Starmap 1.9

[h2]This is it: The final push to 2.0[/h2]


As usual, these are the broad strokes. Lots of other features and fixes will happen along the way.

The UI Overhaul is already underway! David (Approaching Infinity's artist) and I have been talking about it for 2 months, making mock-ups and measurements and plans, and this week I've been putting those plans into action:

• Make the entire screen be the play area.
  
• Center the action on the player (you), and make the map freely zoom-able.
  
• Place interface elements unobtrusively around the edges.
  
• Remodel the input system, including a "right click context menu".
  
• Make all menus use the full screen space.
  
• Update the "new game" process.
  
• Create new information screens, essentially a "galactapedia" of everything you want to know.
  
• Modernize everything!
  

But what if you like the screen layout the way it is? I intend to provide a "classic mode", with the map on the left and the HUD on the right.

And for everyone who has the UI DLC: We will make new special UI skins for you, don't worry!




I use that term "overhaul" a lot. I picked it up playing a certain space 4x game as a kid, where you could bring your old ships up to current standards, at the cost of time and resources... yep, that sounds about right ;)

• Crafting recipes will remain randomized for each game.
  
• Special weapons will be craftable, such as incendiary rifle or shock blaster.
  
• Other ingredients will be required, beyond crafting parts.
  
• These include existing gadgets and new "essences", which will be derived from rare plants (mostly).
  
• Totally new "consumable" items will be craftable and usable (squik poison, radiation remover, cryo ammo, etc.)
  

The asteroid base faction you meet in sector 9 has the power to change the galaxy, but (as usual) they're going to need your help to do it. There are still some new services they could provide, and quite a few stories they can tell.

• Meet the Botanists colleague: the alchemist (related to deriving essences from rare plants).
  
• Visit the "Clone-a-terium" and further safeguard yourself against an untimely death.
  
• Explore the political structure of the "cosmic conglomerate".
  
• Go on archaeological quests to learn about the "Protomonoco", the dominant race in this part of the galaxy millennia ago.
  
• Help the Pathfinders and Starsmiths cooperate on the Fargate Project.
  
• Of course, much more ;)
  

For years, people have been asking "where are all the inhabited planets?" My answer has always been "They're boring. You're looking for adventure!"

And that's still true: you only see what you can meaningfully interact with. You don't see all the empty moons with no life or loot. You don't see the mega-cities where you have to get a boring job and pay exorbitant rent. You should be thanking me!

Anyway, commerce planets are like frontier outposts: small settlements inhabited by diverse individuals trying to make a living. The name is inspired by locations in Farscape, which I re-watched last year (and can recommend, even though it's 20 years old now... the stories are (mostly) strong).

Commerce planets will have NPCs and stores, much like those found on asteroid bases, but they won't usually be faction specific, and will definitely be a bit more lawless (unless the Limoquee show up...)




So who here has used nano-weapons on an away mission, and everything went terribly wrong, and now you've lost an entire sector to the "nanopocalypse"? There's an achievement for that...

But how do you get rid of it?

For now, you can't. It will take cooperation between many of the alien factions in the area, and a lot of footwork on your part. This is planned to be one of the biggest quests so far, but it probably won't end in a new victory... just a way to temporarily avoid defeat.

Disclaimer: the "nanopocalypse" is an avoidable situation that at most can take over a single sector. It will not "stop you from winning", unless of course one of the enemies kills you directly.




This is the #1 most wanted story among players in the Discord.

Who are they? Where did they go? How did they leave all those messages on planets? WHY?!

I know.

You can find out too...




Maybe you've seen them? Those totally hostile insectoid alien invaders: the Narcratu are trying to establish a foothold in your part of the galaxy... *right now*.

This is planned to be the biggest quest in the game (main quest?), from humble beginnings to grand alliances and massive battles deciding the future of the local universe. I want all the new game systems to be in place before I start writing this, so I can use every possible resource to lead you on a grand adventure.





This one may not be as long of a quest, or as in-demand as some of the others, but those powerful beings that demand you to surrender your artifacts (and try to remove your brain!) deserve some of the spotlight too.

If I could tell you one thing about the Sil that you probably don't know: they're sorry. It won't stop them. But they're sorry.





Do you want to get into sector 50? Of course, we all do! But how do you unlock it, and what will you find there?




I started working on this game in 2013, and it will (hopefully) be "finished" sometime in 2024. I can't imagine not working on it, but after this major development cycle, it should be the game that I intended all those years ago... and the game that so many of *YOU* helped it to become.

Thank you!

If you're already a fan, please leave a positive Steam review, it really helps with visibility (the next big milestone for the algorithm is 500 reviews). And if you haven't played yet, try the free demo!