Dome Sweet Dome
In this long-awaited update, we have improved Galactic Harvester across the board. One of larger changes in version 0.2 is the new base environment; this change transforms the game from using a single, cumbersome biodome to a modular base expansion system.
The new biodome is much more compact than the previous iteration and does not come with a built in Selling Pit or Big Space Computer; instead, the dome’s hexagonal shape allows for the construction of six modules. Each module is completely customisable to allow each player to build the base as they see fit. Upon colonising a planet, you will have access to the Research, 3D Printer, and Selling Pit modules, but as you progress you will unlock more, including the ability to construct additional domes.
This new system is a much-needed departure from the original layout. With this system we will be able to easily implement more features in future updates. As we continue to develop Galactic Harvester, we fully intend to create new and interesting modules that will make the game more enjoyable.
A New Frontier
In our effort for this patch to greatly improve Galactic Harvester’s user interface, we have overhauled the main menu with a new environment, UI, and random planet generation. With these improvements, you now have infinitely more options over the number of possible celestial bodies you will chose to embark for.
Full V0.2 Patch Notes
New
- New farming domes and module system.
- Dome module system.
- 3D Printer Module.
- Bridge Module.
- Research Module.
- Water Tower Module.
- Selling Pit Module
- 3D Printer Module.
- New dome layout
- Additional farming domes.
- Press Tab to toggle the dome's top visibility.
- Dome customisation menu.
- Dome module system.
- User Interface
- New "New Game" screen.
- New "Load Game" screen.
- New planet randomisation system. Planets are now 3D and have many more characteristics. Planets created in the "New Game" screen are recalled when selecting the save in "Load Game".
- Start/Load game animation.
- Loading screen fade between the Main Menu and Main Game screens, for smoother transitions.
- If you cannot purchase or research an item, newly added tool-tip hint text will inform you why.
- New "New Game" screen.
- Gameplay
- 1/1000 chance for a grown crop to become golden. Golden crop look unique, trigger an achievement, and are extremely valuable.
- 3 difficulty modes. These modes affect pricing, starting values, grow times, and more.
- Added a primitive tutorial. This can be toggled when creating a new game or in the pause menu.
- Items that the tractor can interact with are dynamically highlighted in blue. This makes it much easier to identify what an action will do.
- Items the tractor can interact with are now displayed on the HUD; attachments dynamically show what a button press will do.
- 1/1000 chance for a grown crop to become golden. Golden crop look unique, trigger an achievement, and are extremely valuable.
- More
- Partial controller support. (Tractor is fully supported but a mouse is required for most menu interactions)
- Settings menu now reverts to previous settings after 15 seconds if not confirmed. (Accessibility feature)
- Steam Achievements
- Partial controller support. (Tractor is fully supported but a mouse is required for most menu interactions)
Modified
- Fixed ToastieLabs intro graphical glitch.
- Major improvements to the main menu planet.
- Main menu UI moved to the left of the game window to assist players with a resolution bug.
- Setting menu graphical improvements
- Improvements to main game floor.
- Graphical improvements to how the controls are displayed.
- In-game menus now blur the background. (for visual fidelity)
- Gameplay Feedback and Bug Report forms.
- Multiple Typographical Errors
Removed
- Big Space Computer has been compartmentalised into multiple separate modules (3D printer, Research Station & Workshop)
- Delivery System has been replaced with 3D printer.
- Removed support for v0.1.0 and v0.1.1 save files.
- Old 3D popup naming system removed in favour of dynamic highlighting system.
Game Jam and Older Versions
Unfortunately, due to the dramatic nature of the changes made this patch, Galactic Harvester will no longer be able to use saves from previous versions of the game. We do not want to prevent you from using your old saves, so you can now access old versions of the game via a dedicated branch on Steam. This can be done via the following:
Right click on Galactic Harvester in your Steam library -> Betas -> Select version from drop down -> close.
Additionally, we have also made the original Unreal Epic Mega Jam game submission available via this method. Due to a lot of confusion from potential members of the Galactic Harvester community we will be removing it’s stand alone package from the Steam store. We quickly discovered that a lot of gamers mistook the Game Jam submission as a free demo for Galactic Harvester which was not our intent. It will remain playable for those who have purchased the game via the aforementioned branching method.
Whats Next?
We have been overwhelmed with all the positive feedback we received from our original release. Thank you to all of you who told us what you liked and what you didn’t, we have taken all feedback to heart. It is apparent that a lot of you would like the main game-play loop to be improved, as such we will be dedicating the next update into making farming less laborious and more fun. Keep the feedback coming; we would love to hear your thoughts on v0.2.