Content update #3 - Items, Contracts, Stations inventories

I'm back as promised with new and final content update and my ankle is finally much better. Aside from content there are also gameplay visual changes.

So about content, lets start with items. Propulsion generator and structural enhancer were both removed from shops for now, because to fully utilise them I need to make changes to ship parameters calculations, which I'm not comfortable to do before demo will be out. This update shouldn't change gameplay with ships too much, but it will require dedicated update to make use of propulsion generators and structural enhancers somehow logical and to properly balance things out. New items available for purchase in shops are shield generators, containers, repair bots and shield rechargers. Repair bots and shield rechargers are also now using power charges (formerly named as ammunition) for operation. This change was long intended to add more power charges management to gameplay and to add reason to have more charge containers in ships. Items also now have levels, factions and shops restrictions.

As I mentioned items restrictions, you are now levelling not only as player but also in relations with different factions. As a player you got experience points for every kill and every finished quest. But on top of that you are now receiving relation points towards some of available factions. They don't compete with each other, so right now, there is no way to lose relation points with any of them. Shop restrictions could be also understand as station restrictions. Not every station sells every item. And also each station will pay slightly more or less for different items. Contracts are now restricted to different stations too and I added contracts for drones. And when you eventually buy item, then this item is finally resident on this station as are all items granted from quests, so don't forget to take them with you. And last info about items is decreased amount of generic salvage present in wrecks.

Other gameplay wise changes are added damage classes, mob names hiding and different station paint jobs. Up until now were all weapons equal. After this update will have each weapon different efficiency against shields and ship structure. I have already planned and designed more damage classes for future. Regarding different paint jobs for different stations it is to show difference in station factions and what could player expect there. For now it is only an idea and spicing of visuals of stations. Yes and not all stations will be visible on map.

Remaining changes are visual and UI. Mini-maps got their almost final look. Button animations were changed to look more techy. All available items now have proper short descriptions. In overview is now available station information panel containing for now only some lore about each station. Audio settings are now functional, so feel free to finally mute my attempt to background music. In-game aspect ratio is now restricted to 1.778 (FullHD 1920x1080) and for this test version is application window set to borderless.

This new build contains these new game updates, history of all project changes is available on my discord server in changelog channel for Wild Wild Space:

• Implemented damage class processing
• Added new railgun damage class
• Implemented level restrictions to shown items in shops
• Added level restrictions to items designed for demo
• Players inventory is now resident in each station and not shared any more
• Increased resources prices ten times for their better price scaling in shops resulting in all prices recalculation
• Updated items to be available for purchase only on specified NPC stations
• Added admin ability to grant experience points
• Items doesn't disappear any more on sell, if NPC isn't accepting them
• Added new shield generators, containers and repair bots
• Basic propulsion and hull upgrades is now hidden until proper implementation
• Repair bots are now using energy charges
• Implemented audio settings
• Updated progression points of various NPCs given for killing mobs
• Updated existing contracts to utilise new NPCs
• Updated quest rewarding to utilise multiple NPCs and station inventories
• Added contracts for drones
• Mob names are now hidden until mouse hover on mob or mob is selected
• Added shield rechargers
• Implemented settings of custom server connections
• Added highlighting to UI buttons instead of horizontal animation as visual feedback
• Added new materials to stations as a way to better tell station focus to players
• Stations now have option to be visible on map or not
• Added unique item IDs to NPC stations so stations can have assigned text description in same datatable as all other items
• Enabled station informations screen in overview group
• Decreased drop amount of generic loot for all mobs
• Damage class and weapon effect enums are now split and handled separately to allow variability of audio visuals for weapons of same damage class
• Updated mini-maps
• Replaced UI buttons to access social sites with dedicated social widget with generally known icons
• Added remaining short items descriptions
• Restricted in-game camera aspect ratio
• Temporally set borderless application window
• Updated value units on Overview screen to correlate with in game items descriptions
• Changed items type name from ammunition to charges

Now for August is simple plan to prepare the game demo. I will play test game more in depth to find where it is lacking the most. I will be updating some visual shortcomings and bugs. Sadly, next mob faction won't be ready for demo launch because I simply don't have enough time and I don't want to push demo launch down the road. I have three more items that are missing models and therefore icons. And I will finish implementation of a way to tell players in start menu screen that new game versions are available. For this I have to make game profile public, which is kind of terrifying, because then everybody will be able to see my game and could have opinion. But that is part of the route.