Facteroids News

[h2]Recap[/h2]
It has been almost six month since the early access release and I should summarize past development and what was accomplished since.

• The first few months after the release was devoted to bug fixing and immediate response to user feedback.
  
• Then I paid great attention to improvements of the help and game tips system. I understand Facteroids is a complex game and it may become overwhelming to players at times. That is why there are several systems of context sensitive tips and hints as well as a comprehensive Facteroids encyklopedia. I still have to add tutorial missions of the new features.
  
• Research and building upgrades features were added.
  
• Many quality of life improvements in bot user interface, building construction, selection and editing, game controls and UI.
  
• Asteroid hopping game mode that enables “endless gameplay”.
  
• New missions
  The big cleanup, Hard labor, Complete annihilation, Remote base and Superbot
  
• New buildings
  Electronics factory, machine shop, cistern and pipe bridge.
  

[h2]Roadmap[/h2]
I plan to continuously develop the game and release the full version one year after the early access. Which means April 2023. Don’t take it for granted though. This date is a goal. If it is going to be achieved still remains to be seen…

So what is planned for the full release?
The game is structured in tiers. Both in technology, building construction sequence and campaign progress. What does it mean? You always have a group of buildings and related types of resources. Every tear of technology is dependent on a basic resource. If such a resource is not present on the asteroid, you can not upgrade to the next tier. This enables continuous and controlled campaign progress. Currently the game has three tiers. First: from rock and ice, second: from iron and silicon ores and third: from sulfur. Each tier should add a new game mechanic. I want to avoid simply reskinning buildings and duplicating the gameplay. There will be two or three new tiers, each one with two or three new buildings.
The campaign will be crowned with a final “Big boss” mission.
Steam workshop and achievements will be integrated in the game. I want to improve the user friendliness of the editor and hope to see some awesome game levels from you.

There is a feature request section on Facteroids Discord channel. I am open to new ideas and always like to hear feedback from you.

Sincerely, Jan

- The ability to construct buildings with installed upgrades.
- Construction material cost summary.
- Improved upgrades interface. Building upgrades can be managed through the building info panel and you can upgrade multiple buildings at once.
- New mission in Inferno: Remote base
- Mouse rectangle selection selects bots or buildings.
- Shortcut keys for demolishing buildings and destroying materials.
- Bots can be assigned to buildings and supply materials to them.
- Smooth camera movement on flat maps.
- New building: pipe bridge - you can cross pipes with different liquids.
- Bot and Tech tabs in editor.
- New mission in Foothold: Superbot

- Objectives hint system.
- New buildings: electronics factory, machine shop, cistern
- New materials: microprocessor, AI chip
- Bot upgrades
- Bot autonomy: upgraded bots carry out construction tasks autonomously. You no longer have to select bots prior to construction.
- Mines don’t block bot passage.
- Reorganized main menu buttons
- Fullscreen / windowed mode setting
- New “Did you know?” help system
- Increased solar panel charging speed.
- Shortcut keys for quick construction.

- New missions in Asteroid belt: Hard labor and Complete annihilation
- Asteroid hopping free game mode. You can launch your mothership to another asteroid. You have to complete asteroid scan project in Comm center.
- Multiple building selection. You can select more buildings at once by shift clicking or double clicking.
- Double clicking line of belts, pipes or power lines will select the line section to the nearest intersection.
- Increased accumulator capacity
- Accumulators store energy properly.
- You can extend conveyor belt line directly from constructed mine with mouse drag.
- New materials: carbon fiber and circuit board.
- Building upgrades. Bots upgrade individual buildings from the radial menu. I still have to figure out how to upgrade more buildings at once.
- Upgradable buildings: solar panels, mines, smelters, factories, refineries and all buildings with belts.
- Animations speed is now correct.

- New tri-planar texture mapping shaders. Seamless textures on edges.
- Bot command menu - you can be more specific in what you want from the bot.
- Bots can be sent to pick up and drop materials manually. Even to resupply production buildings.
- You can assign a dig command directly without disrupting the construction list.
- When you assign bots to unfinished construction project, they will automatically build all buildings connected in lines - belts, power lines, pipes, solar panels and storages
- Bots can pick up construction materials from belts. It is VERY satisfying to watch that bot resupplying itself from the newly constructed belt!
- Colonist icons show numbers correctly.