Jump Space News

[p]Happy Friday, Jumpers![/p][p][/p][p]This post is more or less a written form of our latest Q&A stream this week, which you can watch here.[/p][p](We aim to host these every 3-4 weeks consistently on Discord and YouTube, so feel free to tune in and ask your questions.)[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]So what did we talk about in the hour-long stream?[/p][p][/p][h3]Content Update 2:[/h3][h3]The biggest focus of this update will be stability and network fixes.[/h3][p] Despite our best efforts, reports of crashes and people in the same houses being unable to play multiplayer arestill all too frequent. We're disappointed that we haven't resolved these persistent problems yet, so we're laser-focusing on stability fixes right now.[/p][p]We're adding an additional programmer to the team so we can stay on top of crashes and network issues from now on. We can still make the PC and Xbox experience much better, and we promise to deliver. [/p][p]That aside, the big things in Update 2 will be the Player Trait System and Buddy-Bot Improvements.[/p][p][/p][p]Player Traits will function using a point system. You have your "budget" of points, and some traits might be smaller and cost 1 point to equip, while others can be big and cost 5 points.[/p][p]The higher your Pilot level is, the more points you will have to spend. This means we might increase the level cap beyond 10.[/p][p]Traits will also unlock through armors and helmets, so once you've unlocked the Hazard suit you can access the "Radiation" trait which might give you resistance to radiation buildup for example.[/p][p]We have a ton of ideas for traits. One might be increasing melee weapon damage. Or traits that affect the Multi-Tool. As long as traits don't pigeonhole players into a specific "class", then we are down to try a bunch of different things.[/p][p][/p][p]We will start with a smaller amount of traits in Update 2, just to see that you like the system, and then add more and more during Early Access.[/p][p]Important note - You can mix and match outfits and traits. You don't have to wear a specific cosmetic to use the trait.[/p][p]We know a lot of players don't feel a satisfying sense of progression when they aren't the host of the lobby, so Player Traits is one of many pieces we will add to increase the feeling of progression while you're on-foot, and give you something to change for yourself even when you're a guest in another lobby.[/p][p][/p][p]Buddy-Bot Improvements will involve mainly a command wheel (similar to the emote wheel) where you can turn on and off what actions Buddy can do. Is he wasting your materia on ammo? Turn off ammo crafting.[/p][p]He will also focus fire on whatever ships you ping with the ping button. We're also adding more special weapons Buddy can use, like the shield and targeting module.[/p][p][/p][p]Some other things from the roadmap might sneak in, like Power Grid editing from the hangar if we finish that on time. It depends on how smoothly things go for the next month.[/p][p][/p][p]Update 2 will arrive before Christmas holidays, and will be the "Christmas Update". Expect a smaller Christmas event like the Halloween one, but nothing crazy.[/p][p][/p][h3]We moved office![/h3][p]Nothing super exciting, but this ate up some of our time. Expect the backgrounds of each stream and video to change until we find a good room in the co-working space to use consistently.[/p][p][/p][h3]Feedback from Vendor Update[/h3][p]The Vendor update hasn't been out for too long, but we're seeing the feedback and will be making some balance adjustments. Overall the response to Sector Modifiers and Melee Weapons have been positive, but the vendor prices aren't fully balanced, and we changed the Materia economy which some players definitely felt the effect of.[/p][p]We're still engaging in the discussions of how weapon carryover should work (should the game feel more like an extraction shooter or be a forgiving roguelite?).[/p][p]It's not too late for us to rework the weapons, skipping the MK system for something that doesn't encourage hoarding or obsessing over "the best weapons". Players might enjoy an attachment or upgrade system more.[/p][p]These are all ideas, and nothing we will act on immediately. We will revisit the Weapon talks next year.[/p][p]We are actively having design discussions about Inventory slots, so you can expect some changes to that sooner rather than later (to address the issue of having to drop something important just to have room to carry salvage back to the ship).[/p][p][/p][p]Our main goal is ultimately not to punish players for failing. We're looking into making your guns not drop when dying on-foot for example, which also prevents losing weapons if you fall down in the death pits of instant out-of-bounds dying. Any way that we can prevent griefing is also a plus.[/p][p]We will add partial rewards for abandoning/failing/disconnecting from a mission . This might be 75% of the value of the loot you've collected on the ship so far. So the potential rewards for mission completion would not be included.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q&A Section[/h3][p]We try to rapid fire answers from chat, so here's a few of the miscellaneous topics we went through. (Thanks to Orange for taking written notes of these)[/p][p][/p]

• [p]3rd ship is being made. It will be the biggest yet, and be heavy-gunner focused.[/p]
• [p]Mission type is under construction where you go into a giant ship and destroy it from the inside. Will show up next year.[/p]
• [p]The auto-completing missions are more frustrating than cool, so we will change those to let you choose when to leave.[/p]
• [p]"Space sharks" has been a community meme on the Discord for a long time, and we acknowledge that we will reference or add this in some form in the future.[/p]
• [p]Server Browser will get improvements in the future, like showing ping or current mission. Maybe lobby codes/passwords as well.
  On this topic - we know that instant re-joins is a huge request. This is a technical hurdle, so it will take us a longer time to allow mid-sector joining, but we want that as well.
  When we fix the common disconnects in Update 2, hopefully the need for reconnecting will drop drastically.[/p]
• [p]Boss enemies are coming, as mentioned on the roadmap.[/p]
• [p]"Raid" missions or weekly challenge missions with a specific generation seed or modifiers. This is definitely something we can do in the future when more of the core game is done and stable.
  "Dart ship, railgun only, melee weapons only" for example.[/p]
• [p]Higher MKs for each ship, will be added during 2026. You can also pick which MK you want.[/p]
• [p]The Dart ship hatches will not be 100% exclusive to the Dart. Might add to higher ship MKs, or to enemy ships or levels to enable us to make more interesting environments or ship boarding mechanics.
  We're working on an animation for the hatch right now, instead of the placeholder teleport.[/p]
• [p]We're working on making physics and the football work again, and when that's done we can add grenades to the game.[/p][hr][/hr]

[p]That's it for this week![/p][p]Let us know if you enjoy this format of transparent infodumping.[/p][p][/p][p]We're super thankful for all your feedback and patience as we work to fix the issues! Leave any questions in the comments and we can continue discussing the game there![/p][p][/p][p]- The Keepsake Crew[/p]

[p]New patch! We ain't stopping!
[/p][p]Features[/p]

• [p]Melee weapons can now damage destructibles.[/p]

[p] Improvements[/p]

• [p]Increased salvage value of most pickupable items to make salvage during missions a more significant part of credits gain.[/p]
• [p]Set Nisse's salvage value to 50, removing disassembly value and emphasizing the importance of protecting him.[/p]
• [p]Increased memory retention for Heavy Raptor and Raptor AI, making them less likely to lose track of players.[/p]

[p] Bug Fixes[/p]

• [p]Fixed issue with inventory being cleared when abandoning a mission[/p]
• [p]Fixed bug where icons wouldn't display correctly when holding a battery[/p]
• [p]Fixed bug where enemy ships could attack and destroy the player ship while players was deep in a space station, not able to go back and protect it.[/p]

[p]Miscellaneous[/p]

• [p]Removed blinking invite button effect in lobby HUD.[/p]

[p]We are aware that some players are encountering microstuttering and other performance dips since Vendor Update launched. We are working on these, thanks for your patience![/p][p][/p][p]- The Keepsake Crew[/p]

[p]Thank you all for your feedback and reports![/p][p][/p][h2]Bugfixes[/h2]

• [p]Prepping [/p]
  • [p]Fixed issue sometimes letting clients refund prepped items multiple times, gaining extra credits,[/p]
  • [p]Fixed visual bug of interact text to unprep someone elses item being visible+,[/p]
  • [p]Fix for clients not seeing prepped items on the ship,[/p]
  [p] Visual [/p]
  • [p]Party hats to Buddybot and Iris in the hangar so they don't feel left out,[/p]
  • [p]Updated chain blade name to heat blade,[/p]
  • [p]Laser pointer should now disable properly for pilot when no one is operating railturret or missile turret on the Dart,[/p]
  [p] Gameplay [/p]
  • [p]Clients can now deal damage when reflecting bullets,[/p]
  • [p]The interaction mini game will work on clients and it should over all be a bit nicer for everyone as well.,[/p]
  [p] And of course minor technical stuff.[/p][p][/p]

[p]- The Keepsake Crew[/p]

Co-operative starship mishap sim Jump Space just received the first major update of its early access phase, bringing both functional capitalism and a surprisingly enjoyable trio of melee weapons. The former takes the shape of newly opened item shops at your home base, giving you a chance to stock up on guns, repair kits, or artifact buffs before shipping out on a mission. And, having thwacked a few bots with the latter, I’m liking how worthy they are of a precious weapon slot, even in a game previously set up entirely for gunplay.

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[p]Good morning, Jumpers![/p][p]We've got so much to cover today, so let's just get into it.[/p][p][/p][h2]Our first content update is here![/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p]Hangar Vendors:[/p][p]Bozze and Vosk will now sell various gear and Artifacts for Credits, allowing you to prep for missions. Up by the Shooting Range, player weapons are also available to buy with Credits. These are randomly refreshed every time you enter the hangar, and higher MK weapons can also spawn but cost more.[/p][p][/p][p]We've heard a lot of feedback regarding player weapons and loot, like requests for a weapon locker to save your favorite weapons or just make everything permanent. Further down we will talk a bit more about this weapon carryover situation and how we will continue working on this through the Early Access period.[/p][p]8 new Sectors:[/p][p]You will encounter new maps as you play the new update - let us know what you think! Speaking of missions - Short, Medium and Long mission lengths can now generate on all Mission Types. So this just means you will see more variety in mission lengths and give you more options.[/p][p]Sector Modifers:[/p][p]A new mechanic! Once you enter a mission, the sectors can now spawn with different modifers to introduce challenges and rewards, making picking your path more interesting.[/p][p]We are adding 8 modifiers to begin with, which can look like the image here.
Materia Remnants, Ion Rift, High Legion Presence, Weapon Stash, Incoming Legion Ships, Materia Distruption Field, Supply Beacon and Unknown Threat.[/p][p]Let us know how you like this mechanic, and what other modifiers we can create![/p][p][/p][p]Melee Weapons:[/p][p]With this update we are adding 3 new weapons: Wrench, Crowbar and Heatblade! These dedicated melee weapons use no ammo, do more damage than just punching, and are able to block some damage by holding right-click. Pressing right-click right as you get hit by enemy fire lets you deflect it back.[/p][p]The Heatblade specifically deflects enemy fire right back at them with good accuracy, letting you live out your space samurai parry dreams.[/p][p][/p][p]Dart Improvements:[/p][p]We've heard the feedback that the Dart ship is frustrating to navigate when in the heat of battle. To address that, we've added these Hatches on the inside, top and bottom to very easily let you "teleport" back and forth so you can retrieve Materia or fix components.[/p][p](In a future update these will get a final 3D model, and an animation for climbing the ladders)[/p][p][/p][p]There are some additional smaller changes as well, like balance adjustments for some enemies, and now ALL Mission Types have Short, Medium and Long mission length varieties.[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Halloween Event![/h2][p][/p][p]It's spoo~ky season even in the furthest reaches of the galaxy.[/p][p]Between now and November 10th, enjoy the Halloween decorations around the hangar and the special quest given by Bozze.[/p][p]Bring back enough pumpkins from your missions and get the Jack-O-Lantern cosmetic![/p][p](Only available to get during this event, but it's usable year round afterwards.)[/p][p]The Halloween event should appear for players who have completed the first two main story quests.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Supporter Pack![/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p]Introducing the Supporter Pack with the "Telmari Knights" cosmetics![/p][p]We wanted to give players the option to support us financially a little extra. Some of you have been super duper eager and even asking for a DLC like this.[/p][p]Strut your stuff with these suits and helmets, giving you a glimpse into how the Telmari empire once dressed while conquering the great expanse of space.[/p][p][/p][p]Available today as Steam DLC for Jump Space, for about $10.[/p][p]This is of course entirely optional, as all of our players have done more than enough to support our journey so that we can soar past the future 1.0 release. We are truly grateful for each and every one of you.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Future Inventory Changes and Game Stability[/h2][p][/p][p]Like mentioned above, we wanted to talk about weapons and item carryover a bit more, as it's easily our most discussed topic and point of feedback.[/p][p]We absolutely hear the feedback about losing weapons and rare MK3s feeling bad. Good weapons are tough to find and there are too many points where inventory can be lost for reasons that are out of your control (griefing being just one).[/p][p]This has resulted in a lot of requests for a weapon locker where weapons can be stored for later use or "protection".[/p][p][/p][p]In short, this Vendor update and the ability to buy the weapons is just the first of many changes to weapons and loot we will make during the course of Early Access. Even if our solution isn't ultimately to make weapons permanent or add a locker, trust us that we understand the frustration and will solve it with time.[/p][p]Weapon spawns will likely be much more frequent in the future, in addition to the vendors supplying you constant gear whenever you're in the Hangar and have Credits to spend.[/p][p]This will make good weapons frequent enough that hugging your MK3 for dear life won't be players top priority. It's very possible that we will rework the MK system in the future too, and instead opt'ing for something more interactive and progression-based where you can build weapons with attachments.[/p][p]No plans are set in stone but much can change.[/p][p][/p][p]Try out the Weapon shop and let us know what you think. Should the selection be bigger and more permanent? Are prices too cheap? [/p][p]We will evaluate what you all think of this first change - and then proceed on what we should tweak next on our journey to the sweet spot of weapons and loot.[/p][p][/p][p]There's a ton of other common topics, like why aren't instant rejoins possible? Or why isn't there a Power Grid preview or ability to change it immediately from the hangar?[/p][p]These are absolutely things we plan on working on for the future - not every feature is mentioned on the roadmap right now.[/p][p]Crossplay is another common one, but something that we can't promise until maybe after Early Access.[/p][p]Instant rejoins for example is a technical hurdle - one which we will work on step-by-step until seamless joining missions is possible. For now, we have compromised with joining being possible at every ship jump. But trust us that we want the same thing you all do.[/p][p][/p][p]Many of these frustrations we have been hearing are further inflammed by the fact that some experience them because of disconnects and stability issues.[/p][p]While we have made great strides since launch, some players on both PC and Xbox still experience stability or connection issues. Sometimes at the very end of missions which just highlights the lack of Quality of Life features.[/p][p]Even if half of our team are working on new content update like these, the rest are still hard at work solving the stability so that everyone has a smooth experience.[/p][p][/p][p]We hear you that there are still technical issues for some, and we hear you that you find the content variety lacking.[/p][p]You want more things to do. You want more progression. You want more GAME.[/p][p]And we are going to deliver.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for reading, please have a blast with the Vendor Update and Halloween event! Plenty more to come.[/p][p]Well, time to parry some bullets and make some new Mission Types.[/p][p][/p][p]- The Keepsake Crew[/p]