Hello! It's been a while since our last formal update, but only cos Aaron and I have been such busy little bees beavering away on Survival Mode.
In case you missed the August announcement, Survival Mode is a new way to play Autonauts, which won't affect the existing modes. That said, any added features we feel enrich the overall game - like Bots able to subscribe to scripts in the Bot Database - will be used in all modes :)
Out of all the possible Autonauts expansions we could've pursued, we chose Survival Mode first because it's the very opposite of the established chill experience. We figured the contrast of automated robotic conflict would most likely stimulate new ideas. And it did!
We've been trying out all sorts of survivally things, taking on board first-hand feedback from Betanauts to help shape this new way to play. We've ended up with automatable action that's part Realtime Strategy, part Tower Defence and even part overland Dungeon Crawler!
The idea is that the Dread Pirate Robot and its Scurvy Bots have taken over colonised planets, captured Autonauts and set up robust fortifications around their spoils. You could say it's a bit like picking up from where Colonise Mode leaves off :)
Standing between you and the ultimate showdown are dozens of Space Pirate Outposts to liberate from hundreds of Space Pirates commanded by the Dread Pirate Robot’s four trusted Quartermasters. You also need to automate defences to fend off raids as the Space Pirates take more interest in your growing presence in the world.
We'll let you know as soon as we have a firm release date for this (free) Survival Mode update. In the meantime, check out the two snaps taken from the latest version. Here you can see Aaron's automated a direct attack on a small Space Pirate Outpost, with the aim of reclaiming essential technology.
Stay safe! Stay Autonauty!
Gary and Aaron
Turkish Language Beta
Thanks to Discorders pawnbreaker#4164, AvoidlessDogu#4348 and Fro#8182 we now have a fully-localised Turkish version of Autonauts! What we don’t have is any Turkish-speaking players to help check the translations in context...
If you fancy giving that a go (or you know someone), check out the new “super-secret-beta-fun” version (137.25). Head over to the Autonauts Discord server to share any text-related issues you find in the dedicated #türkçe chat channel, pinging pawnbreaker#4164 so they know. All other bugs should be shared in #super-secret-beta-fun as usual.
Cheers!
Now in Development: Autonauts Survival Mode
Automate not only farming and trade but your very survival! Defend your expanding base from marauding Space Pirates. Build, arm and script new Battlebots and defences. Destroy Space Pirate outposts to claim their cash, their technology and more land. Take back the world!
All the Autonfun! Half the Autoprice!
Hi! How's it going? Aaron and I are still beavering away, testing out new Autonauts ideas, with mixed results, but continually moving forwards!
Given the success of our recent Autonauts offer (50% off as part of the Steam Summer Sale), we've decided to keep it going for an extra week. So if you know anyone who's hankering for hundreds of hours of original, thoughtful entertainment at a bargain price... :)
Stay safe! Stay Autonauty!
Autonews
What’s happening with Autonauts? When will it be updated again? Will there be console versions? What about mobile? What about multiplayer? When will you use my suggestion?
We’re often asked these questions, so let’s see about some answers...
Since we tied up Colonise Mode in May, we’ve been fixing bugs, adding minor QOLs and - most importantly - reviewing everything we thought we’d do with Autonauts beyond its release. Our strategy hasn’t changed. We want to evolve Autonauts and believe the best focus is more ways to play: new reasons for new automation and new ways to automate. Right now we’re looking at all sorts of possibilities, such as what classic game types might mean in the context of Autonauts.
Like, what would an Autonauts Adventure involve? What about Autonauts Café ('Autocooked')? Autonauts Dungeon? Autonauts Puzzle? Autonauts Resort? An Autonauts Tale? Autonauts Strategy? Autonauts Survival? Underwautonauts? What about a dedicated educational version? And the multiplayer rewrite?
Should we try doing what we said we wouldn’t, like threats and combat? What about different biomes? Extended terraforming? Other languages? Further optimisation to improve performance? Richer scripting? Character customisation? More variants? What about ongoing QOLs, modding and a Trelloful of suggestions?
We’re pleased to say we have plenty of ideas for all that (and more). For now, we reckon it’s best to focus on making new Autonauts prototypes to get a better feel for some of the core activities that underpin new modes. Whichever route we choose, our aim is to ensure there’s enough novelty and variety in the scripted automation, and to add any wider-reaching improvements in the process.
That means we won’t have as much time as before to spend on smaller, regular updates, but we will still be found on the Discord server, collating sugs and bugs and reacting to any pressing issues that arise.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the Discussions.
Thanks for being such a fantastic community. You make all this worthwhile!
Get Enlightened in New Autonauts Free Expansion Out Today
After six months of free updates, we're proud to announce that we've released our most significant ever update for Autonauts. Behold, the Age of Enlightenment!
[previewyoutube="VAmKL8modZQ;full"]YOUTUBE [/previewyoutube] The sixth major update adds even more options for players to found, build and optimise their colonies. This update includes the scope for players to culture their colonists for the first time with automated art, establish ethical silk production, build a spaceport to export goods and resources to other planets, and achieve complete cultural transcendence - earning their in-game avatar a nifty medal in the process!
When we launched on Steam last October, we had big, far-reaching plans for what we wanted to add to the game. The new ‘Age of Enlightenment’ expansion marks a milestone in achieving our dreams. Our addition of Steam Workshop support has shown us the incredible work our fans are capable of, and there’s no telling how Autonauts will evolve now its future is even more directly placed in players' hands.
To celebrate our wonderful fans, we've also been running some modding competitions, which has inspired you all to make a wealth of highly creative and diverse new content for Autonauts. Among the plethora of ‘Automods’ available via Steam Workshop, highlights include the adorably warped Piñata Time, which lets players to tap animals with a Piñata Stick to win prizes, and the slightly sinister Cannibalism Mod, which allows colonists to be ‘recycled’ into burgers for other colonists. Hey! Recycling is important!
Those yet to experience the wonders of Autonauts now purchase the game for 50% off during The World of Curve Sale.
Is Age of Enlightenment all you'd dreamed it would be? Let us know in our official Discord server!
Competition Results: "Production Line Modding"
Thanks to all who entered our latest competition to win exclusive Automugs.
This time we challenged you to use Autonauts modding to make and share the foundations of a new production line.
Once again, we saw some quality entries. But, to badly paraphrase Highlander: there can only be three.
The winners are:
"Marketplace Mod" by Snork [aka Tinky ;)y] Capitalism comes to Autonauts with the means to trade Wuv for goods. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2089862719
"The Cannibalism Mod" by ketrab2004 A tad grim, granted, but imaginative use of recycling. Soylent Green is Colonists! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2073929972
"Mining Mod" by Just for fun Mined-ful use of mining stations brings major miner efficiency to Autonauts. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2091309122
Congratulations!
AUTONAUTS MODDING COMPETITION
After the success of our first modding competition, we couldn't resist doing another one. Yes, it's a second chance to win one of three Autolicious Autonauts Automugs (with or without Autologo, depending on your preference).
(We Autoreally need to get out of the Autohabit of Autoprefixing everything with "Auto".)
This time around the challenge is to create and share the foundations of a production line. We want to see custom objects made using variations of the type of structure called a "Converter" in Autonauts code circles. You know, like the ones already used to make tools, food, clothing, toys, medicine, books and so on.
Once again, we've made a short video about how to make a mod, in case you need some inspirational lubrication.
[previewyoutube="Dc2ZdZ6MMXA;full"] Feel free to enter as many times as you like (each production line will be considered on its individual merits) and let your imaginations run riot, but try not to make anything too rude or nasty.
Upload your mods to the Steam Workshop and make sure you use the tag "productioncompo" in your LUA script so we can find them.
This competition closes at midnight GMT on Friday the 8th of May 2020. The judge's decision is final.
It's Autonauts competition time: the results are in!
Thanks to everyone who took time to enter our latest competition. We asked you to use Autonauts modding to make and share a new tool via Steam Workshop. Some great entries made it hard to choose only three winners - but we did it!
And the winners of our exclusive Autonauts mugs are...
[Envelope Rustles]
Psylem's topical "Corona Time", which sees you using toilet roll as the tool to cure a spreading virus.
Papa Dragon's "Pinata Time", which unlocks a Piñata Stick with which you can tap animals to yield prizes.
WDSpider's "Fluffy Bunnies", which gives you the blueprint to a magic wand tool to unleash a plague of cute bunnies.
[Applause] [Whooping] [Whistling]
Congrats! Please DM @Gary and tell him where to send your prize.
Watch out for another modding competition soon!
It's o-fish-al: Autonauts Update #5 'Aquanauts' is Live!
Behold, ‘Aquanauts’! This month's Autonauts update sees the addition of even more bene-fish-ial updates to make automation even more e-fish-ient.
First off, our bots have had a little makeover. Old upgrades are now automatically removed once a newer one is implemented. Very handy. Plus, now much easier to work within the script limit when programming your bot, meaning your little team can be much more efficient. We've expanded the coding system, allowing not only the traditional REPEAT functions, but also brand new condition statements - including IF, IF/ELSE and EXIT REPEAT functions - giving you even more flexibility to code however you like.
Alongside improved bots are a bevy of new clothes, fishing updates and a beautiful new aquarium to top it all off. Take a peek at our latest trailer to see what else is on offer:
