Space Scum News

[h2]Hey everyone 👋[/h2][p][/p][p]We’re entering a new phase of testing and we’d love your help. This update brings many big changes, so please play, explore, and share your thoughts.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, your feedback will help us shape what comes next! 📝 Fill out the Google Form to let us know what you think. [/p][p][/p][p]We’ve been hard at work making Space Scum smoother, louder, and a bit meaner in all the right ways. This update brings a full tutorial overhaul, visual and audio upgrades, and an entirely new mission type.[/p][p][/p][p]⚠️ Please note: old save files are not compatible with this update. All players will need to start a new run as the game will not be able to load your previous saves.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]🧭 A Better Way to Learn (and Die Less)[/h3][p]The tutorial has been completely reworked with its own location, weapons, and narrative. We've also added behind-the-scenes systems to make early missions less punishing. Within the tutorial zone specifically, injuries are now reduced, instant deaths are avoided, and the balance shifts slightly in your favor when things get tough.[/p][p][/p][h3]🎨 New Look, New Feel[/h3][p]You’ll notice a lot has changed visually:[/p]

• [p]Brand new UI makeover (some parts are not fully implemented yet, but you can already test how it feels!)[/p]
• [p]Fresh visuals for random encounter maps[/p]
• [p]Animated start screen[/p]
• [p]We've now finished the initial content for the Desert Planet and the Forest, with new world and location sprites[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[h3]🔊 Music, Voices, and Explosions[/h3][p]Every sound in the game has been revisited:[/p]

• [p]Updated UI and combat effects[/p]
• [p]Voice lines cleaned up and expanded, the low-quality ones are gone[/p][p][/p]

[h3]⚔️ Reworked Battlefields[/h3][p]Expect more variety both in where and how you fight, from boulder-strewn plains to ruined outposts and skeleton-filled fields. There is also a new mission type: Defend, where holding your ground is just as important as taking it.[/p][p][/p][p]A lot of work has gone into this update and your feedback is truly invaluable. ⚠️ Please remember that Space Scum is still in an early stage of development and things will continue to evolve as we move forward.[/p][p][/p][p]💬 Join our Discord to chat with the team and share your thoughts, we read everything you send us![/p][p][/p][p]Go cause some space trouble and maybe survive the tutorial this time 💀
[/p][hr][/hr][p]Looking for more?[/p][p]Leaf Blower Co., another game published by Forklift, is launching on November 17. Check it out 👇🏻[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[h2]Hey everyone 👋[/h2][p][/p][p]So, we hear some of you don’t like our UI? WELL THAT’S JUST FINE. I guess we’ll just redesign the whole thing! And we have... Here’s a preview of the redesign and the thinking behind it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]When we first built the UI for Space Scum our focus was on function over form. We wanted to make sure that every stat, piece of equipment and button was in the right place for the game. It worked, but it didn’t feel quite right.[/p][p]Space Scum isn’t meant to be about sleek interfaces and optimistic sci-fi exploration. It’s more about desperation, survival, and struggling to exist in a hostile universe. The old UI, with its glowing teal lines and cartoonish icons, felt sterile and even playful. It clashed with the grim dark tone we want the player to feel in every interaction.[/p][p]That’s why we’ve gone back to rework the UI from the ground up. Instead of clean neon borders, we’re shifting toward a grittier aesthetic inspired by games like Darkest Dungeon and Space Marine, worn metallic colors, muted palettes and imperfect textures. The goal is for the interface itself to carry the same tension and weight as the game world it represents.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Modals & Panels[/h2][p]The perfectly rectangular, glowing cyan borders gave the interface a clean, futuristic look which dominates the screen and pulls attention away from the actual interactive content the player wants to be focused on. [/p][p]We wanted to reduce these outlines, push them more into the background and introduce some imperfection by adding a worn, scratched look to them.[/p][p][/p][h2][/h2][h2]Colour Palette[/h2][p]One of the first things we realized was that the old UI’s colour palette was working directly against the tone of the game. For the rework, we shifted toward a palette that carries more weight and mood.[/p][p]The foundation of the interface is darkness. Deep blacks and heavy grays set the tone. Muted grays and golds with scratches give the impression of aged metal.[/p][p]The darkness of the background and outlines gives us a chance to allow certain UI elements to stand out, in contrast to the black. To do this we’ve selected a range of complimentary colours in order to “code” distinctions between certain elements. The character stats, for example, use these colours to make it easier to instantly see which particular stat you’re looking at. We’ve also used these colours for the abilities to more easily distinguish between attack, defense and support abilities.[/p][h2]
[/h2][h2]Icons[/h2][p]The icons for character traits and skills leaned toward a playful style, almost comical, which read too much like lighthearted caricatures, breaking the immersion by undercutting the darker tone.[/p][p]The ability icons looked very similar to the various button icons used throughout the game, they didn’t stand out as important or special in any way. We wanted to make it more obvious which icon type the player is looking at.[/p][p]We’ve redesigned the traits, skills and abilities icons to be very distinct from each other. [/p][p]The traits are now styled like framed portraits or paintings, almost like a galley of a character’s personalities. [/p][p]The skills have been reworked into a hex shaped, monochrome, retro-futuristic interface style that has become iconic in sci-fi design. [/p][p]The abilities pair a minimal, vector style icon with coloured elements indicating the category and technique of the specific ability, inside a diamond shaped frame reminiscent of crests or badges.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Buttons[/h2][p]Many buttons in the old UI were indistinguishable from regular UI panels or boxes. They shared the same rectangular shapes, which caused confusion during playtesting. Players frequently hesitated to interact with the interface, unsure which elements were actionable.[/p][p]We redesigned the buttons to be either completely circular or have fully rounded edges, creating a visual distinction from other UI elements. The rounded shape immediately sets them apart from the other UI elements in the game.[/p][p]
[/p][p]This is still a work in progress and we’d love to know how it feels to you. Drop your thoughts below, your feedback helps us make Space Scum the game it deserves to be.
[/p][p]Simon & Ed[/p][p]
[/p][hr][/hr][p]Looking for more?[/p][p]Another Forklift-published game Roman Triumph has just launched in 1.0! 🏛️[/p][p]Build your city, defend it from invaders, please the gods, and see how long you can survive 👇🏻[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[h2]🎥 Devlog #1: Now in Video Form![/h2][p][/p][p]Two weeks ago we shared our first devlog “Your Bests, Your Worsts, and Steve” which explored what 6,500+ pieces of feedback taught us about Space Scum and how it's all shaping future builds.[/p][p]Now you can watch it instead. We have prepared a video version for those who prefer to listen and see rather than read.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]If you have not yet joined our Open Playtest, now is a great time to do so and invite your friends to jump in. Don't forget to share your thoughts with us on Discord and through the feedback form.[/p][p]We are already working on Devlog #2, so stay tuned![/p][p][/p][p]— The Space Scum Team[/p][hr][/hr][p]Looking for more?[/p][p]Another Forklift-published game Roman Triumph has just launched in 1.0! 🏛️[/p][p]Build your city, defend it from invaders, please the gods, and see how long you can survive 👇🏻[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p][/p][p]The galaxy just got a little safer and a little smarter. Version 0.6.5.16 is live with plenty of fixes, smarter AI, and quality of life improvements that should make your battles more fair and your missions more reliable.[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🔧 Latest Patch Notes[/h2][p][/p][h3]💥 Crash Fixes & Stability[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a crash when a crew member had more than 10 abilities[/p]
• [p]Fixed a crash that could occur when opening a Robot Systems shop[/p]
• [p]Fixed game not fully closing on Steam[/p]

[h3]🛠️ Gameplay Fixes & QoL[/h3]

• [p]Fixed characters appearing to have more Focus than they actually do due to rounding up[/p]
• [p]Status effects are no longer applied to downed characters in a tactical battle[/p]
• [p]Automated Sentries are no longer included in checks to see if a team has been wiped out in a tactical battle[/p]
• [p]Player crew members who are downed in battle now have a chance to survive at the end (provided they still have a head attached)[/p]
• [p]Fixed missions sometimes being created for non-existent enemies[/p]
• [p]Fixed missions not spawning or vanishing[/p]
• [p]Fixed hair turning white on characters that were downed in a tactical battle[/p]
• [p]Fixed footprints on the world map not saving or loading correctly[/p]
• [p]Game now auto pauses on load, when leaving a settlement or when closing the crew menu (settings menu toggles for these will come in a later update)[/p]

[h3]🎯 Combat & Balance[/h3]

• [p]Fixed some area of effect attacks not correctly displaying their targeted tiles[/p]
• [p]Fixed the difficulty display of some enemy packs on the world map not matching their actual difficulty[/p]
• [p]Fixed enemies using abilities when they did not have enough Focus[/p]
• [p]Fixed some higher tier weapons not having the correct damage[/p]
• [p]Force Field and Armour Penetration now scales with the targets remaining Force Field or Armour[/p]
• [p]Durability of equipment has changed, lower quality items now have less and higher quality items now have more[/p]
• [p]Fixed Shield item tooltip displaying unnecessary data[/p]

[h3]🧠 AI Improvements[/h3]

• [p]AI is now more aggressive when they or their team mates are targeted[/p]
• [p]AI should now know the requirements to use certain abilities[/p]

[h3]🛒 Economy & Missions[/h3]

• [p]Mission reward money has been reworked, generally courier missions reward less[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue that could make a courier missions secondary objective impossible[/p]

[h3]🖊️ Miscellaneous[/h3]

• [p]Fixed typos[/p]
• [p]Fixed game rolling a D101 rather than a D100[/p]
• [p]Fixed line of sight issues with outdoor battles with elevations[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][h2]📡 That's All For Now[/h2][p]As always, keep sending us your thoughts through the Feedback Form (you can also find it in the Main Menu). Every report helps us improve Space Scum during the Playtest.[/p][p]And if you want to keep up with development, chat with the community, and talk directly to us, join us on Discord![/p][p][/p][p]Until next time, stay scrappy and watch your six![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]Looking for more?[/p][p]Another Forklift-published game Roman Triumph has just launched in 1.0! 🏛️[/p][p]Build your city, defend it from invaders, please the gods, and see how long you can survive 👇🏻[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[h2]Hey everyone 👋[/h2][p][/p][p]You’ve told us some pretty interesting and weird stuff recently. In this first devlog we’ll be reviewing all the things you apparently like and dislike.[/p][p]But first off, it's worth noting we didn’t expect so many of you to play the open playtest. Over 5000 people have given it a try and almost 400 of you completed a feedback form. That’s over 6,500 bits of feedback in the forms alone, not mentioning those of you that contacted us on Discord and Steam![/p][p][/p][h3]🚀 You all totally disagree on weapons (and that’s good!)[/h3][p]We’ve really strived to balance ranged weapons (melee is coming later). Earlier builds had a ridiculously overpowered Assault Rifle that was long range, incredibly accurate and extremely powerful. We nerfed the Assault Rifle and tried to give each weapon a niche in an attempt to give the game some balance. The stats speak for themselves:[/p][p][/p][p]We’re really pleased about the variety of responses here, it suggests a certain amount of balance between the weapons. For example, to see roughly as many people love the shotgun as hate it is great. We want you to play the game differently and there to be no one “correct” meta. [/p][p]It’s also interesting because in previous playtests we’ve had people feel like Melee combat has been both overpowered and at other times underpowered. We modified some of the damage values and skills to help bring it into the fore and feel valuable, so it’s great to see a melee weapon in the top 3![/p][p]We’re also continuing to think about synergies between the different weapons. For example, the Pistol’s “Execute” works well on enemies affected by the SMG’s “Suppress”. This allows you to spray an area with SMG fire then have your pistols go in and murder enemies whilst they cower. Expect more of these![/p][p][/p][h3]👨‍🚀 Your personal lives keep getting in the way of gaming[/h3][p]One of the questions was “When did you stop playing, and why?”. This was really meant to determine if there was a specific game related reason that ended your playthrough, such as a bug, or a balancing issue. Instead, we got lots of details about your personal lives, which was genuinely great. [/p]

• [p]“i was playing while working, work is over”[/p]
• [p]“I have to pee...”[/p]
• [p]“I would've kept going, but it was dark.”[/p]
• [p]“Time to go to bed”[/p]
• [p]“I only stopped playing to go to work”[/p][p][/p]

[h3]🎯 Are we having fun yet?[/h3][p]It’s always pretty nerve wracking to see if players actually like your game. It’s er, pretty important! Those of you that filled in the feedback form seem to be enjoying yourself thankfully - 89.6% of you would recommend the game and average enjoyment was 7.74/10. This figure went up to 8.30 after updates.[/p][p]We’re really glad to see this as we’ve revamped the difficulty curve a number of times. We originally had the second dungeon be filled with Mercenaries, but that ended up being too deadly (as some of you may know!), so we tweaked it to Scavengers. We eased off the brutality of the wandering encounters to allow players to recover and level up their squad if needed to between story missions (Though some of our mobs may have been too hard even then...no names (Molten Cragborn) ).[/p][p][/p][h3]🩸 Definitely got time to bleed[/h3][p]It’s great to see so many of you enjoying long playthroughs of Space Scum. Especially given we’ve still got so much more content/polish/new systems to put into the game:[/p][h3][/h3][h3]🪐 Something’s missing[/h3][p]We know there’s lots of things missing but it’s still interesting to see where you think the issues are. The 5 most requested things were:[/p][p]
Comments about the UI confirmed much of what we already thought – that it needs some attention. Besides revisiting the general usability aspects of the UI, we’re also producing some mock ups in a new style. This should simultaneously give the game a visual boost and make it more fun to play. New UI screenshots will be shared shortly![/p][h3]
🛸 Origin Gangsters [/h3][p][/p][p]If we’re honest, most of the origins were last minute additions - we really weren’t expecting many people to try origins beyond the tutorial but as it turns out over 50% of you did?! It’s great that you wanted to try the variety and the different starts, it means we know they’re important to you and we’re definitely going to make sure they’re scaled, balanced and tweaked to be good fun for when the demo comes out.[/p][h3]
🛠️ Future Scum Logs[/h3][p]We’ll be doing regular devlogs from now on. Future updates will give you more of an insight into what has been happening on the day-to-day dev and the thinking behind the design decisions being made. [/p][p]And finally…thanks for all your help and feedback, lots of which has already been acted on. In the most literal sense we’ve have been overwhelmed by this, but that really is great![/p][p]
[/p][p]Simon & Ed[/p][p]
[/p][hr][/hr][p]Looking for more?[/p][p]Another Forklift-published game Roman Triumph has just launched in 1.0! 🏛️[/p][p]Build your city, defend it from invaders, please the gods, and see how long you can survive 👇🏻[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]