Hellion
Exposure update is now live!
Exposure - Patch Notes
Radiation and Armor
Radiation
Replaced the old degradation mechanic with a new radiation and armor system. Radiation is the measure of overall exposure to both EM and Ionizing radiation at any given location in the Hellion system. It increases the further away players are from the starting zone. Radiation deals damage over time to both modules and EVA players without adequate protection.
Nanite Cores
Nanite Cores serve as a direct counter to radiation damage. These parts can be placed inside a new Nanite Diffuser system found in all ships and modules. Nanite Cores add a layer of armor over the hull preventing damage from any source up to their maximum armor value.
Navigation map information for radiation factor
Environmental panel warnings for radiation factor
Mining
- Mining nods
- Gas pockets
- New mining resources
Crafting
- Items blueprint research in the fabricator
- Blueprints tab in the inventory screen
- Shredder added to fabricator module
- Default crafting items
- New salvage resources
Items
- Nanite core item
- Storage Box
- Diamond core drill bits
- EVA and MK9 suits tiers
- EVA and MK9 helmet tiers
- EVA and MK9 jetpack tiers
- Turret tiers
- Raw recourse canister tiers
- Refined recourse canister tiers
- Mining drill tiers
- Asteroid scanner tiers
Security
- Disabled docking access for stations with CM when current player is not authorized
- Hacking port and locking mechanism added on both sides of the security doors
- Authorization required for locking and unlocking doors
Improvements
- Returned cargo to Arges ship
- Sun exposure Solar Panels tweak
- Shelves added to starter module
- Battery powered helmets
- Refactored EVA and MK9 helmet UI
- Armor against radiation added to suits
- Screenshot mode added to “F10”
- Portable turrets are now destroyed when shot
- Empty magazines now disappear autoamtically
- Asteroids are always visible on map
- Core containment slots added to Outpost x1, SPM x2, PSM x3
- Nanite core armor value on environment panels
- Nanite core armor value on life support panel
- Timer for nanite core on environmental panel
- Double click an item to put it in inventory
- Health and armor values in inventory UI
- Drill can now hurt other players
- Weapon accuracy, recoil and damage tweaks
- Turret damage, HP and armor tweaks
- Hirath moved between Bethyr and Askatar
- Replaced random modules spawning around planets and moons with junkyards
- Added asteroids and new resource distribution for all relevant planets and moons
- Added asteroids to doomed orbits
- Added several additional doomed outposts to Ia, Nimath, Athnar and Askatar
- Loot distribution, added new item tiers to loot tables
- Loot distribution, reduced the overall number of items spawning throughout the Hellion system to put added emphasis on blueprint, research and crafting
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Bugfixes
- Small rotation movement causes a module to shake and bounce off the player
- Vessel rotation automatic stabilization not working as intended
- Stuck in cryopod at start of the game
- Recycler not accepting items, while showing recycle details
- When there are two airlocks docked together, the undock levers are not useable.
- Docking orientation - controls not working as they should when docking other modules trough Steropes docking UI
- Inventory character preview jetpack misplaced in hands
- Warp To Outpost HUD marker for quest item appearing in wrong place - at center of the parent planet
- Aegis Assault Rifle - cannot be stowed in weapon stands in outposts or ships
- "Replanish" on the Life Support screen should be spelled "Replenish"
- Losing materials if cancel fabrication
- Cryopod glitch - outpost airflow result in glitching while in cryopod
- Delete Save Game - typo in "Are you sure you want to delte save game?"
- In the ESC menu, Quick Save is misspelled "QUCK SAVE"
- Singleplayer: (Auto-)Save while being in module RCS-Console bugs out RCS control
- Cargo panel error
- Recycler UI fix, when cargo is full
- The wrong position of items dropped/thrown (G) while in space
- Press 2 for navmap shows after exiting the pilot seat
- An item placed on the attachment not updating 3D character view
- Missing drill sounds
- Bullet decals bug on the turret (attache point triggers are being hit)
- Invisible repair point on Steropes Bridge (broken glass and hole decal)
- Targets in junkyard Ship_001 removal
- Wrong outfit tier color after spawn/relog
- Game unresponsive after docking module destruction
- Delay while moving items in inventory
- Solar panels on the solar power module initially retracted (system OnLine)
- Resource injector doesn't reduce O2 & N2 consumption in air generator
- Outpost Gravity Switch - initialization bug
Zero Gravity Team
Devblog #50 - Exposure Update Preview
It’s only one week until the new update crashes into your PCs. We are super excited about this and today we want to wrap it all up once again since there is a really good initial feedback from internal and external testing.
Last week we asked you to help us with naming the update. You’ve hit us with bunch of interesting suggestions, some of them were really funny. Thank you for that! You definitely helped us understand how you see all the changes but in the end we’ve decided to go with the name that refers to the core mechanics of this update. And that is the Exposure!
Exposure changes everything. The old degradation mechanics was nothing but a placeholder and did little to motivate players in their struggle for survival. The new radiation mechanics, along with the armor system completely changes the way Hellion feels. The key difference being that damage to your character, modules and ships can now be prevented. Not only does this system feel more natural, it also changes the way players deal with various hazards, such as debris fields and turrets.
Planning ahead is now the key to success. While mistakes are survivable, recovering from them can be costly, especially when combined with the new mining mechanics and improvements to item tiers and crafting. Most importantly, this update creates a clear progression system, while staying true to the Hellion’s core idea, a realistic and immersive space experience.
So for those of you who aren’t sure what to expect, here’s a short recap:
- Radiation and armor mechanics
- New mining system with surface nodes and gas pockets
- Improved crafting mechanics with new resources and blueprints
- New item tiers and bonuses to help you deal with increasing challenges
- Improvements to UI and HUD
- Better inventory management system along with storage boxes
- Rotating stations and asteroids
- Balance changes to ships and systems
- Improved security
- Improved weapons and combat
The Exposure Update is coming out next Thursday, March 7. Full patch notes will be released on Wednesday. So pack your EVA suit, slot the warp cells, and get ready for some action!
See you next week,
Zero Gravity team
Hellion - Second Anniversary
On February 24, 2017, Hellion embarked on a wonderful journey. And today, exactly two years and a day later, we can only say: It’s been one hell of a ride! Over this period, Hellion has developed into a very special game in the market. One that offers a truly unique experience of being alone in the vast expanse.
Today, we want to share one exclusive footage of Hellion’s prototype. It was really long ago. And that was the spark. :)
https://youtu.be/vbWe2IMjf7A
Thank you for your fantastic support!
Zero Gravity team
Devblog #49 Little Bits
We are coming really close to the release of the next update. The date is set: March 7! Today we are going to give you more details on what it will bring to the game. The only thing that is missing is the title of the update. And we’d like to ask you for help. We’ll be listening to your suggestions over the weekend for the name of our new baby. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
On Sunday, we’ll have the second anniversary of Hellion’s Early Access. With your feedback and our work, Hellion is almost an adult, a mature game that grew steadily over the course of these two years. And we are proud of it!
Now, let’s get back to the latest chunk of changes for the next update we want to present to you. So far we’ve covered most of the big things coming in the next update. The new mining system, economy, item tiers, etc. So this time we are going to focus on, as the name says, “little bits”. You know, those tiny improvements and small changes that often fly beneath the radar but can add a lot to the overall experience.
New Helmet UI
Let’s start with the new helmet HUD. We’ve received a lot of complaints regarding immersion and various UI elements. Most of these were aimed at the “always visible UI elements” like the new health indicator. So to address these issues we’ve decided to go with the “realistic” option. All helmets now have a proper HUD and outline based on the type of helmet you are currently wearing.
In addition, when you are not wearing a helmet or your visor is up, you won’t be able to see any HUD information, including your current HP indicator. This however, excludes the “meta information”, such as quest markers as these represent things that your character simply knows and understands.
Along with these changes we’ve also improved the information displayed on the ENV panels to compensate for the lack of HUD.
Now before every space photographer reading this throws a fit, because taking your helmet off to take a screenshot isn’t exactly a smart thing to do, we’re also adding a screenshot mode. It simply removes all UI elements and lets you take a picture.
“Loot Boxes” - No, no, no! Not that kind…
We mean the real loot boxes as in: “boxes where you can stash loot”... Some of you may remember us mentioning these way back, but we’ve had some technical difficulties with their implementation. And so they were left on ice, until now. These boxes can be picked up and carried around in your hands and they can store up to 18 medium or small items. They can also be dropped or placed in their respective attach points found in all larger modules, allowing you to manage and store your gear more effectively. While we’re on the subject of storage space, most modules had new shelves and attach points added.
Arges changes
Arges MkII underwent a few changes as well. Most notably its old cargo system is back which combined with its numerous shelves and large cargo doors makes it ideal for mining runs. In addition to this it is now equipped with a “dual nanite diffuser system” that allows simultaneous use of different nanite cores. This gives the ship added flexibility when it comes to dealing with radiation and debris fields to offset its lack of maneuverability and fuel consumption regarding both Warp Drive and RCS.
Rotation
In Hellion everything is in constant motion, driven by the most powerful force in the known universe… gravity. It works, for the most part… until you take a closer look at various stations or asteroid… They do look a bit, how should we say… static? Well no more! Starting with the next update stations and asteroids will all rotate around one or more axes adding to the overall space feel. In actual gameplay this adds another layer of complexity to mining and looting, as sometimes you will need to find the proper angle of approach when mining or salvaging. It might also mean that you will need to first catch and stabilize that module you plan on bringing home with you…
Security
Yup, another improvement to the security interface aimed at fixing some of the issues that have remained unresolved. First and foremost, all of these changes apply only to places ‘with an actual’ security interface (aka bases with the command Module and ships). Airlock interface can no longer be used by unauthorized personnel. In a similar fashion you can no longer dock ships and modules to stations where you are not authorized.
Locks have also gone through a bit of a rework and the ‘lock/unlock’ button as well as hacking ports are now present on both sides of the door. The catch is, you have to be authorized to use them, preventing intruders from simply ‘unlocking’ a door should they come from the other side. As before using a hacking tool will remove authorization from the hacked object allowing you to pass through.
Power, crafting and refining tweaks
So far the capacitor has been a rather unused and generally unimportant part of the power supply interface. You either had enough power, or none at all, forcing players to ‘micromanage’ various systems and base power of modules, all so they could craft a single item, or refine a batch of ice. But most importantly it was very time consuming.
As we’ve stated before, Hellion is a game with slower pacing and any meaningful action takes time. Scavenging is fun, mining is fun, looting is fun, PvP is fun… Staring at a crafting/refining interface for 15 minutes is most certainly not fun… So we aim to change this with the next update and put more emphasis on the capacitor and power production.
As many of you figured out already crafting and refining will play a major role in the next update. So to spice things up we’ve decided to speed up the refining/crafting process… along with the amount of power consumed. Refining and crafting times will now measure in seconds rather than minutes, but these actions will also quickly drain your stored power. To compensate, Power Supply Module, Solar Power Module and Outpost have all received extra slots for core containment parts letting you improve your capacitor’s maximum storage.
Weapon tweaks
Finally we want to talk a bit about weapons, turrets and overall gunplay in Hellion. It’s… well it’s not good… and that is putting it mildly. So we’ve also done a number of changes to weapons and turrets with the objective of making PvP and PvE fun and engaging. Towards this end all weapons have had their accuracy, rate of fire, damage and recoil changed and now handle much better allowing you to actually land your shots, even in EVA.
Furthermore turrets have been changed from “you have been shot” into a threat that can be taken out with proper gear and planing. Turrets now come in 4 tiers that vary greatly in damage output and armor but have one thing in common, they will no longer instantly kill you as you come through the door, instead they will chip away at your health and force you to plan ahead with ammo, medpacks and grenades. Still bear in mind that taking on a T3 turret with T1 gear is certainly not advised and might feel even more unfair than before, especially since turrets now also explode when destroyed, so try to keep your distance…
Oh, almost forgot! Drills can now also be used melee weapons, since a system designed to drill through hardened ferrite also happens to work on people and equipment. Happy hunting! Errr...mining...
Well that’s all, we think… Stay tuned and expect the update to land in two weeks if everything goes without a hitch. We know we said it would be out next week, but we believe it’s better to leave it in the owen a bit more until we hunt down any potential bugs and balance issues.
Until next time, fly safe!
Zero Gravity Team
Devblog #48 Economy
Basic resources
Or consumables if you like, are all essential things your character can’t function without. No oxygen and you’ll suffocate, no fuel and you won’t be able to move. Unlike other settings where movement requires little or no effort, vacuum as you all know, is a bit different. Early on in the game’s development we realized that building gameplay solely on “survival” mechanics wasn’t quite cutting it. Say we chose to deprive players of the most basic resource like fuel. That’s it you’re dead… It won’t matter if you have enough power or oxygen, if you can’t move you’ll die eventually and the only option left to you is to activate a distress call and wait… Not particularly engaging, or fun for that matter.
Sure, we could have just added a myriad of different problems that force you to “eat, sleep and drink every 15 seconds” but that also didn’t sit right with us. As things stand Hellion is a game with somewhat slower pace and we felt that adding all of these problems would turn gameplay more into a chore than something fun and engaging (one of the reasons why we’re removing degradation). We want players to “create their own problems”... in a manner of speaking. Every time a player ends up in a tight spot we want to give them a “way out” and in case they don’t make it… Every player needs to know how they ended up in that situation, why they died and most importantly how to prevent it.
Crafting 2.0
As we’ve stated in our previous blogs space radiation and armor are coming to Hellion and with them a completely new exploration and survival experience. To spice things up we’ve also revamped our crafting system with new resources and blueprints. In order to craft any item you will now require a minimum of 2 things. A blueprint and some crafting resources.
Blueprints
All characters start with a set of basic tier 1 blueprints which include items like suit, jetpack, helmet, nanite core, warp cell, drill and similar items. These are all things that your character will need in order to survive when starting out. In order to craft other items or higher tier versions of the ones you already have you will need to find a blueprint.
Blueprints can be obtained by dismantling items in the fabricator module. Items dismantled in this way will award you a blueprint for that particular item but will not provide any crafting resources.
Blueprints are also tied to a character on a particular server, so even if your character dies and you lose your base the blueprints you obtained will stay with you even if you select a “fresh start”. The only way to lose blueprints is to delete your character from a server completely.
Crafting Resources
As the name implies these are the resources necessary for crafting. They can be divided into two categories: recycled and refined resources. Both can be obtained by recycling items in the fabricator module, but these will only award a fraction of their crafting cost. To recycle any item you will need to use the fabricator’s “shredder”.
Altair Corporation takes no responsibility for any severe injuries, mutilation or death resulting from improper use of the Shredder™
As before “scrap components” such as broken armature or shattered panels remain the best source of recycled resources and they can be easily obtained from the junkyards. There are four recycled resources and they are, in order of rarity: Carbon Fibers, Alloys, Circuits and Superconductors.
The second category of resources you will need are “refined resources”. These are most easily obtained by mining raw resources from asteroids and refining them using the cargo’s refinery. Resourced that you can mine and their refined counterparts are: Ferrite > Nickel-Iron, Mafic Rock > Silicates, Titanite > Titanium, Rare Compounds > Rare Elements.
Rarity and zones
Rarity of any given resource represents the amount of effort needed to obtain it and not just “how often you come across it”. Rarer resources will often be located in deadlier debris fields and zones with higher radiation, requiring players to craft better gear. While it is possible to obtain these resources with inferior equipment it is very risky.
Not only will different zones (planets and moons) have different resources, the resources you find will also vary in quantity. Some areas will offer better mining opportunities while others an abundance of salvage. You might find yourself planning a trip to one of the planets or moons, simply because it has the highest concentration of the resource you want.
To make things a bit more interesting basic consumable resources won’t be readily available everywhere you go. They will be plentiful in the starting area, but Ice and Dry Ice for example will become scarcer and scarcer as you move closer to Hellion’s blazing heat but abundant around frozen gas giants. Similarly, Regolith which is the sole source of He-3 consumed by the reactor becomes more and more plentiful the closer you get to Hellion but is virtually non-existent in outer regions.
Itemization and Equipment
This finally brings us to equipment. Most items in the game now have tiers just like parts. An item that is one tier higher requires additional “rarer” resources to craft but also offers substantial bonuses over its lower tier counterpart. Different nanite cores will offer improved armor necessary for mitigating damage in dangerous debris fields or high radiation zones while different suit types will offer different protection values against radiation and gunfire. In both cases higher tiers will exponentially improve your survivability. Better weapons and ammo will be more expensive but offer advantages needed to overcome stronger turrets. Better mining gear will help you extract resources faster which becomes crucial when mining an asteroid on a doomed orbit.
Now to address the number of items you need to carry around with you, as mentioned in the beginning. Higher tier items will also indirectly optimize your loadout. If you invest time and effort into a better suit with higher oxygen capacity, carrying cans becomes redundant. Same can be said about raw canisters, batteries and hacking tools freeing up inventory slots for additional stimpacks, ammo or anything else you might need for the task ahead.
Everything above leads to one thing. No matter where you choose to go, or what you decide to do, there will be a challenge to overcome, but you will always be able to plan ahead. Will you postpone that trip to Askatar until you craft better equipment or, rely on your piloting and EVA skills to compensate? How high you decide to raise the challenge bar is up to you.
Finally, as you may have guessed already, when it comes to blueprints and items, having a blueprint is only useful if you have access to the resources necessary to craft it. For some players using the item will be better than dismantling it for a blueprint, but the risk here is that they might lose it. What if you traded someone for the resources or blueprints that you need? Or… stole them from someone… The choice, as always, is up to you.
Oh and we almost forgot! Expect this update to land in around two weeks, as soon as we are done with balancing and bug fixing. That’s all for today!
Until next time, fly safe!
Zero Gravity Team
Devblog #47 - Space Radiation and Armor
We’ve always thought of Hellion as player versus environment kind of game. While this concept is used in many games, in Hellion it is a bit more literal. Space is extremely deadly, that much is obvious, but with the right gear life in complete vacuum is possible. For as long as the technology works that is. Even the smallest malfunction can cause complete chaos, as evident from the many space missions launched during the last century. Hellion’s basic premise was always, what happens when our technology starts failing and ‘ordering a replacement’ is no longer an option?
In Hellion, technology failed a long time ago. When players wake up, they find themselves surrounded by ruins and decaying equipment. Most of the modules and ships you come across went well past their ‘expiration date’ and would have been decommissioned decades ago under normal circumstances. But as we know, the world of Hellion is anything but normal and you find yourself in a situation where all of your gear needs constant maintenance just to stay in one piece. So the question now is: What is causing this decay and is there anything you can do to stop it?
Degradation
Degradation was always a placeholder, something to tie things up until we implement a proper system. In retrospect we may have clung to it a bit too long. Finding a broken down module and restoring it to working condition is certainly fun and offers an interesting activity. Same can be said about getting hit by a stray piece of debris that creates a crisis situation that you have to resolve.
But the key problem here is that players have no control over these events and no way to mitigate the damage their ships and modules take. All they can do is pull out their welders and start repairing…
Space radiation
First we want to announce that we’ve put “arbitrary degradation” on a one way shuttle out of the Hellion system. Yup, it’s gone. For good this time. No more “walks of shame”, mandatory repair duty and gameplay that feels like a chore instead of being fun and engaging. We are introducing a new system, one that offers a lot more control to players.
Introducing “Space Radiation”. This is a combination of “direct EM radiation” and “ionizing radiation” present at any location in the Hellion system. In short, any orbit you choose to go to will have a radiation value that represents how much damage your ships and modules will take each second while in the area. A separate value also exists for players and will tell you how much damage your character will suffer each second while outside of a ship or station.
Radiation will increase expontially the further you move away from the “sweet spot” of the starting zone.
Armor
No system of damage would be complete without a way for players to somehow prevent or at least reduce that damage. For this purpose we are introducing several new parts for ships and modules, as well as armor values for player suits. Armor acts as a direct counter to “all forms of damage”, not just radiation. It will prevent incoming damage up to its maximum value. Any excess damage will be applied directly to module/player health.
Nanite Diffuser and Nanite Cores
A new “nanite diffuser” system is now present in all ships and modules. It requires a new part: the “nanite core” in order to function and will reinforce the module’s hull by adding a layer of armor over it. Any incoming damage that is lower or equal to the armor value will be applied to the Nanite Core instead of the module.
Cores have four quality tiers that can be crafted and come in two variations: AltCorp (civilian) or SDS (military). Civilian cores offer lower armor but exceptional durability (effective HP) compared to their military counterparts. They are designed to shield your modules from harm over long periods of time in relatively “safe” environments. Military cores on the other hand offer exceptionally high armor but low durability as they are designed to shield your ships during excursions into debris fields and from minor collisions. All cores are fully interchangeable and can be used in both ships and modules.
Player Suits
Extra Vehicular Activity represents a huge chunk of Hellion gameplay and we wanted to spice things up with the new radiation system. All suits now have different armor values according to their purpose. The Mk9 pressurized suit offers a decent “radiation armor” value but has added protection from weapons and turret fire, making it ideal for scavenging and raiding. The EVA suit on the other hand features higher radiation protection and collision resistance but no added protection against weapons, making it ill suited for any combat scenario. Also, both suits have four quality tiers.
Hazard Zones
With radiation and armor in place we are also dividing Hellion into hazard regions. These regions will offer different gear and resources but will require certain prerequisites to be met before they can be safely explored.
This is where the part about “player control” comes into play. With enough information about zones players can easily plan ahead and collect gear and items for the task ahead of them. Want to set up a base in the relative comfort of the starting zone? Civilian cores will get the job done. Want to reduce the amount of maintenance you do? Find or craft higher quality cores. Planning a salvage run through Athnar’s junkyards? Better obtain some high tier military cores, that debris hits hard. Expecting turrets on that doomed outpost? Bring a better suit.
Every time players choose to do an activity, there is a risk factor involved. Entering a high hazard area with inadequate gear is highly lethal but possible. And it creates that high risk / high reward scenario. Whether or not players survive is up to their equipment and more importantly their skill.
That’s all for today folks! Until next time, watch out for turrets and fly safe!
ZeroGravity Team
Devblog #45 - Roadmap, Mining and Other Stuff
As we announced last week we are starting with a new series of blog posts aimed at explaining the thought process behind major game design decisions for Hellion. Also, we said that we are going to update our roadmap, so here you go: https://trello.com/b/IB3hepnV/hellion-road-map-final-phase
As you can see, we’ve moved to the Second (Final) Phase of Hellion development in which we want to tie the entire gameplay experience into a meaningful whole. Many of you used to complain about our frequent additions of new content with each update which caused instability and introduced new bugs and issues. Now, we can finally agree with you. There is enough stuff in Hellion right now we just need to set them up properly in order to achieve what we always wanted Hellion to be.
Lots of changes, lots of decisions, many of them based on the feedback we are getting from the community. And we’ll go through all of them, one by one, week by week, so get ready for it!
Let’s kick things off with mining.
Mining
So what’s wrong with mining? Well… a lot… Let’s start with the most obvious - mining plays and feels just like a placeholder. That isn’t surprising since it was left on the backburner in favour of other features since Hellion’s EA launch two years ago. Not quite representative of the ‘immersive space experience’ Hellion aims for. Well, about time we did something about that. Right?
New resources
Why bother with mining at all? This is one of the first problems in Hellion at the moment. Mining is not nearly as rewarding or engaging when compared to salvaging. In order to address the first part of this problem we are introducing a number of new crafting resources. These new resources will be necessary to craft any item and will be exclusive to mining. How you obtain them is up to you. We would prefer that you go mining, but raiding someone’s cargo bay also works. ;)
Now to address the second part..
Exposed surface deposits
Or, mining nodes if you prefer a less technical term. Why you might ask? Well it’s because flying to an asteroid, sticking a drill in the ground and holding LMB for a few minutes isn’t exactly a fun and engaging activity.
Mining will now only be possible from exposed surface deposits, or nodes. This will require flying from one deposit to the next as a single node won’t contain an endless amount of ore. Expect to go through a few of these in order to fill up one or two drill containers. These nodes will also be visually different from each other based on the type of resource they contain to allow players to easily identify them from a distance (those asteroids aren’t exactly tiny).
Another thing to note is that each asteroid will have a large but finite amount of resources available. So if you’re planning a massive mining operation you might want to look for a few suitable rocks.
Gas pockets
Of course, no activity in Hellion would be complete without a proper space hazard to accompany it. Introducing ‘gas pockets’! These small pockets of super hot and highly compressed gas are often present near the surface and represent a constant and somewhat unpredictable danger for any miner. But don’t worry, there will be a short warning window before one becomes active.
Active gas bursts will cause damage and push away anyone standing too close to the eruption. Their damage isn’t too high, provided that you moved away (or were thrown away). If however you choose to stay and ‘grind through’ them you might want to invest into some better ‘protective gear’, but more on that in another blog.
Gas pocket eruptions are also tied to surface temperature and will erupt with much greater frequency when exposed to direct sunlight, so if your gear is not up to part better mine in the shade.
Mining drill and drill bits
Finally, we want to talk about changes to the mining drill. You all know that each drill requires a canister and a battery to function, now we are adding one more craftable part into the mix. The Drill bit. Drill bit is the tip of the drill that slowly erodes as you mine resources. Eventually you will need to craft a replacement, or invest in a more expensive but also more durable part.
Summary
So to tie in all of these changes: new resources, mining nodes, gas pockets and drill bits. All of these elements combine together to completely change the way mining works and feels in Hellion. Players will need to equip themselves with proper mining gear, locate an asteroid that has the resources they want, then find appropriate nodes to mine, while watching out for gas pocket eruptions. Add in the possibility of that asteroid begin deep inside a debris field or on a doomed orbit and you have quite an adventure on your hands! Not exactly the same as sticking a drill in the ground and holding LMB for a few minutes…
Fly Safe,
Zero Gravity team
Devblog #45 - Next Steps In Hellion Development
It’s been some time since many of you experienced a rather Rude Awakening, but at least you had Theona to hold your hand and guide you through the wastes of Hellion. Hopefully you are safe with your station in a high orbit… Wait… You did remember to move your station to a higher orbit. Right?
As you might’ve noticed, we’ve been rather silent recently. After the Rude Awakening was released, we had our work cut out for us making hotfixes and collecting all the feedback you sent us. With all the changes we introduced it was very important for us to see your reactions and comments.
Feedback we gathered led us to several very important conclusions and helped us decide on our next steps. These should result in the next Hellion update and that’s why we now believe it’s time for moving to the Second Phase of development. Our Trello board will be updated by next week, so you can get an insight into what we plan to do. Also, we’ll resume our standard communication and we’ll be once again available on Discord, Feedback tracker and Twitter.
This break helped us realize a few very important things and helped us understand that many of our early thoughts and ideas were not a match to the way you are playing and enjoying Hellion. These can be placed into two most basic categories. First, there are technological boundaries that will not be crossed any time soon and with full orbital mechanics implemented, in a multiplayer environment, we are already walking on the edge of what’s possible. Second, what we often thought our players wanted proved to be not always in accordance with your (players’) needs, resulting in a less than optimal experience. That’s why we are so thankful for this last batch of feedback.
We really needed this break in order to make proper decisions that we hope will please both players and us as developers. And that’s the beauty of Early Access because here we are - making Hellion together.
See you all next week when we are going to dive deeper into our plans.
Until then fly safe,
Zero Gravity
Rude Awakening Hotfix is Ready!
Since the release of the Rude Awakening we’ve been working hard on fixing the issues you experienced during the first days of your journey with Theona. Our idea was to release two hotfixes - client and client/server version of it. But we managed to merge both into one. So, we’ll have a server downtime lasting for an hour, starting at 5PM GMT/9AM PST until 6PM GMT/10AM PST. No server wipe is needed for this hotfix.
Rude Awakening hotfix will cover the following issues:
- The game client can’t be closed properly
- Quest tracker bugging after relog
- Auto-Stabilization option is sometimes applied to the ROLL axis (Q and E keys) even when the setting is disabled
- Mouse sensitivity option not saved after game restart
- Walking in her shoes quest resets after character dies and can’t be picked up again
- The modules from Amnisos station can be undocked (and that should not be the case) - if you claimed any module from Amnisos, it will be despawned
- Connection breaks while the game is loading
- Various quest markers not working showing up properly
- Fabricator Module issues: never ending animation + cargo terminal not accessible
- Loot respawning in claimed modules
- Relog teleport: players are placed to the last known location after relog
- Junkyard modules are visible on the map after attaching them to players’ bases
- Problems with loot spawn
- Added the “SKIP” button in the Safe Haven mission. You can use it if you get stuck while playing tutorial quests.
- Echoes from the past marker does not appear
- Turrets can be picked up by using “take all”
- Dirty yellow tint on the helmet visor
- Arges spawns with locked elevator\cargo hold door
Enjoy the new Hellion update and have a nice weekend!
Zero Gravity team