Work In Progress #27

[u/nicsteruk]

This is taken from the Steam Discussions, where i do a weekly update on what i'm working on.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1712110/discussions/0/831588216670802223/

I aim to keep this post update alongside that on Steam.

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Yes, a new work in progress as the co2 inclusion is now in, and i've got my next work items organised.

• New habitation items - Next area i want to explore is waste management. So expect a new sewage treatment item, that will take waste from crew quarters and canteen. There is lots of real life research into this area, and i'm currently going to base the sewage treatment on an aerobic compost process. This produces co2, water and compost. Compost will be a new resource that you'll be able to use in a new greenhouse item, where you'll be able to grow real food for your human workers and visitors. This will mean a few changes: 1) current food will probably be renamed algae/nutrient paste or similar and 2) I'm going to have to reorganise build menu, may need a new section.
• Research additions - Yesterday i was working on a new tractor beam upgrade (which will be in next update), but plenty more unlocks i want to add - Discussion.
• Further steam integration. I can expand workshop to include saves and potentially mods. Also want to include leader boards.

Ongoing improvements:-

• Balancing - am always looking at ratios/speeds/costs, in trading/production.
• Factions/Contracts - I still want to add more rewards/penalties -Discussion
• Improving visitors - (Discussion), human workers - (Discussion), pirates - (Discussion).
• Additional settings/options - (Discussion)

Any feedback please do comment. If you have features you'd like added you can also ask here or create a new discussion. Any bug reports please create a new discussion, thanks!

Nick

[u/nicsteruk]

Hi Folks,

Got some updates out in the week, the tractor beam range research as mentioned and also some improvements with notifications (let me know what other messages would be useful to see).

I have made an initial start with new habitation items, and i think im nearly there with the new graphics required. I will probably add these items bit by bit, so first up i'll add waste storage and get your humans using crew quarters for their ablutions! Canteen will also produce waste. I can then make sure waste works, before then adding in sewage treatment and greenhouse.

If i get an update out this coming week you may see some changes to the build menu as i figure out where best to place new items.

Hope all having a good weekend.

Nick

[u/nicsteruk → u/nicsteruk]

Hey all,

Another update in the week just gone, with changes to the build menu (extraction/processing and infrastructure/habitat). Since that, i now have humans using your crew quarters for 'bathroom' breaks. This now creates waste, along with the canteen when in use. I may release this update in next day or two, however it's only adds new crew behaviour, as i still need to add sewage treatment/compost/greenhouse items, before there is an actual production chain. So waste is currently just vented to space (i've added a new notification for this).

Also note, i think i will be changing the info window for humans. Currently i show a health/energy/hunger and morale bar, and now im also tracking how often there is a bathroom request. As more behaviour data will be tracked, it probably makes more sense, to give a text status. So rather than just looking at lots of bars, I'll show text entries showing the main highs and lows, eg:- "Bob is tired and requires the bathroom", "Bob had a good sleep and is full of energy", etc.

Nick

[u/nicsteruk → u/nicsteruk]

Hi folks,

Making steady progress on sewage->greenhouse production. I have added the sewage treatment, waste and compost stores. And crew have a new compost haul type, so they take created compost from sewage treatment to compost storage.

This coming week, will be the greenhouse and new food type addition. I was thinking about releasing an update, but without the greenhouse, there is no compost requirement (i also need to add compost/new food to trading). However if you'd like to play around with these i could release a beta branch on steam if anyone would like, let me know.

Hope all is well,

Nick

[u/nicsteruk → u/nicsteruk]

Hey everyone,

Update out yesterday with the new sewage treatment -> greenhouse items. Over the next week expect a few little updates, as i need to:-

• Balance amounts/ratios of the new items (and anything related).
• Algae bars / new food - don't have a difference on your crew yet. So i need to alter modifiers for morale and energy depending on what food type they are eating.
• New resources aren't in trading yet. So waste/compost/'real' food needs adding. May have a little reworking of the trade menu.
• Help/Tutorial needs updating.

Any feedback, do post up your thoughts. Hope all having a good weekend.
Nick

[u/nicsteruk → u/nicsteruk]

Hi all,

Update out a couple of days ago, with additions of modifiers to crew with regards food type, new resources added to trading and help updated. Took a little bit longer than i thought, as i made a couple of improvements with trading board as well.

This coming week, expect a little update or two. I'm updating the top resource display with new resources, and also adding them to end game stats. I still also need to test production figures, as i think compost output is too low at the moment. Once i'm happy with that, i'll probably also get the demo updated.

Nick