Update 1.2.4
Free Flight Mode
Somebody recommended free flight mode in the Community Hub a few weeks back. It felt like the game could greatly benefit from that, especially for new players, so I added it (also it was a chill feature to work on post-holidays)
To play in free flight mode, go to the new game screen and enable the corresponding checkbox. Starting the game in such way grants the following benefits:
There's no fuel consumption.
Repairs are free.
Upgrades are free.
All skins are unlocked.
As with difficulty, free flight mode is bound to the given game and can't be changed via settings.
Steam achievements are also disabled for this mode.
Other improvements
Landing outside of checkpoint range without any fuel left is treated as a crash.
Fixed direction and velocity inconsistencies when respawning after a repair.
Fixed a bug where fuel wasn't restored to 25% after repair.
Tweaked fuel efficiency for starter aircraft outside of hard difficulty.
Roadmap for 2026
As always, my core focus will be on fixing bugs and making tweaks based on the feedback I get from the Steam Community Hub or the comments on itch. Bush 1022 will not be my main project in 2026 and I won't be adhering to a strict schedule for big features. That being said, I expect to finish with the following things by the end of the year:
Overhaul the crash system, because crashing is actually a big part of the game and it should feel more fair, and maybe even fun.
Add more depth to the world.
Buildings and towns.
Maybe some runways.
Random events like auroras or falling stars.
Who knows what else lurks within this world (I'm reading a lot of Lovecraft right now...)
I was considering this game to be finished when I released it, but the feedback I get in the Community Hub really inspires me to grow it further. I'm considering everyone's ideas, so even if I don't add what you suggest right now, it will likely appear in the future.