Ostranauts cover
Ostranauts screenshot
PC Steam
Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Indie

Ostranauts

Fixes for remote crew pickup, softlocked infinite tickers, and tutorials
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.5.10 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix update to our "Inventory Overhaul" update, which includes a fix for softlocked characters, crew item pickups, and tutorials getting stuck.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][/p]
  • [p]Characters will no longer become permanently softlocked if they receive a permanent condition during fast-forward.[/p]
  • [p]Non-captain crew can once again pick up items when away from the captain.[/p]
  • [p]Saving and loading the game during the tutorial will no longer break the tutorial.[/p]
[p]The biggest fix here was for characters getting softlocked. In some games, characters would get stuck forever if fast-forward added a condition to them with no expiration, and the issue could persist across saves. This patch will prevent that from happening in the future, and should fix the broken timer on existing saves.[/p][p][/p][p]Another fix involved crew members using the inventory to pick up items. This was incorrectly using the captain to determine reach range, and could break crew picking up items when they were too far away. This should also once again work.[/p][p][/p][p]Finally, it was possible to break the tutorial sequence by saving, quitting, and reloading during the tutorial. Today's patch will stop that from happening in the future, but existing saves with a broken tutorial will not resume the tutorial, unfortunately.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,[/p][p]Daniel Fedor[/p][p]Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p][p][/p]

Project Update, Plus Tutorial, PDA Social App, Auto-damage and Other Changes
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.5.9 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix patch to our "Inventory Overhaul" update, which includes improvements for the tutorial and PDA Social App, plus fixes for auto-damage, UI, and other issues.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/b78c461c3b362d5ba2a44b4b699035a98e109719.png"][TAG-20][/p]
  • [p]📢 Tutorial has new player-suggested steps and edits added for clarity.[/p]
  • [p]Tutorial now extends through tutorial derelict to returning to OKLG to sell salvage.[/p]
  • [p]Tutorial now includes optional goals found on OKLG.[/p]
  • [p]Objective rollover now always shows on-screen arrow to point to target, if possible.[/p]
  • [p]Tutorials will no longer produce null exceptions when a unique item ID is missing.[/p]
  • [p]Objective arrow will no longer stay on screen if a control panel opens while mousing over an objective.[/p]
[p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/e3098e5ff8545ea6cf1816194721df534d14b11b.jpg"][TAG-50][/p]
  • [p]📢 PDA Socials app now has a way to filter by relationship, and sort by name/closeness.[/p]
  • [p]Ship's mass is now reported on NAV Logs and STATUS screens.[/p]
  • [p]NAV STATUS page no longer has a line break alignment issue when reactor is live.[/p]
  • [p]Character creation Work On Self now shows correct list of viable skills/hobbies.[/p]
  • [p]QAB now correctly refreshes after changing selected item's name.[/p]
  • [p]QAB no longer has an option to drop items, to avoid illegal stacking bugs (except corpses).[/p]
[p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/24611c4daea04e31f2dbaa7a35809732ce4c06fa.jpg"][TAG-80][/p]
  • [p]It is no longer possible to persistence-hunt characters into having a crush on you against their preferences.[/p]
  • [p]Pathfinders with airlock access but no disembark permission no longer get stuck if the path outside is through another ship.[/p]
  • [p]AI ships now send undocking messages to stations when appropriate.[/p]
[p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][/p]
  • [p]📢 Stations will now repair items while the player is away.[/p]
  • [p]Ships and items no longer auto-damage each time saves are loaded.[/p]
  • [p]Loose social items will now be swept up and removed on load.[/p]
  • [p]Players can no longer grab items through walls.[/p]
  • [p]Whodunnit plot can be closed/abandoned more reliably now, even if victim's body is absent.[/p]
  • [p]The Matchmaker plot will no longer ask the player to find a mate for dead participants.[/p]
  • [p]Long-duration conditions should now expire more accurately.[/p]
  • [p]Police that run out of fuel while targeting player can no longer prevent Super Fast-Forward.[/p]
  • [p]Dragging a corpse that has a PDA slotted no longer affects the vizor settings of the dragger.[/p]
  • [p]Pirate spawning should be limited to correct stations and population counts now.[/p]
  • [p]Loose tables and terminals no longer block walking.[/p]
  • [p]Items will no longer infinitely duplicate if attached to inventory cursor when a control panel opens.[/p]
  • [p]Uninstalling items should no longer crash the game due to a rendering/lighting bug.[/p]
  • [p]Ship's logs should no longer cause null exceptions if missing on load.[/p]
  • [p]Loading Markets jsons no longer has potential for naming/type collisions.[/p]
  • [p]Ship editor now has a UI for adding uniquely-tagged objects to ships.[/p]
  • [p]Several typos and grammar fixes.[/p]
[p][/p][p]The tutorial got a lot of attention in this update, starting with a rewrite of how we set and trigger events. This allowed us to more easily add new tutorial steps, so that the tutorial now guides the player through the tutorial derelict, and back to OKLG where they can sell their loot, and refuel for another trip.[/p][p][/p][p]Plus, we were able to add some more granular steps recommended by players, and cover some more optional steps in the OKLG starting area. And the objective rollover now shows an arrow even when the target is on-screen.[/p][p][/p][p]UIs also got some attention. Several players asked if we could do something about the chaos in the PDA Socials app, as it would get overrun with NPCs as the game continued. Now, the app has a filter for hiding certain relationships, plus several sorting options. And by default, all characters are listed alphabetically now.[/p][p][/p][p]The NAV station can now report ship's mass, and the STATUS page no longer has a line alignment bug. Character creation now shows only the skills that are active in-game, and the QAB had a few fixes applied.[/p][p][/p][p]AI should no longer fall for incompatible characters through sheer persistence, and pathfinders should now be able to handle paths that start and end on the same ship, but traverse another ship, while not having disembark permissions.[/p][p]
Finally, a range of more general issues have been addressed.[/p][p]
Stations should now be kept-up a bit better in longer saves, both repairing while the player is away, and cleaning up social items that leak onto the floor. (We're still looking for good repro steps on this social item bug, by the way!) Plus saving and loading the game will no longer auto-damage ships and stations.[/p][p][/p][p]We found and fixed an inventory bug involving reaching through walls, as well as a bug which prevented long-duration conditions from expiring in some cases.[/p][p][/p][p]Plus several other bugs that could cause trouble.[/p][p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/e25575e3553e403942124e1c0d184fd9eded2230.png"][TAG-204]
[/p][p]For those wondering about the "Fire in the Hold!" update (0.15), we've been working on that, as well![/p][p][/p][p]In our last sneak peek, we revealed two of the weapon types ships can carry: missiles and direct fire (rail guns and coil guns). Today, we have a third option to share: the point defense cannon (PDC).[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/7a9cbacad68ea989b8b1003d40f607ac99555c7f.gif"][TAG-220][/p][p][/p][p]As the name implies, this weapon is more defensive in nature. Modeled after PDCs in sci-fi like The Expanse, as well as more contemporary examples like the Phalanx CIWS, this weapon will auto-target and fire upon any threat that enters its firing arc.[/p][p][/p][p]In the image above, we see it fire on a variety of incoming rail gun rounds, with varying success. (Head-on targets with a low VREL are easier to hit.) Of course, in a pinch, the PDC can also be deployed against other ships at short range, as seen in the end of the above animation.[/p][p][/p][p]We've also been working on a new location for the 0.15 update. The current plan is for the new location to be in the vicinity of Ceres, in the Main Asteroid Belt.[/p][p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/9f21c3310968e17532f13f21f109f735248a4276.png"][/p][p]
Since some players prefer more action, and some wish to just chill, we wanted to give players some agency in how much ship combat they experience. So we plan to keep OKLG fairly low-conflict, for both new and conflict-averse players. And for players who want more action, they can seek it out by leaving the starting area to where trouble is more common.[/p][p][/p][p]In the above screenshot, we see the current state of asteroid spawns and rendering. We're experimenting with various spawn densities and amounts to see what balance we can strike between complexity and performance.[/p][p][/p][p]Sensors are another important area of the 0.15 update. As mentioned in the last sneak peek, we've been experimenting with different sensor types and their behaviors. And today, we have a bit more we can show:[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/52f8483faf77a612abe5c8635ef48c370d78ce0b.gif"][/p][p]
This animation shows what the area around a ship looks like as various sensor packages are enabled. It starts with the map being mostly empty, with dim, ghost-like dots jumping around in the dark.[/p][p][/p][p]As we start switching on passive sensors, optics let us see some nearby wrecks, while EM and IR sensors reveal "live" ships with transponders and "hot" equipment. We still have a limited picture, but we are in a purely listening mode, and harder to detect.[/p][p][/p][p]Switching to active sensors, we start sending out signals to listen for echos. RADAR reveals a much wider range of nearby vessels, while LIDAR helps resolve their actual shape and size. They create the best picture of our surroundings, but also broadcast our position to everyone nearby.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, the specifics of all of these systems are still changing as we build and playtest. But hopefully, this satisfies some curiosity about what we've been up to.

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/6936277bd48f9016dd067d2fa9ee94a9d4c3e28c.png"]

Lastly, I wanted to take a moment to address Ostranauts's release date.[/p][p][/p][p]In 2024, when we announced 1.0 and our collaboration with Kitfox, we estimated that Ostranauts would release in 2025. Since then, we’ve received a lot of attention and support from both long time fans and newcomers to the game. We heard feedback saying that, while excited about new features and content, players also wanted more stability and quality of life features in Ostranauts.[/p][p][/p][p]As a result, we introduced a "Hardening Phase 1" to our Roadmap, to better address this feedback. And for most of 2025, we've split our development effort between fixing what's there now, and working on what's next.[/p][p][/p][p]So far, that plan feels like it has been the right move. Stability and usability in the game are markedly improved over this time last year, and we were able to add a few additional player-requested features along the way.[/p][p]
That said, as 2025 enters its final quarter, we think it makes the most sense for us to delay the 1.0 release to 2026. Your support over the year has given us more time, and we feel it's best to use that time to make Ostranauts the best game it can be.[/p][p][/p][p]We still expect players to get hands-on with the Fire in the Hold update by the end of this year, and more quality of life fixes and upgrades to boot. We just wanted to be clear about our plans, going forward.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again to all of you for your support! Because of you, we've been able to work on improving Ostranauts longer than we expected, and we can't wait to see more of the stories you create in our world.[/p]

Fixes for PDA Vizor, Tilemaps, and Item Placement
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.5.6 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix update to our "Inventory Overhaul" update, which includes some quality of life enhancements for the PDA Vizor and Inventory, plus fixes for tilemap and other bugs.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][TAG-20]

  • [p]Placing large sub-floor items near the edge of the ship no longer breaks the ship's tilemap, causing duplicate or missing rooms and/or zone errors errors on load.[/p]
  • [p]📢 PDA Vizor presets now remembers user's settings per-preset.[/p]
  • [p]PDA Vizor lighting and FoV settings are now independent.[/p]
  • [p]Alt highlight key no longer messes with PDA Vizor's ceiling toggle settings.[/p]
  • [p]Loading a save with the PowerViz preset enabled now correctly shows power paths.[/p]
  • [p]📢 Item placement grid no longer obscures item sprite unless the tile below won't fit.[/p]
  • [p]Ship Broker's drone preview no longer shows stacks of items from the player's other ships.[/p]
[p]One of the bigger bugs fixed here involves ships having their rooms broken, or zones smeared in stripes across the map. It turned out that certain items placed near the edge of the map would pad the map, but saving would remove that padding, invalidating tile indices. This patch addresses that case, and should stop the bug from happening, going forward.[/p][p][/p][p]Note that if your ship was affected by this bug, adding or removing any wall or floor that changes room info will cause a full room recalculation, and repair the rooms. (Zones will still need remaking, though.)[/p][p]
The PDA Vizor also got some love, with per-preset setting memory, and detangling the line of sight settings from other highlight and lighting settings. The PowerViz preset should also now render correctly when loading a save file where it was active.[/p][p][/p][p]Users reported having some trouble placing items with the new placement line overlay, particularly if the item was square and obscured by the horizontal lines. This update removes those lines over the item when that item can fit, and they now only appear when it won't fit.[/p][p][/p][p]Finally, the Ship Broker drone preview was fixed so that it won't display stacks of items from the player's ship while viewing other ships for sale.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p]
[/p][p]Best,[/p][p]Daniel Fedor[/p][p]Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

Inventory Overhaul Update
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.5.5 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a feature update to our "Across the System" milestone, which improves several player-requested changes to the inventory system, among other fixes.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/29b0138124471e3eb2789783227681944e5bf524.jpg"][TAG-20]

  • [p]No more inventory ground window. Pickup/drop items directly in world now.[/p]
  • [p]📢 Pockets and pouches are now consolidated under their parent's inventory window.[/p]
  • [p]📢 Paperdoll and item grid windows can be moved around, pinned, and unpinned.[/p]
  • [p]Tooltips and item highlights now work in the paperdoll area.[/p]
  • [p]Paperdoll now has a Trash slot, for discarding unwanted items.[/p]
  • [p]📢 Pickable items under cursor will highlight, and change cursor, when inventory UI is up.[/p]
  • [p]Cursor now shows feet when inventory UI is up and item is out of range/LoS.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/cea16ad7a263925a6cf7eac980d70d5f603630f8.png"]

  • [p]New music tracks when visiting VORB and VNCA.[/p]
  • [p]📢LoS range slightly longer for characters without vision impairment.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/24611c4daea04e31f2dbaa7a35809732ce4c06fa.jpg"]

  • [p]Sleeping AIs will now force awake if they oversleep their sleep shift, or are suffocating.[/p]
  • [p]AI shouldn't endlessly drop items as often when on AUTOTASK mode.[/p]
  • [p]AI should no longer refuse to pick up items if there is only room in sub-containers they carry.[/p]
  • [p]AI's attempting to walk from an unwalkable tile to an unwalkable tile will no longer animate in place eternally.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/6daf589b5e0498e6f440248a3c9d147b6168bfa7.png"][TAG-90]

  • [p]Save files with empty AI action memories will no longer fail to load.[/p]
  • [p]Ships with placeholder tiles along edges will no longer cause zone/room errors on load.[/p]
  • [p]Loading a save where a non-Default Vizor setting was active now allows returning to Default via hotkey.[/p]
  • [p]There should be fewer null exceptions thrown when reloading a save from the Escape menu now.[/p]
  • [p]Splash screen now appears immediately after launching the app, instead of after all game data loaded.[/p]
  • [p]Loading a save after renaming an item no longer auto-selects that item.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][TAG-120]

  • [p]Game should no longer freeze indefinitely when all batteries on the ship are drained.[/p]
  • [p]Super fast-forward while an LEO or pirate was docked will no longer teleport the player to the nearest station.[/p]
  • [p]Super Fast Forward will no longer have null errors due to missing stations, causing infinite-time death.[/p]
  • [p]Special events and deaths in Super Fast Forward now correctly use RNG tables.[/p]
  • [p]Taking off a helmet while paused and then using Super Fast Forward no longer insta-kills players.[/p]
  • [p]Characters walking into ship edge tiles created by placeholders no longer spike their CO2 build-up.[/p]
  • [p]Broken bones now heal correctly over time.[/p]
  • [p]The EVA suit's battery will no longer drain when the suit is equipped in a hand slot.[/p]
  • [p]The EVA suit's remaining charge now works in the MegaTooltip.[/p]
  • [p]Field coils now work more consistently with other sub-floor fixtures, like fusion canisters.[/p]
  • [p]Sub-floor bins can now be filtered in the PDA orders like other floors.[/p]
  • [p]Attempting to add a zone along the boundary of a docked ship should now work reliably.[/p]
  • [p]San Diego mall now has adequate cooling to avoid killing anyone not in an EVA suit. (New games only.)[/p]
  • [p]NAV and COMMs UI both use consistent range info now.[/p]
  • [p]Breakout Turf floor uses correct sprite now.[/p]
  • [p]Several typo fixes.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/5a6f38e0acfb845496592f59dc32c6d2ed7b4360.png"][TAG-190]

  • [p]📢Modding: FaceAnim2.aPartNames is now defined by loot.json TXTFacePartNames, instead of hard-coded.[/p]
  • [p]📢Modding: FaceAnim2.aLayers array driven by loot.json TXTFacePartOrder, instead of hard-coded.[/p]
  • [p]Modding: Added support for animated sprites, with an example "Heater Model B" in cooverlays.[/p]
[p]
The biggest change in this update is to how inventory works. The ground grid is now gone, and you can pick-up and place items directly in the world.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/03035f6e4cdcb834311ba1ddac9cfc055ae36150.png"][/p][p][/p][p]The ground window created a number of issues that were pretty hard to solve. And what's more, just about every new user we watched play the game would intuitively try to drop items into the world, not the ground window. So we decided to make it work the way most users initially expect it to.[/p][p][/p][p]Players have also been asking for some improvements to the inventory UI itself. One of the biggest requests was for pockets to consolidate more efficiently. Another was to make windows remember where the user moved them. And the ability to move the paperdoll itself.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/c07435c9e84174cb671c1beb43d21a3db60bca49.png"][/p][p]
So in this update, we changed the way pockets rendered to be consolidated under their parent's window, and added code to restore window positions the next time the UI opened.[/p][p][/p][p]There is also a new rule: the inventory will not close with an item on the cursor. This was necessary to avoid "ghost" items and other stacking item bugs that could break saves. Now, if a user wants to exit the UI, they'll have to find a valid home for it, or walk to a place that has space.[/p][p]
We've also added a new Trash slot, in case there were situations where it is impossible to find space for a cursor item on an entire ship, as well as to let users tidy-up space more conveniently.[/p][p]
You'll also notice some other, minor changes, like tooltips and item highlights now working in the paperdoll. Plus some cursor icon changes to help with usability.[/p][p]
This patch also includes 2 new soundtrack pieces from Josh Culler, which you'll hear when visiting VORB/Venus Orbital and VNCA/Newcal aerostat maps. VORB, in particular, was the first place many players would see after their first, grueling torch drive trip. And it'll be nice to have something new to hear upon arrival![/p][p][/p][p]Apart from the above, the update also includes a range of fixes for things like AI behaviors, loading and saving, super fast-forward, and other issues.[/p][p]
Plus, some new modding features for our more technical users![/p][p]
As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,[/p][p]Daniel Fedor[/p][p]Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

Fixes for Reloading Saves In-Game
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.4.9 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix update to our "Across the System" milestone, which fixes errors that could occur when reloading a save from the in-game Esc menu.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p][/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"]

  • [p]Reloading the game from the in-game Esc menu should no longer produce errors.[/p]
[p]Some players reported the 0.14.4.8 build was throwing errors when they attempted to reload a save from within the game's Esc menu. This wouldn't happen in all cases, but frequently would occur if a new game was started, quicksaved, then immediately reloaded.[/p][p]
This hotfix addresses that bug, and it should now load games error-free in that situation.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

AI and Performance Improvements, Plus Kitfox Festival Begins!
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.4.8 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix update to our "Across the System" milestone, which makes several improvements to AI, as well as some performance enhancements.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p]

General Changes

  • [p]📢 The X hotkey now cycles PDA Vizor modes, instead of just opening the PDA Vizor.[/p]
  • [p]Exiting to the Main Menu should now be faster, and result in significantly less RAM inflation.[/p]
  • [p]AI Jettison rules changed to improve framerate hitching, and prevent AI from jettisoning items for fun.[/p]
  • [p]📢 AI should now sleep more reliably during sleep shift (when sleepy).[/p]
  • [p]AI will no longer resume watching TV before they started watching it.[/p]
  • [p]PDA NAVLINK ship renaming will no longer pause/unpause/etc. the game while typing.[/p]
  • [p]Players can no longer rename NPCs or robots, which could break the game.[/p]
  • [p]Interactions can now append notes to PDA Notes (for modding and future use).[/p]
  • [p]The text on the PDA PASS app is no longer cut off.[/p]
[p]Players have been pretty excited about the new PDA features, overall. One thing many players immediately missed, though, was the directness of the old hotkey's toggling of DamageViz/PowerViz on and off. So we've switched the X (default) hotkey back to immediately toggling the Vizor overlay on/off again. It will now cycle through all available modes on your PDA (including back to Default). The L hotkey remains as-is, opening and closing the Vizor app.[/p][p][/p][p]Performance got a bit more attention this patch, with a pretty big change to the way the game exits back to the Main Menu. Previously, it would significantly inflate RAM usage each time it returned to the Main Menu. Usually to the tune of hundreds of MB, and sometimes more.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/f3a0946a2e7252df271bc01581670cc7744d991f.png"]
[/p][p]This patch optimizes the way we load data, and reuses existing data more efficiently. The result is less RAM inflation when returning to the Main Menu, which also happens faster now as a bonus![/p][p]
AIs also had some work done this patch.[/p][p]
First, we fixed a bug where AI could jettison things for fun. And it turned out this was also a performance hog, since it could check the jettison action on every map object each time it had a free moment. AI should no longer be doing this now.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/166d87d15fec37488d246a1d6b73e2e5ac62de60.png"][TAG-80]
[/p][p]We also made some changes to how the AI behaves in Sleep shifts. Previously, AI treated Sleep shift as a sort of free time, and often didn't get around to actually sleeping. Now, if they are even a little sleepy, they will prefer to sleep first, unless they have a serious survival need (like breathing, staving, etc.). Only after they are fully-rested will they pursue other activities.[/p][p]
This patch also includes a few other minor UI and AI fixes.[/p][p][/p]

Kitfox Festival

[p]Also, today is the first day of the Kitfox Festival, and we're celebrating with 20% off Ostranauts till August 14th! You can also pick up the rest of the games in the Kitfox catalogue on sale during the event.[/p][p][/p][p]Furthermore, our friends at A Sharp (designers of King of Dragon Pass and Six Ages) also just announced their brand new procedural adventure game, Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists. If you're into tactical battles and underworld mythology then this might be for you. You can watch the announcement trailer here:[/p][TAG-101][p][/p][p]and wishlist the game on Steam here: [/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3794210/Thousand_Hells/"][TAG-110][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

PDA Vizor, Notes, and Timer Apps, Plus AI Fixes
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.4.7 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a hotfix update to our "Across the System" milestone, which includes several player-requested features, plus fixes and quality of life enhancements.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p][p][/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/cea16ad7a263925a6cf7eac980d70d5f603630f8.png"]

  • [p]📢New PDA Timer app with alarm.[/p]
  • [p]📢New PDA Notepad app.[/p]
  • [p]📢New PDA Vizor app which allows the player to view the map with various data overlays.[/p]
  • [p]Players can buy or find PDA cartridges to enable new features in the PDA Vizor app.[/p]
  • [p]📢There is a new forearm slot exclusively for the PDA.[/p]
  • [p]Indicators to compatible slots now appear on paperdoll while an item is attached to cursor.[/p]
  • [p]PDA has some new visual styles, icons, and fonts.[/p]
[p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][/p]
  • [p]Officers arresting a subdued NPC no longer soft lock the game.[/p]
  • [p]Maintenance NPCs should now do their jobs more effectively.[/p]
  • [p]AI will no longer take a break mid-combat to eat or drink.[/p]
  • [p]AI will no longer romance the floor during super fast-forward.[/p]
  • [p]AI won't play until it dies on Arcades anymore.[/p]
  • [p]AI won't play loose and damaged arcades anymore.[/p]
  • [p]Gigs should now report target ship and range again.[/p]
  • [p]Pathfinders should no longer avoid valid paths through doors if the ship had a stray part dropped near the outside edge.[/p]
  • [p]UI now has more tooltips to help the player.[/p]
  • [p]Rooms/compartments have new sprite art in the MTT.[/p]
  • [p]Player pronouns will now correctly update in the sink UI if used after character creation.[/p]
  • [p]Tutorial and Ostraka updated to reflect new PDA Vizor app, and other tweaks.[/p]
  • [p]Mechanical and electrical parts no longer have giant stack counters on the paperdoll.[/p]
  • [p]Lights sampled in the ship editor eyedropper tool now update in real time while moving around.[/p]
  • [p]Fixes for some floors using wrong damaged and loose sprites and ACP ammo description.[/p]
[p]
PDA is the star of this update, with 3 new apps to help players out in the boneyard![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/70c9265b9d3bed8438ad374baf3b72a1f9b6eb43.png"]
[/p][p]The first is a Notes app that will let players record notes in-game. The notepad can be used any time the PDA is available, including in control panels, and supports rich text using html-style markup.[/p][p]
The second is a Timer app with alarm, which can be used to set a reminder in the future. When the timer expires, an alarm will beep, and the game will return to normal speed, if fast-forwarding.[/p][p][/p][p]There is also a new Vizor app.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/2d74ccdb5c9d2604ecf31874a49959b5c8188614.png"]
[/p][p]This app allows players to see the game world with various data overlays, to help pinpoint certain items or areas of interest. Vizor modes include the familiar PowerViz and DamageViz, as well as some newer, more exotic views.[/p][p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/8ceed80571a2aaa8e1c6b4b88d6ce8df0eaacd4a.png"]
[/p][p]To use this app, the PDA must have the corresponding cartridge for that view mode. Players start with the PowerViz and DamageViz carts installed, but can both purchase and find others in the world. Some with unusual effects...[/p][p][/p][p]The PDA also must be slotted in a new forearm PDA slot, which lets players keep their hands free for other tools and containers. And to help make slots clearer, we now have slot indicators to show where an item on the cursor can be slotted:[/p][p]
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/15353d74d8ac87465e2235da1e1be114a0915940.png"]
[/p][p]Players should also notice some new AI fixes and improvements in this build.[/p][p]
Maintenance NPCs should now correctly do their jobs, ranging from replacing canisters to repairing holes in walls. Combat AI should now avoid a snack break during a pitched battle, while leisure AI should stop playing arcade machines before they starve to death. And lonely AIs will stop... interacting with floors.[/p][p][/p][p]All this plus a bunch of other fixes and tweaks to hopefully improve time spent in-game.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

Hot Venus Summer Update
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p][/p][p]Update v0.14.4.2 is now available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p][/p][p]This is a feature update to our "Across the System" milestone, which includes several player-requested features, new content, and significant bug fixes.[/p][p][/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p][p]
Note: 📢 indicates changes inspired by community feedback![/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/cea16ad7a263925a6cf7eac980d70d5f603630f8.png"][TAG-20]

  • [p]📢You can now custom name items and containers in-game.[/p]
  • [p]📢There's a new body type available in character creation.[/p]
  • [p]📢Characters can now enter exclusive relationships (called "loops") with others, which opens up the potential for more...spicy moves.[/p]
  • [p]📢NPCs now have relationship preferences, so flirting won't always work on everyone.[/p]
  • [p]📢You can now specify your own character's relationship preferences in chargen. (Controls AUTOTASK behavior.)[/p]
  • [p]2 new music tracks that will play while on VENC/Encantado aerostat.[/p]
  • [p]New paperdoll/portrait art for repair parts, components, scraps, batteries, and cloth.[/p]
  • [p]📢Message log now uses more natural language (Dynamic names, verbs, pronouns.)[/p]
  • [p]Added missing descriptions for components.[/p]
  • [p]New encounter text for first arrival at VNCA/Newcal aerostat.[/p]
[p][/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/607903953dd7cae13ba2763000b5c6ade49c2a9c.png"]

  • [p]Fewer lag spikes when AIs are considering tasks on large ships and/or with many input ingredients to choose from.[/p]
  • [p]Gas containers, pumping, and exchange code should perform better now.[/p]
  • [p]Doors opening/closing should use fewer cpu resources.[/p]
[p][/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"]

  • [p]Social items no longer spill all over the OKLG floor.[/p]
  • [p]Double discomforts/moodlets will no longer appear on characters.[/p]
  • [p]Emptying ship batteries no longer causes an infinite loop error.[/p]
  • [p]📢New tutorial for when Roster permission is first mentioned.[/p]
  • [p]Aero races should now be more doable/balanced, and fixes for several racing bugs.[/p]
  • [p]NPC ships no longer trigger TRACK WARN alarms when nobody is at their helm.[/p]
  • [p]NPC ships no longer go full beans when undocking, but instead keep to a speed limit.[/p]
  • [p]NPC pirate and officer pilots no longer request refuel help from player.[/p]
  • [p]NPCs should no longer teleport outside their ships when that ship unloads.[/p]
  • [p]The yellow pressure suit is now equippable.[/p]
  • [p]AI should now stop exercising if they are suffocating to death.[/p]
  • [p]Items like bandages and liquids should no longer auto-slot into wounds.[/p]
  • [p]Reduced VREL/VCRS spikes when using rotational controls in orbit.[/p]
  • [p]Honeypot mission now correctly checks if target sees player as their lover, instead of other way around. Also, honeypot mission will no longer target the player.[/p]
  • [p]Items with "just right" damage amounts no longer appear all-black.[/p]
  • [p]Fewer stuck or glitched items in paperdull UI when handling stacks. (Especially on wounds.)[/p]
  • [p]Characters should no longer get more fatigued every time a save file is loaded.[/p]
  • [p]EVA battery charger no longer heals self when it is damaged or destroyed.[/p]
  • [p]Plotting a course from VORB to OKLG will no longer start the plot at VNCA.[/p]
  • [p]Characters should no longer t-pose if loaded off-screen.[/p]
  • [p]Dead bodies no longer disappear while player is standing aboard a ship docked to a station.[/p]
  • [p]Atmosphere scrubbers no longer cause the game to soft lock in the presence of methane or ammonia.[/p]
  • [p]Main menu buttons no longer get "stuck" or ignored if user dismisses intro screens with keypress.[/p]
  • [p]BBG logo music now waits for mixer settings to be restored before playing, to avoid volume spike.[/p]
  • [p]Several typo fixes.[/p]
[p][/p][p]Many of the changes in this update are things that have been suggested by players, and we wanted to try and get some of them in while they wait for ship combat to be ready.[/p][p][/p][p]First of all, players can now give items custom names! Hovering over the name of an object in the MTT now reveals a pencil icon that, when clicked, opens a dialog box for renaming the selected object. No more losing that power drill in a sea of similar crates![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/5886e3179a304e9dd669fe03e0a4c30c4212b902.png"][TAG-204][/p][p][/p][p]We also finally added a new body type to the game. A lot of players wished for a more feminine body type so we added the option to character creation, it's purely cosmetic and doesn't affect any of the clothing sprites already in the game. [/p][p][/p][p]You can now change this during character creation, the same way you change facial features, hair, skin, etc. And a new button on the mirror's lower left corner allows you to toggle between face and body views.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/147e2e6c0910fb48b7d9b604a521a2558ee4edd8.png"][/p][p][/p][p]You'll also notice chargen has a new section for "Flirts With." This is in response to player feedback that our relationship system needed some work. Players were finding they could "win" any conversation by simply seducing the NPC, and the NPC had no preferences or ways to object. (Also, captains set to AUTOTASK would often start flirting or getting "Lover" status with other NPCs, despite players preferring otherwise.)[/p][p][/p][p]AI will now have preferences that dictate with whom they want relationships (or "loops," in Ostranauts parlance). This includes not only sexual orientation, but also monogamy vs. polygamy. And these new character generation checkboxes will tell your captain which targets are okay to automatically flirt with.[/p][p][/p][p]And in exchange for making "loop" relationships harder to attain, they now come with greater rewards. Characters can now engage in more intimate activities with their loop partner, with significant emotional rewards. Players can also, of course, ignore "loop" relationships altogether, if they wish. A manual interaction from the player is required to initiate any "loop."[/p][p][/p][p]Also, as part of this change, we decided to spruce-up the logging a bit to make it easier to read. Now, the logs will attempt to use more natural language when choosing names vs. pronouns, and matching verbs, instead of using everyone's full name all the time.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/a5434f302b68149990e9e09dbb302b1dcaa85030.png"][TAG-240][/p][p][/p][p]This patch also includes 2 new soundtrack pieces from Josh Culler, which you'll hear when visiting VENC/Encantado aerostat maps. We've also improved the air racing experience there for players interested in trying their hand at that.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]A few new performance improvements will hopefully be welcome for players with particularly large ships and/or lots of tasks to perform. We found a few ways to improve how AIs search for those solutions, as well as with gas and door logic.[/p][p][/p][p]And some long-standing bugs are finally squashed! The social moves you may have seen littered around stations should now be gone, and the dual discomfort/moodlet bug is now fixed. A newer bug with empty batteries soft-locking the game is also fixed, plus a similar one when an atmo scrubber was running on Venus.[/p][p][/p][p]Plus, a raft of other fixes and improvements, too numerous to detail completely here.[/p][p][/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know if this patch helps you out, as well as if it reveals new problems![/p][p][/p][p]Best,[/p][p]Daniel Fedor[/p][p]Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

Sneak Preview: Fire in the Hold Update
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p]As many of you know, our next planned milestone (v0.15) adds ship-to-ship combat to the game, and is entitled "Fire in the Hold." We've received a lot of questions about the next milestone, ranging from what might be in it, to when it's coming, or even whether it is still being planned.[/p][p]We've already begun working on the new features, and we've been roughly splitting our time equally between making new stuff, and improving the user experience on existing stuff (a.k.a. our "hardening" phase). It's too soon for us to predict when you might get your hands on the combat milestone, but the current plan is to release pieces of it incrementally, so you may see some parts of it sooner than others.[/p][p]Here’s some details can we share about ship-to-ship combat:[/p]

Missiles

[p]As you might expect, one of the main weapon types we're planning to include is some sort of guided missile. Our current thinking is that this munition is fired from a launcher, separates from the ship a moment or two, and then accelerates towards a target, as seen in the following screenshots:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/a67d09d090a4da7e5273bd5ccc899c3ca6b9584d.png"][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/3121edd989871c709fda68228d292e7437e4d99b.png"][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/7142a5dd5520ad5264acf25672608e6c203f1dc0.png"][/p][p]
Here, we've engaged another ship at a range of about 60 km, and fired a volley of missiles at it. Missiles are likely to be a long-range weapon in Ostranauts, fired at targets dozens, or even hundreds or thousands of km away. They may have a minimum range.[/p][p]And so far, these weapons are likely more for situations where you simply want the other ship gone. Their explosive, indiscriminate damage pattern means the other ship may not be much more than a nest of twisted metal and trash if it hits.[/p][p]Testing so far suggests these missiles are hard to evade, given their much higher maneuverability than human-laden ships. But they can be shot down, and will eventually run out of propellant.[/p][p]We also anticipate having defensive measures to help shoot them down (e.g. see below) and/or jam their guidance systems, which can be an incentive to saturate your target with many missiles at once, hoping one gets through.[/p][p]For those reasons, we'll likely make missiles a purely manual-fire weapon, letting the user decide when and how many to use.[/p]

Direct Fire

[p]We're also experimenting with direct fire weapons (including rail gun and coil gun types), as a way to contrast the damage pattern and trajectory of guided missiles.[/p][p]Rail guns and coil guns will accelerate a dense, penetrating munition at high speeds towards a target, traveling in a straight line at constant velocity. Their impact effect is not unlike a micrometeoroid, often punching a hole through ship hulls, equipment, and crew(!) alike, in a narrow channel/path.[/p][p]And while this weapon's range is technically infinite, in practice, they are typically employed in short-to-medium range. Roughly up to 30 km. This is because even at high velocities, the propelled round can still be inaccurate at long range, particularly if the ship (and pilot) is nimble enough.[/p][p]For this reason, the targeting of direct fire weapons works a bit differently than the missiles above. The targeting computer will only begin tracking on a target within this effective range, and takes several seconds to acquire a firing solution:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/d0f1315aba5327d412da09a1ca0a2a53a21def6f.gif"][/p][p]The orange arc seen here is an indicator of both the firing arc and the relative certainty of a hit. As the targeting solution improves, the arc narrows, until it reaches a full-solution and auto-fires (in this case, launching a comically large bullet-shaped ship).[/p][p]As part of our prototyping and playtesting, we've experimented with both autofire and manual fire, and will likely make both an option. Currently, autofire happens if the weapon is enabled and the user has begun locking a target. Manual fire can happen at any time, and the accuracy of the shot will be dependent on the arc's narrowness.[/p][p]And, of course, we'll likely experiment with different combinations of firing arc, reloading time, targeting time, ranges, velocities, etc.[/p][p]The version we have here turned out to be fairly effective at taking out an incoming missile or two, but was easily overwhelmed by volleys of larger numbers. As a result, we'll likely be experimenting with an even shorter range, higher rate-of-fire defensive cannon in the near future, specifically for this purpose.[/p]

Fire

[p]And what if one of these munitions hits something a little more...spicy? This update is called "Fire in the Hold," after all, right?[/p][p]This is a work in progress of our new fire effect, showing both the particles it spawns, and how it can act as a light source.[/p][p]Our goal for the fire mechanics is to reuse much of the existing systems we have in-game for heat generation, respiration, suffocation, and structural damage. And possibly reuse a large portion of the \[redacted] spreading mechanics to control the growth of the fire across flammables.[/p][p]Fire is likely to be a serious threat to ship crew, even if an attack does little other damage. It will quickly consume breathable O2, increase cabin temperature, and do damage over time to most things it touches. So adding tools and methods to deal with it will also be important.[/p]

Behind the Scenes

[p]Of course, none of the above would be very fun if it merely existed out of context. Some of the additional work we've done is a bit harder to show in neat, tidy images, and includes:[/p]
  • [p]Making different types of sensors vary in what they see.[/p]
  • [p]Making some sensors reveal our ship more to others.[/p]
  • [p]Modeling hit damage on remote ships vs. our on-screen ship, including relative ship orientations.[/p]
  • [p]Prototyping ways to present combat info and controls to the player.[/p]
  • [p]Adding logic to control when AI pilots fight vs. flee.[/p]
  • [p]Adding logic to control when AI pilots call for help.[/p]
  • [p]Building systems for weapon munitions and reloads.[/p]
[p]Plus, we have a number of important questions we need to keep in mind as these systems come online, including:[/p]
  • [p]Where will most of the fighting in-game happen? And why?[/p]
  • [p]What if players don't want to fight?[/p]
  • [p]What do these weapons look like on the ship? What resources do they use?[/p]
[p]Hopefully, these tasty morsels of information help tide readers over for a bit as they wait for the next milestone. It's easily one of our most anticipated and requested features, so we want to make sure we have time to get it right. But rest assured, we are working on it![/p][p]As always, if you have any questions or other feedback, we're keen to hear it! The best place to post is as a reply to this Steam announcement, which we'll monitor for at least a few days. But we will also keep an eye on our Discord's #suggestions channel, and comments to the Reddit link to this post. Thanks for reading![/p][p]Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]

New Tutorial System, Reactor Fuel Changes, and Other Fixes
[p]Hey Folks![/p][p]We have a new update (v0.14.3.21) available on Steam, and your clients should be updating shortly.[/p][p]This is a hotfix to our "Across the System" update, which adds a new tutorial system, addresses reactor autopilot behavior, and fixes several other issues.[/p][p]Saves from v0.14.0.0 and later should work. Note that if you were experiencing issues in the older save, this patch may fix some, but others may persist depending on the cause.[/p]

[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/b78c461c3b362d5ba2a44b4b699035a98e109719.png"][TAG-10]

  • [p]The game now has a more fleshed-out, modal tutorial system. It covers up to returning from visiting the tutorial derelict.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/a70a29278e10eff53434d8b858b0b73c56f8f695.png"][TAG-20][/p]
  • [p]NAV station now correctly reports remaining fuel in both torch panel and Print Status page.[/p]
  • [p]Reactants are now removed more consistently with autopilot's projected use.[/p]
  • [p]Autopilot will now auto-adjust the FLOW to keep reactor running smoothly.[/p]
  • [p]Super fast-forward should now position ship and use fuel more accurately when exceeding trip duration.[/p]
  • [p]Reactor thrust should now be consistent between autopilot and manual slider values.[/p]
  • [p]Autopilot will now cancel when the reactor's temperature is too high/low, instead of when sliders change.[/p]
  • [p]The NAV screen will now warn player if they are attempting to thrust while paused.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/7b988dc9f59a280818851af5b5ec9e33fd433b7c.png"][/p]
  • [p]NPC pilots will be less likely to spin back and forth, particularly at higher game speeds.[/p]
  • [p]NPC pilots should be less likely to crash into their docking targets, particularly at higher game speeds.[/p]
  • [p]NPC pilots will be less likely to bob forward and back mid-trip.[/p]
  • [p]The game should no longer spawn excessive, unnecessary salvage pods inside the sun over time.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/4b399809f89edbf65e50d4b75b9bdcf888d76d53.png"][/p]
  • [p]It is no longer possible to get infinite skills/traits via the character creation exploit.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/24611c4daea04e31f2dbaa7a35809732ce4c06fa.jpg"][/p]
  • [p]AIs finding their next task should be more efficient now.[/p]
  • [p]Crew should no longer be knocked down when loading a save game under thrust.[/p]
  • [p]Crew should no longer be knocked down when finishing an autopilot trip with super fast-forward.[/p]
  • [p]AIs will no longer run around stripping corpses for fun.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/30853f662c2747b1366e56ad5f761393180fa43e.png"][TAG-108][/p]
  • [p]New games will no longer spawn a fountain of blood at 0,0.[/p]
  • [p]Powered items should be more CPU efficient now.[/p]
  • [p]Ship brokers will no longer treat 100% restored items as damaged.[/p]
  • [p]Ship brokers will no longer assess ship values incorrectly if it had precious gases in containers.[/p]
  • [p]Gig Nexus lockers are now accessible all the time.[/p]
  • [p]Gig Nexus will now only take items relevant to the gig when turned-in.[/p]
  • [p]Floors purchased from the sundries kiosk on OKLG will no longer leak air when installed.[/p]
  • [p]Items turned-in to Gig Nexus no longer become invisible ghost items in the game.[/p]
  • [p]Tooltips should get stuck on screen less often.[/p]
  • [p]Added some more null exception handling to address newly found cases. (E.g. pathfinding, haulers, stations, trade routes.)[/p]
  • [p]Save games will no longer ignore lot items nested inside lot items, which can occasionally occur.[/p]
[p]A lot of our feedback still cites lack of a tutorial as a major barrier to enjoying the game. So we've been working on better in-game tools to help with that shortcoming. This new new tutorial system is called Ostraka.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/a6844b9bc7329657bbf59d1c9c9bde9a3d33729f.png"][TAG-160][/p][p]When starting a new game, any tutorial-related objectives will now open a relevant Ostraka page, and pause the game so players can read it at their leisure. If the topic has multiple pages associated with it, the arrows at the bottom right will navigate those pages.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/4fc0deac7c1a7e0e8fec9c0e9e7726b2d9c26058.png"][/p][p]Players can also jump forward and backward through the chapters to review old pages or peek at new ones any time, by using the chapter navigation tools.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/dd0a447ddd14e7cc36c7f38ddc736604f3cfdb17.png"][/p][p]Current chapters include early game basics on OKLG, flying your ship, salvaging an example derelict, and returning to OKLG to sell goods. And we intend to add to the chapters over time. We hope the Ostraka will help new players scale the steep learning curve a bit more comfortably![/p][p]This patch also includes several changes and fixes to the reactor system. Historically, autopilot would be able to do things with the reactor that players couldn't do manually. And the fuel estimates it produced did not reflect actual fuel usage.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/2ded05bd5b1091e684f7072182a550cb335c051a.png"][TAG-180][/p][p]This patch addresses FLOW and CYCLE sliders to produce the same thrust both with and without autopilot, and rectifies fuel usage so autopilot's predicted fuel use matches what is actually used by the reactor. Note that autopilot is typically less fuel efficient than a skilled pilot would be![/p][p]NPC pilots also received some updates to improve their flying, as well as fixes to avoid spawning them unnecessarily. And AI workers should now be a bit more efficient in finding their next task. Powered items also had some improvements to cpu efficiency, all of which should help with performance. [/p][p]The new character "infinite skill point" exploit has finally been fixed (sorry!), and now characters will only get free skills the first career term.[/p][p]With the help of some player saves, we were finally able to find and fix the cause of some floors voiding rooms after a save/reload! It turns out this was happening whenever someone purchased floors from a different map than their ship (e.g. OKLG Sundries kiosk), and that floor was stacked in a barter zone, then later installed in a room. Typically, this appeared with the Testudo "Spring" floor types, since they were purchased more often. But this could happen with any stackable room part.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34518042/05e5c28796f638a558217b6de5d4acd340be0486.png"][/p][p]Finally, Gig Nexus locker behavior was also changed, so now players can access the locker at any time, and gigs will only take required items, instead of all items. And we fixed a number of other miscellaneous bugs.[/p][p]As always, there's plenty more for us to fix, change, and add! And we'll be continuing in roughly that order. In the meantime, let us know how things are working for you in the new patch[/p][p]Best,
Daniel Fedor
Founder, Blue Bottle Games, LLC[/p]
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