

We are excited to get your feedback on this new battery simulation!