Navigation Update

[p]It’s been a while – the last three months have been quiet in terms of updates. But behind the scenes, we’ve been working on a major feature: Your ships can now move. Really move.[/p][p]In the previous version of Generation Ship, you could build your ship and configure it – but it remained locked in a static orbit. That has changed. Dramatically.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]🚀 Realistic Spaceflight – Built on Orbital Mechanics[/h3][p]There is now a complete new navigation system, using real orbital physics. Planets and moons now move along proper trajectories. Your ship isn't just a visual object in space – it's a physical entity obeying gravity, inertia, and thrust.[/p][p][/p][p]Placement of engines, mass distribution, and the center of mass (COM) all matter. Ships with unbalanced designs may spin, drift, or behave unpredictably — just like in real spaceflight.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]🔧 Engines, Gimbals & Thrust Balancing[/h3][p]Each thruster now applies real directional force, and most engines support an adjustable gimbal for steering.[/p][p][/p][p]To help stabilize things, we’ve introduced an automated thrust balancing system that adjusts outputs across all engines to maintain control, even in asymmetrical designs.[/p][p]The UI now includes a directional control overview, letting you see at a glance how maneuverable your ship is in each axis — ideal for debugging tricky ship layouts.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]🕹️ Keyboard Control & NavBall Flight Interface[/h3][p]You can now pilot your ship directly using keyboard input. To support orientation and spatial awareness, we’ve added a full NavBall UI – showing orientation relative to prograde, retrograde, normal vectors and more.[/p][p][/p][p]A simple autopilot is also included: stabilize your orientation, point toward targets, or align with maneuver vectors – all at the push of a button.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]🌌 New Star Map & Maneuver Planning[/h3][p]The new star map lets you visualize planetary orbits, moon paths, and your own trajectory in real time. [/p][p]You can set maneuver nodes directly on your orbit – tweaking speed and angle to reach your goals.[/p][p][/p][p]Need help? An early maneuver planner can automatically calculate common tasks: orbit changes, lunar transfers, and more.[/p][p]In the future, these plans will be handled by your crew, with planning time and skill factors. But for now — it’s fully interactive.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]🛰️ Multiple Ships, Autonomous Flight, and Docking[/h3][p]You can now switch between multiple ships, like your supply vessels and support craft. Each ship can be manually piloted or assigned to an autopilot – letting your crew perform planned burns, execute maneuvers, and approach rendezvous targets.[/p][p]The rendezvous system is also in development:[/p]

• [p]Ships can target other vessels[/p]
• [p]Autopilots execute approach maneuvers[/p]
• [p]The Docking Mode on the NavBall enables precision alignment[/p]
• [p]A “Hold Position” mode allows ships to stay in place near their target[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]🎥 Work-in-Progress Video[/h3][p]Want to see all of this in action?
We’ve put together a short work-in-progress video showing the new navigation systems, maneuver planning, and autopilot behavior in-game.[/p][p]Note that that's not the final version of the video and a lot of warnings were still shown up. But it should give you a solid impression of how things are coming together![/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Let us know what you think — and what you’d like to see next![/p][hr][/hr][h3]🧪 What’s Next – From Systems to Simulation[/h3][p]The core navigation systems are now in place and working well.
I’m currently focused on polishing performance and stability, making sure everything feels smooth, consistent, and reliable in real gameplay.[/p][p]Once that’s done, the update will be opened up to all current playtesters.[/p][p]After that, the next step is deeper integration into the main gameplay: Autopilot tasks and maneuver planning won’t just happen instantly — instead, they’ll be handled by your crew. You’ll be able to give high-level orders like:[/p]

[p]"Send the shuttle to the outpost,"
and the crew will take care of the trajectory, planning, flight, and docking.[/p]

[p]This system will also apply to supply ships, which will initially be managed by ground control. Later, your onboard crew will handle them autonomously as well.[/p][p]We’re also exploring new gameplay layers, like sensor-based navigation, crew roles for flight control, and dedicated consoles or interior items for planning and piloting. These would take over some of the current autopilot functions — though you’ll always be able to fly manually if you prefer.[/p][p]These changes also mean that moon missions and supply transfers will become location-aware:
Your main ship’s position matters. Later in the game, you’ll be able to move into lunar orbit, reducing fuel needs and shortening travel times — making orbit management a real strategic choice.[/p][hr][/hr][p]I also post the progress and more pictures to our Discord: [/p][p] [/p][p]And don't forget to wishlist and follow us to keep up to date.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]