Crafting is here! I have added a new crafting mission to Jupiter in which you can repair damage to the base, and I plan to soon add others throughout the solar system! Here, you see the re-built elevator, and the still broken hallway in need of repair.
The Ghost Hunt is still on! If you find the ghost, press F12 to take a screenshot, and upload it! If anyone finds it, the Quivakons will deliver gold somewhere in game, quite the treat! If no one finds it by the end of October, they will at least deliver a "trick" prize in game.
The fan propellers now spin after you rescue the Jupiter Base!
I have fixed a number of bugs.
Ghost Hunters!
So, we have had aliens to deal with, but now a colonist (who wishes to remain anonymous) is reporting there is a ghost?! Now I am looking to you, the players to investigate and see if you can find this elusive ghost. Is the colonist just making it up? He won't even tell us what planet he is from after all, he said he doesn't want to be ridiculed... He said it spoke something, but it was hard to understand... "oc" something... perhaps "octopus"? However, he didn't show any indications he is lying, so maybe there is something to it. If anyone can find the reported ghost and post a screenshot to the Steam community, it would be most helpful for further research. If no one can find it, perhaps the colonist is making it up... Expect further updates to this post if anyone finds anything, maybe it is just a ghost story, or maybe there really is something out there...
Good luck Blue 42!
Proposed Update: Blue 42 Version 2
Here is my new proposed design for Blue 42 (at least his head). What do you all think? I am possibly thinking of adding solar panels to his head, and possibly making his mouth square with green "signal lines" going across. Do you like the lit up smile better, or think a square mouth with moving lines might be better? Does it look too childish / would it turn off an adult from playing? I want the game to appeal to both children and adults, though it is okay if it appeals more toward kids, while not turning away adults. I plan to use the image in game art, when Blue 42 is talking, and use the model when customizing the character. I look forward to your comments and suggestions for how I should change this model (or keep it just like it is) on this post!
Jupiter Targets
I have added a target shooting mission to Jupiter! If you want to try it, rescue the Jupiter base, then fly up the elevator shaft, then outside the hole to the rotating question block outside. Shoot the targets as fast as you can! You will need your jet pack and projectile speed near max to have a decent shot at the diamond medal! Beware, the intense gravity of Jupiter really makes this a challenge, it is much harder than it looks! Note: I also fixed some bugs.
Blue Skies
Now you can both rescue the Jupiter base, and then get to see what the base is like once it is out of the storm! New additions to this update include:
You can go back to a terminal and re-simulate the mission to try to get a better medal, as well as earn a medal for running the simulation!
The first time to Jupiter, you have to rescue the base for real. After that, you re-run the simulation!
You can now fly outside the base once it is outside the storm, and go a rather large distance from the base! It is fun to try to do sky writing with your jet pack trail outside :-)
I also added a couple kitchen areas and other additions
I plan to add a number of missions to Jupiter in the near future, including repairing the base with crafting!
Jupiter Added
Do you have what it takes to endure the high 2.5G's of gravity of Jupiter? Can you rescue the base currently being ravaged by a storm akin to the Great Red Spot, before the storm quickly rips it apart? If you can get a diamond medal on this new challenge, I will be impressed!
I have made the Jupiter level, and it is now available from a fallen over portal in the back of the Mars Base, or via teleportation under the Abilities tab in Free Exploration mode (or if you unlock teleportation in Normal Mode). You can also reach Jupiter after beating the first main quest. I plan on adding more to this level in updates to come.
I have implemented a number of bug fixes as well!
Helpful Hints Update
I have added a few things in this update that should improve the Planetary Settlers experience:
Added holographic consoles to the moon, particularly in the library to further explain the story, and capture the elements removed from the dialogue. See the latest screenshot uploads, or visit the moon library to read them!
Added graphical elements to the Mars tutorial, which should help those who can't read well, as well as make the experience smoother for everyone else.
Shortened and improved the tutorial dialogue, choosing to introduce the main story elements on the moon library.
Blazing Trails Part 2
I improved the jetpack smoke trail in a few ways:
Lightened the smoke color for a more realistic look
Made the smoke particles expand more quickly to further improve realism
Reduced the number of smoke particles to reduce lag (good balance of realism and efficiency)
Added the ability in the graphics menu to turn the smoke off or on
I have added jetpack trails to the game! Now you emit a trail of fire, smoke, and sparks when you use the jetpack! They shoot down when using the jetpack to fly up, and up when you use it to fly down! I also added a major bug fix.
New Horizons Update
I have added "new horizons" to the levels to improve the graphics. This mostly fixes the issue where you could see the edge of the level when flying high. I plan to make some more tweaks to it to make it look even better in a future update.
For game devs, and those interested, I made the method and the resources to do this in your own game freely available. For more information, please see Ground Sphere UE4 Question and Answer
I have also added sound effects for jumping, and for the jetpack, which scale based on the strength of your jump and the strength of the jetpack (along with the sound effects volume setting).
Here is what it looked like before the update in one of the most noticeable places when flying high:
