Since the big steam sale is happening right now, I thought it would be fun to make a big list of all the changes coming in the next update. I'm also going to formally announce that the release is already in internal testing, and should probably be out for you to play with in close to 2 weeks from today. All the new features are in and we are furiously play-testing the bugs out right now. Here's the mega list of new things that are coming.
- Overhauled the research screen
- Added progress tracking to research unlocks which grants hallways and structure
- Overhauled the design screen visually and unified the two versions between the main menu and singleplayer
- Added new tools and optimizations to the design screen such as copy paste, color picking, better conduit drawing and more
- Rewrote save files to function out of a database and be more secure against corruption
- Added player profile selection to the main menu
- Added the concept of biomes which infest space terrain and spread across the world map
- Overhauled crew weapons and added a new tier of crew equipment with new sprites
- Rewrote the game's introduction to be faster, easier, and more fun
- Streamlined early game quests and rewards to get the player into action a lot faster
- Made docking easier by increasing the thresholds for movement and relative orientation
- Revised most red zone content to fix bugs, improve flow, and solve other issues
- Added a new secret boss battle that can be found in the red zone which introduces a new currency
- Introduced the concept of core nodes, a currency which allows you to unlock a module from the design screen
- Added a series of new dialogues and missions which will advance the story into a new zone
- Added some new characters to banter with an eventually explode
- Many new ship hulls and ship designs added to the game world for capturing and fighting
- Added attack drone module unlocks, AI for attack drones, and drone carrying enemy ships to the game
- Rewrote the system governing how beam weapons interact with ship design: beam alchemy, and added many new types of beam
- Added beam module unlocks, AI for using beams, and many beam oriented enemy ships were added to the map
- Populated the green zone of space with very advanced ships using the best of tier 2 technology
- Introduced the concepts of tier 2 armor and tier 3 conduits to the game engine
- Remapped many station interiors with new art assets for station interiors
- Huge rendering and logic update optimizations which will drastically increase framerate on most computers
- An innumerable number of small changes to the user interface, GUI, and graphics