Hey Everyone,
After a number of delays - caused by adding more and more new features, our milestone update 41 is finally here! Today we begin a week long beta run, and hope to push this update live towards middle of next week.
To activate the beta, right click on Stars End in your Library, then select Properties, and then the beta Tab, and Opt in there.
The main features of this update is the completely redesigned planet environments. Combined with ability to display hundreds of terrain objects like trees on screen, and better performance, we were able to transform how the game looks, starting from the main Beta Prairie planet. We have also redesigned audio system and reworked how player now locates objects in the world – hold the Middle Mouse Button to discover this feature.
With update of this magnitude, we still have a few things that we need to polish and fix up, but we expect to get through this during the next few days in the beta. Keep in mind we will be patching the game often during the next few days. The current build still has couple of issues that we should iron out over the weekend. Including using spotter ability while in vehicles, and being unable to repair buildings.
We hope to be able to do 2-3 more updates to this beta build over the next few days, and push it back early next week.
If you play it - please keep in mind that you need to hold middle mouse button to activate spotter ability and see nav points.
And here`s the patch notes for Update 41:
Major New Features
- Fully redesigned Beta Prairie planet with new trees, grass, terrain and more
- Fully redesigned environmental sound engine with individual sounds from objects
- New day, night, weather and rain sound effects
- New spotter system – hold Middle Mouse Button to scan for resources and nav points
- Resources completely rebalanced for an easier access
- New engine terrain features allowing placing large number of terrain objects
- New engine features greatly increasing performance
- Added new Spotter item system that allows scanning for resources
- Updated material used on most buildings on Beta Prairie
- Redesigned most building exteriors and interior walls on Beta Prairie
Fixes and Additions
- Reworked hand combat – simple left mouse button click now
- Reworked melee combat – longer range, hits always land
- Can now sneak up on AI creatures, out of line of sight, or by using crouch or prone
- AI creatures will stop chasing player if he`s far enough from them
- FOV setting max value decreased to 90.
- Mining and cutting trees now easier with longer range
- Improved the look of the roads with grass going all the way towards the asphalt
- Update to main menu news and other sections
- Updates to Compass GUI
- Fix for land mines not expiring and not removing when destroyed.
- Players who disconnect do not get spawned in another player's vehicle.