Engineer Alpha's Log #84: But what is in 0.8?
As of this log I have not talked about what is planned to be in version 0.8 and beyond but that is no more. The plan for 0.8 is to add in both electricity and oil. Electricity will function much like you would expect for a game like Engineer Alpha. You will have both generators a
As of this log I have not talked about what is planned to be in version 0.8 and beyond but that is no more.
The plan for 0.8 is to add in both electricity and oil. Electricity will function much like you would expect for a game like Engineer Alpha. You will have both generators and consumers and they will be connected together in a network. The current plan is that there will be several sizes of power poles each with their own properties. Poles will have both a connection distance as well as a distribution distance. The connection distance will dictate the distance that can be reached to another power pole while distribution will limit the reach distance to end points (generators, motors, etc.). There will likely be numerical limitations on both of these for connection numbers but more on than once things are looking a little more final. There will also be an assortment of electricity producing/consuming machines like generators to turn rotational power into electrical and motors to turn electrical into rotational. There will of course also be buildings that are powered directly off electricity when it makes sense (the higher tiers of quarry will likely run off electricity and some other crafters too).
Oil is going to be the primary mid game energy source. You will need to go outside the starting area a good distance for it, but it will be surface visible and in large quantities grouped together. Oil will be a fluid of course just like water, but it will not propagate and therefor is finite. Pumping it will be similar to water but with an oil well instead of a water well. Oil will be a heavier and thicker fluid than most any other in Engineer Alpha and will thus be harder to move around in pipes without pressure loss (the fluid system was constructed to account for fluid density, viscosity and even gravity). Oil will be processed in a special building for oil refining that will take fluid inputs and give refined petroleum products including fuel for combustion engines and plastics.
I am sure there will be other updates and changes that get made along the way but what they will be I do not know yet. Please be aware that development on this has only just started so it will likely be a few months at least before 0.8 comes out.
As for 0.9 and beyond; the current plan is that 0.9 will focus on improving the 'RPG' aspects of the game including but not limited to: leveling, experience, weapons, armor, enemies, stats & damage. But for now, that is still far off. As for 0.10 I am not 100% sure but it will likely involve nuclear reactors and bigger cranes but of course if there is something you want added to Engineer Alpha feel free to comment and I will consider adding it in the future\.
