Testing Branch Updated to Version 4.6
A couple new features have been added.
[h3]Ultrawide Support (first attempt)[/h3]
A user requested that I include support for ultrawide monitors. Star Explorers already has a custom resolution dialogue, but in this case, either the game would get stretched out, or certain menus would get cut off, making the game unplayable.
Version 4.6 is a first attempt to address this issue. It checks if the screen resolution ration is higher than 1.7 (normal wide scree) and if so, it will scale the menus according to the y axis (height) of the screen, instead of the x axis (width).
This makes ultra wide possible without cutting off important menus. The main areas this effects are in the main menu, the ship's helm, and when accessing the ship's computer. For now, this fixes the main problem, but it doesn't look too great, as there are black bars on the sides of the screen while these menus are visible...
Main Menu
Ship's Computer
However, once you are away from the ship's computer, the game will show the full, ultrawide view like this:
[h3]Improved Fog[/h3]
I should have caught this a long time ago! The fog I was using on vapor planets was linear fog. That meant, that as you turned the camera, certain features of the landscape would appear out toward the edges of your vision, and disappear as they came closer to the center of the screen. It was not a big deal, but it did not behave like real fog.
You can't tell from a single screenshot, but in the above image, it is using radial fog, which curves with the camera, so objects should no longer change their visibility based on camera rotation any more.
[h3]Version 5.0[/h3]
I am still working on my other game Paradox Vector. However, that game is getting closer and closer to being done. Once it is finished, and fully released out of Early Access, I plan to focus much more attention back on Star Explorers (which I miss working on).
This will eventually result in a Star Explorers 5.0, which will improve on a lot of things. The main issues I want to address are the following:
Technical Issues:
New Features:
These are just a few ideas. Nothing set in stone yet.
[h3]Ultrawide Support (first attempt)[/h3]
A user requested that I include support for ultrawide monitors. Star Explorers already has a custom resolution dialogue, but in this case, either the game would get stretched out, or certain menus would get cut off, making the game unplayable.
Version 4.6 is a first attempt to address this issue. It checks if the screen resolution ration is higher than 1.7 (normal wide scree) and if so, it will scale the menus according to the y axis (height) of the screen, instead of the x axis (width).
This makes ultra wide possible without cutting off important menus. The main areas this effects are in the main menu, the ship's helm, and when accessing the ship's computer. For now, this fixes the main problem, but it doesn't look too great, as there are black bars on the sides of the screen while these menus are visible...
Main Menu
Ship's Computer
However, once you are away from the ship's computer, the game will show the full, ultrawide view like this:
[h3]Improved Fog[/h3]
I should have caught this a long time ago! The fog I was using on vapor planets was linear fog. That meant, that as you turned the camera, certain features of the landscape would appear out toward the edges of your vision, and disappear as they came closer to the center of the screen. It was not a big deal, but it did not behave like real fog.
You can't tell from a single screenshot, but in the above image, it is using radial fog, which curves with the camera, so objects should no longer change their visibility based on camera rotation any more.
[h3]Version 5.0[/h3]
I am still working on my other game Paradox Vector. However, that game is getting closer and closer to being done. Once it is finished, and fully released out of Early Access, I plan to focus much more attention back on Star Explorers (which I miss working on).
This will eventually result in a Star Explorers 5.0, which will improve on a lot of things. The main issues I want to address are the following:
Technical Issues:
- Finally fix the screen resolution issue, so you can play at any resolution without text issues (in progress)
- Improve the Video Options menu to include all available resolutions (I'm planning to get this working in Paradox Vector first, then it should be easy to do in Star Explorers)
- Make sure Star Chart works, and commands behave as they are described. For instance, right now, clicking M will face you towards the mothership, but will not initiate Warp. However, it says "warping to mothership" it's small things that will confuse new players, and make the game look silly.
New Features:
- I want a few different terrain types that will work with the existing algorithm. Having the same sloping hills on each planet gets boring ... I want to have something like terraces, where flat areas are built up with more vertical faces ... not sure what else yet
- At least five new grass, plant and tree and leaf models types (each) for a wider variety of vegetation
- I would like the different vegetation types to match a particular liquid type. The current tree types might all be used only on water planets. The current fungus types might supply vegetation for Ammonia based planets, so there would be a few other styles of vegetation for the other liquid types ... I hope that makes sense.
- Friendly alien spaceships - you could board them and trade with aliens etc...
- Crashed alien spaceships - these would be like caves, but with spaceship interior and different kinds of loot.
These are just a few ideas. Nothing set in stone yet.