Hello everyone!
We just released an update featuring the long-awaited Life Support Module. This critical piece of machinery is now required by all bases to keep atmospheric pressure and a safe environment within bases.
Under the hood there has been another massive, massive change, which is the reason for the long delay between builds - atmospheric zone composition. Long story short, it means every single atmospheric zone (in vehicles, bases and so on) now holds information as to which gases are within it, and how many units of each gas.
What does this mean?
Do you all recall the Oxygen you were mining that had no use? Well, now it is crucial to the game! Your base will not be livable without a Life Support Module and without an adequate supply of Oxygen. So, the larger the base, the more air needed to fill it.
Only Oxygen? Isn't 100% Oxygen lethal?
Depends on the partial pressure. At 0.3 atmospheres, 100% Oxygen is not lethal - space suits use this in reality.
Can I set the Life Support Module to use something other than just oxygen?
Yes, the module has several modes with varying pressure levels. One of them is 0.3atm of pure oxygen, while another is 1atm of essentially Earth-like air with Nitrogen forming 79% of it.
But... what about my old MP saves? Will all of my bases be empty now?
No, we especially wrote backwards-compatibility to support old saves. All of your bases and vehicles will be filled with a default of 0.3atm of Oxygen for free.
So you guys have only been working on air for 2 months?
Nope, there is a plethora of fixes, improvements, and new features in this build, but the air composition tracking is by far the largest change due to the heavy changes required at the game's core. All of these are of course documented in the change log.
The first mission of the manned section to the Space Program mode was broken! Is it fixed??
Yes, not only that, but it has been updated and vastly improved. We highly recommend playing it again!
What is the game's status?
With the atmospheric composition tracking done, no new major features will be added. So from here it is completing the few minor features remaining, bug-fixing, and polishing. We are on a good track to be finished soon!
Cool! What about the Creative 3D Printer on the Manned Descent Vehicle in MP? When will we see the Modular 3D Printer?
Now! The Creative 3D Printer has been removed from the MDV's ramp, so is no longer available by default. Instead, a Supply Drop lands within 500m or so of the MDV's landing location. This Supply Drop contains all you need to get started - resource mining equipment, Basic 3D Printer and so on.
Of note, however, is that there is one known issue in this build, and that is a higher-than-normal upload rate from the server to clients. This we are addressing tomorrow and a hot-fix update will be released immediately after that. This does not affect single player.
EDIT: This has now been fixed as well. In a build near you!
We hope you enjoy this update and look forward to your feedback!!
Martin Melicharek
Project Lead
Change Log:
24th October 2016
- Added custom sky preset support for new addons
- Fixed jittery mixing of gases between atmospheric zones and the atmosphere
20th October 2016
- Added pressurization info to Cargo Transport airlock GUIs
19th October 2016
- Added new Modular Door
- Improved model of Modular Airlock Door
- Implemented GUI functionality for Modular Door
- Implemented GUI functionality for Modular Airlock Door
18th October 2016
- Updated Airlock controls of Cargo truck
13th October 2016
- Implemented a supply drop in multiplayer Cooperation mode containing resource-using 3D Printer and mining machines
- Removed Creative 3D Printer from the Manned Descent Vehicle
- Reduced mass of Cable Spool (50m) from 85kg to 60kg
12th October 2016
- Implemented adding/subtracting resources to/from stored reserves to the Manned Landing Module
- Implemented adding/subtracting resources to/from stored reserves to the Manned Mobile Laboratory
11th October 2016
- Implemented adding/subtracting resources to/from stored reserves to the Poptent
- Implemented adding/subtracting resources to/from stored reserves to the Manned Cargo Transport
10th October 2016
- Implemented new atmospheric zone system for Small Landing Module
6th October 2016
- Implemented Life Support Module adding/subtracting resources to/from stored reserves
5th October 2016
- Restore atmospheric zone composition after a group calculates new zones
4th October 2016
- Added Life Support Module model for modular bases
27th September 2016
- Implemented Life Support Module
16th September 2016
- Synchronized dynamic atmospheric zones in vehicles over MP
15th September 2016
- Implemented saving/loading of atmospheric zone composition to saves
- Minor optimization to scenario load function
13th September 2016
- Implemented network synchronization of atmospheric zones
- Implemented network synchronization of building block leak points
12th September 2016
- Fixed occasional crash with Outpost Airlock Door, where disassembling it deleted its 3D GUI handler
9th September 2016
- Implemented network synchronization of building block groups
7th September 2016
- Fixed power cables occasionally getting stuck in floor and objects
- Fixed ragdoll bodies occasionally getting stuck in floor and objects
30th August 2016
- Added next/previous reaction buttons to the Materials Refinery, fixing the bug where the input could be used for multiple reactions but could not be selected
- Added option to enable/disable realistic rover speeds (off by default)
- Fixed 3D GUI issue in mouse cursor mode (RMB) where clicking on some buttons resulted in double-click
29th August 2016
- Added air composition tracking to atmospheric zones
26th August 2016
- Added definable atmospheric composition into location (.loc) files, used for atmospheric zones
- Moved character turning from on physics step to on frame, making it smoother overall
- Implemented 'Reload from configs' button into in-game Editor for updating characters and vehicles in older scenarios from current configs
- Updated Mars Encyclopedia with current atmospheric composition values
- Fixed 'jittery' movement of the MAV inside the MDV shell while landing
- Fixed 'jittery' movement of statically bound parts on vehicles at high speeds
25th August 2016
- Added fuel inlet labels for MML and CargoTruck
24th August 2016
- Added Life Support Module model for outpost bases
23rd August 2016
- Added dynamic layered music handler that can be used in missions to play a music track divided into multiple layers
22nd August 2016
- Improved object highlight effect, now just a solid color which is less disturbing
- Improved glass on Outpost building blocks, now less yellow
- Added snapping of power cables even when holding part before the cable's end