ALPHA 10 is now available. This alpha overhauls how energy works, replacing the existing energy pools with a tile and reactor-pattern based system. ALPHA 10 also adds multi-tile mounts, medium and above mounts now cover multiple tiles. To go along with these changes we have added a number of new components including some experimental lasers with much longer reach.
For a full list of all the addtions and changes as well as how they all work please check out the forum post here : forum post
ALPHA 10 Pre-Release Build 1 Available
ALPHA 10 Pre-Release 1 is now available. This release completely revamps how energy works as well as adding multi tile mounts.
This is a pre-release build so all the usual things apply, it will have problems (some of which we know about) and it may break your universe.
If you still wish to give it a try check out all the changes and details here : http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/8/1520386297684900880/ and how to access it here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/8/1520386297684903463/
Another ALPHA 10 Feature - Development Blog
Hi everyone,
Last news post we announced the changes to the energy system in Space Impossible. As part of ALPHA 10 (A10), we're also introducing an additional change to mounts and components: Multi-Tile Mounts.
What that basically means is different mount sizes will take up a different number of physical tiles. We decided to do this as part of A10 because we need to rebalance every component anyways due to the energy changes, and by doing multi-tile mounts at the same time, it should ease the impact in broken designs that otherwise would've popped up. We, Stuffie and I, feel Multi-tile Mounts will offer a number of new choices in vessel design:
It imparts a physical sense to mounts. Bigger is better (in most cases). It'll tie mass, energy requirements and component strengths into that physical size.
It'll allow Space Impossible to have far more powerful components while needing less of them per vessel.
It lays the groundwork to provide a better sense of pacing for acquiring upgrades and/or new components.
Mounts still come in the same sizes: micro, small, medium, large and gigantic.
Tile destruction works basically in the same way as it does now. Mounts that are more than 1 tile now will be evaluated with the following rules:
Mounts require all their tiles to be active/activated. Exception being engines, which will operate at significantly reduced capacity.
When the number of alive tiles goes below 50% of possible tiles, the component becomes unseated. It gets dropped into space as an item.
When the number of tiles equals zero, the mount is permanently destroyed.
For a component to be seated, all tiles must be present.
Mount will exist until it is removed, or the final tile destroyed.
Energy for components is based on a sum of all tiles energy. If, for example, a 2x2 medium mount with a component requires 50 energy, and the tiles energy is 5, 8, 8 and 30, for a total of 51 energy, then the component would work.
An example of the Odyssey with a first pass rebalance. Compare that to the image in the previous news post and you'll see there's actually less engines, less reactors, less bridges. But same potential and capabilities.
So we're going to continue with this. I'm doing most of the balance changes and Stuffie is continuing to work on (and at this point optimize) the UI and some other bugs. We hope for a Pre-Release build sometime next week.
Plans for Energy - ALPHA 10 - Development Blog
Hi everyone,
We're in the second week of ALPHA 10 development and things are far enough along to introduce what's going on.
Basic paperdoll look with energy states
Energy is getting a significant change. Previously, reactors would increase a total energy pool, and generate a certain amount of power at a specific refresh rate. The problem that system was it wasn't very rewarding. Having an energy problem? Slap in more reactors. There wasn't enough control over how energy was used, and as other systems were tied to energy (like shields and engines) issues with controlling use of the energy started to rise. We didn't want to add further controls just for energy, so we sat down and did some thinking.
Mousing over a reactor reveals the energy grid. Black is 0 energy
What we've come up with is a more passive, but at the same time an indepth solution. The way energy and reactors work now is: Energy is now tile based. Reactors produce energy in a pre-determined pattern. Every tile that the pattern overlaps gains (or loses) energy. Most components require energy to be enabled. If their tile doesn't have enough energy, the component is disabled (or severally crippled).
This gives the following benefits: Building is far more indepth. You can just slap stuff on, but there's far more room for really thoughtful ship design. It encourages reactors to be spread out to give adequate coverage for components. No more slapping reactors in the middle of your ship. Ships and stations will now have better vulnerabilities, and it should promote different design philosophies. Finally, it makes reactors far more interesting. There'll be far greater possibilities in reactor design and choices.
In addition, reactors will be capable of being rotated, with a 90 degree snap.
Example of how the energy grid looks on large ships, pre-rebalance
The biggest challenge at the moment is making the UI give you all the information you need, without overwhelming you with that info. Stuffie's doing a great job on it, and we're sure you're all going to like it too.
ALPHA 9 Released
ALPHA 9 is now available. This alpha sees the re-introduction of Torpedoes and multi tile damage.
Alongside Torpedoes there are a number of re-addtions (such as Kelbuim and more advanced lasers), new addtions (a new laser type and completely revamped ship wrecks) as well as the usual slew of bug fixes and optimizations.
For a full list of all the addtions and changes as well as how they all work please check out the forum post here : forum post
ALPHA 9 Pre-Release Build 2 Available
ALPHA 9 Pre-Release 2 is now available. This releases fixes some problems related to building including other things found in Pre-Release 1.
This is a pre-release build so all the usual things apply, it will have problems (some of which we know about) and it may break your universe.
If you still wish to give it a try check out all the changes and details here : http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/6/1471967615873306628/and how to access it here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/6/1471967615865078115/
ALPHA 9 Pre-Release Build 1 Available
ALPHA 9 Pre-Release 1 is now available. This release re-introduces torpedoes and multi-tile damage, so watch out as reactors now expode when their tile is destroyed!
This is a pre-release build so all the usual things apply, it will have problems (some of which we know about) and it may break your universe.
If you still wish to give it a try check out all the changes and details here : http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/6/1471967615865093528/ and how to access it here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/416240/discussions/6/1471967615865078115/
Upcoming Livestream/Podcast Appearance
Just letting everyone know that Rex and I will be live on the SpaceGameJunkie Podcast (www.twitch.tv/spacegamejunkie & https://gaming.youtube.com/spacegamejunkie/live ) on August 1st 2017 6:00 AM PT US/8:00 AM CT US/1:00 PM GMT
ALPHA 8 Released
ALPHA 8 is now available. This alpha sees the addition of the EVA Suit which allows captains to exit thier vessel, move around space, repair tiles as well as build new vessels from scratch. Beware however as in an EVA suit you are very vunerable !
For a full list of all the additions and fixes aswell as how they all work please check out the forum post here : forum post
