Simon Roth’s space colony sim Maia is just about ready to launch off into the void beyond early access. After a long and eventful six years of solo development, the game is just about ready to be labelled ‘complete’. As of the latest update, the current early access version is effectively the finished game, complete with a tutorial, mission-based campaign and a procedurally generated sandbox mode. The game officially launches on November 23rd – this Friday – and you can check out the latest stuff added (including fire-fighting robots) in the dev-blog video below.

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Simon Roth’s sci-fi survival game Maia [official site] has been in deep development for a while now – the last time we mentioned it was 2014 and it had already been in Early Access for the better part of a year. Roth has continued toiling away at his Dungeon Keeper In Space, releasing videos now and again of its status.

For those counting at home, we are now up to Update 0.50. It’s a doozy – among other things it takes a giant whack at critical gameplay issues.

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Simon Roth is taken by a fey mood!Simon Roth screams "I must have Kickstarter funds!"

Thankfully the fortress contains more than the funds required, saving Simon Roth from a slow descent towards insanity.

Simon Roth works furiously!

But what is he building in there, locked away inside his room? Something terrible, forged in bone?

Simon Roth, Programmer has created Maia, an in-development, Dungeon Keeper-like space colony management game available in Early Access. Update 0.46 is out and there's a video and details below.

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Maia, the Dungeon-Keeper-in-space game from Simon Roth that’s been forging through Early Access for the best part of a year, is utterly fascinating. It’s dedicated to accurate simulation to the point of internal bodily functions governing whether a colonist lives or dies, and it’s full of future tech based upon real world science extrapolated to logical outcomes.

Each new update brings more systems, and another level of complexity to tinker with. 0.45 adds a bunch of research options which provide perks to help survival – which is a lot more practical than the last update, which brought procedural haikus to the mailing system colonists used to communicate. Simon’s put together a video showing off the new features.

… [visit site to read more]

The Maian Prophecy came true after all! Just as was foretold by a news post I wrote a couple months ago, so shall it be. Maia is now available on Steam Early Access, and I’m aching to worm my futuristically gloved hands into its steaming, ropey gut pile of systems and AIs. The Dungeon Keeper and Dwarf Fortress-inspired colony sim is, however, currently not working for me, as it launches at a weird, choppy resolution and I can’t find any way to fix it. Boo. Maybe you’ll have better luck, though?

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