NEBULOUS: Fleet Command News

Changes/Features:
- Enabled aggressive texture scaling (down to 1/8th resolution at Very Low) at lower graphics settings to further reduce video memory demand.
- Made map boundary line more obvious in tactical view.
- Lobby passwords are now masked with *'s.
- Added message log to tutorial missions, accessible through the escape menu.
- Pressing the H key when using the sphere widget will toggle locking the cursor onto the horizontal plane, for easy horizontal direction picking.
- Added player slot limit dropdown to lobby settings. Note that full lobbies (i.e. 4/4 players) will not be returned in queries when refreshing the lobby list.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed tutorial dialog messages not waiting for the continue button to be clicked if the escape menu was opened in the middle of a line.
- Fixed players getting disconnected if they send a lobby chat message when the host is starting the game.

We've received a lot of feedback on the sphere widget in the last few days, and this patch includes a number of usability improvements, both functional and visual, to help improve its readability. Thanks for all of your support!

Changes/Features:
- Reduced unmasking driver priority for the Bullseye, so it won't override weapons.
- Sphere widget now always opens with the cursor on the far side of the sphere, regardless of initial mouse position.
- Added additional help text to all widgets to make it clear the camera can be panned while they are open.
- Added accessibility option to further exaggerate perspective fading on sphere widget target lines.
- Sphere widget target cursor and track projections now change to a box on the near side, and circle on the far side.
- Escape menu Exit buttons now say "Exit to Main Menu".

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed socket outlines in fleet editor disappearing when hitting ESC with the ammo selection menu open.
- The SIGNAL menu is no longer locked during practice mode in tutorial 6.
- Tutorial 1 will no longer hang (until you start a new formation order) if you complete setting up the formation before LT Hazel tells you where the button is.
- Corrected Mace torpedo description.
- Added missing range marks at 10km and 20km to Mk550 Mass Driver stats.

Changes/Features:
- Re-implemented perspective fading on sphere widget target lines.
- Changed Steam lobby queries to return lobbies worldwide instead of just the current region. Beware of latency with distant games!
- Added option to graphics settings to disable baking of nameplates, for computers with low video memory.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed failing to join on friend's lobbies when using Steam invites.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful launch day! Here are a few minor changes and bug fixes based on feedback from our new players.

Changes/Features:
- Renamed "Campaign" main menu option to "Campaign/Tutorial".
- Achievements should no longer trigger in tutorial missions.
- Component palette now shows "[#x Compounding]" next to point cost when components have a compounding cost based on the number installed.
- Chat in multiplayer lobby now automatically scrolls with new messages.
- Added "exit any time" to bottom of end-game text, to make that clearer.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed CTD when trying to form a ship with itself. The selected ship is no longer a valid Guide target.
- Fixed lollipop stick footprints on range plane not positioning correctly when using the Dial widget.
- Fixed sphere widget not consistently opening on the correct side based on the initial mouse position.
- Fixed minor typos and lore mistakes in component descriptions.

Hello Spacers! There are barely 7 days left before NEBULOUS: Fleet Command launches into Early Access and we can't even describe how excited we are for all of you to get your hands on it. There were a lot of final tasks that needed to be completed before the game was ready to go, and we've been sprinting to the finish line these last few months.

Today we're posting the final devlog before we release, which covers many of the major changes that occurred over the course of the 31 pre-alpha patches since December. There's a lot to cover, so we hope you'll enjoy the insight into the mountain of final tweaks and polishing that it takes to get a new indie game out the door.

Check out the full devlog on YouTube here:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

This is our longest devlog ever and there's far too much to recount in this space, so please enjoy the video.

If you want to see what will be coming next for the game after release, you can check out our Public Roadmap.

Don't forget to join the Eridanus Industries Discord to see full patch notes and keep up with development more closely.

See you in the battlespace,
- The NEBULOUS Team