We love releasing our games to Early Access at Luden.io! Sometimes they can be rough around the edges at first, but that's ok for us: that initial release is just another milestone on the roadmap. We were updating Craftomation 101 every couple of weeks even before it became available - for no one to be seen, except for us and a handful of playtesters.
After the game landed on the virtual shelves of Steam, we took a side-quest for extreme post-release bug fighting, but now we're back on the usual track, planning to release updates for the game every 2-3 weeks. So let's check out what's new in the game, shall we? But first, take a second an enjoy this special picture that we made to celebrate the International Day for Human Space Flight:
What's new?
The second part of the game was our main focus of attention in the past couple of weeks. After watching the players go through it, we noted a bunch of things we'd like to tweak to improve the experience. The biggest part of it was adding a second ‘enemy’ (the first one being the snow) - growing Thorns, that need to be rooted out once in a while, otherwise they grow back, preventing Craftomates from interacting with the occupied tile.
We did not come up with this concept instantly, of course. At first, there was an idea to create a zone that would not allow manual interaction with objects, so only Craftomates could operate inside of it. However, we discarded it rather quickly, because we wanted to preserve the opportunity for the players to do everything by hand - it is a tough job, but an honest one! It doesn't mean that zones like that will not be added to the game at some point - it's just that their time hasn't come yet.
The visual manifestation of the new obstacle was also a matter of discussion. Before we decided to stick with thorns, we also briefly discussed sentient crystals and sentient mold. But thorns were a perfect match with the mechanic of growing back (which was the necessary part of the concept for the new obstacle), so here they are. We do not know yet, whether they are sentient or not. What do you think?
Please keep in mind: this mechanics is not yet final, so we could use some feedback from you! We will be conducting internal playtests as well. Our biggest doubt at this time is how those thorns will fit into current plant-growing mechanics, which rely on the temperature of the soil.
While most of the organics on the planet only provide benefits for the player, it makes sense to keep the ground as warm as possible (for it speeds up the growth of the plants). However, warmer ground makes Thorns grow faster, too. Switch to the heat map to see how warm your ground is:
One of the options we're considering now is adding another brewable item, that would withhold the growth of plants. This would also come in handy for those cases when you place a Bonfire on a tile with Thorn roots on it - effectively preventing you from harvesting the Throns, dealing with them only when they grow back fully.
By the way, at the moment harvested Thorns don't really do anything (except for being generally annoying), but we're considering options for making them more useful in the future. What benefits (or other effects) could they provide? Come discuss it with us on our Discord server!
Other steps to improve the experience of the second half of the game were taken as well! As part of balancing the aforementioned soil temperature paradox, Steam Bonfire (the most advanced Bonfire in the game so far) now warms out a larger part of the map, but does so at a minimal heat level, to prevent excessive growth of Thorns.
We have also changed the order of objectives in a way so tree-management gameplay would emerge roughly at the same time the players discover the Sulfur source.
Brewables were also boosted: previously there used to be a tradeoff from using them, but now they only bring benefits. With Thorns emerging, they can become a powerful tool for dealing with those pesky weeds.
What's next?
Major improvements of QoL are on the way, with many changes happening here and there. Key bindings are already in the game, the next step is adding a proper text input interface - we know it sounds like a feature that should have been there from the beginning, but our Defold engine, while being awesome in so many other ways, has no out of the box solution for text input. Fortunately, this issue is about to be solved:
The other feature that's going to emerge in the next update is rather colorful. We're going to let you paint Cargomates, the same way you do it with Craftomates. Make this world even more festive!
But this is just a temporary solution. The proper bot-management interface is now in active development, expected to appear in the game in May. Stay tuned for more information on that.
We'll see you again in a month, with more exciting news about Craftomation 101!
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Join us as two talented creators, Gorax, and Skratch, take the stage to assess the thrilling races. Mark your calendars for April 22nd and 23rd and make sure to tune in to their live streams for all the action! Don't miss out on this epic event – lock in your viewing spot now! 🚀 Dive Deep, Battle Peak! #dragonheir #dragonheirsilentgods #downloadnow 🔥 Download Dragonheir NOW: {LINK REMOVED}https://bit.ly/dragonheir-downloadnow
Hello everyone, I would like to solemnly announce that v1.1, the community update, is in the starting blocks! You have not only made this update possible, but also filled it with life. Almost all of the implemented features came from you and I hope I was able to capture your "vision" appropriately.
What can you expect in v1.1?
A brand new challenge mode!
Area spawner: if you are in one of the new areas, a special effect will be activated!
Tutorial: Get to know the game in a safe environment!
Controller Support: The game is now much more comfortable to play with the controller or Steam Deck!
Multipliers: Collect points quickly and you will be rewarded with a score multiplier! Higher multiplier, higher high score!
Colorblind support: For colorblind players there is now the option to display a letter on each opponent to better distinguish the opponents!
Revised leaderboards: A new leaderboard for the challenge mode, a Hall of Fame and a fresh lifetime leaderboard!
What do you mean with Hall of Fame?
Due to the balancing changes in v1.1, I'm going to reset the previous leaderboard. To ensure that your hard-earned high score was not completely in vain, I am opening UNTIL THE RELEASE OF v1.1 the battle for the first 5 places in the Hall of Fame! Correct, if you are in the top 5 of the current highscore list at the release of v1.1, you will be immortalized in the Hall of Fame!
You know what that means: It's time to shape the void!
When?
Good question. I expect to be done with the remaining work on v1.1 in about 2 weeks. When I've finished everything, there will be another announcement with the specific release of v1.1 so you can prepare for it.
What's missing?
I'm currently working on a second boss for the challenge mode, which will even be accompanied by a new musical masterpiece by the outstanding K1ngKapra. There will also be one or two new achievements along the way! As is so often the case, "unfortunately" the "stuff besides the game itself" also takes up a lot of time.
After that?
How? Well, nothing...
After the release of v1.1 I will take care of any bugs that may occur. Nothing more. A Void Shaper is "finished" for me after that.
Will there be an "A Void Shaper 2"? Certainly, but then with a completely new codebase. Actually, I'm also interested in whether the Planetary Void Allocation Agency could do anything with the Null Sphere+ data...
Rally the Black Legion in the first-ever Warpforge raid event and collect new content! Fight now and claim Medals in Ranked and Unranked multiplayer matches to get your hands on some of the new cards.
Do you want to learn more about the upcoming event? Take a deeper look at them in the latest web post.
Accept the gifts of Chaos and spread the Warmaster's grasp battle after battle! None shall defy your dark master's rule!
Space Station 14 Playtest - Trans Rights Nuke Disk
This week brings customizable role-specific loadouts. In the lobby, you can customize your loadout for every role, from jumpsuits to backpack types. Botanists can now grow their own personalized army through the form of killer tomatoes. The chameleon projector allows syndicate agents to blend into their environment by copying the appearance of nearly any object. As well as other content additions, bug fixes, and balancing tweaks over the week.
This week brings customizable role-specific loadouts. In the lobby, you can customize your loadout for every role, from jumpsuits to backpack types. Botanists can now grow their own personalized army through the form of killer tomatoes. The chameleon projector allows syndicate agents to blend into their environment by copying the appearance of nearly any object. As well as other content additions, bug fixes, and balancing tweaks over the week.
Attention! Get ready to dive into a world of endless possibilities with our latest game update, launching on April 25, 2024. We're thrilled to introduce a groundbreaking feature that will redefine your gameplay experience – a brand-new character creation system!
Customize Your Character
From the moment you step into the game, you’ll have the power to craft your unique combatant. Choose from a diverse range of options to shape your character's gender, body, and face. Whether you want to mirror your real-life persona or create an entirely fantastical figure, the tools at your disposal will let you tailor every aspect to your liking.
Style Your Character
But that’s not all! Your character's style will be just as customizable as their features. Head over to our in-game shop to browse through an extensive collection of fashionable attire. From sleek shirts and pants to stylish shoes and hats, you can outfit your character to match your battlefield tactics or personal flair. Don’t forget to check out the new hairstyles and beards, and accessorize with glasses, masks, and more to complete your look.
More to Explore
This update is just the beginning! We have a plethora of additional content lined up, ensuring that the world of Eldorado FPS continues to expand and excite. Keep your gear ready, and prepare for a gaming experience where you control every element of your character's appearance and style.
Mark your calendars for April 25, 2024, and get ready to unleash your creativity in Eldorado FPS like never before. See you on the battlefield!
