Warp Screen Remodel
Greetings captains! You can now see every sector within range on the warp screen at once, with a lot more useful information than before. But first...
Based not so much on analytics, but on player feedback and personal experience, I have reduced planet-monster hit points and damage across the board. Like I said, even when "The Great Rebalancing" is over, it's never really *over*...
There are a few special actions that require holding down the control key: long rest and aimed shot, but also all your assigned activated skills. And since the skills don't always have the same shortcut keys, players need a more convenient way to be sure they're doing the right thing.
Enter the (first iteration of) the "control" menu. When you hold down the control key, a little menu pops up on the left quickly showing all your options. Let me know what you think.
For a long time now, I've felt that not all ships should be able to mine asteroids, especially the small stealth-based ones (which are unlockable, so maybe you don't know...).
So for now, to mine asteroids, you need to have at least one asteroid-mining-related skill or device. The asteroid miner ship is the only one that can mine asteroids from the start of the game, unless you take an engineering-class captain!
That's a pretty big change, huh?
All the sectors you can reach are now laid out on the screen at once, where your current sector is in the middle and higher sectors spiral out to the right (and sectors "behind you" are to the left). This might not be the final arrangement, but I do think it is better overall, and much more in line with expectations for a space game.
You also get more information arranged in a more predictable, readable format. In case you have quests regarding a certain type of space terrain, or you want to attack or avoid a certain alien race, or even if you just want to see the best place to sell your cargo, the warp screen will now help you decide where to go.
I intend to release a more detailed look at the next major development cycle before the end of the week, so stay tuned...
Monster HP Reduced
Based not so much on analytics, but on player feedback and personal experience, I have reduced planet-monster hit points and damage across the board. Like I said, even when "The Great Rebalancing" is over, it's never really *over*...
Control Menu
There are a few special actions that require holding down the control key: long rest and aimed shot, but also all your assigned activated skills. And since the skills don't always have the same shortcut keys, players need a more convenient way to be sure they're doing the right thing.
Enter the (first iteration of) the "control" menu. When you hold down the control key, a little menu pops up on the left quickly showing all your options. Let me know what you think.
Asteroid Mining Changes
For a long time now, I've felt that not all ships should be able to mine asteroids, especially the small stealth-based ones (which are unlockable, so maybe you don't know...).
So for now, to mine asteroids, you need to have at least one asteroid-mining-related skill or device. The asteroid miner ship is the only one that can mine asteroids from the start of the game, unless you take an engineering-class captain!
- Rock Plow (device)
- Asteroid Cracker (device)
- Asteroid Sieve (device)
- Consumption Engine (Eater device)
- Mining Specialist (Engineering skill)
- Asteroid Navigator (Transmutor skill)
Warp Screen Remodel
That's a pretty big change, huh?All the sectors you can reach are now laid out on the screen at once, where your current sector is in the middle and higher sectors spiral out to the right (and sectors "behind you" are to the left). This might not be the final arrangement, but I do think it is better overall, and much more in line with expectations for a space game.
You also get more information arranged in a more predictable, readable format. In case you have quests regarding a certain type of space terrain, or you want to attack or avoid a certain alien race, or even if you just want to see the best place to sell your cargo, the warp screen will now help you decide where to go.
Other Changes
- Reduced HP and Damage of gruff instigator and pirate raider.
- Added "incubation period" to all diseases, meaning you don't have symptoms at first.
- Left or right clicking will cancel auto-move / auto-explore.
- Diseases will no longer cause the often-misunderstood "drunken walk" effect in the early sectors.
- Planet scans now show the base "threat level" of any life-forms encountered there.
Version 1.7 Update:
I intend to release a more detailed look at the next major development cycle before the end of the week, so stay tuned...