Approaching Infinity News

Communicating with aliens in Approaching Infinity has always been more of an abstracted thing than a direct conversation.

But that's about to change!





Last week I hinted about a new feature that could serve many purposes. Well, this is it!

Press [H] (re-bindable) when you are near an alien to get a message from that ship. There are lots of possible outcomes:

• They might just say hello, or hint at what they think of you.
  
• They could ignore you (especially if you're fighting them).
  
• They might offer to resupply you if you're running low.
  
• They can let you know about undiscovered planets in the area.
  
• They might say how they feel about other races in the sector.
  
• They can even offer to surrender, or allow you to surrender...
  

Many of these interactions will improve relations with that race. They can also provide important insights into the psychology of these aliens, as well as let you know who their friends and enemies are.

You might discover that the Space Pirates and the Gruff don't get along. (Or you might already know that, if you've seen their ships fighting). Then you might understand why, if you're friends with both races, your relations start to decline with both, until you pick a side.

I made this video last week, when the "Hailing" feature was just getting started, but I didn't announce it. The function has progressed a lot since then, but it might still be worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjzEOCkqrc

If you haven't already, you can opt into (or out of) the beta branch at any time from within steam, under settings>betas. It's called "betafromnowon", and it won't break your saves.

[h3]There is still a lot of untapped potential for the "Hailing" feature, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Please check it out![/h3]

If you need further incentive, check out this new type of sector that's available: every race you've met so far will have a space station present in the new "Diplomacy Sector":

I know some of you have already been following these new features with great anticipation, and so you've already read most of this, but I'm going to lay it all out here anyway.


Did you ever find a force-field you couldn't get through, or a Firax clue on an island with no way across? I'm sure you tried really hard to remember, but a few sectors later you can't ever remember what you forgot, much less where.

The Captain's Log is the solution!



Don't strain your brain, make a log entry! You can make hundreds of entries, and it's easy to sort, edit, and delete these notes, too. They're also conveniently displayed on the warp screen, where you might need them most.



And your entries display on the star map, so you can use tool tips to read them right as you move around the sector!



I know, this is a pretty standard rogue-like thing (and something that's been in video games for 40+ years), but Approaching Infinity finally has a high score list! It keeps track of your best scores, and can sort up to 25 of the most recent or highest scores, both in the "victories" and "deaths" categories.



It'll be great to see what kinds of scores emerge. I don't have a win score yet (those are fakes!), and my deaths haven't made it out of the 700's. Please note that it will only record your death if you're playing with perma-death turned on. It will record a win either way, so get out there are do some quests!



Wait, that sounds more like a bug, doesn't it? Well it's not. From now on, you can use your landing shuttle as tatical cover for your away team. Shoot from the ship!

However, there is a chance that if you're standing in your shuttle while that mercenary is shooting at you, or that hulking cyclops is swinging its fists, the shuttle could get damaged!



For now, damage to the shuttle just increases the cool-down time before you can launch again. In the future it might cost supplies, parts, money, or something else. Be thankful it's just a few extra turns while you repair it!






Ok, that doesn't really qualify as a big feature, but it's pretty darned convenient for mouse players. Click the middle mouse button to toggle tool-tips on and off. This works great in conjunction with the captain's log feature!

There has also been some adjustment to the input methods over the week, hopefully making them more efficient. There have also been some cool graphical updates you might notice ;)



Well, just this morning an idea congealed in my head that's going to fill in a lot of cracks. It will:

• Get the story out sooner
  
• Give the player hints and lore
  
• Create an entirely new kind of interaction
  
• Launch a new kind of quests (eventually)
  
• Help you make friends!
  

I'm really excited about this new feature, but I won't say more right now...

You go make some captain's log entries, I'm going to play some Borderlands 3!

First off, I made a video explaining a lot of this stuff while I play through it, in case that's how you like to get your information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lkqsiA9y4w
Also:

• You can learn something about The Engravers (or can you?)
  
• Hear me talk like a pirate (for good reason)
  
• I Lie about my accomplishments
  
• Listen to my loud keyboard
  
• See what all this "Captain's Log" fuss is about
  

All of this is taking place in the Beta Branch, called "betafromnowon", and that is open to everyone, just opt in, no password needed.

So, the Captain's Log feature is coming along nicely. It allows you to leave notes for your future self, so you can come back to finish something you weren't able to before, or possibly avoid re-visting a dangerous or otherwise undesirable place.


One recent feature is that the notes will now appear right on the warp screen, for whatever sector you're looking at. You can even enter new notes right on the warp screen! Easily remember where you want to go and why.




A completely new feature that comes with this beta (and should have been there all along) is the "Past Lives" section, or "Graveyard". Every time you die (in perma-death) or win (whether perma-death is on or off), the game will save the date, score, and method of your demise or success.



[h3]I faked most of that data![/h3]

I have only legitimately won a few times, and none in the current version (what?!) . Hey, I'm the one who's making all these awesome new features here! You play it. You tell me what's good or wrong. Then I'll make it better, ok?

Anyway, speaking of new features... Has it ever occurred to you that when you land your shuttle on a planet, you should maybe be able to take shelter inside it? Well, now you can (sort of)... Standing on (in?) the shuttle during an away mission will now provide 75% cover against incoming damage! (The airlock on a shipwreck or station level gives 50%).



But wait, there's more! Sure, it's a good place to hide, but notice in the action log that the shuttle sometimes takes damage! What does that do?



Well, you have to spend time repairing it! In the future this might also cost you supplies, credits, or spare parts, but for now, it's only time...

Another new small but useful feature has been added for users who prefer mouse control: if you open menus with the hotbar buttons, pressing the same button again will close that menu. It sounds small, but it can really improve your efficiency!

As long as no major problems are found, all these changes should make their way to the main branch in a few days.

Enjoy!

I'm excited to announce a new feature that's being tested in Approaching Infinity:
The Captain's Log.

This is different from the place where messages come up, telling you what's happening. It's something you, the player are in total control of.



Did you find a planet with inaccessible areas and you can see the loot, just out of reach? Make a Log entry! Locate a really good price on trading commodities? Log entry! Find an officer you want to hire, or a good piece of gear you can't afford? Log entry!



You can view your entire log, up to 1000 entries, or you can sort by sector. The most recent entries are at the top. I'm also experimenting with getting that information on the warp screen, so you can make the most of it.



Another cool feature is that each log entry has an x/y location associated with it, and these show up on the space map. You can even tool-tip them!



This is not in the main branch; you have to opt in to the beta branch called "betafromnowon".
Library > Manage > Properties > Betas > betafromnowon
There is no password, everyone is invited :)
You can opt out at any time, and this will not mess up your saves, either opting in or out.

If you need an added incentive, well...

It's been an incredible month for me and my game, Approaching Infinity!

• I've quit my (admittedly crappy) job and become a full-time indie developer!
  
• I've squashed countless bugs reported by diligent Steam players.
  
• I've added many new features recommended by the community.
  
• I've written 11 Steam Guides.
  
• I've released over 15 updates large and small over that time!
  
• I've personally responded to almost every comment, suggestion, and cry for help.
  
• AND I'M JUST GETTING STARTED!
  

We're in the final stages of version 1.5, which is mainly about major bug-fixes, adding required features, making little adjustments and changes, and getting ready to move forward with larger issues. You can review the roadmap here.



[h3]1.5N Changes:[/h3]

• Added: You can re-bind gameplay keys (movement, targeting, opening menus, etc.), but keys within those menus will remain the same (station areas 1-8, buying/selling A-Z, etc.)
  
• Added: Alien space stations that won't let you dock might still offer to re-supply you if you're in trouble.
  
• Added: Fully exploring "Engraver" planets now does something, but it's not the whole story...
  
• Fixed: Scanner Range now properly increases in later sectors.
  
• Changed: "Damage Reduction" is now called "Environmental Resistance", which is what it is and always should have been called!
  
• Changed: Greatly Improved Tool-Tips (Try them out: press shift over a monster!)
  

As 1.6 gets closer, which will include larger changes, all future updates will be released into a beta branch for at least a few days before going out to all users. That means a few things:
1. If you want to help test the latest version, you'll need to opt in to the beta branch.
2. If there's some feature or issue you're dying to have addressed, let me know ASAP!

[h3]1.6 is called "Re-Balancing and Quality of Life upgrades".[/h3]
I've already added a few Q.o.L. features, like keybindings, those flashing warnings that keep you from running into the middle of a group of enemies, and tool-tips anytime by holding shift. But there's plenty of room for improving your experience, and I will continue to listen to what players want as far as interface upgrade. I know AI doesn't always work like other roguelikes (or games in general), and sometimes, that's by design and probably won't change, but other times, it could be as simple as letting me know about a great feature, and then suddenly it's incorporated.

Rebalancing is a much larger issue, and a huge undertaking. When I talk about "balance" here, I mean how enemies and equipment scale, what level of challenge you face, and how soon you encounter various elements.

A major concern is introducing the story elements earlier in the game. Some players didn't even realize there was a quest line to follow, let alone 12 individual alien stories to get involved with!



I want to be certain that players are encountering alien embassies earlier, learning that those aliens they see actual have personality and motivation. Give you more insight into each individual race. Make diplomacy more intricate. Things like this.


And a few players have been really pushing the envelope, flying out beyond sector 1000! One player in particular found that he could basically just steamroll over the enemies he encountered. I want to stop that. But it's a fine line between "deadly enemies" and "unfair deaths". In the future you can expect a feature called "Retribution Strikes", where if you kill ships of friendly races they will send a hunting party after you.


Thank you to all the great people who've tried the game, there have been so many great reviews and lots of useful feedback!

And if you're one of those people who are waiting to get the game, well, you can see what's in store! You can also see my personal track record as a developer and how far the game's come in just one month. Development continues!