In any rogue-lite, one of the first things a player is going to look for is how to get stronger. We’ve tried a variety of progression mechanics throughout Convicted Galaxy’s development, and we’re very happy to arrive at what we are calling the “OASIS”, short for Operational Asset Synthesis and Integration Station, a significant overhaul of the ACE pod upgrade process!

Prior to the dispersal of ACE pods into various solar systems, the ICF has scattered many specialized stations throughout the systems, the OASIS. Each stock ACE pod has a very minimal set of features. Every ACE pod is going to encounter their own unique struggles during their mission. To enhance their success, a pilot can visit an OASIS to outfit their ship with new functionality.

The OASIS utilizes an AI network to determine a suitable upgrade for the visiting ACE pod. Each OASIS can only be visited by an ACE pod once. Further upgrades must be obtained by seeking out additional OASIS.

Although an ACE pod is guaranteed a beneficial upgrade on every visit, it is in the best interest of the pilot to bring rare materials or ore along for more specialized and custom tailored upgrades.

There are two common variants: the Nexus, and the Forge.

The Nexus OASIS will provide unique upgrades that can drastically change the capabilities of the ACE pod. These can include new abilities, new weaponry, and new passive functionalities. Each ACE pod is only permitted a single entry per Nexus and can acquire one upgrade in that visit. The Nexus does not utilize the more common ore that is collected. When entering a Nexus, pilots should bring rare materials for a better upgrade selection.

An ACE pod is guaranteed an upgrade on every visit to a Nexus, but if the pilot does not bring any rare materials for the on-station AI to work with, then the station will determine an upgrade for you. Nexus can be found in open space, often between planets.

The Forge OASIS will provide linear upgrades to basic ACE pod stats such as hull integrity, shield capacity, thruster power, etc. Ore gathered from asteroids and dropped from other ACE pods are used to facilitate these upgrades. Notably, the Forge will always contain a cache to reimburse the pilot for at least one upgrade.

Like the Nexus, only one visit is allowed. However, the pilot can get as many upgrades as they can afford with their available ore. You can find these commonly in asteroid belts.

The old system of upgrading was based on experience and planetary control. It was cumbersome, hard to understand, and did not fit into the story or game flow well. We wanted to give the player the autonomy to build their ship, but the inspiration to explore and not spend too much time in the menus. We think the OASIS system will be exciting and tie various game elements together nicely.

This post is the first in a series of posts introducing new content as we work toward a major update.

• Added a method to unlock the Shotgun
  
• Default difficulty is now Trainee (easily changed in the Mission menu)
  
• Fixed repair station upper light not turning off after use
  
• Added example Repair and Resupply stations to tutorial so players know what to look for the first time they need them
  
• Added manual reload explanation to tutorial
  
• Fixed Recycler Augment not working
  
• Reduced the reload time for weapons with a Huge magazine (2.5x -> 2x)

• Fixed a bug preventing bosses from properly absorbing blood at lower framerates

• Increased sound and mouse sens increments in the options menus to 5 and 0.05 respectively

• Fixed a bug where skipping the last cutscene through the pause menu would skip the credits

• Fixed a bug that made the mouse cursor visible during the credits

These changes have also been applied to the demo version of the game.

We’re thrilled to announce that Chains on Sand has been officially selected for Steam Next Fest, taking place October 13–21! Our updated demo will be featured during the event—giving thousands of new players a chance to dive into the brutal world of gladiatorial combat.

Even bigger news: The full game will launch on October 28th, just one week after Next Fest! Mark your calendars!

Being part of Next Fest is a huge milestone for us as a small team. We’re preparing a polished new demo for the event, with bugfixes, UI improvements, and new features based on your feedback.

Thank you so much to everyone who’s played, wishlisted, or sent in suggestions. Your support makes all the difference.

Wishlist Chains on Sand today so you don’t miss the Next Fest demo and the full launch!

The album Songbird will also receive an update which will include the new music from the free content.

Rupert's Delivery was an idea I had in late June. Development has been smooth and honestly, quite fun. Rupert's mechanic is really satisfying and simple with depth for advanced players. The aim was to make a short, fun, and more accessible experience for players and I think I have succeeded.

It is currently in alpha testing to provide some polish. Most of the additions past that are graphical and musical. Level design is mostly completed. Character mechanics and animations are pretty much done as well.

I can't wait for you all to play it.

A small feature request popped up about having a display that shows the extra bug powder you'll get at the end of a session.

I went ahead and added it! Now at the end of every session, you will see the bug powder increase for already caught bugs ːsteamhappyː

• Fixed issues with UI in main menu stopping player from creating characters.

• Fixed UI issues

• Fixed Creating worlds UI Issues and errors

• Removed Old UI

• Fixed Crafting Bugs

Hello, this is the Moor Rail development team.
In this hotfix, we have addressed several bugs occurring during stage progress to ensure a smoother gameplay experience.

Key Fixes

Resolved an issue where progression would freeze in certain stages

Fixed progression-blocking situations in specific cases

Overall stability improvements including minor bug fixes and text corrections

We will continue monitoring the game to ensure a stable environment and implement improvements based on your valuable feedback.
Thank you for playing.

— The Moor Rail Development Team

• Many small fixes, mostly for mobile but some improve the PC version
  
• Previously factory reset was not actually deleting everything. Now it does.
  
• You are now required to use compensated sights, this is to fix bad alignment from extreme camera angles
  
• Calibration flow for paper scale and distance from display now looks a little nicer

Update Notice – Major Improvements for Enhanced Gameplay

Hello, this is the development team of Slayer: the Demon Haunted World.

In this update, we have implemented various changes to provide you with a smoother and more engaging gameplay experience. To enhance dungeon exploration and add strategic depth to combat, the following adjustments have been made:

Main Changes

• Adjusted level designs in certain areas to improve layout flow and difficulty balance

• Added puzzle elements to diversify exploration mechanics

• Refined mid-boss Cinemachine sequences and rebalanced HP and skills

• Introduced dodge functionality tied to the Agility stat, adding tactical depth

• Prevented duplicate registration of the same skill in quick slots to encourage strategic slot allocation

• Fixed incorrect loading screen progress display when loading tutorial-skipped save data

We will continue listening to your feedback and regularly update the game to improve your experience.
Thank you for playing.

— Slayer: the Demon Haunted World Development Team