Hello everyone,
Yay, the time has finally come. The new update v0.9.5 is here and it has a lot of feedback from the last few months and also from Gamescom.
First, I'd like to briefly outline the new features and then talk about the coming months.
You had to wait a long time. I have to admit, I personally found the updates every 1-3 months in the last few years a bit more relaxed, because every player wants to see the changes/improvements. If it all comes months later, then you might as well put the game aside for a year or so :D
Well. This update was also planned a little earlier. But with hobbies, you're always dependent on your day job or vacations or whatever.
Well, let's get to the features.
We change the entire code with every update. Therefore, a lot of “under-the-hood” has happened again. But let's move on to the things that you actually notice.
From the game events, e.g. Gamescom, we have again taken the difficulty with terraforming with us. That's why we've now expanded the previous tool. Before, there was only an absolute value, e.g. height 10, which you changed and you could adjust the size of the area. Now a relative function has been added. Here you can always change the field relative to the height where your mouse is, up or down.
A foot icon at the edge of the building you want to build indicates that it can also be reached on foot.
A green banner appears at the start and end of an award.
In addition to the great random names, you can also enter your individual name ;)
Or keep an overview of the information on a cluster in the side window.
The MapEditor has also been enhanced with some new features. At the start of the MapEditor you only select the map. But in the editor inside you can then adjust the number of players, the victory conditions and also the buildings that have already been bought, can still be bought or cannot be bought at all. In summary, there is a lot you can do to create your own individual map with your own targets. As before, you can create your own events as side quests that trigger events such as disasters. Text dialogs have been added so that the creator can explain individual goals for the player or something like that.
Unfortunately, some things haven't made it into the game yet and that brings us to the outlook for the coming months.
My list of features and bugs still has about 100 points. A few points are also declared as optional.
What I mean by this is that there are still a few important aspects that need to be integrated or fixed or should be presented more simply.
Nevertheless, I would like to stick to a full release for 12.2024. Because even after that, there will still be one or two updates.
*drum roll*
Our planning for the full release is currently 21.12.2024
But what's actually coming with it? So......;)
You should save a few features for the full release. We have done that too.
We would hereby like to make the announcement: With the full release comes a campaign
*bähhmm*
So the campaign will have several levels in which you have to reach a goal on a given map with given buildings. When you have reached your goal you can start the next level. The preparations have been going on for several months. We create the levels with our own MapEditor and then possibly embellish the dialogs a little. This means that with the full release, the workshop will be activated again and everyone could actually make a kind of campaign ;)
I would like to expand such editor enhancements (adjusting building costs, consultants, etc. in the editor), but this will probably come after the full release.
So there's still a lot to do in the next few months. We are also planning to attend a gaming convention: Games Ground 2024 in Berlin (14.11 - 16.11.24, alte münze) and a few more emails will be going out to reporters and Youtubers.
So if you watch a Youtuber regularly and think he or she should play Summer Islands, please let me know and he or she will be on my list ;D
Otherwise, of course, any feedback from you about features at any time ;)
Thank you for your support, feedback and patience.
P.S. If you ❤️ Summer Islands, we would be very 🤩 about a 👍 Review.
Have fun
