Dev Update #003: From dust to dominance
Introducing the new Material system We have completely redesigned the materials into something tangible and should be easily understood during gameplay. We have introduced 4 materials that the player can find and collect during gameplay. Semiconductors, Metals, Minerals, and Vola
Introducing the new Material system
We have completely redesigned the materials into something tangible and should be easily understood during gameplay. We have introduced 4 materials that the player can find and collect during gameplay. Semiconductors, Metals, Minerals, and Volatiles.
Pilots can mine these materials in asteroid belts, collect them from destroyed ACE pods that have them onboard, or even trade for them. The stock ACE pod can carry up to 4 at a time, but more slots can be acquired at a Forge OASIS.
What do they do?
There are two main purposes of materials:
First and most important, they are still used for upgrades. You don’t strictly need them to upgrade, but you won’t have very much control over what upgrades you get without them. If you like a certain type of build, then you will want to be scavenging for these as much as possible.
Second, and new to Convicted Galaxy, is the ability to ‘consume’ materials during gameplay to help out in a pinch. Out of fuel? A volatile material can optionally be used to replenish your fuel. In a battle and need to use an advanced ability? A semiconductor can generate power cores.
We are still balancing the exact effects of these materials, but they certainly make cruising through asteroid belts a lot more meaningful.
Theory behind the new design
The last build of Convicted Galaxy had an overly complex representation of rare materials. If you controlled a planet, you had access to the materials present on that planet. There were 16 materials categorized into 4 groups.
Some upgrades required a specific material, while others only needed a material from their group. We found that using the 4 material groups made upgrade interactions easier without reducing the overall mechanic functionality.
Additionally, we made the decision to make the materials a tangible pickup, rather than an abstract resource. This made it more exciting to seek out materials, and enabled new gameplay mechanics for us to experiment with. Overall, we were able to reduce complexity while improving gameplay.
Prior to the dispersal of ACE pods into various solar systems, the ICF has scattered many specialized stations throughout the systems, the OASIS. Each stock ACE pod has a very minimal set of features. Every ACE pod is going to encounter their own unique struggles during their mission. To enhance their success, a pilot can visit an OASIS to outfit their ship with new functionality.
