Jan 28, 2015
Roadmap to Release 2015
Take On Mars - Dram


Hello everyone,

Today we released a roadmap detailing our plans for Take On Mars from January 2015 through to release of version 1.0 in June 2015. It details the most important highlights, such as the completion of the survival elements, the addition of the Manned section to the Space Program mode, and most importantly, release dates.

Many, myself included, are looking forward to the addition of the Manned section to the Space Program mode, and we sincerely hope not to disappoint. This will be story driven, focusing on survival in a catastrophic failure scenario. I am sure this culmination to the Space Program mode will whet the appetite for playing with friends online in the Cooperative or planned Competitive modes. I hope to meet many of you on the surface of our red neighbour.

I'd like to clarify a few things about the plan, specifically about the move to Beta. While still within Early Access, the game at this point will move into a feature-lock state, where no additional features are added and rather existing features and gameplay mechanics are tweaked to perfection. There may be exceptions, but the idea is to make the game run as smoothly as possible giving everyone the best possible experience.

Additionally of note, tutorials will be added in May, which will help new players get into the game intuitively via short in-game videos that will be played in correlation with what the player is doing. For example, driving a vehicle for the first time will bring up the tutorial for controlling vehicles, and so on.

I hope we deliver to expectations, and would reiterate my gratitude for all your support since initial Early Access release back in August 2013.

Most kind and sincere regards,

Martin Melicharek
Project Lead for Take On Mars
Jan 28, 2015
Roadmap to Release 2015
Take On Mars - Dram


Hello everyone,

Today we released a roadmap detailing our plans for Take On Mars from January 2015 through to release of version 1.0 in June 2015. It details the most important highlights, such as the completion of the survival elements, the addition of the Manned section to the Space Program mode, and most importantly, release dates.

Many, myself included, are looking forward to the addition of the Manned section to the Space Program mode, and we sincerely hope not to disappoint. This will be story driven, focusing on survival in a catastrophic failure scenario. I am sure this culmination to the Space Program mode will whet the appetite for playing with friends online in the Cooperative or planned Competitive modes. I hope to meet many of you on the surface of our red neighbour.

I'd like to clarify a few things about the plan, specifically about the move to Beta. While still within Early Access, the game at this point will move into a feature-lock state, where no additional features are added and rather existing features and gameplay mechanics are tweaked to perfection. There may be exceptions, but the idea is to make the game run as smoothly as possible giving everyone the best possible experience.

Additionally of note, tutorials will be added in May, which will help new players get into the game intuitively via short in-game videos that will be played in correlation with what the player is doing. For example, driving a vehicle for the first time will bring up the tutorial for controlling vehicles, and so on.

I hope we deliver to expectations, and would reiterate my gratitude for all your support since initial Early Access release back in August 2013.

Most kind and sincere regards,

Martin Melicharek
Project Lead for Take On Mars
Dec 19, 2014
Take On Mars - Christmas Update!
Take On Mars - Dram
Hello everyone!


Today we released another update to the Main branch. This fixes many bugs, freezes, and general un-pleasantries.
Aside from fixes it also features the newly implemented Materials Refinery, which you can use to break apart MarsRock, Water, Carbon Dioxide, and so on. It also allows recombining of materials.
In addition to the Refinery, 3D GUIs have been implemented with multiplayer support, so the Huge Monitor that can be placed on walls is now properly synchronized.
Not to mention oxygen zones within the Manned Mobile Laboratory, so now inside you can take your suit off. The MML also features several new monitors, which allow viewing of CCTV cameras around the vehicle, and also allow use of the newly added crane system, which utilizes an electromagnet to grab objects.


So here are the highlights in a nutshell:
- 3D GUI system for controlling monitors and such, fully synchronized over multiplayer
- New crane system on the Manned Mobile Laboratory used for lifting heavy objects
- Oxygen zones within the Manned Mobile Laboratory, which depressurize when doors are opened
- Many fixes to various crashes and freezes
- Many more minor improvements


I'd also like to use this opportunity to thank you all for your support, it has been a great year for Take On Mars, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year. To that end I would also like to let you know that the development team will be away on holidays from tomorrow until the 5th of January, 2015.


From the dev team, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!


Martin Melicharek (Dram)
Project Lead




Change Log:
19th December 2014: - Added level of details without GUI to each monitor for better performance - Updated all scenarios with the new Manned Mobile Lab (with crane) - Finished Materials Refinery GUI - Implemented a chemical reaction system in the Materials Refinery 17th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI screen to the Materials Refinery - Fixed issue with NULL pointers to widget when client was connecting 16th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI controls to the Mobile Lab crane 15th December 2014: - Fixed stack overflow crash when assembling/disassembling huge buildings - Fixed crash that occured when starting a multiplayer game, returning to menu, and starting one again - Fixed incorrect info display of scenarios in the multiplayer Create Game menu 12th December 2014: - Added particle effects such as kicked up dust/rocks to footsteps - Added 30sec delay before playing 'active' idle animations on the player 11th December 2014: - Added atmospheric zones to the Manned Mobile Lab - Added dynamic atmospheric zones - Disabled experimental 'zoom-in' to 3D GUIs 10th December 2014: - Added experimental 'zoom-in' to 3D GUIs if holding focus/rotate object - Added 4 CCTV cameras viewable from the driver's seat of the Manned Mobile Lab - Added proper animations to seats in Manned Mobile Lab - Added Picture-in-Picture views for rear, undercarriage, interior, and airlock in the Manned Mobile Lab 5th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI monitors to the Manned Mobile Laboratory, which control the airlock and rear door - Fixed broken packet issue in vehicles, possibly causing crashes in MP 3rd December 2014: - Fixed issue where exiting Gravon from fullscreen had hidden menus - Fixed animations not playing on Atmospheric Processor and Drilling Rig - Added MP synchronization of the Huge Monitor - Added saving/loading of values of the Huge Monitor 1st December 2014: - Fixed crash/freeze caused by a texture handling issue 30th November 2014: - Added synchronization of the cursor for 3D GUIs over the net
Dec 19, 2014
Take On Mars - Christmas Update!
Take On Mars - Dram
Hello everyone!


Today we released another update to the Main branch. This fixes many bugs, freezes, and general un-pleasantries.
Aside from fixes it also features the newly implemented Materials Refinery, which you can use to break apart MarsRock, Water, Carbon Dioxide, and so on. It also allows recombining of materials.
In addition to the Refinery, 3D GUIs have been implemented with multiplayer support, so the Huge Monitor that can be placed on walls is now properly synchronized.
Not to mention oxygen zones within the Manned Mobile Laboratory, so now inside you can take your suit off. The MML also features several new monitors, which allow viewing of CCTV cameras around the vehicle, and also allow use of the newly added crane system, which utilizes an electromagnet to grab objects.


So here are the highlights in a nutshell:
- 3D GUI system for controlling monitors and such, fully synchronized over multiplayer
- New crane system on the Manned Mobile Laboratory used for lifting heavy objects
- Oxygen zones within the Manned Mobile Laboratory, which depressurize when doors are opened
- Many fixes to various crashes and freezes
- Many more minor improvements


I'd also like to use this opportunity to thank you all for your support, it has been a great year for Take On Mars, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year. To that end I would also like to let you know that the development team will be away on holidays from tomorrow until the 5th of January, 2015.


From the dev team, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!


Martin Melicharek (Dram)
Project Lead




Change Log:
19th December 2014: - Added level of details without GUI to each monitor for better performance - Updated all scenarios with the new Manned Mobile Lab (with crane) - Finished Materials Refinery GUI - Implemented a chemical reaction system in the Materials Refinery 17th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI screen to the Materials Refinery - Fixed issue with NULL pointers to widget when client was connecting 16th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI controls to the Mobile Lab crane 15th December 2014: - Fixed stack overflow crash when assembling/disassembling huge buildings - Fixed crash that occured when starting a multiplayer game, returning to menu, and starting one again - Fixed incorrect info display of scenarios in the multiplayer Create Game menu 12th December 2014: - Added particle effects such as kicked up dust/rocks to footsteps - Added 30sec delay before playing 'active' idle animations on the player 11th December 2014: - Added atmospheric zones to the Manned Mobile Lab - Added dynamic atmospheric zones - Disabled experimental 'zoom-in' to 3D GUIs 10th December 2014: - Added experimental 'zoom-in' to 3D GUIs if holding focus/rotate object - Added 4 CCTV cameras viewable from the driver's seat of the Manned Mobile Lab - Added proper animations to seats in Manned Mobile Lab - Added Picture-in-Picture views for rear, undercarriage, interior, and airlock in the Manned Mobile Lab 5th December 2014: - Added 3D GUI monitors to the Manned Mobile Laboratory, which control the airlock and rear door - Fixed broken packet issue in vehicles, possibly causing crashes in MP 3rd December 2014: - Fixed issue where exiting Gravon from fullscreen had hidden menus - Fixed animations not playing on Atmospheric Processor and Drilling Rig - Added MP synchronization of the Huge Monitor - Added saving/loading of values of the Huge Monitor 1st December 2014: - Fixed crash/freeze caused by a texture handling issue 30th November 2014: - Added synchronization of the cursor for 3D GUIs over the net
Dec 18, 2014
Bohemia Interactive 2014 Year In Review
Take On Mars - Nelios
As one of the most exciting years for our studio comes to a close, we’ve deployed a special dev blog in which various members of the Arma 3, Take On Mars, and DayZ development teams recap the past year, take a brief look at the near future, and thank everyone for their incredible support!
http://youtu.be/err9KLEFeTE
Dec 18, 2014
Bohemia Interactive 2014 Year In Review
Take On Mars - Nelios
As one of the most exciting years for our studio comes to a close, we’ve deployed a special dev blog in which various members of the Arma 3, Take On Mars, and DayZ development teams recap the past year, take a brief look at the near future, and thank everyone for their incredible support!
http://youtu.be/err9KLEFeTE
Nov 28, 2014
Fixes and improvements to the 'Survival/Multiplayer' update released!
Take On Mars - Dram
Hello everyone!

We have been very busy since Tuesday's Multiplayer/Survival update, specifically addressing issues and bugs people encountered while playing. In light of this, and after careful evaluation and consideration, we have decided to release another update to all branches (except for Legacy).

A major change is compatibility between builds, that is, someone on the Dev build can play with someone on the Main build, as long as their data match, for example.

However the fixes do not extend only to the Manned section, and the Robotic section has received some love as well.

For those interested in what has changed, here is a list:

28th November 2014: - Fixed crash caused when removing a Huge Monitor building block from the wall - Fixed crash caused by pressing Standby on Huge Monitor building block when it was viewing a player - Fixed crash caused by pressing Standby on monitor in the Science Buggy when viewing rear view cam - Fixed minor camera clipping issue on Huge Monitor when viewing players - Fixed issue where 3D printer could be placed in the air incorrectly - Improved printed placing heights of Forklift, Scout Buggy, and Science Buggy 27th November 2014: - Optimized atmospheric zone creation, now occurs only for changed groups - Reduced micro-freezes occurring from adding/removing panels and 3D printing with huge structures - Fixed stack overflow occurring for huge structures - Changed default rotate object key to 'R' and 'Mouse 4' - Changed default rotate object (alt axis) key to 'Left Alt' and 'Right Alt' - Changed default slow time key to 'Numpad Enter' - Added titles next to each tab in the options menu - Fixed issue in multiplayer where the Drilling Rig and Atmospheric Processor did not animate - Fixed Moon location having Mars rock and atmospheric resources - Fixed E3 Gale Crater scenario where the Large Rover smashed into the ground - Fixed landing rovers/landers not using descent cams properly - Fixed cameras not switching to ground cameras on landing in rovers and landers - Raised re-entry height/velocity in all Mars locations - Improved Large Rover wheel sounds
Nov 28, 2014
Fixes and improvements to the 'Survival/Multiplayer' update released!
Take On Mars - Dram
Hello everyone!

We have been very busy since Tuesday's Multiplayer/Survival update, specifically addressing issues and bugs people encountered while playing. In light of this, and after careful evaluation and consideration, we have decided to release another update to all branches (except for Legacy).

A major change is compatibility between builds, that is, someone on the Dev build can play with someone on the Main build, as long as their data match, for example.

However the fixes do not extend only to the Manned section, and the Robotic section has received some love as well.

For those interested in what has changed, here is a list:

28th November 2014: - Fixed crash caused when removing a Huge Monitor building block from the wall - Fixed crash caused by pressing Standby on Huge Monitor building block when it was viewing a player - Fixed crash caused by pressing Standby on monitor in the Science Buggy when viewing rear view cam - Fixed minor camera clipping issue on Huge Monitor when viewing players - Fixed issue where 3D printer could be placed in the air incorrectly - Improved printed placing heights of Forklift, Scout Buggy, and Science Buggy 27th November 2014: - Optimized atmospheric zone creation, now occurs only for changed groups - Reduced micro-freezes occurring from adding/removing panels and 3D printing with huge structures - Fixed stack overflow occurring for huge structures - Changed default rotate object key to 'R' and 'Mouse 4' - Changed default rotate object (alt axis) key to 'Left Alt' and 'Right Alt' - Changed default slow time key to 'Numpad Enter' - Added titles next to each tab in the options menu - Fixed issue in multiplayer where the Drilling Rig and Atmospheric Processor did not animate - Fixed Moon location having Mars rock and atmospheric resources - Fixed E3 Gale Crater scenario where the Large Rover smashed into the ground - Fixed landing rovers/landers not using descent cams properly - Fixed cameras not switching to ground cameras on landing in rovers and landers - Raised re-entry height/velocity in all Mars locations - Improved Large Rover wheel sounds
Nov 25, 2014
Take On Mars 'Survival/Multiplayer' update
Take On Mars - Nelios
Today we've deployed a major title update for Take On Mars - our Early Access space exploration game. Highlights of the update include the addition of multiplayer, which enables players to establish the first human colony on Mars in co-op, plus the update implements the first survival gameplay elements.

http://youtu.be/d1KEdR7WFhA
In multiplayer, people have to work together to build a self-sustaining habitat on the Red Planet. One of the key challenges there will simply be surviving the harsh conditions on Mars. With various vehicles and high tech equipment at their disposal, players will have to manage their resources, construct (pressurized) buildings, grow food, recycle waste, and conduct various scientific experiments. Multiplayer progress is recorded via a unique ‘viral’ multiplayer save system, which means that whenever someone saved the game, the save file is shared with all the players who are connected to the multiplayer session.

Furthermore, the new update also packs a variety of brand new vehicles and equipment, including a drilling rig, atmospheric processor, material refinery, different types of Astronaut suits, a thruster-powered VTOL aircraft, a fork lift, and many new building parts. Last but certainly not least, a new location has been added: the Apollo 17 landing site on our own Moon.

The complete list of highlights from the Take On Mars ‘Survival/Multiplayer’ update:
  • Multiplayer
  • 'Viral' Multiplayer save system (sends save to all connected)
  • Pressurized buildings
  • Drilling Rig, Atmospheric Processor, Materials Refinery
  • 3 Astronaut suits (light, medium heavy)
  • Inventory system (can take off suit, equip tools, eat food, and more)
  • New vehicles (4-seat VTOL thruster-powered aircraft, Fork lift)
  • The Moon location (Apollo 17 landing site)
  • Many new building parts
  • Survival elements (oxygen, food, water, vitamins, and more)
  • Player sounds (grunts, breathing, death, and more)
To enlist as a Rover Operation and/or astronaut, you can pick up the Early Access version of Take On Mars now on Steam and https://store.bistudio.com/take-on-mars. For more information, please visit http://www.takeonmars.com and remember to follow Take On Mars on Facebook and Twitter.
Nov 25, 2014
Take On Mars 'Survival/Multiplayer' update
Take On Mars - Nelios
Today we've deployed a major title update for Take On Mars - our Early Access space exploration game. Highlights of the update include the addition of multiplayer, which enables players to establish the first human colony on Mars in co-op, plus the update implements the first survival gameplay elements.

http://youtu.be/d1KEdR7WFhA
In multiplayer, people have to work together to build a self-sustaining habitat on the Red Planet. One of the key challenges there will simply be surviving the harsh conditions on Mars. With various vehicles and high tech equipment at their disposal, players will have to manage their resources, construct (pressurized) buildings, grow food, recycle waste, and conduct various scientific experiments. Multiplayer progress is recorded via a unique ‘viral’ multiplayer save system, which means that whenever someone saved the game, the save file is shared with all the players who are connected to the multiplayer session.

Furthermore, the new update also packs a variety of brand new vehicles and equipment, including a drilling rig, atmospheric processor, material refinery, different types of Astronaut suits, a thruster-powered VTOL aircraft, a fork lift, and many new building parts. Last but certainly not least, a new location has been added: the Apollo 17 landing site on our own Moon.

The complete list of highlights from the Take On Mars ‘Survival/Multiplayer’ update:
  • Multiplayer
  • 'Viral' Multiplayer save system (sends save to all connected)
  • Pressurized buildings
  • Drilling Rig, Atmospheric Processor, Materials Refinery
  • 3 Astronaut suits (light, medium heavy)
  • Inventory system (can take off suit, equip tools, eat food, and more)
  • New vehicles (4-seat VTOL thruster-powered aircraft, Fork lift)
  • The Moon location (Apollo 17 landing site)
  • Many new building parts
  • Survival elements (oxygen, food, water, vitamins, and more)
  • Player sounds (grunts, breathing, death, and more)
To enlist as a Rover Operation and/or astronaut, you can pick up the Early Access version of Take On Mars now on Steam and https://store.bistudio.com/take-on-mars. For more information, please visit http://www.takeonmars.com and remember to follow Take On Mars on Facebook and Twitter.
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