Hey everyone, big day today. We are excited. Like, for real excited. (No tears, though—we’re holding it together!)We have officially moved the game from Pre-Alpha to Alpha. And that isn't just us throwing unnecessary Greek letters around—it actually means something huge. We’ve gone from about 40 minutes of gameplay to several hours (think 4+).Here is a breakdown of the new systems that got us here:
The New Contracts System
This is the new engine for our storytelling and world-building. Contracts now fuel the game's progression, naturally pushing the story of the industrialization of the solar system forward. It orients you toward your goals but gives you different paths to success.
Ground Surveys
The Scout vehicle is officially pulling its weight! It can now perform actual surface missions. The cool part? The composition of your astronaut crew matters for these missions. Different goals and playstyles will require different crew setups in the Scout vehicle.
The New Research System
These Ground Survey missions generate Research Points, which brings us to the new Research System. We’ve tied research tiers directly to your Industrialization Level to make every point feel meaningful.
The Game Loop It all ties together nicely now: Fill Contracts ----> Increase Industrialization Level ----> Do Ground Survey Missions ----> Research Stuff ----> Fill More Contracts ----> Expand Your Base. We’ve got a lot of stuff up and running, and we even have a few systems working in the background that are just waiting for content—so expect to see even more features soon.
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Bottom line: We got a lot done, and we are genuinely excited to see you all play.