In this update we fixed some important bugs with radar, so a ships no longer will suddenly disappear right in range of your radar.

Besides that, stability of multiplayer now should be a bit better.

New options for world generator:


Maybe size of the changelog is not very impressive, most time was spent on analysis of magic bugs with a radars and improvements of core, and now this important feature should work as intended.

We will try to add more interesting features in the next updates.

Oh, and by the way! Celestial Command is 20% off until 1 November.



Improvements

• World: Added 4 new options for "generate world" window (amount of small asteroids, big asteroids, presence of pirates and NPC stations). It can be used to create a world with less amount of objects or almost an empty world in order to increase a performance
  
• Network: When new client connecting to multiplayer game, the game will be paused and other users will see correspondent message (this should solve a various desync problems)
  
• Network: Added notification on client side, when client lost connection to the server
  
• Network: Added possibility to set server password (and now this feature works correctly)
  
• GUI: Yellow circles in tutorial now have the same animation speed on any game speed

Fixes

• Fixed broken tutorial (it was accidentally broken at previous update)
  
• Fixed important bug when some ships became invisible even inside a range of your radars
  
• Invisible modules, debris and asteroids no longer can be highlighter or selected by cursor
  
• Invisible engines no longer have visible visual effect and audio effect
  
• When someone built a module to its invisible ship (which outside of range of your radar) the new module also will be invisible

In this update we fixed some important bugs with radar, so a ships no longer will suddenly disappear right in range of your radar.

Besides that, stability of multiplayer now should be a bit better.

New options for world generator:


Maybe size of the changelog is not very impressive, most time was spent on analysis of magic bugs with a radars and improvements of core, and now this important feature should work as intended.

We will try to add more interesting features in the next updates.

Oh, and by the way! Celestial Command is 20% off until 1 November.



Improvements

• World: Added 4 new options for "generate world" window (amount of small asteroids, big asteroids, presence of pirates and NPC stations). It can be used to create a world with less amount of objects or almost an empty world in order to increase a performance
  
• Network: When new client connecting to multiplayer game, the game will be paused and other users will see correspondent message (this should solve a various desync problems)
  
• Network: Added notification on client side, when client lost connection to the server
  
• Network: Added possibility to set server password (and now this feature works correctly)
  
• GUI: Yellow circles in tutorial now have the same animation speed on any game speed

Fixes

• Fixed broken tutorial (it was accidentally broken at previous update)
  
• Fixed important bug when some ships became invisible even inside a range of your radars
  
• Invisible modules, debris and asteroids no longer can be highlighter or selected by cursor
  
• Invisible engines no longer have visible visual effect and audio effect
  
• When someone built a module to its invisible ship (which outside of range of your radar) the new module also will be invisible

Multiplayer available in the game for a long time, but due large amount of bugs and flaws it was practically unusable.
So now we are decided finally to make it fully stable.
There is quite a lot of work, so it will require several updates in order to achieve this goal.

Interesting fact, there is so much job because we ignored a multiplayer for a while, and many single player features just not adapted for the multiplayer. This fact confirms a necessarily to work on multiplayer right now, otherwise, later the multiplayer feature will be even more complex to complete.

And also a new feature, now you can specify target for turret using right click


Besides that, we believe that stable multiplayer will be capable to bring more popularity for the game.

So now we want to adapt 100% of single player feature for a multiplayer, and after that, every new feature will be developed both for single and multiplayer.

Note, quests and trading still not adapted for multiplayer, because we are still not sure how it should work in the single player. But we will work on it in the next few updates.



Improvements

• Added possibility to specify a target for each turret individually
  
• Added visualization of target of turrets
  
• Improved algorithms of target prediction for turrets, now turrets capable to track a modules of the ship which rotates

Fixes

• Reputation value now correctly loaded for connected user
  
• Now you will see "Connecting" window when trying to connect to server from server list
  
• Fixed an error on client side when module destroyed by collision
  
• Connected users now will see proper rotations of turrets and rate of fire of weapons
  
• Eject button of storage container now properly synced in multiplayer
  
• Rocket fabricator now have correct input connectors
  
• Asteroids in aerodynamic mode now contains all types of resources
  
• Production modules now correctly works in multiplayer
  
• Reputation reward when pirate was destroyed now correctly displayed for client (not for server)
  
• When new module unlocked, client will see correct message
  
• All users in multiplayer no longer will reset camera when one of them respawned on a new ship
  
• Clients now should be able to spawn a starting ship on a high ping
  
• Cargo containers now should be properly synced between users
  
• Clients now can properly repair modules on NPC stations
  
• Projectiles and its damage now should work correctly on client side

Multiplayer available in the game for a long time, but due large amount of bugs and flaws it was practically unusable.
So now we are decided finally to make it fully stable.
There is quite a lot of work, so it will require several updates in order to achieve this goal.

Interesting fact, there is so much job because we ignored a multiplayer for a while, and many single player features just not adapted for the multiplayer. This fact confirms a necessarily to work on multiplayer right now, otherwise, later the multiplayer feature will be even more complex to complete.

And also a new feature, now you can specify target for turret using right click


Besides that, we believe that stable multiplayer will be capable to bring more popularity for the game.

So now we want to adapt 100% of single player feature for a multiplayer, and after that, every new feature will be developed both for single and multiplayer.

Note, quests and trading still not adapted for multiplayer, because we are still not sure how it should work in the single player. But we will work on it in the next few updates.



Improvements

• Added possibility to specify a target for each turret individually
  
• Added visualization of target of turrets
  
• Improved algorithms of target prediction for turrets, now turrets capable to track a modules of the ship which rotates

Fixes

• Reputation value now correctly loaded for connected user
  
• Now you will see "Connecting" window when trying to connect to server from server list
  
• Fixed an error on client side when module destroyed by collision
  
• Connected users now will see proper rotations of turrets and rate of fire of weapons
  
• Eject button of storage container now properly synced in multiplayer
  
• Rocket fabricator now have correct input connectors
  
• Asteroids in aerodynamic mode now contains all types of resources
  
• Production modules now correctly works in multiplayer
  
• Reputation reward when pirate was destroyed now correctly displayed for client (not for server)
  
• When new module unlocked, client will see correct message
  
• All users in multiplayer no longer will reset camera when one of them respawned on a new ship
  
• Clients now should be able to spawn a starting ship on a high ping
  
• Cargo containers now should be properly synced between users
  
• Clients now can properly repair modules on NPC stations
  
• Projectiles and its damage now should work correctly on client side

We received a reports about server crash when someone trying to connect to server, so this update should fix it.

Usually our game and Unity engine is never crashed, but when it happens, the cause can be hard to find, so it took some time, but now should be okay.



Improvements

• In aerodynamic mode stations located closer to the center of sector, as result, enemy ships will not attack you right from the start of the game.
  
• Significant optimization of various systems, especially in multiplayer
  
• Updated localization (thanks for all volunteers for fast help with localization)

Fixes

• Fixed crash in multiplayer
  
• Various fixes of synchronization in multiplayer
  
• Asteroid GUI no longer displayed for big static asteroids
  
• Fixed incorrect short sound effect from mining laser

We received a reports about server crash when someone trying to connect to server, so this update should fix it.



Usually our game and Unity engine is never crashed, but when it happens, the cause can be hard to find, so it took some time, but now should be okay.



Improvements

• In aerodynamic mode stations located closer to the center of sector, as result, enemy ships will not attack you right from the start of the game.
  
• Significant optimization of various systems, especially in multiplayer
  
• Updated localization (thanks for all volunteers for fast help with localization)

Fixes

• Fixed crash in multiplayer
  
• Various fixes of synchronization in multiplayer
  
• Asteroid GUI no longer displayed for big static asteroids
  
• Fixed incorrect short sound effect from mining laser

Hello!
This update took more time than usual, but it brings a big number of important improvements and changes, and we finally ready to show the result!


Sometimes, people asked us about drones. Mining drones, combat drones etc. But we answered that drones does not fit the concept of this game. Let's explain it in more details.

Drones haves several conceptual problems:
They do not consume fuel, but they have engines. This is a bit unrealistic.
But the most important, drones can't be damaged or destroyed, because they are flying above the main ship (different Z level), and this is incorrect. Enemy should be able to shot down the drones if they are trying to damages its ship.
It means that we should add another type of "anti-drone" weapons which will attack everything in radius like in tower-defense games. Also it will require to implement another systems for drones hitpoints, AI, or even storage if we are talking about mining drones.

As result, it will turn into completely new game about drones which will be built on top of existed ship about spaceships. And this is absolutely incorrect, because we already have all of such systems, storages, AI, damage control etc.

So according to our vision of game concept, engineering drones should looks like actual a small space ships with engineering equipment.

And this is what we done. Engineering module now is much smaller, no longer have "yellow drones" but equipped with robotic arms, which performs engineering tasks in small radius around itself.
In our opinion it is much more interesting and also realistic.



So now it consumes only power, and should not require a fuel, it is more logical now. We trying to recreate something like a real robotic arm on ISS, which called CANADARM:



Or something similar to industrial robots on real factories:



Robotic arms is more beautiful during construction, and also it requires to build special engineering ships, which can be docked to main ship and perform engineering tasks when it will be needed!



Later we will add more various of engineering modules, with smaller and bigger arms and different radius, which will allows to build impressive space shipyards!



Added new very convenient notifications system, so you no longer will wandering why your engineering may don't want build something. Why engines does not works, and what situation with the food on the ship.





Another problem which was solved: "some resources can be obtained only via trading". And this is incorrect. Accord out vision of the game, everything should be craftable with help of NPC traders.

So we added production modules for ammo, rockets and gas collector which allows to gather xenon from planets!





When we started to work on new production modules, we realized another problem, production modules is too small.

In most open world survival games, users should build own "base" or "house" where you should bring resources, repair and upgrade something. So we are want to implement something similar.



So all production modules now it much more bigger and massive. It still can be moved using engines, which allows you to have movable base, which is very nice feature. But it will require much more fuel, so it will encourage you to build own space station as a base.



This old flaw of the game finally fixed. Now you can explore characteristics of modules right in the build menu, without necessarily to build modules. It makes planning a much more convenient.





We added special technology of shadows, which implemented as screen space post-effect, as result it is capable to displays shadows for even the smallest details on the ship. The result is very nice! Looks at the difference before and after:





Yes! Stations no longer will fall on planet. Completely. Now stations located on fixed orbit. It required some research, but we managed to do it. By the way, aerodynamic mode helped to find a solution for orbital mode : )

Implementation of this technology allows new possibilities for orbital mode. We are started working on jump gates and experimental orbital assistant, but update already too big, so it will be added later.

Besides that, now when we are improved such important core features, we are going to continue to work on bugfixes.



Improvements

• Added screen-space shadows effect which provides shadows for a small details at close range, which significantly improves overall quality of graphics!
  
• Now you can see characteristics of modules right in the build menu. Also this window is a bit redesigned (added yellow frame for better visibility)
  
• Now, in orbital mode, NPC space stations and big asteroids located on fixed orbits! It means nothing can move them. Stations no longer will fall on planet and always will be 100% stable!
  
• Added large asteroids in orbital mode (they are on fixed orbits and can be moved)
  
• Completely new engineering module instead of previous one. Drones completely replaced with robotic arms, which is much more realistic and suits the game concept.
  
• New module: Ammo fabricator (produces ammo for cannons)
  
• New module: Rocket fabricator (produces ammo for rocket launchers)
  
• New module: Gas collector which allows to gather xenon from the planets
  
• Fuel fabricator now is much more massive
  
• All production modules now have "cycle time", so it produce result once per N seconds
  
• All production modes now can be toggle on and off
  
• New module: Structural part which is useful to fit to these new production modules
  
• Model of small command module is redesigned, so now it looks better if something placed in front of it
  
• Added system of warning icons (for engineering module, engines, all types of weapons, power generator, solar panel, all production modules), which will inform you about lack of resources, wrong connections or something else. Which makes ship management much more convenient!
  
• When your crew is out of food, you will see an icon above module, which will disappear once food will be supplied
  
• Collisions from damage decreased in 5 times (modules no longer will explode even on light touch)
  
• Added new build frames (but it is temporary and will be improved later)

Small improvements

• Added "Hide all" button for appearing notifications
  
• Engineering module no longer can repair or deconstruct itself, it should be done by another module
  
• Cargo gate module moved to "Production" category
  
• Production rate of fuel generator changed from 1.1 to 6
  
• Masses of some modules rounded to more nice looking values
  
• Icons of modules in build menu is re-renderered with different light preset
  
• Power generator now is togglable
  
• Power generator no longer consumes uranium when power storage is full
  
• Power generator a bit redesigned in order to fix visual gaps between neighbor modules
  
• Amount of resources in asteroids increased in 10 times (it was impossible to gather enough ice)

Fixes

• Fixed laser impact visual effect (sparks) in orbital mode
  
• Now you can properly grab static asteroids with grabber
  
• You no longer can sell turrets with attached weapon or storages with content (you will see a warning when you will try to do it)
  
• Window with info of module no longer will flicker when you move cursor from one icon to another (in build menu)
  
• Engines with "auto mode" off now will properly ignore WASD and stabilizer and can be controlled only by user defined hotkeys
  
• You no longer receive small amount of resources when engineering bay deconstructed a module which was placed but was not constructed
  
• Ion engines no longer able to work while their power connector is not connected
  
• Modules which was built in sandbox mode no longer can be instantly deconstructed in non-sandbox mode
  
• Planets no longer can be selected in main menu
  
• In orbital mode, when game is loaded, camera focused on your ship (not on planet)
  
• Fixed blocked control after game was saved from menu
  
• Mounting points no longer should be broken after you detached a module during pause

Hello!
This update took more time than usual, but it brings a big number of important improvements and changes, and we finally ready to show the result!


Sometimes, people asked us about drones. Mining drones, combat drones etc. But we answered that drones does not fit the concept of this game. Let's explain it in more details.

Drones haves several conceptual problems:
They do not consume fuel, but they have engines. This is a bit unrealistic.
But the most important, drones can't be damaged or destroyed, because they are flying above the main ship (different Z level), and this is incorrect. Enemy should be able to shot down the drones if they are trying to damages its ship.
It means that we should add another type of "anti-drone" weapons which will attack everything in radius like in tower-defense games. Also it will require to implement another systems for drones hitpoints, AI, or even storage if we are talking about mining drones.

As result, it will turn into completely new game about drones which will be built on top of existed ship about spaceships. And this is absolutely incorrect, because we already have all of such systems, storages, AI, damage control etc.

So according to our vision of game concept, engineering drones should looks like actual a small space ships with engineering equipment.

And this is what we done. Engineering module now is much smaller, no longer have "yellow drones" but equipped with robotic arms, which performs engineering tasks in small radius around itself.
In our opinion it is much more interesting and also realistic.



So now it consumes only power, and should not require a fuel, it is more logical now. We trying to recreate something like a real robotic arm on ISS, which called CANADARM:



Or something similar to industrial robots on real factories:



Robotic arms is more beautiful during construction, and also it requires to build special engineering ships, which can be docked to main ship and perform engineering tasks when it will be needed!



Later we will add more various of engineering modules, with smaller and bigger arms and different radius, which will allows to build impressive space shipyards!



Added new very convenient notifications system, so you no longer will wandering why your engineering may don't want build something. Why engines does not works, and what situation with the food on the ship.





Another problem which was solved: "some resources can be obtained only via trading". And this is incorrect. Accord out vision of the game, everything should be craftable with help of NPC traders.

So we added production modules for ammo, rockets and gas collector which allows to gather xenon from planets!





When we started to work on new production modules, we realized another problem, production modules is too small.

In most open world survival games, users should build own "base" or "house" where you should bring resources, repair and upgrade something. So we are want to implement something similar.



So all production modules now it much more bigger and massive. It still can be moved using engines, which allows you to have movable base, which is very nice feature. But it will require much more fuel, so it will encourage you to build own space station as a base.



This old flaw of the game finally fixed. Now you can explore characteristics of modules right in the build menu, without necessarily to build modules. It makes planning a much more convenient.





We added special technology of shadows, which implemented as screen space post-effect, as result it is capable to displays shadows for even the smallest details on the ship. The result is very nice! Looks at the difference before and after:





Yes! Stations no longer will fall on planet. Completely. Now stations located on fixed orbit. It required some research, but we managed to do it. By the way, aerodynamic mode helped to find a solution for orbital mode : )

Implementation of this technology allows new possibilities for orbital mode. We are started working on jump gates and experimental orbital assistant, but update already too big, so it will be added later.

Besides that, now when we are improved such important core features, we are going to continue to work on bugfixes.



Improvements

• Added screen-space shadows effect which provides shadows for a small details at close range, which significantly improves overall quality of graphics!
  
• Now you can see characteristics of modules right in the build menu. Also this window is a bit redesigned (added yellow frame for better visibility)
  
• Now, in orbital mode, NPC space stations and big asteroids located on fixed orbits! It means nothing can move them. Stations no longer will fall on planet and always will be 100% stable!
  
• Added large asteroids in orbital mode (they are on fixed orbits and can be moved)
  
• Completely new engineering module instead of previous one. Drones completely replaced with robotic arms, which is much more realistic and suits the game concept.
  
• New module: Ammo fabricator (produces ammo for cannons)
  
• New module: Rocket fabricator (produces ammo for rocket launchers)
  
• New module: Gas collector which allows to gather xenon from the planets
  
• Fuel fabricator now is much more massive
  
• All production modules now have "cycle time", so it produce result once per N seconds
  
• All production modes now can be toggle on and off
  
• New module: Structural part which is useful to fit to these new production modules
  
• Model of small command module is redesigned, so now it looks better if something placed in front of it
  
• Added system of warning icons (for engineering module, engines, all types of weapons, power generator, solar panel, all production modules), which will inform you about lack of resources, wrong connections or something else. Which makes ship management much more convenient!
  
• When your crew is out of food, you will see an icon above module, which will disappear once food will be supplied
  
• Collisions from damage decreased in 5 times (modules no longer will explode even on light touch)
  
• Added new build frames (but it is temporary and will be improved later)

Small improvements

• Added "Hide all" button for appearing notifications
  
• Engineering module no longer can repair or deconstruct itself, it should be done by another module
  
• Cargo gate module moved to "Production" category
  
• Production rate of fuel generator changed from 1.1 to 6
  
• Masses of some modules rounded to more nice looking values
  
• Icons of modules in build menu is re-renderered with different light preset
  
• Power generator now is togglable
  
• Power generator no longer consumes uranium when power storage is full
  
• Power generator a bit redesigned in order to fix visual gaps between neighbor modules
  
• Amount of resources in asteroids increased in 10 times (it was impossible to gather enough ice)

Fixes

• Fixed laser impact visual effect (sparks) in orbital mode
  
• Now you can properly grab static asteroids with grabber
  
• You no longer can sell turrets with attached weapon or storages with content (you will see a warning when you will try to do it)
  
• Window with info of module no longer will flicker when you move cursor from one icon to another (in build menu)
  
• Engines with "auto mode" off now will properly ignore WASD and stabilizer and can be controlled only by user defined hotkeys
  
• You no longer receive small amount of resources when engineering bay deconstructed a module which was placed but was not constructed
  
• Ion engines no longer able to work while their power connector is not connected
  
• Modules which was built in sandbox mode no longer can be instantly deconstructed in non-sandbox mode
  
• Planets no longer can be selected in main menu
  
• In orbital mode, when game is loaded, camera focused on your ship (not on planet)
  
• Fixed blocked control after game was saved from menu
  
• Mounting points no longer should be broken after you detached a module during pause

Another update with important bug fixes

Shield now have HP bars, so now it is much more convenient

And engineering bays now have visible radius of influence around it


Also we have a plan for significant changes and improvements in construction system. It will require to made some changes in the core systems, so it may take a bit more time than usual, or not, will see.
But result should be very good!


Improvements

• Camera movement now a bit smoother
  
• Added visible radius circle around your engineering bay which is visible when you selected it or when opened build menu
  
• Radius circle of engineering bay and shipyard now looks a bit different (as a dotted line)
  
• Shields now have HP bars which are visible when damaged
  
• Unity engine updated to version 5.6.3
  
• All localization files updated

Fixes

• Asteroids and enemy ship no longer can be spawned inside obstacles
  
• Camera movement speed no longer depends on FPS, time scale, or pause
  
• Camera no longer shaking during low FPS (which sometimes caused a crash with error)
  
• Preview of modules no longer can block projectiles and lasers
  
• Your engineering bay no longer can deconstruct asteroids, debris, rockets and modules which belongs to another faction, and also modules which are too far away
  
• Fixed an error when shipyard range remains visible after repairing

Another update with important bug fixes

Shield now have HP bars, so now it is much more convenient


And engineering bays now have visible radius of influence around it


Also we have a plan for significant changes and improvements in construction system. It will require to made some changes in the core systems, so it may take a bit more time than usual, or not, will see.
But result should be very good!


Improvements

• Camera movement now a bit smoother
  
• Added visible radius circle around your engineering bay which is visible when you selected it or when opened build menu
  
• Radius circle of engineering bay and shipyard now looks a bit different (as a dotted line)
  
• Shields now have HP bars which are visible when damaged
  
• Unity engine updated to version 5.6.3
  
• All localization files updated

Fixes

• Asteroids and enemy ship no longer can be spawned inside obstacles
  
• Camera movement speed no longer depends on FPS, time scale, or pause
  
• Camera no longer shaking during low FPS (which sometimes caused a crash with error)
  
• Preview of modules no longer can block projectiles and lasers
  
• Your engineering bay no longer can deconstruct asteroids, debris, rockets and modules which belongs to another faction, and also modules which are too far away
  
• Fixed an error when shipyard range remains visible after repairing