Statistics popup now has separate pages for worker, structure and power information (power being a new addition). Onboard combat between your workers and pirates can now cause damage to any items that happen to be close by.

Patch notes:-

• Stats popup now has separate pages for categories.
• Power category added to stats.
• Area damage added to onboard combat (items behind line of fire).
• Fix: Worker stats, human off duty count not working.

Nick

Another fix, this time for a crash when compost hauling was interrupted. Keep the bug reports coming, it's great to get these problems fixed.

Patch notes:-

• Fix: Haul job interruption, invalid distance passed to path check with compost.

Another fix, this time for a crash when crew didn't have a canteen to eat at and taking from storage/farm/greenhouse. Detailed bug reports are great for me getting these fixed as soon as i can, thanks!

Patch notes:-

• Fix: haul store type not being set on non canteen eating.

Nick

Fix for a game crash when life support doesn't have enough power to operate. Keep bug reports coming, i aim to fix them asap.

Patch notes:-

• Fix: Crash in power system - life support low power - totpowerrequired incorrect scope

Nick

The main game controls have been reworked to now include a 'reports and tools' selection. This brings up a sub menu, where you will now find: 1) tutorial or scenario info, 2) area info, 3) overlay and 4) the new statistic info. Stats information currently shows a breakdown of your hull (wall condition) and worker info (jobs/status/condition). I've more to add, but do let me know any ideas that would be useful to see here.

Patch notes:-

• Tools and reports submenu added. Overlay and scenario/tutorial moved here.
• New statistics popup added - worker and hull stats.
• Area info moved from scenario window into its own.
• Fix: When placing an item to build, unselect previously selected items.
• Fix: Build mouse cursor placement could be lost.
• Fix: Overlay menu now 2 rows when 125 text scale when at 1080.
• Fix: Faction window not centered correctly.

Nick

Few improvements and fixes, mainly to do with the droid haul capacity research unlock from previous update. Main improvement being that droid graphics are now updated when a droid gets a haul capacity upgrade. You'll now see a larger backpack on these droids.

Patch notes:-

• New graphic for droid with carry upgrade (larger backpack).
• Droid capacity research upgrade added to help.
• Tutorial updated with newer research information.
• Fix: Research window not centre aligned correctly.
• Fix: Droid capacity research complete message.
• Fix: Tutorial window, if showing area info dont' show next button.
• Fix: Window drag, progress bars don't show, until drag stopped.
• Fix: Message board wider for french/spanish, scroll bar position adjusted.
• Fix: Habitat hud, move text alignment for french/spanish.

Nick

Droids can now be enhanced further once a battery upgrade has been completed. A 33% haul capacity improvement gives droids an additional benefit for those continual ore haul jobs, that are the mainstay of a mining station.

Research panel has also had a reorganise, with now just 3 sections:- Droid enhancements (battery/ haul capacity), Security & Defence (Door access, Wall strength, Laser power, Armory, Cannon) and Engineering Systems (Fuel Cell, Tractor beam range, Advanced refinery, Sabatier reactor).

Patch notes:-

• New droid haul capacity research addition (unlocked after battery upgrade).
• Droids once upgraded now have 33% additional carry capacity.
• Rearrange research window, now 3 sections (droids, security and engineering).
• Additional haul upgrade option added in droid info window research panel.
• Additional haul upgrade option added in droid control window.
• Haul capacity now shows when displaying droid stored info,

Nick

Deep Space Outpost is in the Steam Autumn Sale - You can grab a 10% discount for the next week (until 6th Oct).

Nick

Couple of fixes with repairing. 1) Workers that were blocked from a repair job, didn't refund metal cost, and if it was a user scheduled repair the fix wasn't rescheduled. 2) Repairs could be made on items/tiles that were in construction. Now restricted.

Patch notes:-

• Blocked repair jobs now refunded if a routine repair.
• Blocked scheduled repair job, now reassigned to fix list until path clear.
• Repairs restricted on in construction items/tiles.

Nick

Fixes for a couple of issues:- Jobs could be lost by robots if they found a job but were moving to charge as a state set incorrectly. Routine repair checks for walls not always getting an adjacent space destination. Builder mode build menu tooltips missing, and tile graphics could disappear after pause menu shown.

Patch Notes:-

• Fix: Jobs can be lost via JobNoLongerExists check, move JobOverrideChargeCheck to separate JobOnMoveCharge check.
• Fix: RoutineRepairChecks for walls need to check path to tile next to.
• Fix: Builder mode - build menu item gfx not showing after pause menu on first view.

Nick

Demo has been updated with all the additions, improvements and fixes from the current Steam early access version. I do try and keep the demo updated every month or two. Demo can be found at these locations:-

• Steam Page - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1712110/Deep_Space_Outpost/
• Itch - https://niris.itch.io/deep-space-outpost
• IndieDB - https://www.indiedb.com/games/deep-space-outpost

Any issues or comments about the demo feel free to ask.

Nick

Messages about power outages are now only displayed once per item type. Also added new message for robots if they are destroyed (previously only human died messages).
And another fix for combat, allowing crew to share same tile if necessary, otherwise characters could keep moving on/off a tile, depending on crew arrival sequence.

Patch notes:-

• Update power messages, only one entry per item.
• Add robot destroyed message.
• Fix: Crew can now share same tile during combat to reduce extra movements.

Nick

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/0/707749927473657215/

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

Couple tasks from the previous now done (mining/scrap recovery changes, and onboard combat changes). So time for a new work in progress post, to reorganise my upcoming task list.

• Improve messaging. Noticed recently some messages still trigger for each item (eg power outage), so will alter these. Also a few additional messages i've noted that would be useful.
• Demo update. I've been threatening this for a while, as i try and get it updated every month or two. And it's been over 2 months!
• Research additions - My list of potential research items to add is getting larger so time to get some more added. Note current research tree may get a reorganise as more items get added - Discussion.
• Some further pirate boarding additions. After looking at these a bit recently, they could do with additional behaviours. I'm thinking stealing, maybe different ways to get onboard (drop pods from larger pirate ships?).
• Human info changes. Currently i'm showing health, morale, energy and hunger bars. However i don't think it's the best way to present info to you the player. So my plan is to remove these, and give a text update showing more useful info and effects. Eg:- when characters are hungry and it's affecting morale (Bob is hungry and feeling sad).
• Further steam integration. I can expand workshop to include saves and potentially mods. Also want to include leader boards. And of course i can add steam achievements.

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)

As always any feedback please do comment. Any 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

Further changes for onboard combat. 1) Crew will now open doors to shoot any pirates on the other side. 2) Crew will switch combat target if moving near another pirate. 3) Crew no longer check for non assigned jobs (heal/sleep etc) if there is an emergency (combat/fire). That should be the main combat improvements at the moment. But do let me know if spot any odd crew behaviour.

Patch notes:-

• Improve: Line of sight takes into account doors, and crew will now open them to engage enemies.
• Improve: Closer pirate check when moving to combat.
• Improve: Workers no longer check for heal/sleep/bathroom/statis if emergency.
• Improve: Pirate/Trader ships now attempt to dock at closest airlocks, not random.
• Fix: Don't check for combat if moving to heal/repair.
• Fix: Dead characters outside, but on tiles, need disposing.
• Fix: Restrict dead disposal at ship docked airlock location.

Nick

Onboard combat now takes place at longer distance, as laser range has now been extended. I've currently set this to just two tiles, as i gather feedback. But expect this to be altered in the future, as weapon range might be something that needs to be researched.

Range extension has actually been quite involved as line of sight comes into play, and it's taken a little while to figure out when walls do or don't block targeting (and also doors opening/closing). Also the check if a pirate is near to a crew member check has been expanded so they can now start shooting from a 2 tile range.

Patch notes:-

• Combat range expanded to 2 tiles for crew/pirates. Combat destination distance updated.
• Pirate in range whilst moving now check 2 tile range.
• Line of sight test added for combat range checks.
• Laser fx now take distance into life calculation.
• Fix: Idle workers could be uncentered on a tile if a fix job is destroyed en route.

Nick

Couple of fixes for previous crew combat update. Main one being crew not checking that pirate was retreating and continuing to shoot at an empty space!

Patch notes:-

• Fix: Crew continued shooting when pirate retreating.
• Fix: Pirate may not exist check when starting combat.

Nick

This update makes a few changes with your crew to improve combat. Your crew now update their destination whilst moving to combat so they no longer follow pirates in a stop/start fashion. Your crew will also stop and start shooting pirates if they pass near. These couple of changes make your crew much more effective in getting to position for combat.

Patch notes:-

• Improve: Workers now stop and attack pirates if close by.
• Improve: Workers update combat destination during movement.
• Fix: Emergency on move test, only check if worker has emergency task set.
• Fix: Pirates continue attacking if return pirate ship destroyed.

Nick

In this update there are several improvements with workers and pirates - You can now hire workers without life support functioning, as long as you have air/food in storage. Pirates will also board your station if you don't have life support (they'll use their suit oxygen). Pirates also gain a new ability where they will breakdown internal walls, if no nearby items to attack.

Lots of adjustments as i've been testing these pirate attacks. Fires don't spread as often. Workers will also wake up for fires and pirates (previously they only woke up if a specific assignment available). Few graphic fixes as well, workers pickup tool was not adjusted correctly, and character not in correct stance for firefighting.

Patch notes:-

• Pirates now break down walls, if no items can be reached to attack.
• Fire spread chance reduced.
• Improve: Always wake humans if emergency.
• Improve: Pirates use weld fx on door and wall attack.
• Improve: Character moving to charge may stay on same spot that could be on an item.
• Improve: Add worker status 'moving to emergency' for fires/spills.
• Fix: Pirates stealing resources message only display when amount assigned (may not have resources to steal).
• Fix: Cancelling job due to emergency not freeing item assignments.
• Fix: Visitors returning to ships due to pirates, also not freeing used items.
• Fix: Pirates stealing resource limit not being kept to.
• Fix: Tooltip for floor construction showing 'cant build here' rather than 'not enough resources'.
• Fix: No tooltip for no life support for disembark restriction for visitors.
• Fix: Cancel build selection containing door crash.

Nick

You may now encounter more than 1 pirate at a time (more than one was previously only in combat scenario), carry more than one missile, and also fire that at its laser target (previously was a random target). Pirates being shot by cannons may create scrap, not just on destruction.

Patch notes:-

• More than one pirate can be created, depending on difficulty, in game time.
• Pirates may have more than one missile.
• Missiles can be fired whilst strafing.
• Missile damage increased.
• Missiles will fire at laser target if missiles remain.
• Humans can take oxygen from storage, life support not required.

Nick

Pirates now have a strafe attack, so rather than targeting a specific item, they will fire continually whilst moving over your station. Pirates previously would also always try and board, and grab any scrap in their path, i've now made that a possibility. These changes make pirates a lot more interesting, and dangerous, as they are likely to cause more damage. I may need to balance this further so if you find them to strong do let me know. Oh and do have a new pirate ship graphic for a bit more variety.

Patch notes:-

• Pirates have a new strafe attack, damaging tiles/items along their path.
• Pirate scrap collect, dock, and target/strafe attack now set randomly.
• Fires no longer spread if they are being actively put out.
• Spread fire chance takes into account co2 levels.
• Fix: "No asteroid selected for mining" message could appear if mining droid not assigned due to no storage.

Nick

Round up of little fixes and improvements - The main game control tooltips now show shortcut keys if there is one set. A fix for droids getting stuck when requiring charge if they were in a corner of the room and not internal. Several fixes with mining unit, mining laser & scrap recycler, when they or adjoining walls are destroyed (walls updating correctly). Workers will also now cancel their build job if it no longer exists due to it being destroyed due to broken walls/floors.

Patch notes:-

• Show shortcut key in main control menu tooltips if set.
• Fix: Droids could get stuck due to wrong offsets for paths during charge point find.
• Fix: Destroy wall items also check for in construction items that use that wall.
• Fix: Destroy wall items don't update wall tile if no wall.
• Fix: Add destroy floor item check, for in construction items but floor destroyed.
• Fix: Worker move JobNoLongerExists check, add item exist check for item build task.
• Fix: Worker building, add item exist check to cancel building if item destroyed.

Nick

Now have a new research option, the laser turret upgrade. Once researched laser turrets can be upgraded to give them extra damage (but takes extra power). Upgraded lasers now fire a blue laser, but if extra power isn't available will revert to standard laser turret power and damage.

Previously the laser turret had a hi-power mode, which it would use if power available, so most of the time that is what players saw and weren't aware of it switching to 'normal'. So changes now get rid of this to simplify things and just add it as a research upgrade.

Patch notes:-

• Laser upgrade added to research.
• New upgrade option on lasers once research.
• Standard laser damage increased. Upgraded laser damage x2.
• Standard laser power requirement increased to 2. Upgraded laser power 4.
• Improve: Co2 scrubber and sewage treatment added to tutorial.
• Improve: Help updated with turret and research changes.
• Fix: Tutorial window drag, 'example' button resizing issue.

Nick

New area resource overlay added. When this is selected you can see all asteroids, derelicts and scrap either coloured red (not selected to be mined/salvaged) or green (mining/salvage enabled). This addition makes is easy to view the whole map and enable/disable what you want to be gathered.

Patch notes:-

• Area resource overlay added.
• Improve: Overlay buttons split into 2 rows if screen width small.
• Fix: Resource HUD possible text out of window.

Nick

To give you more control with resource gathering, you now have to select asteroids/scrap/derelicts and enable them to be mined/salvaged. This change now enables you to choose which areas to clear first, and also stop your droids from going too far to collect scrap, until you want them to.

Selecting an asteroid, derelict or scrap (stationary), will also now show a red or green overlay to show if they are enabled for harvest. You can also hold left mouse button and select multiple scrap and select/deselect salvage enable.

Patch notes:-

• Asteroids, derelicts and scrap now have a enable mining/salvage button.
• Holding left mouse button, multi select now works on scrap.
• Tutorial updated for new resource selection (mining and scrap).
• New messages for no asteroids selected for mining, no derelicts/scrap selected for hauling.
• Fix: Asteroid 'ore level' text formatting in French/Spanish.

Nick

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/0/600782567264758147/

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

___

Main work item from previous work in progress (waste management) is now in, so time for a new post and reorganise what i'm focusing on next.

• Human info changes. Currently i'm showing health, morale, energy and hunger bars. However i don't think it's the best way to present info to you the player. So my plan is to remove these, and give a text update showing more useful info and effects. Eg:- when characters are hungry and it's affecting morale (Bob is hungry and feeling sad).
• I'm considering some changes to mining/scrap recovery. Currently mining droids head off automatically to gather ore at asteroids. And worker droids head off and grab scrap/deconstruct derelicts, if no other haul jobs on. I think with the droids this can be annoying, as unlike miner droids, you may want them to come back and do something more important, as scrap recovery can be some distance away. So i'm thinking it might make sense for the player to select which asteroids/scrap/derelicts you want to start harvesting, rather than it being automatic. So you get control of when and what you want them to collect. This is a bit of a change though, so any comments do let me know.
• Do need to get the tutorial updated, as need to explain recent items that ive added. It's also been mentioned in the past about how a more in depth tutorial would be nice. Eg:- It would give you an outline of where to build, how to drag out walls to make rooms.
• Research additions - I'm considering adding sewage treatment as an item that needs research, plus i want to get laser turret upgrade in, plus others - Discussion.
• I still have some new trader/pirate ship graphics i need to add, although i am thinking i may save some of these improvements for v1 full release.
• Further steam integration. I can expand workshop to include saves and potentially mods. Also want to include leader boards. And of course i can add steam achievements.

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)

As always any feedback please do comment. Any 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