Once again it's our promised weekly patch with new additions to the game. Amongst many bug fixes and such, we've added three new and noticeable features which will be paving the way for some more complexity later on.
Doctors and Injuries
We've added in a new meeple job, Doctors! So long as they have basic medical supplies on hand, they'll search out wounded meeple and treat them. Wounds can be acquired from clumsily putting together equipment, getting into fights with other meeple, or the all time favourite... getting shot.
Once treated, wounds will require some time to heal and frequent redressing by doctors. We've also added in a feature for meeple to faint and collapse under too much pain if their wounds get the better of them. Not to mention, untreated injuries, like lacerations and cuts, can become infected, which can further injure your wounded meeple.
For now injuries are quite simple, a metric for viewing a Meeple's physical state, but we've left room for growth, and plan to extend it further by adding diseases and the possibility for prosthetic limbs or organ transplants (Borg!)
New Docking Structures
Another large change is the addition of Docking Gantries. Airlocks will no longer serve the purposes of trade, now you'll need to build a slightly larger and more costly docking structure to accomodate trade ships. You'll also notice that when clicking on the docking structure, there is a menu with some (currently) locked features we are working on, which will allow you to swap your trade dock into your own shipping dock, to construct and manage vessels of your own!
Job Affinities
The last major addition you'll see this week is the affinities tab. Above the meeple menu you'll notice two extra tabs, one for health and another for affinities. You'll now be able to view which meeple are good at what jobs. You can figure these things out on your own of course, but this quality of life feature should help fill in the gaps and get you micro managing your crew more efficiently.
We are constantly bringing in new changes, and are very excited for the future. We have a great deal of amazing people to thank, and and encouraging community of modders.
Everyone is welcome on our discord server! Don't be shy, stop by and say hi, let us know what you think of our game :)
Weekly Patch #2
Hey everyone! Dev here,
As promised, we are doing updates every week, adding new content. And will continue to do so through Early Access. This week, amongst a bunch of smaller things you'll notice a couple of new content additions.
First up, we've added a Dilithium reactor to the research tree, this beauty will consume your dilithium fuel in exchange for large amounts of advanced power. Very handy for keeping your turrets active.
Friends!
Next up you'll notice a new tab on the Meeple menu, "Friends" and "Traits". We've added a new feature where you can view Meeple's likes and dislikes toward others based on their social interactions. We've also adjusted their behaviour to favour conversations with meeple they like and seek out friendly conversation from their closer acquaintances.
Lastly, there have been some significant additions to modding capabilities which opens up the possibility for more sophisticated furniture and modules, namely production. We've added an example mod this week to demonstrate one of the many possible features you can mod with furniture.
Mods? Why?
Some of you may be thinking "Eh, a mod, that's too complicated" but hold on a second, we've actually designed meeple station to be extremely flexible and effortless when it comes to mods. See that "mods" button on the title screen? click it. See a mod you like? click subscribe. You're done!
now assuming your internet managed to download 10 kb, all you need to do is start playing a game. That's how simple it is to use a mod, no need to restart or browse the web, just click and play, no fuss.
We often introduce new content through example mods, very simple little mods that add a bunch of new stuff to the game. Don't be shy, go and have a look! Checkout this week's example mod, Auto refiners! New modules that automatically refine basic minerals for you.
What's next?
Next week we are planning to add in more detailed stats for meeple, a comprehensive health and injury system as well as an affinity tab to view how meeple are progressing with their skills and what jobs they're best suited for. We also plan to have Doctor meeple to treat those nasty injuries.
What are affinities you might ask? The longer a meeple does a job, and the better suited they are for it, the greater their affinity. You'll notice when a meeple has a mood such as "Enjoying work" it means they're relatively good at their job, and they like being good at their job.
And here's a little teaser for some upcoming content to our SS13 fans out there (HONK): Look familiar?
Tutorial implemented and the first big bad bug crusade launched!
Hey, Dev here!
We've heard you, and we're fixing! Over the weekend I received 400+ bug reports (Obviously a lot of repeats, and a couple people who just wanted to say hi) But these reports have gone a long way to helping us track down some pesky bugs. Thanks to all of you for being so diligent! Below is a representation of us working to fix these bugs.
This week we're making an update to numerous bugs concerning UI as well as tutorial clips to help get new players through the startup scene. There will be much more coming, and we're working day and night to get everyone's feedback written down. There are also two notable bugs which some of you were unfortunate enough to encounter. One of them being a corrupted stats file which halted the load screen, which is now fixed. The other being a pathfinding bug where Meeple would stand outside your airlock and refuse to come inside.
These are some very rare bugs, so hopefully most people didn't encounter them. Now you can be sure you wont!
Don't be shy, if you have feedback or bugs, or ideas for mods. Come hang out on our discord! Modding is not as difficult as you might think!
Thank you all for the help guys!
Vox Games
Roadmap!
Hey, Dev here!
A lot of you have been asking "Is there more?" yes! In fact, we do have a mountain of content underway and in the pipeline (And should have been more open about it sooner). Generally speaking the game currently has around 20% of the content we have lined up for it,
I'll be going over some of our planned features and those that will be coming in soon. It is hard to estimate these kinds of features, and some will take priority over others depending on what people are voicing to us. For example, we planned to have Cooperative done by launch, and Modding introduced afterwards, however we've done the exact opposite, because of our very ambitious modders (Seriously, we already have a dozen mods)
Cooperative Gameplay
Yes, this has been announced and we already have a lot of the ground work complete. We have internal testing lined up for February, and players should be seeing it in the ALPHA around march, (If everything goes to plan).
How will it work? The premise for coop is to allow two players (or more) to work on the same station simultaneously. You can both give your own orders around the station and micromanage together. Alex and I have played several other games that have done this, and personally we find it incredibly fun.
Modding Capabilities
But modding is already in the game right? Yes, but this is only a fraction of the capabilities we have planned. Currently you can rework tiles and furniture, create new modules and structure types for your station, you can rewrite existing ones and even change recipes. But this is only the start of what we have planned. This will likely come in stages throughout the year, piece by piece, as our modding community (looking at you) get more and more ambitious.
Tutorial and Campaigns
We did have a tutorial a few months ago, but during the enormous changes we had undergone it became obsolete. In the span of a month we changed all of the Meeple's personalities, Research Tree, Officer behaviours, trade ships and even added a galactic map, so the tutorial fell utterly short.
What's the solution? For now we've implemented tips that pop up during gameplay to help fill in the gaps. There is also a wiki with descriptions for most of the game's content (top right ? button). But this is only temporary, we plan to introduce tutorials through a series short campaigns to help you get acquainted with the game's mechanics and features. There are quite a few features which are not immediately obvious to most people, we really want to point those out early.
Galactic Map
The map currently feels a bit lifeless, doesn't it? Don't worry, that's a fairly major feature we are also going to be bringing to life. At the moment it only really serves to move around and find new resources. So what will be changing?
Docking Bays You can currently accomodate numerous trade vessels, but why not build your own trade ships? Well that's exactly what we'll be doing. We are introducing a docking bay construction that will allow players to construct their own ships to send out for trading and/or exploration. See those little (?) markers on the map? ever wonder what those were for? You'll soon find out! ;D
Invasions! Bombers! Tired of being attacked by pirates? The good news is that you'll be able to bring the fight to them! You will be able to send crew off to board and invade pirate stations, or better yet, build your own bombers and wipe them out, without mercy. This is something we've wanted to introduce for quite some time but didn't want to rush.
Meeple, Drones and Visitors (Squids?)
We also have quite a few additions to your crew and those funny little aliens that continue to board your station. They're mostly harmless, however, Meeple can be quite fond of them. Meeple will soon have an extended menu to view their relations with one another, and we'll also be adding in a small affinities menu so you can see how good they are at certain jobs (eg, "good at engineering" and "Terrible at being a janitor"). Some Meeple may also like certain squids and perhaps they'll form a natural bond, you'll be able to view pets around the station as well.
Drones? Squids? Huh? Most of you have noticed the trade ships have a blank window with soon to come content. This is where we are putting together a unique trading menu, traders will bring exotic pets, drones and workers who can help you around the station. What about a giant squid that cleans mess wherever it drags it's jelly-blue tentacles around? On top of this we will also be introducing visitors who will occasionally hop off a trade ship to look around, maybe chat with some Meeple eat some of your food and run off again (Honk).
Aren't you being a little bit over ambitious?
Some people may not realise this, but Meeple Station was first conceived a little under 11 months ago. In February we started toying with some ideas, but in March we begun development. What you see now is the result of 10 months of development. Most of that time was setting up the base engine, which is now highly moddable. We want to spend another 10 months in Early Access, What do you think?
Our last game was Regions of Ruin and we did the same. We released with 20% of the game's content and finished the remaining 80% over 6 months in Early Access.
I'm the sole programmer and I'm very passionate about making games. We happily take feedback and encourage people to do so. Please jump on our discord, we are all there daily! Want to create a mod? come join us! We're fun people! ;)
https://discord.gg/ZJdVu7z
Launching into Early Access!
Hello all Meeple! The time has come for Meeple Station, a highly moddable space station building simulator to launch on Steam as an Early Access title for PC, Mac and Linux. We are also proud to add that the game has mod support and is the first game published by ModDB.com and IndieDB.com under the label Modularity, which we have also announced today.
We cannot thank our wishlisting indie loving fans on Steam enough. Your anticipation the past month once we started building our presence has been overwhelming. We look forward to continue to provide updates for you all to enjoy!
Inspired by deep and creative simulations like RimWorld and Dwarf Fortress, Meeple Station lets you build and manage a habitat for your meeples, all while surviving the dangers of deep space like meteors, pirates, and deadly alien encounters.
Players can expect to take the reins of a small but humble space station, and build it into something epic as they explore distant galaxies, mine precious minerals, take on daring missions and trade with other space inhabitants. Live a never ending adventure whilst trying to make the best of your ramshackle station, and remember your busy meeple are anything but intelligent, so good luck trying to keep them alive!
Features:
See you in space!
❤️ Meeple Station team
Launch date, Modding and Translations!
Happy New Year!
Hey there everyone! Vox games here with a brief but significant update for you all. Here it goes. WE LAUNCH ON THE 17th OF THIS MONTH!!!!
Now, that'll be in Early Access, and people on Itch currently have access to the game early and they are getting their steam keys now.
We'd love to take this opportunity to thank you all for the appretiation we've gotten from you all! It's humbling to see such positivity surrounding Meeple Station's upcoming launch!
Next up, let's talk MODDING!
We're adding a very, very, very broad and deep mod suite to Meeple station so you'll be able to make anything you like with a few clicks! Total conversions where the game turns into a fallout-esque bunker? SURE! Star wars TC's? You bet! The sky's the limit and we have gone all out here!
Finally, Translations.
Thanks to a few very wholesome fans, we are translating the game into multiple languages for launch. Expect Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, German, Polish and even Dutch to make it in the mix, hopefully by launch on the 17th!
If you would like to help translate the game please let me know via our discord here
How to craft a Social engine and Emergent Gameplay
Hey there everyone! Vox games here with a quick article about how we've crafted a fully functional social system, with hierarchies, friendships, skills, buffs, and perks in a little under two weeks! The game's name is Meeple Station and you can follow it on some of the links I'll post in the last paragraph if you like!
We've created a social system wherein different Meeple Jobs are favorable to certain traits. Not all traits are positive, some, like filthy or antisocial are actually quite negative in social environments.
A filthy Meeple will not be liked because he's always creating a big mess for example, meaning janitors with this trait will probably be much less successful at their job. The entire system is built for emergent gameplay.
There is a new hierarchy system as well, wherein you have to unlock different jobs by posting different people to their new ranks. This makes it so that people better suited to leadership roles with better leadership and charisma perks will do better than people with say, craven perks. Miners for example, will benefit from anti social and filthy traits, while they will have detracting buffs from "afraid of space" traits!
Here are two refiners cursing at each other constantly for reference. Good stuff! Remember everyyone if you enjoy what you see, and want to be kept up to date with the latest in Meeple Station news. Please wishlist the game here Store.steampowered.com and our discord server
https://discord.gg/eGhaPva
and remember, there is a DEMO here Voxgames.itch.io
The many ways you can die in Meeple Station
Hey there everyone! Vox games here. We'd like to show you just a few of the MANY ways to die in our upcoming Cooperative Rimworld Like Meeple Station. The above is a bombing run by space pirates or enemy factions that just don't like your stupid face.
Space depression is something you need to be VERY wary of in Meeple Station!
Next up (but certainly not LAST!) are meteor strikes. You'll be able to create shield generators to counteract most strikes on your station and help your meeple with their suicidal tendencies, but we're keeping a lid on all the other (many, many, MANY) ways your meeple could die spectacularly.
Hunger, oxygen depravation, toxic fumes, heck, even radioactive face eating space squids are a danger! Keep in mind, however, that there's always a way to combat these types of deaths so they are never silly or mindless, you'll be able to protect yourself with hazmat suits, shield generators, and a myriad of different helpful meeple that'll keep your little guys going longer and stronger!
http://www.meeplestation.com/demo.html Grab the Demo here!
Hey there everyone! We'll be trying to update the steam page more often from here on out in preparation for our upcoming early access beta release. You heard us right! We'll be launching the game sooner than later!
Today we want to talk about Quantum Engines and moving around the overworld map.
You will be able to hook up Quantum Engines to an array of different and complex bits of machinery (cables, tubes, igniters and injctors) and generate combustible fuel that will let you travel the overworld map we’ll be showing off in a future update!
Power and engines aren’t without their risks. Make sure to properly service your engines regularly or you’ll start to see toxic fumes spreading around your station, this is NOT ideal!
First, we want to thank everyone for the tremendous support on Kickstarter! It has certainly been a long 2 weeks since we began the campaign! While we still have a way to go, we want to confirm that we will be releasing Meeple Station on Steam Early Access and itch.io even if the campaign does not fund. The numbers of gamers trying out the demo and visiting us on itch.io definitely reflect that there are plenty of aspiring station managers ready to rise to Meeple greatness.
With that said, there is a lot of work in progress for the game. This week’s work focus is on space travel. Stephen is hard a work designing the galactic map and the quantum engines that will allow your station to travel through space and explore. Physicists are also in training, preparing to lend their expertise to the Meepleverse in the near future. However, not everything on it’s way is quite so nice! Toxic fumes and other internal dangers are in the works, and will soon be present to challenge station managers. After all, we wouldn’t want anyone to grow complacent with their little Meeple empires!
As we continue through the Kickstarter, we hope everyone will share and help spread the word. Our community has grown so much, and we are very excited to keep meeting more of you. Please stop by our Discord server and say hi, we’re always around for questions or just to hang out!
