NEW MAP & NEW APPROACH TO LEVEL DESIGN
This map includes new points of interest (POIs), a river, a frozen lake (quite slippery), uneven airstrip surfaces, and more. Behind the scenes, I have changed the way I'm building maps and will have more flexibility to make detailed and interesting terrain features and POIs.
I'm also moving to a "Season" approach to building and releasing maps, but I'm trying something a little different. I will be releasing a new base map at the beginning of each season and then expanding it via regular updates as the season progresses. Hopefully it works well for my development schedule and creates a fun and unique experience for you! When the season ends, a new base map will be released and the previous map will no longer be updated. You will still be able to access the previous seasons from the main menu. Bonus: your feedback on Discord and Steam can influence the map development throughout the season!
In addition to the season maps, I will be releasing smaller challenge maps that are focused on landing at a series of increasingly difficult airstrips and landing sites. Think of these maps like race tracks in a driving game.
SURVIVAL NOW OPTIONAL
Many players have said they are not interested in the survival features (food, water, rest, etc.)...they just want to fly! So, the Survival Mode is now disabled by default, but if you want the added challenge, it can be enabled from the start/pause menu at any time.
NEW NPC CHARACTERS
Not only do the NPCs (non-player characters) add more "life" to the game, they are also a really functional way to give the player missions/quests. Interacting with the NPCs opens the mission UI for that NPCs and you can choose the missions that you want to accept.
NEW IN-GAME TUTORIALS
The new tutorials are like missions that you can choose to accept from NPCs and other interactable objects. They provide step-by-step instructions for various game mechanics like accessing menus or flying the airplane. These tutorials don't go away after completion, so you can access them as many times as needed.
NEW MISSION & MAP JOURNAL
A new UI for viewing your currently accepted missions and the mini-map to see where these missions are located. This UI allows you to keep track of your missions and even abandon them if you no longer want to do them.
OTHER
So many bug fixes that I stopped keeping track, but here are a few off the top of my head:
- fixed: flap position when exiting airplane
- fixed: player respawn far away from airplane or in cabin
- improved: airplane trim - shouldn't pitch up so much
- improved: pause menu actually pauses the game :-)
BONUS
I've added some pumpkins and other dangerous weirdness to celebrate Halloween! Enjoy!
