Approaching Infinity News

Most players haven't seen the beautiful terrain upgrades yet...





[h3]They haven't had the pleasure of throwing a grenade...[/h3]





[h3]They haven't held a corrosive cloud-gun or a terror beamer...[/h3]





[h3]They've never even been chased by an evolving nano-organism![/h3]




All this and more is coming to everyone, as soon as possible! I just want to make sure its as stable as it can be. If you're interested, you can opt in to the "betafromnowon" branch on Steam, test it and post feedback here on the steam boards (F3 from in-game should take you to the bug reports).

Here are the major changes since the last main-branch update:

• Over 300 new planetary terrain images have been added.
  
• Fire and gas can now propagate across the map.
  
• You can change the environment (blow up walls, burn down trees, etc.)
  
• Away team weapons have been remodeled to have over 20 modifications, like cryo, incendiary, and sonic.
  
• Monsters can now resist (or be weak to) these damage types.
  
• You can buy grenades and throw them at groups of monsters for fun and profit (and survival).
  
• You can now do alien quests much sooner.
  
• There are gas giants and enormous black holes.
  
• I fixed the slow-downs!

And to my existing beta testers, here's what I've done recently, according to your feedback.

• I fixed the Gruff Giant Squither quest, and the Tentaculon ion accumulator quest
  
• I increased the effectiveness of seismic grenades.
  
• I made more monsters available earlier (look out!)
  
• I fixed an endless loop when landing on planets in whitespace.
  
• I reduced the cost to re-stock the store.
  
• I gave each gun its own shot images, which can be affected by damage type.
  
• I fixed a bug where "game ending" victories were allowing some players to continue.
  
• I found and fixed a bug that would let the captain survive away missions when everyone else died.
  
• I discovered and fixed a bug where a former human colony would be replaced with a desert.
  
• I found and fixed a bug where using grenades on planets to destroy wreckage would leave an impassible terrain.
  
• You can install a trade beacon or warp point detector any time and get the full effect.
  
• I fixed the Pac-Man gas giants!
  

That's it. Whether or not you test the beta, all this should be coming to the main branch this weekend.



[h3]Developer Playthrough[/h3]
I started recording a game to test new features, but I loved it so much that I just kept going! I'm playing from the beginning, normal difficulty, perma death on, with no pay it forward. Here's part 10!

https://youtu.be/ZF701HxqkCw

[h3]The Past:[/h3]

Approaching Infinity: The Space Adventure Roguelike has a long and complex history. 7 years ago today it launched on Kickstarter. It didn't even have a save function back then! It was successful, and went on to be completed and released, in a box with a manual, by a war-game publisher. And it stayed exclusively with that company for years, not getting updates since 2015.

Then 3 months ago, after I regained control of the game, I brought it to Steam Early Access, where it's been well received and started growing at a furious pace! If you're asking "Why is a 7 year-old game in early access?", the answer is simple: I'm adding so much that it's basically going to be a whole new experience when I'm done!

But really, a rogue-like without consumables?! No potions, no scrolls? Nope. AI's design was always meant to be streamlined and uncomplicated: maximum effect for minimum player effort. And while that ethos is still a guiding principal, big changes are coming!

What's a "consumable"?
A powerful resource that you can use up. Healing potions, scrolls of identify, those are the basics. But how about a single-use emergency teleporter? Or a probe you launch from your ship that fully maps a planet, then crashes? Or something you throw at monsters to make them die: Grenades!

[h3]The present:[/h3]

(Please note that everything discussed here is in the Beta Branch "betafromnowon", which you are free to join or leave at any time.)

If you've been following the development here, you've heard about version 1.6, and what that means. The first part was a remodeling of terrain and adding over 300 new images. That was released into the beta branch 2 weeks ago. Burn down forests and explode walls and generally wreak havoc on the environment.

After that, the player needed a method for actually bringing those effects into the world, so away team weapons had to be remodeled. There are now 23 possible weapon modifications, many of which are capable of modifying the environment in some way. Also, planet monsters can be resistant to these damage types (or vulnerable!).

For example, robots are usually immune to poison and resistant to fire. But they also take *more* damage from corrosive and electrical attacks. Pretty soon, you'll need to carry around 2 or 3 weapons, just so you can handle all the different challenges you'll face... Luckily 2 "swap slots" are planned ;)


(Wait, carnivorous plants can't move!)

Some weapons also have knock-back now, which is really pretty exciting. Tired of getting swarmed by gnashers or rad-rats? The repulsor shotgun was made for you! The shotgun hits multiple targets and causes knockback on its own, but adding the "repulsor" effect amplifies both of these abilities.

But guns only cause these effects sometimes. I know you want more. So. Enter the grenade!

Space stations now sell grenades and the away team has a slot for them. The standard Frag grenade will hit a 3x3 area, damaging all monsters and possibly knocking down trees or cave walls. But there are lots of other types too. An incendiary grenade will always start fires, cryo will freeze lakes, and if you can find it in the later sectors, the Tac-Nuke grenade will incinerate everything in a blast zone so large you can't throw the grenade far enough to keep yourself out of harm's way. Buyer beware!



[h3]Speed Optimization[/h3]

Some players have mentioned that the game slows down sometimes, and I hear you! So I've spent a lot of time, thought, and coding on *fixing* that. Please try the beta, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how much I've been able to increase the speed.

[h3]Let's Play Series[/h3]
Before releasing the latest beta, I wanted to test it to see the balance of grenades, as far as how much damage they do, how much they cost, and how many you get before you run out. I learned a lot from this, and they were way too powerful to begin with. They might still be. You tell me.

But I also had a lot of fun. So much so in fact that I decided to turn it into a video series. I'm up to 4 installments now, in sector 7, with one artifact, an incendiary shotgun and an assortment of grenades. I hope to survive long enough to make a good run out of it. Here's the first video in the series:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]The Future[/h3]

1.6 isn't done yet, not by a long shot. After a week of having this in the beta, I intend to move it (with any fixes and re-balances that need to be done) into the main branch so that this version becomes the default experience.

Either adding more consumables or else a complete remodel of officer skills will be the next big project. We'll see what the coming week brings. But when I re-do skills, it's going to be a big deal. I'll introduce activated skills with cool-downs: things like jumps and double shots and defensive slides and who-knows-what. Maybe a tactical warp or emergency hull repairs. I'll kick out any skills that are boring and possibly even consider a new point-based stat-improvement system. It will be *way* more interesting.

But that's later.

It's been 2 weeks since any new content has been released for Approaching Infinity, and that's a comparatively long time. But trust me, it's worth the wait.



Brighter stars, bigger planets, and hungrier black holes. And that's not even what this update is about. The real subject is planetary terrain.

[h3]Over 300 new images have been added![/h3]
Grounds, trees, mountains, flowers, mushrooms, craters, crystals, and more!


You can read about how I manipulated a simple sine function to produce these beautiful planet maps.

Or you can watch a video and skip the reading altogether!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUZqmlb1ZFA

And this isn't even coolest part of the terrain remodel...

[h3]Fire![/h3]

Weapons, monsters, and other methods will soon be able to create fire on the map. It spreads quickly on warm oxygen-rich planets, but goes out instantly on barren moons. It even converts to "chemical fire" in corrosive atmospheres.



Similarly, for those special occasions where you can't see the forest for all the trees, you will soon have access to "Tactical Herbicide", a gas that spreads quickly and eradicates plant-life:



And what terrain modification system would be complete without...

[h3][/h3]


We have those too. You can now blow holes in the walls of caves and shipwrecks alike. Just don't blow yourself into the vacuum of space!

I'll let you experience that one for yourself ;)




For now it's purely for testing, and you have unlimited "ammunition" of fire, ice, explosions, and herbicide. Just use the "Look" command and press the appropriate key. But this is *not* how it will be for long. And it's only in the Beta Branch. You can opt in or out at any time.

Your weapons will be adapted to sometimes carry these "elemental" effects. You will also have access to the brand new away team item, "Grenades"!

But we're not there yet.

These small steps will eventually lead to giant leaps in tactical gameplay.

Other additions and adjustments have been made, as well as addressing some player-reported issues. And you know what? Device icons have been updated *again*, and they are beautiful.





Stay safe and enjoy the season!



PS: do you have an opinion on this?

https://steamcommunity.com/app/551620/discussions/0/3002172045226588823/?tscn=1604085431

Approaching Infinity has been on Steam Early Access for a little over 2 months, and we've accomplished SO MUCH! You can do things in this game that I never conceived of before. Some aspects are revolutionary, others were painfully and obviously lacking until now. But it's done: v1.5 is complete!

[h3]Planet Scanning:[/h3]


Today is the release of planet scanning into the main branch. It has been in beta for about 2 weeks, and has needed surprisingly little fixing.

Fly over a planet and activate your scanners. You'll get a readout of the general atmospheric conditions, followed by lots of little tidbits of information about what's actually there. Of course, you won't start off getting all this information: you need to upgrade your sensors for that. But still, it's a great way to see what you're getting yourself into...

I've done a few previous announcements about this new feature, so I won't overdo it here. If you want to know more, you can either read the previous news items, or check out this in-depth blog post I wrote about it.

[h3]Looking Back...[/h3]
So with the end of version 1.5, let's look back at what's been accomplished, before we look ahead.

The "Hail" feature allows you to communicate more directly with each alien ship you encounter, increasing your reputation and understanding of each race. You can even get a resupply, information about a location, or force them to surrender to you!



I also wrote a blog post about this: "How I created 12 alien languages for Approaching Infinity".


The "Graveyard" (Past Lives) section allows you to see some record of your previous runs. It shows the date, how you died, and a score based on what you accomplished. What, you didn't die? You won? OK, well it shows how you won, and an even better score!




The "Look" function lets you look around the map in classic roguelike fashion, aiming the cursor with your movement keys. This was always available with mouse-over tool-tips, but now purely-keyboard players have a way to do it too. It also lays the groundwork for things like grenades and teleporting :D




"Multiple Concurrent Games" means that you can now have up to 9 separate games of A.I. going at a time! When you get tired of playing your trader, just load up that sweet assault scout and blow stuff up! And when you unlock a new ship, don't wait, just start a new game and try it out!




It kinda took forever to get "Player Defined Keybindings" into Approaching Infinity. Sorry. But it's here now. Don't like the way the keys are set up? Customize it!




The "Captain's Log" feature was a big hit. It lets you take in-game notes about your adventures, and leaves a mark on the sector map so you can easily come back. This way, you can keep track of places you want to revisit, whether to pick up some inaccessible loot or save money and buy something you need.




Those are the major features. There were literally hundreds of other things: fixes, additions, tweaks, and balances. And I couldn't have done it without the Steam Community... Thank YOU!

...and cool new devices too...like...magnetic boots!



But now...


[h3]1.6[/h3]



Version 1.6 will start with the release of a huge graphical update to planet surfaces. The entire terrain system will be revamped, as well as the images themselves. Most of the tiles have been updated, and some things will be added that simply never existed before...



This whole thing started when I asked David, the game's artist, for some "new kinds of dirt." The first thing he sent me was about 20 new tiles for frozen planets (which aren't really represented well in the game). And then he just kept going... Mountains, flowers, trees, and yes, dirt too. And then some things I'd never imagined, but maybe always dreamed of...


No fewer than 130 new flowers, mushrooms, and truly alien, indescribable things. Imagine what can be done with these things in the future. Not just window dressing but...

• Collection quest targets
  
• Ingredients for disease cures
  
• Scientific research and cataloging
  
• Harvesting single-use items
  
• Catching horrible diseases
  
• Whatever else you can imagine!
  

And then, there's...



Gas giants!

You won't be able to land on these beautiful planets (they don't have a solid surface!), but that doesn't mean you can't use them for something...


[h3]Depth and Interactions[/h3]

I mentioned that I would be redesigning terrain for this update. It's not just to show you all the pretty pictures. It's also in preparation for the next step, where the world becomes much more interactive.

We need to know what happens if you set fire to an area: does it burn? What does it turn into? What if you freeze it? If you set off a "tactical deforestation grenade", is it affected by the gas? Does the gas even pass through the area, or is it blocked? Can you dig through that kind of wall?

So much to think about, and that's just regarding terrain!

Once the underlying framework is updated, it'll be time for the really meaty stuff. And that's where the game will change.

A.I. has always been very streamlined in its play, and I want to keep that as a core design goal. But there's a lot of room for improvement while still keeping things abstracted and easy to manage.

One thing A.I. lacks is activated powers. And there is just so much room for this within the setting. Here are some of the skills (with cool-downs) and items I'm imagining you'll be able to use in the future:

• Incendiary Grenade: a thrown explosive that sets the area on fire (given oxygen)
  
• Tactical Teleporter: move instantly to a nearby tile
  
• Pep Talk: reduces all other officer's cooldowns by 20%
  
• Deploy Cover: create a barrier nearby that blocks enemy movement, vision, and shots
  
• Engine Boost: move 3 tiles this turn
  
• Emergency Repairs: fix your ship's hull by 25%
  
• And this just really scratches the surface...
  

Officer skills will need to be completely re-written.

But I guarantee they will be BETTER than they are now. Probably a lot better. Some of the existing skills are redundant, or even boring. The classes will have much better life, differentiation, and options in the future.

And that's the beginning of version 1.6. I can imagine what I've outlined here taking about a month. That's not the entirety of what I want to accomplish, but I am going to quit talking now.


THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Planet scanning is here (in the beta branch anyway), and this version is much more successful than the previous experiment from late August. Please note that I have very good scanners in the image below. You will *not* be getting that much information when you start out!



You know the drill by now:

• Move over a planet.
  
• Press [V]
  
• Get details:
  
  • Atmosphere
    
  • Environmental Damage
    
  • Terrain
    
  • Amount and Kind(s) of life
    
  • Amount and Type of natural resources
    
  • Special features
    
  • Alien signals?
    
  • Human life signs?!
    

Would you like to know more?
I wrote a blog post about how hard this actually was, adding scanning to a 7-year-old game.


Also in this version is the "Look" command. But since the L key is taken by the Captain's Log feature, it's called "Peer" and assigned to the [P] key. Of course you can re-bind that yourself...
You can even press [enter] to move to the space you've selected with the peer command.



Try it out!

Help files have been updated considerably, and the tutorial now includes information about all the new major features that have been added over the past months.


I am really hoping to move this into the main branch on Friday, get it 100% stable by Sunday, and then start on the next big project. I said it was going to be deeper interactions, and that is the next really big project.

But David (AI's artist) has been sending me a wealth of new images, and instead of putting them in a little bit at a time, I want to drop them all at once. I'm actually going to need to re-write how planetary terrain is handled, but it's going to be worth it...

[h3]Graphics Update Incoming![/h3]