Hi, I finally updated the game to the 4.19 version of the Unreal 4 engine. It was a very hard work change all the code from a very old version to the latest and test every aspect of the game in order to check that everything is ok.
As you know I ported the game to the 4.18 and I had a crash when I ran the game in the public build. After I changed the game to the 4.19, I could identify the problem and I solved it. Now the game works in the public build.
The game is really huge, so its nearly impossible to test everything so maybe could appear new bugs, if you find some bugs, please share to the community the bug and I will try to find it and fix it.
Loading:
During the waiting of the new version of the engine, I have improved a very important part and I have fixed some bugs. The important part is the loading of the game. I rewrited some part of the code in order to improve it, because I found that in some cases the game freeze during the loading. I added a percentage counter so the player can easily see if the game is loading or it is freeze. The loading part should work better now.
VR issues:
I disabled the plugins related to the VR, in order to try if the plugins are starting the game in VR mode when the player has a VR. I don't have any VR head set so I will really appreciate if anyone can say if now the game doesn't start the VR steam mode.
List of fixes:
Updated the game to 4.19 Engine version, we came from 4.10.
Updated the menu when the player starts the game, now it is possible to see easily the spaceship is travelling to the galaxy.
Added Percentage counter in the Loading Menu.
Added Sun mesh model in Asteroid Map and Gas Planet Map.
Fixed bug when getting info from the machines that could crash the game.
Fixed bug when Inventory menu was opened the player could click the machines of the map
Fixed bug when any Menu is opened the player could move any object.
Fixed bug related to fluid tanks that could crash the game when the player travel to a new map.
Fixed bug related to movement info not showed in the Galaxy map.
Removed message when exiting Tech Menu.
Removed VR plugins and other no necessary plugins.
What Next:
I will continue fixing bugs and polishing the game. During the change of the engine version, I found some bugs that I couldn't fix on time, so I hope fix it soon and update the game.
I would like to add the Mouse sensitivity option, Nuclear Power Plant and the Computer Machine that avoid the planet being hitted by asteroids (I have to think a name). I would like to finish of preparing the game for future translations and add more little features.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Upgrading the Game Engine.
Hi, I apologize about delay.
I'm upgrading the game engine, because the code compiler is having issues with the current game engine version 4.10. So I decided to upgrade to the newest, 4.18
I have been upgrading the game engine since before December. In the middle of January I finished to change all the game code in order to work with the new version. Adapting the code to the new version, was a huge work and I spent almost two months on it. I'm upgrading from the 4.10 version to 4.18, of the Unreal Engine 4.
Unfortunately, I can't upload the current build because the game crash in the build related to the players. The development build or debug build works well but the shipped build crash in something not directly related to the game code.
I know exactly where it crash in the code and I'm still working on fixing it but I tried almost everything and I spent more or less 3 weeks on it, and I think is better wait for the new 4.19 version that is in the preview phase.
So meanwhile I will fix some bugs related to the load of the savegames and other bugs.
When the new 4.19 is released I will start to upgrade again the game to the new version. if the bug in the new version continue, I will change to a lower version like 4.17, 4.16...
I'm sorry because I can't upload a new update on time and I think the new update will require more time to release. I hope the new version will fix the bug and I can continue fixing and improving things.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #37: Electric Internal Battery
Electric Internal Battery:
In this new update, I added to the game, the Electric Internal Battery to most of the machines of the game. The idea is to avoid the electric flickering of the machines when the game starts, during the change from day to night or when there is a desync of the electric network when the batteries are powering the net.
With the Electric Internal Battery the flickering problem dissapear and the transition of the day night will be smooth. Also with full charge of the Internal battery, a machine can work for days, so now the goal of the normal batteries totally change to power source in case of no power source when the net or any power source is destroyed.
List of fixes:
Added Internal Battery to all Hydraulic Presses.
Added Internal Battery to all Water Pumps.
Added Internal Battery to Oxygen Generator.
Added Internal Battery to all Factories (Steel Factory, Fuel Factory, ...)
Added Internal Battery to Cannon.
Added Internal Battery to Ore Extractor.
Added Internal Battery to All Foundries
Added Internal Battery to Oil Pump.
Added Internal Battery to Refinery.
What Next:
I will continue fixing bugs, polishing the game and finding what things I can add or modify in order to improve the game.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #36: Isometric Camera
Isometric Camera:
In this new update, I added to the game, the Isometric camera and mouse in the satellite and isometric camera. With the isometric camera and the mouse, the player can build and manage the base in a easy way. The satellite camera with mouse helps too for managing the far parts of the base.
I think that with this new camera players can play the game in some kind a strategy view, giving to the game more options to play.
Right now the player can play the game in first person, third person, isometric view and satellite view.
The Laser Drill doesn't work well in the isometric camera, I hope to fix it soon. It is not possible to rotate the camera, in the isometric and satellite view, and there is no zoom in the isometric camera, I prefer to wait for the community feedback, and release an update instead of wait more. if the community like the new view I will spend more time improving the isometric camera. In order to activate the Isometric camera, press J in the game.
IMPORTANT:
if you can't activate the Isometric/Satellite camera is because you have custom keybindings and you have to reset it. To do it you have two options, if you reassigned only a few keys you can introduce the keys like it was at the beginning of the game in the control menu inside the options menu, play a while and then reassign again. ( I have to add a reset button)
or
you can delete the Input.ini file that is inside the User Name / AppData / Local / FarlightExplorers / Saved / Config / WindowsNoEditor and restart the game.
Sorry for the issue.
List of fixes:
Added Isometric Camera.
Added Mouse in the Satellite Camera.
Added Mouse in the Isometric Camera.
Removed white dot in the Satellite Camera.
Removed white dot in the Isometric Camera.
Added warning icons (power, water, etc..) in the Isometric Camera.
Added warning icons (power, water, etc..) in the Satellite Camera.
Added Isometric camera in the galaxy map.
Added Immediately transition from the First/Third view to Satellite Camera.
Added Immediately transition from the First/Third view to Isometric Camera.
Added in control settings the Isometric Camera key.
Decreased intensity of lens flares from 1 to 0.1.
Updated info about the Isometric Camera in the tutorial menu.
What Next:
I would like to work a little more in the Isometric camera, polishing some issues. I will add more features in the isometric camera if the community think is needed.
I will continue fixing bugs and polishing the game.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #35: Satellite Camera
Satellite Camera:
In this new update, I added to the game, something that was in my mind time ago. A Satellite view. The player can have a sky view of the base and also can build and modify things. You can move the camera and zoom in/out.
During the development, I was trying this new view and playing the game, and it is like a different game, the player can handle very fast extractors that are very far each other, can see if a line has a bottleneck or something is destroyed by an asteroid.
If the community like the new Satellite view, I will work more on this. For example, add the possibility of a more isometric view, add a mouse for a more friendly building gameplay, rotate the camera, follow the player character, etc..
I would like to see your bases from the sky, if you have one, upload an image to Steam. I think others players can learn how to improve their bases or colonies or spaceships. Thank you.
I also fixed a lot of things related to the UI, for example when the player uses the Esc key in the inventory menu and the main menu appears, and other minor bugs.
IMPORTANT:
if you can't activate the Satellite camera is because you have custom keybindings and you have to reset it. To do it you have two options, if you reassigned only a few keys you can introduce the keys like it was at the beginning of the game in the control menu inside the options menu, play a while and then reassign again. ( I have to add a reset button)
or
you can delete the Input.ini file that is inside the User Name / AppData / Local / FarlightExplorers / Saved / Config / WindowsNoEditor and restart the game.
Sorry for the issue.
List of fixes:
Added Satellite Camera.
Added Movement in the Satellite Camera.
Added possibility to build from the Satellite Camera.
Added activate Satellite Camera button in the control menu.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close Inventory Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close a Machine Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close the Tech Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close the Statistics Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close the Battle Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug when player uses Esc to close the Tutorial Menu and the main menu appears.
Fixed bug in the combobox of the Smart Robotic Arms, the objects inside the lists appear repeated.
Fixed bug that crashed the game when a colonist lost the building where was working.
Updated info in the popup tutorial, added info about the Satellite view.
Fixed button in the tutorial where the label was repeated.
Updated info in the Tutorial Menu related to the Satellite view.
What Next:
I would like to continue working in the satellite view, if the community love the idea. I will continue fixing bugs that the community report, some bugs require more time to find and fix and others are easier to fix, I hope to fix as many as possible.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #34: Galaxy Status Menu
Galaxy Status Menu:
In this new update I added a new menu with different options that will appear when the player selects a new game.
In this new menu, the player will choose in what moment of the story of the galaxy will play and who will be. There are three possible choices. To be the first explorer of the galaxy. To be the first colonist of the galaxy or to be a person who was born in the galaxy.
The choice is important because the player will access to different buildings or options in the game. I mean, if the player chooses to be the first colonist, all the trade and colony buildings will be available at the beginning. if the player selects born in the galaxy, all the trade and colony buildings will be available plus the battle button in the inventory menu.
I think with this new layer of options, the player can configure how to play the game, I mean, being the explorer, the player has to focus on extract resources directly from the ground in different planets and try to survive with that. However, being the colonist, the player can extract the resources in one planet, trade with them, and get new resources with the credits earned.
List of fixes:
Galaxy Status Menu.
What Next:
Finding and fixing bugs, polish and maybe add little things like the previous updates.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #33: Control Computer
Updates and Fixes #33: Control Computer:
Control Computer:
I focused this new update to improve the number of objects at the same time on conveyors belt. I rewrote all the code related to the minerals and products and I achieved to increase the amount of objects. The game had the limit in 100 objects at the same time, with the new code I increase this number to 500.
Instead of change the number by default to 500 in the game, or add an option in the gameplay menu, I left the default number to 100, and I added a new machine called the Control Computer. I think this way add more inmersion to the game, because when the player reachs the max limit, a message appear that the base control can't handle more objects at the same time in order to maintain the base stability.
The player only can change the max number of objects if places a computer in the map. So each map can have different limits.
In order to change the max number of objects per map, the player only has to place the Computer in the map, select it, and press B key to increase the number or N to decrease the number. A value will show the current amount.
List of fixes:
Added Control Computer.
Increase number of objects at the same time on conveyors belt.
Optimized the number of objets on conveyors belt.
What Next:
Finding and fixing bugs, polish and maybe add little things like the previous updates.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #32: Batteries and Galaxy Map.
Updates and Fixes #32: Batteries and Galaxy Map:
Batteries:
In this new updated. I added new batteries models to the game. These new models will help the player to store a high quantity of power with less amount of batteries. Each battery adds a 1 second of desync in the electric network, so it is better to have a low number of batteries at the same time.
With the new models, it is possible to have less batteries in the planet map, so the electric network won't suffer a long desync time.
The Battery Mk II can storage 6000 W that its equivalent to 4 Basic Batteries.
The Battery Mk III can storage 20000 W that it's equivalent to 12 Basic Batteries.
The Battery Mk IV can storage 50000 W that it's equivalent to 32 Basic Batteries.
Galaxy Map:
I finally added the mouse in the Galaxy Map, so selecting the stars and the planets in the galaxy map will be easier. The player can move with the movement keys and select the stars and planets with the mouse.
List of fixes:
Added Battery Mk II
Added Battery Mk III
Added Battery Mk IV
Added Info about the limits of batteries.
Fixed problem in the Solar Panel Model when two solar panels are together.
Added Mouse to the Galaxy Map.
Fixed Pillar not showed in the Stations filter in the craft menu.
Fixed problem when selecting some stars in the Galaxy Map.
What Next:
Like the previous updates, the idea is to continue fixing bugs, polish, improving the game and add little things.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #31: Oxygen Bottle Generator.
Updates and Fixes #31: Oxygen Bottle Generator.
In this new updated I added a few things and fixed some minor bugs.
I added the Oxygen Bottle Generator, this machines creates oxygen bottles, so the players doesn't have to return to the oxygen dispenser all the time. The oxygen bottle generator only requires power and oxygen to work. In order to build it, the player needs iron plates and other resources, so it is not possible to build it at the beginning of the game unless you are playing in peaceful or survival mode.
I added too the possibility to bind arrows keys, that are really useful to the players that use arrow keys in order to move the character.
I finally achieved to add a few new screen resolutions,I added, 1280x1024, 2160x1080 and 3840x2160.
I'm reviewing all the texts of the game and I updated the texts related to the tutorial, the popup tutorial texts and the main menu tutorial texts has been updated too.
A bug related to the plastic factory has been reported. The bug was that the plastic factory could produce plastic without petrochemicals. After reviewing the code, I could fix it.
List of fixes:
Added Oxygen Bottle Generator.
Added key binding arrows.
Added screen resolution 1280x1024.
Added screen resolution 2160x1080.
Added screen resolution 3840x2160.
Updated Tutorial texts.
Fixed Bug in the plastic Factory.
What Next:
The idea is to continue fixing bugs, polish and improve the game.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Updates and Fixes #30: Stations and Solar Panel with Battery
Updates and Fixes #30: Stations and Solar Panel with Battery:
In this new update I fixed a lot of important things and I added to the game something that I think is important in order to make the game more friendly for new players, The Stations.
Stations are pre made structures with all the necessary objects that a machine requires to work. For example, the Water Pump Station has a water pump, a solar panel, wires connected, and some pipes. The Ore Station has the Ore Extractor, Solar Panel, a Robotic arm, some conveyor belts and a Chest... The player only has to put the water station over a water spot or the ore station over a mineral vein and all the objects will appear and the machine will start to work. With this method the player can build a base really quickly and learn how everything works.
I think with the stations, the player can learn how the machines and the robotic arms and other objects works together, only watching the stations, and for example the player can use the furnace station, remove the furnace and put other machine that uses the same objects to work.
I added 9 stations, that I think will help the player to understand how each main machine works and I also added a colony station that will show how to setup a initial colony with all the necessary buildings.
I have an idea in my mind that the player can beat the game using only stations, so the player that don't like put pipes or wires can only focus in create stations that trasnform objects in other objects. I need the feedback of the community to know if that is a good idea in order to develop more this idea.
I added too a Solar Panel with Battery. This new machine can work during the night because it has a battery integrated. This battery can work during heavy storms.
What Next:
I will continue fixing bugs and polishing the game, I think the game has a lot of content so the priority is to focus on make it friendly and fix bugs.
List of new content:
Added Water Pump Station.
Added Oxygen Station.
Added Food Station.
Added Furnace Station.
Added Ore Extractor Station.
Added Hydraulic Press Station.
Added Bifurcation Station.
Added Steel Factory Station.
Added Solar Generator With Battery.
Added Initial Colony Base.
Added music for the battle deployment.
Added music when the battle begins.
Added music when player wins the battle.
Added music when the player loses the battle.
Added environment sound for the battle.
Added different weapon sounds for the battle.
Added info in ship controller machine.
Added info in Map module machine.
Added message in the galaxy map when the spaceship has not enough fuel.
Fixed selecting issue in Robotic Arm, Solar Generator and Turret.
Fixed bug of the spaceship can't fill fuel.
Fixed bug with the ship controller machine when the spaceship is destroyed or removed.
Fixed bug when player places objects over a rotated spaceship.
Fixed Inventory UI in fullscreen for different screen resolutions.
