This is a fairly "boring" update as it is focused purely on overhauling the menu system but it also includes a few game updates as well.
1. New menu system with better navigation and buttons!
2. Load and Save system is fully operational! Just 1 save slot at the moment but I will increase that to more in the future.
3. New "Your Boats" area stores all your purchased boats. There are 80 slots and you can own more than one of each boat (important for the future!).
4. There are now 2 different starting states "Normal" and "Free Play"
- Normal mode will give you a Bluefin 24 starting boat and £1,000,000 in the bank to purchase boats you want. The rest you will have to earn from delivering things!
- Free Play gives you the same start but significantly more money. However, you cannot save in this mode. Good for trying out boats before buying them in "Normal" mode.
- I will add extra starting situations as we go forward e.g. "Rags to Riches" for those that want a real challenge etc
5. You can now view your company information screen. Some areas are still under construction, but show what future additions are planned for the game.
6. Physics calculations have had some values clamped to ensure the physics engine doesn't crash when dealing with large numbers. This should also prevent any weird "extreme bouncing" happening if your boat catches too much air.
7. Adjusted the Bluefin's rudder forces and prop steering angle.
Next update will focus on implementing the world map which will show where all the ports are, what cargo they import/export and their various stock levels.
I'll be looking at adding some smaller cargo vessels to give some progression options to the game as well.
Once this is complete I shall move the beta test into the live version.
After that I shall be revisiting the racing side of things....
Happy Boating!