Early Access Release Notes - Version 0.7.5

Hi guys,

0.7.5 marks the release of a long awaited reworking of the way the world is generated in TerraTech. We are now capable of spawning a much wider variety of biomes with extensive mountain ranges, vast rolling hills, tricky-to-pass terrain and a bunch more. We also see the addition of the brand new Pillars biome -- and this is only the start. More biomes will be coming in future updates.

Another long awaited feature that has arrived is the ability to move while in build beam. This should help with getting your Techs unstuck from any tricky terrain -- as well as positioning your Sentry Turrets and bases in the perfect places. Increased Trading Station Inventory, Hints, permanent Inventory Access, new blocks, optimisations, bug fixes and a load more make up an update we're very excited to be putting in your hands. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Good luck out there.

Jamie xoxo

IMPORTANT NOTE:
We've performed a big overhaul of the underlying tech to create greater variety in the world of TerraTech. Game saves from TT_Unstable version 0.7.4.4 to 0.7.4.9 will not load into properly into this version or newer. Game saves from this version can be continued in newer updates.

New features / content / improvements:

1. The terrain now has greater variation with the addition of multiple sub-biomes.
2. Added new 5th biome - the Pillars Biome.
3. Build Beam: Can slowly reposition a Tech’s position to get unstuck and refine the position and orientation of anchored Techs.
   • Up/Down moves Tech forwards/backwards relative to the camera angle and Left/Right rotates the Tech.
4. Added an onscreen Hints System to provide useful gameplay information to the player as they play the game.
5. New snapshots will be saved inside a dedicated Snapshots folder.
6. Loading Techs from Inventory can now be done using blocks in a player's inventory.
7. Added lots of new experimental work-in-progress Stunt Challenges to the R&D Test Chamber.
8. Memory allocation optimisations for 32-bit versions of the game.
9. Updated translations from the TT Translator team. Many thanks to the folowing people for the recent translation updates:
   • Bebiezaza
   • Bram "Kirchhoffs" Hazeveld
   • Bram Kamies
   • Gendel Vladimir Grigorievich
   • J. "Trippeh" Quinn
   • Ko Ui Ryeom "WillyGamesYT"
   • Marcus
   • Moisés Ojeda Gutiérrez
   • Oliver "Olli_DXD" Jonsson
   • Olivier "Mr-Vagabond" Barruhet
   • Robert "Deadwing" Galatik
   • Ryo Tanimoto
   • 列支敦士登yuki

Game Design Tweaks:

• Added several new sub-biomes to appear in the game. Sub-biomes are alternate versions of the existing biomes but with different terrain height patterns, textures and resource distribution. The all new sub-biomes that have been added are:
  • Grasslands:
    • Copse - a more sparsely populated grasslands with less trees in small groups
    • Rocky Ridge - undulating hills with less trees and more rocks

  • Desert:
    • Small Dunes - a desert with small sand dunes in a regular rippled pattern

  • Mountain:
    • Terraced Hills - several stepped platforms with smooth ramps between

• General tweaks:
  • Once the SCU has been anchored, the player inventory is available from that point onwards, regardless of whether any SCU is anchored.

• Block tweaks:
  • The shops now stock a significantly larger amount of blocks.
  • GeoCorp Fixed Anchor, GSO Fixed Anchor and GSO Rotating Anchor Anchor Blocks from 'Standard' are now listed as 'Manufacturing' type.
  • Reduced the survival chance of blocks when detaching from a destroyed Tech from 60% to 50%.
  • Updated Hover Plate beam heights. Venture Double Hover Plate is now the tallest hover beam at 15m, GSO Large Quad Hover Plate has a 7.5m beam and the GSO Small Single Hover Plate remains the lowest at 1m beam (as it was before).
  • Updated recipe for GSO Refinery to only require unrefined resource chunks (2 Plumbite + 1 Carbite + 1 Oleite).
  • Increased the load bearing strength of the Hawkeye Armoured and Enclosed Wheels.

• Mission tweaks:
  • Added a set of 30 different Trader Troll variants. The Trader Troll mission now selects an appropriately sized opponent for you to fight depending on the size of your own Tech.
  • Added all the Special Colour Blocks and Hats to the list of Blocks that can be offered in Block Reward Crates.
  • Doubled the amount of blocks gifted in Reward Crates.

• Enemy Tech tweaks:
  • Increased the size of enemy Techs spawned in missions and the population. The greatest differences can be seen from Grade 3 GSO onwards.
  • Included smaller population enemy spawns in GSO Grade 4 and 5 (previously they were switched off).
  • Reduced the chance for larger population enemies to appear (enemies will more likely be smaller ones).

• R&D Test Chamber:
  • Changed EXP Tow Rings and Hooks from Accessories to Standard Blocks category (R&D Test Chamber owners only).
  • Added new Experimental blocks to R&D Test Chamber (R&D Test Chamber owners only):
    • EXP Small F1 Wheel
    • EXP Large F1 Wheel
    • EXP Right Dune Wheel
    • EXP Left Dune Wheel
    • EXP Monster Truck Wheel
    • EXP Mid Fork Springer Wheel
    • EXP Short Fork Springer Wheel
    • EXP Long Fork Springer Wheel
    • EXP Titan Truck Wheel
    • EXP Angled Plasma Cutter
    • EXP Articulated Diamond Drill
    • EXP Straight Jackhammer
    • EXP Dropper

  • Venture Avalanche Launcher, Hawkeye Sentry Turret, Moustache, Sombrero and Viking Helmet have been moved from dispensers to the inventory to free up space.
    
  
  

Art tweaks:

• Created art assets for new 5th Pillars biome and its resource givers.
• Various minor fixes for missing attach points, filled cell issues and collision material errors.
• Updated desert terrain textures.

Bug Fixes:

• Hot Fix - 14 June 2017:
  • Fixed bug in Sumo menu where anyone without R&D Test Chamber would not get the Design Tech option.

• Hot Fix - 13 June 2017:
  • Reduced size of enemy Techs spawning in the late game. The world should be a little safer now - but hopefully still a nice challenge.

• Hot Fix - 12 June 2017:
  • Fixed crash bug triggered when a shield collides with an artefact.

• General fixes:
  • Fixed bug that caused the Main Menu to appear whilst in a game mode.
  • Invaders should no longer spawn near any missions.
  • Fixed enemies and missions spawning on top of scenery.
  • Fixed being able to purchase unlimited blocks when a SCU powers up whilst viewing the shop.
  • Fixed bug where AI turrets fire on enemies that are out of range.

• Mission fixes:
  • Fixed issue where some missions were clearing 100m wide areas of their resource givers when spawning.
  • Fixed issue where a large player Tech could encounter a small Trader Troll.
  • Fixed chase missions not giving rewards when sniping from a distance.
  • Fixed rare issue where SCU and crafting missions couldn't be completed.
  • Fixed issue of crafting missions spawning on sloped terrain.

Known Issues:

• Sumo, Gauntlet and R&D Test Chamber may start with an initial noticeable stutter depending on how many Tech snapshots are present in the TerraTech folder.
• Anchored blocks can be placed in close proximity to each other, causing them to overlap.
• Can incorrectly rename non-player bases.
• Multiple resources travelling close to each other along Conveyors may generate bottlenecks and clog bases up, especially around Refineries and Filters.
• Graphical issues with red projector on terrain when enemies spawn in.
• Markers for missions and bases when playing in 4:3 are offset slightly.