It's been really cool seeing people have so much fun with the various game modes since launch - and it's a blast to be joining you from time to time too!

We have also been working hard on nailing the biggest issues people have been having with Planetoid Pioneers Online, and this update addresses the performance one in two big ways:

• First, multi-threading of the physics is working again - now alongside our perfectly deterministic networking system! That was not easy to track down.
  
• Second, we have improved the way objects on the ground are being cleaned up during long or intense gameplay sessions.

Both these optimizations together have a huge impact on helping people with slow computers not also slow down the simulation for everyone else in any particular game. Read more about that here.

The really neat thing coming out today though: The coolest in-game chat you've ever seen! Comic-book style speech bubbles over your Pioneer's head... cooperate, coordinate, and taunt - but try to keep it civil, please. We're working on a muting feature, so if what you're saying isn't appreciated, other players can just muzzle you.

We have opened up our community Discord server to everyone, and made all previous Contributor Edition owners special members there. Come join us to coordinate games with people, edit game modes, and talk shop: https://discord.gg/0uOKhubnen2sJ6bl

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1013040/Planetoid_Pioneers_Online/

• In-game chat using comic-book style speech bubbles! Just press [T]
  
• Improved performance with parallel physics solver
  
• Improved performance with better scene clean up script
  
• New Menu!
  
• Better waves in Wave Defense mode, getting much harder!

ADDITONS

• Added ServerMan
  
• Added active games count
  
• Added discord buttons
  
• Added and bound c2d:SetMainWindowTitle()
  
• Added and bound GetAimPointRel
  
• Added effect to saw if thrown while activated

UPDATES

• Prepared hosting and downloading workshop scenes
  
• Implementing chat to network and server, wip
  
• Input updates for game chat
  
• Game chat, wip
  
• Updated PP build number
  
• Changed bubble font for more readability in chinese locale
  
• Updates for chinese font to be more readable
  
• Showing other lobbies count wehn in lobby
  
• Using aimPointRel() in pioneer
  
• Set outline color in old write to screen functions back to black
  
• Updated build number for the coming perf update!
  
• Enabled play while waiting, returning player to lobby if someone joined
  
• Finished new scene:Write and WriteUpdate functions
  
• Trap death effect
  
• Stricter clean up including old tools and other assembled stuff, tweaked some blueprints to die for clean up
  
• Removed out announcements from bomb ball since they dont count as typical outs anyways
  
• Respawn protection effect also in pioneers tools

FIXES

• Added server and lobby count to play while waiting, fixed some errors and warnings
  
• Fixed Write javascript error
  
• Fixed parallel physics solver for determinism
  
• Fix:ignoring hologram MOs in auto-mounting joints
  
• Fixed disconnect reason was nulled in discovery state, added kicked from lobby/game
  
• Fixed blueprint category sorting when translation is missing
  
• Fixed camo engine not dying when removed from body
  
• Base def: improved performance, fixed negative wave counter
  
• Fixed ppo settings in pp
  
• Fixed pioneer jumping in opposite direction if cursor behind sometimes
  
• Room rush: fixed now showing "final arena"

A heads up that the launch discount for Planetoid Pioneers Online expires in only a few hours, so if you had fun playing it for free last weekend, you might want to jump on it now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1013040/Planetoid_Pioneers_Online/
Especially since our server stats show that most of you didn't even get to some of the deeper but most fun game modes, like Base Battle:
https://youtu.be/M35d_-3uZ1o
It's one that most reminds us of classic Cortex Command action: back-and-forth struggle to smash the sensitive core barricaded inside each teams' base bunker!!

(image by Arne and community member MaximDude)

Not only are we launching our first online multiplayer game today:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1013040/Planetoid_Pioneers_Online/
But we are also letting our first baby out into the world! Cortex Command was something that started as a passion project in high school, and ended as a title with such an unexpected long-lasting community and staying power that we're very proud of.

Despite oodles of official content, many feel that Cortex Command was never "finished" - and we're actually extra proud of that fact. The game both grew into something far beyond our own hopes, and also remained open-ended and flexible enough to let others pick up and take it even further!

One of those people is Weegee, who joined us from the community, and has in recent years contributed a tremendous amount of work and features to the official codebase that we are releasing to the public today.

Not only did he add a ton of additional interfaces to the scripting and ini files for modders to use when accessing the engine, he has even worked out a functional networked multiplayer mode for Cortex Command! This is an impressive feat, and uses non-traditional techniques - albeit it only works well on local networks (LANs) for now.

Anyway, the codebase today contains all that good stuff, and can be considered as Build 33, with the short form changelog to be found at the end of this post.

https://github.com/DataRealms/CCOSS
We anticipate that releasing this will ensure CC lives on and stays vibrant for even longer than it already has! We wish you luck and hope you have fun digging through the high-school-era code in some of the older parts in there ;)

LAN Multiplater
Implemented mass and passengers count constraints for crafts
Dynamic pie menus
Dynamic buy menus

Reworked loading screen to reduce loading time.
Added an option "DisableLoadingScreen" in settings.ini to disable loading screen completely to reduce loading time (Thanks Duh102, CrazyMLC, MaximDude)
Fixed InvincibleCrafts and ToughCrafts global scripts (Thanks 4zK)
Fixed a bug when AEmitter flash was drawn in the wrong position if emitter was not emitting.
Fixed a bug in Siege when incorrect units wear spawned.
Fixed a crash when calling TimerMan.TicksPerSecond in Lua script
Fixed a situation where flipped crafts dropped units in invalid direction.

Added binding UI for weapon pick, drop, next, prev and reload for "keyboard only" and "keyboard" control schemes.
You can press CTRL + ~ (ConsoleMan.ForceVisibility = true) to toggle console which does not grab input.

F1 - Shortcut help
F2 - Reload all scripts
F3 - Dump console text to file
F4 - Dump console input to file
F5 - Clear console log

Added Low Gravity and Faster walking global scripts.
Added bulky drop ships global script.
Added global scripts to disable buy menu constraints.
Added Global scripts Better jetpacks, Constant Gold Income and All Units Are Brains

MOSRotating.Emitters
MOSRotating.Attachables
Scene.Deployments
Emitter.EmissionList
PresetMan.Modules
DataModule.Presets

Well folks, it's been a decade-long journey here, but today we launch our first internet-multiplayer game, built with our own Crush2D networked physics game engine:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1013040/Planetoid_Pioneers_Online/

To celebrate, we are making the game FREE to play this whole weekend - so get your friends in on some of the carnage! We're also giving everyone a 50% off the already low price.

Finally, those who supported us by buying Planetoid Pioneers Contributor Edition, get a free copy of Planetoid Pioneers Online to keep! We love you guys.

Pass around the trailer to get some people interested in joining you for some bashin':
https://youtu.be/yl-rqUCakUI

This month marks exactly TEN years since we started building the Crush2D game engine, which now finally also supports networking with perfect sync the super detailed game-affecting physics on up to four computers over the internet! We are proud to present Planetoid Pioneers ONLINE:



This technology has allowed us to make some really crazy physics-driven game modes for networked multiplayer, TWELVE of which will ship with even the Early Access launch of Planetoid Pioneers Online THIS WEEK!

Leading up to that big day, we are doing a video series showcase, demonstrating two unique game modes every day until launch. These are the first three days' worth:

https://youtu.be/E0ul0VbL9hw
https://youtu.be/JPqSr3AidtI
https://youtu.be/eZWLowHqj_o
https://youtu.be/iMLYGaapV0g
https://youtu.be/MG0XA5LeIwE
https://youtu.be/AXUPBRVC23E

Stay tuned for the coming modes in the coming days - and the Early Access launch of Planetoid Pioneers Online itself on Thursday!

Powered by a world-class 2D physics engine, a unique and modular game design on top, massive and varied content built with fully integrated editors (all included!), and extreme integration with the Steam Workshop for endless expansion, we at Data Realms are incredibly proud to present:


Speaking of Cortex Command, as a thank you to all owners of this previous game of ours, we are offering a 25% Loyalty Discount to you on top of the 25% Launch Discount for the special Contributor Edition of Planetoid Pioneers! This means, as an owner of Cortex Command, you end up paying 25% less than the base price for Planetoid Pioneers, and also get bonus access to the official Contributor Community Discord server, where you can easily share your content with other creatively-minded people and chat directly with the core development team.

We hope you enjoy exploring the current crop of wildly different worlds that ship today in the Asteroid Belt of Planetoid Pioneers, and look forward to seeing many more automatically pop up on that map from the Steam Workshop as the community grows and continues to create!

Head over to the Planetoid Pioneers store page THIS WEEK ONLY to claim your juicy deal!

Powered by a world-class 2D physics engine, a unique and modular game design on top, massive and varied content built with fully integrated editors (all included!), and extreme integration with the Steam Workshop for endless expansion, we at Data Realms are incredibly proud to present:


Speaking of Cortex Command, as a thank you to all owners of this previous game of ours, we are offering a 25% Loyalty Discount to you on top of the 25% Launch Discount for the special Contributor Edition of Planetoid Pioneers! This means, as an owner of Cortex Command, you end up paying 25% less than the base price for Planetoid Pioneers, and also get bonus access to the official Contributor Community Discord server, where you can easily share your content with other creatively-minded people and chat directly with the core development team.

We hope you enjoy exploring the current crop of wildly different worlds that ship today in the Asteroid Belt of Planetoid Pioneers, and look forward to seeing many more automatically pop up on that map from the Steam Workshop as the community grows and continues to create!

Head over to the Planetoid Pioneers store page THIS WEEK ONLY to claim your juicy deal!

Folks, it's an exciting time over here at Data Realms. Next week we are launching our NEW game,
Planetoid Pioneers - which is actually a prequel to Cortex Command!

In celebration of that, we are making Cortex Command FREE for an entire weekend! Yes, you get to keep it forever after, too. (edit: yes, really you get to keep the full thing, never have to pay)

AND, if you own Cortex Command by the time Planetoid Pioneers launches on Thursday next week (Feb 8), you also get an 25% OFF it! Just add PP to your wishlist to be reminded.

So, just press that button to get all these free goodies - and stay tuned for more exciting Cortex Command developments this year!

Folks, it's an exciting time over here at Data Realms. Next week we are launching our NEW game,
Planetoid Pioneers - which is actually a prequel to Cortex Command!

In celebration of that, we are making Cortex Command FREE for an entire weekend! Yes, you get to keep it forever after, too. (edit: yes, really you get to keep the full thing, never have to pay)

AND, if you own Cortex Command by the time Planetoid Pioneers launches on Thursday next week (Feb 8), you also get an 25% OFF it! Just add PP to your wishlist to be reminded.

So, just press that button to get all these free goodies - and stay tuned for more exciting Cortex Command developments this year!

Your wait is over: both for this fresh build of your old faithful game, and also for the next frames in the heat of the fiercest battle! Don't wait to get a copy for yourself or a friend, since the massive 85% OFF sale will only last for a few more days...

Here's what's fresh, thanks to Evgeniy "Weegee” Vigovskiy, Jesús “GranPC” Higueras Pica, and Chris “Montdidier” Kruger:

Performance

• Cortex Command now pumps up to 2x more frames per second!!
• Game activities no longer slow down when played for too long.

Gameplay

• Added keyboards shortcuts for weapon switch, reload, drop and pickup actions (also works with gamepads).
• Gib editor now rounds all offsets.
• Deployments can spawn flipped for non-flipped actors.
• It's easier to find out how many gamepads were detected and who moves the cursor in UIs.
• Limbless actors will inevitably and quickly die.
• Reworked Test Activity to act as an ordinary GAScripted and execute Global Scripts (good for testing and debugging global scripts).

Content

• Bunker breach can be used with randomized bunkers.
• Added randomized fortresses for Bunker Breach.
• Added new skirmish activity Siege, which uses Bunker Breach maps.
• Nerfed heavy ronins a lot.
• Added global script, which gives 3x more gold when digging.
• Added infinite ammo global script.
• Added invincible crafts global script.
• Added instant and delayed delivery global scripts.

Bugfixes

• Added range checks to functions, which take Team as parameter to avoid memory corruption.
• When brain actor is deleted, MovableMan checks if it's a brain and if it is, set's this brain to 0 to avoid crashes.
• Dead actors no longer roll and scream infinitely
  
• Dead actors reduce their AngularVel.
• Fixed crashes in allegro and luabind.
• Vanilla activities now count used MOIDs on per-team basis.
  
• Fixed the shield-related crash in Campaign.
• Primitives are no longer drawn on top of game UI elements.
  
• Fixed a bug, which caused a crash in buy menu.
• Fixed crash caused by digging.

Scene:

• function GetOptionalArea the same as GetArea, but does not render scene incompatible for Activity if specified area is missing

SceneMan:

• function RestoreUnseen(const int posX, const int posY, const int team)
  
• function RestoreUnseenBox(const int posX, const int posY, const int width, const int height, const int team);

FrameMan:

• function DrawTextPrimitive(Vector start, std::string text, bool isSmall, int alignment) , alignment 0 = left, 1 = center, 2 = right
• function DrawBitmapPrimitive(Vector start, Entity * pEntity, float rotAngle, int frame)
• function CalculateTextHeight(std::string text, int maxWidth, bool isSmall)
• function CalculateTextWidth(std::string text, bool isSmall)

GameActivity:

• function int GetActiveCPUTeamCount()
• function int GetActiveHumanTeamCount()

HDFirearm:

• property FiredOnce, r/o , Whether at least one round has already been fired during the current activation. May be 0 because weapon might have activated but no actual rounds were fired yet.
  
• property FiredFrame, r/o, Whether at least one round has already been fired during the current frame. Use this to check if weapon fired something.
  
• property RoundsFired, r/o, How many rounds were fired during this frame.

GameActivity:

• property BuyMenuEnabled, r/w, Whether buy menu is enabled for this activity

Actor:

• property AimDistance , r/w
• property SightDistance, r/w

AEMitter:

• property BurstDamage, r/w
• property EmitCountLimit, r/w
• property EmitDamage, r/w

PEmitter:

• Lightweight, non-rotating MOSParticle-based emitter

MovableObject:

• DamageOnCollision 0,1 - When it's != 0 actors takes health damage on collision with this MO, without penetration
• IgnoreTerrain 0,1 - When it's 1 MO ignores any terrain collisions and travels right through them

Settings.ini:

• PreciseCollisions 0,1 - When off uses experimental simplified MO collision model which may improve performance up to 30%