Starbase News

[h2]Progress Notes Week 51[/h2]
[h3]December 14th - 18th[/h3]

Hello everyone, here are the progress notes of week 51. Starbase development will be quieting down for the holidays, so the progress notes will be taking a break until January 11th, 2021. See you then!

Please note that the "Progress Notes" are different from the Starbase Alpha "Patch Notes". Progress Notes are snippets from the development team and what has been worked on during the previous week, and many of the features might not be present in the current or upcoming builds of the Closed Alpha. Some features, especially in the design portion, can be subject to change as the development continues.

[h3]Design[/h3] Features

• Old Robur station has been removed from the universe
  
• Charodium ore consumption has been fixed for refined material (now identical with other ores)
  
• Crafting data for Laser Cannon Ammo Structure (mirrored version) has been fixed: it now uses Arkanium insted of Xhalium
  

Spaceships

• Santa’s Little Helper Bots have replaced Vasama in Sunny Ship Center with "The Sled".
  
• Swine has been removed from Rando 3 temporarily due to issues
  
• Ship shops have been added to Robur station
  
• Refuel stations have been added to Robur station
  

Other

• Resurrection Machine has been changed to Reconstruction Machine
  

[h3]Code[/h3] Gameplay

• Fuel rods should no longer break when attached to structures without bolts.
  
• Auto-bolting has been patched to work with angled beams (also for corner-shaped attachment plates now)
  

User Interface

• A bug with ores not being stackable has been fixed
  
• Mining job tutorial can now be completed in all mining job instances
  
• An issue where auto-bolting/unbolting got stuck when switching tools or grabbing an object while unbolting has been fixed
  
• An issue where auto-unbolting removed weld bolts has been fixed
  
• An issue where auto-unbolting certain object caused other objects around it get unbolted has been fixed
  

Audio

• Ship mass support has been added to structural collisions (equivalent to how asteroid collision sounds are handled)
  
• Distance information to nearest planet has been fixed
  

In-game Designers

• An issue fixed where auto-naming affected thrusters that were being loaded in to the scene
  
• A separate settings window has been added for adjusting thruster device auto-naming
  
• Mouse wheel rotation and scaling control has been added for the decal
  

[h3]Art[/h3] Animations and Emotes

• 1st person weapons/tools now have animations when firing an empty gun
  
• 3rd person animations improved in mid-air events (either due to jumping or falling)
  
• Emote_yes_fps was removed and changed into /thumbs
  
• Rummage animations have been polished (1st person)
  

Weapons and Effects

• 'Afterburn' FX refined and recolored in Mounted Plasma Hits: the spawning and scaling rates over distance have been optimized
  
• 'Afterburn' FX added to Mounted Laser Hits: optimized the spawning and scaling rates over distance
  
• 'Afterburn' FX added to Mounted Railgun Hits: optimized the spawning and scaling rates over distance
  
• Propellant explosion FX Updated to better match explosive damage area - also added more dissipation to reduce 'clumping' on slower moving explosions
  
• New effect created for the large propellant container
  
• Fuel Rod explosion FX updated to better match explosive damage area - also added more dissipation to reduce 'clumping' on slower moving explosions
  
• Tractor Beam FX updated to be more 'stream like' and notably different to Resource Bridge
  
• Some of the reticles have been fixed due to them not being visible enough against darker backgrounds - reticle effects have been improved
  

Other

• Some adjustments have been made to auto exposure (less dramatic change from dark to bright)
  
• Devices: ammunition storage crate has been added
  
• Lighting and holograms added to: Balestra ship shop, Argentavian Federation ship shop, Kbot ship shop
  
• Reconstruction Machine was cut into 4 smaller pieces that can be carried. Inventory icons have been created for the pieces
  
• UI icons created for buttons in the top bar in SSC:
  
  • New icons: asset browser, toolbox, tool options, multi-user undo system, materials, scene view, properties, YOLOL script editor, building budget, paint colors, material cost
    
  • Sharper versions of existing icons: LOD viewer, create, attach, detach, show spaceship orientation
    

[h3]Gallery[/h3]

[h3]Videos[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Don't forget to check our official Starbase forums and our blog for more pictures and videos of the weekly development.

Until next time! 🪐

Starbase Alpha invites are back! Now that the game has a proper starter-experience and a ton of new features, we are resuming additional invite waves.

Here's a new video showing some current gameplay from the alpha:
https://youtu.be/hoQxvVKjHLA

If you'd like to participate in the Starbase Closed Alpha, and you've done one of the two signup surveys - await your invitation! If you've not done the survey, head over to https://starbasegame.com/alpha-signup and fill out the form, and join our Discord at https://discord.gg/starbase for the latest info and invite updates.

We'll start with moderate amounts of invites first, but before Early Access launches, we hope to properly stress test the game with massive player counts, so expect the invitations to ramp up significantly in the coming couple of months. Soon enough we'll need everyone who signed up :)

Don't forget to wishlist! https://store.steampowered.com/app/454120

[h2]Progress Notes Week 50[/h2]
[h3]December 7th - 11th[/h3]

Hello everyone! Here are the progress notes of week 50 - hope you enjoy!

Please note that the "Progress Notes" are different from the Starbase Alpha "Patch Notes". Progress Notes are snippets from the development team and what has been worked on during the previous week, and many of the features might not be present in the current or upcoming builds of the Closed Alpha. Some features, especially in the design portion, can be subject to change as the development continues.

[h3]Design[/h3] Features

• Fuel Rod does not require bolts anymore when attached to Fuel Chamber
  
• New ellipsoid safe zone around Origin: The safe zones changed from 350x200x80km box to a 1000x440x100km ellipsoid
  
• Ore distribution has been adjusted in the safe zone to match the new safe zone shape
  
• A bug fixed that allowed to get other players' credits while standing in the collector shaft at Mining Job.
  
• Beam weld mass changed, they do not add extra mass to ships
  
• Automatic thruster naming tested and added to Ship Designer: Thruster names should now match the names used by the MFC automatically
  
• Improvements to ship transponders and station transponders were designed, added an article about transponders to Starbase wiki
  
• Improvements to ship hosting and loading were designed
  

Spaceships

• Sunny Ship Center (dev spaceship shop) updates:
  
  • Laborer II has been added (pre-upgraded tutorial reward ship)
    
• Player ship shop updates:
  
  • Added to Rando shops: Glacier AH-06, Donnager, Tadpole, Nusa light shuttle (moved from Okim), Croc, Harpy, Swine, Apito, Elyune, Will-o-Wisp, Nymph, Ridder
    
  • Added to Okim shops: Midge, Mastodon, Mover, Malamute II, T3-A Vulcanus, Bat
    
  • Added to DURΛTΞCH shop: LYNGBAKER A, Fundinn A, EYDAMA A, ORMVIDAR A, Aelsa A, Alfrigg A, Bomburr A, Jordis A, Signy A
    
  • Removed: Miter Saw, Nate, Protector
    

[h3]Code[/h3] Gameplay

• Small scrap detection issues have been fixed
  
• Containers no longer explode upon building
  
• Autobolting now works with angled beams
  
• Ore penalty to ship towing cost doesn't apply anymore when the ship has been lost at the target station
  
• Option for highlighting missing station and lot blueprint parts has been added
  
• An issue fixed where players got repeatedly disconnected due to entering the game in the middle of a large station with too much data being sent from the server at once
  

User Interface

• Fixes to ore not stacking fully are underway
  
• An issue where items on lots couldn't be picked up has been fixed
  
• Players are no longer able to buy 2x1 items when there's no space in the Mining Backpack
  
• Players are no longer able to bolt other players' ships with auto-bolting
  
• Trade window now has a limit of 2000 items
  
• An issue fixed with ores disappearing when using material transfer context menu several times
  
• Priority snap point type added for devices which will only connect with a hardpoint-type
  
• Placeholder version of company teams UI is now finished
  

Audio

• Thruster sounds have been tweaked
  
• Ore collection sounds have been fixed
  
• Mining backpack vacuuming sounds have been changed to match the new design
  
• LOD collision audio support is in the making
  

[h3]Art[/h3] Animations and Emotes

• 1st person rocket launcher reload animation has been updated to match the current reload time
  
• Rummage animations (1st person) have been added to Building Tool, C4, Laser Rifle and Laser Cutter.
  

Stations and Cities

• First skyscraper entrance has been updated with interior decorations.
  
• Four skyscraper floor modules, as well as their "light/dark" versions, have been updated with interior decorations.
  
• Various LODs created and updated
  

Weapons and Armor

• Yeoman armorset texture update is in progress
  
• Weapon reticles have been updated (glow edited)
  

Other

• Assets for five new ore material added: Material models, ore textures and inventory icons.
  
• New rich asteroid concept images have been created (ideas only, not decided to implement in game yet)
  
• Endoskeleton texture update is in progress
  
• The Reconstruction Machine textures have been finished.
  
• A hologram has been created for the Balestra logo
  
• UI art has been made for the scale tool in SSC
  

[h3]Gallery[/h3]

Don't forget to check our official Starbase forums and our blog for more pictures and videos of the weekly development.

Until next time! 🪐

[h2]Progress Notes Week 49[/h2]
[h3](November 30th - December 4th)[/h3]

Hello everyone! Here are the progress notes of week 49 - hope you enjoy!

Please note that the "Progress Notes" are different from the Starbase Alpha "Patch Notes". Progress Notes are snippets from the development team and what has been worked on during the previous week, and many of the features might not be present in the current or upcoming builds of the Closed Alpha. Some features, especially in the design portion, can be subject to change as the development continues.

[h3]Design[/h3] Features

• Fix for the Mining Laser and Ore Collector throttling exploit has been sorted out
  
• Cleaner collection areas have been added around mining job workstations, any chunks of asteroids
• thrown outside the workstation are collected without rewarding credits
  
• Cutting Tool power consumption design has been worked on, it will use power packs as "ammo" like Buzzsaw does
  
• Improvements to the ship transponders have been designed
  

User Interface

• Design for using premade parts in Spaceship Designer has been worked on
  
• Support for selecting alternate building materials for spaceship parts has been worked on
  
• Designs for Universal Tool's Station Blueprint tab have been made
  
• Work on Station Management UI design has started
  
• Layout redesign for the player CV has been worked on
  

Stations and Cities

• 10 min despawn areas have been added around Ore Storage Towers, Command Centers, Work Hub and Ship Design Workshops
  
• Descriptions have been added for Station Designer modules
  
• City landing and take-off section is being worked on
  
• Safe zones for player made stations have been designed
  

[h3]Code[/h3] Gameplay

• A fix has been made for resource network connection issues on lots and dropped items
  
• 3D Printer device field feedback and control has been improved
  
• Safe zones have been added for player stations.
  
• Ellipsoid shape type has been added for safe zones and build restricted areas
  
• A test flight button has been added to Spaceship Shop terminals
  

User Interface

• A fix has been made for being able to buy large items to backpack even when there's no space for it and the item vanishing when buying to mining backpack
  

[h3]Art[/h3] Animations and Emotes

• Work on tripod animations continues
  
• Cable and pipe tools now have 3rd person animations
  
• Welding and Bolt Tool 3rd person reload animations have been updated so they match new idle
  
• Rummage animations (1st person) have been added to Plasma Rifle, Tactical Shotgun, Bolter, Long Rifle, Rail Rifle, and Whiplash
  

Stations and Cities

• Interior level art has been added to various skyscraper floor modules.
  
• Misaligned art panels fixed in Lot Designer modules
  

Weapons and Armor

• Optimized the spawn rates and effect scaling over distance for the Mounted Plasma Hit, Fuel Rod and Propellants Explosions (along with their related afterburn effects)
  

Other

• Railing corner 45 (T-shaped) snap points have been updated so that the bottom of it snaps correctly to other railing pieces
  
• The material of every asteroid surface rock has been updated to match better with the new asteroid textures
  
• Warp Travel VFX has been updated
  
  • Charge/buildup effects and retimed current effects have been added to allow for the new warp buildup
    
  • The actual buildup time before fast travel has been slightly adjusted to help match back to the effects
    

[h3]Gallery[/h3]

Don't forget to check our official Starbase forums and our blog for more pictures and videos of the weekly development.

Until next time! 🪐

[h2]Progress Notes Week 48[/h2]
[h3](November 23rd - 27th)[/h3]

Hello everyone! Here are the progress notes of week 48 - hope you enjoy!

Please note that the "Progress Notes" are different from the Starbase Alpha "Patch Notes". Progress Notes are snippets from the development team and what has been worked on during the previous week, and many of the features might not be present in the current or upcoming builds of the Closed Alpha. Some features, especially in the design portion, can be subject to change as the development continues.

[h3]Design[/h3] Features

• Ore distribution throughout the belt has been reworked: more common ore now available and hot spots containing rarer ore have been added
  
• Work on factory systems has been continued
  
  • 3D printer has been added to Interior Designer and shops
    
  • Initial pre-installed blueprint chip selection has been added to shop
    
  • Improvements to 3D printer and blueprint chip are being designed, focusing on status information
    
  • Resource grid utility box power supply design has been adjusted to better support multiple 3D printers
    

User Interface

• "Resurrection machine" UI has been designed
  
• The layout redesign for the player CV continues
  
• The design for a Station Blueprint tab in the Universal Tool has been started
  
• Automated building options were designed and added to the Stations UI
  

Stations and Cities

• The intersection walkways of various grid slots have been updated, as their railings were colliding with "Vertical Bridge" and "Mass transit stop" modules
  
• Overlapping decorative panels have been fixed in "Empire VIS HQ" and "Kingdom VIS HQ"
  
• Transponders for player-built stations were designed
  
• New city areas are being worked on
  

Other

• Lot Designer: module tooltips now show the amount of connection ports found in each module
  
• Lot Designer: added a new module category for modules included in the shop blueprint chip selection
  
• Spaceship Designer: New 15, 30, 45 degree beams and plates are underway
  

[h3]Code[/h3] Gameplay

• An issue where lots' built objects disappeared due to a save error has been fixed
  
• Stations & lots can't be saved by people who have no access to them anymore
  
• An issue where station blueprints got shifted into wrong positions has been fixed
  
• Each built hologram no longer triggers a new save lot operation
  
• An issue with building a station blueprint owned by another player has been fixed
  
• Resource network connection limitations (with pipes and cables) have been finished
  
• Utility box fixes have been implemented
  
• Remote explosive devices are no longer turned into debris even though they're small
  
• An issue where 3D Printer got stuck when transferring finished item to station storage has been fixed
  
• An issue where idle station terminals spontaneously crashed the game has been fixed
  

User Interface

• Inventory weight has been added to player
  
• A fix for not being able to pick up parts that are built to station blueprints is in the making
  
• A fix for not being able to pick up the Station Foundation Blueprint Projector to inventory is in the making
  
• A mass limit has been added to backpacks and the mining backpack's single slots are now dynamic
  
• Automatic building options have been added to Building page on Stations tab
  
• Work on enabling items in Auction House UI is underway
  
• A fix has been made for priority snapping points shown in Spaceship Designer
  

Audio

• Experimental mass-based scaling has been added to ship acceleration sounds
  
• Support for death music is in the making
  

In-Game Designers

• Pivot override has been added for objects that have a custom pivot point to rotate around
  
• An issue where Cable Tool was malfunctioning with connecting to snap points has been fixed
  

[h3]Art[/h3] Animations and Emotes

• Work on tripod animations continues
  
• Rummage animations (1st person) added to Saw tool, Battle rifle, Revolver, Repeater and Antigel
  
• New rock-paper-scissor emote animations available
  

Weapons and Armor

• An afterburn effect has been created for basic missiles
  
• An afterburn effect has been added to missiles and torpedoes
  
• Longer burning Mounted Plasma Hits have been added/worked on
  
• Praetorian armor set textures' paint jobs have been added
  

Stations and Cities

• Skyscraper interiors are being worked on
  
• New hologram designs are being worked on
  

Other

• Fuel Rod's explosion has been updated and afterburn VFX has been added to it
  
• Textures for large asteroids have been updated to more closely resemble the smaller ones
  
• "Resurrection machine" model has been finished, texturing, LODs etc. are underway
  

[h3]Gallery[/h3]

[h3]Videos[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Don't forget to check our official Starbase forums and our blog for more pictures and videos of the weekly development.

Until next time! 🪐