Hey Folks!

Ostranauts v0.14.0.0 is now available on Steam opt-in beta branch public_test. Named "Across the System," this update gives a sneak peek into our next major feature update, and includes several new content and gameplay systems to explore.

As many of you have noticed, this one took a long time. Longer than usual for us, and we're not the fastest team to begin with. For that, I apologize!

We still have a little ways to go on this update, but it's finally in a place where we think folks can have fun with it, kick the landing gear, and let us know what is working and what isn't. And with a bit of work, we can hopefully get it working smoothly enough to switch focus to our next milestone, Fire in the Hold!

For best results, you are encouraged to start a new character.

Old saves won't work in v0.13.99.x and later, and even if they technically load, a lot of the new content will not appear in older saves. We created a new opt-in branch on Steam called legacy_13 if you wish to continue your current v0.13.x character. See Steam's Tech Support forums for more info on opting-into other branches.

• A complete changelist may be too long to post here, so I'll try to stick to the major changes.
• Added the ability to use the torch drive to fly long distances.
• Changed the fusion reactor to be a more modular design, and to use less fuel on idle.
• Added an amount of new content to Venus, equal to that of OKLG.
• Added basic port services to all other stations in the Solar System.
• Added cargo pod trading between stations.
• Added a System-wide economy simulation.
• Added g-forces and their effects to the game.
• Added a new super-fast-forward button to skip 1-6 hours into the future.
• Added atmospheric flying, lift, drag, and aerodynamic parts and rotors to help with it.
• Added crushing damage from extreme atmo pressure differences.
• Added new interplanetary gigs on the Gig Nexus.
• Added ability to buy player-owned apartments, accessible via station transit, with their own docking ports.
• Added ability to obtain permanent resident visas for OKLG and Venus, which unlocks buying apartments and better cargo trade rates.
• Added NAV feature to match velocity to target.
• Added NAV feature to hold forward thrust with a toggle.
• Added NAV feature to plot a long range (torch drive) course and have autopilot fly it for you.
• Added racing leagues as a way to earn money by flying time attack courses.
• Changed NAV fast-forward to be clearer and easier to use, to help see future ship/planet positions.
• Changed derelict break-in simulation to produce more interesting and balanced wrecks.
• Changed restoring items to be slower, and repairing damaged items results in a barely working item that needs restoring.
• Added ability to buy damaged items, repair them, and sell back for a profit.
• Added ability to train more skills.
• Added 2 new entity types that can be encountered in personnel combat.
• Added transparent window hull parts.
• Changed HUD status indicators to be animated status bars, and added one for hygiene.
• Changed main game HUD layout, fonts, and UI design style.
• Changed laser torch to be a more effective weapon, especially against [redacted].
• Added several new items, including clothes, cargo pods, pharmaceuticals, studying aids, new hull parts, and weapons.
• Added an ambient occlusion shadow effect to make the game world easier to understand, visually.
• Added new ambient daylight lighting to the game.
• Added new paperdoll sprites for certain weapons.
• Added ability to customize save file location.
• Added new ship editor feature to save unfinished construction stages of ship designs.
• Fixed missing heat production from humans and other equipment.
• Added a wiki for Ostranauts, accessible via the main menu button.
• Fixed several bugs and other issues.

Possibly the flagship feature here is "you can now go to other places besides OKLG." Not only do ships have the means to fly there, we've given you some tools to help you get there as a player. Long range course plotting and autopilot, super fast forward, high-acceleration torch drives...the System is your oyster.

That said, I want to be clear that not every new place in the System is equal!

We spent most of our content development time working on the Venus region. And as a reference point, expect to find about as much content around Venus as you currently do around OKLG.

And the rest of the System? You can go there, too. Each station will have at least the basics you'd need to refuel, repair, trade cargo. Maybe do some gigs or mini plots. The goal is to fill-out another of these major areas in the next milestone, and possibly more beyond that if time allows.

To help with this distinction, you'll notice we have new NAV symbols on the map. Full-content stations like OKLG and Venus are solid, white diamonds. While unfinished content places are dashed, gray diamonds. The diamonds also include an upper or lower triangle inside to help you determine if it is a ground station or an orbital, since ground stations have their own challenges to overcome, like gravity, and sometimes atmosphere.

Speaking of atmosphere, we now have that, too!

Certain planets now have their own, unique atmosphere. And flying in them will feel different from what you may be used to in Ostranauts. The biggest difference is likely to be drag, or air resistance, which will get stronger the faster your ship moves. To help with reducing this effect, we now have aerodynamic ship parts, which usually translates into higher air speeds.

Supposing you kit out your ship (or build a new one) to fly faster in the atmosphere, this will open up some new activities to try out around the aerostats. For one thing, there is a new racing league kiosk that will allow you to test your ship (and piloting skills) on time attack courses against other NPCs. Winners get prize money, and advance to the next league.

You'll also be able to take advantage of the better buying/selling prices of captive markets in Venus's gravity/atmo well. Captains able to bypass the significant markups at the orbital station can sell directly to hungry markets downwell.

Or participate in the lucrative smuggling opportunity selling proprietary aerostat tech from Newcal to its jealous neighbor aerostat, Encantado.

Of course, Venus doesn't get all the fun. You'll encounter new content and features almost immediately upon exiting character creation on OKLG.

The new modular reactor means you can custom-build a power system to match whatever ship role you envision. Want cheap, endless power? Design the reactor around minimal footprint and efficiency, and run a contained reaction on a trickle of fuel.

Want to reduce all occupants in your ship to human soup through thrust? Gear-up the reactor for maximum throughput, open up that aperture, and laugh at your crewmates as their skeletons crumble into the floor plates.

Oh yeah. Ships now produce g-forces when accelerating, and it's a delicate balancing act between getting there fast and blacking-out, or worse, from high-g maneuvers, or taking longer, but using more supplies. Fortunately, the new throttle controls and pharmaceutical tools will help take the edge off.

You should also see changes within the first couple derelicts you visit. The code that simulated derelict damage was updated to produce more interesting (and economically balanced) wrecks.

And it's not just in-game stuff we've worked on. Users with non-standard PC setups (or limited C: space) will hopefully welcome the new ability to change your save folder location. And the beginnings of a wiki are now reachable via the main menu button, so we can hopefully offer new users more comprehensive help when the in-game information falls short.

As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know via the forums or our Discord (also linked on the game's main menu), if you're enjoying this new update, as well as if it reveals new problems!

Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC