In an effort to further improve accessibility to mods we have decided to add Steam Workshop support! You'll be able to browse and download mods instantly!
The new blacklisting system allows you to block mods from launching so you don't have to mess around with your mod folder when you want to change servers or mod packs. You can even disable the Vanilla pack just in case you want to experience pure user created content.
How long?
Currently we estimate it will be made available in the next update which should be public in about three days. Of course this is only an estimate and not a promise! But we are working to get workshop out to you as soon as possible.
Alpha 1.0.7 Faster chunks, more mods, and fixes!
Balancing everything
Working on a game like this involves jumping back and forth between the Vanilla gameplay, the modding capabilities, and the multiplayer. Obviously this means not every update will bring a ton of changes to any one part of it but I'm doing my best.
Yesterday I finished up where Gazelle left off and completed the Object section of the mod creation documentation.
Our first sponsored mod
Kaller's Ultimate Pack is described by the author as...
"An overhaul to some of the games graphics, items and progression. Makes the game a lot harder."
I've personally followed the development of this mod and can assure you it is thought through and well executed.
-Object tag "item" was pointless as of the inventory update included in pre-alpha releases and so was removed
-Object tag "light_strength" was added for "construction.light" objects
-Object tag "hitbox" can now be applied to "construction.decoration", "construction.light", "storage", and "plant" objects
-Added object tag "crafting_return" which allows for a crafting recipe to return more than one of an item
|Performance |
-Chunk loading should be a lot faster now (removed some extra file checking)
-Plants now load from files and process faster
| Bug Fixes |
-Copper would read as "Coal" in the inventory
-When harvesting in multiplayer the material hit action would occur twice
-You no longer lose hunger, thirst, or soft-cap health when in combat
-Stone pickaxe was being identified as an "axe" (again)
-Thirst was copying the value of hunger
-Officially fixed plants
-Dying will now reset item meta data in the players inventory
| Misc |
-Raised the sleep margin from 0ms to 5ms to increase CPU saturation which should stop FPS dipping (Windows OS)
-The crafting recipe UI will now adjust its height to prevent itself from going off the bottom of the screen
Alpha 1.0.6 Item descriptions, crafting tables, and more!
I'm excited to announce version 1.0.6! This update brings a lot of improvements to the game. The vanilla gameplay is now more fleshed out and includes the new crafting table system. A lot of the game has been balanced out better meaning trees give less wood and bushes give less berries.
One major difference is that this build begins the transition from a debugging experience into an actual game experience. Placing items will now deduct that item from your inventory (no more infinite walls).
I'm going to be focusing on further improving the general gameplay. Currently I plan to implement weather (in honor of the legacy build) and a map to allow for easy navigation of the world. Since the world is infinite this might prove difficult but we'll see. Naturally you can expect more items and content.
Patch Notes
| New Features |
-Item descriptions can now be displayed by pressing the "Expand Item Info" key
-Danger zones now have a cooldown and multiplier feature
-Crafting tables have been implemented
| Vanilla Gameplay |
-Adjusted the resource amount for all foliage
-All items now have a description
-Metal construction objects added (stronger than wood)
-Added new crafting table "Metal Workbench"
-Added new gear "Wolf Cap"
-New "Bear Den" biome
-New "Bear" enemy
| Networking |
-You can now see and hear other players harvest/destroy objects
-You can now see other players names
| Modding |
-AI no longer require the "resistance" tag
-New object tag "crafting_type" for "storage" and "construction.decoration" types
-Added new user command "/biome_files_update" which resets all foliage.tree resource amounts to the current mod value
-Added new user command "/dz_ignore" which disables danger zones
| Bug Fixes |
-Plant growth states were not being calculated properly
-Fixed UI popup spam if tool broke while harvesting
-Game would crash if chromatic abberation was turned off
-Deleting a save file would remove it from the list without actually deleting the file, now the list will remain unchanged unless the file is actually deleted
| Misc |
-Intro can now be disabled by pressing SPACEBAR during the scene
-Placed items now dedcut from your inventory
Ubuntu support! (Linux)
Last night I pushed the Linux branch out. Anyone who previously owned the game for Linux will get the update. The game has been written to be as compatible as possible so Linux users have the freedom of hosting their own servers and playing the game with other OS users.
The game is entirely capable of cross-platform multiplayer. Even mod files work across all platforms.
I plan to further this by including translations and anything else that the community requests!
Small update, Alpha 1.0.5 (Free-form movement)
It has come to my attention that a lot of people did not enjoy the grid-based movement. I've changed it to free-form which means you can frolick around free as a butterfly. I also fixed a small crash with light objects being picked up.
We are currently working hard to get more documentation and a sponsored server list.
*Edit*
A few mistakes in the mod files have been fixed.
Alpha 1.0.4! Multiplayer, modding, it's all here!
After months of work and dedication we are proud to bring you the new, and improved Project Explore. This version includes multiplayer, modding, and months of updates to come.
Unlike previous iterations your saved worlds and mods should never break. The list of changes is too long for me to go over so I recommend just hopping into the game and taking a look for yourself.
I've mentioned our Discord before and would like to bring it up again. This is the best way to get into contact with us and directly contribute to the game's development.
Multiplayer
Starting a server isn't hard but if you can't figure it out just post on the forums and you'll get a timely reply.
There is well written documentation on our official website as well.
If you prefer the previous version of the game (which is no longer supported) then simply opt into the Legacy branch. If you don't know how to opt into branches then read through THIS guide.
What's next?
You can expect regular updates from here until the games full release and then likely a bit after that. We are in the process of updating the store page and any other Steam assets that reflect the game. With the exception of trading cards (which will be changed when possible) all will be changed. This includes achievements (sorry everyone!) and stats.
Public Early Access build coming very soon! Public Discord!
Along with everything else going on I figured it would be awesome to get more involved with the community this time around. I recommend joining the Discord group as I will talk to you personally if you have specific suggestions or issues with the game.
Currently there are already a few members who have began modding Project Explore so you can likely expect an HD texture pack as well as an "Ultimate" mod.
The old version
I personally would like to delete the previous build of Project Explore all together and move on. I know a lot of the community here really did enjoy it and I'd hate to get a ton of people mad at me for removing it. Do you feel that it is worth keeping the game in an alternative branch so players who don't want to play the new game can still play the broken/old alternative? Make yourself heard!
Closed Testing begins in two days! Public build available shortly after!
The game is slowly nearing a playable state and within the next two weeks, I plan to replace the current public build with the new version. While it has far less content and less fleshed out gameplay... it is more stable and being worked on constantly. Most importantly is that it has multiplayer and that will be made available as of the day one release of this new version.
Closed testing and official twitter!
Project Explore now has its own twitter so following news updates on it should be a lot easier!
I recently posted a secret build on Steam and tested out the multiplayer with a few trusted users. It actually turned out great!
This was more or less a stress test but it looks like the servers will be more than stable and even YOU can host a massive server.
There are also some fancy new effects and video options available!
The game supports lots of resolutions and hardware, runs fantastic, and is coming along great. I expect very few hiccups once it is made available on Steam!
Want to be a part of the super secret closed testing?
If you would like to participate in the closed testing sessions coming up soon... go ahead and leave a comment on my profile as well as add me (Steam). I'll add you to a list and give you the super secret code once the time comes.
When will we see gameplay?
I plan to post a preview trailer in the next week or two. It really depends on how much of the art I get finalized. At the moment there is a lot of placeholder work that I don't want being thrown around as it isn't mine to be advertising with.
Above is evidence that I'm actually trying to get the artwork done. Of course as is everything, nothing is final!
Progress update for latest build!
I've avoided posting here to avoid wasting anyones time with another, "Coming Soon" post. Instead I'll summarize what has come along and when you can likely play the first build.
Combat, levelling, perks, equippable items, growing plants, and consumable items are all implemented. The game has been heavily optimized and so there will be no backtracking on that front. The players base character has been finished including his walking animations. You can find more info on that HERE.
Multiplayer is working for just about everything aside from combat and AI (both of which have just been implemented). The next stages of development include finalizing the multiplayer, including PvP combat, and fleshing out a ton of biomes for the game. Unfortunately I'm bottlenecked until the art becomes available to me and so the earliest experimental build likely won't be made available for at least another month, or so I estimate.
When the latest build is finally made available you will be given access to both the server and the client executables meaning you can host your own servers for friends and/or massive public servers for complete strangers.
