We're happy to announce that Irondrive will take part in Steam Next Fest. Here's a look at what we've been polishing in the demo in the run-up to it.
Crew posts that finally make sense + better selection marker
Assigning a crew member to a station used to be a hidden side effect of clicking on the map. Now it's an explicit action. Select a crew member and click a module to assign them to it, or use the new Assign and Clear buttons in the crew panel. Clicking on a bare floor tile just moves them and frees their previous post.
The game now gives clear feedback: floating text confirms the assignment, the crew member's name appears on the module they man, and a dashed line connects the selected crew member to their station. Hovering a module while someone is selected shows whether it's free or already taken.
Manning is no longer a separate toggle in the Orders tab. If a crew member has a post, they head back to it as soon as there's no other job to do, always as the lowest priority. Fewer switches to flip, and no more wondering why a crew member is or isn't at their station.
Selecting a crew member now shows a red targeting ring at their feet, an expanding ping, and a small red arrow above their head, instead of a constantly flashing sprite. It's easier to read in a crowded vehicle and fits the look of the game better.
Kitchen, Ration Depot, Survival balance and system tab
The demo now includes the Kitchen and the Ration Depot, letting your crew turn raw food into meals and keep everyone fed.
Hunger and thirst now drain more slowly, giving you more room to plan. The Warehouse and the Ration Depot no longer need power to work.
The Systems tab got a graphical rework so module status and energy are easier to scan at a glance. A new alert warns you when an emergency code (Code Red or Code Blue) is active, so you notice when your crew are no longer following normal orders.
Twitch integration
Viewers can now take a weapon station alongside the existing chat commands, and we fixed the translation of the Twitch tab.
We can't wait to see how you drive Irondrive at Next Fest.
Try the game on Steam and join us on Discord to share feedback: discord.gg/NNWJP6rRAQ