Testing 22: Warps, Planets, and more!

This update is accessible via the Steam Beta "Testing" release of Boundless.

The release will be accessible as "Testing" for approximately 1 week, whilst we resolve issues with the playing community. When this additional polish is complete the release will be promoted to Steam "Live" for all players.

Please report all issues discovered with the update to this support thread.

Release Notes:

• Worldbuilder:
  • Added a 'strata join' node to join multiple strata nodes together (easier re-use of interesting strata nodes that can be mix and matched now).
  • Added a checkbox beside biome selection sliders to 'disable' that attribute for selection, eg if you disable all but the 'humidity' on a biome, then that biome will be selected in the world purely based on what the humidity noise is doing disregarding the other parameters.
  • Added a new 3d noise node to interpolate a gradient of 3d noises based on world-y (eg the value of the noise is equal to one noise at the bottom of the world, and another noise at the top of the world, with a lerp of the two inbetween, useful for having different types of caves at different depths).
  • Added a new 3d noise which will elevate a 2d noise into a 3d one (this isn't very useful on it's own as the 3d noise will have no variation in the y-axis at all, but in conjunction with the new layered-3d noise node can be useful, eg to make a 3d noise which lerps between two 2d noises based on world-y)
  • Added right click menu to noise seeds to allow randomisation.
  • Fixed a bug in exposing sliders that have an adjacent check box (existing configs that may have been crashing due to this will be migrated to fix the bug also).

• Engine:
  • Added god-rays to the moon (lighting will be tuned better at a later date)
  • Allow timestamp boost to drop lower which should reduce latency.
  • Changed a number of asset formats and implementations of reading assets to improve initial game load times.
  • Fixed bug where portals would disappear when the camera gets too close.
  • Fixed fog aliasing really badly.
  • Fixed inconsistency in lighting between leaf blocks and leaf foliage.
  • Fixed interaction with machines/storage/etc across world borders.
  • Fixed selection box and drop shadow rendering to line up correctly with the block surface.
  • Huge Z-fighting issues resolved for foliage and player and prop models.
  • Universe structure now defined, with neighbouring worlds visible in the sky as planets which can have locations picked to create warps to with.

• Art + Assets:
  • Fixed a texture blending bug (mostly affecting the Tangle block)
  • Fixed tiling on the underside of raw Gleam blocks.
  • New axe and hammer models.
  • New method of tinting gem and metal blocks and resource seams.
  • Updated Gnarled Grass block texture to feature slightly fewer pebbles.

• HUD + GUI:
  • Don't render beacon owners.
  • Stored locations can be viewed, renamed, and deleted from the inventory screen, under the Locations tab. You can save your current location at any time, or use the totem to pick an off-world location.
  • An "Emergency Warp" option is available in the options menu. This should be used to escape impossible situations (e.g. boxed in and can't dig out) and will cost money. Be careful as it can put you into insurmountable debt if used too frequently!
  • First pass of "Smart Stacking":
    • Items with the same "stack category" can be Smart Stacked into a 3x3 grid (allowing 891 items per inventory slot, instead of just 99)
    • "Smart Stacks" can be used for crafting inputs, and automatically for crafting outputs and item pickups.
    • Holding a Smart Stack uses up the items in it continuously (no need to re-equip) from the first to the last.

  • Inventory quick select radial updated:
    • Radials are now embedded directly into the gameplay hud and player inventory screen.
    • Radials function exactly as before. Either hold 'Q' then click and move the mouse to select, use keys 1-8, or use the mouse wheel.
    • Radials will display automatically when you switch items with the mouse/keyboard.
    • Items can be picked up in the inventory screen and dropped into a single binding slot. Any existing bindings to that item will be removed. The item will remain in your inventory even when bound to the quick use radial.

  • Controls have been rebound to improve the user experience. See the control options screen for details.
    • Double tapping in a direction activates running by default. This can be toggled in the game options screen.
    • Pressing Interact (default 'E') will toggle the screen if you are not near enough to an interactive objects by default. This can be disabled in the game options screen.

  
  
• Chat improvements:
  • A continuous chat mode is available in the game options screen for the chatterboxes amongst you. In this mode once you start chatting to players (by pressing T or Return) you won't stop until you hit return on an empty line.
  • Pressing / will open the chat window with a / already typed, allowing you to perform emotes more easily.

• Crafting + Resources:
  • Added buying and selling plinth for buying/selling items from/to other players.
  • Added first pass text descriptions for all the objects in the game.
  • Added fuel data to wood, peaty soil, compact peaty soil and the compact coals.
  • Added metal and alloy tool recipes.
  • Added more machine recipes.
  • Added multiple resource generation configs, and balanced them.
  • Added power core and pipe recipes.
  • Added torch recipes.
  • Balanced fuel data in furnace and power core.
  • Crafting machine blocks and storage can now only be placed in beacons and are always locked.
  • Fix for doors placing incorrectly.
  • Fix for other players being able to open some locked trap doors.
  • Fixed crafted items made of light-emitting blocks not emitting light in your hand (eg gleam steps)
  • Inky and Fibrous plants now drop the relevant leaves.
  • Made grass seed drops much less likely.
  • Players can build warp conduits, opening pathways to other worlds.
  • Players can earn XP towards advancement in several professions.
  • Rebalanced recipes, including durations, spark values and amounts.
  • Sap is now dropped from breaking trunk blocks, not leaf blocks.
  • Setup very basic first durability balance.
  • The totem can select warp destinations. Load the totem with the Warp Location Picker Upgrade, find a good looking spot on one of the planets in the sky and wave the totem at it to add it to your locations list.

• Creatures:
  • Spitter creature now leads shots making dodging much harder.

• Death:
  • Respawn with half health.
  • Items loose 25% of durability.

• Audio:
  • Added in-game music. The volume can be changed in the options audio.
  • Split volume controls into master, SFX and music.
  • New and improved SFX for tools, blocks and more.

The following items were known issues in previous releases and have now been resolved.

• Beacons and locks cannot be shared amongst friends as the friend's token cannot be added to beacons.
• Doors are too big when held in first-person view.
• Player Progression tab displays GUI_PROGRESSION_TOOLTIP.
• Graphical issues where there are lines appearing on block textures.

Known Issues:

The following items are known issues in this release.

• Some of the items displayed in the inventory screen are not positioned correctly.
• Some of the items are not positioned in the hand correctly when the players are seen in 3rd person view.
• Z-fighting with some items (workbench and other machines) when placed underwater.
• Cannot 'drop' items from [Workbench Ingredients] and [Completed Items] lists.
• The recipes are not final.
• Iron Fire Pit missing texture.
• Some items in player hands in 3rd person view are huge (e.g. Power Core).
• The LODs on the tools models are oriented differently in storage.
• The character will be standing still when running sideways.
• Attempting to drop items via the Inventory GUI may cause them to be picked up automatically
• Sometimes the animation for left handed tools do not swing continuously.
• Pushing

  button rapidly crashes the client.

Thanks to TropicalDrake for the screenshot!

Cross posted from devlog forum which can be found [url=https://forum.playboundless.com/t/testing-22-warps-planets-and-more/4977] here