Deep Space Outpost News

An initial research screen is now available, accessed via the main game controls at the bottom right of the screen. Currently research items are unlocked via purchasing your chosen schematics with credits. Just the two unlocks at the moment, showing the two types of unlock.

Firstly the build menu restriction. At the moment that's just the Fuel Cell, that you'll have to unlock, before you'll be able to select it to build.

Secondly is the upgrade type of unlock. Currently this is the droid battery upgrade. Once researched, clicking on a droid will give you access to an upgrade panel where you can select to upgrade the chosen droid, if you have sufficient metal available.

Oh and upgraded droids will become orange, so you can spot which of your droids are upgraded or not. Now this feature is here, i'll be adding quite a few more schematics over the coming weeks, so do leave comments in the Research discussion on what you'd like to see.

As it's been a couple of weeks since last update, quite a few changes and fixes. Main fix being a crash when selecting an item that is in construction. Do report game crashes and bugs as i can only fix them once i'm made aware of them, thanks!

Also some balancing to address some feedback. Non droid maintenance charging now a bit quicker. Droid power usage slightly less. Pirate damage slightly less. Droid repair/deconstruct/upgrade times longer (more in line with droid construction time).

Patch notes:-

• Research screen added (droid battery and fuel cell unlocks)
  
• Upgrade panel added to droid info window.
  
• Balancing: Reduce pirate laser damage.
  
• Balancing: Reduce inside/outside droid power usage.
  
• Balancing: Reduce charge time when not charging via the droid maintenance.
  
• Improve: New game logo.
  
• Improve: Droid work light fx should be under droid.
  
• Improve: Airlock/Door placement, remove solar panel/connector close restriction.
  
• Fix: Crash clicking on in construction item (invalid info window priority lookup).
  
• Fix: Droid repair/deconstruct/upgrade times longer, correctly related to construction length
  
• Fix: Visitor not charging via power system.
  

Just a little update, with a few improvements. Couple of new messages, stating that pirates are stealing your resources and now a warning of approaching storm. Also a fix for a possible crash when pirates would be stealing scrap in some circumstances.

That's all in this one, as i've spent a couple of days testing an engine update, which fixes custom music loading, but seems to break Ubuntu builds. So still waiting for a further fix here.

Notes:-

• Improve: Pirate stealing notification added.
  
• Improve: Add a "storm due at x" notification message.
  
• Fix: Pirate grabbing scrap, make sure exists in draw (something else destroyed it).
  

Most in-game windows are now draggable (tutorial, ship comms, trading and worker control). Windows still behave as previously (only one of these shown at a time), but now they can be dragged and position remembered. If this all functions correctly i should be able to improve this further (show multiple, maybe dockable, other possibilities?).

Additional couple of example videos in the tutorial (airlocks and ship comms), and added missing text for latest changes. Help also updated.

Also tidied up some more sound effects. Thought it was a bit odd that some ship engines sounds still played when game paused. So now when the game is paused, all those sfx should pause (except background noise and music).

Oh and a seed can be set in sandbox mode now. So you can replay the same map if you wish. Note the same seed in scenario currently generates a different map (as additional scenario events are generated here), however it might be possible to alter this so map generation is before any scenario based setup, so map would be the same.

Patch notes:-

• Ship comms, trading, worker control and tutorial windows are now draggable.
  
• Can now set a seed in sandbox game.
  
• Improve: Additional airlock and ship comms tutorial vidoes.
  
• Improve: Include make top priority job info to tutorial.
  
• Improve: Include visitor and jukebox info to help.
  
• Fix: Pause all in-game sfx on pause game (ship engines/lasers).
  

Nick

Have a new magnetic storm type, this will slow movement for your workers when outside, and increase wear and tear on production items. Whilst looking at storms, i've also added more chance of damage to solar panels, when the existing solar storm occurs.

Have had lots of good feedback over last week, so have also added several improvements requested or i've remembered. Main one is that workers now choose repair jobs based on closeness (now same as build). But have added a make top priority button (next to fix icon), which will bump repair or build to next in line.

Full notes:

• Magnetic storm type added - outside movement slowed.
  
• Repair job selection now based on proximity (same as construction jobs).
  
• Repair and construction jobs can be made 'top priority job', so will be picked up ahead of proximity jobs.
  
• Selecting a worker will show destination square if moving.
  
• Message board now has a pin.
  
• Message board now expands for 5 seconds with high priority messages.
  
• Message board notification sound limited to once every 5 seconds (for when lots of messages coming through).
  

Nick

More improvements mainly to visitors and recreation. Character near a recreation item wont change space when repeating that acitivty, recreation affects morale/energy. Visitors will return to their ship if too many repeated uses. Oh and human workers will now also use recreation items if they have no jobs to do.

Couple of fixes with sound: Noticed message notification sound could loop in certain instances (cannon turret and life support - giving a horrible drilling noise). Also alarm unmute wouldn't bring existing alarm sound back.

Full notes:-

• Improve: Human movement around jukebox (no need to move to new space).
  
• Improve: Recreation effects human stats. Improve food/energy updating (more idle states).
  
• Improve: Visitors will return to trader if same repeated recreation item use. Reduced morale change.
  
• Improve: Human workers now use recreation items if idle.
  
• Improve: Scrap under attempted build spot highlighted (tricky to spot).
  
• Fix: Alarm mute/unmute stop/restart existing.
  
• Fix: Cannon turret in construction, incorrect ammo check, giving repeating message notification.
  
• Fix: Station computer damaged, repeating message notification.
  
• Fix: Delete selection checking, wasn't testing doors at edge correctly.