LTA: Light-years! Thrusters! Action! News

[p]What is the game about?[/p][p]In very short terms, I draw inspiration from the games that influenced me the most: FTL, RimWorld, Dwarf Fortress, and Sid Meier’s Pirates![/p][p]The core idea is this:[/p][p]You start by generating a galaxy with its own history — civilizations, states, factions, conflicts. Then you choose a scenario (for example, delivering cargo across the galaxy), build a spaceship (either manually from parts or randomly), generate a crew (RimWorld-style), and head into space.[/p][p]From there:[/p]

• [p]You can travel through space[/p]
• [p]Land on planets[/p]
• [p]Fight ship-to-ship battles[/p]
• [p]Trade[/p]
• [p]Manage your crew (food, clothes, medical care, salaries — or they might revolt)[/p]

[p]Some resources only exist in space, others only on planets. For example, you can’t upgrade a ship while in space — you need planetary infrastructure.[/p][p]Or… you can ignore objectives entirely and just play it as a sandbox.[/p][p]That’s the concept. I honestly don’t know exactly what it will become in the end — but I have a direction now.[/p][p][/p][p]How it started vs where it ended up[/p][p]Originally, I just wanted to make a small space flying game in a couple of evenings, using AI-generated art.[/p][p]Then I thought:[/p]

• [p]“What if it’s like FTL, but with physics-based space flight?”[/p]
• [p]Then I didn’t like the visuals and redid the graphics[/p]
• [p]Some assets I drew myself, some I bought[/p]
• [p]Then I saw a cool mechanic somewhere and thought: “I want this in my game”[/p]

[p]And so, step by step, the project grew far beyond “just flying and space combat”.[/p][p]Eventually, a proper game concept emerged, and that’s what I’m building toward now.[/p][p]I’ll try to list everything without forgetting anything[/p]

• [p]A galaxy is procedurally generated using configurable parameters[/p]
• [p]The galaxy consists of sectors connected by major hyperspace routes[/p]
• [p]Each sector contains star systems[/p]
• [p]Each star has parameters:[/p]
  • [p]Mass[/p]
  • [p]Luminosity[/p]
  • [p]Energy output[/p]
  • [p]Star type[/p]
• [p]Planets orbit stars, each with their own parameters[/p]
• [p]Asteroid belts and other space objects can appear in systems[/p][p]Historical Simulation[/p][p]After world generation, a historical simulation runs:[/p]
  • [p]Hundreds of years are fast-forwarded[/p]
  • [p]Civilizations rise and fall[/p]
  • [p]Fleets are built and destroyed[/p]
  • [p]Factions fight over sectors[/p]
  • [p]Settlements are founded and abandoned[/p]
  [p]All of this history is stored as data and later affects gameplay.[/p][p]Examples:[/p]
  • [p]If a battle happened long ago in a system, you might find fleet wreckage[/p]
  • [p]If a settlement once existed, you may discover ruins on the planet[/p]
  [p]For now, this mostly exists as data — but it will increasingly shape environments and encounters.[/p][p][/p][p]Ship & Crew[/p]
  • [p]You create a ship manually from parts or generate one randomly[/p]
  • [p]Crew members are procedurally generated (RimWorld-style)[/p]
  • [p]Each crew member has strengths, weaknesses, and skills[/p]

[p]Scenarios[/p]

• [p]Currently only one scenario is playable: Free Play[/p]
• [p]More are planned[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]Full freedom of movement in space[/p]
• [p]Sector map with star system travel[/p]
• [p]Hyperspace gates allow travel between sectors[/p]
• [p]Galaxy map shows which factions control which sectors[/p]
• [p]Friendly and hostile factions exist[/p]
• [p]Hostile ships can attack[/p]
• [p]Ships can be equipped with weapons and shields[/p]
• [p]Resources can be mined in asteroid belts[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]You can land on planets[/p]
• [p]When landing, a schematic planetary map is shown where you choose a landing zone[/p]
• [p]Planet parameters affect surface generation[/p]
• [p]Each planet has:[/p]
  • [p]Its own atmosphere[/p]
  • [p]Its own day/night cycle (not Earth-like)[/p]
  • [p]Unique atmospheric color affecting ambient lighting[/p]

[p]On the surface:[/p]

• [p]Vegetation and animals exist[/p]
• [p]Large objects cast shadows depending on the planet’s time of day[/p]
• [p]Plants grow and wither over time (visible when speeding up time)[/p]
• [p]Animals can behave aggressively[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]You can build on planets:[/p]
  • [p]Place furniture[/p]
  • [p]Designate storage zones[/p]
  • [p]Place machines and craft items[/p]
• [p]Characters can wear clothing and spacesuits[/p]
• [p]Characters can carry weapons and use them[/p]
• [p]Characters must eat and sleep to avoid death or mental breakdowns[/p]
• [p]Performing actions improves character skills[/p][p][/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

• [p]Heat and toxicity simulation works on planetary surfaces[/p]
• [p]Objects, plants, animals, and characters can catch fire if overheated[/p]
• [p]Example: lava as a heat source[/p]

[p][/p][p]I think that’s everything — hopefully I didn’t forget anything[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Right now I’m finishing a mood and mental state system, so world events affect characters more deeply.[/p][p]After that:[/p]

• [p]Planetary resource extraction[/p]
• [p]Trading[/p]
• [p]Technology tree / progression system[/p]
• [p]Playtesting throughout the process[/p]

[p]If the game sounds interesting to you, please consider adding it to your Steam wishlist — it helps more than you might think.
[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]That’s all for now.
Thanks for reading![/p]

[p][/p][h3]This update is a big one 🙂[/h3][p]I’ve finally finished the reworked history generator. It’s now much easier to expand with new types of events, and it already makes the galaxy feel much more alive.[/p][p][/p][p]When you look at the galactic map, you’ll now see entire empires forming. They build fleets, colonize planets, collect taxes, and fight each other. Exploration fleets can establish new settlements, while military fleets can conquer them. Of course, space isn’t safe — fleets might get lost in the void or destroyed in asteroid belts.[/p][p][/p][p]Settlements have their own stories too. A bad harvest, a raider attack, or even a reactor explosion can reduce their population — sometimes to the point where people abandon the place entirely.[/p][p]All of this happens in a massive simulation that runs before you start the game, generating about 600 years of galactic history. It takes some serious calculations, and watching the progress bar tick along feels like you’re watching centuries of chaos unfold.[/p][p]The generated data is already being hooked into gameplay. Empires created by the simulation appear on the galactic map. If an empire can’t manage to hold a single sector, it’s marked as a fallen empire. On planetary maps, you’ll see settlements — and behind each one there’s a small history. If you stumble across ruins, you’ll even be able to find out why that settlement was abandoned.[/p][p][/p][p]It’s a big step toward making every game feel like it has a unique backstory — a galaxy shaped by centuries before you even arrive.[/p][p][/p][h3]Next Steps[/h3][p]I’m working on generating settlements, fleets, and space stations directly from the history data, so they’ll appear in the game world as real, interactable objects. This way, the galaxy you explore will feel even more alive, shaped by centuries of simulated history.[/p]

Hi everyone! Here's a small update:

Landing Zone Selection: You can now choose your landing spot on the planet. The game shows which tiles your ship will occupy after landing. Choose wisely — large obstacles might damage your ship, and taking off again could become a real challenge.


Improved Planet Generation: Planet flora and natural features are now generated more consistently. Several bugs related to plant placement and saving have been fixed.

Bug Fixes: A bunch of long-standing bugs have finally been addressed. Nothing too flashy, but the game should feel a bit smoother overall.

Thanks and stay tuned!

Planetary Time and Daylight
Planets now have their own custom day length, independent from Earth’s 24-hour cycle.

Lighting intensity smoothly follows the local time of day – dawn, noon, dusk, and night are now visually distinct.
Atmospheric Color
The atmosphere tint changes depending on the planet, affecting the color and mood of the sky and terrain throughout the day.

Shadows
Shadows of large terrain objects (like trees) now update based on the local sun's position.

This creates a more realistic and immersive environment, especially noticeable when time is sped up.

Flashlights
Astronauts now automatically turn on their flashlights when it’s too dark, and turn them off when ambient light returns.

Terrain Visual Polish
The surface of the planet has been visually improved for better variation and clarity.