Imagine Earth News

[h3]Dear Space Colony Managers,[/h3]

A lot has been going on behind the scenes in the last few months, we've been working hard on console versions of the game, constantly improving it in many details and carefully fine-tuning proven features. At the end of this update post, there's also a preview of new features that we plan to deliver with the next versions and DLCs in the first half of this year.

[h3]Ocean coloration[/h3]

If the world is on the brink of a climate catastrophe, this is now also reflected in an unhealthy coloration of the oceans.



[h3]Land degradation[/h3]

The reduction in fertility due to soil pollution and harmful environmental influences is visualized even more clearly by the change in soil texture.

What you can also see in this picture are piles of garbage that players can recycle to earn money. These will play a major role in another new game mode called Transformation. Here you are presented with a planet that is already built up with a civilization that is unfortunately already threatening to tip over into a climate catastrophe. You have to try to rebuild it in such a way that it lasts and climate change is stopped.



[h3]Moving instead of demolishing [/h3]

You can now only demolish neighborhoods if you still have enough living space for the population in other parts of the city. This sharpens the perception that these are people and that their lives are something worth protecting. In inhabited districts, the demolition option is now called relocation and can only be triggered if you have built enough modern apartments for your residents to move to.



This will also be of great importance in the Transformation game mode, where you will find outdated and dilapidated slums with little space for people and high energy costs and pollution.



[h3]New button for complete campaign reset[/h3]

To be able to start the campaign from scratch without having to create a new profile, there is now a new Reset Campaign button.



[h3]New space backgrounds[/h3]

There are a number of new space backgrounds for the new Open Space game mode, as you start in a completely new, procedurally generated galaxy. Although this game mode will be released as DLC, the Competitive and Endless game modes will also benefit from this with fancy new start screens.



[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• New more open look for the selection ring
  
• New info box style
  
• Prices for tech & research are now fixed instead of being dependent on trade on planets
  
• Population loss is no longer so blatant and fast when the mood is very bad
  
• City Center now only has living space for 50,000 colonists
  
• AI opponents no longer land right next to each other at the start of the game
  
• Xrathul: Damage to the ship also reduces resource hunger before departure
  
• In challenge mode, the ranking on the current challenge planet is now displayed instead of the eternally identical mission description.
  
• Automatic savegame name also shows last activated quest
  
• Back button no longer triggered by right mouse button
  
• No more icons in the pause screen
  
• Lousy performance of fireworks and GameOver explosions improved
  

[h3]New models of fishing boats optimized[/h3]

We noticed the boats recently because we still had 3D models that really looked almost 10 years old, now they are adapted to the modern style of the game.



[h3]Gamepad control[/h3]

• Right stick not only jumps to cities but also to events
  
• Show left shoulder button icon directly on research button if stock trading is not yet available
  
• Tab symbol is no longer displayed for Cities
  

[h3]Preview - Exentensions[/h3]

For the Open Space DLC, we have been building extensions for some time that can be unlocked so that they are automatically added to every new city center. The whole thing works like a long-term meta-game with which you can improve the working conditions and technical progress in your colonies mission by mission.



[h3]Bugs fixed[/h3]

• Trader landing animation hangs
  
• Help dialog hangs over the store menu in the campaign
  
• Streets are faded out too early
  
• Colony value is wrong directly after loading a savegame
  
• No more congress invitations after mission end
  
• Journal hotkey flicker
  

[h3]Update 1.15.1[/h3]
The new game mechanic, which prevents the demolition and replacement of districts if there is not enough free living space for the population, has unfortunately led to problems, as population growth is often too fast.
We have therefore removed this aspect for the time being and will bring it back in a modified form as part of the next update.

[h3]Update 1.15.2[/h3]

• Fixed "demolition" still being called "resettle" for districts
  
• Fixed city centers still having high tax revenue and resource consumption although population was halved with the update
  

[h3]Update 1.15.3[/h3]

• Fixed unlimited tech licenses provided by supply capsules
  
• Fixed error in editor when trying to use functions without having the related high-tech constructs
  

[h3]Update 1.15.4[/h3]

• Fixed missing ground texture for native camps
  
• Fixed icons hidden within fires and their smoke particles
  
• Fixed start animations of traders sometime not being shown
  
• Fixed right click no longer closing in-game panels like research
  
• Fixed active tool (e.g. repair) blocking game from ending
  
• Fixed error when starting another planet after leaving a planet that had fires
  
• Changed mixed colors of trader and native storage to a single color
  
• Make sure that players see landing animation for other factions arriving on the planet in most of the missions
  

[h3]Update 1.15.5[/h3]

• Fixed scanner and other items not being usable anymore
  
• Fixed music not working anymore after setting the volume to 0 for some time
  

[h3]Update 1.15.6[/h3]

• Removed unwanted spoiler of city extensions that also broke the competition gameplay balance.
  

The Open Space DLC is in production and will be released in Q2 2024. Here are all the details.

Fixed roads fading out too early.

From now on you can watch birds in Imagine Earth. Soon, more species will surely be sighted. And then we also assign them a central role in the ecosystem or global simulation of our planet. I'm still not sure if they are the right size or if it's a pity that you never get them really close in front of your lens. For example, it was quite a challenge to take this one snapshot for the update.



[h3]Editor improvements[/h3]

In the editor, the land grab button was overlaid by the purge tool, so you couldn't expand your colony in that mode.
Also, when creating new planets, you can now again predefine the difficulty level a player must master of your planets!
Would be very interested in how accessible you find the editor as such, would it be more exciting for you if you could play multiple planets in a galaxy map or would it be more interesting for you to be able to script complex missions with a story told by voice actors in dialogues?



[h3]New building textures[/h3]

We have created new roof textures for coal-fired power plants, industrial farm and organic farm. All buildings should create a better visual balancing act between post-industrial look and futuristic appearance. At the same time, the new textures of the roofs should visually connect them, so that they also fit with the quarry and the forestry farm. They now look more like you would build these buildings if you landed on a new planet in a capsule and wanted to provide basic supplies for your colony. I personally feel the style is a successful mix of steampunk and post-industrial age, what do you think?

[h3]Icons for tree species[/h3]

The nine tree species of the third vegetation type, which we have affectionately christened Thicket, now have individual icons that make them more recognizable when planted. Thicket tree species grow on wasteland and frost type planets, these worlds offer the most exotic plant life next to mushrooms and terrestrial forests, check them out to see how appropriate they seem to you.



[h3]More Features & Fixes[/h3]

• Pause and select button icons were still displayed in the build menu, but did not work.
  
• Display category and building icons/buttons in build menu with equal spacing at the same height
  
• Cas in cities do not jerk anymore
  
• Optimized build process makes updates easier
  

As always, thank you very much if you had the interest to read this far!
Jens & Martin