Well, usually it how, when we add some feature, we do not optimize it too much. It should work as fast as possible and can be optimized later, when the question of optimization will be critical.

So now it about time! People noticed it in this and this threads

Further development impossible without optimization. Even a few additional ships drops FPS to very low level. But we want at least 100 ships in the system. So we started working on dramatically optimization, reassembly and refactoring of the code and architecture.

Besides that, we made an interesting discovery about how exactly we can improve performance significantly!
If you are game developer and use amazing Unity engine, you probably will be interested to look at our research in this forum

So far early tests indicates 120 FPS for 100 ships, which is great! When we will have stable result we will show some video of the tests.

Well, usually it how, when we add some feature, we do not optimize it too much. It should work as fast as possible and can be optimized later, when the question of optimization will be critical.

So now it about time! People noticed it in this and this threads

Further development impossible without optimization. Even a few additional ships drops FPS to very low level. But we want at least 100 ships in the system. So we started working on dramatically optimization, reassembly and refactoring of the code and architecture.

Besides that, we made an interesting discovery about how exactly we can improve performance significantly!
If you are game developer and use amazing Unity engine, you probably will be interested to look at our research in this forum

So far early tests indicates 120 FPS for 100 ships, which is great! When we will have stable result we will show some video of the tests.

Hello!
No news from us for a long time, but we are ready to show you some new and interesting features.

First of all, we worked on new trading and AI, as result, now we have completely new trading system, now it's not just the simple buttons to buy or sell, but a station with real cargo holds and dynamic prices depending on the quantity of goods that it has.



Unfortunately, we don't have time to finish the AI for NPC traders flying between these stations, now it's more of an interim update, but now the trade looks much closer to what we want in the final version.

Check the changelog for detail information.



Improvements

• Added new trading system instead of previous one, which was a "simple temporary system", now this system is more like we want to see, however it still pretty raw and will be improved during further updates. Also it cannot functional properly without AI traders which is also will be added later.
  
• Our in-game manual (on F1) is removed (it was not very useful) and replaced with the button which will open this guide in Steam overlay. Thanks for community member Lemodile for this detailed and relevant guide!
  
• Resource distribution in asteroids is changed. Most asteroids have only one type of resource, some rare asteroids have 2 types of resources, and very rare - 3 types. Also it is possible to find asteroids with 4 and more types of resources, but the chance Is extremely low. Also, sectors with the same resource is aligned to each other. This change is implemented in order to make sense to fly from one asteroid to another, build several mining stations or assemble several asteroids in single mining base.
  
• Font in various interface elements is changed (but not in all, others will be changed later)
  
• "Load world window" is redesigned
  
• Resource transfer panel is redesigned. Allows to transfer lesser amounts and shows new amounts in both storages. Also it is used to trade with stations
  
• Couple of new audio effects for selection clicks and cannons
  
• Amount of asteroids reduced from 500 to 250 (asteroid belt still looks like asteroid belt but have better performance)
  
• Amount of trade space stations increased (and replaced with the new one)
  
• Amount of stations, enemies and asteroids can be specified at world creation window
  
• Cargo bay is removed. Model of cargo bay turned in large storage container
  
• Now you may find several enemies ship around starting location
  
• Radar radius increased from 250 to 1000, also radar is caused performance impact when connected power storage is almost empty. Now it is fixed and now, once radar was deactivated due low power, in can be activated again only after 10 seconds
  
• Refresh button of money indicator is removed, now it updates properly and does not require to refresh value manually
  
• Added "Loading" label when you creating new world
  
• Since cargo bays is removed, food and rockets now stored in containers. Rocket launchers now have connector which should be connected to container with rockets. Crew members requires much lesser amount of food
  
• New game logotype in main menu

Fixes

• Rockets no longer collides with your own shield
  
• Fuel Generator: Fixed name of O2 and H2 connectors from "input" to "output"
  
• From now you cannot set your own ship as a target for your rockets. If your ship is selected - rockets will fly forward without guidance
  
• Mass of ice is increased, so when you generate a fuel, mass of the output fuel will be the same
  
• Modules cannot be detached or attached while you in build mode, so now you cannot accidentally detach module when placing something small, like RCS engine
  
• We received some reports about problem with the save files, but we cannot recreate this issue, so we created a system which should detect if save file was broken, when it happens, the game will tell you to send us a log file which maybe help us to detect the origin of the issue
  
• Multiplayer works again
  
• Font in storage icons is little bit smaller in order to display larger words like "Food"
  
• Numeration of docking ports of NPC stations starts from 1, not from 0

Hello!
No news from us for a long time, but we are ready to show you some new and interesting features.

First of all, we worked on new trading and AI, as result, now we have completely new trading system, now it's not just the simple buttons to buy or sell, but a station with real cargo holds and dynamic prices depending on the quantity of goods that it has.



Unfortunately, we don't have time to finish the AI for NPC traders flying between these stations, now it's more of an interim update, but now the trade looks much closer to what we want in the final version.

Check the changelog for detail information.



Improvements

• Added new trading system instead of previous one, which was a "simple temporary system", now this system is more like we want to see, however it still pretty raw and will be improved during further updates. Also it cannot functional properly without AI traders which is also will be added later.
  
• Our in-game manual (on F1) is removed (it was not very useful) and replaced with the button which will open this guide in Steam overlay. Thanks for community member Lemodile for this detailed and relevant guide!
  
• Resource distribution in asteroids is changed. Most asteroids have only one type of resource, some rare asteroids have 2 types of resources, and very rare - 3 types. Also it is possible to find asteroids with 4 and more types of resources, but the chance Is extremely low. Also, sectors with the same resource is aligned to each other. This change is implemented in order to make sense to fly from one asteroid to another, build several mining stations or assemble several asteroids in single mining base.
  
• Font in various interface elements is changed (but not in all, others will be changed later)
  
• "Load world window" is redesigned
  
• Resource transfer panel is redesigned. Allows to transfer lesser amounts and shows new amounts in both storages. Also it is used to trade with stations
  
• Couple of new audio effects for selection clicks and cannons
  
• Amount of asteroids reduced from 500 to 250 (asteroid belt still looks like asteroid belt but have better performance)
  
• Amount of trade space stations increased (and replaced with the new one)
  
• Amount of stations, enemies and asteroids can be specified at world creation window
  
• Cargo bay is removed. Model of cargo bay turned in large storage container
  
• Now you may find several enemies ship around starting location
  
• Radar radius increased from 250 to 1000, also radar is caused performance impact when connected power storage is almost empty. Now it is fixed and now, once radar was deactivated due low power, in can be activated again only after 10 seconds
  
• Refresh button of money indicator is removed, now it updates properly and does not require to refresh value manually
  
• Added "Loading" label when you creating new world
  
• Since cargo bays is removed, food and rockets now stored in containers. Rocket launchers now have connector which should be connected to container with rockets. Crew members requires much lesser amount of food
  
• New game logotype in main menu

Fixes

• Rockets no longer collides with your own shield
  
• Fuel Generator: Fixed name of O2 and H2 connectors from "input" to "output"
  
• From now you cannot set your own ship as a target for your rockets. If your ship is selected - rockets will fly forward without guidance
  
• Mass of ice is increased, so when you generate a fuel, mass of the output fuel will be the same
  
• Modules cannot be detached or attached while you in build mode, so now you cannot accidentally detach module when placing something small, like RCS engine
  
• We received some reports about problem with the save files, but we cannot recreate this issue, so we created a system which should detect if save file was broken, when it happens, the game will tell you to send us a log file which maybe help us to detect the origin of the issue
  
• Multiplayer works again
  
• Font in storage icons is little bit smaller in order to display larger words like "Food"
  
• Numeration of docking ports of NPC stations starts from 1, not from 0

Hello!
Time to share some news! :)



Now we working on new trading and dynamic economy, so you be able to trade various goods between stations or even create your own station which will sell goods for others players and AI. It is completed approximately on 60% (without AI, so far, it will be in further update). It will take a time, but it should worth it!

We are approaching to alpha state, when the game will be even more playable. 3D graphics was important milestone. Now we need to add trading, more stations and AI spawn points. We decided to start from trading, because most players prefer peaceful gameplay rather than space battles.

Also turned out that two different types of inventory (cargo bays and ore\fuel storages) was an overcomplicated decision, it became especially significant when we started to implement trading, and turned out that two different inventory requires two different approach for trading, so we decided to remove cargo bays.

Anyway, it is almost useless. It may contain food or rockets, and that’s all, instead of that, food and rockets will be stored in new type of storage containers. So there will be 3 types of containers, for liquid, for ore and for others types of cargo (food, ammo and others goods which will can be added later)

Some people asking us about Facebook page. Now we have it. Welcome here :)

We want to try to use it not only as platform for repost news from Steam community, but also like quick method to share short news about development.

Sometimes we have some result and wish to share it with you, but small post is not very suitable for Steam community, and large posts requires significant efforts. But short post in Facebook can be done pretty fast and easy.

From the other side, we are not very like that information will be spitted between two sources, Steam and Facebook. But maybe it is not a problem? What do you think?

Also we working on new website, because the current one looks not very good (actually it was our first website, now we want to make something better) and this website will have new, convenient blog which will contain all news sorted by categories.

Hello!
Time to share some news! :)



Now we working on new trading and dynamic economy, so you be able to trade various goods between stations or even create your own station which will sell goods for others players and AI. It is completed approximately on 60% (without AI, so far, it will be in further update). It will take a time, but it should worth it!

We are approaching to alpha state, when the game will be even more playable. 3D graphics was important milestone. Now we need to add trading, more stations and AI spawn points. We decided to start from trading, because most players prefer peaceful gameplay rather than space battles.

Also turned out that two different types of inventory (cargo bays and ore\fuel storages) was an overcomplicated decision, it became especially significant when we started to implement trading, and turned out that two different inventory requires two different approach for trading, so we decided to remove cargo bays.

Anyway, it is almost useless. It may contain food or rockets, and that’s all, instead of that, food and rockets will be stored in new type of storage containers. So there will be 3 types of containers, for liquid, for ore and for others types of cargo (food, ammo and others goods which will can be added later)

Some people asking us about Facebook page. Now we have it. Welcome here :)

We want to try to use it not only as platform for repost news from Steam community, but also like quick method to share short news about development.

Sometimes we have some result and wish to share it with you, but small post is not very suitable for Steam community, and large posts requires significant efforts. But short post in Facebook can be done pretty fast and easy.

From the other side, we are not very like that information will be spitted between two sources, Steam and Facebook. But maybe it is not a problem? What do you think?

Also we working on new website, because the current one looks not very good (actually it was our first website, now we want to make something better) and this website will have new, convenient blog which will contain all news sorted by categories.

Hello!

We wish to please you with new update. Mostly it is preparation to new trading and AI, but also we have some bug fixes and improvements.

First of all, all asteroids now relocated to large asteroid belt, it is more realistically, good looking and navigations in large asteroid belt is more easily than before. We like how it looks and we plan to improve it further by adding more stations and AI ships in further updates.

Align camera rotation with ship - is returned back


Planets do not have asteroids on its orbit, but each asteroid from the belt still fully physically simulated, so you be able to push it to the planet orbit if you wish. When missions will be implemented, we will add couple of missions with this task.

New grid makes a navigation much easier


Also we apologies for inconvenience for Mac users, we encountered strange issue during build and uploading and turned out that Mac users could not run the game during the week. Now this problem is solved and everything should runs okay.

Note: Due new asteroid belt, previously saved worlds can't be loaded. Please start new game in order to play.


Improvements

• From now, all asteroids located in asteroid belt around the start. Asteroids around a planets is removed. Total amount of asteroid is increased. Size and mass of asteroids is increased
  
• More visual variations of asteroids (5 additional models), in additional, each asteroids have random XYZ rotation.
  
• New sound effect for light cannon and energy cannon
  
• Added ability to display a grid, which helps to navigate and feel the continuous orbital motion
  
• Added ability to rotate camera with ship (actually it returned back, but now it adapted for 3D, works good and stable)
  
• From now, trade station located in asteroid belt, and player spawn point is located around this station. If station has been destroyed, plyer will respawn in random point of asteroid belt
  
• Smooth factor of camera rotation is reduced, so it rotates a little bit faster
  
• Added two new hotkeys for camera pan and rotate. In case if you don't have a mouse with middle button (link)

Fixes

• Fixed build on Mac
  
• Fixed position of power storages for enemy ships and trade stations (link)
  
• Fixed height of solar panel power connector (link)
  
• Collisions between shield and planet is disabled (link)
  
• Fixed icon of buttons for time control

Hello!

We wish to please you with new update. Mostly it is preparation to new trading and AI, but also we have some bug fixes and improvements.

First of all, all asteroids now relocated to large asteroid belt, it is more realistically, good looking and navigations in large asteroid belt is more easily than before. We like how it looks and we plan to improve it further by adding more stations and AI ships in further updates.

Align camera rotation with ship - is returned back


Planets do not have asteroids on its orbit, but each asteroid from the belt still fully physically simulated, so you be able to push it to the planet orbit if you wish. When missions will be implemented, we will add couple of missions with this task.

New grid makes a navigation much easier


Also we apologies for inconvenience for Mac users, we encountered strange issue during build and uploading and turned out that Mac users could not run the game during the week. Now this problem is solved and everything should runs okay.

Note: Due new asteroid belt, previously saved worlds can't be loaded. Please start new game in order to play.


Improvements

• From now, all asteroids located in asteroid belt around the start. Asteroids around a planets is removed. Total amount of asteroid is increased. Size and mass of asteroids is increased
  
• More visual variations of asteroids (5 additional models), in additional, each asteroids have random XYZ rotation.
  
• New sound effect for light cannon and energy cannon
  
• Added ability to display a grid, which helps to navigate and feel the continuous orbital motion
  
• Added ability to rotate camera with ship (actually it returned back, but now it adapted for 3D, works good and stable)
  
• From now, trade station located in asteroid belt, and player spawn point is located around this station. If station has been destroyed, plyer will respawn in random point of asteroid belt
  
• Smooth factor of camera rotation is reduced, so it rotates a little bit faster
  
• Added two new hotkeys for camera pan and rotate. In case if you don't have a mouse with middle button (link)

Fixes

• Fixed build on Mac
  
• Fixed position of power storages for enemy ships and trade stations (link)
  
• Fixed height of solar panel power connector (link)
  
• Collisions between shield and planet is disabled (link)
  
• Fixed icon of buttons for time control

Hello!

A first attempt to add a rocket weapons was almost a year ago, but when orbital mechanics was implemented, it became a hard to direct rockets at the target with precise accuracy.

But now, when we have AI, we managed to return rockets back, better than before!



This is not a usual rockets which we used to see in most games. It is physical simulated, with its own engine and AI. It is actually like a small space ship with the instruction to ram into the target using limited amount of fuel. Thanks to this fact, rockets flying pretty fun with nice trajectories.

Try it!



P.S. Since at the moment, enemies can be added only via sandbox tools and NPC Space Station is the only ship in the game world - we are not responsible for the possible violence against NPC Space Station using rocket weapons. :D



Improvements

• Added rocket launcher module and rockets with new explosion effect!
  
• Rocket launcher should be built adjusted to the cargo bay and requires rockets in order to fire. Rockets can be bought from space station or added via sandbox tool.
  
• From now, dragable windows can't be moved outside of screen borders
  
• Lights of grabbers is slightly changed and returned back

Fixes

• Fixed incorrect height of Niobium connector of engineering bay
  
• Many dynamic GUI elements, such as labels with names of ships no longer disappears when zooming out
  
• Grabber can no longer grab invisible colliders (this is things, such as "detection sphere" of radar or turrets, as result, grabber can grab "nothing"), also, it no longer able to grab preview of modules
  
• Fixed incorrect size of the collider of solar panels, it was 2 times larger than actual solar panel
  
• From now, when you open orbital parameters for objects, which located outside of view, the new window will appears inside screen borders
  
• Fixed incorrect frequency of some sounds

Hello!

A first attempt to add a rocket weapons was almost a year ago, but when orbital mechanics was implemented, it became a hard to direct rockets at the target with precise accuracy.

But now, when we have AI, we managed to return rockets back, better than before!



This is not a usual rockets which we used to see in most games. It is physical simulated, with its own engine and AI. It is actually like a small space ship with the instruction to ram into the target using limited amount of fuel. Thanks to this fact, rockets flying pretty fun with nice trajectories.

Try it!



P.S. Since at the moment, enemies can be added only via sandbox tools and NPC Space Station is the only ship in the game world - we are not responsible for the possible violence against NPC Space Station using rocket weapons. :D



Improvements

• Added rocket launcher module and rockets with new explosion effect!
  
• Rocket launcher should be built adjusted to the cargo bay and requires rockets in order to fire. Rockets can be bought from space station or added via sandbox tool.
  
• From now, dragable windows can't be moved outside of screen borders
  
• Lights of grabbers is slightly changed and returned back

Fixes

• Fixed incorrect height of Niobium connector of engineering bay
  
• Many dynamic GUI elements, such as labels with names of ships no longer disappears when zooming out
  
• Grabber can no longer grab invisible colliders (this is things, such as "detection sphere" of radar or turrets, as result, grabber can grab "nothing"), also, it no longer able to grab preview of modules
  
• Fixed incorrect size of the collider of solar panels, it was 2 times larger than actual solar panel
  
• From now, when you open orbital parameters for objects, which located outside of view, the new window will appears inside screen borders
  
• Fixed incorrect frequency of some sounds