Oxygen Not Included News

Hello friends!

We're pleased to bring you the Big Asteroid Update for Spaced Out! This is the first in a series of quality-of-life focused updates. The major features of the DLC are in place and working well with each other, so now we're combing through all your feedback to fix, polish, and improve the game as much as we can!

The "big addition" (hahah) in this update is a larger "vanilla-like" starting asteroid combined with the new Spaced Out! starmap and rocketry. The existing clusters still require further balance and tuning, but we're ready to begin expanding the selection of clusters available to play on. In this update, we're adding a large, resource-rich starting asteroid that supports the classic "big base" experience. Additionally, we're putting in a “Forest start” Spaced Out! style cluster.

We're also turning our attention back towards rockets so this update features a redesigned limit for rocket engines based on rocket height instead of module count. Now an engine can sport more short modules than tall ones. Combined with a significant increase in Cargo Module capacity, there are more viable rocket combinations using the same pieces. Refined rocket automation and updated Rocket Ports allow better use of cargo bays. As well, asteroids are generated with more "headroom" for tall rockets, and a new Solar Panel Module increases rocket power options.

Check out all these changes and improvements and let us know what you think, or if you find any bugs! We'll be eagerly reading your experiences as we continue to iterate on these features and put in more fixes. Thank you so much for being with us through this Early Access.



[h2]Main Features[/h2]
[h3]New Clusters[/h3]

• Added "Classic Style" Terra Cluster
  
  • Classic style worlds are intended to be evocative of the base game experience. They offer fewer asteroids on the starmap, but each is larger and more resource dense.
• Added "Spaced Out! Style" Forest Cluster
  
• Added an asteroid style selection screen to the new game flow to sort between “Spaced Out! Style” worlds and “Classic Style” worlds

[h3]Solar Panel Module [/h3]

• Added Solar Panel Module to generate onboard power for rockets

[h3]Rocketry Improvements[/h3]

• Rocket maximum module count condition replaced with maximum rocket height condition
  
• Increased all rocket cargo module and Orbital Cargo Module capacities by 10x
  
• Rocket Ports have been split into two buildings each, one for loading and one for unloading for each of solid/liquid/gas conduit types
  
• Rocket Platform is now a "Foundation" building, it can be built floating in the air and Duplicants can stand on top of it. Art adjusted accordingly
  
• Put the Gantry back into the game
  
• Rocket Ports now require constructing on ground/tiles
  
• Major overhaul of the internals of Rocket Ports. They now work much more reliably, start and stop correctly, and correctly update the rocket's checklist
  
• The Launch Pad automation input now "takes over" launch control, either triggering launch or cancelling it based on the signal, so it can be reliably used to start and stop launches
  
• Added Element Filters to both Cargo Bays and Rocket Loading Ports. Loading Ports will load only materials requested by Cargo Bays onto rockets, and Rockets will only unload materials requested by Unloading Ports
  
• Added a mass slider to all Cargo Bays
  
• Adjusted internal storages of the Rocket Ports to match the capacity of the plumbing
  
• Reduced power consumption of the Rocket Ports
  
• Revisions and cleanup to Rocket Platform automation ports:
  
  • Output port goes green when all launch checklist items are fully checked (no warnings)
    
  • Input port takes over the launch button once connected. A green signal requests a launch when all Rocket Construction and Cargo Manifest items are fully checked (no warnings). A red signal cancels the current launch

[h3]Improved Moo Asteroid[/h3]

• Gassy “Mooteor” showers have begun falling on the Gassy Moo Moonlet, delivering fresh Gassy Moos to the asteroid
  
• Redesigned Moo asteroid including a guaranteed Chlorine Gas Vent

There are a lot more patch notes where that came from. For more details check out the official post over here:

Hello everyone, in conjunction with today's Spaced Out! update, here's a patch for the base version of the game to fix a few issues. Take care!

Fixed missing strings on various status effects
Updated Steamworks API
Don't spawn more germs than are present for falling water, fixes germ duplication (detail)
Updated all translations

Hi friends!

Welcome to the Radbolt From The Blue update! This is where your efforts producing Radiation aim once again towards space with the introduction of the Radbolt Engine and the Interplanetary Launcher. These new Radbolt-powered constructions improve your ability to explore the system and to create sustained resource networks.

We've been going full tilt on new features since January as it is important to us that the overall scope of both multi-asteroid play and radiation are in the game and playable for you to experience. We know that there are a number of issues in the game right now that you've brought up, so we're going to shift gears back to addressing feedback, stability, and balance. We really appreciate all the support and encouragement that you give us, as our small team has to really balance priorities during development. We want you to know that your concerns have been heard and we will try to address them over the coming updates, starting with adding a larger "classic" asteroid size to the asteroid selection in the next update.

The nature of Oxygen Not Included is that new features end up getting inserted systemically into the game, affecting gameplay at all levels. In fact, one of our goals for Spaced Out! is to ensure that there's new challenges at all phases of gameplay for you to overcome. Changes to the worldgen as well as tuning changes affected the early and mid-game in particular. However, we understand that some of the changes to the classic experience have been too dramatic for some, and harmed some of the strategies you've come to love. Part of the work we want to do in the next few releases is to make sure there is a proper classic experience even with the DLC turned on. The option for a larger asteroid size will be the first step towards this.

We're in the process of merging the codebases for the base game and the DLC. This means toggling the DLC content on and off will not require re-downloading any files, and additionally it will be easier for us to keep the two versions of the game in harmony, whether that means implementing bug fixes, adding quality of life and UI improvements, or toggling gameplay features on and off.

We want this DLC to be the best it can be! It's your feedback that makes this possible, so thank you so much for all the time you take to leave comments, feedback, ideas, and bug reports. We truly couldn't make this game as awesome without you.

[h2]Features[/h2]

• Added Radbolt Engine for exploring space with your new radiation technologies
  
• Added Interplanetary Launcher to send resources between asteroids
  
• Added Targeting Beacon to guide Payloads to a specific spot on a planetoid surface
  
• Radioactive elements now emit radiation in the world (ores are still work-in-progress)

[h2]Changes and Updates[/h2]

• Add Orbital Research Center sounds
  
• Add Uranium Ore ambience sounds
  
• Add Payload Opener sounds
  
• Add Lead Suit Locker sounds
  
• Updated Chinese, Russian, and Korean translations
  
• Rearranged the tech tree to move Solid Rails earlier
  
• Moved Cryofuel Propulsion and Monuments techs to a higher tier
  
• Duplicants faces are more reliably changed when they are sick, sunburnt, etc, including new Hypothermia faces
  
• Modified line weight for consistency on rocket modules
  
• Solid Nuclear Waste and Corium are now "Miscellaneous" materials and can be stored in storages under that category
  
• Rocket Pilot Station is now deconstructable and rebuildable. Rockets can't launch without one. If it's destroyed in flight, the rocket travels the same as if a dupe is unable to get to the station, i.e. at half speed
  
• Research Reactor tile max venting pressure increased to 150kg
  
• Research Reactor only samples calls near the top of the building for gas venting. It will vent to any non solid under pressure cell available in the sampled space
  
• Updated Uranium item and UI artwork
  
• Magma and marsh biome descriptions updated
  
• Tweaks to various building descriptions
  
• Orbital Cargo Module can transport items in the Edible, Cooking Ingredients, and Medicine categories

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed Rocket Engine exhaust leaking into rocket interiors
  
• Fixed Rocket Pad flickering when launching a rocket
  
• Fixed crash selecting a rocket destination on the edge of the starmap
  
• Rocket Platform scaffolding now properly tints on overlays
  
• Fixed detached Duplicant arm in the Payload Opener animation
  
• Adjusted Radiation build menu icon to match overlay icon
  
• Duplicants carying an Interplanetary Payload no longer pick up the dirt with it
  
• Interplanetary Payloads now appear in front of buildings.
  
• Fix crash when a Duplicant is destroyed
  
• Removed hidden output ports on cargo modules
  
• Beeta Hives no longer drown to death or die when unsupported. Instead, they go into a "disabled" state until the issue is resolved
  
• Beeta Hives no longer emit radiation when they are not digesting ore
  
• Tweaked Beeta radiation emission values
  

Hi friends! We've got an update with a fix to the reactors! It's been really fun watching them blow up, but this will make them blow up a little more predictably. Let us know if you find any other issues, and enjoy!

• Fixed crash that could occur when one researcher takes over from another at the Atomic Collider.
  
• Adjusted Research Reactor reaction parameters. It begins reacting with a minimum of 0.5kg fuel and stops reacting when fuel drops below 0.25kg. This should address some unexpected meltdown issues.
  
• Adjusted Radioactive Contaminant count on Research Reactor's nuclear waste output.
  
• Adjusted Research Reactor construction time.
  
• Restored Medical Pack recipe to Apothecary.
  
• Deprecated Virtual Planetarium building in Spaced Out! until a new utility is implemented.
  
• Large Solid Oxidizer Tank is prioritizable.
  
• Beeta Hive animation updates and fixes.
  

Hey all! Along side the Totaly Rad Update for Spaced Out! we've got some fixes for the base game of Oxygen Not Included:

• Added an OpenGL configuration to the game as a workaround for certain startup issues. If you've been unable to launch the game, try changing your Steam startup option in Oxygen Not Included > (Right-Click) Properties > General > Launch Options, add -force-glcore and relaunch the game.
  
• Hatch falling animation revisions
  
• Fixed Hatches floating in the air after being wrangled while burrowed
  
• Adjusted Hatch collider offset when burrowed making it easier to click on
  
• Fixed drag area tooltip
  
• Prevent crash when Spaced Out is disabled with Radioactive Contaminates disease was previously selected in the Sandbox Tools
  
• Updated base game to use the same strings file as Spaced Out! to streamline translation efforts