Approaching Infinity News

Could this be the end for version 1.6? Is it finally time to move on to 1.7 and follow the Starmap?

You tell me.

You have a few days to find bugs, text overflows, whatever, before I finalize
Approaching Infinity: One Point Six.



August 5th will mark the one year anniversary of Approaching Infinity on Steam, and what a year it has been! Totally changed my life...

I want to thank everyone who got in early, all the folks who took the time to leave feedback, and anyone who gave it a thumbs up, shared it, made a video, whatever. THANKS!

What should we do to celebrate? I'm taking requests ;)

• Fixed some typos
  
• Put text in its place
  
• Settled on a new font (at least for now)
  
• Fixed more auto-explore bugs (asteroids and supplies, I'm looking at you!)
  
• Lead-Lined Suits works again!
  
• Fixed an out-of-bounds error with known effects, and allowed your list to go beyond page 4 (if you know more than 100!)
  
• Eliminated some text overflows.
  
• Tried to make sure that you don't warp into a sector, trapped in an asteroid belt.
  
• Added a sound when selling surveys.
  
• Added "how many of a device you have" in the pawn shop, if you have more than one.
  
• Fixed a bug where away team cargo was displayed on the warp screen.
  
• Added 9 new computer terminals (thanks David!)
  

That's mentioned in passing up there, but it's kind of a big deal. The text is a lot more readable now, more uniform, more reliable. I like it. A lot of you like it too. Maybe some day down the road we'll switch again, but for now, I think this is a huge improvement.

I don't often make 2 beta releases in one weekend anymore, but I think this is kind of a big deal...



That's what you'll get by downloading the latest beta. Another new font. But wait till you *see* it. It's got so much more sci-fi character :D




I've also fixed a few other out-of-bounds errors reported by the ever-vigilant Huntroid, and changed some misleading "monster attitudes". But seriously, just come look at the text!


Note: there are definitely some *spacing* errors, I know about most of these, I didn't want to make too many changes until I knew whether you were as taken by it as I am.


Let me know...

A beta test just for a font?

Yep.

There's a lot of text in the game, and I'd like to make sure it's all working properly. But more than that, I want it to be *readable*. The thing we have the most trouble with is daily codes (is that an eye or an ell or an exclamation?). I'd like to standardize the text.

So the game will look a bit different, but mostly the same. Please let me know what you think.



Mostly the same, unless you play with permadeath *off*. Then you'll probably realize that David remade ALL the interface elements in a nice bright blue (not just the big panel on the right). This is part of the work that I hinted at last week, and it paves the way for future UI expansions and differentiations.

Here are some other changes:

• Pressing Control+M will change how messages are displayed in the log (whether new messages appear at the top or the bottom)!
  
• Fixed
• another* bug with multi-fire weapons!
  
• Fixed EMP skill not affecting the right monsters. It's more useful now ;)
  
• You will now not pick up supplies on away missions if the ship is already full (save 'em for later!)
  
• Added some new cave floor-tile art.
  
• Added DPT (damage per turn) to ship weapons! It's listed in parentheses after the normal damage number.
  

If any of those things up there were your idea, well hey, thanks!


OK, so how can you get into the Beta branch? It's no secret, and it's not password-protected. Just go to
Steam Library > Manage > Properties > Betas > betafromnowon
This won't ruin your saves or anything, and it's just as easy to opt back out of if you want.

Enjoy, and after you've spent some time with the new font, tell me what you think, ok?

Thanks to a bug report here on Steam, I have fixed multi-fire ship weapons.
What? You didn't know that was a thing? Well...


Starting in sector 18, there's a small chance that any ship weapon spawned will be able to fire at all hostile targets in range :D It'll have a name like "Gatling Laser" or "Missile Battery" and you'll see that special effect in the tooltip. Just be careful: every shot uses supplies!

Other changes:

• Plasma-lancing someone is guaranteed to make them mad at you!
  
• Adjusted the price and "sector of first appearance" of many devices.
  
• Fixed a bug where you could start fires in space!
  
• Increased intimidate skill blast radius to 5 tiles (from 2), cooldown reduced, and monster flee time increased.
  
• Stopped the floors from being completely destroyed in star temples.
  
• Fixed a bug where asymptomatic diseases were being improperly displayed on the stats screen.
  

David is currently subtly altering the existing user interface, and in the process I'm laying the groundwork for further UI differentiation and improvement down the road.

This will include a rework of all existing UI elements, as long as a completely new set for the "non-perma-death" games (currently the right half has a different color, but in the future, I think all interface elements will match it.) These changes probably won't be earth-shaking, but they'll look nice! (I've seen a hint, and yes they do!)



No, I'm not launching a Kickstarter... I did one years ago.

I just wanted to use this space to thank all my KS Backers, once again. Approaching Infinity might not be here if it weren't for you. I'm saying this now because I've recently distributed Steam keys to all those who are still paying attention (and I found out that some of them had already bought the game, extra thanks for that).

I really look forward to hearing what you have to say, especially since you've seen the game develop from a tiny little alpha-version to the sprawling space adventure that it is now.

THANKS EVERYONE!

Bob


PS: The planned release date for the completion of version 1.6 is rapidly approaching... If you haven't yet, take a look at the roadmap (Starmap 1.7) for some of the exciting changes on the horizon.

I'll be warping all over the internet in the next 24 hours on my Patreon Launch Tour, but first let's start off with a few updates:

• Reinstated "Thanks" page. (With some new additions!)
  
• Added a 14th cactus. Whoah!
  
• Made lava redder (to differentiate from hydrocarbon sludge).
  
• Fixed a bug where monsters weren't affecting planetary terrain. (worms not eating plants, etc.)
  
• Increased damage reduction on mid-to-late sector suits, so you can explore more planet types!
  

Added Hidden Functionality for the...



Everybody gets something!

• Get codes to experience 2 new game modes, including "God Mode"!
  
• Get your hands on some flashy new UIs for perma-death games.
  
• Access free and patron-only articles and videos.
  
• Support your local gamedev!
  
• ...and everybody gets...

Rescue codes for the entire month of July!

Steam is the very first stop on my Patreon Launch tour, and I have miles sectors to travel before I sleep...

Enjoy,

Bob / IBOL

PS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnY3H5Xi4wA

PPS: