Vectorio News

[p]Hello Everyone![/p][p][/p][p]I hope you are all doing well heading into the winter season. It's been almost 2 months since the last post about v0.3, so I just wanted to make another update on how it's been going and why it's taken what feels like an eternity to get this update out. [/p][p][/p][p]Let's dig in![/p][p][/p][h3]What's happened since the last update?[/h3][p][/p][p]The last update I posted on Steam was on October 1st, which hinted at the new logo and that the update was in the final stages of polish and had entered private testing. [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Since then I've managed to complete a lot, but more issues have arisen during this time which have delayed the release of this update. Specifically, these mainly pertained to...[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Multiple shader issues across different systems (lowres view, expansion view, etc)[/p]
• [p]Finnicky controls that have required multiple tweaks (based on PT feedback)[/p]
• [p]A LOT of small UI related issues; sensitive scroll bars, non-functional buttons, unfinished windows, certain settings not working, etc. [/p]
• [p]Multiple obscure entity issues related mainly to the FSM system that most entities now use (some examples being bad unit pathfinding, drones freezing, drone route configuration flow, etc)[/p]
• [p]Multiple model-rendering issues, mainly being caused by the new rendering pipeline [/p]
• [p]Missing features from prior versions (placement animations, range indicators, route previewing, etc)[/p]
• [p]Bugs with some of the new gameplay systems (engineering, quests, infinite worlds, etc)[/p]
• [p]A ton of new issues from new entity types caused by object pooling[/p]
• [p]And the biggest offender: THE SAVE SYSTEM![/p]

[p][/p][h3]The damned Save System...[/h3][p][/p][p]This has easily been the most time consuming aspect so far. What I originally thought would only take a couple days to update ended up taking over 2 weeks to fully update and finish. I was NOT expecting this to be such a large undertaking, and whilst it's done now it required a lot of tweaking to get right.[/p][p][/p][p]Without going too deep into it, the issue was mainly with supporting the new game systems and infinite worlds, specifically with saving/loading chunks. There were SO many issues that arose from this, and it ended up eating a lot of my time to get right. Things like non-grid aligned entities not saving, entity state context not saving, entity references causing bugs if the referenced entity was not yet created, etc.[/p][p][/p][p]Whilst it is functional now, I cannot begin to even illustrate how much of a headache this was, ESPECIALLY because this system is used heavily by the region manager during active gameplay, allowing you to seamlessly and quickly switch between regions. [/p][p][/p][h3]So where are we at now?[/h3][p][/p][p]Without spoiling too much, we (being the testing group) are finally beginning to actually test the gameplay side of this game. Most of the bugs have been fixed, any major annoyances or missing QOL features have been addressed, and I think I've solved most of the balancing issues.[/p][p][/p][p]With that said, there is currently an issue with the quest system in regards to how objectives are tracked across regions and prior to a quests' activation. This is very important as objective tracking needs to be robust enough to work consistently, otherwise soft-locking progress is possible. I have a solution in the works but we have yet to actually test this and see if it works (hoping by the end of the weekend)[/p][p][/p][h3]When do YOU get to play?[/h3][p][/p][p]My goal this month has been to get experimental out before December, and while there's still a slim chance of that happening, if history shows us anything that probably isn't gonna be the case.[/p][p][/p][p]I have put my BEST foot forward for this update, and I hope everyone will see the increase in quality once it's out, but alas it is still not quite ready yet. I will do my best to keep everyone updated here on Steam, but if you're looking for more consistent updates, the best place to do so is over on our Discord server.[/p][p][/p][p]You can join using this link: https://discord.gg/vectorio[/p][p][/p][p]I understand the ongoing frustration with the current state of the game on live, and to those who have been waiting patiently but keep getting let down, I am sorry. I do not have any valid excuse for this; this is a released early-access game, and that means there are expectations for updates to be delivered in a timely manner, and for a continuous back and forth between the community and the developer to create a game everyone enjoys. This has been anything but the case with Vectorio.[/p][p][/p][p]I promise everyone here, that for future updates & future games entirely, I will do better. While I am proud of v0.3 and am very excited to share it with you all, this is the LAST time I approach an update (or early-access game for that matter) like this. [/p][p][/p][p]The next announcement you see should be the release of v0.3 onto experimental, but if any other issues arise during this time I will make sure to let you all know. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy. [/p][p][/p][p]Cheers,[/p][p]~ Ben[/p]

[p][/p][h3]A New Logo Approaches![/h3][p][/p][p]With v0.3 now in the final stages of polish, the game will soon be getting a new look! Working closely with a graphic artist, we've created a new logo that better captures the game’s themes and identity.[/p][p][/p][p]Can't wait to share more, stay tuned![/p][p][/p][p]~ Ben[/p]

[p]Hello Everyone![/p][p]I hope you are all doing well & staying safe as we head into those hot summer months. This post is just to inform everyone that v0.3 will be entering Closed Testing next week![/p][p][/p][p]Due to the monumental size of this update, I’ve divided it into incremental testing phases to make the process more manageable and effective. Each phase will introduce more content from the update and gradually expand the testing base to ensure everything is functioning as intended.[/p][p][/p][p]Here's how each phase breaks down...[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Phase 1: Closed Testing (starts next week)[/h3][p][/p][p]The first group of testers will be selected from those opted into the v0.3 Beta Tester role over on our Discord at random. This first phase is heavily focused on bug fixing & functionality.[/p][p][/p][p]Specifically, this includes:[/p]

• [p]Early Questlines[/p]
• [p]Chunk Expansion[/p]
• [p]New Research System[/p]
• [p]New Cargo Drone System[/p]
• [p]Enemies V2 (early-game units)[/p]
• [p]Refined Control Scheme[/p]
• [p]Altar OS (many new UI elements)[/p][p][/p]

[p]Want to opt into this phase? Head over to our Discord server (linked below) and select the "Sign me up!" option in the server channel & roles section. (note that testers are hand selected for this phase)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Phase 2: Open Testing[/h3][p][/p][p]Once the initial testing has completed and the major new gameplay systems have been tested, I will open it up to anyone over on our Discord who has opted into the v0.3 Beta Tester role. This phase of testing is heavily focused on refining new content based on player feedback.[/p][p][/p][p]Specifically, this includes:[/p]

• [p]All previous testing focuses[/p]
• [p]Abyss Questlines (up to Phantom Plains)[/p]
• [p]Unit Production & Command[/p]
• [p]Enemies V2 (more new unit types)[/p]
• [p]Guardian Battles[/p]
• [p]Chunk Expansion Balance[/p]
• [p]New Content Balance[/p]
• [p]Other New Systems (there's a lot)[/p]

[p][/p][p]Want to opt into this phase? Head over to our Discord server (linked below) and select the "Sign me up!" option in the server channel & roles section.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Phase 3: Experimental[/h3][p][/p][p]This will be the final testing phase and the largest one, with most of the update opening up to testers and allowing for those outside of the Discord to opt into tested through the public experimental branch. This portion of testing is focused on game balance & quality of life.[/p][p][/p][p]Specifically, this includes:[/p]

• [p]All previous testing focuses,[/p]
• [p]All Abyss & Phantom Plains Questlines,[/p]
• [p]Multiplayer & New Social Features,[/p]
• [p]Phantom Plains v2,[/p]
• [p]Refined FOW Mechanic,[/p]
• [p]Game Balance,[/p]
• [p]Quality of Life,[/p]
• [p]Performance Improvements,[/p]

[p][/p][p]Want to opt into this phase? Simply right click on Vectorio in your Steam library, navigate to the betas tab, and select experimental from the drop-down list![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Phase 4: Live Release![/h3][p][/p][p]The full release of v0.3, including a major marketing cycle, and a return to regular ⁠game-updates! This will conclude the testing phase of the update, as we move onto v0.3.x updates and begin preparations for v0.4 which will follow closely behind![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]If you have any questions or concerns about any of these phases, please don’t hesitate to ask! [/p][p][/p][p]I understand that not everyone is interested in joining our Discord, and while I’d love to make the update publicly available right away, it’s crucial that we test all the new systems first. The best way to do that is through a direct line of communication like Discord. [/p][p][/p][p]With that said, I’ll do my best to move through these early testing phases as quickly as possible, so we can open up the update to more players before the full live release.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for reading,
~ Ben[/p][p][/p][p]Discord: https://discord.gg/vectorio[/p]

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all doing well as we head into the summer season. I wanted to share a quick update with our Steam community on where things stand with v0.3, as it's clearly taken significantly longer than I had originally expected.

[h3]Where is v0.3 at?[/h3]

First, I just want to apologize for a lack of communication on my end. I know this has lead some people astray wondering where the update was, and for that I'm sorry. I try to hold myself to a higher standard, and I should've communicated this delay much sooner.

Now, onto why this delay has happened...

Since the last progress update, opportunities have arisen to implement some long-standing goals I had set out to do before the game even launched, the biggest of these being the introduction of mod support. It made more sense to tackle that now while I was already deep in refactoring the entity module system.

Alongside that, I’ve been able to address other key areas that would have been much more time-consuming to retrofit later. Without diving too deep into the technical side of things, here’s a quick overview of what’s been added or improved:

• Full refactor of entity detection using spatial partitioning instead of physics
  
• Completion of the entity module refactor, paving the way for mod support
  
• Major project code cleanup and restructuring
  
• Updates to core component drivers (e.g., Turret, Unit) with modular handlers
  
• Replacement of placeholder conditional logic with a new state machine system
  
• Introduction of unique unit types via the new state machine system
  
• New dialogue system to support quests and better character representation, which was heavily influenced by community feedback over on our Discord
  
• Plus many smaller improvements and polish across the board
  

All of this has contributed to the delay in releasing v0.3, but like with other delays, I truly believe the long-term benefits are worth it.

[h3]So, when is the update coming?[/h3]

At this point, giving another hard release date would be unwise (and probably a bit comical) so instead, I’ve decided to take a more transparent approach. You can now track the remaining work on a public GitHub project board, which updates in real-time:

https://github.com/users/Vitzual/projects/2/views/1?sliceBy%5Bvalue%5D=v0.3

In addition to this, there's a milestone for v0.3 which more clearly shows the remaining tasks needed to complete the update. Please note however, the board only reflects the final remaining tasks, it doesn’t represent the full scope of the update:

https://github.com/Vitzual/Vectorio-Development/milestone/1

I know delays are frustrating, and I deeply appreciate your patience and passion for the project. My focus remains on delivering the experience I originally envisioned, with a stable and feature-complete 1.0 as the end goal. Every decision, even the tough ones that affect short-term progress, is made with that in mind.

If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat, I’m always around - feel free to drop into our discussions or join us on Discord.

Discord: https://discord.gg/vectorio

Thanks for reading and for sticking with me on this journey!

~ Ben

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