More massive changes under the hood, the game looks more vibrant as a result
We learnt a few lessons in the transition to 5.1. To address issues with the Linux build we needed to upgrade the core game engine to Unity 5.4.2 - this sadly broke a lot of the shaders and it took over a week to tweak and adjust, and get things back on track.
During that time, Update 5 had introduced some issues but by that point we were too busy with the upgrade to issue hotfixes. In future we're going to do more in-house testing before updates are released slowing things down a little but we'll also put online a 'bleeding edge' BETA branch for those happier to dive into the unknown.
As a result of the Unity upgrade there's another host of performance improvements, particularly on lower spec hardware and we've used the opportunity to brighten the game and give it more contrast so details such as hull customisation aren't lost to overpowering colour grading and darkness.
We've also fixed the bugs reported in Update 5.
As you can likely see, we're not quite done with that yet and will likely spend the next few days tweaking the visuals and bug hunting before continuing to add new features.
Cheers especially for your patience and for all the support and feedback!
Update 5.1 Change Log
- Update: Upgraded to Unity 5.4.2f
- Update: Replaced explosion VFX
- Added: Verbose loading
- Fixed crash switching between zones
- Fixed crash loading turret fire FX
- Fixed medium turrets always on fire
- Fixed large fleet icon onClick action
Overhaul Update 5 - Tactical Package
Good news, Update 5 has arrived!
This update focuses on adding the more intricate mechanics that will compliment both the singleplayer and multiplayer experiences.
In particular this update adds Shield Rebalancing, Subsystem Attack Mode, Engine Attack Mode and the Subsystem Targeting Ability. We've also added 20+ audio clips of an AI voice to compliment the UI.
Combat is due to become far more gritty and intense during Update 5.
As we hinted before, Update 5 now gives you the ability to 'rebalance' any of the ships shields. You can do this by selecting your ship and clicking on any of the four shield segments of the shield widget (5) to the bottom right of the abilities panel.
This opens up a host of new tactical considerations as simply right-clicking on the enemy to attack them might not be the best option.
Normally, the enemy will come to you if they spot you and let them. Try and position your forces to absorb the assault from a single direction and the power of shield rebalancing will become immediately pronounced. You can then pincer the enemy forces more effectively causing further disruption to their offensive using engine and subsystem attack modes.
Note that you cannot rebalance the shields past their initial maximum.
Engine Targeting
In three dimensional warfare, denying the enemy the ability to move is absolutely critical. You can now target the assailants engines using 'Engine Attack Mode' causing them to vent plasma slowing them down to a crawl.
Engine Attack Mode is only possible when it's shields are down. If the shields are up while this targeting function is active, it will count as a normal attack. If the shields are down, there will be a chance to disable the targets engines and reduced damage will be applied (damage counter shown in yellow.)
Toggle the Engine Attack Mode button to return to Free Attack Mode.
Subsystem Targeting
Any ship can opt to target an assailants external subsystems which presently includes turrets using 'Subsystem Attack Mode.'
If you wish to specify the targeting parameters, that is, the order in which the turrets should be disabled; you should select a Capital ship and use the 'Subsystem Targeting' ability.
Using the ability will bring up a window similar to the Inventory window in which you can click on the turrets to queue them for destruction. In doing so a number will appear indicating their position in the queue. As the turrets are disabled they will automatically be removed from the queue.
Subsystem Attack Mode is only possible when a ships shields are down. It is however possible to assign targeting parameters for your fleet using the Subsystem Targeting Ability when the targets shield are up.
As with all Abilities, the Capital vessel does not need to be in the same Zone (or even orbiting the same planet) to call out target subsystems for the fleet. You must select a context target to use the Subsystem Targeting Ability (click on a AI unit with Capital ship selected.)
If the shields are up while Subsystem Attack Mode is active, it will count as a normal attack. If the shields are down reduced damage (shown as yellow damage counter) will be done to the targets subsystems unless using Precise weapons, in which full damage is done.
Toggle the Subsystem Attack Mode button to return to Free Attack Mode.
BETA Update 5.0 Changelog
- Added shield rebalancing via shield widget (bottom right of ability bar)
- Added attack mode: Free
- Added attack mode: Subsystems
- Added attack mode: Engines
- Added subsystem target window
- Added additional UI and tooltips to support attack types
- Added 20 AI voices
- Added voices to Abilities
- Added engine fire FX
- Added turret fire FX
- Fixed Status' given via Ability don't time out
- Fixes further to stats adjustment calculations
- Fixes to context windows closing on ship destruction
- Fixes to hang if using next/previous buttons in ship config if only one ship present in Zone
- Fixes to position and scale of Turrets on PLC Sadalbari Carrier
- Fixes to petty trade only giving first traded item
- Fixes to rare crash generating Battlecruiser
- Update - removed trading between zones restrictions temporarily to help with testing
- Update - added delay to ability buttons mouse over action
- Update - omidirectional/directional webifier abilities now affect rotation rather than speed
Dev Ramble #4: Measure of Success
Time to settle back into the proverbial leather couch and let out some more. It’s actually incredibly therapeutic, last time it literally felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders practically from the moment I hit post.
So we concluded that fear is a big motivator to progress this thing.
Seems a little extreme, but everybody is motivated by fear – if we don’t find the means to provide for ourselves or those who depend on us then we perish. So really fear as a motivator is part of the process of being alive.
But then, it’s not the only motivator.
When anyone decides to leave the comfort of their jobs to go at it alone either consciously or subconsciously they decide what it is that ultimately drives them and I think it basically boils down to power, money or success.
I wouldn’t say I was motivated by power.
I’m a Beta male, quite happy to lead but just as happy to follow. I’m also a techy and I find that power gets in the way of the pursuit of knowledge because ultimately, by virtue of the man or his surroundings, power changes people and the way people deal with you and I’m weary of that.
Money is nice, but if I were motivated by cold hard cash I’d have stuck with my day job. No, the more you have the more you spend – it’s relative, I just want to be comfortable.
Then we settle on success.
Some might argue that power and money equals success; life has taught me to be very weary of those people. But, I’m interested in success in its purest form, which is simply to build a quality game.
So how do we define success or quality?
Well we can strive to make the game look and feel the best it can be. Use the potential AAA status as a golden carrot to drive it to making something that is directly comparable to other high budget ventures.
That’s a pretty standard objective and dare-I-say, a bit of a cheap shot.
So what else can we do? Well we can take the subject matter, in this case the RTS as a genre, slice it open from tip to stern, scope out the insides and place them to one side. We can then climb inside the skin and dance around in it, have fun with it, pretend to be it then toss it to one side. Then we look to the pile of innards and we start arranging them in their new form.
You see, it might be enough for most developers to simply pick up a famous RTS and clone it; I have the say the idea of that bores me to tears.
If I look at the list of strategy games I loved, not enjoyed, actually loved; the list is pretty short: World in Conflict, Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, X-Com (originals too) Starfleet Command, Transport Tycoon (really you have to try out that last one, it’s free too search ‘OpenTTD.’)
They are all pretty unique.
They don’t feature the immersion breaking mechanics of somehow building units in 15 seconds and the mindless selection box combat. They don’t adhere strictly to the template and simply sprinkle in something extra over the top.
They are grassroots different, from the base code to the external presentation.
Sadly we don’t really live in those sort of times anymore.
If a game doesn’t play like every other it’s normally damned by critics and Player alike as being ‘unintuitive’ (if it even gets a look in at all.)
So now we find ourselves cherry picking the best parts from the classics; the fluid controls of Homeworld, the concurrent activity of Sins, the consideration of tactics like Starfleet Command, taking all these things and tastefully merging them together.
Originality doesn’t pay in this industry, so we have to be sparing with it.
If I’d farted out another RTS I’d be bathing in cash right now and likely would have finished this a long time ago and looking back, it probably would have been the best option.
But I’m not happy with that, so instead we’re going to be intrepid but have to mimic the classics, because that’s what people recognise and consciously or subconsciously that’s what majority of people want.
Apparently if people are putting ‘looks like Homeworld’ or ‘looks like Nexus’ all over your stuff then you’re doing well.
I suppose like me, you too are inspired by classics and how they changed your lives. Perhaps you were in a bad place and that game was your escape, perhaps you remember being a teen sitting on the bus on the way to school daydreaming of playing, dying to get the day out of the way to get home.
This is how a game should make you feel.
So the measure of success isn’t how many copies we’ve sold (money) or how many people are following us (power,) leave that to the big-boys.
My measure of success is to make something that is visually beautiful, something that endears and reminds us of how games used to be and why we play them, build upon the reasons for such with a degree of originality and unifies it all into a quality product.
Because in the end, no mater how twisted the path travelled, quality always prevails and is therefore the only real tangible measurement of success.
James
Overhaul Update 4.8.4 - Incrementals
You probably noticed the game updating over the weekend.
The changes made in 4.8.1 to the movement system were really quite massive and so we had a quick optimisation pass and a couple of rounds of bug fixing.
Next in the pipeline is Update 5, ETA 2-3 days.
BETA Hotfix Update 4.8.2
- Fixes further to log spam
- Fixes to thrusters lagging framerate
- Fixed OOZ concurrency GC collection causing stutter every second
- Optimised adjusted stats calculations to avoid GC collection
- Removed SpaceObjects rocks from collision avoidance (munches CPU sadly)
BETA Hotfix Update 4.8.3
- Fixes to collision avoidance crash on zone exit
- Fixes to fleet icons shown for AI OOZ units
- Fixed positioning issues introduced with new physics simulation
BETA Hotfix Update 4.8.4
- Fixes (further) to collision avoidance crash on zone exit
BETA Update 4.8.1 - Introducing Inertia
Bit of a packed incremental update this time round as we continue to fine tune and some additional major work going on under the hood to further refine ship movements.
We tested Update 4.8 at a friends house to gather some feedback and it ended up as quite an exciting session for a number of reasons. As he played we described the pending mechanics soon to be injected; shield rebalancing, subsystem targeting - his eyes lit up.
But perhaps the most thought provoking reaction was when he turned to us and blurted out 'imagine this in multiplayer!'
Now this isn't news to us, we've been imagining it all year, but when looking at his face to gauge his actual excitement we realised that he'd literally been drooling all over his nice shiny new keyboard and that sparked a bit of a rethink about priorities.
Coding multiplayer is a big deal - but we are prepared for it this time round.
The biggest problem in our tests was the use of physics in versions 4.8 and earlier so we replaced it with a home-brew pseudo-physics implementation - the difference is immediately noticable with the inclusion of inertia in the ship movements, huuuugely immersive - take a look!
Keep the bug reports and feedback flowing - incredibly useful!
BETA Update 4.8.1
- Update all ship speeds increased
- Update all weapons ranges increased
- Update all turret turn rates increased
- Update formation spacings increased
- Added inertia to ship movements
- Added custom physics simulation (multiplayer preparation)
- Added modified object pool and prefabs (multiplayer preparation)
- Fixed issue with collision avoidance
- Fixes to ship thrusters
- Fixes to ability attribute modifiers
- Fixed siege laser effect
- Fixes include more defensive code to prevent rare particle crash
- Fixes further to log spam
- Fixes to enemy reveal in fleet panel
- Fixed intermittent bug introduced in 4.8 with soft groups disbanding
BETA Update 4.8 - Quick Battle Mode
While we’re busy cooking up the sandbox we thought it might be an idea to put in a skirmish mode of sorts. Similar to the ‘Tactical Simulator’ in the older alpha, Quick Battle mode allows you to dive in and get to grips with any of the ships and get used to the controls.
Behind the scenes, Quick Battle mode will help to iron out the wrinkles, particularly with combat and already it’s sparked a bit of a rethink with regards to combat AI.
It might please you to note that there are no caps on the number of ships in the arena.
One of the things that makes Shallow Space unique against other similar titles is the detail of the combat, in particular the simulated projectiles and unpredictable nature of the ship movements. But it became clear to us when simulating larger battles that there needs to be some degree of predictability otherwise you’re effectively watching the AI battle it out – this update goes a long way to resolving that woe.
An example of the fixes this update introduces is the AI attacking from roughly the same direction each time meaning that combat can now be ‘anchored’ making it easier to flank them and making small but immersive mechanics such as shield rebalancing not only a reality, but extremely useful.
Look forward to the inclusion of shield balancing very shortly (literally coding it as we speak.)
Once more we appreciate all the support and feedback as we edge ever closer to our immediate goals. Keep those bug reports coming and remember to post screenshots of your new escapades Commander!
BETA Hotfix Update 4.7.1
- Added hull customisation to Options menu (primary/secondary colours)
- Fixes to crash on Hard Group setup
BETA Update 4.8
- Added 'Quick Battle Mode'
- Fixed rare issue with orders being wiped on ship jump
- Fixed issue with selection box ignoring units
- Fixed rare crash allocating initial SFX channel
- Fixed issue with fleet icon not appearing when construction complete
- Fixed issue building Sadalbari Command Carrier
- Fixed crash updating rolling selector if ship changes groups
- Fixed issue with Combat AI 'eternal chasing'
- Update major tweaks to ship Combat AI
- Update 3D ship text no longer affect by time scaling
BETA Update 4.7 & macOS build now available!
Good news! Update 4.7 has arrived along with macOS / OS-X support!
Now that support on all platforms has been restored, we're going to swap the old Alpha and new Beta builds around as we're a little conscious that people are missing out on the good stuff.
So in other words: If you were testing the BETA simply switch the build back to normal!
Managing multiple groups is now very easy by using TAB / Shift + TAB
We're seeing mainly evolutionary progress this update with the promised additional fleet management tweaks bringing the chapter of unit groupings to a close.
We also have a few tweaks as suggested by the community but the real work has gone on under the hood to prepare for resource collection and logistics which will be switched on in 4.7.1.
As is now the norm; expect a flurry of incremental updates/hotfixes over the course of the next week as we continue the race to complete the short to medium term objectives.
Please do keep pointing out the bugs and we'll continue to squash them!
Also, just a reminder that this article contains some hints on how to get to the missions.
BETA Update 4.7 Changelog
- Added macOS/OS-X support!
- Added 'rolling selector' UI piece
- Added TAB to toggle forwards hard/soft group selection
- Added Shift-TAB to toggle backwards hard/soft group selection
- Added intelligent camera focus to TAB (preserves Orbit/RTS Cam mode)
- Added intelligent camera focus to hard group selection (double tap number key)
- Added current zone icon to notification panel
- Added in-game help notifier
- Added additional atmospheric sounds to main menu and Zone Map
- Added images to Imperial Codex
- Update - time speed-ups increased
- Update - 'Encyclopedia' renamed to 'Imperial Codex'
- Update - game window can be resized when in windowed mode
- Fixes to issues allowing Player to trade/transfer/fit items in different Zones
- Fixes to issues allowing Player to fit items to ships before trade completed
- Fixes to crash in Inventory transfering items from ship slots
- Fixes to issues trying to edit ship in a different zone or on Zone Map
- Fixed passive scanning sound broken on holding CTRL
- Fixed Q/E keys inverted
- Fixes to minor issue allowing the selection of option rows
- Fixes to OOZ (Out Of Zone) docking crash
- Fixes (further) to crash assigning target when exiting SRJ
- Fixed issue refreshing group icon when creating Soft Group
Paradijs Lost (Epilogue)
Well it might have been the end of Eve Walters, but her legacy had far reaching implications across shallow space. We explore that legacy in a series of snippets from faction press outlets.
PLEIADES PRESS “Terrorists neutralised in coup for Pleiades Police.”
In another triumph for the Corporation’s principles and methodologies, terrorist Eve Walters was apprehended by Corporate Police earlier this month.
Walters was part of a network of Imperium dissidents jealous of the advances and comfort bestowed upon Corporate employees and attempting to bring us down to their level.
Walters resisted arrest and her ship was damaged during the chase. She later succumbed to her injuries, but not before recording a video confession of her crimes. Eve Walters will serve as an example for any other criminals intent on damaging the Corporation.
ILLEGAL REFRESHMENTS “Public Announcements.”
We like to think that those that share in Illegal Refreshments have a common bond, if not full friendship then at least a sense of comradery. In this vein we have a public announcement for those that may be affected:
1) Gregory Walters’ ship was destroyed leaving dock in the Oberon system, apparently due to systems failure on board his freighter. In a twist of cruel fate, his daughter Eve Walters was also killed by pilot error this month. The family is survived by Gregory’s son Jimmy who is carrying on the family business.
2) We have been notified that ‘scoundrel of fortune’ Jack Hamilton has been out of touch with his contacts for the last month. We know many of you disprove of his recent actions, but he is part of our large family, so if you see him please tell him to get in touch.
3) Kane Guptill has been working with the Shallom Clan attempting to recreate Shallom’s last movements before his disappearance a decade ago. He believes he is on to something and will be making an announcement at the next Kill4 meeting.
INCORPORATED NOW “Pleiades Corporation: ‘Killing Civilians OK’.”
Readers of Incorporated Now will be familiar with the work of Eve Walters, a celebrated journalist from Mayflower, who has previously contracted to Incorporated Now (And stirred up the odd hornet’s nest too).
We found her in-your-face attitude refreshing and our Corporation’s management graciously saw the funny side in her antics.
But earlier this month we learnt of her untimely death in the Pleiades System. Rumours abound regarding how and where she died, but one thing this journal is sure of is that something stinks.
She didn’t die by accident.
Eve was doing what Eve does best and the Pleiades Corporation killed her for it. We here at Incorporated Now believe it is our solemn duty to warn all our readers, here in Incorporated Space and beyond, to stay away from the Pleiades system as they clearly sanction the murder of Imperium citizens. You have been warned.
We will be sending a delegation to Mayflower to mourn our lost friend at her memorial. Employees are welcome to apply for dispensation to also attend the memorial.
The GUARDIAN “Award Winning Reporter Tragically Killed”
It is with regret and sadness that we must report the death of one of our own. Eve Walters, a prize winning journalist for our respected media outlet, died in the Pleiades system last month.
Official police reports indicate pilot error by the commercial charter she was using, crashing into one of the many asteroids in the system after attempting to escape police custody.
Eve had been researching violation of the Eugenics Accords by the Pleiades Corporation who in turn claim Eve was engaging in acts of terrorism. Anyone who knows Eve knows this simply is not true and our lawyers are currently in contact with the PLC in regards to this slander.
Eve was a highly valued member of the team at The Guardian and will be sorely missed. There will be an open memorial service at York on Christian’s World, Mayflower on April 26th.
Dev Ramble #3: Trials and Tribulations
It’s about time for another developer ramble I feel, it’s been too long since our last one. Firstly, I feel the need to correct a statement that was made in my last post in suggesting that a ‘glass ceiling’ might prevent the project from truly reaching it’s potential.
This is in error.
The computer games industry employs countless million talented individuals who have spent their lives honing their skills through practice and study. If I was to walk onto a construction site and proclaim myself a foreman, I’d be laughed out of the place likely with a couple of bruises. So actually it should be said that it’s fortunate indeed that we indies even have the chance to turn our skills to this industry unhindered and to suggest that we ‘deserve’ the same treatment as the big boys is frankly disrespectful and I regret saying it.
What’s more, the statement simply is not true.
Steam furnishes developers with plenty of neat little tricks; trading cards, achievements, a seriously awesome community spirit to name a few – it’s an impressive arrangement allowing those with guile to work themselves up the ladder.
In addition, we all know that a favourable preview by a YouTuber or Streamer can turn this from a ‘promising project’ to an overnight sensation, but that sort of attention isn’t guaranteed and so can’t be relied upon.
So we're left with the more traditional marketing options.
But the trouble with effective traditional marketing is it’s like launching a rocket into space. If you half fill the fuel tank the rocket will fall out the sky with disastrous consequences but to fill it up to the top takes money, and I mean silly amounts.
So just what can I do to promote this game?
Well I’ve been flailing around on social media ineffectively since inception and it’s hard work. People simply don’t like to be sold too.
I find it particularly annoying that if I ripped off my t-shirt and posted a topless picture I’ll probably get more likes in an hour than I do in a month on the Shallow Space facebook page, but hey humans are no, can be fickle creatures – neither of us are surprised at that.
But it’s that fickle nature that poses a rather large problem for this industry.
As I flick through the various games for inspiration, what I basically see from my informed position is a rather large collection of LIES. When I first started this game I analysed my position realising that I am indeed a nobody and the only two tools I have that the big boys don’t is honesty and time…
…and by honestly, I mean transparency.
Look at any of the big games and you’ll see screenshots without UI, you’ll see trailers that don’t feature in-game footage, touched up screenshots and a propensity to withhold pertinent information that might otherwise put Players off.
But now I know why.
Today I posted links and images to the roadmap, I knew what was going to happen and sure enough, sales flatlined. It’s obvious why, people looked at that 48% and decided against the sale because they were furnished with the information that they should have.
What a dichotomy: I feel duty bound to represent the product as it truly is right now to prospective Players but actually I have a bigger duty to those who have already brought the game and frankly; more money == better game.
But my main worry right now is the fact that, Shallow Space has so far been sold as a different thing – with countless outdated images, opinions and assumptions polluting the internet like an oil spill.
It’s quite the different game now I’m sure you can agree.
We’ve listened, taken onboard all the (constructive) feedback over the years and rewritten the game to a far higher standard. But I’d be remiss if I made the assumption that people will take my word for that, so really, it needs to come from you.
But worry is ultimately wasted effort and I must continue to work as I have done; like a machine.
I’ve been doing this for nearly three years now, my life has changed to the point that there is no easy way back so by hook or by crook this thing WILL be finished, even if I have to sell my kidneys to make it so.
I appreciate this is all a bit macabre, but I’m just so weary of hope that I won’t allow myself to feel it anymore. Hope is etched into the foreheads of the countless corpses that line Steams golden gates, indie developers that harnessed that hope as motivation and ultimately tried and failed to bring their dreams to life and it ruined them.
I’d be a fool to think that couldn’t happen to me.
Going back to what I was saying before, sure – entrance to that glossy gaming industry is largely unhindered but it is not without cost.
So with all this in mind, I find myself facing mankinds oldest friend: Fear.
Fear is a more effective motivator than hope I find; hence my fingers continue to be worked so hard they are practically ground down to stumps.
Now, I don’t want you to worry about the project reading this; it is on top form I promise you that – in fact you can no doubt see. I just want to impart that, the road to nirvana is paved with traps and this whole exercise isn’t quite as delightful as it might appear…
…but I remind myself that if it was easy; then it wouldn’t be fun.
James
Roadmap and Gallery Updated!
The Roadmap and Gallery pages have been updated!
Making a game is complex task, keeping you all updated on the project status; just as complex. You'll notice the frequency of the updates has been stepped up, so much so that it's likely you might miss out on some of the more pertinent information.
The Roadmap is designed to give clear, at-a-glance information about the projects status. The aim is to transparently break down our goals and give you a better idea as to where we are right now and where we are heading.
As well as that it'll also serve as a place to get information on the most recent updates as we continue down the road to completion.
If you're new to the project or even if you're not, be sure to swing by the galleries for some tantilising imagery of the Overhaul BETA and some exclusive images of the planetary system prototype!
Don't forget, if you own the game you can get access to the BETA right now and witness first hand the fruits of community feedback and our labour of passion.
