We are have to write this post because we are received a lot of new negative reviews such as: "I have no idea what to do here, lack of tutorial, the game is garbage, refund!"

Okay, let us clarify…
1. This is Early Access
2. This is Pre-Alpha
3. 1-and 2 items described at the store page very clearly.



Right now, tutorial is not high priority goal!

Our priority goal, it is adding new features, improved of existed features and finding the best structure of the game.

Sure we can add a tutorial which will displays a big, glowing and flashing arrow which will point where user should click (to win). But unlike most games, we may completely change the game features during development process in order to find the better implementation and result.
And it is good, right?

If so, it means that every time when we will change something in core gameplay, we should completely change the tutorial. As result, we will spend a lot of additional time on any changes, which eventually will slow down the development.

We are sure that the optimal and fastest development in order to create the better game is soon as possible is more important than polishing some temporal solutions which can be replaced after couple of weeks.
Are you agree with us?

Another sad moment that all those reviews is caused by two little things which can be fixed very easy.
1. Starting ship should appears with connected engines.
2. Engineering bay of starting ship should have an engineer inside by default.
These things is already made and will be added with the next update. What a shame that the authors of negative reviews just can’t wait a couple of days.

One more thing.
If you like any game, do not hesitate to leave your review.
Especially if the game doesn't have many reviews.
Especially if this is independent game.
Especially if developers are active and working with their community and reads its reviews.
Enthusiasm - is the main resource which is used during development of independent games.

We are have to write this post because we are received a lot of new negative reviews such as: "I have no idea what to do here, lack of tutorial, the game is garbage, refund!"

Okay, let us clarify…
1. This is Early Access
2. This is Pre-Alpha
3. 1-and 2 items described at the store page very clearly.



Right now, tutorial is not high priority goal!

Our priority goal, it is adding new features, improved of existed features and finding the best structure of the game.

Sure we can add a tutorial which will displays a big, glowing and flashing arrow which will point where user should click (to win). But unlike most games, we may completely change the game features during development process in order to find the better implementation and result.
And it is good, right?

If so, it means that every time when we will change something in core gameplay, we should completely change the tutorial. As result, we will spend a lot of additional time on any changes, which eventually will slow down the development.

We are sure that the optimal and fastest development in order to create the better game is soon as possible is more important than polishing some temporal solutions which can be replaced after couple of weeks.
Are you agree with us?

Another sad moment that all those reviews is caused by two little things which can be fixed very easy.
1. Starting ship should appears with connected engines.
2. Engineering bay of starting ship should have an engineer inside by default.
These things is already made and will be added with the next update. What a shame that the authors of negative reviews just can’t wait a couple of days.

One more thing.
If you like any game, do not hesitate to leave your review.
Especially if the game doesn't have many reviews.
Especially if this is independent game.
Especially if developers are active and working with their community and reads its reviews.
Enthusiasm - is the main resource which is used during development of independent games.

Hello dear community! We have been busy for a while, but now we are here again!

Our job it is not only the development, but also we need to perform some paper work with our company. We decided to move our company in better place, but unfortunately the lawyers which we choose for assistance, turned out incompetent, as result, the money which we payed for their services was wasted.

For now, we are don't want to reveal the statistics of selling, we plan to publish it in the future. But for now, our revenue is not too high, but it is enough for development.
Actually, until the game in pre-Alpha, we don't deserve to have huge selling. :)

So that failure with incompetent law company could be quite sad, because we didn't have enough finance for another trying. But you are, dear community, helped us in this situation! :)

We are don't know how, but in July our sales have been increased nearly 5 times! It was very unexpected and nice. This will allow us to solve the registration issues faster than we expected.

Thanks for anyone who supports us and recommends us to their friends! Such a help turned out incredible helpful for us!


Okay, we should thank you with something else besides the words. :)

Development was not stopped. Our main goal for next update is adding a normal way to obtain a food for your crew. You are requested it quite often and we're agree with it.

Sounds simple, we just need to add a hydroponics module. Yes, it is solution, and we will definitely add it later, but for now we are decide to make it in another way.
We want to implement a trading, not only for food, but also as interesting game feature.


The idea is next. There is several NPC space stations, each station consumes some goods A and produces some goods B. You will be able to trade these goods between stations. The pricing will depends on the demands and supply of each station.



Also we want to implement the AI traders which will cruising between stations, as result, star system will be filled with a life and fully dynamic economics! Unfortunately the AI for orbital mechanics still not implemented, so the first version of trade feature will be without NPC traders.



This idea can be encountered in some others space games.
But it should be nicer with the fact, that all NPC stations and cargo ships will be constructed by using the same modules!

For example, capacity of refueling station will be realistically depends from amount of fuel tanks, and fuel production depends of amount of fuel generators. If it will be partially damaged, the production or capacity will be decreased accordingly.
Eventually we plan to make fully dynamic economics! It will takes a little additional time, but it should be very good feature!

By the way, take a note about new labels with name of the ships, it's redesigned and now it stretches horizontally accordingly to length of the name.






Another nice thing it's a docking with NPC stations. We want to make it in interesting and realistic way,

If you want to dock with the station, you need make a request for docking. The station will check relationship with you and the status of its docking ports, if docking port is free, you will receive and instruction about approach, otherwise your ship will be added in queue for docking.



On our opinion, it is cool. Interesting fact that amount of docked ships depends on amount of docking ports. Later we will add a possibility to build your own stations which will be able to trade with NPC ships.

Also we added a money for each player. What a trading without a money? Sounds simple, but it has required some changes in code of players database.

By the way, recent code improvements allows us to make pretty nice improvement with the control.


Buttons of modules now have useful descriptions, normal names with spaces (no any SwitchManualControl) and allows to assign complex hotkeys with Ctrl, Shift, Alt modifiers!



Now this interactions method seems more comfortable and flexible. For example we added a button to engineering bay, so now you can assign any key to open a build menu.



Also some bug fixes. For example, players no longer can control the ships of other players and NPC.

We will try to bring the update to stable point and upload the update as soon as possible.

Hello dear community! We have been busy for a while, but now we are here again!

Our job it is not only the development, but also we need to perform some paper work with our company. We decided to move our company in better place, but unfortunately the lawyers which we choose for assistance, turned out incompetent, as result, the money which we payed for their services was wasted.

For now, we are don't want to reveal the statistics of selling, we plan to publish it in the future. But for now, our revenue is not too high, but it is enough for development.
Actually, until the game in pre-Alpha, we don't deserve to have huge selling. :)

So that failure with incompetent law company could be quite sad, because we didn't have enough finance for another trying. But you are, dear community, helped us in this situation! :)

We are don't know how, but in July our sales have been increased nearly 5 times! It was very unexpected and nice. This will allow us to solve the registration issues faster than we expected.

Thanks for anyone who supports us and recommends us to their friends! Such a help turned out incredible helpful for us!


Okay, we should thank you with something else besides the words. :)

Development was not stopped. Our main goal for next update is adding a normal way to obtain a food for your crew. You are requested it quite often and we're agree with it.

Sounds simple, we just need to add a hydroponics module. Yes, it is solution, and we will definitely add it later, but for now we are decide to make it in another way.
We want to implement a trading, not only for food, but also as interesting game feature.


The idea is next. There is several NPC space stations, each station consumes some goods A and produces some goods B. You will be able to trade these goods between stations. The pricing will depends on the demands and supply of each station.



Also we want to implement the AI traders which will cruising between stations, as result, star system will be filled with a life and fully dynamic economics! Unfortunately the AI for orbital mechanics still not implemented, so the first version of trade feature will be without NPC traders.



This idea can be encountered in some others space games.
But it should be nicer with the fact, that all NPC stations and cargo ships will be constructed by using the same modules!

For example, capacity of refueling station will be realistically depends from amount of fuel tanks, and fuel production depends of amount of fuel generators. If it will be partially damaged, the production or capacity will be decreased accordingly.
Eventually we plan to make fully dynamic economics! It will takes a little additional time, but it should be very good feature!

By the way, take a note about new labels with name of the ships, it's redesigned and now it stretches horizontally accordingly to length of the name.






Another nice thing it's a docking with NPC stations. We want to make it in interesting and realistic way,

If you want to dock with the station, you need make a request for docking. The station will check relationship with you and the status of its docking ports, if docking port is free, you will receive and instruction about approach, otherwise your ship will be added in queue for docking.



On our opinion, it is cool. Interesting fact that amount of docked ships depends on amount of docking ports. Later we will add a possibility to build your own stations which will be able to trade with NPC ships.

Also we added a money for each player. What a trading without a money? Sounds simple, but it has required some changes in code of players database.

By the way, recent code improvements allows us to make pretty nice improvement with the control.


Buttons of modules now have useful descriptions, normal names with spaces (no any SwitchManualControl) and allows to assign complex hotkeys with Ctrl, Shift, Alt modifiers!



Now this interactions method seems more comfortable and flexible. For example we added a button to engineering bay, so now you can assign any key to open a build menu.



Also some bug fixes. For example, players no longer can control the ships of other players and NPC.

We will try to bring the update to stable point and upload the update as soon as possible.

Just a several bugfixes and little improvements. We receive many bug reports and suggestions which are very helpful, thank you for that. There's not all fixed, but don't worry, we record all the reports and they will be fixed.

Also we working on some larger features, but it will be completed in next updates.


Improvements

• New cursor, it is larger, more visible and convenient. The cursor changes when hover over dragable windows.
  
• Starting ship appears closer to asteroid belt.
  
• New design for main menu.

Bug fixes

• Ship can no longer land on the star.
  
• Clients can see ping in multiplayer games.
  
• Background world in main menu is returned back.
  
• Cuprum renamed to Copper.
  
• Engines uses center of mass instead of center of command module, rotations now is more accurate.
  
• Added scrollbar to "Select world" window.
  
• When you scroll the scroll bar by using mouse wheel, it will be scrolled with stable velocity. It is especially important in the chat window with large log.

Just a several bugfixes and little improvements. We receive many bug reports and suggestions which are very helpful, thank you for that. There's not all fixed, but don't worry, we record all the reports and they will be fixed.

Also we working on some larger features, but it will be completed in next updates.


Improvements

• New cursor, it is larger, more visible and convenient. The cursor changes when hover over dragable windows.
  
• Starting ship appears closer to asteroid belt.
  
• New design for main menu.

Bug fixes

• Ship can no longer land on the star.
  
• Clients can see ping in multiplayer games.
  
• Background world in main menu is returned back.
  
• Cuprum renamed to Copper.
  
• Engines uses center of mass instead of center of command module, rotations now is more accurate.
  
• Added scrollbar to "Select world" window.
  
• When you scroll the scroll bar by using mouse wheel, it will be scrolled with stable velocity. It is especially important in the chat window with large log.

Multiplayer is finally returned back. :)

Unfortunately it still very buggy, but better than earlier. Actually, we are don't managed to do all what we planed. We received a huge amount of bug reports, don't worry, we didn't forget about it, we just decided to divide large update on several small. Now we have working multiplayer, in next updates we plan to make it stable and smooth.



Improvements

• Multiplayer is returned back. Crew, shield and tractor beam is adapted for multiplayer. From this moment, all new features will be added with multiplayer support. We should not allow to broke multiplayer again.
  
• Added action to Command Module: Auto connect - it will automatically connect all connectors to storages with required resources.
  
• Turrets \ Weapons: When manual control enabled, you can fire with Left Mouse Click.
  
• Window \ Full Screen mode can be switched by Alt+Enter.

Bug fixes

• Save\Load: Engineering Bay saves its orders queue.
  
• Save\Load: Modules saves its construction progress.
  
• Default Full Screen mode is off. Some Linux users have an issues with the resolution, it should help.
  
• Fixed bug with deconstruction of modules. Though there another, less critical issue, we will fix it soon.

Multiplayer is finally returned back. :)

Unfortunately it still very buggy, but better than earlier. Actually, we are don't managed to do all what we planed. We received a huge amount of bug reports, don't worry, we didn't forget about it, we just decided to divide large update on several small. Now we have working multiplayer, in next updates we plan to make it stable and smooth.



Improvements

• Multiplayer is returned back. Crew, shield and tractor beam is adapted for multiplayer. From this moment, all new features will be added with multiplayer support. We should not allow to broke multiplayer again.
  
• Added action to Command Module: Auto connect - it will automatically connect all connectors to storages with required resources.
  
• Turrets \ Weapons: When manual control enabled, you can fire with Left Mouse Click.
  
• Window \ Full Screen mode can be switched by Alt+Enter.

Bug fixes

• Save\Load: Engineering Bay saves its orders queue.
  
• Save\Load: Modules saves its construction progress.
  
• Default Full Screen mode is off. Some Linux users have an issues with the resolution, it should help.
  
• Fixed bug with deconstruction of modules. Though there another, less critical issue, we will fix it soon.

Now we are working on the multiplayer, seems like it is the most priority feature, because it is already was implemented some time ago, but now it disabled and it is pretty frustrating. It should not take too many time, the main core is already completed, we just need to make some changes in new crew and production.

Also we want to tell you about future changes in graphics.

When we began the develop of Celestial Command, it is supposed to be a small space shooter which will be available also on mobile platforms, so we decided to make it in 2D, because we thought that 2D is more easy than 3D, but it is wrong.

Then, when we realized that the game is no longer "small" and mobile platforms became no longer interesting for us, it was be too late to change game concept from 2D to 3D.

Actually we are not the big fans of 2D graphics, even opposite, we like 3D graphic much more then 2D. So for some time we wasn't satisfied with the game, because it is still in 2D.

But now we are came to pretty obvious thought. We can replace 2D graphics with 3D. Modules, planets, asteroids will be in 3D. Also will be an ability to rotate the camera, but gameplay still will be only in two dimensions. It sometimes called 2.5D.

And seems like it is pretty nice idea. First of all, we realized that gameplay in 2D space it is not bad, many people enjoy the game because it is pretty easy and fun relative to more complex space simulators. 3D graphics should make the game even better and 2d gameplay will be intact.

Some screenshots of prototype just to show you the estimated result:





And there is screenshot from 3d editor. By the way, it is another reason why we should turn the game into 3d. All models is already in 3d, it is sad to bake it into 2d texture where no one see the full quality of the models.



Of course there will be some "strange restrictions" and unrealistic elements, such as inability to change the altitude and fly over another ship or landing on planets will be possible only along equator, but we think it should not be a big problem.

Now we are working on the multiplayer, seems like it is the most priority feature, because it is already was implemented some time ago, but now it disabled and it is pretty frustrating. It should not take too many time, the main core is already completed, we just need to make some changes in new crew and production.

Also we want to tell you about future changes in graphics.

When we began the develop of Celestial Command, it is supposed to be a small space shooter which will be available also on mobile platforms, so we decided to make it in 2D, because we thought that 2D is more easy than 3D, but it is wrong.

Then, when we realized that the game is no longer "small" and mobile platforms became no longer interesting for us, it was be too late to change game concept from 2D to 3D.

Actually we are not the big fans of 2D graphics, even opposite, we like 3D graphic much more then 2D. So for some time we wasn't satisfied with the game, because it is still in 2D.

But now we are came to pretty obvious thought. We can replace 2D graphics with 3D. Modules, planets, asteroids will be in 3D. Also will be an ability to rotate the camera, but gameplay still will be only in two dimensions. It sometimes called 2.5D.

And seems like it is pretty nice idea. First of all, we realized that gameplay in 2D space it is not bad, many people enjoy the game because it is pretty easy and fun relative to more complex space simulators. 3D graphics should make the game even better and 2d gameplay will be intact.

Some screenshots of prototype just to show you the estimated result:





And there is screenshot from 3d editor. By the way, it is another reason why we should turn the game into 3d. All models is already in 3d, it is sad to bake it into 2d texture where no one see the full quality of the models.



Of course there will be some "strange restrictions" and unrealistic elements, such as inability to change the altitude and fly over another ship or landing on planets will be possible only along equator, but we think it should not be a big problem.