Deep Space Outpost News

Research now takes a period of time to unlock after purchase. So you cant immediately unlock all research if you have the credits. The timer with represent how long it takes to download your new schematic when you're receiving data out in deep space.

Few other little improvements:- Few new tooltips (navigation beacon info if contracts enabled), and fixes (language string missing and one incorrect). Have also added a "Continue" button in the Play main menu, that will load your last save, just so you dont need another menu screen and checking date/time on saves.

Patch notes.

• Research items now have an unlock time period. Progress bar added.
  
• Continue game button added to play main menu.
  
• Improve: Navigation beacon tooltip showing more info.
  
• Fix: Refinery 'Upgraded' text missing from info window.
  
• Fix: Translations - laser power language missing, cooldown incorrect.
  

Nick

Lots of improvements with contracts. Visitors and workers have been added to possible requirements, so you can now receive (visitors) or hire (workers) as a contract. Lots of adjustments and uses of faction standing (credit rewards now depends on standing, cancel penalty amount depending on contract type). Contract stats have also been included on end game screen, and some contract info added to help.

Have also altered some window behaviour, so if you open trading from the ship comms window, when you exit, the ship comms window remains open. This makes it much easier to switch between multiple docked traders when checking prices and doing deals.

Patch notes:-

• Visitors and Workers added to possible contract requirements (receive and hire).
  
• Contract stats added (accepted/success/fail).
  
• Contract info added to help.
  
• Improve: Credit rewards now based on faction standing.
  
• Improve: Accepting a contract improves faction standing slightly.
  
• Improve: Cancelling a contract penalty depends on contract duration/reward.
  
• Improve: Ship comms window remains open, if trading window opened from there, then closed.
  
• Improve: Currently only setting days for contract length, so only show that in contract description.
  
• Improve: Number of incoming contracts traders limited to one.
  
• Fix: Trader activity setting not being used correctly in chance of contract traders.
  

Nick

Contracts can now be offered to you from three factions that have been added to the game. Contracts appear in the new Factions/Contracts window available from the Ship Communications window. If the contract appears good, click accept to make the contract active. Completing contracts give rewards and improves your standing with the contract faction. Failing or cancelling contracts reduces your standing.

Faction contracts can be to buy certain resources from you, or for factions to sell to you. Several different conditions (a certain number of resources or any), time period (open ended, by a due date, or valid period) and rewards (credits, a premium when selling, or a discount when buying). Trading window has been updated to show the ship you are dealing with and faction, and if contracts affect prices, they are highlighted.

Also note a fix for mining & scrap lasers, they have not been targeting large asteroids (mining) or derelicts (scrap) directly, only meteors/scrap from salvage depots. Now fixed.

Patches notes:-

• New factions/contracts display window, selectable from ship comms window.
  
• Traders can now belong to a faction (shown in information and ship comms windows).
  
• New messages for msg board - new contracts available & contract end (success/failed/expired).
  
• Improve: Trading window lists ship/faction and highlights contract price adjustments.
  
• Improve: Droid Maintenance and Mining Unit Info window add 'metal' to cost for clarity.
  
• Fix: Mining & scrap lasers were not targeting large asteroids / derelicts directly, only from scrap depots.
  

Nick

Little update fixing a bug if any issues with save files. Previously a corrupt save file would crash the game when I was trying to get info from it. A rare occurrence, as save files should be saved correctly, but i guess it's possible if the game is shutdown via the os when a save is occurring. Or perhaps a player has tried tinkering with the save file. If an error is detected, i rename the file "error-[savefile]". So if one of your saves disappears, look for this. If you send me the file i can try figure out how it's not valid anymore.

Couple of little improvements as well. Steam screenshot ability should now work. I'm pretty sure this was working previously, but i think i didnt spot an update which changed things, so has been broken for a while. Secondly the habitat GUI now also gives you a hull status, so you have an easy way to see if you should check some of your walls for damage.

Patch notes:-

• Added hull status to O2/Habitat GUI.
  
• Fix: Steam screenshot ability working.
  
• Fix: LoadFileInfo - json_parse exceptions now caught, if savefile error, renamed (error-filename) / deleted.
  

Nick

Still busy at work adding factions, but i've accumulated a few fixes and improvements over last couple of weeks, so thought i'd get this update out with those in. Mainly a few issues with workers and battery levels & charging. Thanks to those players that have sent me save files that have shown a few oddities, makes it much easier to see issues and get them fixed ːsteamthumbsupː

Patch notes

• Improve: Worker distance check via battery, use storm modifier if on.
  
• Improve: Cancel haul and no alternative, return carried, don't delete.
  
• Improve: Research and trading windows now behave as ship comms, droid control (no selection).
  
• Fix: Haul job would be cancelled once picked up if not enough battery.
  
• Fix: Charge check (solar panel/floor lookup) check path valid return value.
  
• Fix: Charge spot check exists if not droid maintenance - charge and move to charge.
  
• Fix: Missile SFX continuing when game paused.
  
• Fix: Item construction make top priority crash, use object selection, not tile.
  
• Fix: Life support build menu showing incorrect tile size.
  
• Fix: Mining/Recycle Lasers - Check if targeted is out of range.
  
• Fix: Droid destination marker use path destination, previous job destination may not be valid.
  

Nick