A-Spec First Assault News

Read on for May development progress for A-Spec First Assault and what will appear in the next patch.

[h2]Chapter 3 Story Missions[/h2]
I have two of the three missions fully scripted for Chapter 3. The 2nd mission was quite the challenge. All the scripting occurred inside a single Navpoint (for reference you transition to additional Navpoints via autopilot).

This leaves the 3rd mission to be scripted. Then the briefing and debriefings need to writing for all.

Given how long the first two Chapter 3 missions took to script I needed a bit of a break from scripting and reflect on the overall story.

[h2]Side Missions[/h2]
Chapter 3 side missions require extra consideration before scripting starts.

[h2]Background Scenery[/h2]
To clear my palette from scripting missions, I decided to improve the capabilities of the skybox and for the last week working on implementing modular backgrounds sourced from this awesome creator. The modular backgrounds are various celestial bodies combined to replace or supplement the skybox.

This is all coded in the level editor I use to script all missions and will allow me to create unique celestial backgrounds per mission and Navpoint. It’s mostly complete and functional and just needs to include all types of modular backgrounds and provide some additional options (i.e. lighting settings).

FYI the level editor is not publicly available in A-Spec. TBH with all the changes I have made since Absolute Territory, it is not as user-friendly. And will remain so at this time.

Combining a standard skybox with multiple background elements.#screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/WfQ2gQt6ob
— Digitum Software (@digitumsoftware) May 25, 2024

[h2]Game Bundles[/h2]
A-Spec First Assault is now in the A-Spec First Assault & Operation: Harsh Doorstop bundle. This includes the donation DLC to the free-to-play moddable military multiplayer shooter game Operation: Harsh Doorstop with 20% off.

[h2]New features[/h2]
In addition to PDC's, which I talked about last month, the next patch release includes some additional features.

• Primary weapon mounting slots will have size restrictions.
  
• Gun Turrets now have a target priority list for each. Depending on the size and weapon type turrets favour smaller or larger craft based on the priority list. The 'fire at will' turret command will ignore the priority list.
  
• When a player ship turret is critically damaged and offline the weapons panel will show reflect this and provide the repair time before going online again.
  
• The wingmen status panel displays each wingman's order being actioned.
  
• A quick actions popup panel for gamepad users to interact with ship actions there are more actions than button combinations with Xbox and PlayStation controllers. It also pauses the action when open.
  
• Subsystem damage indicators added to the HUD for the player and the player's target. These indicators change colour to reflect the amount of damage to a subsystem group to provide a quick glance at overall ship performance.
  

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]
More bugs found with the more pressing ones squashed into a fine bug paste.

If you find a bug, please let me know on either the Discord or the A-Spec Steam forum, explain the problem, and if you can repeat the problem or not.

If you can repeat the problem, provide the steps on how to do it, like a list of actions to perform to make the bug happen. Using that I can investigate and follow your steps to replicate the problem, and if I can replicate the problem I can then start working on a fix.

If it is a bug that appears often, but also seemingly random, if you are willing to provide a video recording of that moment, it may help.

I want to keep A-Spec free of jank and bugs. Most bugs I find myself, which should be the case as I am on the front line. Though I am only one guy, and bugs do fall through, I work quickly to resolve them. Your continued help in identifying is appreciated.

[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Thank you for reading. Chapter 3 is taking longer than I expected it to. Though I am happy with the results so far.

Once I have added and evaluated all required functionality for the modular backgrounds, I will return back to completing the Chapter 3 missions, including additional side mission types/variants.

Thanks for all your support. A-Spec is just the next step on this journey towards making a fun simcade (between arcade-simulation) for space combat enthusiasts.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1608330/ASpec_First_Assault/

Fixed the following:

• Primary weapons missing the abbreviation for weapon size
  
• Burst Autocannon/16 X2 and Burst Autocannon/8 X2 will now show up correctly on the inventory screen
  
• DirectoryNotFoundException
  

Patch Notes 0.14.0 Overview

• New Interceptor Corvette (Avdiivka)
  
• New passive modules to enhance your ship
  
• Bugs fixes, improvements and balance changes
  

Known Issues

• Autospeed match 'close' setting does not work as expected
  
• Colliders for Fighter, Gunship, Carrier, and Large Transport are not optimized for best-fitting
  
• Jump-out animations are not scaled correctly for ships bigger than a gunship
  

Added

• Avdiivka Interceptor Corvette (Unlocked from completing Chapter 1 Mission 3)
  
• Armour plating module small and medium modules
  
• Explosive Armour Protection small and medium modules
  
• Kinetic Armour Protection small and medium modules
  
• Additional icons for module items
  
• New module inventory items are unlocked progressing through chapter 2 missions
  
• Player fleet size increased to 3 after completing Chapter 2 Mission 3
  
• Progress rewards will be retroactively unlocked based on players current progress
  

Changed

• Balancing Ships to allow the player to approach at target strategically affecting ship Mass, Armour/Hull HP, max speed and acceleration/deceleration for velocity and rotation
  
• Percentages are now used for all module stats displays
  
• Amended text layout for Loading a saved preset in ship fitting to limit text wrapping from long equipment item names
  
• Adjusted prestige price, fitting, applied stats and their values for module items
  
• Module slots now have slot sizes which will only fit the same size module item
  
• Starting a tutorial now goes straight into the mission, bypassing the ship selection screen
  

Fixed

• The mouse cursor was never visible on the 1st time welcome screen
  
• Ship stats displays for Yaw/Pitch/Roll and Horizontal/Vertical for acceleration are not updated in the ship fitting screen when modules applied
  
• Null reference errors on ship loadouts with multiple launcher groups
  
• Weapon models not being updated in fitting screen preview when added and/or removed
  
• Null Reference error caused exiting the Vessel Fitting screen and then going straight back into it, preventing loadouts from being displayed correctly
  

I have updated the Early Access and DEMO builds to version 0.13.2

With this update, the Ship Fitting screen will no longer be shown in the tutorials. Also, fixed an issue with the same screen where the ship fitting was not displayed correctly on viewing the loadout and would remove all fittings during the tutorial.

0.13.1 for Early Access notes:

• Altered the death explosion effects for Sumar Cruiser
  
• Fixed issue where Skirmish team assignments failed to set player wingmen and they would spawn at the enemy team's starting position
  

0.13.1 for Demo notes:

• Fixed issue where Skirmish team assignments failed to set player wingmen and they would spawn at the enemy team's starting position