Belt Colony has got an update!
Fixes and improvements:
Following the initial Early Access release on Steam, we found and fixed quite a few issues. We have also made quite a few necessary improvements. The list is as follows:
- Added 38 achievements.
- Added link to Troubleshooting on the start menu.
- Fixed key bindings that got deleted when restarting.
- Fixed bug that let users enter the space ship without buying it.
- Made it easier to mine small rocks.
- Fixed key bindings not working indoor.
- Slower crouch animation.
- Added help view (press H).
- Improved loading screen.
- Improved asteroid LOD performance.
- Fixed Nekrit too close jump-point to Canatuan.
- Added sound effects: footsteps, suit, drilling, digging, etc.
- Detect keyboard layouts (e.g. German qwertz).
- Fixed Setlik 1 achievement.
- Added controller support.
- Right mouse button is Use.
- Always show extractor rig symbols in compass.
- Added controller help.
- Support US Dovark keyboard auto key mapping.
- Fixed help view bug.
Early Access:
The purpose of Early Access on Steam is to enable game developers, like us, to sell the game while it is being developed and to gather input/feedback from users. We would appreciate it, and it would help us, if users perhaps could give us input/feedback in the Community Hub on Steam... The feedback could be anything you like. Perhaps things you would like to see added, see less of, etc.. Perhaps also respond to other peoples posts to voice opinions, support them, etc.
Our intent/purpose/goal with these games is simple.. We want to make Belt Colony and Utopia Colony a fun, interesting, and entertaining series of space mining and outpost building sim games. We need help to makes this a reality, and we appreciate anything you can do.
While working on Utopia Colony we learned that players have a lot of good input. There is some kind of "collective vision" that is emergent in all the input we have received. We realized that this vision is what we should be working toward. So, we hope for the same to happen with Belt Colony..
Co-developing strategy:
Belt Colony and Utopia Colony are being co-developed, since both games share the same back-stories, and are both space mining and outpost building sim games. We would also appreciate high-level views, feature requests, and opinions regarding both games, in the Community Hub. Co-developing the games is a new strategy or way of thinking, that we are excited about.. We think it may help us to develop, and understand, the games from a broader perspective than if we simply develop them one-by-one. We will of course make Belt Colony and Utopia Colony be two different games.. It is only certain game play and content that will be similar... The easiest way to describe it is perhaps to think of Belt Colony and Utopia as a game-series, or perhaps think of Belt Colony as being a sequel to Utopia Colony..
We have not yet decided on when or if we will start more games in this series. If we get a lot of interest for it and co-development progress is good, then we could consider it sooner than later, but the current plan is to do several updates for Belt Colony and Utopia Colony before starting any more new games.
Stay tuned. More improvements are coming. We hope to see you in the Asteroid Belt and on Mars!