Interstellar Space: Genesis released on July 25th, 2019. The game has been well received overall, and we're happy to know that many consider it to be a worthy spiritual successor to Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares, which was one of the objectives we'd laid out for the game.
As the first title from a studio of two people, we chose to focus on gameplay first and foremost throughout development. We believe it is essential that the gameplay speaks for itself and forms a solid foundation worth expanding upon. And while we continue to polish that with each and every patch and update, we also knew in the back of our minds that we wanted to do something truly special.
We gathered all the feedback we could, from fans and critics alike, and found that one particular area that showed clear room for improvement was the game's art and aesthetics. We agreed, and thanks to the fans who made the game's launch a success, the decision was made to invest both in them and the game's future. A completely free, substantial overhaul of a released game's graphics is a somewhat unprecedented move, but we feel it is the right one.
To be clear, this process involved many decisions, and almost nothing was off the table. We had to make some hard decisions about what was best for the future of the game and our fans.
In some cases, the decision was clear. When it came to the ships, we already had a thematic identity in mind for each race, but it wasn't translated into the game as well as we'd like. Working with our amazing 3D artists, we provided them the inspiration based on our vision, and they brought it to life on their canvas. It was a fantastic process to take part in, and we look forward to continuing it when new races are added in future expansions.
In other cases, the decisions were much harder. One decision we have to announce is the elimination of procedurally generated colony terrain. We hated to see it go, but we also knew it was a key factor in late game performance issues and long save loading times. It has also been a limiting factor in our ability to expand the galaxy size any further. Thus the idea of hand crafted biomes was born.
In addition to performance increases, the change to hand crafted biomes has allowed us to create a colony view that is beautiful, thematic, and more alive than ever before. From sandstorms to blustery arctic winds, there is a lot to behold that just wasn't possible before. We've also implemented a building placement system that will allow your buildings to spread out across the biome, allowing us to take more advantage of the 3D nature of our colonies, and eliminating the building clustering that is prevalent in the current system.
We truly appreciate our fans. Without you, none of this would be possible. So please allow us to thank you for believing in us, playing the game, and for continuing to provide us with your feedback. We hope you also know this is just the beginning. We have plans to do so much more and the future for Interstellar Space: Genesis has never been brighter. Thanks again for your support!
All of these graphical improvements will be provided for free! to all current and future owners of the game when the 1.1 Graphics Update is released in early Spring 2020.
- Completely new ship 3D models for all races
- A UI revamp with a new more artistically pleasing style
- Revamped colony 3D views for all biomes
- Improvements to the galaxy map
- A diplomacy screen revamp which aims to make the diplomatic experience more immersive.
- Improvements to the system view
- Improvements to the space combat, including a new isometric view
- And more!
Okay if you haven't skipped ahead, you've certainly waited long enough! Here's some screenshots showing off what you can expect from the free update!
Also please be sure to check out eXplorminate's coverage for a look at some additional exclusive never before seen screenshots!
In eXplorminate's article you will find the new 'Dragon' destroyer and the 'Vindicator' Titan of the Draguul, the playable faction that sees the Swamp biome as their ideal world.
Now meet the Nova Vida playable faction's 'Talisman' destroyer variant, their Titan class ship 'Sacrificer' and the Desert biome colony view, the Nova's ideal habitat.
For more information on the upcoming 1.1 update please check out:
- eXplorminate's exclusive update on ISG
- Quick Update #6 - Moltar Titan for the 1.1 Update!
- Quick Update #7 - New Icy Biome for the 1.1 Update!
Thanks!
The Dev Team
Praxis Games